mickEblu
Well-Known Member
That’s not what they re trying to say.
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What's with the wait times!? (hint.. they're low)
- Thread starter Model3 McQueen
- Start date
That’s not what they re trying to say.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Ok, well that is what I'm trying to say... Lol
So long as you rope drop it’s very easy, did it with my niece and nephew in October, although we had two days but as long as you only want to hit the highlights of the park you don’t rope drop it’s easily doable.
I won’t go into too much detail but if I start in DL I start with Fantasyland, then Toontown, Tomorrowland, Indy, BTMRR, Critter Country, NOS then Adventureland. Head over to DCA, start with either Guardians, TSMM, or Soarin and hop from FP to FP hitting the minor rides in between, watch the fireworks, WOC or Fantasmic, redo favorites around River of America (Pirates and HM are musts, and then choose between Splash or BTMRR) followed by Smugglers Run to close out the night.
I won’t go into too much detail but if I start in DL I start with Fantasyland, then Toontown, Tomorrowland, Indy, BTMRR, Critter Country, NOS then Adventureland. Head over to DCA, start with either Guardians, TSMM, or Soarin and hop from FP to FP hitting the minor rides in between, watch the fireworks, WOC or Fantasmic, redo favorites around River of America (Pirates and HM are musts, and then choose between Splash or BTMRR) followed by Smugglers Run to close out the night.
WDW Pro
Well-Known Member
Got a look at some hard numbers today. For the month of June, only one Saturday had more gate entries for DL in 2019 than in 2018. On weekdays in June, Disneyland saw an abysmal 56% drop in attendance in 2019 versus the same dates in 2018. This degree of drop is what resulted in absolute panic (I would have guessed around 40%, so I can understand better now the situation). July 3rd and 4th were desperately needed this year and drew basically even with last year's numbers.
shambolicdefending
Well-Known Member
An unexpected 56% drop in patronage is disastrous for any business. When you realize they probably projected and budgeted for something closer to a 50% INCREASE, the situation becomes borderline catastrophic.
And I'm guessing there's no real light at the end of the tunnel yet. They've salvaged some attendance in July, but only with a massive admissions discount that will blunt any revenue increase. It's also probably cannibalizing fall attendance to some degree.
When the crowds do show up again in September, it will all be APs that won't offer any new incremental revenue. Especially since RotR just got pushed to 2020. This is really a **** show for Chapek.
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mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Why would they expect a 50% increase in June? When most APs were blacked out and SWL was reservation only? They had to of been prepared for a decrease in revenue in June. They just didn’t forecast how much of a decrease it would be.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
But putting that much money into comes with the “understanding” that it’s going to be mobbed and generate huge sales. That has not happened.
There is plenty of data...and reasonable analysis...to support all these things
For me: when Disney bought lucasfilm- which was the day after sandy moved though the northeast and I had started to do emergency response and management for federal and 3 state governments - I was thrilled.
I thought it was a chance for Disney to use its skills and bank accountant to really “get it back”
Because it was a polished turd at that point. It had fallen off its pedestal.
Well then It occurred: “boy, they really can’t make a mistake here!”
The prequels and overmerchandising damage put Disney into a position I don’t think they fully appreciated. They could NOT make bad movies or characters. There wasn’t nearly as much fuel left in the tank as they assumed.
But they have made those mistakes. Bad movies. Bad characters.
They were thrown off by the farce awakens -which enjoyed buzz as an “event” in pop culture when really it’s just a dull reboot.
Now anyone who’s reasonable - who can separate Disney from darth Vader - has to realistically wonder where to go from here?
The label doesn’t seem to be enough.
More to follow...
Not good for a Disney park in the summer. Even with blackouts...hard to fathom
I think Disney showed a ton of “hubris”...as someone recently put it so perfectly. They didn’t market it...they raised the prices for it. They thought Star Wars and their non-memorable movies were such an irresistible force that people couldn’t help themselves.
Basically - Iger thought it would be like crowds outside of movie theaters in 1977 to see Star Wars. But at a super high price.
They mishandled it...needed to promote and even package for it. It was a misread.
At least lift the ap blackout. No excuse there.
Where Disney PR always goes to get its “impartial” reviews
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Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Hubris
Something this management is known for and hasn’t been burned to the level they should have been so far.
shambolicdefending
Well-Known Member
I tend to lean the other way.
Some claiming inside knowledge were saying the no-show rate for SWGE reservations was 30%+ in the first week or two. One can surmise it climbed higher later in the month.
They weren't getting the crowds they expected for SWGE. They weren't getting any of the Deluxe APs into DCA like they hoped. And, basically nobody without a SWGE reswrvation bothered showing up, which I also doubt they planned on.
I really think they were arrogant enough to buy their own hype and projected a significant increase.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
They raised prices, required reservations, blocked APs and CMs, implemented a land status with boarding parties, widened walkways etc. in order to provide simply the best guest experience. It was always intended for the parks to be empty when Galaxy Edge opened.
/High-pitched lispy nerd voice
/High-pitched lispy nerd voice
shambolicdefending
Well-Known Member
Also worth noting that a full 20% of the month of June was outside the reservation period. A lot of us were expecting a big spike on June 25th that never materialized.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Good points but yeah they had to be incredibly arrogant or naive to expect any increase in June, let alone a 50% increase.
shambolicdefending
Well-Known Member
Probably a big stretch to expect 50% (although I bet they were planning on close to that for July).
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
July is a different story as SWL was/ is open to the public with no reservations. However, I still think the projection is way off due to ROTR being down. Unless you re saying that projection was made before they knew ROTR wouldn’t open with the land? I’d imagine they ve known for a while.
flynnibus
Premium Member
You don't plan for crowds and reshape your park if you aren't expecting an increase over traditional loads
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Key word was jUnE.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
flynnibus
Premium Member
You don't setup a reservation system designed to manage crowds if you aren't expecting crowds... nor block out your employees, etc.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
They clearly misfired.
Doesn’t mean the end of the world or a disastrous new land - but they completely failed in promotion/crowd prediction/management.
Now we move on...but the sunny side up commentary not acknowledging the truth is a classic hallmark of a Disney forum. One I wish we could all retire
Florida is gonna change lives though...completely different thing east of the Mississippi...excitement is.
yoda: “no, there is another”
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