Character Cavalcade

[raidermatt]

The following is being reported by wdwmagic.com:

On October 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and November 4 the MK will be testing the Main Street Character Cavalcade.

This entertainment will be offered on nights where there is no SpectroMagic or Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks. At the end of the day, following the last Cinderella's Surprise Celebration, over 30 characters will join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they drive from the Castle Forecourt to Town Square in a fire truck on Main Street, U.S.A. in a street party fashion. The characters will interact with Guests as they get ready to hear a proclamation from the Mayor. After the Mayor thanks guests for their visit and proclaims them honorary citizens of Main Street, U.S.A., the Characters head on home to Mickey's Toontown Fair on the Walt Disney World Railroad train as Mickey Mouse bids them goodbye from the Main Street Train Station.

Honestly, sounds like a poor substitute for FitS or Spectro.

Anybody know anything else?

When is Cinderella's last SC of the day?

(note that this starts today, according to the info provided.)

 

[KMovies]

True ... a poor substitute for SpectroMagic or Fantasy in the Sky.

However ... probably a nice addition.

In the off season, SpectroMagic has been limited to Saturdays ... they are attempting to play it more often ... but it will never be a daily event because the costs are too high and the attendance to low to justify it.

Even Fantasy in the Sky has been limited, Friday and Saturday. Again, they are attempting to expand the showings, but still can't justify daily showings.

At least this is something to cap off the night. Gee, if on Tuesday you had Spectro, Wednesday the characters, and Thursday fireworks - you could see all three. In the past, it would have been zip!

And, if done right, could be something really special anyways! Especially if you have seen Fantasy and SpectroMagic so many times.

 

[Bob O]

From the sounds of it it just sounds like another cutback!!!! I wouldnt at all call it a positive addition when what it is replacing was far superior. The characters can easily be found but great parades/fireworks are much harder to come by!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

I guess I'll wait to hear more. However, I hope it just doesn't end up being a firetruck full of characters leading the parade of the masses to the gate at closing. It is already hard enough to make your way out with the throngs.

 

[DaveO]

Why is this a cut!!!! Before the boom years of attendance there were NO, NADA, ZIP, fireworks or nighttime parades during the slow season. This only really started during the 25th aniversary celebration when attendace started to soar. Now that attandance has declined they still have some night time parades and fireworks during slow season and now they are adding this additional parade?

So where is the cut?

Dave O.
# of trips - too many to count.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

So where is the cut?

DaveO. (drum roll, please!!) I agree!!

 

[Testtrack321]

Were receveing no cut, but can this be a replacement of the fireworks or parade durring the "on" season at a latter date AS a cut back? When I look at CC, I still don't see a cutback, only an attempt to cap off the day like DL does everyday, to bring some closure to the day and to have guests see the characters more.

This is a new wave of instatutions to stop the "spontaneous" meeting of characters at random locations durring the day. Mickey's House, Character Shows, and other things have all started to cut out Mickey and the gang from randomly roaming the park.

So now, you will now see Mickey ride away on a train instead of seeing him infront of the castle.

 

[d-r]

Look at the dates. Mondays-Tuesdays-Wednesdays-Thursdays in Oct. and Nov.

There was no scheduled parade or fireworks on those nights.

Replacing nothing with something isn't a cutback.

Having said that, I prefer the characters at disneyland where they are more "roaming" and less "stationary," but I see no reason to think that this replaces a character appearance during the day. Instead, I think this is to give the furry cms who were working on the character caravan some more hours a week. It's like getting a free ice cream and complaining about it because it might ruin your apetite for desert later.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by d-r
Look at the dates. Mondays-Tuesdays-Wednesdays-Thursdays in Oct. and Nov.

There was no scheduled parade or fireworks on those nights.

Replacing nothing with something isn't a cutback.... It's like getting a free ice cream and complaining about it because it might ruin your apetite for desert later.

Thank you for that!

Disney TESTS something -- announces that they're going to TRY something for a limited time to see if it's well-received or not, and there's always a rabble-rouser or two who have to immediately start assuming the worst and yelling "cut back". Nothing has been cut, nothing has been taken away. It's not replacing anything. It's just something they're trying out.

 

[raidermatt]

Searcher, Dave, etc-

You're right, this is a test.

The first question that comes to mind is why there was not a "test" when the decision was made to shorten hours and cut nightime entertainment during peak season?

Why is it that making an addition requires a test, but making a cut does not?

You maybe right that there was NEVER any fireworks or nightime parade during the off-season until the 25th anniversary, but I know that the park didn't close at 6:00 6 days a week either (8pm on Sat).

I'm not calling CC a cut at this time, but you'll forgive me if I'm a tad skeptical, given the trends of the last few years in particular.

I only trust those who have earned my trust. Everyone else has to prove it to me first. Unfortunately, Disney has fallen into the latter category. Too many closed attractions without replacements, shortened hours, etc. Its still a great overall experience, but when it comes to current decisions, there is no reason to EXPECT a net gain (or even a wash) for the guest.

 

[Captain Crook]

You aren't even givng Jay Rasulo a honeymoon period, Matt?

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by raidermatt
Why is it that making an addition requires a test, but making a cut does not?

Because you're usually making a cut for a business-related reason -- cost, scheduling, facilities -- something finite. "We've been mandated to cut X from the operating budget, and we can achieve that by doing Y." It's kind of a given outcome. When you're trying a new show or a new initiative, sometimes you need to convince management that the extra dollars being spent will bring about the desired results -- increased guest satisfaction, higher attendance, more merchandise or dining spending, etc. If management is saying, "Well, we can spend money on this new Character thing or we can spend money on more beverage carts," they may need to be convinced that the Character option is the way to go. Different departments at Disney compete for the same development and operational dollars. If your area can prove that more people will be served better with your program, then you get the bucks. So ... you test.

But the skepticism is still well-placed.

 

[raidermatt]

You aren't even givng Jay Rasulo a honeymoon period, Matt?

Well, I don't know Jay from a hole in the ground, so he gets no built in "trust points" there.

Eisner gave him the job, so that puts him on "trust watch"...

But, just as my trust has to be earned, so does my dis-trust. So we'll call it neutral for now. I won't assume the bad, but I won't assume the good either. Where it goes from here is up to him (or perhaps its all still up to Eisner?).

Because you're usually making a cut for a business-related reason -- cost, scheduling, facilities -- something finite. "We've been mandated to cut X from the operating budget, and we can achieve that by doing Y."

I agree, within the boundaries of that type of goal. My questioning of it really relates to the appropriateness of setting those types of blanket goals in a business that relies on its reputation of providing high quality service and innovation.

Cut the fat. But WDW is not like a pencil factory, where you cut anything you want as long as it's "behind the scenes". With WDW, almost every cut has the potential to negatively impact the customer experience, and the long-term consequences of that must be considered. Cutting EE without thorough (and accurate) consideration would be like the pencil company shortening the length of their pencils, without regard to how their customers would respond.

 

[Bob O]

If the parades/fireworks started during the 25th anniversy and now are being done away with, that is a cut!!! When you start a program and then take it away it is a cut!!! And they are replacing it with something that sounds like it will be lnferior(of course we wont know for sure until its implemented).

 

[TiggerFreak]

We will be there next week and I will post a report on the CC.

Personally, I hope that after all of the tests, the outcome is something like this:

Sun: afternoon parade and fireworks at closing
Mon: afternoon parade with an Eve CC
Tues: afternoon parade with an Eve CC
Wed: afternoon parade with a Spectro or fireworks at closing
Thurs: afternoon parade with an Eve CC
Fri: afternoon parade with an Eve CC
Sat: afternoon parade, Eve Spectro or fireworks at closing

So I'm only hoping for 1 more fireworks and 1 more Spectro.
That's not greedy is it?

 

[Demosthenes]

Originally posted by Bob O
If the parades/fireworks started during the 25th anniversy and now are being done away with, that is a cut!!! When you start a program and then take it away it is a cut!!! And they are replacing it with something that sounds like it will be lnferior(of course we wont know for sure until its implemented).

The only thing that is being replaced is a closing announcement. Never, not even during the 25 years celebration, were there nightly parades and fireworks in the off season; this is a way to offer some form of closing to the days that formerly had none. This is not a cut, it is an addition. Can't we at least applaud when something is tried to simply enhance the guest experience?

 

[Luv2Roam]

Character Cavalcade -- Sorry, but somehow I am just so underwhelmed.

 

[DisneyKidds]

When you start a program and then take it away it is a cut!!!

Yet, when you take away a program and give it back, it isn't an addition. Hmmm..................

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
Yet, when you take away a program and give it back, it isn't an addition. Hmmm..................

Of course not, Mr. Kidds!! It's a restoration!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Originally posted by DVC-Landbaron
Of course not, Mr. Kidds!! It's a restoration!

Well, wouldn't that make the 'cut' referenced above a recision, or perhaps a retraction .