Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[BryceM]

I think it looks bare because the trees are still young - it should look much better in a couple of years. All I can think is "I'll bet it's hot right now - where's the shade?" Which is why I'll wait until January to visit. I haven't been in several years, so I'll have a lot of new things to see. And I hope Mythos is still as good as the last time I visited - we ended up eating there twice.

You do have a point. I think it will look even better once the trees grow up. And yes, Mythos is just amazing. The Cream of Mushroom soup has to be one the best things I've ever tasted, and the manager who came over to our table seemed to agree, as we both raved about it together, haha. The Pad Thai was also amazing.

 

[71jason]

When your duty manager at the GF is a 22-year-old intern and not someone making six figures with 20 years experience in the hospitalitu business, something is very wrong. No offense to said manager who I may know.

You definitely make a solid point here. I remember my shock a couple years ago when I learned a 23-year-old intern (literally, her title was "professional intern") was running Top of the World lounge--on New Year's Eve. Last I heard, she quit that gig to become a room service runner. You can't make this stuff up.

Similarly, I have a friend who is a F&B manager at a resort. He makes slightly more than half what another friend of mine makes--she's a waitress at a signature restaurant. Needless to say, if you get him drunk, my manager friend will admit you could find a live rat in your salad and he just really isn't going to care.

But if you're a rube who thinks the GF "is so fancy ... just like that Hampton Inn downtown!"--then I suppose you don't notice that the management staff looks like they just walked out of the Tri-Delt semi-formal.

 

[lebeau]

Normal.

I am not DVC, although family and friends are. I always am solicited. I think I may have signed up for a Samantha Brown web deal on 8/7 while watching Illuminations RoE last week.

I sign up for those every time. Hit play and let it run in the background while I am working. 3 weeks later I get a nice little litho.

Disney continues to waste a pretty penny trying to sell time shares to me. But wanna know my best kept secret? I'm never going to buy! Thanks for the lithos though. They are nice.

 

[Nemo14]

No, we're talking about making stats for each park look better by keeping people stuck in one park each day. Its about not seeing the entire whole, rather theyre seeing individual trees. Its another example of how everything at WDW is a separate business unit competing with one another.

Transportation's shortcomings are another subject entirely.

But won't this actually make the stats look worse? Right now if I spend the morning at AK, then I hop over to MK in the afternoon, aren't I counted as a guest at each park? Without hopping, I'm only counted once, right?

 

[Goofyernmost]

When you signed up you agreed to these terms and conditions, which includes moderating of posts. There is no first amendment here - the site is privately ran, and is a United Kingdom based web site.
Terms and Rules

I would also add that I believe our moderation here is extremely lenient.

I certainly have to agree with that last statement. I also feel a little dumb, since this is absolutely the first time I ever heard that this was a UK web site. I guess it never really mattered to me nor does it have any bearing on the first amendment rights anyway. That amendment is there to guarantee the right to speak out against the government, not individual people. Even a Stateside Web site can decide what will stay and what won't. It is amazing just how often and to what degree that is misinterpreted.

 

[GrumpyFan]

But won't this actually make the stats look worse? Right now if I spend the morning at AK, then I hop over to MK in the afternoon, aren't I counted as a guest at each park? Without hopping, I'm only counted once, right?

I don't think they care about the count as much as they SHOULD BE concerned about the potential revenue you might generate by hopping to MK and likely buying food and/or merchandise.
Restricting park hopping to MK is just dumb and might actually decrease revenue. Surely one of the Accountaneers will recognize this.

 

[PhotoDave219]

But won't this actually make the stats look worse? Right now if I spend the morning at AK, then I hop over to MK in the afternoon, aren't I counted as a guest at each park? Without hopping, I'm only counted once, right?

Nope.

The first park you enter counts you as a guest for that park for the day.

If you park hop you are only counted towards the volume inside the park, rather than as a guest of that park for the day.

So when we say (for example) MK had 50k guests yesterday and DHS had 25k, those people went to those parks first. So come 945 and fireworks time when we have all 75k guests in MK, MK's daily guests are only 50k.

 

[lebeau]

TDO wants to curtail park hopping especially to MK. MM+ is partly designed to do so. If you have FP'sfor ToT, TSMM and Fantasmic you won,t be leaving. That he,ps poop JP numbers at the other three gates that need it.

Do they seriously think DHS and DAK can survive on their own without PHing? I realize Magic Your Way tickets practically give away discounted days to visit these parks. But surely their attendance will take a sizeable hit if PHing is curtailed.

 

[Nemo14]

Nope.

The first park you enter counts you as a guest for that park for the day.

If you park hop you are only counted towards the volume inside the park, rather than as a guest of that park for the day.

So when we say (for example) MK had 50k guests yesterday and DHS had 25k, those people went to those parks first. So come 945 and fireworks time when we have all 75k guests in MK, MK's daily guests are only 50k.

Ahh - thanks for the explanation. I just assumed it went by turnstile (or whatever they call those pole things now) click

 

[GLaDOS]

What happens when people don't park hop after their 1/2 day at DHS and DAK to EPCOT and MK since they know they can't get FP for attractions?

Won't that hurt EPCOT and MK in the long run too?

 

[PhotoDave219]

What happens when people don't park hop after their 1/2 day at DHS and DAK to EPCOT and MK since they know they can't get FP for attractions?

Won't that hurt EPCOT and MK in the long run too?

From a sales of food/bev & merchandise sales, yes.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Do they seriously think DHS and DAK can survive on their own without PHing? I realize Magic Your Way tickets practically give away discounted days to visit these parks. But surely their attendance will take a sizeable hit if PHing is curtailed.

So, the strategy is they are attempting force guests to stay in the other parks?

 

[Smiddimizer]

I feel like we could mad lib much of Will McAvoy's opening sermon here...

"[Walt Disney World] is not the greatest [theme park] in the world anymore."

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

In the long run, it hurts them all around. It's like they're trying to die.

 

[doctornick]

Do they seriously think DHS and DAK can survive on their own without PHing? I realize Magic Your Way tickets practically give away discounted days to visit these parks. But surely their attendance will take a sizeable hit if PHing is curtailed.

The vast majority of people I have helped plan trips to WDW don't get park hoppers. If they leave a park early, they go to their hotel and use the pool/chill or go to DTD and shop, go to another resort for dinner, etc. I'd be really curious as to the percentage of people who get park hoppers as part of their tickets.

Now, I absolutely agree that the cheap additional days on MYW tickets drives attendance at those parks.

 

[GrumpyFan]

In the long run, it hurts them all around. It's like they're trying to die.

That's probably stretching things. I would say they're just mis-guided, probably by some young MBA who hasn't spent much time in the parks.

 

[wm49rs]

In the long run, it hurts them all around. It's like they're trying to die.

Die? No. Save money in as many ways as possible? Perhaps....

 

[PhotoDave219]

In the long run, it hurts them all around. It's like they're trying to die.

Playing with the numbers rather than addressing the root causes and issues inside their parks is what would hurt/kill them.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The vast majority of people I have helped plan trips to WDW don't get park hoppers. If they leave a park early, they go to their hotel and use the pool/chill or go to DTD and shop, go to another resort for dinner, etc. I'd be really curious as to the percentage of people who get park hoppers as part of their tickets.

Now, I absolutely agree that the cheap additional days on MYW tickets drives attendance at those parks.

Thats because its a PITA to park hop beyond Epcot-MK. Otherwise you're bus dependent (or foot from Epcot-DHS) and that takes about an hour to go from park to park. Its not easy at all to go from place to place here anymore

 

[Goofyernmost]

Isn't it amazing how people get all worked up over a statement made by another poster with absolutely no indication or clue that what was said is ever going to actually happen or even considered.

My reference is to the no park hopper. Common sense tells you that unless they stock those half day parks with something for people to do, they will need or want to park hop. If they just leave the park early and go back to the resort...they are not spending any additional money. Traffic is what generates sales. They get additional money for PH and it is popular with those that are willing to pay the extra. There is no logical reason indicating that it might be taken out. Like many things in Disney...they don't always promote things that the find some small problem with, but they very seldom just drop the idea. Fastpass is an absolute example of that. In spite of the fact that it is nothing but a hassle for both the Guests and Disney...the damn thing is still there.