No more Splash Mountain during evening EMH

[disneydad78]

This decision, (and the above poster's reaction to it) are what I have been lamenting for several years now. It is the unabashed Princess-ification of WDW in general, and the MK in particular. While Universal/IOA goes out of its way to add attractions that appeal to boys and teens, Disney has charted a one-way course to make itself into a Princess lover's theme park. What has Disney done in the past 5 years that would appeal to a boy, or a visitor age 13-20? More Princess meet and greets. An entire FL re-do which is heavily weighted to little girls. And now they take away a ride that appeals to boys and teens (which is not to say that it doesn't appeal to girls and people of all ages, but if you ask a 14 year old boy to rate the rides at the MK, Splash Mt is going to be top 5 every time).

The emascualtion of EMH is getting complete, as they are shutting the park down earlier and eliminating thrill rides from EMH. Pretty soon, there will be no need to keep the park open until midnight, because that is way past little snowflake's bedtime. Gone are the days when visitors without kids and parents with teens could have the park to themselves and ride thrill rides until 2:00 a.m.. Here are the days when all the fun is geared toward 5 year-old girls wearing princess dresses and tiaras.

AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN. Ive been saying that for along LONG TIME!! You hit the nail on the head.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I can't fathom a reason why they would do this.

 

[disneydad78]

I found your post very interesting for the simple fact of, I was beginning to think that I was the only person who felt this way. I am a mother of a 6 year old daughter, but unlike 99 percent of the young girl population at Disney who are hoping to be the next star on toddlers and tiaras, my daughter is at the other end of the spectrum. She really does not like the princesses and finds it comical to see people parading through the parks in heavy dresses and tiaras when it's 110 degrees. The new FLE to her seems extremely boring and we are hoping that it will make the other parks less crowded when we visit. My daughter would love a toy story character meal or a star wars character meal but I do agree that Disney is really heading toward the princess madness!!! To each his own, but I would much rather see SM open at night then tiki or the new mermaid ride!!!!

My daughter feels the same. She laughs at the new FL, said DAD really. MOre princess stuff. What about us teen girls? We like rides not princess blah.

 

[ttintagel]

I don't get the whole "FLE is all for little girls" thing. You're gaining a circus area that's about as gender-neutral as they come. You're losing a dark ride about a queen and princess, and in its place gaining a coaster featuring only the male characters from the movie. And they're not creating a NEW Princess M&G; they're just moving the existing one out of its temporary location and into a permanent one.

It seems to me like they're going out of their way to avoid the very thing they're being accused of perpetrating.

 

[thornton0511]

The Tiki Room will take Splash Mountain's place in the evening EMH lineup.

Yes and soon The Country Bears will be replacing Big Thunder Mountain...really Disney?

 

[Rip]

It is not an analysis based on the closing on a ride for EMH. As stated in the first sentence of my post, this is something that has been building at WDW for quite some time. The addition of more princess meet and greets. The addition of more princess character meals. The huge expansion of FL to add more space for princesses. The elimination of the "hard-ticket" E-Ticket nights, which were populated almost entirely by people over the age of 8. I can't think of a single thing that has been done at WDW in the past 5 years that could be considered a counter-attack to the fact that Universal is winning the battle for teen (and male) attention. It's as of Disney has given up and is conceding the point. The closing of SM on EMH days is not the root cause. Just another example of how they don't feel any need to engage visitos who are over 12. I'm willing to debate the point. Since you disagree with the premise, then you must have some examples of things that Disney has done in the past 5 years to lure in boys and teens. I'd love to compare and contrast those efforts to the money it has spent appeasing little girls. (And there is no prejudice here. I have a daughter, and no sons. But now that she is solidly in her teens, she, like other posters have noted, is feeling left behind by Disney.)

I just got back from a 4 day trip at Universal with my 11 year old daughter. She stated multiple times during the trip "I'm so glad we aren't at Disney, this is so much cooler."

 

[Rip]

I can't fathom a reason why they would do this.

Because they can. It's simple, they are going to eliminate EMH altogether and replace it with whatever they call the new fastpass system. Onsite guests will have some sort of advantage for this system (in addition to the dining plan, which some people still perceive as some sort of value), and that's a lot cheaper than keeping the parks open.

 

[Rip]

I don't get the whole "FLE is all for little girls" thing. You're gaining a circus area that's about as gender-neutral as they come. You're losing a dark ride about a queen and princess, and in its place gaining a coaster featuring only the male characters from the movie. And they're not creating a NEW Princess M&G; they're just moving the existing one out of its temporary location and into a permanent one.

It seems to me like they're going out of their way to avoid the very thing they're being accused of perpetrating.

You're gaining an additional Dumbo and a Mermaid ride. The coaster was already there and already based on a male character. Since you lost a princess ride, you're basically gaining a second Dumbo and a tavern sans beer.

 

[BlakeNJ]

You're gaining an additional Dumbo and a Mermaid ride. The coaster was already there and already based on a male character. Since you lost a princess ride, you're basically gaining a second Dumbo and a tavern sans beer.

I think the,poster is referring to the mine car coaster featuring the dwarfs, not Goofy's m

 

[Rip]

I think the,poster is referring to the mine car coaster featuring the dwarfs, not Goofy's m

She is, originally they were simply going to refurbish the Barnstormer. Now I guess they are removing and relocating it before refurbishing it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, E ticket nites became busier and busier, low attendance? We never saw it. However WDW needed an excuse to keep raising the resort rates.

General increased expenses is a valid reason (not excuse) to raise resort rates, although I truly don't recall what I paid for Moderate rooms back in the 90s. Nobody gets this irate when other businesses raise prices or change procedures/policies. It's truly interesting to read the different standard to which people hold Disney.

Anyway, yes, low attendance at E-Ticket Nights, AMA low ticket sales. Is it possible you didn't visit the Orlando area in the Fall of 2001 or early 2002? Leisure travel was dramatically down during this period - which is when Disney made the change.

 

[Robo]

originally they were simply going to refurbish the Barnstormer. Now I guess they are removing and relocating it before refurbishing it.

Nope.

The Barnstormer (#15 below) is already "refurbished" (in it's same location as before) and open to guests every day.

The Seven Dwarf's Mine Coaster (#10 below) is a completely new (and still under construction) much, much larger and more elaborate (some would say "major") coaster that won't be open until sometime in 2014.

Original copyrighted photo from HERE.

 

[Kare56bear]

I just dont get why ppl on dis take it to the EXTREME and say that theyre not interested in staying onsite anymore because of this. Really?

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I agree with you. I love Disney and yes I love splash mountain it is not the only reason I love going to MK on EMH. at least we can still IDE it while the park is open. I am going to miss it on the EMH though.



Disney in 8 days woohoo!!!!!!!

 

[supersuperwendy]

Because they can. It's simple, they are going to eliminate EMH altogether and replace it with whatever they call the new fastpass system. Onsite guests will have some sort of advantage for this system (in addition to the dining plan, which some people still perceive as some sort of value), and that's a lot cheaper than keeping the parks open.

I think you're right.... I'm guessing evening EMH is going to go bye-bye sooner rather than later

 

[Rip]

Nope.

The Barnstormer (#15 below) is already "refurbished" (in it's same location as before) and open to guests every day.

The Seven Dwarf's Mine Coaster (#10 below) is a completely new (and still under construction) much, much larger and more elaborate (some would say "major") coaster that won't be open until sometime in 2014.

Original copyrighted photo from HERE.

Well that is not at all what I read from the original expansion announcements and I am glad I was incorrect. I admit I haven't kept up with it and I obviously should have.

 

[MaxsDad]

Your points on my original quote in bold below:

I do agree to an extent but think just for arguments sake you are forgetting about avatar land, I'll believe in Avatar Land the day they cut the ribbon and drop the rope on that first day. If they start now, it wouldn't open for four years. By then, the franchise will be stale if not forgotten test track refurb, a refurbish of an existing attraction star tours, dittoand even though it is beyond your arbitrary 5 year mark lma is very much geared to teenagers. could also talk about enhancements to poc which are definitely not geared to the princess crowd you mention and minor enhancements to space mountain.all minor stuff that can be chalked up to general upkeep. How many meet and greets and character meals have they steered toward boys?

I also forgot to mention sum of thrills in my original post and I fear we may be getting a bit off topic here but to address some of your points:

1. Expansions only count when they favor your argument of the parks being favored towards girls, i.e. avatarland which hasn't opened yet vs. an also unopened FLE.

2.Refurbs and any attractions built prior to 2007 don't count. Again these limits help support your argument and shoot down any counter argument by eliminating things like Star Tours, Monsters Inc., LMA, etc.

3. How many meet and greets and character meals have actually been added recently, in say the last five years or so and not just moved? The princesses used to meet in toon town for a long time and Askerhaus and CRT has had princesses for years. Hollywood and Vine has Disney junior (gender neutral) and DHS also added Buzz and Woody across from TSM, and isn't there also a spot to "meet" with some of the Cars characters there?

When the original plans for FLE came out it was no doubt girl favored, but they got rid of the fairies in exchange for a gender neutral circus, got rid of the silly Sleeping Beauty slumber party, and now all they are really adding is two items from what are considered by many to be modern disney classics in Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Along with an eventual mini-roller coaster based on another classic.

I can understand the perception that the parks are favored towards little girls, however I think it is just perception. I think there is more there, you just have to look harder because the princesses are constantly on the surface. And one of the things I like about disney is that it is not universal. When I go to other parks I am a bystander and I wait while my family rides all the thrill rides. When we go to disney I actually get to ride and enjoy things like the Tiki room with the whole family.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I don't think this is the only reason why people are staying offsite but it is a last straw kind of thing. It is probably one of many reasons why onsite is no longer attractive. Here are some of the many reasons we have moved offsite (or even on to different vacation destinations) : High cost, small rooms(most affordable rooms do not accommodate five), deteriorating bus service/monorail service and meal plans are no longer a good value. Now with the diminished value of EMH, it may just push people over the edge.

You can stay at another hotel, still on property at the DTD hotels, much better rooms for the price, as close to the parks in general as the Disney Hotels. If there is going to be no more EMH, why stay at a Disney hotel?

 

[Dwheels]

@poohbug I hope more people decide to stay offsite more room for me! as for EMH don't really care never bother with them they r super crowded! I usually plan my parks to avoid EMH not worth the time!

 

[MaxsDad]

nevermind.

 

[Robo]

@poohbug I hope more people decide to stay offsite more room for me!



as for EMH don't really care never bother with them they r super crowded! I usually plan my parks to avoid EMH not worth the time!

To say that all EMH "r super crowded" flies in the face of the fact that Disney is cutting PM EMH by 30% (dropping from 3 hours to 2 hours) due to low attendance... starting this January.