Two "apparent" budget cuts noticed...

[Disney-Trains]

here for a quick trip this week and noticed the following...

- only 1 friendship boat operating at EPCOT from Germany to Mexico. No service from Morroco or Canada docks. This resulted, of course, in very long lines and standing room only on the one boat operating.

- 120 minute wait to meet Mickey mouse at Town Square yesterday at Magic Kingdom. The park was indeed packed (thanks to the back to back Halloween party days the two nights before I'm guessing) but I've never seen this kind of wait to meet Mickey even on New Years so I can only assume this was a budget cut (only one room open?).

 

[Bolt]

here for a quick trip this week and noticed the following...

- only 1 friendship boat operating at EPCOT from Germany to Mexico. No service from Morroco or Canada docks. This resulted, of course, in very long lines and standing room only on the one boat operating.

- 120 minute wait to meet Mickey mouse at Town Square yesterday at Magic Kingdom. The park was indeed packed (thanks to the back to back Halloween party days the two nights before I'm guessing) but I've never seen this kind of wait to meet Mickey even on New Years so I can only assume this was a budget cut (only one room open?).

Mickeys wait time is an hour now. Things fluctuate all day long - you probably just went at a busy time or they were having issues.

 

[drizgirl]

here for a quick trip this week and noticed the following...

- only 1 friendship boat operating at EPCOT from Germany to Mexico. No service from Morroco or Canada docks. This resulted, of course, in very long lines and standing room only on the one boat operating.

- 120 minute wait to meet Mickey mouse at Town Square yesterday at Magic Kingdom. The park was indeed packed (thanks to the back to back Halloween party days the two nights before I'm guessing) but I've never seen this kind of wait to meet Mickey even on New Years so I can only assume this was a budget cut (only one room open?).

My first thought on Mickey would be only one room open as well.

 

[ToTBellHop]

My first thought on Mickey would be only one room open as well.

Doesn't mean budget cut, though. What if one of Mickey's friends is on a bender?

 

[DisAl]

Well, I learned something new. I didn't know they had two Mickey rooms. I did know they have two stretching rooms at the Haunted Mansion.

 

[donsullivan]

here for a quick trip this week and noticed the following...

- only 1 friendship boat operating at EPCOT from Germany to Mexico. No service from Morroco or Canada docks. This resulted, of course, in very long lines and standing room only on the one boat operating.
........

How do you know this is a result of budget cuts? Do you have facts from Disney that they decided to reduce the number of boats on the lagoon? Was it maybe a result of maintenance on a boat reducing the inventory of available boats? Was there something wrong with one of the docks that could not be repaired during the operating day. Was it all day, was it just part of the day, for an hour? Maybe they had a CM call in sick at the last minute and hadn't had time to get an alternate appropriately trained CM in to take on the role?

I don't understand why some feel the need to jump to such a negative title without any facts at all just because it's Disney.

 

[Horizons '83]

Its also a busy week being Columbus Day week but you are certainly correct, the wait times were on Xmas week levels at MK yesterday.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Its also a busy week being Columbus Day week but you are certainly correct, the wait times were on Xmas week levels at MK yesterday.

October is the new July, dontcha know?

 

[donsullivan]

Disney has been running only one boat in the lagoon since last spring when #ThanksShanghai happened, so yes it is a budget cut. The reason its currently running from Mexico to Germany and not the other route is because the Canada\Morocco docks are having work done.

If it's been operating in that mode for over a year then it's now standard operating procedure, not a budget cut.

 

[Bolt]

Well, I learned something new. I didn't know they had two Mickey rooms. I did know they have two stretching rooms at the Haunted Mansion.

There's more than 2

 

[Horizons '83]

October is the new July, dontcha know?

I guess so. I remember always taking our trips in September/October with minimal crowds... ah the good ole days.

 

[twebber55]

here for a quick trip this week and noticed the following...

- only 1 friendship boat operating at EPCOT from Germany to Mexico. No service from Morroco or Canada docks. This resulted, of course, in very long lines and standing room only on the one boat operating.

- 120 minute wait to meet Mickey mouse at Town Square yesterday at Magic Kingdom. The park was indeed packed (thanks to the back to back Halloween party days the two nights before I'm guessing) but I've never seen this kind of wait to meet Mickey even on New Years so I can only assume this was a budget cut (only one room open?).

this is a travesty

 

[Casper Gutman]

If it's been operating in that mode for over a year then it's now standard operating procedure, not a budget cut.

Yes, but the point is it WAS a budget cut, regardless of when it happened. In this case, the cut took place over a year ago. Doesn't make it not a budget cut.

 

[drizgirl]

Doesn't mean budget cut, though. What if one of Mickey's friends is on a bender?

Never said it was absolutely a budget cut. Just that it would be my first thought. A piece of the puzzle.

 

[ABQ]

May have to ask @nelsonj3 when he recorded this, (it was posted just a few days ago) but at the very start you can see the Friendship departing the Morocco dock. Now this certainly doesn't imply 2 boats were running, it could be they were not running the Germany/Mexico loop.


btw Josh, nice video, Morocco being one of my favourite pavilions.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I never used them anyway. They sit at the dock for 15 minutes and crawl across the lake. I would gladly have them replaced with, hmm idk maybe the Columbia! The first US ship to circumnavigate the globe. Anyways, they take forever and don't have AC to make them relaxing

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Well, I learned something new. I didn't know they had two Mickey rooms. I did know they have two stretching rooms at the Haunted Mansion.

Ashamed to say I didn't know that. I always thought it was one room to the left of the fireplace. Guess that is just my luck that I get in that room every time.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Disney has been running only one boat in the lagoon since last spring when #ThanksShanghai happened, so yes it is a budget cut. The reason its currently running from Mexico to Germany and not the other route is because the Canada\Morocco docks are having work done.

It was the opposite during my time out there in Jan/Feb 2016 with Canada/Morocco Dock open and Mexico/Germanys Closed..

 

[Rider]

The Friendship boat docks are being refurbished. They just recently finished the Eastern docks while only West boats were running. Now West docks are being refurbished (the are currently missing their roofs as they are getting total replacements. Once done both will be operating.

FYI there was another thread a couple weeks ago trying to say that the Eastern boats were closed forever due to budget cuts but nope! Just a phased refurb.

 

[Disney-Trains]

I thought I remembered 2 friendship boats running over the summer...

People are so quick to defend Disney around here... The reason I posted this was to see if anyone knew anything about this.

I asked a character cm "is the line to meet Mickey 120 minutes because of budget cuts" and the reply was "yes" - of course there's know way I can know for sure but the line was 120 minutes everytime I passed yesrerday.

The fact it's 1 hour today seems right... It's a Halloween party day so probably lighter crowds which would mean less than a 60 minute wait with normal number of rooms open.