Disney Cut Backs

[OhMari]

15 years ago when cell phones became popular, I was actually glad Disney was like a large hole and reception was terrible, that my dh actually had a hard time using his phone. Disney still does have lousy wifi, but I hate that nothing is spontaneity any longer. If you do not have some sort of plan, your hard earned money will be used up sitting in line 2 hours waiting to get on a ride, because you did not book a fast pass. You have to strategically figure out a plan of action to maximize a finely tuned itinerary. Gone are the days walking up to any TS restaurant and seeing if they have any openings. Your only options are a Counter service, or food cart if no ADR are made well in advance.

I am just sad that so many adults have their noses and eyes, glued to the phones, since they have to keep track of everything on Disney’s Magic My Way App. We work hard every day, it is too bad that a family vacation at Disney has become work.

 

[manning]

15 years ago when cell phones became popular, I was actually glad Disney was like a large hole and reception was terrible, that my dh actually had a hard time using his phone. Disney still does have lousy wifi, but I hate that nothing is spontaneity any longer. If you do not have some sort of plan, your hard earned money will be used up sitting in line 2 hours waiting to get on a ride, because you did not book a fast pass. You have to strategically figure out a plan of action to maximize a finely tuned itinerary. Gone are the days walking up to any TS restaurant and seeing if they have any openings. Your only options are a Counter service, or food cart if no ADR are made well in advance.

I am just sad that so many adults have their noses and eyes, glued to the phones, since they have to keep track of everything on Disney’s Magic My Way App. We work hard every day, it is too bad that a family vacation at Disney has become work.

More like Disney their way.

Cruise ships run a schedule. There was a movie way back titled "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium"

 

[Chocolate Cake]

It’s not the check itself that was problematic, it was the lead up to it — Fever of 103 and asleep. Awakened when phone starts ringing. Ignore it and fall back asleep. Ten minutes later someone is knocking on the door. We’re undressed so we don’t answer. Ten minutes later, phone starts up again. Get up and walk across the room to answer, tell them to come and do it now. Then spend 20 minutes pacing the room waiting for them to arrive hoping to catch them before they knock so they don’t wake the sleeping baby, just to have the guy refuse to enter when you gesture for him to come in and then stand at the door for ten seconds weirdly asking if you’re okay.

I knew the policy had been implemented and knew to expect the security checks prior to my trip. I had been of the mindset that everyone was overreacting over a minor change. Then I spent an hour a day dealing with this garbage and... yeesh, what a pain in the butt!

It's absolutely a disruption and it was our final straw with Disney. We have our last on property trip booked for next month. And then we will no longer be staying on Disney property. I will stay somewhere else and be able to relax in my room without the fake daily check that is all smoke and mirrors. We pay way too much to be disturbed during our mid day nap.

 

[bellebud]

We used to only stay deluxe, but now we'll stay wherever (still Deluxe if the price is ok), but value, moderate, off-site, wherever. Disney lost our loyalty in that way. We're staying at Best Western near Disney Springs in 2 weeks... I just couldn't justify the price of any of the on-site hotels. Plus, the busses are SO overcrowded, dd gets anxiety from them, so we'll be driving our own car to the parks, so no reason to stay on-site.

The room checks are definitely another issue. While I appreciate any and all safety measures, it really was a pain. I've always declined mousekeeping/housekeeping (after that hidden video of the mousekeeper in the Contemporary), so now I have to deal with room checks. Ugh.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I've always declined mousekeeping/housekeeping (after that hidden video of the mousekeeper in the Contemporary)

Do tell!?!?!?

 

[SteveH]

Well, if any of the stock holders are business people, they have to be asking--"what happens to our stock when people get fed up and quite going?" Disney has always been the business model to aspire to be. But simple business logic tells you that you need those return customers. They are going to run out.

The reality is that as of yet I don't think Disney has seen a decline is visitors, generally return customers are cheaper to attract, but there is a line out the door of new customers that want to come in and spend $ and maybe more of it. Disney vets tend to figure out how to save money to get a bigger bang for their buck, but a first time visitor not so much.

Until hotel bookings decline or park attendance declines Disney is going to keep raising rates, they are looking for the ceiling or at least a sign they have hit the top. Parking fees, room inspections, food increase and beyond has yet to appear to curb attendance. Disney, just like the rest of the business has been impacted by the direct impact of Minimum Wage increases, the strong economy and low unemployment also impacts hiring and what you have to pay to attract and retain staff. Plus all the indirect impact. When you bump up the front line employee it causes a ripple as supervisors and other positions see increases. This creates impacts across the whole economy.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

Just off the top of my head...
Cuts at resorts:

• No more towel animals by Mousekeeping
• Toiletries in communal containers instead of small individual ones
• Shorter hours at resort pools

Cuts at parks:

• Shorter hours at parks and water parks
• Far fewer parades
• Fewer Extra Magic Hours
• A huge area of Animal Kingdom is being closed

Increases at resorts:

• Resort guest parking fees
• Resort prices have skyrocketed

Increases at parks:

• Tickets are much more expensive and much more restrictive
• Food and drink prices were just sharply raised
• Optional pay-to-play events/perks have been added to all sorts of experiences, from 90-day FastPasses to prime spots for fireworks viewing, to capitalize on the difficulty of getting things done efficiently when the parks are so crowded & hours are shorter

WHAT!! When did 90 day FP happen? Please explain. TIA

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

15 years ago when cell phones became popular, I was actually glad Disney was like a large hole and reception was terrible, that my dh actually had a hard time using his phone. Disney still does have lousy wifi, but I hate that nothing is spontaneity any longer. If you do not have some sort of plan, your hard earned money will be used up sitting in line 2 hours waiting to get on a ride, because you did not book a fast pass. You have to strategically figure out a plan of action to maximize a finely tuned itinerary. Gone are the days walking up to any TS restaurant and seeing if they have any openings. Your only options are a Counter service, or food cart if no ADR are made well in advance.

I am just sad that so many adults have their noses and eyes, glued to the phones, since they have to keep track of everything on Disney’s Magic My Way App. We work hard every day, it is too bad that a family vacation at Disney has become work.

It was worse before fast pass. These days, a two hour wait on Space Mountain would mean it's extremely busy. Back in the day before fast pass, they were routine. Back then, the only way to get around it was to come early and have a plan. Having to plan didn't suddenly come into being with fast pass. It's just another tool for such. As for the cell phones, yeah I can do without em. But the feds pretty much ruined that one.

 

[Shanti]

WHAT!! When did 90 day FP happen? Please explain. TIA

If you stay club level at a deluxe Disney resort for 3 nights or more, you can opt to pay $50 per night to preselect 6 FPs at 90 days out, with no tier restrictions, & preselecting them for multiple parks in one day is allowed, too. You also get to use a preferred fireworks viewing location.

 

[Shanti]

We used to only stay deluxe, but now we'll stay wherever (still Deluxe if the price is ok), but value, moderate, off-site, wherever. Disney lost our loyalty in that way. We're staying at Best Western near Disney Springs in 2 weeks... I just couldn't justify the price of any of the on-site hotels. Plus, the busses are SO overcrowded, dd gets anxiety from them, so we'll be driving our own car to the parks, so no reason to stay on-site.

The room checks are definitely another issue. While I appreciate any and all safety measures, it really was a pain. I've always declined mousekeeping/housekeeping (after that hidden video of the mousekeeper in the Contemporary), so now I have to deal with room checks. Ugh.

What hidden video?

 

[Tinkerbell58]

If you stay club level at a deluxe Disney resort for 3 nights or more, you can opt to pay $50 per night to preselect 6 FPs at 90 days out, with no tier restrictions, & preselecting them for multiple parks in one day is allowed, too. You also get to use a preferred fireworks viewing location.

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[manning]

My thoughts exactly! So many (on other threads) keep saying "its to keep the stock holders happy". Well, if any of the stock holders are business people, they have to be asking--"what happens to our stock when people get fed up and quite going?" Disney has always been the business model to aspire to be. But simple business logic tells you that you need those return customers. They are going to run out.

Greed prevents that question being asked

 

[luvsJack]

The reality is that as of yet I don't think Disney has seen a decline is visitors, generally return customers are cheaper to attract, but there is a line out the door of new customers that want to come in and spend $ and maybe more of it. Disney vets tend to figure out how to save money to get a bigger bang for their buck, but a first time visitor not so much.

Until hotel bookings decline or park attendance declines Disney is going to keep raising rates, they are looking for the ceiling or at least a sign they have hit the top. Parking fees, room inspections, food increase and beyond has yet to appear to curb attendance. Disney, just like the rest of the business has been impacted by the direct impact of Minimum Wage increases, the strong economy and low unemployment also impacts hiring and what you have to pay to attract and retain staff. Plus all the indirect impact. When you bump up the front line employee it causes a ripple as supervisors and other positions see increases. This creates impacts across the whole economy.

Sorry, but IMO, that’s a cop out by Disney. They are using the wage increases to excuse increase in prices. They can take the hit for increased wages and not affect one thing. Just like Walmart has done. Just like Chik Fil A has done. Just as Target has done. The college I work for has done the same thing.

Would their budget have to increase for wages? Yes. And as we are seeing they are just taking it from somewhere else AND raising prices. I don’t believe for one minute that the slow increase of wages is hitting them that hard.

As a small business owner, if you only make a small percentage of profit each week and wage increase, yes you will have to increase prices. Not the same in a corporation.

 

[SteveH]

Sorry, but IMO, that’s a cop out by Disney. They are using the wage increases to excuse increase in prices. They can take the hit for increased wages and not affect one thing. Just like Walmart has done. Just like Chik Fil A has done. Just as Target has done. The college I work for has done the same thing...

As a small business owner, if you only make a small percentage of profit each week and wage increase, yes you will have to increase prices. Not the same in a corporation.

Trust me Target, Wally World and others are not cutting their profit margin, they are making it up some where. Either in cutting expenses or getting cuts from their suppliers, the stock owners are not giving up their investments to satisfy raising minimum wages and other new mandates. Now the area I would say we could agree on is if they needed to do all the raises they have implemented. But the bottom line as long as 20ish million go to Magic Kindom each year they are going to milk all they can out of it. Once they see a drop in attendance they will put on the breaks or maybe look for the reverse lever, like after 9/11 - but no signs of that happening yet.

 

[DeniseJH]

It's a little thing - but I remember when at the food court area of the Land Pavilion (blanking at the name - too lazy to look it up) there was an area where little kids got to help make cookies. I always loved seeing them walk away with their little chef hats on.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

It's a little thing - but I remember when at the food court area of the Land Pavilion (blanking at the name - too lazy to look it up) there was an area where little kids got to help make cookies. I always loved seeing them walk away with their little chef hats on.

I remember this; my daughter made cookies. It was sponsored by Nestle.

 

[luvsJack]

Trust me Target, Wally World and others are not cutting their profit margin, they are making it up some where. Either in cutting expenses or getting cuts from their suppliers, the stock owners are not giving up their investments to satisfy raising minimum wages and other new mandates. Now the area I would say we could agree on is if they needed to do all the raises they have implemented. But the bottom line as long as 20ish million go to Magic Kindom each year they are going to milk all they can out of it. Once they see a drop in attendance they will put on the breaks or maybe look for the reverse lever, like after 9/11 - but no signs of that happening yet.

Oh I am sure they found places to get the money from one budget line to put in another. But they haven’t raised prices AND made cuts. Some haven’t done either.

 

[bellebud]

Do tell!?!?!?

What hidden video?

I'm trying to find it on youtube, but don't have a lot of time right now. It shows the maid blowing her nose in a hand towel, then wiping the drinking glass for the bathroom and the mirror with that towel (can't remember if she wiped anything else with it). It's definitely the Contemporary, as you can tell by the room decor. I realize it was random, but it just grossed me out so much, I avoid maid service whenever I can.

 

[Shanti]

I'm trying to find it on youtube, but don't have a lot of time right now. It shows the maid blowing her nose in a hand towel, then wiping the drinking glass for the bathroom and the mirror with that towel (can't remember if she wiped anything else with it). It's definitely the Contemporary, as you can tell by the room decor. I realize it was random, but it just grossed me out so much, I avoid maid service whenever I can.

That is very weird but extremely unlikely to happen. It's about the same chance as having a cook or server spit in your food before bringing it out. Friends who have worked in food service have told me that does happen occasionally (typically in response to a very rude customer), but we all keep eating in restaurants, don't we?

For a guest to videotape a housekeeper makes me wonder what was going on with that guest. Was he/she trying to get her in trouble, so he/she taped her? Had they had an argument before, & the housekeeper retaliated that way? Who knows, but I'm sure that kind of thing is extremely uncommon.

 

[declansdad]

Well I must say the responses in this thread haven't come as a surprise.