News Round Up 2020

[chicagoshannon]

If we didn't have points we needed to use we'd cancel after those hour cuts. I definitely see this hurting Disney.

 

[Bigmace]

We have trips booked for DL and DW for the same week in November. While the earlier park is disheartening this is probably our only chance to go to a Disney Park this year. Really doubt that DL is even going to open. Very sad as we were hoping to get DL AP's this year. Will just have to save that for next year I guess.

 

[soniam]

I'm super disappointed in the new park hours. I was hopeful that by our November trip hours would increase but now I am concerned they may decrease more. I mean September is generally a lower crowd month anyways so reducing by an hour for now may make sense but by October crowds ramp up again. Ugh this is the only thing keeping my 9 year old going. If we have to cancel her birthday trip I don't think she will ever recover. They were already offering *just* enough for us to come. If they cut back anymore we will reschedule.

Normally, October would see an increase in attendance due to F&W and MNSSHP. However, MNSSHP was canceled. Also, F&W is already running, although much reduced. I don't think October will see more crowds than they are currently seeing, so massively reduced from normal. November could be different due to school holidays. So, they could increase hours then.

 

[OSUZorba]

I’m not sure Disney has much of a choice. Stay open later and lose more money. Currently they aren’t getting demand with the hours they have so not sure it hurts that much to limit it a bit more.

They could also offer discounts or let APs get open reservations a week out. Obviously there is not enough demand to maintain price integrity, and cutting is just going to erode the demand there is.

They are completely giving up on selling dinner now, which many APs get at least at Epcot.

Also I still think it was incredibly short sighted to not perform ride maintenance while they were closed. They are trying to sell full price tickets for less than half the normal experience, and now more rides are closing for days at a time.

 

[OSUZorba]

What it made me think is that they really don't see demand / willingness to travel increasing much - so rather than "add" to try and increase crowds to increase revenue they are going the other way and trying to decrease costs further and figure whoever was going to come will come and that's that.

Not sure if this move alone would make people cancel but it's another tally mark in the "con" column for people debating whether to come or not

We had been waivering back and forth for a month, but already the limited reservations for APs, no water parks, limited hours, limited attractions pushed us to cancel. I was still thinking about it, but the reduced hours and no PM and no telling what other cuts are coming real seal the deal for me. The value just isn't there.

 

[Tom_E_D]

When Disney announced the park hours when they reopened in July, the at-least-perceived reason for the staggered hours was that it would be easier on the Disney transportation system if none of the parks had the same opening or closing times. With the revised hours post-Labor Day, MK and AK, the two non-Skyliner parks, will both be opening at 9:00, putting more pressure on the morning buses. Meanwhile, HS and EP, the two Skyliner parks, will both close at 7:00. Although many people may not be staying until park close right now, I imagine the percentage of people who stay until the final hour will rise due to the reduced number of hours. I think it'll be interesting to see how crowded the Skyliner transfer station at CBR becomes around 7:00 in September and especially October.

 

[Edward90]

they will not increase hours in november cause coronavirus will still be here and theres no vaccine so capacity will still be reduced

 

[Disneylover99]

As someone with a September trip, it definitely sucks, but maybe this means that crowds will be even less than they were in July, which would be a good thing for me. I just hope they don’t reduce resort activities.

That’s definitely a hopeful way to look at it. The problem is, you never really know how or if shortened hours impact crowds until you get there.

 

[OSUZorba]

That’s definitely a hopeful way to look at it. The problem is, you never really know how or if shortened hours impact crowds until you get there.

You also have no idea if they are also going to cut ride capacity (beyond what is required for separation), which I'm sure they are already doing. Anyone know if they are running all the trains on BTMR or SM?

 

[tlmadden73]

All fours WDW parks shortening hours start Sept 8th

https://twitter.com/x/status/1291859035931762694

Despite attendance being lower than they expected (or so they seemed to indicate in their meeting) .. they seem to trying really hard to deter anything but locals away from the parks.

After all the reports and videos, I have been heavily tempted to bring the entire family in the slightly cooler Sept/Oct. I mean .. school isn't really an issue this year. Plus .. I want to get there before anything else closes, or stops due to "budget cuts".

I was willing to suck up the mask requirement .. suck up the severely reduced value for our existing tickets .. and call it a wash with the INCREASED value from the severely low crowds, shortened lines and nifty (and seemingly numerous) character interactions via the spontaneous parades and from the balconies.

Even more reduced hours? (And without a doubt more closed minor attractions to save money?) ... Probably not ..

though arguably .. you don't NEED the hours if tons of stuff are walk-ons .. it just doesn't "feel" like a good value for the money (with no discounts happening).

 

[Farro]

That’s definitely a hopeful way to look at it. The problem is, you never really know how or if shortened hours impact crowds until you get there.

I disagree. Lower crowd levels than seen this past July would be a disaster for Disney. They need more bookings, not less.

 

[tlmadden73]

I get wanting to try to have some positive revenue but maybe at this point just pause passes and just sell day tickets for like $50/day

I am just not sure what Disney wants. Do they want "butts in the seats" and fill their parks to the capacity limits they have set to maximize revenue from tickets, hotels, food and merchandise at the low capacity limits they have set to be safe?

Or are they just trying to make it a locals park while operating at as bare minimum as possible. I mean . .I would guess even vloggers may stop going to the parks if there is less and less to do there. I would gather they are getting less views after the initial month "buzz" is over since there isn't anything going on in the parks besides just showing how empty it is.

It feels like it is a downward spiral. Keep reducing the experience (in hours, in attractions, in restaurants (some of which they can't help if they are closed or not) .. and less people will come (even locals). Less people will come, the more Disney may feel they need to "cut" things to make up the lost revenue. The more they "cut" the harder it will get people to come back ... *shrug*

... but if they did sell cheap day passes (like similar to the Florida resident discount, but everyone) .. they could reach probably reach their capacity limit daily (and sell those people souvenirs and food) while still being "safe".

 

[Jrb1979]

I am just not sure what Disney wants. Do they want "butts in the seats" and fill their parks to the capacity limits they have set to maximize revenue from tickets, hotels, food and merchandise at the low capacity limits they have set to be safe?

Or are they just trying to make it a locals park while operating at as bare minimum as possible. I mean . .I would guess even vloggers may stop going to the parks if there is less and less to do there. I would gather they are getting less views after the initial month "buzz" is over since there isn't anything going on in the parks besides just showing how empty it is.

It feels like it is a downward spiral. Keep reducing the experience (in hours, in attractions, in restaurants (some of which they can't help if they are closed or not) .. and less people will come (even locals). Less people will come, the more Disney may feel they need to "cut" things to make up the lost revenue. The more they "cut" the harder it will get people to come back ... *shrug*

... but if they did sell cheap day passes (like similar to the Florida resident discount, but everyone) .. they could reach probably reach their capacity limit daily (and sell those people souvenirs and food) while still being "safe".

It feels more and more like they never really wanted to be open.

 

[OSUZorba]

It feels more and more like they never really wanted to be open.

I think Chapek's one play is cost cutting and raising prices.

Something I just thought of while talking the wife. With only 8 hours in the park, how many people are even going to do a TS lunch? I normally do a TS every day, but with only 8 hours I'd never give the time to it

 

[Disneylover99]

I disagree. Lower crowd levels than seen this past July would be a disaster for Disney. They need more bookings, not less.

I’m not saying lower crowds would be a good thing financially for Disney, I’m just responding to a poster who would like lower crowds for their September trip. I’m sure everyone hopes for lower crowds for their trips.

 

[Mr. lncredible]

I disagree. Lower crowd levels than seen this past July would be a disaster for Disney. They need more bookings, not less.

I'm sure they are doing what they feel they need to, but reducing hours is not going to help them get more bookings.

 

[Jrb1979]

I think Chapek's one play is cost cutting and raising priced.

Something I just thought of while talking the wife. With only 8 hours in the park, how many people are even going to do a TS lunch? I normally do a TS every day, but with only 8 hours I'd never give the time to it

To the worst part of it is how many just accept it. Lex Luthor is the worst thing to happen to Disney. If only they had a guy like Matt Ouimet in charge. He's done wonders for Cedar Fair.

 

[Edward90]

i promise disney is gonna drop down to open for 5 days a week

 

[tlmadden73]

i promise disney is gonna drop down to open for 5 days a week

Still being a vacation destination (for some) .. I doubt they would do that (like a lot of regional parks have done (those that opened).

If anything, they'll do what Universal is doing and just shut down their less "showcase" rides/attractions. I could see things like Triceratops Spin, Pixar Shorts theater, Aladdin's' Carpets and things like that closed (I mean DHS already has 1/3 of its attractions closed because they are live shows).

I doubt Disney is any rush to get People Mover back online .. or get the live actor union dispute settled either.

But .. ya .. if Disney wants to salvage the year from an attendance standpoin (and maybe they don't at this point just due to safety concerns), they need to throw down some discount or "come now, save later" promo.

 

[Jrb1979]

Still being a vacation destination (for some) .. I doubt they would do that (like a lot of regional parks have done (those that opened).

If anything, they'll do what Universal is doing and just shut down their less "showcase" rides/attractions. I could see things like Triceratops Spin, Pixar Shorts theater, Aladdin's' Carpets and things like that closed (I mean DHS already has 1/3 of its attractions closed because they are live shows).

I doubt Disney is any rush to get People Mover back online .. or get the live actor union dispute settled either.

But .. ya .. if Disney wants to salvage the year from an attendance standpoin (and maybe they don't at this point just due to safety concerns), they need to throw down some discount or "come now, save later" promo.

From everything they have done it doesn't look like that's what they want to do. They have no interest in adding more people. If they did they would just open up more AP spots