Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=3213" target="_blank"><b>Latest: Jim Hill: Cost cuts Walt Disney World?</b></a> Jim Hill's latest discuss some of the cost cutting he says is occuring around the resort including some dining changes. <a href="http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/07/07/monday-mouse-watch-the-winter-of-disney-s-discontent.aspx" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the full story.
Originally Posted By MPierce Sounds like future visitors to WDW will be receiving less, and paying more for it. Not a wise formula if you ask me.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Maybe Jim Hill should read some more also - there is absolutely a segment of WDW visitors ( well represented on LP for instance) who did want less character dining. It's not that we don't like character dining, but the usual overkill till people can't stand it any more ( Disney pins / beanbags / Disney Stores etc was taking over. So I do think he is absolutely wrong on that one...
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Well, as usual I think Jim Hill is "total BS" (to use his expression). <<Take – for example – Liberty Tree Tavern dropping character dining as January 5, 2009. Mouse House officials will tell you that they’re making a change at this Magic Kingdom eatery because the Guests specifically asked for less character dining. Which (pardon my French here) is total BS. >> If people wanted character dining Disney would give them character dining. God knows they’ve put it everywhere else including Akershus in Norway!! I think the reason behind the change is exactly what they said. People wanted some MK dinner choice other than Tony’s Town Square for a non-character table service restaurant. We would definitely dine at LTT if the characters are dropped. As it is now, we only go there for lunch. <<Which brings us back to the closing of PI. You see, one of the main reasons that Pleasure Island is being closed down / renovated is that this part of Downtown Disney wasn’t really living up to its financial potential. By only being open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. … Well, that’s only 7 hours that those nightclubs could be making money for the Mouse.>> I would tend to think it is more likely that they are shutting it down because the place has been deader than a doornail for the past five year. Ya just gotta love the gloom and doomers!!
Originally Posted By kennect I have to ask this question...As far as PI is concerned when was this decision made? Last week? Last month? Last year? For me it doesn't sound like a knee jerk reaction regardless of the real reason behind the whole thing...
Originally Posted By dshyates To me the closing of PI and incorperating the space to DtD seems to be a no brainer. The clubs ran their course. And DtD needs more restaurants. Cutting characters from LTT and Garden Grill doesn't really detract much from my vacation and there are plenty of other character meals to be had. But an in park buffett that is as expensive as a Character meal better be a damn good buffett. My guess is its not worth it. And thus another victim of the DDP.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I want the Akershus taken back from hordes of little girls in pastel dresses. I guess that makes me part of the fictitious "total BS."
Originally Posted By DlandDug Ah. Here's the full quote: >>According to the company’s own surveys, people who visit Disney Parks & Resorts absolutely love the characters. It’s one of the main reasons that they hold the Disney Parks in far higher regard than all of the other theme parks out there. The many opportunities that Guests have while they're on property to interact with the characters. So -- if anything -- WDW visitors are asking for more character dining, not less.<< Faulty logic. More characters doesn't translate to more character dining. Aside from anything else, character dining is expensive and it ties up restaurants. As I said before, I want my Akershus back!
Originally Posted By Bob Paris Count me in as another who doesn't care for fifty rubberheads sticking their noses in your plate while you're trying to enjoy your forty dollar pasta meal. I find characters to be a little silly and juvenile and would actively AVOID a restaurant where they were appearing. I guess that makes me fictitious as well. rolls eyes
Originally Posted By fundog58 I enjoy Jim Hill's website but sometimes he goes overboard trying to find controversy where there is none. Consider me another visitor who could not care less about character dining. I did it one time with my DW, and not because we wanted to but we were hungry and couldn't find another nearby location serving breakfast. It was fun to a point but I could have lived without it. Just give me good food at a decent price.
Originally Posted By dshyates My guess they were seeing softening numbers at the character meals, and those that were not interested were avoiding the character meals like the plague. Combine the soft numbers with the complaints about available seating at non-character sit-down inpark restaurants caused by the DDP make this a logical move. I don't have a problem with this. Yeah, less characters. I also don't have a problem with PI closing. I havn'e been in years and it was a major road block in our shopping at DtD. We usually would hit either the maketplace or the Westside, but we rarely would walk from one to the other. Mainly because of PI. We usually just stay at the marketplace area. I would like to see them remove PI and throw in some Main Street like transport around the place.
Originally Posted By bayrr326 Thing is they are dropping the characters for dinner but they aren't lowering the price. So you will have to pay the same price for the same food but no characters. So Disney cuts costs and makes more money. I think this is all about cutting costs not having less character meals. I also think this is just the beginning of little cuts we are gonna see here and there if bookings really go downhill this fall.
Originally Posted By Daannzzz If they are renovating 900 rooms with a Pirates theme and 300 with a Nemo theme that is only half of the rooms. What happens to the other half??? ...unless they are ALL going to be family suites!
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Count me in as another who doesn't care for fifty rubberheads sticking their noses in your plate while you're trying to enjoy your forty dollar pasta meal.<< Yet another reason why I prefer DLR over WDW. I hate being held hostage to eating WDW's overpriced glop. At least at DLR there are off property choices within a few blocks radius.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<If they are renovating 900 rooms with a Pirates theme and 300 with a Nemo theme that is only half of the rooms. What happens to the other half??? ...unless they are ALL going to be family suites!>> Ya think they might be leaving them as they are? Duh....
Originally Posted By sharon2 If I didn't have little kids I don't think I would do character dining.. $35+ a person for a meal is a little pricey when you figure the kiddies are just as happy with a taco.
Originally Posted By irishfan If getting the Liberty Tree tavern free of characters is a cost cut, I say bring it on!
Originally Posted By kennect Oh I did one of those character meals at the Liberty Tavern...Thank God I didn't pay for it...First off, the food wasn't good...Secondly, I was groped by Minnie...The kids in tow seemed to have a good time but overall it was a true waste of money...As someone else above here said "just give us decent food" or something to that effect...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Normally, Jim is way off but not here ... FWIW, though, the closing of PI has been in the long range planning for 'at least three years' according to someone at Team Disney (who isn't afraid to talk to me). The timing likely did have something to do with the economy unless they're close to signing some contracts with outside vendors. But since none were announced it does make you wonder. Jim just had the room count wrong on CBR as all areas but Trinidad South will be getting a more Pirates treatment on the rehab (which should start next month). TS will remain as is through most of next year when it will be remade into family suites with the certainly not overexposed Nemo woven into the theming (let's leave out the fact he lives in Australia, which isn't technically in the Caribbean). Also, word from inside is that All Star Movies hasn't been rehabbed at all because the plan is to make it into an all-family suite resort by 2011. As to the characters being removed from LTT, Jim is 100% accurate. It is due to money and money only. Disney doesn't care about the fact folks like me would like the option of having dinner at the MK again. The fact is they can (over)charge the same price sans characters and turn over tables much quicker. This is shaping up to be the slowest fall at WDW since before DAK debuted. These are the first of many moves you'll see (and some you won't) to make up for that.
Originally Posted By bayrr326 Well, if you want another sign of them cutting costs/back. All of the Christmas stuff is not officially starting this year until the day after Thanksgiving. This is an almost 2 week cut on some things like the Osbourne Lights and Jingle Jungle Parade. Well, Hopefully all those people coming early Thanksgiving week and expecting something will at least get to see some decorations.
