Budget cuts at Walt Disney World

[rteetz]

An on going discussion on thoughts about the news of current and up coming budget cuts at Walt Disney World due to problems at Shanghai, WDI, and Paris.

 

[rteetz]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/02/break...ncial-strangle-hold-on-domestic-disney-parks/

 

[rteetz]

Well... Some not so great news here. Its now being said this will be affecting the DHS budget. It shouldn't affect toy story much but what comes after with Star Wars and the possible phase 3 or 4 is really what it could hurt.

 

[Eoghann]

So this is hitting Disneyland too. And a 20% cut is substantial even if it's just from "non-profit centers" because then you're talking about all the nice extras. Customer service, Streetmosphere etc.

I think the future of Phase 3 (the one that had future budget set aside but not announced) really hangs in the balance at this point. It would be such an easy pot of money to dip into...

 

[jade1]

Well... Some not so great news here. Its now being said this will be affecting the DHS budget. It shouldn't affect toy story much but what comes after with Star Wars and the possible phase 3 or 4 is really what it could hurt.

Hey maybe they can reopen C Canyon, Lights Motor, S Dangerous and A Idol instead of the planned expansions. That way we are back to a great park again.

 

[rteetz]

Hey maybe they can reopen C Canyon, Lights Motor, S Dangerous and A Idol instead of the planned expansions. That way we are back to a great park again.

You're kidding right?

 

[rteetz]

So this is hitting Disneyland too. And a 20% cut is substantial even if it's just from "non-profit centers" because then you're talking about all the nice extras. Customer service, Streetmosphere etc.

I think the future of Phase 3 (the one that had future budget set aside but not announced) really hangs in the balance at this point. It would be such an easy pot of money to dip into...

I would hope to think that they aren't dumb enough to take money away from Star Wars because they are going to make a ton off of that. I'd rather toy story land be getting cuts.

 

[Eoghann]

I would hope to think that they aren't dumb enough to take money away from Star Wars because they are going to make a ton off of that. I'd rather toy story land be getting cuts.

I think both of those are safe because they've been announced and are underway. There may be some penny pinching but we'll basically get what they promised.

Phase 3 is a whole other story, nothing was ever said about that publicly.

 

[Eoghann]

Hey maybe they can reopen C Canyon, Lights Motor, S Dangerous and A Idol instead of the planned expansions. That way we are back to a great park again.

Most of those were filler at best. DHS hasn't ever been a "great park".

 

[Planogirl]

I would hope to think that they aren't dumb enough to take money away from Star Wars because they are going to make a ton off of that. I'd rather toy story land be getting cuts.

I would have more faith in that if I didn't see constantly how Frozen has been shortchanged. They will build all of it but they can cut back in many ways.

 

[rteetz]

I think both of those are safe because they've been announced and are underway. There may be some penny pinching but we'll basically get what they promised.

Phase 3 is a whole other story, nothing was ever said about that publicly.

That is true. I'd rather them raise prices already to help off set costs. I just hope they figure something out to make it work. This could potentially be very bad if it only continues.

 

[Eoghann]

That is true. I'd rather them raise prices already to help off set costs. I just hope they figure something out to make it work. This could potentially be very bad if it only continues.

Don't worry, they'll do that too!

This could be a temporary thing though. With Pandora only having another year to completion that drain will be gone and if (big if) they can open Shanghai successfully then they start drawing revenues there.

 

[rteetz]

Don't worry, they'll do that too!

This could be a temporary thing though. With Pandora only having another year to completion that drain will be gone and if (big if) they can open Shanghai successfully then they start drawing revenues there.

Based on Hong Kongs big losses this past year it's hard to be optimistic about how Shanghai will perform.

 

[jade1]

You're kidding right?

Yea, forgot Magic of Disney Animation, silly me.

 

[Eoghann]

Based on Hong Kongs big losses this past year it's hard to be optimistic about how Shanghai will perform.

That is worrying, as is the Chinese economy generally.

On the plus side however, the Chinese government probably doesn't want Shanghai to fail. They have a substantial stake both monetarily and in terms of public relations.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Most of those were filler at best. DHS hasn't ever been a "great park".

I would argue otherwise. I had a ton of fun there in 1990. How it would hold up to repeat visits, I don't know because I didn't go back until 2009. I thought the working studio elements were a blast, especially the animation area.

 

[Eoghann]

I would argue otherwise. I had a ton of fun there in 1991. How it would hold up to repeat visits, I don't know because I didn't go back until 2009. I thought the working studio elements were a blast, especially the animation area.

I think it was poorly designed from the begining. The working studio elements were almost doomed to fail. The layout (because of the working studio elements) is fundamentally flawed. There's no thematic cohesion to it. The balance of rides is woefully off for families.

I had fun there even in 2014... but it's not a great park.

Personal opinion:

Magic Kingdom - Great park
Epcot - Great park left to rot
DHS - Fundamentally flawed
Animal Kingdom - Thematically great and I love it but the concept was never fully realized and it doesn't have universal appeal

 

[sachilles]

I think Toy Story and Star Wars will be fine. I think Epcot future world will likely suffer greatly.

 

[Maineiak]

I think Toy Story and Star Wars will be fine. I think Epcot future world will continue to suffer greatly.

Fixed your post...

 

[sachilles]

To clarify, I think Toy Story and Star Wars will be fine.....but I think there will be no tolerance for budget over runs. It seams every project in WDW runs over....and I think the acceptability of that has diminished greatly.