Originally Posted By Dabob2 Nearly everything in DTD is indoors. Whether the weather was the real reason or just the stated reason - when's the last time a restaurant or movie theatre closed down because of weather that wasn't really severe?
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub So now we are in favor of Disney closing early for whatever reason?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Nobody said that. My questions were an honest inquiry; just because the parks close early, a). does that mean DTD does too? and b). could they even mandate that if they wanted to, since most employees there aren't Disney employees? Perhaps they can - perhaps it has to do with security employees who DO work for Disney and it's in all the business' contracts that DTD closes when Disney says it does. But perhaps they can't. I'm just curious - does anyone know?
Originally Posted By Darkbeer You know, the hardest rains yesterday were in the Morning, when Disney was happily selling tickets at the ticket windows and allowing guests into the park, and operating rides and attractions. So if it was fine and good to operate in the morning, why do you close in the evening, when it wasn't raining AT ALL!!!!!
Originally Posted By Westsider Mickeymouseclub, I thought your question about DTD closing early was a valid one. As far as I know, the DTD locations don't close early unless it's really pouring at night and they don't have any customers. It was crisp and clear last night, so I bet they did fine and stayed open as usual. You can also go online to disneyland.com and check the closure/refurbishment calendar a few months in advance. There will almost always be at least one or two attractions closed for refurbishment, especially during off-seasons away from Christmas, Easter or summer. You can also call Disneyland Guest Relations and speak with a hostess there, as the girls working in the phone room often have a refurbishment calendar that looks a bit farther out or is more updated that what has been put online at disneyland.com.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Thanks I couldn't change my g-sons birthday! It was just strange to have the DL Railroad closed. And very disappointing for a 3 yr.old. The thing that worries me the most about DL making changes like this is apathy. If it happens a few times and no one complains then the company begins to think it doesn't mean anything to the paying customer so let's make that temporary cutback permanent or that temporary added on fee for gasoline...got that one thru so let's try another little surtax. Just like the stupid new parking fee at some of the Harbor hotels. It is minimal hardly worth protesting oops there goes the free breakfasts...
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< You know, the hardest rains yesterday were in the Morning, when Disney was happily selling tickets at the ticket windows and allowing guests into the park, and operating rides and attractions. So if it was fine and good to operate in the morning, why do you close in the evening, when it wasn't raining AT ALL!!!!! >>> Darkbeer, you've posted a couple of stated reasons why the parks are closing early the last few days: "inclement weather" and "unforeseen circumstances." Are you sure that "inclement weather" is the *official* reason being given to guests in recent days? Is it possible that the official reason is "unforeseen circumstances" but some frontline CM's are still saying "inclement weather" because that's what it was a few weeks ago? I think the whole issue is coming into clearer focus now. Here's the chronology of events as I see them: - It's been a long-held belief that once the park operating hours are posted, they don't change. It's bad guest service, and too many things are based on it: CM shifts and so on. - A few weeks ago, they ended up closing early, with the decision being made mid-day, due to very unusual weather. They accomplished what had been considered undoable before: shortened park hours after the park had opened for the day. - Once the clouds cleared, somebody in TDA figured out: "Hey, we closed early and the sky didn't fall. Since we from time to time EXTEND park hours when more-than-expected guests show up in order to keep the ride counts on target, why can't we do the opposite in opposite conditions?"
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I agree with ECDC, while SuperDry pointed out the logic (from a corporate standpoint) very well, and the fact that it might still be "fair" to the customer, try and tell them that and you're likely to get a big "screw you!" from almost anyone. >>> Note that I'm not agreeing with the policy - just trying to understand it myself and discuss it. Especially when there's something you don't agree with, the first step is to try to understand it. Far too many people put a great effort into NOT understanding things they don't like or agree with, as if that will somehow make things better. <<< I paid for a ticket on the day the park was supposed to be open til 9pm (for example), who's to say my plan wasn't to ride stuff during the day, planning on a nice leisurely dinner and some time left over for shopping? Or perhaps I expected to experience Space Mountain as many times as possible in that final 90 minutes, or whatever my plans happened to be when they suddenly, with half the day over, changed the rules. >>> That's the danger when you base management decisions only on things that can be easily measured. Is there a cost center in SAP that represents guests wanting to leave the parks at dinnertime for a nice sit-down meal in DtD and then return to the parks for a few hours before heading home? If not, how is someone with the Excel connector going to export that data point and put it on a chart for his/her PowerPoint deck?
Originally Posted By Darkbeer I am goign to quote from another board, where some users have the wording of what was placed on the loudspeakers, and what was said at City Hall yesterday.... <a href="http://micechat.com/forums/disneyland-resort/131176-disneyland-closes-early-rainy-day-merged-threads.html" target="_blank">http://micechat.com/forums/dis...ads.html</a> >>They played announcements approximately every 1/2 hour yesterday afternoon saying that the Park would be closing early "due to inclement weather and the forecast of continuing inclement weather."<< >>"Ladies and Gentlemen: this is a Disneyland Special Announcement: "Due to inclement weather, and the continued forecast of unfavorable conditions, Disneyland Park will close this evening at 9:00 PM. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope that you continue to enjoy your day here. Once again, Disneyland will be closing at 9:00 PM tonight. Thank you." << >>That said, I have a perspective on this inclement weather park closing thing that I thought folks might find interesting. We were also at the park last night and stopped by City Hall to voice our disappointment with the decision to close at 9 p.m. We were told that the decision was made due to safety concerns.<<
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<SuperDry: That's the danger when you base management decisions only on things that can be easily measured. Is there a cost center in SAP that represents guests wanting to leave the parks at dinnertime for a nice sit-down meal in DtD and then return to the parks for a few hours before heading home? If not, how is someone with the Excel connector going to export that data point and put it on a chart for his/her PowerPoint deck?>> Gaaa! Please don't bring SAP into the equation. With Disney's ENORMOUS ($10 billion??) investment in that nightmare (except for those ten Excel/PowerPoint whizzes), if they ever decided to apply it to the guest experience (is that what the upcoming WDW initiative is about?), it would totally destroy the parks.
Originally Posted By muppetmama I was there this week. Friday was understandable but disappointing. We took a break to give my daughter he birthday gifts, went into DCA after 5 and no one said anything to us at the gate about closing in less than an hour. That I had a problem with. Saturday was ridiculous. The rain stopped at 10 AM. DL closing at 9 was so obviously just so they didn't have to pay for the 9:25 fireworks. That was disappointing. If u don't want to pay to stay open late or have fireworks in feb, don't schedule them! I know all companies are trying to cut losses, but upsetting customers isn't a smart way to do it. And yes, the line at city hall was obnoxious. We are AP-ers so we didn't bother with that.
Originally Posted By muppetmama Some of us did have plans that were spoiled. We planned to hit the 5:50 aladdin show but they didn't have it, and what if someone had reservations at ariels grotto? And it wasn't for safety. They ran all the roller coasters all day frieday when it DID rain. And a lady working in the music store on main street told me it wasn't a safety consideration. If attendance isn't where it should be, they decide to close. Whoops - bet she wasn't supposed to say that!
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Gaaa! Please don't bring SAP into the equation. With Disney's ENORMOUS ($10 billion??) investment in that nightmare (except for those ten Excel/PowerPoint whizzes), if they ever decided to apply it to the guest experience (is that what the upcoming WDW initiative is about?), it would totally destroy the parks. >>> What makes you think SAP hasn't already been applied to things that affect the guest experience? I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of what people complain about regarding park merchandise has a lot to with the SAP deployment.
Originally Posted By muppetmama I also think its absolutely relevant to ask if DTD stayed open because that could indicate whether the decision was a budgetary one. "Get out because of "inclement weather" (that is what was announced), but spend your money in our stores and restaurants. And it couldn't have been a safety thing, because they ran the parade at DL at 6:30.
Originally Posted By gidget_girl_rose Hi all, haven't been on the discussion boards or site in a loooonnnggg time...anyway I am sorta sad I looked at this topic since now I will be worrying the whole time about whether DL will close early on 2/26 (Saturday)...and sorta glad that I know this has been happening. Has attendance been low enough that going on a Th and a Fri, w/an early close, that the lines will be short and we can get the most out of DL? I was counting on Fri bring 8-midnight!
Originally Posted By Manfried At WDW they can do a better job of forecasting as their attendance is based more on hotel occupancy. In California, they have to deal with more of those Annual Passholder dweebs.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer And who keps pushing and promoting those Annual Passholder sales... DISNEY!!! A reported 800,000 or more AP holders... let's use a low average of $200 per AP holders (cheaper than a SoCal, but more than the SoCal select)... over $160 MILLION in revenue, about $450,000 per DAY in the registers before you start adding in other Ticket Media (and of course comps, such as CM sign-in's, etc.) I doubt that Disney thinks of AP holders as "dweebs".
Originally Posted By onlyme It seems to me, and I'm sure to most of you, that this is a new mindset at Disney. I can't tell you how many times I've been to the park when it has rained (quite heavily at times) on and off most, if not all, of the day. Sure, some rides closed while it was actually raining, but when it stopped, all was back to normal. I remember one night it was like a ghost town. I'll never forget being the only two people on the Monorail. We had a blast riding up front in the pouring rain. I actually asked the most stupid question possible: Gee, you don't have windshield wipers? Duh... He gave a polite answer, though.
Originally Posted By Manfried A reported 800,000 or more AP holders... let's use a low average of $200 per AP holders (cheaper than a SoCal, but more than the SoCal select)... over $160 MILLION in revenue---Yep, they got their money. "One born every minute" Thought maybe more in California
Originally Posted By TomSawyer Have any of these closures affected the mid-week regular closing time of 8:00, or just the extended weekend hours?
