Double Shows in the Med

[gotomu212]

I know my perspective isn’t shared by everyone, but we had a cruise where they doubled up awhile ago and we actually came away really liking it. For our cruise they INCREASED the number of variety acts in the smaller clubs. We never ran into real overcrowding EXCEPT the adult shows (which we always had in The clubs before anyway). The increased varieties were also more “hands on”. Buckets and Boards did a workshop where all the kids go to go up and participate. A magician taught the kids some easy tricks.

For the first time we felt like we had a show alternative if we didn’t want to see the big WDW production. In the past if you weren’t at the WDW show there was a hole in the schedule until it ended.

When decreasing the WDW shows they increased the total options which appealed to us as repeat cruisers.

 

[Intr3pid]

The sets are there and ore built for shows.
Not expecting six Disney shows but guest entertainment on other nights.
Cost for Disney shows already paid.
Performing CMs on the ship already.

I always have a full day in port and always make the show, considering the WDT is always full, looks like the majority does, ( Main dinner).

So let's look just at the Med iteveraey since you bring up the port intensive nature.

Day 1 - embarkation and not port driven. Last year it was a welcome show to get to know the cruise director and get a taste of the other entertainment.

Day 2 - at sea. Again, no port. Last year, this was a Broadway show that had not been seen just the day before.

Days 3 - 6 - ports with a mix of variety acts and shows in WDT. Perhaps here you might justify repeating ONE stage show in case people had a tiring day in Rome or something.

Day 7 - sea day & stage show. No port implications.

Ok, so day 3&4 might make sense for a repeat stage show. Day 5 & 6 should be fresh options in the main theater. Or some mixing & matching of those days. The entertainers might be available in the lounge for a show. But certainly not for as many people since those venues are so small. They've also still removed a whole show.

I get that not everyone likes the shows. That's fine. But even if you don't partake in them, it is still DCL taking away an amenity without replacing it with a substitute.

It also occurs to me that the repeating schedules mean that the performers are actually working MORE instead of having nights to rest their voices and bodies. If they are tied to the theater every night now, who is working the character lines and doing those jobs?

No of course that’s not what we are expecting.
What we are expecting is what we have had right up until very recently.
That would be, some kind of welcome/introductory show.
The normal three Broadway type shows and a mix of other fabulous entertainers brought on by DCL to perform in WDT on the other evenings.
And yes I do go to all the shows on a seven night cruise!
If DCL have managed to do this every year until 2018 I fail to see why they can’t continue to do so.

Yes, mixing it up with the welcome shows and/or the variety acts is fine. Or other options where you aren't substantially skewing the ship budget towards stage entertainment. Costs and finding skilled performers is a major reason why the same Broadway shows are run for weeks in NYC.

The capacity of the Walt Disney Theater on Magic is 977. A full ship will carry 2700 passengers, so there is no way everyone will get to see a new show every night even in two sittings. Unless you repeat some.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

Yes, mixing it up with the welcome shows and/or the variety acts is fine. Or other options where you aren't substantially skewing the ship budget towards stage entertainment. Costs and finding skilled performers is a major reason why the same Broadway shows are run for weeks in NYC.

The capacity of the Walt Disney Theater on Magic is 977. A full ship will carry 2700 passengers, so there is no way everyone will get to see a new show every night even in two sittings. Unless you repeat some.

But with two sittings each night, children in the 2700 passengers it actually works, some choose not to go to WDT but see films go to bars etc.

Bar a new WDT premier it always works, we went into very early Tangled shows, full, yes, but you could get seats until the show started.

No excuse to repeat on the Magic where since Tangled it's worked well without a single issue.For two years!

I have posted a few times, if it's a new show like beauty and the beast I understand it.

 

[Intr3pid]

But with two sittings each night, children in the 2700 passengers it actually works, some choose not to go to WDT but see films go to bars etc.

The shows are made for children (and adults and families), so why would you exclude anyone?

And I agree. Some may choose to rest on one night, others may choose to go to the spa on another night, or maybe relax pool side, or a first run movie. This would provide you the choice. You can still catch the show on a third night. Doesn't mean they should do 2 x 3, but you will have at least some repeats.

What I'd like to see is some data or observations for attendance on the second night. Though there are some vocal bloggers, Disney isn't going to care if both nights still have, say, at least 80% attendance - or if the ship sails more or less full for the rest of the summer.

 

[CarolynU]

Yes, mixing it up with the welcome shows and/or the variety acts is fine. Or other options where you aren't substantially skewing the ship budget towards stage entertainment. Costs and finding skilled performers is a major reason why the same Broadway shows are run for weeks in NYC.

The capacity of the Walt Disney Theater on Magic is 977. A full ship will carry 2700 passengers, so there is no way everyone will get to see a new show every night even in two sittings. Unless you repeat some.

So are you saying that what Disney have done for years is now considered to be skewing their budget in favour of entertainment to the detriment of what?
Is their budget being stretched in some way in 2018 more so than before?
I’m quite surprised at this to be honest.
Is this supposition? Or do you have specific knowledge?

 

[Intr3pid]

So are you saying that what Disney have done for years is now considered to be skewing their budget in favour of entertainment to the detriment of what?
Is their budget being stretched in some way in 2018 more so than before?
I’m quite surprised at this to be honest.
Is this supposition? Or do you have specific knowledge?

No specific knowledge, but I don't think Disney has ever done six Broadway-style, full-cast/set shows on a 7-night cruise.

One example of the budget skew is in the fuel costs.

The issue may well be with the June sailings, which are priced significantly below those in July/August.

 

[TestingH2O]

No specific knowledge, but I don't think Disney has ever done six Broadway-style, full-cast/set shows on a 7-night cruise.

No. Nor was anyone suggesting there should be 6 distinct productions. They do 3 Broadway style, 1 variety type, and a handful of outside performers. The current schedule is 3 Broadway style period.

As I said earlier, I think this current rotation might actually make entertainment costs go up since the WDT performers would be on stage more.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No. Nor was anyone suggesting there should be 6 distinct productions. They do 3 Broadway style, 1 variety type, and a handful of outside performers. The current schedule is 3 Broadway style period.

As I said earlier, I think this current rotation might actually make entertainment costs go up since the WDT performers would be on stage more.

Doubtful. CMs are basically paid XX amount per day/week for work. Not by show.

 

[atlfan4]

The funny thing is that the current Magic mainstage cast (Magic 40) knows Once Upon a Song (the show even has a Moana update). They performed that, show for us on the EBTA with Magic 39 performing their last iterations of the other mainstage shows.

Great point, there's no way they had this cast rehearse OUAS if they weren't going to be performing it most of the summer. That would be the opposite of cost savings. Clearly they intend to have it on future sailings, so that's hopeful for Med cruisers.

Perhaps they're just continuing to randomly have these double show tests on various itinerary types (all ships, short/long, etc) to see if it "works" for any of them. Just one or two here or there.

As many have said, that stinks for those who get surprised by this testing on their cruise and don't get what they've paid for or expected.

 

[atlfan4]

It also occurs to me that the repeating schedules mean that the performers are actually working MORE instead of having nights to rest their voices and bodies. If they are tied to the theater every night now, who is working the character lines and doing those jobs?

This, 1000x this.

If the mainstage performers (and stage crew, and costumers, and techs, and cruise staff ushers, etc) are doing six nights of full production shows, there will no doubt be impacts to other things around the ship. Characters being high on that list.

Without mainstage cast to assist with character lines, there will be far fewer appearances. Not just at night, but also during the days, since they aren't getting as many nights off from performing. They all have a fixed number of hours to work based on their contracts, more hours just aren't magically appearing.

Unless they're hiring more staff to make up the difference. And I think we all know the answer to that.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This, 1000x this.

If the mainstage performers (and stage crew, and costumers, and techs, and cruise staff ushers, etc) are doing six nights of full production shows, there will no doubt be impacts to other things around the ship. Characters being high on that list.

Without mainstage cast to assist with character lines, there will be far fewer appearances. Not just at night, but also during the days, since they aren't getting as many nights off from performing. They all have a fixed number of hours to work based on their contracts, more hours just aren't magically appearing.

Unless they're hiring more staff to make up the difference. And I think we all know the answer to that.

I believe the majority of the character meets are during the daytime hours. No conflict with shows in the evening.

 

[atlfan4]

I believe the majority of the character meets are during the daytime hours. No conflict with shows in the evening.

Compare the number of character meets on a night with Golden Mickeys to the number of character meets on a night with a variety act in the WDT. Especially on the Magic/Wonder that have a smaller cast than the big ships.

 

[CarolynU]

No specific knowledge, but I don't think Disney has ever done six Broadway-style, full-cast/set shows on a 7-night cruise.

One example of the budget skew is in the fuel costs.

The issue may well be with the June sailings, which are priced significantly below those in July/August.

I’m a trifle confused with your answer.
Not one person who is unhappy about this recent change is calling for six Broadway type shows. Where have you got that from?
Ironically though six Broadway type shows is what they are getting! Except it’s the same show (3) as per usual being repeated. Each show twice!
So the cast who previously only did 3 shows will now in fact be having their workload doubled!
Those same cast had other character related duties to perform around the ship during the day. Obviously being a Disney ship, character meet and greets are an essential element of sailings. Who knows if this change will impact on that? I think the answer is none of us know at the moment.
What people are talking about is the outside entertainers who were in the main theatre interspersing with the 3 shows won’t now be there as there are now 6 shows!!!!! I cannot see how fuel consumption is impacted ???
Finally it’s not just June sailings if this is a permanent change for The Magic and The Wonder. Some of these sailings in Alaska and The Mediterranean are expensive.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

Compare the number of character meets on a night with Golden Mickeys to the number of character meets on a night with a variety act in the WDT. Especially on the Magic/Wonder that have a smaller cast than the big ships.

Good point.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

The shows are made for children (and adults and families), so why would you exclude anyone?

And I agree. Some may choose to rest on one night, others may choose to go to the spa on another night, or maybe relax pool side, or a first run movie. This would provide you the choice. You can still catch the show on a third night. Doesn't mean they should do 2 x 3, but you will have at least some repeats.

What I'd like to see is some data or observations for attendance on the second night. Though there are some vocal bloggers, Disney isn't going to care if both nights still have, say, at least 80% attendance - or if the ship sails more or less full for the rest of the summer.

I think you need to read posts more.

I never said exclude children you made that up! On the maths you said re WDT I said a number of children will be in the clubs.

Yes , re VLogs blogs, DCL responses have blamed them quite strongly.

 

[Agent 86]

What I'd like to see is some data or observations for attendance on the second night

My observation from attending the second night of Dreams on Disney Magic (also the final night of the cruise and an at sea day) is that it seemed to be relatively poorly attended. The middle, front section was pretty occupied. Either side was nearly empty. I’m not sure about the back sections, but the theatre did seem to empty a lot more quickly than on other nights.

 

[anricat]

It seems weird that they aren't showing a movie in the Walt Disney Theatre one of the evenings. We are onboard the day Incredibles 2 is released so we were hoping they would show it that night. Last time we embarked the day a movie came out (the Magic last March when Beauty and the Beast came out), we were able to see it that night. I really don't like seeing movies in the Buena Vista. It's so cramped!

 

[TestingH2O]

We are onboard the day Incredibles 2 is released so we were hoping they would show it that night.

Aside - I thought you were on the June 16?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It seems weird that they aren't showing a movie in the Walt Disney Theatre one of the evenings. We are onboard the day Incredibles 2 is released so we were hoping they would show it that night. Last time we embarked the day a movie came out (the Magic last March when Beauty and the Beast came out), we were able to see it that night. I really don't like seeing movies in the Buena Vista. It's so cramped!

For PremEARs at Sea, they don't announce ahead of time that it's going to be shown. Only, maybe, the day before the cruise director will make a veiled reference to such a happening.....

The premears tend to be at midnight the day the show opens in the US. For Incredibles 2 that would be the midnight that changes the date from the 14th to the 15th (it opens on the 15th)

 

[o&smom]

Are folks here really expecting to see six different shows on a 7-night, port-intensive cruise? Do you realize the cost of running that kind of setup with the sets, costumes, training, and the salaries of that sort of entertainment staff? The performers who can perform six different shows on six different sets on six consecutive nights! And such skilled performers would be on a cruise ship as opposed to scouting for work on Broadway?

And let's be realistic. How many folks will actually make it to all the shows after they have spent whole days touring the ports? And then the complaints would run in the opposite direction - for having to choose between a show and a full port day or whatever else.

While Disney is a premium cruise line, even the true luxury cruise lines don't have this sort of entertainment. Remember, Disney will simply pass on the costs of what you will demand - so everyone on the cruise will pay for the added costs whether they can get to actually enjoy those six shows or not.

I guess we "expect" it because that is what Disney has done. Not all shows are broadway style. It has been a mix with other entertainers. We have made it to most of the different shows each night on our eight cruises. This has been something we look forward to when we cruise and it is sad to think of it being different for our cruise next summer. I know part of cruising is that people will have varied preferences and this has been one of ours. Some people will be happy about this change and it will make them feel less stressed and busy. Some people will not care at all, but for some of us, this is something that we look forward to every or most nights.