News Round Up 2016

[TheMaxRebo]

What it erodes, at least to me, is the all inclusiveness, 1 price admission to all that is and was WDW. That is, you buy a ticket, the park is yours. I know early WDW was the fair structure, however they evolved and became the leader. Now, when you go into the park, you are going to start seeing all of these roped off sections for upsells. It diminishes the value of the park ticket. It becomes tacky if everywhere you look there are "exclusives". They aren't there yet, but they sure are sprinting towards it.

I think the big thing is how in your face it is. There have always been different levels of guests - some people could afford VIP tours, some can afford character meals and some can't (or don't want to allocate their spend there), some could afford to stay in a monorail resort and some couldn't, Some can afford to attend Halloween/Christmas parties and some can't, etc. ..... but most of that was not really in your face

So I think with the cabanas that is a big thing to me - if they are off to the side and a "regular guest" doesn't really notice them, then who cares ... but if they are in the middle of the hub and blocks views of the Castle, then that is a huge deal. I know that isn't the case, just pointing out the extremes as I assume it will be somewhere in the middle - so the question is, where is the line for impacting the regular guest?

 

[mikepizzo]

Pretty soon, Disney will be down to neighborhood carnival/state fair levels...you can pay a small amount to go in, walk around and do nothing...EVERYTHING else (rides, characters, night shows, food, air conditioning, charging stations, seats, etc) will cost per item...boy, that will be fun for families...

I'm too young for those old carnivals, but my understanding was it cost you a nickel to get in and 3 dollars to exit.

Also...wasn't what you described how Disney pretty much started? Yeah it cost you $3 to enter the park, but then you had to buy your ride books. And those books only allowed you on, what, 5 rides? If you only had enough money to buy one book, you only got to ride 5 rides. Can you imagine spending a full day in Walt Disney World and only being able to do 5 rides in one park? Even with crowds being crazy and not using any fastpasses, I would be hard pressed to believe one could only do 5 rides in an entire day. The line would have to be 2+ hours for every single attraction (figuring you spend between 10-12 hours in the park).

Everything is relative.

 

[rteetz]

sorry if I missed this was already posted but I thought it was interesting.

Walt Disney World introducing “Express Transportation” option


I especially found the statement "once guests have entered a park, they will be picked up and dropped off by Disney buses from inside the parks. By traveling behind-the-scenes," interesting as that it takes you behind the scenes which I know they tend not to want to do with kids (i.e., you have to be a certain age to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour)

Not sure how much it will take off at an extra $24 per person for a mutli-day period on top of park hopper cost but seems interesting

 

[rteetz]

Are they doing something special for Chinese New Year?

Nothing announced yet.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm too young for those old carnivals, but my understanding was it cost you a nickel to get in and 3 dollars to exit.

Also...wasn't what you described how Disney pretty much started? Yeah it cost you $3 to enter the park, but then you had to buy your ride books. And those books only allowed you on, what, 5 rides? If you only had enough money to buy one book, you only got to ride 5 rides. Can you imagine spending a full day in Walt Disney World and only being able to do 5 rides in one park? Even with crowds being crazy and not using any fastpasses, I would be hard pressed to believe one could only do 5 rides in an entire day. The line would have to be 2+ hours for every single attraction (figuring you spend between 10-12 hours in the park).

Everything is relative.

That's exactly what they are...we avoid them like the plague to travel a great distance to enjoy something better. Once that's all Disney becomes (and as someone said, it's accelerating towards it with every decision this year), a glorified state fair, why pay the enormous hotel and travel cost to go? In a value analysis (cost + experience), your state fair may be a lot lamer, but it's probably enormously cheaper since it avoids 2 of the 3 main vacation cost drivers...

 

[dlavender]

So I think with the cabanas that is a big thing to me - if they are off to the side and a "regular guest" doesn't really notice them, then who cares ... but if they are in the middle of the hub and blocks views of the Castle, then that is a huge deal. I know that isn't the case, just pointing out the extremes as I assume it will be somewhere in the middle - so the question is, where is the line for impacting the regular guest?

I agree. Most of what they have done so far has been "off to the side". However, I think they started hitting that line when they started selling the steamboat from 1-3. Yes, I know its a M&G, and yes, I know its limited hours, and yes I know its not the most popular "attraction". Fact remains that they took something out of the offering to the public and are now selling it back. That one raises the eyebrows.

FWIW, I don't think that one will last. Terrible reviews and terrible parade views, which was one of the selling points. But they are trying it.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I agree. Most of what they have done so far has been "off to the side". However, I think they started hitting that line when they started selling the steamboat from 1-3. Yes, I know its a M&G, and yes, I know its limited hours, and yes I know its not the most popular "attraction". Fact remains that they took something out of the offering to the public and are now selling it back. That one raises the eyebrows.

FWIW, I don't think that one will last. Terrible reviews and terrible parade views, which was one of the selling points. But they are trying it.

Good point about the River Boat - like you said, not the most popular attraction but still something that is now closed for a block in the middle of the day to most guests

I've only read one review of that event but it was very positive - they loved it and felt it was a really good value and got tons of treats, etc. - but obviously not universal

 

[skier_pete]

What it erodes, at least to me, is the all inclusiveness, 1 price admission to all that is and was WDW. That is, you buy a ticket, the park is yours. I know early WDW was the fair structure, however they evolved and became the leader. Now, when you go into the park, you are going to start seeing all of these roped off sections for upsells. It diminishes the value of the park ticket. It becomes tacky if everywhere you look there are "exclusives". They aren't there yet, but they sure are sprinting towards it.

It's funny these things don't bother me at all - I just walk by and think "SUCKERS!"

 

[skier_pete]

Pretty soon, Disney will be down to neighborhood carnival/state fair levels...you can pay a small amount to go in, walk around and do nothing...EVERYTHING else (rides, characters, night shows, food, air conditioning, charging stations, seats, etc) will cost per item...boy, that will be fun for families...

Then they'll do something crazy like make the different rides be different values! And you'll only get so many of each type of ride. Something like a 1,2,3,4,5 tier level. Or maybe an A,B,C,D...

Oh wait...

 

[rteetz]

Hey guys we have a thread on the transportation subject, let's keep that there

http://www.disboards.com/threads/upcharge-express-transportation.3563691/

 

[rteetz]

News

Spaceship Earth will become the Death Star at a special parks blog meet up

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-death-star-during-special-after-hours-event/

 

[skier_pete]

News

Spaceship Earth will become the Death Star at a special parks blog meet up

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-death-star-during-special-after-hours-event/

That's cool - except for the fact it's already full...

 

[rteetz]

That's cool - except for the fact it's already full...

Well I didn't think it was going to be open very long. Star Wars and exclusive things are going to go like hot cakes.

 

[Irish_Mike]

I'm honestly surprised that SE doesn't become a Death Star more often these days.

 

[twebber55]

I'm honestly surprised that SE doesn't become a Death Star more often these days.

i like star wars but i think thats a terrible idea

 

[rteetz]

i like star wars but i think thats a terrible idea

Agreed, Epcot doesn't need Star Wars.

 

[SureAsLiz]

Well I didn't think it was going to be open very long. Star Wars and exclusive things are going to go like hot cakes.

This meetup took longer to fill than many I've seen before (probably because the title doesn't say meetup)
I've missed out on some within the first 10 minutes of it being posted. I think I signed up for this one 11 minutes after the hour - we'll see if I get the invite email.
It does seem strange that they are inviting guests to a media event with very little information presented about what the night will be

 

[Irish_Mike]

i like star wars but i think thats a terrible idea

I don't like the franchise and I'm not a fan of the idea, but I'm really surprised that it's taken them this long to do a "Let's turn Spaceship Earth into the Death Star" thing.

Though I expect if it goes well, this'll be a more common occurrence for private events at least.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Was that before or after you saw your therapist?

I was "between therapists" at the time...thank you very much.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't like the franchise and I'm not a fan of the idea, but I'm really surprised that it's taken them this long to do a "Let's turn Spaceship Earth into the Death Star" thing.

Though I expect if it goes well, this'll be a more common occurrence for private events at least.

That should have been done in 1989...in mgm...

A mistake they are doubling down on now.

How you build Star Wars rides without gravity and velocity is beyond comprehension.

There's a reason why everyone loves the Falcon...because it moves!!