Originally Posted By u k fan I think given European eating habits that the restaurants are probably fuller until 5 than you think. I think we've all suffered from problems eating in the park in the evening, but I find it hard to believe that they were closing restaurants because they really wanted to. I do agree that with Dreams happening now more thought needs to be put into this area. Previously, we would have just eaten at the Village or a hotel!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert Here's a new pictorial update by the French Disney Gazette. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.disneygazette.fr/gazette-aout-2014-new-century-notions-flora-s-unique-boutique-news-1543.html">http://www.disneygazette.fr/ga...543.html</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I think given European eating habits that the restaurants are probably fuller until 5 than you think.<<< What do you mean with European eating habits? I don't think that the majority eats dinner before 17:00 o'clock. You just have to look at the long lines in the evening. The opening hours of the restaurants are inacceptable. A few weeks ago DLP had only opened three counter service restaurants. Have you seen the lines? The pictures were all over the internet. And that wasn't for the first time. When we met in March 2013 the lines at Bella Notte reached out of the restaurant. I don't say that it is Mr. Gas' fault, but DLP has some serious problems with the restaurants and the food.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Closing Restaurants at 5.00 pm when the Park is open until 10.00 pm is a stupid decision. Ok it cuts costs but it also results in not making any money. Where is the logic in having a night-time show like Dreams but closing all money making facilities early. You are keeping Guests inside the park for longer without any financial reason.<<< I don't mind that DLP closes Cowboy Cookout at 5pm, because that area of the park is empty around that time, but they should at least keep two restaurants per land open. A side effect of the early closing is, that the guests all walk to MS to get something to eat and that means crowded shops and people buying less merchandise.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Do most guests eat dinner at Disney Village? Or do they just go home hungry?<<< Many people do eat in DV. Earl of Sandwich became very popular. We did that too and returned to the parks. That's the big advantage of DLP over WDW. everything is in walking distance. After the park closes, the lines at Cafe Mickey, Steakhouse, Annette's Diner get very long. People from Spain or Italy are used to eat late dinners. We also had problems at DLP to find a counter service restaurant in the evening. WDSP is a good option. The Restaurant En Coulisse is open until the park closes and there were never long lines. I guess most people walk over to DLP to have dinner there.
Originally Posted By u k fan <<<What do you mean with European eating habits? I don't think that the majority eats dinner before 17:00 o'clock. You just have to look at the long lines in the evening.>>> No, I mean the opposite. Late lunch not early dinner. In my experience quite a few European countries eat a late lunch or take more time over it so while there's definitely a peak between 12 and 2 I think the lunch crowd is probably more staggered than at the US parks!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert I guess that has something to do with breakfast being included when staying at a Disney hotel. People fill up and so they end up having a late lunch and that means a late dinner too. At least that's how we did it when we stayed at the Disney hotels. During our last vists we stayed off site with no breakfast. So we had a coffee at Starbucks and then an early lunch and an early dinner.
Originally Posted By dagobert DLP's financial performance in Q3 was bad. Again. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/CORP/EN/Neutral/Images/uk-2014-08-05-third-quarter-nine-months-results-announcement-FY14.pdf">http://corporate.disneylandpar...FY14.pdf</a> >>> EURO DISNEY S.C.A. Fiscal Year 2014 Third Quarter Announcement Nine Months Ended June 30, 2014 • In a continued challenging economic context, third quarter revenues decreased 4% to €340 million and nine-month year-to-date revenues decreased 5% to €873 million • These results reflected lower special event activity and a temporary reduction in hotel room inventory related to the hotel renovation program • Higher guest spending in the parks was offset by lower park attendance, hotel occupancy and spending per room for the third quarter • Launch ofRatatouille: l'Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy in July reflects the Group's strategy of improving the guest experience <<<
Originally Posted By dagobert Disney & More has posted an article about Flora's Boutique. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-century-notions-floras-unique.html">http://disneyandmore.blogspot....que.html</a> In my opinion it is a shame what they did to the Town Square Photography. It was a unique and beautiful shop. I know no one needs photo supplies anymore, but they could have still kept the interior.
Originally Posted By Malin Another set of poor figures which again are blamed on the European Economy. Yet the theme parks devision at Disney has just reported operating income of $848 million, up 23 percent from the prior year. This is part of the reason I'm convinced Philippe Gas leaving is a good thing and why I feel his time as CEO was far from being great for Disneyland Paris.
Originally Posted By leemac << These results reflected lower special event activity and a temporary reduction in hotel room inventory related to the hotel renovation program>> Makes me laugh that they continue to go on about the temporary reduction in room inventory - it was 500 rooms- that is less than 10% of the total inventory - and except on a few dates it made no difference as occupancy rates are in the toilet. They should be more concerned about the collapse in occupancy rates - down 4.5% year to date and a fall in RevPAR by 2%.
Originally Posted By u k fan The European economy isn't great. It might not be the only reason takings are down, but it can't be dismissed!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>The European economy isn't great. It might not be the only reason takings are down, but it can't be dismissed!!!<<< True. The economy is still bad in Europe, especially in the main DLP markets Spain and Italy. Luckily we weren't affected badly.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN When I visited in July, seemed to me there were a lot of Spaniards there. Japan's economy isn't that great either which may be contributing to a lower attendance rate at TDR so far this summer, based on my observations this past week.
Originally Posted By dagobert It seems DLP will get RFID passes and free wi-fi in the parks. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiques/status/497303029448982528">http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiq...48982528</a> <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiques/status/497305911434948608">http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiq...34948608</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert More news from a meeting with DLP CFO Mark Stead. Credits go to the Photos Magiques Twitter account. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiques">http://twitter.com/PhotosMagiques</a> >>>The new DLP RFID passes and free wifi will be linked to a new app and website. (My Magic+ anyone?)<<< >>>Also from the Mark Stead meeting: Newport Bay Club will become 4 stars and Hotel New York 4 stars +. (via @dcentralplaza)<<< >>>Hotel New York will close entirely for an entire year to complete the refurb, which will begin right after NPBC.<<< >>>Euro Disney SCA is working with TWDC to finance the expansion of Disney Village and Walt Disney Studios Park. (via @DCentralPlaza )<<<
Originally Posted By dagobert Here's a summary in English: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.independentguidebooks.com/blog/2014/8/7/disneyland-paris-free-wi-fi-hotel-new-york-to-close-rfid-cars-and-more-interview-with-mark-stead-looks-to-the-future">http://www.independentguideboo...e-future</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That's very interesting! It certainly sounds like the infrastructure work that went into getting WDW ready for MM+, but I thought the general consensus was always to implement it at DLR next. The parks in France are a little bigger, which would allow for more FP+ queues and more guests waiting in walkways for their time to come up, so maybe they want to try it out there first; it seems like Europeans would be more willing to change their park strategies than the DLR die-hards Perhaps, after the somewhat-rocky reception that it's gotten from the online community, they're looking to establish it somewhere else to work out all the kinks before rolling it out to the drama queens on the west coast. Generally it seems like the people who have actually used it thought it was fine (or even great), and it's been the bystanders who have taken up arms over it
Originally Posted By dagobert I think the reason, why Disney is bringing MyMagic+ zu Paris, is, that DLP is more like WDW. DL in Anaheim has so many annual pass holders, but not so many tourists that stay in a Disney hotel.
