Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[71jason]

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.

Be it the First Amendment, Universal's contract for the Marvel characters, or certain central Florida trials that are verbotten to discuss, here's a simple rule of thumb--everything the "online lawyers" know is wrong.

 

[Eyorefan]

I don't know, half the time I hop from one park to the next it's because I have dinner reservations or I want to see the fireworks or the parade. If I ride a ride while I'm in that park great - if not oh well. I'm not a fan of pre-planing FPs, but I certainly don't see this killing park hoping.

 

[lebeau]

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.

We rarely PH ourselves. With little kids, it's more trouble than it's worth. I see PHing as a bit of a racket. You waste at least an hour travel time minimum. But most people I know swear by PHing. I know very few people who spend a whole day at DAK. Even with the MYW tickets, I know people who would drop it if they couldn't PH.

Purely anecdotal obviously. I too would be interested to know the data. I can tell you if it wasn't for the MYW pricing structure, we'd be day guests at MK and skip DHS and DAK more often than not. There hasn't been a compelling reason to go to those parks in years other than the fact the extra days are cheap.

 

[ctxak98]

Just got through the 56 pages of Arguments, questions and Information but I must say, I also think UNIVERSAL is definitely winning the game here in terms of quality!

At least for now though, I am still stuck on Disney as my number one destination. It has nothing to do with the quality of the rides that are being developed, But more on the brand itself. I am just a huge DISNEY fan. I love the characters and what not, and I love whats there now and whats been there for many years. I like UNI a lot too but for me its still no Disney because I could care less about Harry Potter or Spiderman (WICH ARE FUN RIDES!) but its still not my favorite!

Well I say rock on UNIVERSAL! Keep creating awesome rides, Hopefully someday Disney will turn it around just like UNI did once they got Potter!

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

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

Does it save money to have two theme parks playing to an ever decreasing house, while one is strained to the max? Effectively trying to kill two parks out of four is a recipe for death.

 

[PhotoDave219]

... and now the Geniuses in charge are "tweaking" Tables in Wonderland and adding in blackout weeks for some character meals. Here's the screengrab in question.

 

[Nemo14]

... and now the Geniuses in charge are "tweaking" Tables in Wonderland and adding in blackout weeks for some character meals. Here's the screengrab in question.

chip,chip,chipping away.....

 

[GLaDOS]

... and now the Geniuses in charge are "tweaking" Tables in Wonderland and adding in blackout weeks for some character meals. Here's the screengrab in question.

WDW Frog #1: Hey, is this pot boiling?
WDW Frog #2: Nah. Things have never been better.

 

[IHeartArt]

... and now the Geniuses in charge are "tweaking" Tables in Wonderland and adding in blackout weeks for some character meals. Here's the screengrab in question.

Death by degrees.

 

[ParentsOf4]

... and now the Geniuses in charge are "tweaking" Tables in Wonderland and adding in blackout weeks for some character meals. Here's the screengrab in question.

So, unlike most companies who work towards identifying ways to reward and keep their best customers, WDW looks for ways to provide their best customers with less. "You eat here a lot. I guess we're going to have to cut back on days you can get your discount."

Glad there are so many at WDW focused on picking up those pennies.

 

[crispy]

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.

Was her name Carl Karl?

 

[wm49rs]

Does it save money to have two theme parks playing to an ever decreasing house, while one is strained to the max? Effectively trying to kill two parks out of four is a recipe for death.

It saves them money to have the four parks open, while shuttering pavilions, closing rides and attractions, and ending parades.

 

[Cardinals314]

I just noticed that in the past two or three days, we have as many posts as the spirited news, observations, & thoughts tres thread did in 10 days. This thread is ridiculously crazy right now

 

[doctornick]

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.

The thing is, I can understand the motivation to curtail park hopping. There are benefits for TDO to limit the number of people who are moving between the parks.

The issue is how they solve this "problem". They try to make it more of a hassle (or less beneficial) to park hop rather than simply giving people a reason to stay in all the parks all day.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

It saves them money to have the four parks open, while shuttering pavilions, closing rides and attractions, and ending parades.

The thought process that leads to this kind of decision-making is beyond me.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The thought process that leads to this kind of decision-making is beyond me.

Management culture. They need a good culling of middle management as you move farther up the chain.

 

[rael ramone]

So, unlike most companies who work towards identifying ways to reward and keep their best customers, WDW looks for ways to provide their best customers with less. "You eat here a lot. I guess we're going to have to cut back on days you can get your discount."

Glad there are so many at WDW focused on picking up those pennies.

It's their subconcious.... it's telling them their physical infrastructure is suffering, and the way to deal with that is to give your ever so most loyal customers a reason to stay home or go somewhere else, thus relieving the strain

 

[marni1971]

Maybe it's a way to address the transportation issues. Less park hopping means less need for buses.

We park hop just about everyday. This new FP+ system is a huge negative for my family and I.

So instead of fixing the problem they stifle it and hope it goes away?

Not a pop at you.

 

[Bolna]

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.

This comment of yours and then @71jason 's reply to it made me think of one thing that really has been bothering me over the last years on my visits to WDW. The lack of seasoned and experienced CMs.

It seems that ever since the big purge of 2009 there has been a very obvious shift in management. The managers you see out and about in the majority seem very young. This was very different before 2009. There are areas where you still see a healthy mixture of different ages (and people who proudly wear there little things on the name tags showing how long they have been working for the company), mainly among the servers at the signature restaurants.

Especially compared with other high end establishments in the hospitality industry there is a certain vibe about a lot of Disney CMs where I get the feeling that they often try to make up for lack in experience, training and professionalism with cheerfulness and enthusiasm. While this is nice and certainly adds some atmosphere, it also isn't very classy at all.

 

[michmousefan]

Yes. Fat Tire is immensely important.

That being said.... Disney Execs. You need to have New Belgium's Fat Tire served at all the bars/restaurants by Monday as it was released in Florida this week.

Plus Ranger, which is one hell of a fine IPA.