News Round Up

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umichigan10 said:
Could be anticipating greater crowds with avatar and rivers of light opening in the near future. Although they do have some pretty high capacity eateries already so who knows
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I'm sure that's a primary reason...but I the impression it's more than just that...

I'll be interested to see what the crowd/attendance levels do once those things are open (how many years are we away now? ;) )

I saw some pounders suggest 25%...because Disney never cuts corners/does anything short of fantastic in Florida...

I'm taking WAYYYY the under...

But we'll see. In a way - I think the construction at animal kingdom is their version of a "social experiment"...

Actually the whole property is.
 
I was at the WDW 24-hour from 8pm to 1am. It was horrendous. The only 'special' things there were the Disney Channel stars, of which nobody knew who they were except perhaps the 10-year-old crowd (and what 10-year-old is going to stay there for 24 hours?). It started to rain near 11pm so MSEP was canned, the dance parties were nearly empty. My friend who had been there since 4am was incredibly annoyed at the lack of quality.

We're aware that this was probably an afterthought due to DL's 60th, but WDW has some serious issues in event planning. I was at the Villains event last August and it was about as bad, but at least that one had real merch and special shows/M+Gs...
 
Alice Royal said:
I was at the WDW 24-hour from 8pm to 1am. It was horrendous. The only 'special' things there were the Disney Channel stars, of which nobody knew who they were except perhaps the 10-year-old crowd (and what 10-year-old is going to stay there for 24 hours?). It started to rain near 11pm so MSEP was canned, the dance parties were nearly empty. My friend who had been there since 4am was incredibly annoyed at the lack of quality.

We're aware that this was probably an afterthought due to DL's 60th, but WDW has some serious issues in event planning. I was at the Villains event last August and it was about as bad, but at least that one had real merch and special shows/M+Gs...
Click to expand...

I think the new smell has worn off the 24 gigs...

It's just kinda ploy now. If you're eve type that would like it - you will. If you aren't, you won't.

It's nothing people "get up for" at this point - I would think.
 


Alice Royal said:
I was at the WDW 24-hour from 8pm to 1am. It was horrendous. The only 'special' things there were the Disney Channel stars, of which nobody knew who they were except perhaps the 10-year-old crowd (and what 10-year-old is going to stay there for 24 hours?). It started to rain near 11pm so MSEP was canned, the dance parties were nearly empty. My friend who had been there since 4am was incredibly annoyed at the lack of quality.

We're aware that this was probably an afterthought due to DL's 60th, but WDW has some serious issues in event planning. I was at the Villains event last August and it was about as bad, but at least that one had real merch and special shows/M+Gs...
Click to expand...
I had heard that WDW management treated it as an extended EMH.
 


There's nothing much that could interest me less than a 24-hour party. Maybe if I was a local, but I would never choose to do that on vacation. I would hate the crowds during the majority of it, and any attempt to stay up all night would just ruin the next two days of my vacation. No thank you.
 
Alice Royal said:
I was at the WDW 24-hour from 8pm to 1am. It was horrendous. The only 'special' things there were the Disney Channel stars, of which nobody knew who they were except perhaps the 10-year-old crowd (and what 10-year-old is going to stay there for 24 hours?). It started to rain near 11pm so MSEP was canned, the dance parties were nearly empty. My friend who had been there since 4am was incredibly annoyed at the lack of quality.
Click to expand...

I just asked the following question on the Attractions and Strategies forum but maybe this is a better place to ask. The Unofficial Guide has included this advice ever since at least 2004 right up to 2015:

Unofficial Guide said:
[on packed holidays] the Disney folks ... feeling bad about those long, long lines and nearly impossible touring conditions ... compensate their patrons with a no-less-than-incredible array of first-rate live entertainment and happenings.
Click to expand...

Is this advice still good, or current? From the post above it sounds like ... "no" ... but I'd like to hear more.

I always tended to believe the UG's advice that "you can have fun any time even when it's crowded as long as you have a good touring plan" but maybe that rule is breaking down under conditions of extreme crowding and extreme cynicism by the sardine-crammers at DHQ? Not saying, just asking.
 
Speak for yourself - a crowded afternoon at food and wine is my limits. Christmas / Easter / summer crowds aren't going to be assuaged to me with longer hours and an extra parade. You won't find me a Disney at any of those times ever. (We are going in the summer, but at the end of August/early September, our DD doesn't start school until September 8th this year giving us a perfect window with no crowds. I don't like the heat but I can handle it. Crowds I can't.)

It's what turned me off most to the MNSSHP when we went in 2010. It was far and away the largest crowds we saw the entire 10 day stay for that stupid party. I was really chuffed paying all that extra money for long lines, even if we were seeing "special" stuff. Never again.
 
I think we are seeing the same thing with MVMCP as well. I have been going the week before Thanksgiving for quite a while now and every year the crowds at the party have become more and more unmanageable. Last year was absurd. I couldn't believe the amount of people there in the middle of the week when school isn't out until the next week. I enjoy the party for the most part but I think this year will be our last. We are going to take a shot next year at an early Sept trip and try to catch one of the first MNSSHP parties since we've never attended that party.

The 24 hr party just sounds like hell. I can't understand why anyone outside of locals would get involved in that nonsense. Then again, I'm taking a summer trip this year so what am I talking about.....
 
I really don't understand all these complaints about crowds at the Xmas and Halloween parties. Aren't almost all of the parties sell outs or very close to it? I'm almost certain the day we went it was sold out. And most everything was a walkon.
 
jtwibih said:
I can't understand why anyone outside of locals would get involved in that nonsense. Then again, I'm taking a summer trip this year so what am I talking about.....
Click to expand...

See now...I have to say I have shifted alot when it comes to the "calendar"...

As a former frontline and GSM...I would have NEVER suggested that somebody travel in the summer or in a peak/holiday week.

Well...long story short...I've noticed a massive shift in the property's ability to handle crowds.

The summer months...maybe because of shifting school calendars...seem to be more comfortable the last few times we have went. Where as some of the "off" times are just disgusting.

I'm thinking of october and November specifically...
Our wedding anniversary (in the park formally known as EPCOT) falls in the first week of November...

We happened to be there after dcl this last year and I am DONE with it. Not only is it useless from a DVC perspective - the crowds during the "wine and dine half marathon" were just unmanageable.
It was bad enough with the Florida resident rush on the festival...now they shoehorn more events into a super busy week. October is pretty bad too...

But we booked a half trip (visited family on the gulf coast) on 1/31 for the week following Easter this year... Supposedly the second busiest block of the calendar...
And we had no problems with reservations, rides, fast pass, crowds...
It was really nice...and years ago would have been mobbed.

I think there occupancy has started to fluctuate wildly off the grid...behind the scenes. Whereas I never would have gotten a short notice DVC that week 10 years ago... But they also wouldn't have been booked 100% solid at 6 months for November as was the case.

We are not renewing passes (take it or leave it and without a good deal - I'm leaving it)... So we decided to look recently (2 months out) for last week of June....when the final ridiculous north eastern school calendars end...
Again...no problems with anything 30-60 days out.

Ride and restsurants still fully available 25 days out - 7 dwarfs (hopefully it's wearing off), be our guest at 32 days (almost booked it...but it's just not very good), really no issues even today when I looked...

And rooms were available both through DVC and with heavy discount both on WDW's site and even better through wholesale discount equipped travel agencies (fantastic percentage off at beach club - problem is the rates are laughable to start)...

As dylan says: "the times... They are a changin"

The only summer drawback is the weather...
But hey...95 in Orlando still feels more livable than 91 in seaside, New Jersey ;)

Long days... Long hours... Plenty of downtime padded in... I've come around on the summer.
But this is to pattern - as travel patterns are nowherevnear the same as when the "busy periods" were established in the 70s and 80s.

Christmas still sucks though - you gotta be insane.

Laymans opinion ;)
 
wareagle57 said:
I really don't understand all these complaints about crowds at the Xmas and Halloween parties. Aren't almost all of the parties sell outs or very close to it? I'm almost certain the day we went it was sold out. And most everything was a walkon.
Click to expand...

I think alot of people go for the meet and greets and special type activities more than the rides...

And they do limit the services while at the same time they seem to have steadily increased the amount of tickets sold over the years.
They used to market those as "limited entry" - like an eride night - alot more than they do so nowadays.
 
I guess I am referencing the crowds in terms of characters, parades, and fireworks more than the rides. Last year we alternated standing in line with our wives for Scrooge, Donald, and Daisy. Meanwhile the kids rode Barnstormer at least 6 times with literally zero wait. That line was no less than an hour so we thankfully had something to do while the M&G was happening at the splash area across from Barnstormer.

Jack Skellington (sp?) was ungodly. I think 2 hours minimum. Hard to justify the cost to wait in line all night.

Hopefully our July trip won't be a total disaster in terms of crowds but we have planned it well so we should be ok.
 
lockedoutlogic said:
We are not renewing passes (take it or leave it and without a good deal - I'm leaving it)... So we decided to look recently (2 months out) for last week of June....when the final ridiculous north eastern school calendars end...
Again...no problems with anything 30-60 days out.

Ride and restsurants still fully available 25 days out - 7 dwarfs (hopefully it's wearing off), be our guest at 32 days (almost booked it...but it's just not very good), really no issues even today when I looked...
Click to expand...

You are dead on with that. There are still a ton of ADRs for a family of 3 along with alot of FP+ options. I am honestly shocked by that.
 
lockedoutlogic said:
See now...I have to say I have shifted alot when it comes to the "calendar"...

As a former frontline and GSM...I would have NEVER suggested that somebody travel in the summer or in a peak/holiday week.

Well...long story short...I've noticed a massive shift in the property's ability to handle crowds.

The summer months...maybe because of shifting school calendars...seem to be more comfortable the last few times we have went. Where as some of the "off" times are just disgusting.

I'm thinking of october and November specifically...
Our wedding anniversary (in the park formally known as EPCOT) falls in the first week of November...

We happened to be there after dcl this last year and I am DONE with it. Not only is it useless from a DVC perspective - the crowds during the "wine and dine half marathon" were just unmanageable.
It was bad enough with the Florida resident rush on the festival...now they shoehorn more events into a super busy week. October is pretty bad too...

But we booked a half trip (visited family on the gulf coast) on 1/31 for the week following Easter this year... Supposedly the second busiest block of the calendar...
And we had no problems with reservations, rides, fast pass, crowds...
It was really nice...and years ago would have been mobbed.

I think there occupancy has started to fluctuate wildly off the grid...behind the scenes. Whereas I never would have gotten a short notice DVC that week 10 years ago... But they also wouldn't have been booked 100% solid at 6 months for November as was the case.

We are not renewing passes (take it or leave it and without a good deal - I'm leaving it)... So we decided to look recently (2 months out) for last week of June....when the final ridiculous north eastern school calendars end...
Again...no problems with anything 30-60 days out.

Ride and restsurants still fully available 25 days out - 7 dwarfs (hopefully it's wearing off), be our guest at 32 days (almost booked it...but it's just not very good), really no issues even today when I looked...

And rooms were available both through DVC and with heavy discount both on WDW's site and even better through wholesale discount equipped travel agencies (fantastic percentage off at beach club - problem is the rates are laughable to start)...

As dylan says: "the times... They are a changin"

The only summer drawback is the weather...
But hey...95 in Orlando still feels more livable than 91 in seaside, New Jersey ;)

Long days... Long hours... Plenty of downtime padded in... I've come around on the summer.
But this is to pattern - as travel patterns are nowherevnear the same as when the "busy periods" were established in the 70s and 80s.

Christmas still sucks though - you gotta be insane.

Laymans opinion ;)
Click to expand...
This past July we went and crowds seemed very manageable. Sure it was ungodly hot and it was the only time we could go but the crowds never seemed that crazy to me or anything that I complained about.

I also went during January this year for marathon weekend and found that to be less crowded than July and nothing to complain about. I have never gone during the holidays s I can't say much for that.
 
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