Budget cuts at Walt Disney World

[Planogirl]

This is how it works in our company. When one area has trouble the guys at the top make it clear that every area will need to tighten their belts to make up for that shortfall. Each area has their own budget but the top guys look at an overall budget too.

 

[AliciaZ]

I wish they would do something to Epcot. So many buildings are empty and desolate. I can remember things being there when I was a kid. This is not the Epcot that Walt envisioned, I'm sure.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I wish they would do something to Epcot. So many buildings are empty and desolate. I can remember things being there when I was a kid. This is not the Epcot that Walt envisioned, I'm sure.

It's actually not even close to the Epcot that Michael Eisner guided for much of his tenure.

He failed it at the end...lots of reasons for that...but ANIMAL KINGDOM is a big one...
But at least he did try somethings toward 2000.
They just haven't really worked out.

 

[rteetz]

I wish they would do something to Epcot. So many buildings are empty and desolate. I can remember things being there when I was a kid. This is not the Epcot that Walt envisioned, I'm sure.

It never has been the Epcot Walt envisioned. Epcot was supposed to be a controlled working city.

 

[rteetz]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...et-a-turkey-leg-at-disneys-animal-kingdom.htm

 

[rteetz]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/transportat...axi-hours-to-be-reduced-from-this-weekend.htm

 

[a742246]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/transportat...axi-hours-to-be-reduced-from-this-weekend.htm

Record profits and budget cuts will it backfire?

For me it has.. I own at DVC I now make 3 trips to WDW using an AP instead of two trips in a 12 months period, then we skip a year! Still spend money at the mouse but less than 2 years ago when we went twice a year!
No longer travel during holiday weeks!
No longer buy water at the counters, now we just ask for tap water which is filtered for free.
Started using our DVC for non theme park visits and started visiting other theme parks in the area.

I hope Disney knows what they are doing in the long term!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I hope Disney knows what they are doing in the long term!

Truthfully do many large companies think about cost-saving implements in the long term? Sure there are cost-saving implements that actually improve customer satisfaction but largely they do not. Most companies think about what they can do NOW to help their bottom line usually by any means possible and by the looks at all the cutbacks, confirmed or otherwise, it appears Disney is looking at what will save them $$ now but not about how the public will perceive it or embrace any cutbacks minor or not (though lets be real people will still go to WDW).

 

[lugnut33]

Record profits and budget cuts will it backfire?

!

And it sounds like a price increase coming soon

 

[rteetz]

Record profits and budget cuts will it backfire?

For me it has.. I own at DVC I now make 3 trips to WDW using an AP instead of two trips in a 12 months period, then we skip a year! Still spend money at the mouse but less than 2 years ago when we went twice a year!
No longer travel during holiday weeks!
No longer buy water at the counters, now we just ask for tap water which is filtered for free.
Started using our DVC for non theme park visits and started visiting other theme parks in the area.

I hope Disney knows what they are doing in the long term!

I don't know if it will backfire. I don't think the average guest will know about a lot of the cuts. Us here on the dis of course will.

 

[Disneychick75]

What do you all think is responsible the budget cuts?
US Economy
Cost of Disney trips going up and less people going to the parks?
A combination of the above
Other reasons

 

[Eoghann]

What do you all think is responsible the budget cuts?
US Economy
Cost of Disney trips going up and less people going to the parks?
A combination of the above
Other reasons

Pumping up the revenue share to compensate for expenses elsewhere in the company.

It has nothing to do with Disney World's performance.

 

[LSLS]

What do you all think is responsible the budget cuts?
US Economy
Cost of Disney trips going up and less people going to the parks?
A combination of the above
Other reasons

General consensus has been the mess of the parks in China.

 

[Planogirl]

General consensus has been the mess of the parks in China.

And some people think that the high cost of MM+ has at least contributed.

 

[SoCalTrojanSkip]

So right now if it looks like cuts to:

- Sounds like probable no phase 3 of DHS (which to be honest I wasn't holding my breath for anyway)

What else am I missing? I'm interested to know what the general consensus is around these parts..are these cuts permanent or will we possibly see some of these added back at a later date?

Just out of curiosity, what was Phase 3 of DHS supposed to look like...?

 

[Bluegrrl]

Why are we, in the US, paying for you? I'm not trying to be all "Merica, hell yeah!", but seriously, why? Can't Disney figure out a money solution to pay for Shanghi that doesn't involve shortchanging the US parks? What's with this? I don't want to keep paying for a park that I will never see at the expense of a park that I regularly visit.

Feel like I'm getting "Shanghi-ed" here.

 

[buyerbrad]

Look at gas prices. "Supposed Things" half way around the world constantly impact the price I pay at home in Canada. #profits

 

[Dentam]

They're all under the Disney Parks umbrella. And it's Shanghai.

 

[bryanb]

Why are we, in the US, paying for you? I'm not trying to be all "Merica, hell yeah!", but seriously, why? Can't Disney figure out a money solution to pay for Shanghi that doesn't involve shortchanging the US parks? What's with this? I don't want to keep paying for a park that I will never see at the expense of a park that I regularly visit.

Feel like I'm getting "Shanghi-ed" here.

Despite the rumors you're hearing in other threads -- and from the notoriously unreliable cast member rumor mill -- there's no way we can tie any budget cuts strictly to Shanghai Disneyland Resort, which has its own P&L and is mainly financed locally in China.

Disney is actually investing a very large amount into its U.S. parks, including at Walt Disney World where costly improvements are being made in Star Wars and Avatar lands, a new spectacular at Animal Kingdom, new fireworks at DHS, and other projects.

Change is difficult but it is constant. So as much as one may wish to blame the Chinese for this, I hardly think that can be the main reason why things are changing. Ultimately, Disney has to increase to profitability of every part of the company. They don't just take money out of one pocket to put into another pocket and call things square.

 

[Travis B]

Some of the very first articles I read about the cuts strongly implied that it was related to Shanghai, but I haven't seen anything directly connecting the two. I initially felt very much like OP but none of the information has panned out - reports were somewhat misleading. I think it's more likely, like @bryanb says, internal restructuring to increase profitability. It still sucks that things are being cut, and I'm hoping that it's all part of a larger plan beyond boosting the numbers, although I'm probably wrong. Maybe moving resources to staff ROL and night time at AK?