Bean Counters and shortsightedness

[Aluminum Falcon]

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/01/...-rides-since-genie-was-introduced-data-shows/

Disneyland rides see longer lines since Genie+ launch, data shows

Average wait times increased 20% from 2019 to 2022 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, according to data collected by WDW Stats.

By Brady MacDonald | bmacdonald@scng.com |
PUBLISHED: January 23, 2023 at 2:04 p.m. | UPDATED: January 24, 2023 at 10:18 a.m.

that coincided with lesser staff because of Covid, it is possible the two are directly correlated but the conversation should be all encompassing, not just assigning blame on one thing like its doing. CLICK BAIT

 

[wabbott]

that coincided with lesser staff because of Covid, it is possible the two are directly correlated but the conversation should be all encompassing, not just assigning blame on one thing like its doing. CLICK BAIT

Now who is moving the goalposts?

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

2/4/23 - Q1 FY2023 earnings webcast

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2023/01/q1-fy23-earnings-transcript.pdf

Iger: "And in fact, if you looked at our results this past holiday season, we actually reduced capacity, certainly improved guest experience, and we're able to maintain profit – not just profitability, but a very, very successful or robust bottom line. We're going to continue to look at opportunities like that, which is essentially to simply get more creative in terms of managing the capacity that we have."

i don't see what's wrong with the statement. Iger talked about reducing crowds (which everyone has been clamoring about for a while), and improved guest satisfaction (which assumes guests were happy with the offering, including the price). Disney was able to do that while increasing profits.

When the only thing you take into account is cost, you'll never be happy

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Now who is moving the goalposts?

I've said from the beginning that there are multiple factors at any given time that can sway what a company does. Again, i'm not saying Genie couldn't have added in this case, just that it's far from the only factor, and that it's lazy reporting

 

[wabbott]

Cost isn't the issue. It's value. Costs have been increasing exponentially, yet guest satisfaction has declined. That simply cannot continue.

And the Covid excuse doesn't work anymore. If CM staffing is an issue, hire more people. Universal is hiring more people, so can DIS. And they can pay them, too. DMED's had all the money in the world for long enough.

 

[New Mouse]

Increased costs and longer wait times have led to lower guest satisfaction, aside from the random arbitrary Disney guest survey that is designed to give them the answers they want to present.

Yesterday the parking lot at DHS was 25% full at peak Wait times at several headliners were around an hour consistently. Tower of Terror was at 70 minutes, On a day where the lot was 25% full. That's not normal nor is it good business practice unless you're only trying to squeeze people for as much as you can.

If wait times are 15 minutes across the board like they normally would be in those conditions, the genie revenue stream drops to near 0. Disney is creating a problem that literally requires them to inflate ride times in order to meet wall street expectations. Maybe this doesnt happen if parks isn't supporting the rest of the company, but at this point they are milking people regardless of the reason.

i don't see what's wrong with the statement. Iger talked about reducing crowds (which everyone has been clamoring about for a while), and improved guest satisfaction (which assumes guests were happy with the offering, including the price). Disney was able to do that while increasing profits.

When the only thing you take into account is cost, you'll never be happy

 

[HokieRaven5]

And the Covid excuse doesn't work anymore. If CM staffing is an issue, hire more people. Universal is hiring more people, so can DIS.

They’re both actively trying to hire more people. It isn’t that simple of an argument in an employee friendly market.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

They’re both actively trying to hire more people. It isn’t that simple of an argument in an employee friendly market.

yes, just demanding that you have staff is outside of reality. That is again just a simple argument with no actual thought behind it, just demanding that an issue be solved because you've waited long enough is not critical thinking

 

[New Mouse]

They’re both actively trying to hire more people. It isn’t that simple of an argument in an employee friendly market.

Actually, it's relatively simple. They just don't want to cut into the profits to achieve it. At the end of the day they could easily raise pay to a level that maximizes their staffing while still remaining relatively profitable.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Cost isn't the issue. It's value. Costs have been increasing exponentially, yet guest satisfaction has declined. That simply cannot continue.

And the Covid excuse doesn't work anymore. If CM staffing is an issue, hire more people. Universal is hiring more people, so can DIS. And they can pay them, too. DMED's had all the money in the world for long enough.

based on Igers comments, satisfaction was going up, you're cherry picking the points in his comment that you like for your argument. Can you show any actual data that people are no longer satisfied with Disneys offering, not opinions but actual data. i would be interested to see that.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Actually, it's relatively simple. They just don't want to cut into the profits to achieve it. At the end of the day they could easily raise pay to a level that maximizes their staffing while still remaining relatively profitable.

Same could be said of Comcast, their parks have a higher profitability margin than Disney’s at times. And Comcast has much more $$$ to spare on that.

Plus they only pay the parks team members in Universal. All of the hotel team members are paid by Loews.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Increased costs and longer wait times have led to lower guest satisfaction, aside from the random arbitrary Disney guest survey that is designed to give them the answers they want to present.

Yesterday the parking lot at DHS was 25% full at peak Wait times at several headliners were around an hour consistently. Tower of Terror was at 70 minutes, On a day where the lot was 25% full. That's not normal nor is it good business practice unless you're only trying to squeeze people for as much as you can.

If wait times are 15 minutes across the board like they normally would be in those conditions, the genie revenue stream drops to near 0. Disney is creating a problem that literally requires them to inflate ride times in order to meet wall street expectations. Maybe this doesnt happen if parks isn't supporting the rest of the company, but at this point they are milking people regardless of the reason.

I think a lot of that is caused by HS having some of the worst ride capacity issues of any major theme park. 9 rides and many of them don't have super high rider per hour stats.

Also wait times were inflated during the Fastpass+ era too. I agree they're inflated now (have personally seen it myself) but it was like that when it was free too.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Actually, it's relatively simple. They just don't want to cut into the profits to achieve it. At the end of the day they could easily raise pay to a level that maximizes their staffing while still remaining relatively profitable.

pontificating. If Disney raises wages, chances are that all the local competition would as well to make sure they were competitive, and then you've cut into your profits and are in the same place.

 

[bryaalre]

Increased costs and longer wait times have led to lower guest satisfaction, aside from the random arbitrary Disney guest survey that is designed to give them the answers they want to present.

Yesterday the parking lot at DHS was 25% full at peak Wait times at several headliners were around an hour consistently. Tower of Terror was at 70 minutes, On a day where the lot was 25% full. That's not normal nor is it good business practice unless you're only trying to squeeze people for as much as you can.

If wait times are 15 minutes across the board like they normally would be in those conditions, the genie revenue stream drops to near 0. Disney is creating a problem that literally requires them to inflate ride times in order to meet wall street expectations. Maybe this doesnt happen if parks isn't supporting the rest of the company, but at this point they are milking people regardless of the reason.

I was just at WDW this past weekend. I have no prior experiences with summer crowds and so I can not comment on the difference from year to year for August trends but HS always has every ride over an hour as they don't have enough attractions.

I was at MK and Epcot on Sunday and their wait times we're all relatively short. Frozen Ever After was 30 minutes at 4pm and the longest wait time I saw at Epcot was Remy at 45 mins when I was checking. Though Test Track was down for incIimate weather and am not sure how that was doing prior to the storm.

Figment, Living with the Land, Nemo, Mission Space, Grand Fiesta and Spaceship Earth were all walkons and Soarin was 15 minutes or less. Genie Plus was useless yesterday at Epcot and a good amount of people were still buying using it in the park.

I don't think Disney are deliberately trying to increase wait times or running rides not at capacity just so people can buy Genie Plus. They just don't simply have enough to do at HS and it shows not matter how big or small the crowds.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Increased costs and longer wait times have led to lower guest satisfaction, aside from the random arbitrary Disney guest survey that is designed to give them the answers they want to present.

Yesterday the parking lot at DHS was 25% full at peak Wait times at several headliners were around an hour consistently. Tower of Terror was at 70 minutes, On a day where the lot was 25% full. That's not normal nor is it good business practice unless you're only trying to squeeze people for as much as you can.

If wait times are 15 minutes across the board like they normally would be in those conditions, the genie revenue stream drops to near 0. Disney is creating a problem that literally requires them to inflate ride times in order to meet wall street expectations. Maybe this doesnt happen if parks isn't supporting the rest of the company, but at this point they are milking people regardless of the reason.

this is an opinion, not based in anything outside of your personal belief. Show me one shred of actual data that backs up your assertion. Otherwise you are again riffing

 

[wabbott]

Something is GOING to change

1. The stock price improves because of increased earnings brought about by making movies that people want to watch, selling lots of advertising on Dis+, and keeping the parks at capacity with happy guests. And DIS stays independent for another generation to enjoy.

2. The stock price DOESN'T improve, Iger gets fired and is replaced with someone else who hasn't a clue how to add value, the stock price continues to decline, and DIS is bought out and broken up.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I was just at WDW this past weekend. I have no prior experiences with summer crowds and so I can not comment on the difference from year to year for August trends but HS always has every ride over an hour as they don't have enough attractions.

I was at MK and Epcot on Sunday and their wait times we're all relatively short. Frozen Ever After was 30 minutes at 4pm and the longest wait time I saw at Epcot was Remy at 45 mins when I was checking. Though Test Track was down for incIimate weather and am not sure how that was doing prior to the storm.

Figment, Living with the Land, Nemo, Mission Space, Grand Fiesta and Spaceship Earth were all walkons and Soarin was 15 minutes or less. Genie Plus was useless yesterday at Epcot and a good amount of people were still buying using it in the park.

I don't think Disney are deliberately trying to increase wait times or running rides not at capacity just so people can buy Genie Plus. They just don't simply have enough to do at HS and it shows not matter how big or small the crowds.

when you cherry pick data to make your point you can make it say whatever you'd like. Naturally when all the other parks have lower wait times you have to choose HS to ensure your point is valid

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Something is GOING to change

1. The stock price improves because of increased earnings brought about by making movies that people want to watch, selling lots of advertising on Dis+, and keeping the parks at capacity with happy guests. And DIS stays independent for another generation to enjoy.

2. The stock price DOESN'T improve, Iger gets fired and is replaced with someone else who hasn't a clue how to add value, the stock price continues to decline, and DIS is bought out and broken up.

i think there are a lot of other scenarios on the table, but if you're shooting to make a complex issue simple and easy to digest. Sure those are potential outcomes

 

[wabbott]

i think there are a lot of other scenarios on the table, but if you're shooting to make a complex issue simple and easy to digest. Sure those are potential outcomes

Right now, today, August 29, 2023. So when are things going to change with the movies? Snow White looks like it will be another cropper. What's on the horizon to change the trajectory? Remember, the February earnings call was the one where Eiger promised us the 2023 movies were game changers. Wrong!

Dis+? The cord-cutting epidemic continues. What will change that?

Parks? What changes to combat this summer's attendance softness?

 

[New Mouse]

this is an opinion, not based in anything outside of your personal belief. Show me one shred of actual data that backs up your assertion. Otherwise you are again riffing

There is no direct data. If stuff like that actually made the news the company would go under within a year. You need to go into an executive conference room if you think those conversations don't happen. They 100% do.

The anecdotal data is Disney's desire to try to maximize the cost of the experience by offering peak and off peak pricing.

Just because Bob Iger says guests are happier doesn't mean they are. Where's the data with the full survey to back it up and verify it's a fair survey?