Angry lifting block out dates

[AngiTN]

Since we are taking about Disney giving away something for nothing how do those who are angry about this feel about comp tickets? They have as much an impact to your park days as this change. You mad at them too?

 

[SimonSez]

It affects 5 out of your 7 days. Crowds will already be big. With this brief lift you won't even notice a difference

It affects our entire trip...not worried about it, but again we always go in August and expect crowds. I could be staying home working instead...

 

[SimonSez]

Very true. When I started this thread I didn't know the full scope. Do I regret starting it? No.

I've started a few threads I've regretted, but mostly because they were boring

 

[robl45]

I disagree. Disney can spin a PR gift to ride two rides but Disney gifts nothing of scale. This was done for Disney's benefit. When I can get POP during that week just a few weeks out with over 30% discount - it's slow.

Attendance is down just like last summer, this is to boost it to expected level not inflate it. Even with this last minute offer - that many can't use due to school, work, heat etc - I doubt it will be any more than they expected pre-lull.

Its funny you can say that all you want, but the reality is I've been checking the lines and they are long. As long as any time I've been and we are usually there at peak times so its not slow. Either that or they aren't running the rides at full capacity.

 

[CAS239]

It affects our entire trip...not worried about it, but again we always go in August and expect crowds. I could be staying home working instead...

Only 5 days of your trip is affected by this 10 day blackout lift.

Aug 1-10th was the only thing lifted. So your Aug 11th and 12th days remain the same. There wasn't a blackout date on those days. Which since I'm silver, Aug 11th is still the day I'm coming up. Even living 2 hours away, with such short notice of the lift it's not making me coming up sooner.

And exactly. When people complain about stuff at Disney..They could always be at home or at work. Things could always be worse

 

[bryanb]

It affects our entire trip...not worried about it, but again we always go in August and expect crowds. I could be staying home working instead...

And exactly. When people complain about stuff at Disney..They could always be at home or at work. Things could always be worse

I wish I was at Disney World right now, instead of sitting here reading a thread about being angry at Disney World. : (

 

[jayohjayoh]

They are a business. They don't have to be "fair". People can be annoyed when they think that one of their calls impacts them negatively. All true statements.


Is this true? If true, this is bordering on hysterical at this point.

• They cut MK hours drastically for Aug as compared to last year (2.5 hrs less PER DAY during my trip), with no actual evidence I've seen that crowds went down (TP data suggests they've gone up slightly in Jul 2017 compared to Jul 2016).
• They cut AK hours as compared to last Aug, adding back in EMH with only 2 open attractions. Waits for FoP are longer than the EMH period itself every night.
• So the logical move now: lift a blackout and increase AK crowds in Aug -- however small an increase.

Wonder what's next for Aug this year?? LOL!! *insert gif of me throwing my hands up in the air*

I am REALLY loving Disney for my August trip this year!!

Yes, it's true. Cast member guest passes have been blocked out since Pandora opened. Makes sense obviously. They started being blocked out only on weekends after the 4th of July, and were supposed to be fully unblocked after Labor Day. They announced this week that weekends block outs in August will be lifted. If we can manage to get a fastpass, we'll be taking advantage of that for sure.

 

[mom2rtk]

Until you consider that the blockout dates were lifted because it isn't estimated to be nearly as busy as previously thought. It might "add onto the crowds" but you weren't expecting low crowds anyway. (and it won't "add onto the crowds" very much.)

No the crowds won't be "as normal." They haven't been normal all summer. No, it's not just to give a gift to seasonal passholders who want to say goodbye to two rides. that's just PR to let the passholders know they can do so.

What you have to remember, if you're worried that this will put crowds over the edge on your trip, is that it's not normal to lift blockout dates for seasonal passes. They only do it if they need to make up lower attendance. I still think this year is different because the Orlando parks are losing foreign visitors, a lot of foreign visitors.

Once that is understood, if anybody is still upset, it's because they probably feel the seasonal passholders are getting something they didn't pay for and don't deserve.

But we don't know that Disney lifted the blackout to lift crowds up to what was expected. It could be to pad the numbers to make up for lower crowds in June and July.

 

[HopperFan]

Its funny you can say that all you want, but the reality is I've been checking the lines and they are long. As long as any time I've been and we are usually there at peak times so its not slow. Either that or they aren't running the rides at full capacity.

I will keep saying it, and I don't think there was any dispute that last summer low attendance was a blow. So we have precendence this summer could have the same issue. I've been going since it opened and for a decade spend 5-6 weeks a year all different times a year. I've seen lots of different "phases" and I miss the "recession" empty park years. But crowds have grown but summers have shrunk. If it weren't so hot I'd go then more often.

International visitors are down, SA that is a huge group in summer is down. Disneys increased pricing has kept many away and APs dropped. The 2017 increased perks to AP is to (1) hopefully sell more and (2) increase our dining / shopping spending. They just gave us some 30% dinners. It's not to be nice, it's because crowds and numbers are down.

But you did hit one nail on the head - the Disney Illusion. Yes, they absolutely manipulate rides/waits/capacity. There was a discussion of GMR where folks didn't understand why when the lines are longer than before. Not only has tiered FP+ impacted but they reduced capacity. Most rides we sit in montage room with empty cars, they wait to fill cars so they use fewwr aka fewer CMs and it backs up the line. Disney does plenty to manipulate and create illusion ... and if folks want to do it all they buy extra tickets and hotel nights.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Since we are taking about Disney giving away something for nothing how do those who are angry about this feel about comp tickets? They have as much an impact to your park days as this change. You mad at them too?

To be clear, I'm not personally "mad" about this. I have enough to worry about with my big reduction in MK and AK hrs as compared to last year for next month.

But to answer your question with 2 questions:

1. How many people hold one of these passes now having blackout lifted?
2. Does Disney generally hand out that many comp tickets daily for 10 days in a row?

If answer to 2 is yes, then I think the situations are comparable. If not...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I wish I was at Disney World right now, instead of sitting here reading a thread about being angry at Disney World. : (

Has always been true for me, too! Perspective is always good! Doesn't necessarily erase the problems, but it's healthy and good.

Yes, it's true. Cast member guest passes have been blocked out since Pandora opened. Makes sense obviously. They started being blocked out only on weekends after the 4th of July, and were supposed to be fully unblocked after Labor Day. They announced this week that weekends block outs in August will be lifted. If we can manage to get a fastpass, we'll be taking advantage of that for sure.

Look -- I don't begrudge CMs getting anything. They are what make our trip special in many ways and deserve it.

If Disney is going to keep piling onto us blindsided Aug folks, this is one that won't bother me in the least.

 

[AngiTN]

To be clear, I'm not personally "mad" about this. I have enough to worry about with my big reduction in MK and AK hrs as compared to last year for next month.

But to answer your question with 2 questions:

1. How many people hold one of these passes now having blackout lifted?
2. Does Disney generally hand out that many comp tickets daily for 10 days in a row?

If answer to 2 is yes, then I think the situations are comparable. If not...

We don't know the answers to either but I have been at Disney when they gave out comp tickets to everyone on property that day due to a system outage so they aren't any about handing them out at times

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We don't know the answers to either but I have been at Disney when they gave out comp tickets to everyone on property that day due to a system outage so they aren't any about handing them out at times

I think the actual answers are likely:

1. A pretty high number
2. No, they don't hand out that many comp tickets daily for 10 days in a row.

 

[AngiTN]

Doesn't really matter how many have passes that were blocked out.

Matters how many have passes and are now going to go on one, or more, of the 10 days they otherwise couldn't have gone

Those are not the same numbers

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

So my bff and I were joking about going back to Epcot and I was surprised to see that this is considered Disneys value season has that always been the case

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Doesn't really matter how many have passes that were blocked out.

Matters how many have passes and are now going to go on one, or more, of the 10 days they otherwise couldn't have gone

Those are not the same numbers

Of course. I'd guess that (# passes) x (% who will use passes) > (# comp passes on any given day)

Still think it's not comparable.

 

[HopperFan]

Doesn't really matter how many have passes that were blocked out.

Matters how many have passes and are now going to go on one, or more, of the 10 days they otherwise couldn't have gone

Those are not the same numbers

YES!!

When I upgraded my Gold to PP it was about $100. Less than a one day at Epcot - random decision to do NYE. Not much compared to overall cost, certainly not enough to give up days I would like to go ...

Overall I think these AP folks don't want to go the busy, hot etc timeframes so I don't see opening 10 days in hot August will sway enough to notice.

 

[Disneylover99]

Since we are taking about Disney giving away something for nothing how do those who are angry about this feel about comp tickets? They have as much an impact to your park days as this change. You mad at them too?

I'm not personally mad about this, I just can see another's point of view.

That being said, I'm sure comp tickets are given out for many different reasons on a daily basis. Usually it's to compensate a guest for a specific reason are they not? More of on an individual, case by case basis rather then to the masses. They don't generally expire right away. Hard to compare.

The one example I can think of is a rained out MNSSHP. I know there have been past threads about rained out parties and people getting comped tickets for the next party. When this happens, I don't begrudge a rained out guest who gets a ticket, but if I'm planning on going to the next party and it's traditionally a non sold out party, you can bet a part of me is going to be worried about or thinking about how additional people will affect lines.

 

[Ghostridethedolewhip]

I wonder when I go next week if they will make me wear a Silver P on my shirt to signify that I have the Silver Pass. Hopefully people won't be able to tell the difference in color between Silver and Platinum.

 

[10CJ]

I'm sorry, but this is a silly question. Obviously people bought the higher level AP to go during blackout times, otherwise they would have bought the lower one and honestly most people would be buying the no blockout ones as the blockout times are when anyone that has school would be able to go.

I understand that people who bought the more expensive passes plan to go during blackout times. I am not convinced that the number of people who bought those passes and planned to go ONLY during THIS blackout period is that high. If you are using the pass during other blackout periods you are still getting additional value from the increased price. I also assume many of those people would expect fairly high crowds if they planned to be there when other passes are blacked out.