The Future of WDW

[gettingsmaller]

My understanding is that advanced hotel and dinner reservations have declined, and that has caused Disney to worry a bit. Combine that with a lack of official announcements for new attractions, and the closure of Pleasure Island as of September 27th, it would seem that Disney is definitely conscious of a downturn in the economy.

I think downturn is a term that isn't controversial, so why don't we stick with that, so as not to upset any economists that happened to post here.

Do you think the PI closure really has to do with the economy? My guess would be something along the lines of PI not bringing in the business that they'd like... either it's not busy enough or they feel that it's actually pushing away families--something like that. I think it's more likely that they see more $$ in shops, eateries, etc. that would replace PI than they see in PI itself. If they can just rent that space out to the likes of Cirque. Wolfgang Puck, etc., it lets them continue to glean profits from the space while reducing headcount, etc... Also, don't the busses/boats run longer because of PI? Cut that out, and you can trim your bus schedules, too...

 

[jt04]

Do you think the PI closure really has to do with the economy? My guess would be something along the lines of PI not bringing in the business that they'd like... either it's not busy enough or they feel that it's actually pushing away families--something like that. I think it's more likely that they see more $$ in shops, eateries, etc. that would replace PI than they see in PI itself. If they can just rent that space out to the likes of Cirque. Wolfgang Puck, etc., it lets them continue to glean profits from the space while reducing headcount, etc... Also, don't the busses/boats run longer because of PI? Cut that out, and you can trim your bus schedules, too...

The bus schedule cut backs could be an interesting benefit. but in reality Disney wants out of the club scene (mistake from day 1 for them to build clubs) and wants to do some much better stuff for their customers (guests). Just wait and see.

 

[bradandsarabr]

2 things:

(1) PI's demise has been rumored on these boards since at least March when no one was talking of the economy.

(2) Another blog that exclusively discusses crowd calendars recently apologized because they had under-predicted crowds. I bet the CM saying that crowds are down worked @ PI.

 

[disney9752]

while we may not be in a "recession" there is a definete slump in nearly every business in my area of fl, stores, target, publix, even walmart, not to mention the terrible business at the restaurant i work at. a few months ago we were very busy even on a wait for tables for an hour at least every friday & saturday night, maybe even sunday night. since before easiter we have not been that busy since mother's day. so anyone that thinks the economy doesnt stink right now isnt paying attention.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

. so anyone that thinks the economy doesnt stink right now isnt paying attention.

The economy stinking is not the same as a full blown recession.

The struggle of air lines in America are not a good guage as the system allows poorly operated ventures to be protected, perpetuating the problems.

Also in the grand scheme of things a one off round trip drive to Disney even with the fuel hikes should hardly be a show stopper. Unless of course you had already stretched your family budget a bit thin to go. In which case wouldnt you have been better holding off to the now traditional free dining window?

All I know is when we go I couldnt get the resorts I wanted, and although I got my Ressies they werent exactly at the times I wanted. And Im not alone in this respec.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

Just because we don't know what's going on doesn't mean nothing is going on.

I'm not saying I expect some new E-ticket to just jump out of the ground and surprise us, but if I were Disney and every idea I had got ripped apart and analyzed down to the nut and bolt (sic.) I would try to keep things a little more on the down low as well.

AEfx

haha ... You have a good point there. Remember last time we criticized a new Disney attraction ... Laugh Floor? Imagineering was not too happy with the online Disney community. Didn't they complain about us in some newspaper interview?

 

[WishIwasThere]

according to a cm, there has been lower crowds and surge in cancelations

So maybe they will have to lower their ticket prices to draw people in...:ROFLOL:

 

[WishIwasThere]

Personally, I'd love to see a decrease in Disney's business due to gas prices, the opening of DubaiLand, or other things. Less customers means less crowds, fewer people in my way when I go, and a decrease in prices as Disney tries to get people to come back. If these factors force the company to cut ticket prices and hotel prices in order to offset the high gas prices and entice people to come, I'm all in favor of that. If DubaiLand sucks away enough guests (which I doubt it will, personally), forcing Disney to cut prices to try to lure those guests back, I won't complain one bit. Is it such a bad thing if Disney's business suffers a little, resulting in lower prices and less crowds for the rest of us?

Obviously, though, I'm aware that there is a line there somewhere, where we don't want their business to suffer TOO badly, or else it may potentially result in going out of business entirely (if, hypothetically, they suffer a catastrophic drop in business), closing parks, not adding anything new (although I'm satisfied with what's there now and don't feel like they have to add new things) etc, and perhaps that's what you guys are talking about.

In the 50+ years of Disney parks, I don't think there has ever been a price decrease...room or package discounts, yes. The way that the company makes up the difference in lower attendance, is by reducing costs...i.e. staffing costs. The way to do that is by cutting hours of operation. Even after 9/11, when the park was dead for months, the only thing they did was reduce the hours of operation, but the ticket prices still kept going up.

 

[jimmybog]

With regards to European Visitors to Disney, I don't believe a decrease in numbers would affect Disney as much as it would Universal & Sea World. The last two times I have been to Orlando during November & early December, Universal & Sea World were very quiet but most of the guests there seemed to be British. One of the narrators of the Sea Lion show actually told the audiance once "If it wasn't for the British visitors, Sea World would probably close during the quieter winter months". I know this probably would never happen but you could see where he was coming from. At Disney however, although there were still a lot of Brits there, they certainly didn't seem to make up the majority of visitors.

As for DubaiLand. Yes there will certainly be plenty of European and especially British visitors going there when it opens. But I can't see it attracting the same numbers as Orlando does. Dubai is expensive for Hotels, drinking and dining and flights are about the same price as to Orlando even though the flight time is less. For Europeans and Brits, the USA currently and for the forseable future is still the best value destination for holidays. Two things that could change this, is Sterling crashing against the dollar and the UK sliding into a proper recession. At the moment I don't see any of these things happening for a while yet.