Character Caravan OR Early Entry

[Disneyolic]

I would love to know which people prefer...the Character Caravan or Early Entry.

I personally loved Early Entry. I felt it was one of the biggest bonuses of being on the property. I'm sure the Character Caravan is nice for the little ones (some big ones too) but they can still meet them at the parks.

[eeyore0062]

I liked EE when it was offered, and I enjoyed character caravan when we were there in January. Honestly, I enjoyed the extra sleep the most!!!

[Eeyore2U]

I can't vote. Neither matter to me although the CC was cool when we were there in Feb.

[Bete]

I hope you send this to Disney after we have many votes for EE.

[Disneycrazymom]

During the busy times early entry is really important for Magic Kingdom. We were there in Nov. this year and did not miss it because there were no crowds, but in March we REALLY wished we could get into MK early! I hope Disney is listening!!!:D

[Maleficent2]

;)



Mal

[lnhoog]

We just got back from Disney and the WL.

We didn't get to experience the character caravan b/c it came so early in the morning at the WL and it was only on two select days.

We thought about going to see the characters downstairs, but trying to get 2 adults and 2 small kids ready to head to the parks in the morning didn't allow for time to see the caravan. We were more interested in getting to the parks early to avoid long lines at the start of the day.

My vote is for EE!

[Dixie Luvr 98]

As hot as it was this past week during our stay, I would have loved to have had EE to help beat the heat. I was scorching by 10 a.m. and the parks had only been open an hour.

[brittsmum1998]

We have never taken advantage of EE. I will say this being my DD's 4th trip (she's 4) she absolutely loved the CC. Even when we were heading to the parks she liked to wait in the lobby of the Boardwalk for the characters. She always had her autograph book ready!! So against the majority, I have to vote for the Character Caravan. ;)

[elemusing]

Is this a trick question? hee hee

[disneyjunkie]

EE EE EE EE!!!

On our first trip last August, we use EE each day that we went to a park. Using EE and fastpass we only waited in 4 lines in 7 days!
Every other ride and show we walked right on! My son (9 at the time) saw a ton of characters in the parks.

Please bring back EE. If I want to see the characters, I'll do a character meal or find them in the parks.

[darlene walker]

EE all the way.

[addicted_to_WDW]

Put me down for a neither as well...my family never utilized EE (we sleep late) and my son is only interested in characters he hasn't already met.

[Disneyolic]

up to the top...hopefully for more votes.

[goofy4tink]

:Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc Look, look WDW!!! See...we really do want EE back!!!! We really liked EE, even in Nov. When we went Nov '01 we missed it, a lot!!!! I'm hoping that they bring it back for our summer '03 visit. The CC looked like a huge mob-scene in our lobby. I'll go to a character meal or catch one of the characters in the parks if need be. Besides, now that my dd is getting a little older, it's not such a huge deal for her. Oh, please listen to us all of you "powers that be"!! :wave:

[Eeyore2U]

It's too bad this has no validity as far as numbers go. The choices direct the response.

I'm sure for those that used it EE was great. But since there is no choice for those that don't care for EE the poll is flawed.

[Nysie]

EE all the way!! We end up going to Disney in August, and with EE we were always up early and got into the parks before it got tooooo hot!! When our children want to see the characters, we go to a Breakfast or to meet them in Town Hall!! We won't waste our time with the CC in the morning!! EE was the best "perk" for staying on Disney property!!

[wdw4us2]

EE!! EE!! EE! EE!! EE!!

In case you couldn't understand -- EE!:D

[Poohnatic]

I haven't experienced the CC yet (but I will in 30 days, woo hoo!).

I love the EE, but for a strange reason. When DH and I were on our honeymoon, we did the EE then hopped to another park at 11am.

Now, with 2 kids, we loved the EE, because that's the park we'd skip that day! Kinda knew where everyone staying in the resorts would go! Made the first two hours in Epcot and MGM as if we'd had them to ourselves!

Suzanne

off site 8/84
AS Sports 9/97
AS Music 5/01
AS Movies 10/01
AS Movies 6/02

[Disneyolic]

I don't believe the poll is flawed. Disney has stated in it's recent ads that they have listened to their guests and gave them what they wanted. They stated that guests didn't really care about the EE and wanted to meet the characters instead. I personally didn't believe it and want to know exactly who these guests are. If you don't utilize either EE or CC then it really does not matter. You just don't vote as you would not have been in their statistics in the first place.

[goofy4tink]

Maybe so, Eeyore. But since the CC was supposed to replace, due to lack of EE usage, the question is correct. If it were just, say in addition to EE then maybe it would make a difference. But since it replaces EE then we should be able to say which we prefer. Anyone not using the EE would probably not reply. So, maybe, as you suggest, we could reword the poll to: Do you, or do you not, use EE and if so would you like to see it put back in place.

[cindyfan]

We always took advantage of EE.
Go in for EE til like 10:30 or 11 and then head to another park as it got crowded...
OR...head back to the resort by noon when it got hot.

IMHO....the cancelling of EE has not yet really been felt!! With the longer days and HOTTER days of summer coming up....this is when the cancellation of EE will hurt the most!:(

We will be going in June this year. And when we've been there during the hotter months, we ALWAYS got to the parks early. It was nice to hit the attractions before the HEAT!!
Also the sun rises so much earlier. If I don't get to the park til 9am, I feel like half the morning is gone.

This also brings up the possible cancellation of E-nights for the summer!!
I wish that WDW could see how important it is to have both these perks during the longer and HOTTER summer months!!!

I think it is time for another email......got to go.......

[JerseyJanice]

I had to go with undecided for now. May I change that vote in 4 weeks if I need to?

In theory, I think EE is a way better perk, but we haven't experienced CC yet, so maybe I'll like it more after my trip.

We have done EE in the past and thought it was great. If it were available for our upcoming trip, we would definitely utilize it.

[janetd]

How could anyone pssibly believe the nonsense about people preferring the character caravan to EE. WAKE UP. The CC costs peanuts as opposed to opening the parks an hour early. Disney is all about money. Period. The bottom lines drives guest offerings, nothing else.

We just returned from WDW. Had a suite at AKL and concierge at YC. We had a fabulous time, not because of any supposed "magic" but because you get what you pay for. The "magic" was provided by my grand children!

We missed EE. We were paying top dollar to have less access to the parks. I notice the prices of the tickets have not been reduced accordingly for onsite guests.

Diseny stock has tanked. So a seedy bus with characters will have to do until the economy picks up.And oh yes, we experienced the caravan. Oh hum!

[Kitty 34]

EARLY ENTRY!!!!!!!!!!!:)

[Eeyore2U]

Originally posted by Disneyolic
I don't believe the poll is flawed. Disney has stated in it's recent ads that they have listened to their guests and gave them what they wanted. They stated that guests didn't really care about the EE and wanted to meet the characters instead. I personally didn't believe it and want to know exactly who these guests are. If you don't utilize either EE or CC then it really does not matter. You just don't vote as you would not have been in their statistics in the first place.

But I do matter in the stats as does anyone who couldn't care about EE. I am an onsite guest that doesn't use the perk. This poll directs the answer to get what they want. But this is true of most polls. If Disney is looking at EE and the possibility of returning it it will be based on onsite guest, not just onsite guests that want to use EE.

[Eeyore2U]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
Maybe so, Eeyore. But since the CC was supposed to replace, due to lack of EE usage, the question is correct. If it were just, say in addition to EE then maybe it would make a difference. But since it replaces EE then we should be able to say which we prefer. Anyone not using the EE would probably not reply. So, maybe, as you suggest, we could reword the poll to: Do you, or do you not, use EE and if so would you like to see it put back in place.

The question is not correct. The question should be along the lines are you an onsite quest? Did you use EE? Does it matter if EE comes back? Or something along those lines.

The problem with this poll and others on the DIS is people get the response they and they think the sampling is fair. IMO, this is more the squeaky wheel getting greased.

[Meagansmom]

EE!

Just back and boy did we miss ee!

[raidermatt]

CC did not replace EE. The official announcement says something to the effect of "Not many guests used EE. Many guests asked for more character interaction." (I am pretty sure the word instead is not included).

Yes, when you call to complain they tell you about CC, but that is just an attempt to soften the blow. Nobody can seriously think that Disney really thinks CC is equal in value to EE. But they still have to put a positive spin on the situation, and since they did add something that is obviously good for some guests, they tell you about it.

The poll is valid for finding out which is more beloved by Dis posters, but it misses the point completely. Disney knows what the results of a poll like this would be. But as janetd pointed out, EE costs far more than CC, and that is something Disney, like any other business, must consider, while guests do not (at least not directly).

The truth is that if enough guests spend less at Disney because of EE's demise to offset the amount Disney saves by not operating the parks during EE, they will bring it back in some form. If not, they won't. The same applies to CC. If they think there are enough guests who spend more at Disney because of CC, it will stay. If not, it will go. It really has nothing to do with EE. The only difference is that since CC costs much less, it doesn't have to generate as much revenue as EE did.

[STOFFER]

Early Entry - not even close!

[goofy4tink]

Yes, the question is not phrased right if you want to 'true' result. Eeyore's phrasing was much more telling as far as true results go. However, I may be remembering incorrectly, but, I think that someone over on the aol disney boards had a statement from wdw saying that 'we' wanted characters instead of ee. Caused quite a commotion over there!! I do know that the last time we went when ee was offered, Nov. '99, the ee was certainly being utilized!! Hopefully as attendence picks up, ee will be brought back. For those folks that prefer rides to characters, the ee is a great perk!! If, as my dd gets older(she is now 8), and she wants rides instead of characters, then we will stay off-site and use the money saved to 'do' the other parks in Orlando. Our next trip may be our last on-site. She already is not so interested in the Princesses and others. We can only hope for ee returning.;)

[kidzmom3]

early entry!

[erikthewise]

With a couple character meals, meeting Mickey in Toontown, Cinderella's Surprise Celebration, etc., I feel like we got all the characters we needed without a Character Caravan.

I much prefer EE, but have to admit that during our visit last December, things were so slow that entering at standard park opening time had the same effect as EE. At MK, AK, and MGM there were only a few hundred people at each park opening and we could walk onto just about anything. I certainly don't expect WDW to hold EE under those conditions.

[Disneyolic]

This poll was not out to get the results I want. I was merely trying to see which people preferred of the two options - regardless if you used them. I am simply using these options because of the fact that Disney emphasizes that people prefer the CC as opposed to EE.

Maybe another poll should be started with the 2 options and an option that includes that they would not utilize either. But I stand firm on my poll as is.

[raidermatt]

There's nothing really wrong with the poll. Its just that trying to make a point to Disney that more guests like EE than CC is, well, pointless.;)

They already know that. The statement that came out does not say that anyone said CC would be better than EE. Yes, you could argue that it is implied, but that doesn't really matter. The statement is meant to put a positive spin on what is a net takeaway. And honestly, Disney is completely aware that this was a net takeaway. So arguing that point with them will completely fall on deaf ears, because it doesn't get to the heart of the matter.

What can make a difference is two things:

1- Rationally letting Disney know that your family relied on EE and may not or will not stay on site in the future because EE is gone. Or will visit another destination altogether. Mentioning CC just clouds the issue because in reality, its irrelavent to EE.

2- Actually cancelling reservations, or actually spending less time at WDW.

Of course #1 matters to Disney, but if they are empty threats, they'll figure it out from the numbers. However, if enough of #2 happens (no pun intended ;) they will react.

Everybody just has to make their own decision. If EE really was the only thing keeping you on-site, by all means, stay off-site in the future. Or if EE was the only reason you went to the parks at all, again, the best thing for your family is to go elsewhere. You just have to be ready for the possibility that most people didn't care about EE. Sort of like when your favorite TV show gets cancelled becasue it had poor ratings. (I know that's happend to me!)

All that said, if EE being gone bothers you, but not enough to change any spending habits, fire off a rational letter/email that just tells Disney that while you will still be a guest, you would prefer EE be reinstated. Bottom line is that it won't matter as much as $$$, but who knows, if they get enough of these, it might matter. And then you'll know you did what you could and can move on.

Or not.;)

[Disneyolic]

I agree with you. I guess I really didn't realize how people would take this poll as though I was going to send it to Disney. As I had mentioned before, I was the one who wanted to know because I had a true curiosity and wondered how people really felt toward one or the other. I had no intention of this being an official document to prove anything.

I am truly sorry for people who felt that they didn't have a say in this poll. But, to be matter of fact, they don't have a say because it was my poll in deciding between the 2 options only.

Maybe I will learn next time...

That being said. I would not consider staying off property at this point because Disney would not reimplement EE. It just seems that some of the finer perks just keep disappearing. But being on site is so wonderful. You truly feel the MAGIC once you "cross property lines" - at least I do.

[goofy4tink]

Disneyolic...thanks for the poll. It's always interesting to see how/why people feel about things. I would love to say that I'll be staying off-site in the future due to the lack of EE. Have even given it some serious consideration. But, like you, it just isn't the same. WDW is still 'magical'. So, yes, I will continue to moan and groan about the loss of these 'on-site perks'. But the bottom line is I'll still be staying there. I only wish it was this time next year and I could be counting down in weeks instead of way too many months!!!! :(