Anyone know why they're removing benches?

[tseitel]

What about that guy who used to be in the planning videos, who just wanted to rest in every bench on property? What will he do?

We loved this version of the planning videos!! My husband still brings it up from time to time.
But yes, I also feel that there are fewer places to sit and rest for a minute

 

[maxiesmom]

I can't believe they're still pulling this crap. Shameful disservice to their guests. If we're nothing but walking wallets to them, why don't they hire big guys to hold us upside down until all our money falls out of our pockets?

They are adding benches, but they are in different places, and I guess it is really more seating as much of it doesn't have backs. The new flower planters they have added also double as seating. They added a lot of those to the Magic Kingdom. There is plenty of seating, just not benches.

 

[anniemae]

or it could be nothing more then repairing and refinishing them.

AKK

this was my thought too, but people have been talking about this for a while. I would think they would be done by now, or wouldn't it be easier to just fix them at night after the guests are gone? Then they wouldn't have to remove them, the workers could just work on them.

 

[mom2rtk]

If it's a profit issue, then DL is doomed.

If it's a safety issue, then DL is one of the most dangerous places on the planet.


Halloween Time at Disneyland by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[Shanti]

Here I come to defend them again:

1)Benches take up walking spaces, and in a lot of areas where there used to be benches, they need the space for foot traffic.

2) People have tended, from time to time, to lay claim to benches for long periods of time during the day.

3) in some cases, people have been known to stand on them to get better views of whatever.

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the benches around the hub were taken out, but they were replaced by high curbs that can serve the same purpose as a bench, but for more people.

While it's a fun thing to say, I seriously doubt they took out benches to get people standing in order to get them to buy stuff. Like everything at WDW, it's more a function of bigger crowds than anything nefarious.

Agreed. I think it's due to overcrowding, and/or issues with certain guests misusing the benches to stand on during parades/shows & possibly sue Disney when they fall off.

 

[mom2rtk]

Agreed. I think it's due to overcrowding.

Disneyland is a more compact park and I think has more of an issue with crowding that the MK does. Yet there are lots of benches all over.

I just think it's interesting to see the contrast.

 

[Shanti]

Disneyland is a more compact park and I think has more of an issue with crowding that the MK does. Yet there are lots of benches all over.

I just think it's interesting to see the contrast.

The two parks have different management, so decisions for one don't apply to the other. But yes, the contrasts between the parks are interesting. I really wish they could find a way to reduce DL crowds.

 

[jpeden]

In what I thought was a huge statement of irony, I read an article where the writer was walking around Shanghai Disneyland with Bob Iger, and they were talking about the lack of benches in the park to which Iger replied (and I'm paraphrasing here b/c I don't have the article in front of me), "We've got to fix that. Come back tomorrow and they'll be a bench there, there, and there."

 

[mom2rtk]

In what I thought was a huge statement of irony, I read an article where the writer was walking around Shanghai Disneyland with Bob Iger, and they were talking about the lack of benches in the park to which Iger replied (and I'm paraphrasing here b/c I don't have the article in front of me), "We've got to fix that. Come back tomorrow and they'll be a bench there, there, and there."

Shaking my head......

 

[jpeden]

I found it actually after some digging. It's from an article from the NYT:

Suddenly, however, Mr. Iger’s ebullience faded. Upon exiting the castle, he had spotted a dozen people crouched in the building’s vestibule.
“This is because we still don’t have enough benches or shade yet,” he said. “Believe me, that’s getting fixed.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/business/international/disney-shanghai-opens.html?_r=0

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Here I come to defend them again:

1)Benches take up walking spaces, and in a lot of areas where there used to be benches, they need the space for foot traffic.

2) People have tended, from time to time, to lay claim to benches for long periods of time during the day.

3) in some cases, people have been known to stand on them to get better views of whatever.

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the benches around the hub were taken out, but they were replaced by high curbs that can serve the same purpose as a bench, but for more people.

While it's a fun thing to say, I seriously doubt they took out benches to get people standing in order to get them to buy stuff. Like everything at WDW, it's more a function of bigger crowds than anything nefarious.

1. They took tons of them out at the World Showcase too... .there was plenty of walking space
2. SO??? Oh wait, if the were claiming a bench they weren't spending money.. (Your "Defense" just proves the point LOL!)
3. I don't recall much standing on them at Epcot since there isn't much to see. People stand on fences too, did they take those out?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

this was my thought too, but people have been talking about this for a while. I would think they would be done by now, or wouldn't it be easier to just fix them at night after the guests are gone? Then they wouldn't have to remove them, the workers could just work on them.

Hi Annemae


All very possible..........who knows. We so often see something simple like this that gets blown up, IE Oh My they are no longer selling my favorite ice cream cone. In the end its turns out to be just a shortage .

The best way to keep people buying is to keep them comfortable.....standing is not going to do that. When they are unhappy they will be annoyed at Disney and much less likely to want to go shopping.

Time will tell.

AKK

 

[ArwenMarie]

They don't want you sitting and resting up enough to keep touring the parks. They want you in and out, 3 Fastpasses, maybe a meal, a parade or show, maybe another ride or two, out and back to your WDW Resort. People who stay longer don't necessarily spend more and they probably have the data to show this.

 

[kamik86]

Honestly if disney imagineers can't come up with ways to put in benches that won't have people tripping over them then they shouldn't be imagineers.

Yes putting a loan bench in the middle of a pathway that didn't get wider to accomodate the bench would be an issue. Lining a path with benches would not. Or putting benches back into some of the edges that just have plants and making the plant areas smaller would also work.

If people are taking up benches for hours that is almost an indication that they need more.

Im wondering if the sales that are really helped by this are food sales. If you want to sit for a while the only place you can do that without benches is to sit down for a meal.

 

[chigirl]

Are we sure they are not being replaced with different benches? Alot of places are going with seating built into planters, etc...wood benches require lots of upkeep, metal benches get hot. I didnt notice lack of seating in 2014, when I was last there. I know that Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago replaced benches because a guest got staph due to a splinter, allegedly. I just dont see a conspiracy.

The large plaza my business is in remodeled and removed benches, but added planters with seating...I see that alot, there is actually more room to sit.

 

[Meriweather]

I hope they are just moving or replacing them.
Part of the joy of a visit is to sit and take it all in for awhile.
I won't spend any more money. I will just leave earlier and go back to the resort to rest.
This old lady needs her rest time.

 

[mom2rtk]

Are we sure they are not being replaced with different benches? Alot of places are going with seating built into planters, etc...wood benches require lots of upkeep, metal benches get hot. I didnt notice lack of seating in 2014, when I was last there. I know that Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago replaced benches because a guest got staph due to a splinter, allegedly. I just dont see a conspiracy.

The large plaza my business is in remodeled and removed benches, but added planters with seating...I see that alot, there is actually more room to sit.

The Brookfield Zoo replaced their benches because someone got a splinter?

That's just crazy enough to be true.

 

[loves to dive]

There are places to sit, they aren't in your face in some cases but they are there. There isn't a whole bunch of shade in most of the parks so a bench sitting out in the Florida sun is next to useless. I'm one of the baby boomers and while I have no problems walking all day, I go to WDW twice a year so I'm never in a hurry to do anything when I'm there. I'm often just sitting somewhere drinking water and enjoying the details. I've never had any problem finding somewhere to sit and during F&W I've never, not once, eaten off a trash can by the way.

 

[bcrook]

I hope they are just moving or replacing them.
Part of the joy of a visit is to sit and take it all in for awhile.
I won't spend any more money. I will just leave earlier and go back to the resort to rest.
This old lady needs her rest time.

I'm one of those boomer grandpas taking 11 people in the fall. I'll need some down time in that heat. With no place to sit, papa will get grumpy and this grumpy papa won't be wandering through the stores on the way out or any other time. (I'm cheap anytime but nana... That's a different story.). I'll be headed to the pool! Won't make any extra cash off me! LOL

They don't want you sitting and resting up enough to keep touring the parks. They want you in and out, 3 Fastpasses, maybe a meal, a parade or show, maybe another ride or two, out and back to your WDW Resort. People who stay longer don't necessarily spend more and they probably have the data to show this.

You may be on to something ArwenMarie!

 

[maxiesmom]

Are we sure they are not being replaced with different benches? Alot of places are going with seating built into planters, etc...wood benches require lots of upkeep, metal benches get hot. I didnt notice lack of seating in 2014, when I was last there. I know that Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago replaced benches because a guest got staph due to a splinter, allegedly. I just dont see a conspiracy.

The large plaza my business is in remodeled and removed benches, but added planters with seating...I see that alot, there is actually more room to sit.

They are replacing them. The last time this came up I made a point of noticing seating, and it is there. But it is seating and a wall, or seating and a planter. But Epcot has more actual benches than I thought, once I started looking for them.