Early Entry - feedback from e-mail

[Hilary]

A few weeks ago I e-mailed WDW to tell them how disappointed we were when the early entry scheme for on-site guests was suspended post Septmeber 11th, and to ask whether there were any plans to reinstate it. I had a reply to my e-mail saying that someone from WDW would contact me 'in the next few weeks'.

Yesterday I had a phone call from Michael Richardson from the WDW Executive Office (I think). He thanked me for taking the trouble to contact them apologised for the disappointment we had experienced and explained that the EE scheme was withdrawn due to low take-up by on-site guests. If I got the gist of what he said correctly, he told me that around 60% of all visitors to WDW stay on-site, but that very few of those took advantage of EE, making it uneconomical to continue with it.

I guess that means that those going to the parks early weren't spending enough, once in the
parks, to make it worthwhile. (Personally, I know that if I've got up early to be in the park for 7:30am, I don't intend to spend the first hour and a half of that time in the shops or restaurants!).

The bottom line is that, according to him, Disney have no current plans to reinstate Early Entry

 

[WDWfan uk]

........ thanks for the info Hilary. Well done for mailing them - if they get enough complaints it may result in an eventual re-introduction - don't give up hope

 

[KayleeUK]

Oh no, that's bad news I guess I may get a lie in then

Kaylee

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks for posting, Hilary. Being the cynic that I am, it doesn't really ring true though. My whole touring strategy was based around the premise that the parks were mobbed on EE days.

Or (being really cynical) perhaps they did a Jo Moore (Stephen Byers' spin doctor) and just used September 11 as an excuse to introduce a load of unpopular policy decisions. They certainly wouldn't be the only ones - the airline industry certainly did.

 

[Kevin Stringer]

I think that Disney are missing the point on this one.
On of the major attractions of staying on-site was EE.

Maybe the idea was better than the reality and many people may not have used the benefits of EE, but it certainly must have contributed to many decisions as to wether to stay on-site or not.

The parks may have not been bursting at the seams, but EE helped to keep the resorts at maximum capacity.

Kev

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Certainly I'm disappointed that the first time I get a chance to stay on site they scrap EE.

I'm like you Deb I had planned my days around EE in order to avoid when staying off-property but now I have no idea what to expect when it comes to the least busiest days, crowd flow patterns etc!

So Hilary - they didn't offer you a free meal or park entrance for all the trouble you went to in order to complain

 

[Hilary]

Well, I'm still open to offers, Sam

You'd think they'd have a 'suggestion box' for all of us loyal visitors, wouldn't you? (with suitably lavish rewards for the best suggestions, of course!). Maybe I should e-mail them about that...........

 

[JohnW]

I think Kevin's point is a very good one. Turning it around slightly, it makes our decision to stay in a villa even more justifiable. When we stayed on site, we didn't us EE very much but it was definitely a "nice to have". Now it is not available, the extra cost of being on-site is harder to justify than before.