Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << I put up signs in my front yard today, "Magic Kingdom Overflow Parking $20.00". I'm going to clean up this week-end. >> Considering that the bulk of WDW guests arrive via plane these days, I don't think parking is an issue.
Originally Posted By MPierce ^^^A lot of people stay off site, and rent cars though. Plus my parking will be valet with a complimentary shot of Jack Daniels.
Originally Posted By Indigo What's happening is that WDW is getting a lot more drive-in traffic. Looking at the license plates of cars entering the parking lot we see a lot more cars from Georgia and the Carolinas than Disney usually gets this time of year. These families are staying in the cheaper hotels or with friends. They're also getting a lot of Florida residents who are doing the same. The thing about this recession is that the people who had money before still have money now (for the most part). Guests who have money stay in the deluxe resorts and they're only experiencing a little drop in occupancy. But the guests who normally stay in the moderate resorts no longer have money, so they're moving down to value resorts and those that stayed in value are moving off property. I definitely agree with Spirit's assumptions from above. FastPass, Lower Capacity, and other shenanigans are undoubtedly going on. What should be happening with the "in park" numbers does not jive with what WDW is telling their various divisions to prepare for. It could be that Americans will happily go on consuming and vacationing until they've spent every dollar in their kid's piggy bank. That would be good for the immediate future of WDW, but bad for Disney and the country in the long run. The short term pain that is coming is what's coming. Even if its not, Disney is smart to prepare for it. As are you.
Originally Posted By -em >>Considering that the bulk of WDW guests arrive via plane these days, I don't think parking is an issue.<< I think only at Studios... Where I know they've had to close the lot due to capacity and direct people to park at Epcot... and thats with kicking 2/3rds of the cast out and using one lane of traffic for parking spaces...
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<Plus my parking will be valet with a complimentary shot of Jack Daniels.>> If I'm ever headed to Texas, I'll keep this in mind!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I put up signs in my front yard today, "Magic Kingdom Overflow Parking $20.00". I'm going to clean up this week-end.>> Sounds like my childhood going to football games at the Orange Bowl! ... But that's only if you speak Spanish. <<I heard that the Magic Kingdom was going to be the 7th largest city in America on Sunday!>> All with no WDW Easter Parade anymore. ~This Just In: Cosmic Ray's Just Went Phase 7 (no more 'shrooms at the fixings bar!~
Originally Posted By MousDad You should hear the things 74 says at magic about this place. He did rack up about 1600 posts in what - 2 or 3 weeks? (just funnin' guys)
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Anyone else find it a tad odd there haven't been any Phase closing so far this weekend? You know...when people don't have work and such... Also, there are apparently plenty of rooms available on property.
Originally Posted By Dinseymomx2 Phase closings will begin tomorrow, and too bad the availability at the resorts is not beneficial to florida residents. At least not until starting in May. I was told by someone that florida residents rates will be available for weekends starting in May. What good are they if you, as a Florida resident mainly go on weekends, because u work during the week and kids have school. Just a thought, sorry back on topic. I'm still kinda confused about these phases, and is Epcot's parking lot actually bigger than MK's?
Originally Posted By mousermerf To note - most guests never see most of Epcot's parking lot. They use the main 4 lots on a normal day - usually going only halfway of 3/4 of the way down the rows. But there's a second tram lane, "typical" guests may have noticed if they arrive before 9am and are parked in the 5th lot which is walking distance to the gate. They park there because it's close and doesn't need a tram (which they dont run until they need to). But down that tramway is that lot they park early in the morning, another full lot behind it (we're at 6 lots at this point) and then on the other side another full lot at the rear (7 lots total). It seems contrary, but Epcot's lots are larger then the ones at MK and MK has a big grassy/treed/pond thing in the middle that eats up a lot of space. If it weren't for the speedway and the CM parking lot then MK's would be bigger.
Originally Posted By -em and MK wasnt using its far right lots today (which is unusual with it being easter..) so unless they FILLED the left lots it wasn't slammed.. I *hate* that 5th lot at Epcot as its the ONLY place on property I've lost my car not once, three times (the classic wander every row pushing the click click remote) ... I do think its odd that no parks hit closings yesterday or today.. I do have to give props to the monorail dept- they did GREAT getting the church goers in and out with no issues
Originally Posted By DAR I know when I was at the MK on December 30 it was very crowded. All the Mountains had at least an hour wait. And Fantasyland was a madhouse. I can't help but think that's a good thing, but apparently to the WDW can't do anything right crowd here that's not the case.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper It isn't about "WDW not being able to do anything right." Attendance up is a good thing (and the naysayers who complain about X attraction or Y attraction will always exist). At issue is the fact that folks aren't spending money in the parks. That isn't going to change whether or not they replace the Submarine ride. The economy is down and MOST people are watching their spending pretty tightly right now. Heck, we went a little more conservative on Easter this year and we are not really feeling the negative effects of the economy. We just think it is the right thing to do right now. Park attendance at max capacity with less in park spending probably isn't good for anyone. The lines are longer so the experience is compromised. The bottom line isn't improved and, if anything, staffing levels are likely reduced. (Think Best Buy with 2 of it's 14 registers open.) That adds to a lesser experience as well. Passholders are probably hurting things right now. They are eating up line times and probably spending less than anyone.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***We just think it is the right thing to do right now.*** That's such a weird "Catch 22" though, isn't it? As you wrote, you're not really feeling the effects of the bad economy, but you're feeling as though you should conserve money. That makes sense, from a "preservation" standpoint (in case things get worse), but it actually makes things WORSE when people who are in okay shape don't spend as usual. As I said, a catch-22. I have to wonder, too, how much of this is due to the media bombarding people with "things are terrible!" 24/7...I mean, if you are doing okay and your job is relatively stable and things are not bad...why would you be worried about conserving your resources? Unless the news was telling you to.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Passholders are probably hurting things right now. They are eating up line times and probably spending less than anyone.*** Ah, the blame game. If "passholders" weren't profitable customers for the Disney parks, they wouldn't sell the passes.
Originally Posted By -em >>I can't help but think that's a good thing, but apparently to the WDW can't do anything right crowd here that's not the case.<< >>Park attendance at max capacity with less in park spending probably isn't good for anyone. The lines are longer so the experience is compromised. The bottom line isn't improved and, if anything, staffing levels are likely reduced. (Think Best Buy with 2 of it's 14 registers open.) That adds to a lesser experience as well. << Agreed... If you get max capacity with people who bring their own lunch or share a meal and don't buy anything you end up with either a loss or barely break even... So you respond and minimum staff, reduce capacity or otherwise lessen the gap of loss and it becomes a vicious circle... Its one thing to go to a crowded restaurant and have to wait because its crowded, yet you see that service is as maximized as possible (ie all registers open and operating and tables being cleared when empty etc) Its another when its crowded, only 1/2 the registers are open and some with untrained or newly trained help and tables are slow to be cleared as there are few to no people to clear.... and I hate to say it but I know which one is happening in park right now...
Originally Posted By -em >>***Passholders are probably hurting things right now. They are eating up line times and probably spending less than anyone.***<< Don't blame them- Blame the Cast Members... I admit it- I spend time in the parks (in lines *gasp*) and my total cash outlay in my last 30 visits prob combines to under 20 dollars and zero spent on merchandise..
