Walt Disney World Park Hours cut starting September 8 2020

[Getachew]

Just another reason I don't see my family returning to WDW at ANY time soon. Full price admissions and resort stays - but a complete degradation of the experience is no incentive.

yeah not like there's a pandemic or anything

 

[BoarderPhreak]

yeah not like there's a pandemic or anything

Regardless, I'm not paying full price for this "experience."

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

yeah not like there's a pandemic or anything

...Hence why it’s not worth going

We’ll give you a multiple choice question next.

 

[Getachew]

Regardless, I'm not paying full price for this "experience."

Some would argue that reduced crowds makes it the best experience.

 

[Getachew]

For some yes, I enjoyed the lack of crowds and power riding through the roster of attractions. But others want to have other offerings besides rides.

I see where you're coming from. I suspect Disney will do some kind of "deal" down the line to entice guests. Maybe not to the extent that Universal just did, but something. Universal reduced park hours first before coming out with any type of deal.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think everyone WANTS to be back. But I don’t think either the winter season or the economic conditions is going to allow the resumption Disney is looking for.
They don’t expect it either. The biggest myth of Disney fans is that they’re happy to be open...nothing about their actions would indicate that. They’re playing along...not encouraging anyone.

 

[Getachew]

It’s not a hoax. So if you’d like to accept that and try again...shoot.

I think everyone WANTS to be back. But I don’t think either the winter season or the economic conditions is going to allow the resumption Disney is looking for.
They don’t expect it either. The biggest myth of Disney fans is that they’re happy to be open...nothing about their actions would indicate that. They’re playing along...not encouraging anyone.

The theory that Disney opened faster than they wanted to because universal did could very well be true.

 

[Parker in NYC]

You: they’re in legal trouble with those annual passes. The legal lynch mob is looking for torches and pitchforks as we speak!

Me: they’ll all be back with bibs on the minute they run HEA.

Yes! Because WDW is a drug. And whenever I point that out here, I’m vilified. It’s not a dig, I’ll be back again then too — because I can admit that I have a problem. Look, there are expensive vices like gambling, narcotics, and alcohol. And then there are outrageously more expensive vices like Disney. I choose Disney, and so do most of us here. Otherwise, why would we be here? We forgive and forget and rinse and repeat. And Disney knows this, which is why they depend on it. Sure, many here say they’re never going back! Harumph! But we’re still... talking about it.

 

[GoofGoof]

... I even called them that in an earlier reply in this discussion... so, yes?




My point is not that the 2020s won’t ‘roar’ back, but that the permanent changes in both societal behavior and public health mitigation will cause a measurable impact on the business operations of the Walt Disney company... along with continuing impacts to the wider tourism and leisure sectors of the economy.

Heck, there will be lasting and significant changes to the restaurant industry as well. Many existing business will continue to be successful despite these adjustments. Some will not, for whatever reason.

I don’t know what other permanent changes to life will be, but at a minimum I think we may have seen the permanent end of the self serve buffet. Buffet dining has been a pretty big part of WDW‘s restaurant scene, but there are ways to still do it without having everyone touching shared utensils. I do think parades and fireworks and character meetings will all come back over time.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t know what other permanent changes to life will be, but at a minimum I think we may have seen the permanent end of the self serve buffet. Buffet dining has been a pretty big part of WDW‘s restaurant scene, but there are ways to still do it without having everyone touching shared utensils. I do think parades and fireworks and character meetings will all come back over time.

Let’s be honest: the demise of the buffet is a good thing all the way around

 

[GoofGoof]

Let’s be honest: the demise of the buffet is a good thing all the way around

Yeah...probably. I do like a good breakfast buffet. It’s still possible to have a similar setup but servers instead of self serve.

 

[LittleBuford]

I don’t know what other permanent changes to life will be, but at a minimum I think we may have seen the permanent end of the self serve buffet.

Why do you think this?

 

[BoarderPhreak]

The self serve buffets are done (e.g. Crystal Palace) at least for the foreseeable future, due to health (Covid) concerns.
But served all-you-can-eat will go on (e.g. Diamond Horseshoe Revue). At the prices Disney charges, they're cash cows.

 

[GoofGoof]

Why do you think this?

This is just my theory and we have no way to know what will actually happen, but here goes. Outside of a handful of 100+ year olds none of us has lived through a true worldwide pandemic. I believe things will eventually go back to normal through vaccines and better knowledge of the virus leading to better treatments. I do think there will be some psychological impact to a lot of people. I don’t see people (especially Americans) having any desire to continue to wear masks in public or avoid crowds going forward. What’s likely to stick will be a more conscious focus on basic hygiene like hand washing and hand sanitizer. It’s relatively easy to do and not disruptive to normal life. Part of that could be a reduction in things like buffets or hand shakes with strangers. I also think going forward businesses will continue to promote increased sanitation and cleaning because people will want it and again, it’s not disruptive. Buffets are the low hanging fruit. It’s easy to switch to family style plates at the table and/or servers at the buffet. If you go to some higher end buffets they already do that.

 

[LittleBuford]

This is just my theory and we have no way to know what will actually happen, but here goes. Outside of a handful of 100+ year olds none of us has lived through a true worldwide pandemic. I believe things will eventually go back to normal through vaccines and better knowledge of the virus leading to better treatments. I do think there will be some psychological impact to a lot of people. I don’t see people (especially Americans) having any desire to continue to wear masks in public or avoid crowds going forward. What’s likely to stick will be a more conscious focus on basic hygiene like hand washing and hand sanitizer. It’s relatively easy to do and not disruptive to normal life. Part of that could be a reduction in things like buffets or hand shakes with strangers. I also think going forward businesses will continue to promote increased sanitation and cleaning because people will want it and again, it’s not disruptive. Buffets are the low hanging fruit. It’s easy to switch to family style plates at the table and/or servers at the buffet. If you go to some higher end buffets they already do that.

I do hope you’re wrong. I’d certainly like to see personal hygiene levels significantly raised (I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can bear not to wash their hands after going to the toilet), but I would be very sad to see the end of handshakes, buffets, and other forms of sociability that involve (indirect) contact with others. I say this as a germaphobe who is obsessively clean in his own apartment but welcomes the fact that the real world keep him grounded in more realistic standards (or at least used to).

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I do hope you’re wrong. I’d certainly like to see personal hygiene levels significantly raised (I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can bear not to wash their hands after going to the toilet), but I would be very sad to see the end of handshakes, buffets, and other forms of sociability that involve (mediated) contact with others. I say this as a germaphobe who is obsessively clean in his own apartment but welcomes the fact that the real world keep him grounded in more realistic standards (or at least used to).

I ADORE the buffets at Disney. My three guys (hubby and sons) are all way too picky-pants when it comes to food and I'd be stuck eating mostly chicken fingers and french fries if it weren't for the buffets. (If you put food in front of me, chances are about 98% that I'll eat it.)

 

[GoofGoof]

I do hope you’re wrong. I’d certainly like to see personal hygiene levels significantly raised (I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can bear not to wash their hands after going to the toilet), but I would be very sad to see the end of handshakes, buffets, and other forms of sociability that involve contact with others. I say this as a germaphobe who is obsessively clean in his own apartment but welcomes the fact that the real world keep him grounded in more realistic standards (or at least used to).

I ADORE the buffets at Disney. My three guys (hubby and sons) are all way too picky-pants when it comes to food and I'd be stuck eating mostly chicken fingers and french fries if it weren't for the buffets. (If you put food in front of me, chances are about 98% that I'll eat it.)

I would say the buffet could still exist, you just wouldn’t serve yourself anymore. They could have one server per every 2 or 3 pans of food. Kinda like the guy that cuts the meat or makes an omelette for you now. It’s still a way cheaper option for the restaurants than having individual servers for each table and all made to order food. As @BoarderPhreak said the buffets are a major money maker for Disney so they will find a way to have them going forward but I could see them being a modified experience. Things like the free buffet at hotels may go away.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah...probably. I do like a good breakfast buffet. It’s still possible to have a similar setup but servers instead of self serve.

I do too...

But Buffets - especially Disney ones - have become high cost covers to bad overall food quality. And it’s easy for the owner to operate...so they don’t have to work as hard to keep people in them.

Disney needs some “regulating” a la Warren G

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I ADORE the buffets at Disney. My three guys (hubby and sons) are all way too picky-pants when it comes to food and I'd be stuck eating mostly chicken fingers and french fries if it weren't for the buffets. (If you put food in front of me, chances are about 98% that I'll eat it.)

Yeah...but the prices are ridiculous and they are fat and sugar festivals.

I can appreciate them...but probably not a hill any of us needs to die on (with our mouths filled with bacon)

 

[Jrb1979]

I do too...

But Buffetts - especially Disney ones - have become high cost covers to bad overall food quality. And it’s easy for the owner to operate...so they don’t have to work as hard to keep people in them.

Disney needs some “regulating” a la Warren G

They get away with charging high prices for low quality food cause people need to see others in a costume.