Originally Posted By dshyates I'm pretty sure we will see more of the "After Hours" upcharge events.They will declare more times "Slow", move3 the hours back. Where is the breaking point. $72 with a 7pm seems OK with everybody. How about 4pm. After all it is a "slow" season. $72 until 4pm then since the event hours are longer they can charge more. How about $72 more for ability to actually see fireworks and have complimentary Hot Chocolate. To hell with the old fangled concept of paying to get in and being allowed to stay until the fireworks without an upcharge. I'm so old fashioned.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << There are no EMH's on Saturday nights. And they've scheduled Parties on these nights now. >> According to the WDW website, DHS has EMH every Saturday night.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << To hell with the old fangled concept of paying to get in and being allowed to stay until the fireworks without an upcharge >> They still perform Wishes during the regular park hours at 6:30 PM prior to the start of the hard ticket event. No one is missing out on fireworks.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 What I think is funny is that Disney is only going to make choices that makes them money. If they did this and enough people complained, or if not enough people went to these events, then they would realize that they are going to lose money by continuing these events. Obviously someone has to be paying to go to the special events, thus Disney will continue doing them until they stop making money out of the deal. I just want to know when it became "wrong" for Disney to try and make money.
Originally Posted By dshyates I don't blame them for making money. They are simply losing me as a customer, thats all. You guys expect us to be happy they are cutting hours at the same time they are rasising prices? Combine this wih the declining experience. The old fans seem a little fed up. But, there are lots of people in this country. So Disney loses some grumpy old farts. The place is still extremely packed, they are making money hand over fist. Take it or leave it poeple. Thats your option. By the way, I'm planning my Aug. '08 vacation. I like OKW and the Poly. Here'se my substitutes. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2pyh2e" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2pyh2e</a> <a href="http://www.cheeca.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cheeca.com/</a> Of course, there are no theme parks so we will have to pass the time snorkling, fishing, and I was thinking maybe a champagne sunset cruise on a schooner. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/32v7zw" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/32v7zw</a>
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORGOCH: Well, that's what I'M sayin'! Maybe some folks don't mind gittin' less cluck fer their buck. But I sure ain't one of 'em. An' just 'cause Dizzy Management gits by with it 'cause some folks out there don't know when they's bein' hoodwinked, that don't mean I gotta like it er support it!
Originally Posted By pheneix They're scheduling P&P parties on Saturday nights now? It has been a long time coming, but the Magic Kingdom might as well just kiss the local market goodbye. Look for Saturdays to be VERY busy at Epcot next year...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I just want to know when it became "wrong" for Disney to try and make money.>> It isn't. But you can justify Disney doing almost anything with this line. WDW can make plenty of money without gouging guests. It has for 36 years now.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Indeed - if the park was open late year round and had the entertainment of these events, I would gladly pay more for day tickets. The issue I have is that the parks become more crowded as people are shunted around the property, and the nights that are not upcharge events are heaving as people try to see the MK after dark (the most magical time at the park). So I don't have trouble with Disney making money, it's how they are making money that I have an issue with.
Originally Posted By jonvn " But I'm only a photojournalist for CBS " Hey, cool job. SO what's this party thing? Is there a link someplace? I might go.
Originally Posted By jonvn NEver mind. Found a link: <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/specialEvents?id=PiratesandPrincessPartySpecialEventPage&bhcp=1" target="_blank">http://disneyworld.disney.go.c om/wdw/parks/specialEvents?id=PiratesandPrincessPartySpecialEventPage&bhcp=1</a> And never mind again. This sounds lame.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 I prefer the hotter months at WDW, but with the long lines (locals?) at the MK, we avoid it during the day and go to the other parks. We do the MK evenings. For us anyway, it needs to be open late. And I can remember us complaining that EPCOT closed at the early hour of 11PM!! How long ago was that?
Originally Posted By blueharvest82 <<By the way, I'm planning my Aug. '08 vacation. I like OKW and the Poly. Here'se my substitutes. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2pyh2e" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2pyh2e</a> <a href="http://www.cheeca.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cheeca.com/</a> Of course, there are no theme parks so we will have to pass the time snorkling, fishing, and I was thinking maybe a champagne sunset cruise on a schooner. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/32v7zw>>" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/32v7zw>& gt;</a> I here ya, I just got a 4 night disney cruise for my birthday. Its gonna be weird going on a vacation without a theme park, but at least mickey will stil be there!!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But I'm only a photojournalist for CBS>> The Prez of your network isn't very impressive in person, FYI. So, it's not surprising that they don't pay better. Do you know Les used to 'act'? And I use that term lightly.
Originally Posted By dshyates "I just got a 4 night disney cruise for my birthday. Its gonna be weird going on a vacation without a theme park, but at least mickey will stil be there!!" I hope you have a blast. I haven't been on the crise line, but from what I understand its the last place in America where you can find traditional Disney quality and service. "The Prez of your network isn't very impressive in person, FYI. So, it's not surprising that they don't pay better." No Christmas bonus this year or even a party. Corporate America rocks.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <No Christmas bonus this year or even a party. Corporate America rocks. < welcome to corp America -- btw - I have been @ IBM for 30 years now -- never a Christmas bonus and all party holidays went away 10 - 15 years ago. btw -- keep an eye on your pension and your health bene's after retirement - if not gone, they will be the next to go.!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^I am amazed at how apathetic most Americans are as everything that truly made us the greatest nation on earth gets taken away ...one day, they'll wake up and be living in a 3rd world country while they take shots at the French and Canadians and Swedes etc ...
Originally Posted By mousermerf **Look for Saturdays to be VERY busy at Epcot next year...** Isn't that the plan? Epcot can out-capacity MK and when it stopped being the "new thing" when MGM and AK opened, it swan dived in attendance. After 2001, locals pretty much kept the park from imploding (11-13k guests per day, Epcot needs 10k to stay afloat financially), so marketing seems to have locked onto this and been keeping Epcot the local favorite on purpose. MK gets the tourists, Epcot gets the locals, both thrive as busy parks, and MGM and AK function as interchangeable second-day options. Look at NYE this year - they (Disney powers that be) are working to drive every person to Epcot they can while MK is left to the first-timers who don't know better. Every information channel for a repeat guest is flooded with reasons to be at Epcot instead of MK for NYE. Which is why guest projections place Epcot at even higher then last year's crazy numbers (86k range i do beleive, rumor has it moe people were at Epcot then DCA and DL combined). And thus we have the basis of their logic. Grow Epcot because Epcot can grow (without major physical investment) - shift the attention away from MK for repeat visitors.
Originally Posted By mousermerf To add to that - for MK to get much more attendance per year, they'll need to add capacity (huge investment) or expand park hours - which really isn't feasible. Thus, the parties get 2x the admission for the same park.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<MK gets the tourists, Epcot gets the locals, both thrive as busy parks, and MGM and AK function as interchangeable second-day options. >> That is overly simplistic and not true. Locals enjoy all four parks. Tourists do as well. None of the parks could survive otherwise. EPCOT does better with locals for special events like Food and Wine and Flower and Garden. <<Look at NYE this year - they (Disney powers that be) are working to drive every person to Epcot they can while MK is left to the first-timers who don't know better. Every information channel for a repeat guest is flooded with reasons to be at Epcot instead of MK for NYE. >> I wasn't aware there were info channels strictly for repeat guests. If there are, I'd like to find them. <<Which is why guest projections place Epcot at even higher then last year's crazy numbers (86k range i do beleive, rumor has it moe people were at Epcot then DCA and DL combined). And thus we have the basis of their logic.>> It's simple common sense. EPCOT can handle huge crowds ... and would handle more if not for all the carts and food stands they've put up around the water. I have been there on NYE at least 5 times, including both 1999 and 2000, and it was in no way body-to-body most of the time. Some areas, especially Future World were near empty as the night went on. <<Grow Epcot because Epcot can grow (without major physical investment) - shift the attention away from MK for repeat visitors.>> So you don't believe EPCOT should grow and get new things? And the MK can be left stale because only tourists go there? Am I missing something? <<To add to that - for MK to get much more attendance per year, they'll need to add capacity (huge investment) or expand park hours - which really isn't feasible. Thus, the parties get 2x the admission for the same park. >> Well, they have removed a whole lot of capacity over the years by closing attractions, restaurants and shops without replacing them with anything. As to expanding hours, why isn't that feasible? When you have the crowds, you stay open later and everyone wins. But making guests pay twice for a day at the MK, essentially the whole point of these events, is very bad policy for most guests.
