Another Bites the Dust

[Praying Colonel]

Inferior to you, your opinion, not fact. There's a difference.

Yes, you're right--my opinion and the opinion of just about every post I read on here from others who also saw them. And the absence of hue and cry here when they got canned spoke volumes about how others regarded them, too.

But let's say I and the others were wrong and they were awesome. They were canned and not replaced. Again, shows what Disney now thinks about street performers.

 

[amg35]

Yes, you're right--my opinion and the opinion of just about every post I read on here from others who also saw them. And the absence of hue and cry here when they got canned spoke volumes about how others regarded them, too.

But let's say I and the others were wrong and they were awesome. They were canned and not replaced. Again, shows what Disney now thinks about street performers.

.

They've had limited engagement acts here and there. No reason for me to believe it won't happen again. But in regards to your argument of what Disney thinks of street performers...have you checked out all the new additions happening at Animal Kingdom?

I'm just saying, I think WDW is a far cry from Great America.

 

[gsp4ever]

Reduction in general park hours
Reduction in evening EMH from 3hrs to 2hrs (used to be 3hrs as recently as 2012/2013 years)
Closing the monorail down during EMH thereby forcing the monorail line resort guests to use the small boat launches or walk to Contemporary (yeah, I know no one feels sorry for folks who stay at these resorts)
Closing attractions in EMH that used to be open (People Mover, Splash Mtn, now potentially Disney Jr Dance Party)
Reduction in Parades (MSEP) as well as elimination of parades in AK and HS (again as recently as 2013/2014)
Shaving bits of time from attractions, shows, restaurants (Final Finding Nemo show is one hour before park closing not at park closing, closing Anna/Elsa line 30min before park close)

Yes, I am negative but these come off the top of my head. I could think of more.

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

Aww, he sang to us at AK about our anniversary. He was really sweet and funny. We really liked him. I will miss him on our upcoming trip. I will also miss Mulch, Sweat and Shears, we always loved to stop and listen to them in HS.

 

[Dis703]

Oh man, this one is really heartbreaking. We only saw him for the first time last year but it was seriously a highlight of our trip. He sang a silly song about our three boys and included stuff about our identical twins looking alike and their blond curly hair and they got such a kick out of it. My oldest was in a fit of giggles. He is very talented and will definitely be missed.

 

[yulilin3]

I'm just going to express how I feel about the cuts in general and I'm probably not checking back into this thread because I can already tell how it's going to go.
I have been an APholder for about 14 years, I have seen all types of cuts to a lot of things, most of them with nothing new being offered.
APholders used to have a lot of special extras, I got to meet and be in the same room as the Imagineer that created Wishes, I got a special screening of the Muppets with Dave Goelz (puppeteer of Gonzo) I got to go behind the Safari and check out their animal enlcosures and animal care and I could go on and on. Right now we don't get any of this, we get to do fp only 30 days out so for things like RoL we probably won't be able to get a fp for months until the "newness" of it dies down...the benefits are dwindling, nothing to replace it.
Entertainment in the parks: they have been cut every year, like someone said it started with Four for a Dollar at B&B, Fife and Drum, Showcase Players used to perform at Italy and England, Citizens of Hollywood sets went from 10am until 6pm now they end at 3pm...again I could go on, nothing replacing.
Attractions: look no further than Backlot Tour at DHS, it closed Summer 2014 to make way for TSLand and SWLand construction, have they started on that? no...so basically almost two years of that being closed for no reason other than saving money. Wonders of Life Pavilion at Epcot closed for years, no replacement...
Cast Members hours being cut now is just the last drop in the bucket. I personally know friends that had a full time now only getting 4 days a week, part timers had 3 down to 2 and sometimes only 1 day a week.
For those saying how does any of this affect your vacation? I didn't even know this guy that got let go (he didn't quit) I don't stop for Citizens of Hollywood so I don't care? then you are missing the point.
Disney was about entertainment value not about more rides, more efficency. Disney gave you something that t he regular Six Flags doesn't. Even though you might not stop to enjoy them you probably glanced at them on your way to a ride, or, like some here, you actually enjoyed their performances, it added to your day.
CM hours being cut will affect you directly when you have to wait longer for food, or to load into a theater, or the garbage is overflowing with trash, or CM are not as "magical" because they have to meet a certain quota per hour...let's take a second and think about that.
Sure I'm excited about the night offerings at AK, doesn't change the fact that there hasn't been a parade there in years, or at DHS, when they could still have had it until this point...
And that's all I have to say about that (Forrest Gump)

 

[amg35]

How this thread will go? Everyone will agree with you.

 

[larryz]

Weren't there replacements for Off Kilter, Mo Rockin, and others? You may not have liked the replacements, but still, they were replaced.

True -- and many don't see much difference (musically) between a bagpipe and a chainsaw...

 

[amg35]

I actually liked the replacement they had for Morocco. We saw them October 2014 and really enjoyed watching them.

No one else did it seems....

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They sucked, got canned and no replacement has been made since.

This is not entirely true. Ribat Fusion performed in Morocco for a short time after B'nat al Hawariyate left. Apparently they have not been replaced. Lumberjacks are gone from Canada but have been replaced by TradNation, a folk/cultural group from Quebec. A group called Quickstep now does 15 minute sets in Britain. Some guests may not like these offerings, and consider them inferior to what Epcot had previously (in fact I've heard that TradNation in particular seems quite talented) but it isn't true to say there were no replacements at all.

The biggest difference is that they went from having the street shows done by contracted performers who were also Disney cast members (Mo Rockin, Off Kilter, the World Showcase Players) to hiring independent contractors to short-term contracts. Ever wonder why the newest band members don't wear costumes? Disney isn't providing them. These bands are contractors, not Disney employees. If they wear costumes, the groups are providing their own.

I haven't ever heard of Gi-Tar Dan but then I have not been over to Conservation Station much.

 

[dfb]

Gi-tar Dan leaving!! I would rather take the price increases, resort fees and FP+ than to see him go! This sucks!!!

 

[EricInPA]

(Putting aside that no one knows the exact reason he is leaving, maybe he's hanging up the Gi-Tar, maybe he's moving to Shanghai)

Disney entertainment CMs: do not take an unexpected day off of work.

 

[revdon64]

I miss PUSH the trashcan.

 

[cel_disney]

But aren't they also adding things - tons of characters added for Star Wars and cast members to work nights at animal kingdom?

 

[jane2073]

Tons of characters for Star Wars was called Star Wars weekends. They are not doing that anymore. Even if they are adding more characters in Star Wars Land, that won't be ready for several years.

 

[capegirl]

Please refrain from the chipped paint pictures - those, along with burnt out light bulbs and scuffed hotel furniture have been floating around this board for YEARS!

Gee I was looking forward to the chipped paint photos, since Disney has a long list of overdue park/ resort repairs. A Disney park is not Six Flags, and a Disney resort is not a Super 8. We will be on a slippery slope should we lower expectations of our Disney experience.

 

[skullsplitter]

Dan was awesome on our first trip many years ago. He did a little show back at Rafiki's Planet Watch then. Kept my boy entertained for quite a while. He still remembers Dan after all these years.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I don't guess I've ever seen this person before?? Was he in a costume or what?

I've never heard of him.

 

[dfb]

I don't guess I've ever seen this person before?? Was he in a costume or what?

He would play quickly rendered songs about guest passing by. He would strike up a conversation or ask a few questions of the guest and incorporate their names and any info they relayed about themselves, their trips, hobbies, celebrations or whatever into a nice, witty and fun song. I videoed the ones he did for us and they are the "best" keepsakes we have of all our Disney trips.

He used to be located outside of the exit the The Festival of Lion King show but the last year or so he was moved to Rafiki's Planet Watch area.

Youtube "Gi-tar Dan animal kingdom" to see video.