Debate: No!! No debate!! This is only: The State of the Parks Address!!

[toefungus]

I totally agree about the park hours. Not just MK, but Disney-MGM STUdios as well. They have to have two Fantasmics. That eases the crowds for both shows, so you don't have to get a seat an hour or sometimes two early. How hard is it to keep MK open an extra hour, and have a second Spectromagic? Again the second spectromagic helps ease crowds for both showings. 9am t0 11pm should be MK's summer hours.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I didn't put those phases in by accident!! That's why they were there!!

You say to-may-toe, I say to-mah-toe, lets call the whole thing off .

We have been down the half day park road before. I have a feeling the 3/4 day park road leads to the same place..... nowhere. As you point out, MGM is a 3/4 for you and only compared to the MK and Epcot. Very well put - I applaud you for stating it that way as it is very mature and responsible . I imagine AK is a diversion for you in that context as well. Your feelings about AK are my feelings about Epcot. Epcot has some great stuff, but the great stuff for us is limited and Illuminations is a multiple must on each trip. Now before you have a conniption, I am not saying that if you did it all that Epcot would not take longer than AK. However, not all people like the same things. You see, it is all personal. We could go a hundred rounds on that and it won't change. Furthermore, if we get into the 'I like' realm the frozen guy will come around and give me frostbite .

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the report....pretty much what I noticed over 4th of July...except we didn't see Timekeeper open at all.

Oh, and they have been painting in full view of guests...that was in my report that I posted when I got back on the 9th. But we've seen maintenance (painting, etc...) going on in full view of guests since at least 1999....even have a photo. Dh had to take one because he was standing there in shock going "We're not supposed to see this!"

I'm glad you had a great trip!

 

[manning]

Over on the park forum people are complaining about the crowds and short park hours.

Some people mention that admission prices haven't increased. Park hours have been shortened. That is a hidden price increase. Any marketing person can tell you that.

Landbaron - We're both from the Chicago area. Remember Uncle Bobby on WGN (Bob Collins)? Remember what he used to say? Any business that gives super service and charges for it (in its price) will have people beating down its doors to get in! If Disney stayed open to 1 or 2 am and got back to its glory days level, I would be more than glad to pay an extra 5-10 dollars more. Disney never was cheap and they never gave you cheap entertainment. The,"That's good enough", attitude is JUST not good enough!!! Why cheapen things is beyond me.

What they need is some Quality control, I came from a company that tried quality control and it works. The parts of the company that bought into it started to out performed the parts that didn't. Unfortunately the upper management couldn't or wouldn't buy into it and abandoned it. That company no longer exists. Baron, I think you may know the company, Think marble. IMHO, a classic example of mismanagement. WE SAVED ALOT OF MONEY DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

 

[manning]

Over on the park forum people are complaining about the crowds and short park hours.

Some people mention that admission prices haven't increased. Park hours have been shortened. That is a hidden price increase. Any marketing person can tell you that.

Landbaron - We're both from the Chicago area. Remember Uncle Bobby on WGN (Bob Collins)? Remember what he used to say? Any business that gives super service and charges for it (in its price) will have people beating down its doors to get in! If Disney stayed open to 1 or 2 am and got back to its glory days level, I would be more than glad to pay an extra 5-10 dollars more. Disney never was cheap and they never gave you cheap entertainment. The,"That's good enough", attitude is JUST not good enough!!! Why cheapen things is beyond me.

What they need is some Quality control, I came from a company that tried quality control and it works. The parts of the company that bought into it started to out performed the parts that didn't. Unfortunately the upper management couldn't or wouldn't buy into it and abandoned it. That company no longer exists. Baron, I think you may know the company, Think marble. IMHO, a classic example of mismanagement. WE SAVED ALOT OF MONEY DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

 

[Lewisc]

Baron--Enjoy your posts. I think most parks end the day with fireworks, Disney is not unique. EE is really only needed in MK. It would be nice if they could at least have EE in MK twice a week. Maybe just open up half the park. The low capacity rides in Fantasyland should be included but maybe rotate the rest of the park. Like or not late nights are being reserved for E nights and other special events. Look at multi-day passes and the number of hotel rooms on-site. Disney WANTS YOU TO HAVE TO SPEND 2 or 3 days in the MK.

 

[Tannerman]

Originally posted by manning
Landbaron - We're both from the Chicago area. Remember Uncle Bobby on WGN (Bob Collins)? Remember what he used to say? Any business that gives super service and charges for it (in its price) will have people beating down its doors to get in!

I remember Uncle Bob saying this... and it's so very true.

 

[Bob O]

Nice to see you back DVC. I havent had the time to digest all the replies but sad too see the hours being reduced and less concern shown for the guests,but hey the parks have to make up for ABC right??? But of course some will still excuse the cutbacks!!!

 

[DaveO]

If Disney stayed open to 1 or 2 am and got back to its glory days level, I would be more than glad to pay an extra 5-10 dollars more

This is called E-Ticket nights.

Which I prefer over crowded parks with 2 hour waits at midnight. Which I have experienced in 'the good old days'.

Dave O.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

If Disney stayed open to 1 or 2 am and got back to its glory days level, I would be more than glad to pay an extra 5-10 dollars more

This is called E-Ticket nights.

Absolutely not, my friend!! I too would gladly pay the extra 12 bucks (plus tax) to have the ENTIRE Magic Kingdom opened until 1:00 or 2:00 am!!! E-Ticket night is a mere shadow of that concept!! And remember, it would be every night. And all those hours, night after night, hopping over after an EPCOT dinner or AK or Studios closing to end the evening, add up to a significant amount of ride time even if there are minimal lines.

As it is e-ticket nights are an unavoidable rip-off which one cannot turn down, yet it leaves a bad taste in your mouth!!!

 

[manning]

Quote from Disneydazed at the DVC forum. Need more be said?

"While we were there in Dec , our bellhop guy told us that after 911 disney started cutting back alot. I dont know if its changed since then but when we arrived at CBR they were having trouble with keeping the luggage straight. This was due to the fact disney no longer wanted each bag to have a tag. In efforts to cut costs they put a tag on one bag and matching stickers on all the rest. The stickers would fall off and cause confusion. HE went on to say that they used to give a very nice Chirtmas party for all the people working and it was a great thing to look forward to. That year there was a post on the board where they clock in saying they would not be having the reg big bash for the employees. They also asked for donation to united way? ( not exactly sure which charity, its hard to remember) They also had anouncement asking all employees to donate blood. SO he said to us...they want my money, they want my blood ... but they wont give us our party. He wasnt bitter just sounded frustrated and a lil unappreciated. Like i said, i dont know if things have picked up since then but thats the info we got while we were there."

Disney must really be in trouble if they have to cut back on luggage tags!!

 

[aalan]

i agree that in summer the hours of mk especially should be open much later, but i avoid the issue by only visiting wdw in october. i cant handle those summer crowds. but i do have one "hint" if you stay and watch the fireworks at mk, and want to avoid the crush of humanity that leaves afterward...it does involve some walking, however: we walk over to the contemporary and catch a bus to dtd, and catch a bus from there to our on-site hotel. its a round-a-bout way to do it, but its not that bad a walk(about 10-15 min), and the bus from the contemporary is never crowded. it may even take the same amount of time, but you avoid the screaming kids, yelling parents, and that long wait while being jostled and zig-zagged to death.

 

[Lesley]

I love enights.....its quite empty and you can get lots of rides on the biggies in a short time....but I don't consider them a substitute for regular hours. They should be having the regular late nights plus enight!

Of course we typically travel when the parks close fairly early anyway....so it didn't seem weird to us that the parks weren't open very late. When your whole touring strategy is based on certain hours (or in our case ee) its hard to find a new approach that works.