Are Disney cost cutting efforts affecting attractions at WDW?

[fklhou]

According to a recent newspaper article, Disney is cutting costs at WDW. See. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-asecdisney29082901aug29.story?coll=orl%2dhome%2dhe adline Normally, Disney does its best to make sure that the guests do not notice these cost cutting efforts.

Using some extremely poor behavior by a handful of local annual pass holders as its justiification, MGM recently instituted a new policy at the Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Play It attraction under which a guest has to wait thirty days before being eligible to be on the hot seat again. Since many (if not most of the 1,000,000 winners at the WWTBAM-PI attraction are repeat visitors to the hot seat, this policy will clearly have the effect of reducing the expense of this attraction. One effect of this new policy is that the average out of town visitor will be limited to only one trip to the hot seat per trip to WDW. For many out of town visitors, this is in effect a one year waiting period between trips to the hot seat.

This policy was put into effect due to a group of local annual pass holders who were getting onto the hot seat numerous times in the same day. One local pass holder in particular would get onto the hot seat several times in a day and then help her spouse to get onto the hot seat a couple additional times in the same day. Each time that this local annual pass holder got to the 1,000,000 level, she would intentionally miss the question to preserve her ability to get onto the hot seat in future shows (1,000,000 point wininers are required to wait one year from the date they achieve the 1,000,000 point and their next trip to the hot seat).

There were several alternative policies that Disney could have adopted that would not be as restrictive and still solve the problem with local annual pass holders. Disney picked a policy that in effect killed two birds with one stone by dealing with a group of obnoxious local annual pass holders who were abusing the system by getting onto the hot seat several time in one day and by reducing its cost by making it more difficult to get to the 1,000,000 level. I understand that Disney may need to cut costs but these cost cutting efforts should not affect the attractions.

[Lewisc]

The only prize that costs Disney real money is the 1,000,000 trip tro NY. Since it seams the biggest abuser stops before winning 1,000,000 I don't see how this change will save much money in prizes. I think some of the people/articles are under the impression Disney pays cash like the real game show, I don't think the prizes Disney hands out cost Disney very much.

[JeffJewell]

...Disney's cost cutting efforts are affecting attractions at WDW. Journey Into Your Imagination, The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, the Flying Carpets of Aladdin, Kali River Rapids, and Beastly Kingdom are all examples of where cost cutting during design or construction left us with (and occasionally without) rides that, on some or another front, simply aren't what they could have been; aren't what a lot of people have come to expect from Disney. Adventureland (well, we're still not sure about that one, I guess), World Showcase, Carousel of Progress, and The Living Seas are examples of where cost cutting measures mean that guests will run into closed doors when they wouldn't have at some point in the past.

But,
I understand that Disney may need to cut costs but these cost cutting efforts should not affect the attractions. the hot-seat is _not_ an attraction: the attraction is the whole Millionaire show. Everyone can still go see the show all they want, right? So this policy doesn't affect any attractions at all.

So out-of-towners are "limited" to one hot-seat per trip to WDW. Big deal, the majority of out-of-towners will never _ever_ get into the hot-seat.

There are a lot of reasons to complain that Disney is cutting costs to the point that the attractions suffer. It's simply very difficult for me to see hot-seat limits as being an example of this.

Forgive me, but the only group I can see this really affecting are the locals who want to sell some pins on eBay (although I'm willing to be re-educated on that front if a compelling teacher steps forward).

Jeff

[All Aboard]

JJ, ditto, GC.

[fklhou]

First, it takes many or most of the people who are 1,000,000 winners more than one trip to the hot seat to achieve the 1,000,000 point level. 14 out of the 21 1,000,000 winners are local annual pass holders who have had the opportunity to get to the 1,000,000 level because they had multiple chances on the hot seat. There is a person on the Debate board who is a 1,000,000 winner who took 7 tries on the hot seat before he made it (he is also a local pass holder). Under this new policy,. the average guest will have only one chance if they make it to the hot seat to get to the 1,000,000 level. Most one time visitors will have a much harder time to get to the 1,000,000 level without the practice and therefore the number of 1,000,000 winners will drop.

Second, the fact that the abusers may either intentionally miss or take a walk on the 1,000,000 question does not mean that the effect of the policy will be to reduce the overall number of 1,000,000 point winners. Again, most of the 1,000,000 winners have made it after a couple of tries on the hot seat. Now, a visitor has only one crack and that should lower the number of 1,000,000 point winners.

The DCA version of this attraction is opening in a couple of weeks and it may be that Disney is worried about the number of 1,000,000 winners at that attraction. Evidently, it is contemplated that the same policy will be in effect at both versions of the attraction.

Finally, Disney may be trying to cut costs for the lower level of prizes. Several people have noticed that the questions have gotten much harder and that now you can expect the 8,000 point question to be a real hard one. If you miss at this level, then Disney does not have to give out the polo shirt.

Disney has some clear alternatives to the 30 day waiting period that would have solved the problem with local pass holders but picked the policy that would also result in a cost savings. :rolleyes: I wonder how this happen.

[YoHo]

You get approximatly $650 in prizes not including the Million point trip.

I don't know if that's a lot or not. CMs that Work the game have claimed that the number of guests winning the million points is under or approximaly equal to the number they expected to win. That means that Disney fully expected the level of costs involved.

[fklhou]

The fact is that Disney has picked an alternative that is more restrictive than it needed to be and as a result of that choice, Disney will save some money. If it is not Disney's intent to use the problems with the local annual passhoders as a way to save costs, then Disney needs to look at and adopt a less restrictive method. Disney has several alternatives available to it that would solve the problems with the local annual pass holders and not affect the ability of the average out of town visitor to make it to the 1,000,000 point level. If Disney is not willing to use a less restricive method, then I would take that as evidence that Disney is happy to kill two birds with one stone and save costs any place that it can.

[YoHo]

Your assuming a lot based on little information. Disney MAY change the policy. They may simply have over-reacted to the situation. OR, they may know something that we do not. I've tempered my enthusiasm for the current administration quite a bit, but somehow I don't think that the amount of money which would be minimal matters.

[fklhou]

With a bunch of accountants, you never know what amount they consider material. In addition, please note that it just not the MGM version of this attraction they are worried about. The DCA attraction could have a large pool of local visitiors who could come to the park often enough to eventually become 1,000,000 winners. I admit that this is pure guesswork on my part but I can not help but believe that there are far more compulsive types in the Southern Califorina area than in the Orlando area.

[Safari Steve]

After seeing the number of guest complaints regarding the local AP abusers, I'm pretty sure the move has more to do with giving more guests a better chance at the hot seat (even if only once) and is ultimately an effort to keep our guests (regardless of origin) happy with their experience. Many guests saw these "WWTBAM Stalkers" in the same light as line jumpers, and (to a degree) I sympathize. Remember, this is not limiting how many times you can visit, as was assumed in another post, and everyone has an opportunity to play along, so if Millionaire is truly your favorite attraction, and you're not just in there to win prizes over and over, there's really nothing to complain about.

[fklhou]

If Disney's concern is the local AP abusers, there are several different less restrictive policies that could have been adopted to deal with that issue. The current thirty day wait between visits actually does two things, it hurts out of town resort guests by limiting them to one trip to the hot seat for in effect a year and assuring that there will be fewer1,000,000 point winners.

Currently 14 of the 21 1,000,000 winners are locals. Since the local AP abusers can still come back every thirty days and get 12 trips to the hot seat a year in compared to one trip for out of town guests, I assume that there will be an even greater percentage of 1,000,000 winners who are locals vs visitors.

I am not sure that this is what Disney intended when it implemented this new rule.

[Safari Steve]

It would be alot easier for you to just type "Please see above posts." at this point.

[JeffH]

JJ forgot to mention that although WDW has decided to limit hours on some attractions with low attendance,
there are many that have EXTENDED hours (a whole park in fact!!!), now.
The fact is, since Fantasmic (and Rock & Roller Coaster) opened MGM has extended its hours, in some cases later than any other park now!
And it's hard to say that the new policy is a cost cutting measure, when only last year the attraction didn't even exist (the policy only would mean that they're just not giving away as much money as before)
It's all in how you look at things.
If you sat down and added all the attraction hours available up and compared them to the attraction hours available just 5 years ago, you'd find that we are many hours ahead now. It's just when WDW adds 5 then takes away 1 all we hear is how horrible it is that they took away the 1.

[fklhou]

The fact that Disney added some new attractions a couple of years ago does not address the fact that Disney is cutting costs. As stated in the Orlando Sentinel article cited above, Disney has been concerntrating on DCA and other new parks and has not open any new major new attractions at WDW in a couple of years. Evidently, Disney is looking at or has implemented other costs cutting measures due to the decrease revenues at WDW. Please look at the Orland Sentienel article and see if you think that Disney is not trying to cut costs whereever it can.

[d-r]

locals were pretty annoying when we went to wwtbam - a lady got on the hotseat and was openly trying to stretch out her answers as long as she could, so that she could come back in the next session along with her husband (who was the previous person on the hotseat). And she did it, too, so there was only the one shot on the hotseast that session..

[fklhou]

That sounds like the infamous Barbara. According to another board, she is the main reason why the 30 day rule was put into place. Evidently, this lady was on the network show and got to $64,000 level. According to a local pass holder who is a regular on WWTBAM-PI, she is using the attraction to get her husband ready to be on the hot seat on the network show and when this lady gets to the 1,000,000 point question, she would intentionally miss to preserve her right to be on the hot seat. According to one post, Barbara has gotten onto the hot seat four to eight times in one day.

I agree that Disney needed to make some changes to the attraction to deal with the local APs who were abusing the game but the policy adopted is broader than it needs to be and has adverse effect on out of town visitors (we are limited to in effect to one tirp to the hot seat per year whiile locals such as this Barbara can come back every 30 days and get 12 trips to the hot seat per year). I just find it interesting that the policy adopted by Disney also has the effect of reducing future 1,000,000 point winners and thereby saving Disney a little money.:pinkbounc

[HorizonsFan]

I just find it interesting that the policy adopted by Disney also has the effect of reducing future 1,000,000 point winners and thereby saving Disney a little money.
Do you honestly think that sending a few fewer people to NY will actually save Disney a significant amount of money? And if the amount of money saved is not significant, what's the point? I think this is an issue of fairness not budget...

[one2escape]

The reason they introduced this poicly is to stop monoplisation. I personnely feel that 1 a week limit would be better!

[TiggerFreak]

Nice try Steve,
Too bad it didn't work!

Whats the big deal.
Like is your life going to be for ever changed if you only get 1 chance a year at the hot seat!
IMHO Disney's slapping the rude, obnoxious, pushy, rule benders, upside the face is great!
I didn't count on getting to the hot seat on my annual visits.
And if I thought I was that good, I'd concentrate my energy on the real show, for REAL money!

TTFN
TiggerFreak:D

53 days to go till I don't sit in the hot seat!

[fklhou]

I do not disagree that if this was a cost cutting move, it is a dumb one. Bean counters (i.e. accoutants) do not always make good decisions. This violate the normal Disney cost cutting guidelines in that it is something that the guest will noticed and this method favors local AP over out of town resort guests in that local AP can have up to 12 trips to the hot seat while out of town visitors who only visit once a year are in effect limited to one tirip a year.

[HBK]

JJ forgot to mention that although WDW has decided to limit hours on some attractions with low attendance,
there are many that have EXTENDED hours (a whole park in fact!!!), now.

Could you please elaborate that statement? I'm at a loss as to which rides have EXTENDED hours.

My experince with MGM hasn't really changed, but I'll defer that one since I really don't want to do the legwork to figure out if the hours were extended.

We all know what rides run on a reduced schedule....what rides run on an extended schedule?

Thanks

[JeffH]

Before Fantamic opened, MGM generally closed before dark and the only time you got to see the park at night is if you had a late dinner.
Since Fantamic, the park stays open at least till dark and on weekends well past dark and all the rides stay open with it. Little Mermaid shows go on all evening along with ToT, R&RC, ST, MV3D, GMR, Animation and others. And Indy, Hunchback, and B&tB have an extra show or 2 to see.

[HBK]

Maybe this is just my personal experince, but I remember during the 25th anniversary, MGM closed @ 7PM. I just checked the times for my trip in October and MGM closes at 7-7:30.....not much of a bump there.

But that's only my experince, anyone else know for sure?

[fklhou]

According to a poster on anothe board, the difficulty of questions on WWTBAM-PI have been increased so that there are far fewer hot seat contestants making it to the 32,000 point level. I guess Disney was giving away too many of the polo shirts and wanted to control costs at this level as well as at the 1,000,000 level.

If Disney makes the game too difficult, then people may start getting turned off of the game. Not a smart way to cut costs.:pinkbounc

[DanG]

I fail to see where optimizing the number of participants, particularly in favor of those who will only have a few shots in a year to get to the hotseat is taking something away. This is true whether the prize is a trip to New York or a Polo shirt. The attraction is to have an opportunity to participate.

If you have some local a** monopolizing the attraction for her own personal enjoyment at the expense of thousands of other guests in the course of a day, why wouldn't you restore the enjoyment and sense of participation that comes from getting a chance to step up by imposing reasonable participation restrictions. Even if I'm less likely to win, I would like a chance. Disney is giving more opportunities and trying to stop a clear abuse.

Many will attest that I am no fan of Disney management and cost cutting that has been taking place. I don't see that here. And the argument that I only have 12 opportunities to win a trip to New York seems selfish and unsupportable.

DanG

[YoHo]

MGM is definatly open later then it used to be, but I won't get dragged into that conversation. If Disney had done things 100% right, MGM would have the longer hours AND so would the rest of the parks. I will say that Changing the hours makes sense IF you assume that People aren't going to change the length of their vacations and there is more profit to be made by funneling them to new parks. IE it is more prfitable to have 4 parks open til say 9pm then 3 open til 10 or 11.

I don't know thta it is. I'm not saying its right either way. Just that that's a way to look at it.

As for WWTBAM-PI I simply still cannot possibly see how the decisions made with this ride were financially motivated. Again we have reports from a CM who works the show. He is far more highly qualified to discuss this (although I realize Disney does not tell the CMs everything.) Also, I don't run Disney World, NOR do any of you (except Eyesnur:)) What information (facts)do we have, or have we presented that says the 30 day policy is the wrong one? none. Merely gut feelings which can themselves be incorrect. I therefore will now remain in a wait n' see mode on this. If the policy is flawed it will change. The cost to give away the prizes in this show is probably less then the costs of Trinkets and Trash that they give at cable shows and to sales people. And since I have my Zoog Robot guy that they gave me at the NCTA show last June, I KNOW they still have money for that.

[Carl]

that a few locals can monopolize the show. The prizes aren't worth that much. The real attraction is to have SOME chance of actually getting in the hot seat. If locals keep taking over, the whole attraction of the show will be lost - unless the guests would be content to realize that they in reality are only going to be spectators to the show, only able to watch the same locals alternating turns in the hot seat.

[fklhou]

I agree that something had to be done about a small band of locals but the one trip to the hot seat every thirty days is too extreme. On another board several alternatives have been discussed that would have solved the local issue but still not affect the attraction too much. Either Disney went too far with thirty day policy or Disney really is trying to save some costs for this attraction by making it much harder to get to the 1,000,000 point level. Again, according to some recent visitors to the attractions the difficulty of questions has been increased so that it now harder for people to get to the 32,000 point level and win the polo shirt. Again, if Disney was not intending to use the problems caused by a group of local APs as an excuse to cut costs, then Disney needs to modify the thirty day rule.

[fklhou]

I did a little digging and found the article discussing the lawsuit between Disney/ABS and its insurance company on the Millionaire TV show. The article is interesting in that insurance company wanted Disney/ABC to reduce the exposure on the insurance policy by either asking tougher questions or getting dumber contestants. See http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/millionaire000211.html

Disney has clearly made the questions at WWTBAM-PI harder and the new thirty day rule will likely reduce the quality of contestants by limiting anyone who has any expierence on the hot seat to one trip per thirty days. I know that the TV show is different from the attraction and that this is not directly applicable. I just found it very intersting.

[fklhou]

According to a local WWTBAM-PI 1,000,000 point winner, there has been only one 1,000,000 winner since the rule requiring you to wait 30 days between trips to the hot seat and it has been almost a month since the last 1,000,000 winner. Clearly, the thirty day rule is serving its purpose of reducing the number of 1,000,000 winners and saving Disney some bucks. Unfortuanately, it is also ruining a great attraction.

[Bennet]

So I'm sitting here in my new 32,000 point shirt and I'm thinking that next time I go, next year, I hope the DW gets the fun of being in the hot seat.

The locals get a good deal on passes and food and other discounts. That they have to wait 30 day for another shot at the hot seat so that more guest who come once a year or once a life get a better shot at the fun of the hot seat seem like a good idea to me.

WDW probably paid more in legal fees writing the rule and checking it was legal than they save in pins, shirts and trips.