What's up with all the cutbacks?

[TheDisneyNurse]

The resort parking fee is the one that really irks me. It actually encourages AP’s to stay off site.

For my birthday trip I was charged $19 a night for parking at the CBR. First time in my adult life paying for parking at WDW. Later this week I’m staying offsite and paying $0 for parking, because I’m an AP.

I prefer to stay on site (only offsite because this trip is super super last minute and on a budget) but... ugh.

 

[tlmadden73]

The resort parking fee is the one that really irks me. It actually encourages AP’s to stay off site.

For my birthday trip I was charged $19 a night for parking at the CBR. First time in my adult life paying for parking at WDW. Later this week I’m staying offsite and paying $0 for parking, because I’m an AP.

I prefer to stay on site (only offsite because this trip is super super last minute and on a budget) but... ugh.

They just got it backwards - charge for parking if your are just a "day" visitor to a resort and let the ones spending the big bucks - your nightly guests stay for free.
Because they did it this way, it was just a "quick" way to increase hotel prices about $10-20 across the board. Which seems in line with all the other price hikes they've been having recently.

It's at the point that Disney probably costs 10-20% more now than it did just a few short years ago.

So cutbacks WHEN there are price increases ... just makes it feel worse.

 

[TwoMisfits]

They probably realized APs staying at a hotel spend less than offsite day visitors who visit the hotel, so the number crunchers made the decisions...when you only look at numbers, you don't always make the best ones...

 

[Mike White]

Justification based on 'industry standards' is a poor policy when trying to keep distance between you and your competitors.

Also tough when most of the WDW marketing relies on nostalgia and the Disney Difference as it once existed.

I hope the aggressive pricing slows down or has a goal in mind that makes my visits more enjoyable.

 

[Mickeynutty]

Public company needing to create "shareholder value".

What WDW is doing now by getting rid of all these little touches, by creating generic rooms, etc., is turning their theme parks into regular amusement parks.
Thing is, only people who have been going to disney for a long time will notice these things and be bothered by them. The question is how much is too much for long time repeat visitors to be turned off enough to not visit. So far it seems like they've not reached that point. For new visitors, who won't know about these things and therefore can't "miss" them, it's a matter of whether or not people are finding their visits "magical" enough to become repeat visitors.

THIS! We have been visiting for 20 years and I almost wish we hadn’t. The constant cuts and losses are painful and, as you said, cannot be missed by people that never experienced them. As a person who rides very few rides, there were many years when Streetmosphere, Push, various performers - balloon artists, magicians, etc. and DISNEY characters that popped up in front of me — yes, they did!!! — were such great parts of the experience that they made WDW for me. They are sorely missed.

 

[snappy]

THIS! We have been visiting for 20 years and I almost wish we hadn’t. The constant cuts and losses are painful and, as you said, cannot be missed by people that never experienced them. As a person who rides very few rides, there were many years when Streetmosphere, Push, various performers - balloon artists, magicians, etc. and DISNEY characters that popped up in front of me — yes, they did!!! — were such great parts of the experience that they made WDW for me. They are sorely missed.

You expressed my thoughts exactly.

 

[Farro]

THIS! We have been visiting for 20 years and I almost wish we hadn’t. The constant cuts and losses are painful and, as you said, cannot be missed by people that never experienced them. As a person who rides very few rides, there were many years when Streetmosphere, Push, various performers - balloon artists, magicians, etc. and DISNEY characters that popped up in front of me — yes, they did!!! — were such great parts of the experience that they made WDW for me. They are sorely missed.

I get what you are saying, but it still happens.

Last October I was coming out of the restroom at MK to find one of the Country Bears standing with my boyfriend, just them, using his phone to make phone calls, it was priceless!!!

Do they still have the Muppet Show in Liberty Square? That was great fun.

Streetsmosphere will still be happening, just less performers.

Epcot is where I notice the most cuts from when I was a child. It seemed like the countries used to have a LOT more going on.

 

[doodle]

THIS! We have been visiting for 20 years and I almost wish we hadn’t. The constant cuts and losses are painful and, as you said, cannot be missed by people that never experienced them. As a person who rides very few rides, there were many years when Streetmosphere, Push, various performers - balloon artists, magicians, etc. and DISNEY characters that popped up in front of me — yes, they did!!! — were such great parts of the experience that they made WDW for me. They are sorely missed.

Yep! Been going since the late 90s. If you never experienced WDW then, you cannot understand what has been changed and is gone!

 

[Mike White]

I firmly believe that when most executives look at fiscal year/quarter/month's performance for WDW there is not a single consideration for guest satisfaction as a factor. Only revenue and profit. It breaks my heart. My memories of it will always make me happy though.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

They just got it backwards - charge for parking if your are just a "day" visitor to a resort and let the ones spending the big bucks - your nightly guests stay for free.
Because they did it this way, it was just a "quick" way to increase hotel prices about $10-20 across the board. Which seems in line with all the other price hikes they've been having recently.

It's at the point that Disney probably costs 10-20% more now than it did just a few short years ago.

So cutbacks WHEN there are price increases ... just makes it feel worse.

except this only increases the cost to people who drive - not everyone.

I think it has to do with encouraging people to fly and take Magical Express and thus be a "captive audience" for whom it is harder to go off property and / or spend time at Universal as well

Problem is it sucks for people that are like a reasonable drive away/doesn't make sense to fly

 

[tlmadden73]

except this only increases the cost to people who drive - not everyone.

I think it has to do with encouraging people to fly and take Magical Express and thus be a "captive audience" for whom it is harder to go off property and / or spend time at Universal as well

Problem is it sucks for people that are like a reasonable drive away/doesn't make sense to fly

I'm still waiting for the offsite Disney Parking garage .. with free shuttle to the hotels . Then they can keep the drivers "captive" too. Then they can expand each hotel by just eating into one of the many parking lots

 

[Ponderer]

I firmly believe that when most executives look at fiscal year/quarter/month's performance for WDW there is not a single consideration for guest satisfaction as a factor. Only revenue and profit. It breaks my heart. My memories of it will always make me happy though.

If you got shareholders who would forgive not getting maximum revenue, if you got shareholders who valued the company as a creative entity and not just a money spigot, executive priorities would change. But that’s not how the shareholder class values things. And if those executives don’t dance, the shareholders will demand someone who will.

However, I will also say this is an overly broad brush. George Kalogridis has a terrific reputation for guest satisfaction. And earlier this year, when I emailed Bob Chapek about my displeasure with the new parking fees. His office called me back. I know I was being managed, but I’ve complained to lots of companies over the years, even ones where customer service is supposedly a priority, and any kind of human response past a form letter is like hen’s teeth.

I think they care. I just think almost all American companies are caught in an inescapable vortex of sad market realities. I think Disney is doing better in maintaining what it is and what it does than other large companies. I’ll certainly take them over Comcast.

I’ll also say that I was very active online all through the 90s, and when I planned those trips, I was fairly carpet-bombed by people who told me WDW was worthless compared to the mid-80s, or hell, that WDW could never hold a candle to Disneyland in the 70s, that WDW was always going to be a soulless monstrosity and not worth even discussing. (I know there’s at least one Disney Legend who publicly espouses this view.) Looking back is always going to color our opinions. I also see, on a daily basis here, someone gushing about a magical, unique experience they’re having right now. And in 2038, they’re gonna be grip8ng too!

 

[4077]

I’ll try not to worry too much until I see the soloist street show called “Dapper Dan”....

 

[snappy]

I’ll try not to worry too much until I see the soloist street show called “Dapper Dan”....

God I hope not

 

[prink022]

The cutbacks I would assume are cost cutting measures in order to prepare for the upcoming anniversary. From a business stand point, it kind of makes sense... dial everything back in preparation and then go full force for the event? There are minor things that are happening I'm sure we aren't noticing.. but it's no secret that there's tons of stuff coming in time for the anniversary as well.

 

[mom2rtk]

The cutbacks I would assume are cost cutting measures in order to prepare for the upcoming anniversary. From a business stand point, it kind of makes sense... dial everything back in preparation and then go full force for the event? There are minor things that are happening I'm sure we aren't noticing.. but it's no secret that there's tons of stuff coming in time for the anniversary as well.

Any upgrades should be (and probably are) financed by the increase in attendance they bring about. But Disney likes to play both ends and collect up front (in cuts leading up to a big event) and the money the increased attendance brings through the gates.

 

[prink022]

Any upgrades should be (and probably are) financed by the increase in attendance they bring about. But Disney likes to play both ends and collect up front (in cuts leading up to a big event) and the money the increased attendance brings through the gates.

I agree. With the price increases in food/tickets/parking and the addition of the overnight parking charges (thank goodness we're DVC) they should be okay. But I was speaking with someone who works for Siemens and after the discussion I had with him about WDW nothing surprises me anymore