Debate: how do you all feel about this one

[mickeyminnie]

I almost put this in another thread but then realized it was probably a bit off topic, so let's start this one on it's own

How bad would rotating schedules in the parks be? I think it would be not so bad, it would take planning on the part of the visitor but most people do some planning anyway. It would be bad in the crowded times, but during peak the closed days could be abandoned to a normal daily operational schedule. I don't think MK should be included in the closed one day a week schedule, can't put my finger on why, but it would not set right with me for some reason.

Otherwise I think if it saved money and allowed the parks to run a longer day at the open parks I think a closure one day a week could be an okay thing. Maybe this way the parks would be fully open when they are open instead of having some parts closed at some times.

I would rather give up a day than visit a park with closed shows and closed rides.

What do you think? Would it even save money, or is it just giving in to further decreases and cut backs in services.

 

[BRERALEX]

ooooo goody a good one. i wish i had a good reply but im going to the movies to see Poolhall junkies cant wait to see how long this thread is when i get back.

Real quick THOUGH i think we shouldnt except anything then parks open all day all the time to really late at night. all attractions running unless being refurbished or bieng built and to except otherwise is cheating ourselves.

20000 leagues doin nothin is unexceptable. COP unacceptable. the state of the living seas is sad right now. Timekeeper a meet and greet, sad also.

everyday someone news visits wdw and everyday wdw should be running like it's the first day ever open and running full speed ahead.....exceptions to every rule of course.

Have fun yall im off to the movies to order chicken fingers that are over priced BUT THEY LOWERED THE MOVIE TICKET PRICE TO 7.25 WHICH IS UNHEARD OF IN THE TRISTATE AREA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the candy behind the counter is of less ounce in the window then the one you buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[cindyfan]

Otherwise I think if it saved money and allowed the parks to run a longer day at the open parks I think a closure one day a week could be an okay thing. Maybe this way the parks would be fully open when they are open instead of having some parts closed at some times I would rather give up a day than visit a park with closed shows and closed rides.

.

How high is your FEVER????

 

[Tjkane28]

quote:
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Otherwise I think if it saved money and allowed the parks to run a longer day at the open parks I think a closure one day a week could be an okay thing. Maybe this way the parks would be fully open when they are open instead of having some parts closed at some times I would rather give up a day than visit a park with closed shows and closed rides.

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LOL! I know you have something on your mind, but...

My Gosh! A little proofing never hurt nothing!

Peace, and keep it coming!

 

[mickeyminnie]

how about an opinion of why you don't like it instead of a scarastic comment.

A rotating schedule that benefitted overall operation of the resort as an entity, how would that be bad.

For example, Epcot closed Tuesdays, DAK closed Wed and MGM closed Thur. There that is the schedule, you can plan your trip around it. How is that so bad?

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by mickeyminnie
For example, Epcot closed Tuesdays, DAK closed Wed and MGM closed Thur. There that is the schedule, you can plan your trip around it. How is that so bad?

A couple of things. If your motive is to have rides and attractions open all the time when the park is open, then closing one day a week won't get you much. When something goes down for rehab or refresh, it generally takes much longer than 24 hours, so you're still going to have attractions and rides closed at certain times of the year. A rotating schedule can't really change that.

Secondly, if this is a schedule that is maintained year-round, then during the really busy times, like Easter or Christmas or July 4, the parks that aren't closed on any given day will be much more likely to fill to capacity, closing all parks and not leaving anything for late-in-the-day guests to visit. Now ... the first instinct is to say that the "rotating close" schedule would not be in effect during holiday periods, but then those folks who come during non-holiday periods will begin to complain because they don't have the "full opening" schedule. (Read some of the "peak hours" vs. "non-peak hours" threads and you'll see what I mean.)

If Disney closes one park per day, people will expect to pay a lower admission. Right now, you pay for your AP or your three-day or whatever with the knowledge that you get four parks for that price. Now, most people don't attempt to hit all four parks in one day, but the knowledge that they could helps them justify paying the ticket price. If they've only got three parks available on any given day, that's taking something away. And considering how upset people are about one less chicken finger, I can't imagine the outcry if they were given one less park.

Also ... from Disney's standpoint, they have one less park open per day. Sure, that helps them cut down expenses, maintenance costs, wear & tear, labor, etc., but it also drastically cuts their income. Disney's income targets aren't met with park admission. They're met with per cap spending. Any business owner will tell you that if they close the doors they lose money. Closing a park per day means that you lose the revenue generated by that park one day every week. When you're talking about revenues at a place like MK, that would be devastating to the bottom line.

And finally, there are a lot of people who come to WDW who are not obsessive planners. Some people honestly show up not knowing what to expect, and are just there to take their kids to this magical place they've heard about and seen in commercials. So, say the Smith Family shows up at the gates of MK bright and early on a Monday morning, the kids eager to ride Dumbo and meet the Mad Hatter. It's their only day at WDW because that's all they can afford in budget and schedule. But ... MK is closed on Mondays. So, they're now standing at the gate, kids are crying, and the three parks that ARE open just aren't going to give them the experience they came for.

There's really no "win" in this plan, but a lot of places to lose.

 

[All Aboard]

The Moo(u)se says you're closed, I say you're open!

 

[BrianD]

First of all, I don't think they will do this. I don't think Disney can "afford" to do this. Do you know how bad that would look? It would be a VERY visible sign that Disney is hurting bad!

Also, it would cause significant planning problems for people spending big bucks to come to WDW. As an PAP holder, I would feel ripped.

And besides, they make SOOO much money every day from merchandise and 3-chicken finger baskets.

 

[Another Voice]

"How is that so bad?"

Because the move isn't really being made because the parks are doing that badly. Yes, attendance is down but it's not yet a disaster on this scale: a 25%+ reduction in operations. You will not find trip reports speaking of vast unpopulated parks or of open yet unfilled restaurants*. Even the hotel room problem is one where Disney over built for their customer base - remember that Pop Century was mothballed well before 9/11.

What's really driving these cutbacks are Disney's corporate problems. For the better part of a decade Disney has relied on the well-attended parks (and only the parks) to bail them out of trouble. But now ABC continues to lose major amounts of money as it sinks deeper into fourth place, the stores are filled with trinkets for children that no one buys and movies play to empty theaters. Oh yea, they just lost three 'Mission: Space' sized buckets of money on "investments" leasing airplanes for United Airlines. It's a funny business to be in for a movie studio.

The parks are being called on to continue pumping out the cash. If that means cuts must be made well beyond what a stand alone business would ever dream of - well that check to the producers of 'Curse of the Black Pearl' has to clear.

As a customer I find it wrong that my vacation dollars are being devalued: my chicken finger has gone to keep 'Am I Hot' on the air and not to build a new attraction. As a stockholder I find it mad becasue Disney continues to drive customers away from its cire business and is seriously degrading the future value of the company.

Traveling to WDW should not be like trying to arrange my college courses - I don't want to have to plan each day out in full three months in advance. My guess is that there are millions of other just like me. But that would stop people from trying to justify things...

* - okay, you will find reports of an empty California Adventure, but that's a different problem.

 

[HB2K]

Originally posted by gcurling
The Moo(u)se says you're closed, I say you're open!

LOL!

 

[Euphscott]

I don't post to this forum very often, but I am an avid lurker.

Another Voice, your post a couple up is dead on. I coudl not say it any better!

I am personally ticked about having my dollars go towards crap I don't care about. Am I Hot can be ignored when it comes to turning on my TV, but it sickens me to know I am supporting it by taking a trip to Orlando or sailing aboard the cruise line.

Obviously it's pie in the sky to hope, but it woudl be terrific to let the theme parks run as a stand alone business.

Sigh

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

"Is this Chicken Finger Hot?"

-WFH

 

[DisneyKidds]

"Is this Chicken Finger Hot?"

It might have been, but Disney stopped heating the chicken fingers in a further attempt to save money .

 

[BRERALEX]

The Moo(u)se says you're closed, I say you're open!

oh my god that was laugh out loud funny.

JEFF PROBST(on ABC): "The tribe has spoken. The next guest voted off the island is.........Chicken finger."

"You are the weakest finger...GOODBYE."

"I cantbelieve Evan picked Zora over the chicken finger."

 

[raidermatt]

You know, if we start a letter-writing campaign and stop buying counter food, we might get Disney go back to the portions before this cut was made.



Then, when we complain about the next cut, some could say to us "Yeah, but at least Disney gave you the finger!"

 

[cindyfan]

ROFLMAO!!!


Another Voice.......you are so right! Couldn't have said it better.

 

[Planogirl]

LOL!!!

I agree with AV on this one too. It's hard enough to plan our visit during the limited hours the parks are open during Spring Break. If we had to plan around the closed park of the day too, I'd probably blow a gasket.