Walt Disney World Park Hours cut starting September 8 2020

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Probably because we DVC member still have to keep paying the same dues.

That’s chump change.

It’s more likely the nba money being moved around

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

When do certain attraction hours also get cut?

I think that's coming.

I think that’s a definite.

I also don’t think day closures are off the table. Would make a lot of sense to do it.
That also could be part of limiting passes

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The consumer has to be honest with themselves. Disney fans tend to sabotage their own self interest.

 

[GimpYancIent]

All the price hikes and other money making tricks exercised by Disney Parks were initiated to "manage the crowds". The crowd volume was so high that manipulating prices the guests could be controlled as to when and where they could go down to time of year even specific dates. Well, there is no crowd issue now! That makes for a better park experience for the guests that go. Now it is an issue of what value does a Disney park experience have? Stop charging parking fee's to guests that drive and stay at on property Disney Resorts! Initiate reduced ticket prices for the dates and times increased attendance is desired. Bring back some pyrotechnic shows, make them random and surprise the guests. Refurbishing is great but all the, so called, construction work severely damaged the ambiance (magic), the experience of being at the parks. Guests do not want to go to a construction zone park. Way over done! Guests want to experience a Disney Park. Finish up, clean up and get back to having happy guests. Get back to the small touches that made a Disney vacation special and a visit to the parks unique. Get back to the Gold Standard World Class parks that guests so enjoyed.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Everything except my car insurance.

My point is: holding the line and pushing back on consumer products is good for EVERYONE. And that is being lost. It doesn’t matter that I can pay for all things Disney without blinking. If I don’t question it...the quality will go down. That’s basic public company economics.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

All the price hikes and other money making tricks exercised by Disney Parks were initiated to "manage the crowds". The crowd volume was so high that manipulating prices the guests could be controlled as to when and where they could go down to time of year even specific dates. Well, there is no crowd issue now! That makes for a better park experience for the guests that go. Now it is an issue of what value does a Disney park experience have? Stop charging parking fee's to guests that drive and stay at on property Disney Resorts! Initiate reduced ticket prices for the dates and times increased attendance is desired. Bring back some pyrotechnic shows, make them random and surprise the guests. Refurbishing is great but all the, so called, construction work severely damaged the ambiance (magic), the experience of being at the parks. Guests do not want to go to a construction zone park. Way over done! Guests want to experience a Disney Park. Finish up, clean up and get back to having happy guests. Get back to the small touches that made a Disney vacation special and a visit to the parks unique. Get back to the Gold Standard World Class parks that guests so enjoyed.

Gonna have to go 30%/70% agree/disagree on this one...
Well stated though.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The point is the quality hasn't really been lost. Parks aren't crowded, they're clean, it's better than ever to visit. Medicore stage shows performed by equally mediocre performers aren't a major loss to the Disney experience. The only thing that is a major loss are the fireworks and parades.

Maybe not.

But it’s also a question of “value”. If you accept what they give you...no matter the price...it’s not going to go well.

But you can do your own experiment here...what do I know?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That's why I downgraded from the Platinum Plus pass to Gold two years ago. I didn't accept the nearly $20 hike in my monthly payment was worth my time or value when all I really used that tier for was h20 park access.

...it helps with car insurance too.

 

[crawale]

True. Both mean income. Guess I should have used that word. Because if income is down 85% how is there a profit?

Imagine the profit margin.

 

[crawale]

I think you are right on point here. Disney at the top expected people to be waiting in line to visit the parks. They admitted they were surprised at the low turnout. I think they will be surprised when demand does not return quickly. They may be surprised when the movies don't do as well when theaters reopen and how sports are not as popular as before. I am not sure the full impact of this virus has been realized and how it has changed people's thinking.

We have been visiting Disney since 1986 and became DVC members in 1998. The cheap-skating and lack of concern for guests has changed my opinion of the Company. Now hours are cut at the parks so that you can't eat dinner at a reasonable hour. The APs we paid for have majorly decreased in value as we can only visit one park per day. Throughout this Disney has been incredibly cavalier. They do not deserve to get their business back. We plan to sell our DVC points next year and will never return.

 

[CJR]

I don't want another extension tbh. My AP was timed with the Feb increase, another extension would push the renewal passed that. To top it off, Disney has shortened their hours before and did not extend AP's.

With that said, if the parks are not open at night in Dec, I probably will not renew next year, even if things get better in 2021. Disney was burning bridges before Covid, if I'm not wanted, I'll leave without the door hitting me on the way out.

 

[po1998]

....Medicore stage shows performed by equally mediocre performers aren't a major loss to the Disney experience.

Not everyone wants to ride thrill rides from opening until close. If the stage shows weren’t popular with the guests, they would have been abandoned years ago. They ARE a major loss to the Disney experience.

 

[SoFloMagic]

When do certain attraction hours also get cut?

I think that's coming.

My bet is dinosaur and safaris closing at 3 and 4. And future world at 5.

 

[DisneyCane]

because at a certain point they may risk a class action suit because the value that was inferred when the AP was originally purchased is no longer there and the original extensions were made prior to these reduction in hours.

Reduction in value? My pass has been a far better value the four days I've spent in the parks since reopening then they have been since FP+ was implemented. For the first time since then we could actually experience every attraction if we wanted to without even being there open to close.

With these crowd levels the shorter hours will not make much difference. If we want to do the same amount of attractions, maybe at MK we'd have to go open to close instead of arriving a little late and leaving an hour before close.

 

[JD2000]

last straw. probably moving reservations again. not loving disney right now.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Shorter hours means less opportunity for distancing so this isn't a safety thing.

NO.... its a... Lets try to stay alive thing. Disneys in trouble as most businesses are all over the country. Every business is trying to cut where they can to bring in to compensate for the losses they are having. one major cost is employee hours. Cutting a couple of hours across the board at all parks, especially when the attendance is low, will be some actual savings that helps. Many businesses are doing the same, while keeping their costs for services the same. Most customers are understanding what businesses are going through and are willing to help them survive. Just because Disney is looked at by some as a greedy uncaring entity, doesnt mean they are any different than all the other companies hanging on and being continuously affected by Covid which was out of their control.

 

[ThatMouse]

because at a certain point they may risk a class action suit because the value that was inferred when the AP was originally purchased is no longer there and the original extensions were made prior to these reduction in hours.

Since Disney is now offering full refunds (minus the months you used the pass), this is all fair game now and Disney should be in the clear. The only issue is Disney holding on to that money as long as they can. For those who paid in full, no one has actually received the refund, except for special cases, and we don't know exactly how much it will be. They aren't handling it very nicely, but it's not lawsuit worthy. It has given me a sour taste. I feel bad for (probably few) families who paid in full, then the park closes, they get laid off and could probably use that $grand or two right now.

 

[po1998]

The fandom has trashed them for years and suddenly they're considered "essential" to the WDW experience? Make it make sense.

What fandom?

 

[ThatMouse]

Just because Disney is looked at by some as a greedy uncaring entity, doesnt mean they are any different than all the other companies hanging on and being continuously affected by Covid which was out of their control.

I'm super critical of Disney, but I agree Disney is acting just as responsibly than any other company. Not any better or any worse. They do prioritize their workers, but that's mainly because they were able to get tax payers to pay their salary andit costs money to hire and train new people. They can afford to lose money running the parks at a negative profit, but they can't afford to lose all their employees. I've not been watching the news, but I suspect Disney is or will be permanently laying off people, especially once tax payers stop paying their wages.

 

[Hawg G]

Not really - they're lamenting on investor calls that they can't fill their capacity. They don't want it to be this slow, they just don't want to fill the gap with locals because we "don't spend as much". But we spend more than zero, and they're "filling up" half of Epcot with empty slots that don't have wallets. They're missing the smaller but easy money from locals while hotel and ticket slots remain vacant.

And locals are not a crowding risk (if they maintain cap limits). I'm pretty sure most of us are like me and go for like 2 hours at a time and avoid lines like the plague. All we wanna do is buy some overpriced food at epcot and maybe a little merch.

It seems to me they are doing everything they can to make people decide to not fly down for a week.

Severely cut not ride entertainment severely cut hours. Enforce mask measures more strict than pretty much every other place in the country. Oh, and don’t allow park hopping at a time where you could actually really take advantage of it.

And keep the prices at the same level that has been massively inflated in the last five years due to the parks being overcrowded, and Disney wanting to keep some folks away.

Mission accomplished.

While Universal still has their normal excellent discount ticket prices for 2-5 days.