WDW Taking a Hit Over Gator and Massacre ...

[jaklgreen]

Another one...

Can you separate your feelings about the current state of culture wars from the issue at hand?

In many cases I would agree with you about "hypersensitivity" - however, in this case, it's nothing of the sort.

First, it's just in poor taste. I think you would find the majority of folks in the real world would find it in poor taste, at least at this moment.

Second, it's not about possibly sending some special snowflake into some psychiatric fit - it's about reminding them about what happened which IS NOT GOOD FOR DISNEY.

GF is already getting these mass cancellations/requests to move to other resorts. It's going to be difficult as it is.

Now I'll take my turn at making a comment about general society - at least on the Internet - people develop such knee jerk reactionary positions on things that they completely miss this little thing called CONTEXT. And in the context of a float on the Seven Seas Lagoon, one where pretty much everyone in the English speaking world (and I'm sure beyond) knows what just happened, it would be in INCREDIBLY poor taste to have a float of a munching alligator over the site of the kid's death who was just killed by one.

If that float goes out, photos would go viral immediately and I'm sure "real" news would pick it up as well.

I will happily trade my room at ASMo with someone's room at the GF!

 

[LAKid53]

Unfortunately, it was an incident that could have been prevented had Disney and/or FL FWC had steps in place to prevent such attacks from happening. Disney deserves to be sued, and Tallahassee needs to take action on this as well

As someone who lives in that part of the state and spent 10 years working for a protected species program that is now part of FWC, just what should Tallahassee do? FWC can only do what the Florida Legislature gives it the authority to do. State agencies go through a statutory process to pass rules and regulations (actually it's driven by the administrative code). Involves public hearings. So, if you really want to blame Tallahassee, start with the Florida Legislature which passes the laws and the Governor who appoints members of the Commission. Not the employees who are genuinely trying to do the best job they can in an agency that is way more political than I care to discuss in this forum. Because nothing disheartens someone like any old lady at a public hearing thumping you on the chest with her index finger while screaming in your face that your a Nazi. All because you wanted to implement slow speed zones in the Intercoastal to protect an endangered species (and anyone swimming, like maybe her kids).

Oh, and don't forget you have the FWS to contend with, also.

 

[LAKid53]

I suppose real warning signs could have been posted but that leads me to the notion of: Does FL need "DANGER: Sharks!" signs all along the perimeter of it's beaches? Does every park in FL need to be setup so that, no matter which way you look, you always see an aligator/snake sign so that you know?

...or is it an unfortunate incident, sometimes bad things happen, and people just need to be responsible?

With regards to #2, guests don't care. They're going to feed the wildlife. At DAK there are signs everywhere and each time I've been there guests have been feeding the wildlife. I think that the only way you stop this is to kick people out for the day. If you feed the wildlife then you're escorted to the gate and there's no re-entry. Same with bungalows, hotels, motels.. If you feed the wildlife you're gone. That's the only way I could see stopping them. I think the managers would initially think, "Oh.. but we may lose money!" The reality is that the public would very quickly get the idea of: You don't feed wildlife at Disney or you're out - they're super serious.

I think Disney asking FMP to cruise both SSL and Bay Lake for a couple of weeks, ticketing those guests caught feeding the marine life, would go a long way in discouraging such unwise and illegal activity.....

 

[JohnD]

So now do we add Brexit to the list of things that could have a negative effect on WDW going forward. Quite a bit of economic uncertainty coming the UK's way. Will it lead to UKers staying closer to home? Falling pound sterling and rising WDW prices aren't a great combo, or is WDW going to extend its special offers?

That question is now being asked in its own thread.

 

[JohnD]

As someone who lives in that part of the state and spent 10 years working for a protected species program that is now part of FWC, just what should Tallahassee do? FWC can only do what the Florida Legislature gives it the authority to do. State agencies go through a statutory process to pass rules and regulations (actually it's driven by the administrative code). Involves public hearings. So, if you really want to blame Tallahassee, start with the Florida Legislature which passes the laws and the Governor who appoints members of the Commission. Not the employees who are genuinely trying to do the best job they can in an agency that is way more political than I care to discuss in this forum. Because nothing disheartens someone like any old lady at a public hearing thumping you on the chest with her index finger while screaming in your face that your a Nazi. All because you wanted to implement slow speed zones in the Intercoastal to protect an endangered species (and anyone swimming, like maybe her kids).

Oh, and don't forget you have the FWS to contend with, also.

I work for FL state government too and know exactly where you're coming from. We get grief when we tell people certain things can't be done. It's not that we're being mean it's that we can only implement and follow Florida Statute as passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

 

[The Mom]

That question is now being asked in its own thread.

Exactly - there is another thread about how Brexit might hurt WDW tourism.

 

[LAKid53]

I work for FL state government too and know exactly where you're coming from. We get grief when we tell people certain things can't be done. It's not that we're being mean it's that we can only implement and follow Florida Statute as passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

And don't even talk about no raises for the past, what 8 years now?

 

[JohnD]

And don't even talk about no raises for the past, what 8 years now?

Grr.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm more concerned that there will be cuts to already budgeted projects (a knee-jerk reaction, but shores up the bottom line), b/c of the uncertainty which has yet to be quantified. I'm sure there are others here who would know better than I. I think that if they want to grow, they will continue to invest, but that might not be what Wall St wants in the short-term.

To Disney Wall St is the customer so expect cuts and big ones at that because the 'guests will always come to disney' till they don't anymore

 

[71jason]

All of the various factors sure makes the decision to keep AK open late look very ill timed. Any reports on if the goals were met? Or might they pull the plug to stop the bleeding?

Tiffins/Nomad underperforming so much that staff are scrambling to get their old jobs back.

More anecdotally, rode nighttime safari back to back a week and a half ago. Neither train had a dozen guests. CMs said this was largely the norm.

Given that I've heard nothing good about Jungle Book, even from lifestylers, I suspect Rivers of Light may end up with a permanent engagement behind David Copperfield's Magic Underground.

 

[SorcererMC]

To Disney Wall St is the customer so expect cuts and big ones at that because the 'guests will always come to disney' till they don't anymore

Allow me to qualify my statement - my concern is that there will be automatic cuts to already budgeted projects. There are a lot of variables at play right now, and I don't know what their financial/data analytics will reflect in the immediate and near-term, or how quickly Disney can adapt to that.

And I realize that Wall St has not been favoring investment spending right now either.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Let em cancel and request to be moved. It just gives me a better price at Grand Floridian if they can't book the rooms (although I doubt it has much impact) and cancelling trips gives me a less crowded park.

I'll gladly stag at GF in their place and watch my kids closely.

This is ridiculous. It was a freak accident and I feel for the family, but it was once in 50 years and even if Disney did nothing, it'd probably be another 50 years before it happened again.

Time makes everyone forget and this will be a non issue in 6 months if it's not there already.

This is primarily fear mongering. You have a better chance dying in the Magical Express on your way to Disney.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Good thing nothing happened with a mouse on property causing injury or death to a guest (God forbid). What would PR do then???

Ironically mouse attacks only happen at Gatorland.

 

[WDW1974]

Just another drop in to repeat what was stated in the OP and to remind folks that their personal experience, while true for them, do not necessarily reflect the larger WDW and Central FL tourism whole.

So ... let's say some schmuck named Jim was just dumb enough to book a pricey Disney motel room to help feed his Pixie Dust addiction, it doesn't mean that Disney isn't having serious issues with attendance and booking rooms and that more people won't stay away as a result of the mass murder, the gator attack and the generally obscene prices that Disney now charges.

Add to that the Brexit and you have a recipe for a big crash in the O-Town market for all. Let's recall that despite much of the financial calamity occurring in 2007-08, it didn't hit O-Town until 2009.

So while Disney has had a rash of cancellations (much higher at the Grand Flo and Poly where they command the most obscene prices) and others simply moving, the true reality of how bad the confluence of all of these terrible things (yes, isolationist/nationalistic/jingoistic BS is bad whether it is in the UK or the USA or anywhere ... the global economy, the global village started probably a quarter of a century ago and you can't stuff that genie back in the bottle) will be isn't likely to be seen immediately in what was already a very slow year in O-Town.

And again, it really is even if you thought the Grand looked packed today when you returned from waiting 3-4-5 hours for a boat ride at EPCOT.

 

[WDW1974]

Did anyone answer with a legit response regarding merchandise being removed at DLR in relation to the gator attack in O-Town?

 

[IanDLBZF]

So ... let's say some schmuck named Jim was just dumb enough to book a pricey Disney motel room to help feed his Pixie Dust addiction, it doesn't mean that Disney isn't having serious issues with attendance and booking rooms and that more won't follow as a result of the mass murder, the gator attack and the generally obscene prices that Disney now charges.

Add to that the Brexit and you have a recipe for a big crash in the O-Town market for all. Let's recall that despite much of the financial calamity occurring in 2007-08, it didn't hit O-Town until 2009.

And let's not forget the state of the economy over in Brazil, boy will everyone take a hit, even Universal and SeaWorld!

 

[LAKid53]

Just another drop in to repeat what was stated in the OP and to remind folks that their personal experience, while true for them, do not necessarily reflect the larger WDW and Central FL tourism whole.

So ... let's say some schmuck named Jim was just dumb enough to book a pricey Disney motel room to help feed his Pixie Dust addiction, it doesn't mean that Disney isn't having serious issues with attendance and booking rooms and that more people won't stay away as a result of the mass murder, the gator attack and the generally obscene prices that Disney now charges.

Add to that the Brexit and you have a recipe for a big crash in the O-Town market for all. Let's recall that despite much of the financial calamity occurring in 2007-08, it didn't hit O-Town until 2009.

So while Disney has had a rash of cancellations (much higher at the Grand Flo and Poly where they command the most obscene prices) and others simply moving, the true reality of how bad the confluence of all of these terrible things (yes, isolationist/nationalistic/jingoistic BS is bad whether it is in the UK or the USA or anywhere ... the global economy, the global village started probably a quarter of a century ago and you can't stuff that genie back in the bottle) will be isn't likely to be seen immediately in what was already a very slow year in O-Town.

And again, it really is even if you thought the Grand looked packed today when you returned from waiting 3-4-5 hours for a boat ride at EPCOT.

People are waiting 3-4-5 hours for a new ride?! Oh, wait, it has the word Frozen in the name.

I live up here in NW Florida...the part if the state we refer to as FlorGeorgia. At 3 today, the temperature was 98; 104 with the heat index. And it's only June. And Central Florida is usually 5 degrees hotter. So idiots stood outside for hours in the blazing sun and temperatures approaching triple digits for a ride with the word "frozen" in the title. Oh, the irony.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Does any one actually give a toss?

 

[JohnD]

And let's not forget the state of the economy over in Brazil, boy will everyone take a hit, even Universal and SeaWorld!

Never thought we would see the day we wish for the Brazillians to come to WDW.

 

[LAKid53]

Never thought we would see the day we wish for the Brazillians to come to WDW.