Disney’s Grand Floridian Society Orchestra Last Day Will Be Oct 3rd

[OKWDVCMagic]

Disney lays off the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra members

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/ent...m~VLCYXYQFPJBIJIAJXHMX67RQJU~1~2~2~11~art yes
Understandably under current challenging economical conditions but this type of entertainment at high end resorts helped differentiate Disney from Universal.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Disney World is getting rid of too many parts that made it a magical wonderful place for me.

 

[dkostel]

Wow, first Burudika in DAK, now this. Chapek really doesn’t get it. The live entertainment is a big part of what makes WDW special. The GF is now just a place to go for a nice dinner. No reason to pay that much for a stripped down hotel experience.

 

[Bete]

It was like a pilgrimage for us to go have dinner at the Grand Floridian and then listen to this group in the lobby.

There's no reason to make the trek there now.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I didn't grow up a Disney fan. Of course I know about Mickey and all the characters but my family never really watched the movies and we never went to WDW. My first trip came at the age of 24 for my honeymoon. My then fiance convinced me to try it, as we were not beach people, etc... I agreed. We stayed at the GF so my first Disney experience was stepping out of the Mears van (no DME back then in 98) and walking into the lobby of the GF. I remember fresh flowers, and music playing. I spent that week in awe of what made Disney what it was. It was the plussing that Walt believed in. (after that trip I threw myself into learning all I could about Walt and how this empire was born). Disney has always been pricey and for a good amount of years it was worth it to me. I just love Disney. That hotel, and that week spent there, is part of what made me fall in love with Disney. It makes me sad to see Chapek strip away the magic. The parade being taken away to help make up for Shanghai's budget issues, the many "street" performers that were lost at the same time, and the many, many cost cutting measures that have happened since has my not going back to WDW until something changes. When I need a Disney fix you can find me at DL where Walt's vision still lives!

 

[jjk0125]

The band was a big part of the GF's identity. It's sad to hear they are not returning. Removing them from the lobby changes the whole experience.

 

[OKWDVCMagic]

I can't see spending $7K - $8K to make a trip to WDW to have a severely limited entertainment experience while paying the full Disney experience price.

 

[movie77]

I'm hoping this is a temporary move. Disney prices are still crazy high despite the reduced experience. Listening to the live music at the GF was a big part of the character and charm of the resort.

 

[BrianL]

Normally I would be pretty upset with Disney over something like this, but current circumstances being what they are, I do understand. Occupancy at the GF is probably pretty low right now. Of course it's not going to go up if they cut experience without cutitng prices, but it's probably not going to go up much regardless in the current enviroment. It stinks for sure though.

 

[woody337]

Its amazing to me how Disney is stripping so many things away yet Universal is full steam ahead.

 

[Yensid67]

There was nothing quite like having some drinks in Mizner's when they opened the window and there sat the orchestra serenading you. Pure magic.

 

[etherealcaitiff]

Add the GFlo bandstand to the list of things your kids will point at and say "what's that?" and you'll get to say "Well it used to be..."

 

[rteetz]

Add the GFlo bandstand to the list of things your kids will point at and say "what's that?" and you'll get to say "Well it used to be..."

That was removed when they created Enchanted Rose. They were then moved to a corner on the main level which was more a temporary stage which also has since been removed.

 

[Donna M]

Listening to the band in the evening was a big part of why we would book VGF. Maybe not any more. I highly doubt they will bring it back unless they receive a lot of negative feedback.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Listening to the band in the evening was a big part of why we would book VGF. Maybe not any more. I highly doubt they will bring it back unless they receive a lot of negative feedback.

I wrote them an email and let Disney I won't be back until Disney starts to remember what Walt wanted. As long as they keep cutting the extra's, while increasing prices, I won't be back. It's becoming ridiculous to me now. I get attenance is down because of the virus but the draw, for me at least, we always the extra stuff Disney offered that nobody else did. If you are going to take all that away there is nothing pulling me in. I don't even go to Disney to ride rides, I got for the atmosphere. My last trip was April of 2019 with the family. We left dinner on the Boardwalk and as we did a magician was setting up for his "show" so we grabbed front row seats and the kids has a blast. Its that stuff that adds value.

 

[Donna M]

I agree with you 100%. I just sent an email too.

They are too expensive to become just another hotel chain.

 

[BrianL]

I wrote them an email and let Disney I won't be back until Disney starts to remember what Walt wanted. As long as they keep cutting the extra's, while increasing prices, I won't be back. It's becoming ridiculous to me now. I get attenance is down because of the virus but the draw, for me at least, we always the extra stuff Disney offered that nobody else did. If you are going to take all that away there is nothing pulling me in. I don't even go to Disney to ride rides, I got for the atmosphere. My last trip was April of 2019 with the family. We left dinner on the Boardwalk and as we did a magician was setting up for his "show" so we grabbed front row seats and the kids has a blast. Its that stuff that adds value.

I do agree with you. I do hope that when things get back to normal they bring this stuff back, or something comparable. I know a lot of us here will doubt that they will, but I like to think positively.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Normally I would be pretty upset with Disney over something like this, but current circumstances being what they are, I do understand. Occupancy at the GF is probably pretty low right now. Of course it's not going to go up if they cut experience without cutitng prices, but it's probably not going to go up much regardless in the current enviroment. It stinks for sure though.

I get what you're saying. But I wish Disney had told the orchestra that it cannot afford to keep them right now, but it is committed to bringing them back when the pandemic is over. Many of the recent entertainment cuts predated the pandemic, and even those that are more recent appear to be permanent rather than temporary. Disney is sending a signal that the Disney World that we used to know and love will never be coming back. In its place, when the pandemic ends, will be a streamlined operation, with prices and crowds just as high or higher than ever, but entertainment options (and ride capacity) drastically reduced. That makes me very sad, in no small part because it means that I can't look forward to returning to the Disney World of old when this is all over.

 

[yulilin3]

I get what you're saying. But I wish Disney had told the orchestra that it cannot afford to keep them right now, but it is committed to bringing them when the pandemic is over. Many of the recent entertainment cuts predated the pandemic, and even those that are more recent appear to be permanent rather than temporary. Disney is sending a signal that the Disney World that we used to know and love will never be coming back. In its place, when the pandemic ends, will be a streamlined operation, with prices and crowds just as high or higher than ever, but entertainment options (and ride capacity) drastically reduced. That makes me very sad, in no small part because it means that I can't look forward to returning to the Disney World of old when this is all over.

Yeah Disney hasn't even been honoring contracts, many CoH have been cut mid contract, obviously the 3 big cuts at epcot were only announced to the performers about a week before.

 

[dkostel]

I do agree with you. I do hope that when things get back to normal they bring this stuff back, or something comparable. I know a lot of us here will doubt that they will, but I like to think positively.

Unfortunately a lot of the cuts happened pre-COVID when Disney was doing record numbers.