Disney going budget too!!!

[shellyfive]

Hi everyone, just got back from a 7 day vacation-----disney is cutting back too, like everyone else.......The celebrations parade at mk has only dancers, no props, and characters on floats that I have seen before in a different parade with a few mickey balloons attached for the theme.....we had 2 birthdays while down there ---they no longer send a couple of balloons to room w/character card (dissappointing for me 'cause I just took my SIL for her bday Dec 1st, and it was attached to our door the next am--she was soooo excited), and neither kid had mickey confetti at the table for their birthday meals (another thing we were used to) My husband was really upset at the parade (we waited 45 min for this??)
Anyone else down recently and notice any differences from last yr even???

 

[bavaria]

Balloons or cards on birthdays were never guaranteed; they used to be an unexpected surprise until websites like this created a false expectation. Many of us have always advised that if you want something like that, arrange to purchase it in order to have it guaranteed.

In fact, the entire 2009 theme focusses on celebrations and offers guests the opportunity to purchase a variety of 'birthday' or other party themed items.

 

[Keira1387]

I'm not sure when you were there, but I stayed at the CR on my birthday (In January) and received balloons, chocolate, birthday pin, and signed birthday card! It was completely unexpected, mostly because I usually don't get that lucky!

 

[daisyduck123]

We just got back this week from 8 nites at SSR.

While standing at the Concierge desk one evening, waiting to speak with a cast member, I noticed a memo on the counter addressed to all employees. It was about their new policies for this year & stated that balloons would no longer be sent to rooms on guests birthdays, & also something about 2 different cards that could be sent to rooms, & that guests could not request which one.

It did say that if a guest REALLY wants balloons, they can request, but there's no guarantee because they are not doing the complimentary balloons anymore (this part really didn't make sense to me, as the top part of the memo said they won't be doing them anymore).

 

[bavaria]

Like so many things, I suspect that the requests became out of hand, and many guests expected things which were once meant as a surprise and not a regular occurance.

Look how often people complain about not getting towel animals, for instance. It is sad when things need to be discontinued but I fully understand it.

I understand that there are no more personalized dive requests at Coral Reef either, as that too became too much for Disney to manage.

 

[bluesaturn]

Like so many things, I suspect that the requests became out of hand, and many guests expected things which were once meant as a surprise and not a regular occurance.

Look how often people complain about not getting towel animals, for instance. It is sad when things need to be discontinued but I fully understand it.

I understand that there are no more personalized dive requests at Coral Reef either, as that too became too much for Disney to manage.

I agree with you completely. I bet guests just got too demanding.

 

[njphv]

It's a shame if Disney has to go budget...to me, it is a place where I have always been able to forget the "real" world, and enjoy all the special little extras that make you smile. IMHO, taking away from things (like the parade) to save some money will definitely have an impact on the magic that is Disney.

 

[Keira1387]

I heard the dive request got completly out of control.

 

[Glenn]

Sort of a shame that they had to cut out the balloons but if the requests were getting out of hand I can understand that ( & saving money). Now what Disney should do is make it available for a nominal fee. Charge $3 for a couple of balloons & card to cover costs & make someone happy. It could even add a few cents to the bottom line. Dont think there were would be too many arguements if it was kept pretty cheap.

 

[ZPT1022]

Sort of a shame that they had to cut out the balloons but if the requests were getting out of hand I can understand that ( & saving money). Now what Disney should do is make it available for a nominal fee. Charge $3 for a couple of balloons & card to cover costs & make someone happy. It could even add a few cents to the bottom line. Dont think there were would be too many arguements if it was kept pretty cheap.

That would be fair. Enough to cover their expenses, but a fee would probably dissuade a lot of the "want something for nothing" folks.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Hi everyone, just got back from a 7 day vacation-----disney is cutting back too, like everyone else.......The celebrations parade at mk has only dancers, no props, and characters on floats that I have seen before in a different parade with a few mickey balloons attached for the theme.....

Okay, I'm rereading and rereading this....

Are you saying that they are decorating their parade floats with balloons?

Are you talking about the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It Street Party? Or the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade?

Celebrate a Dream Come True is actually the third incarnation of the Share a Dream Come True Parade. They added two new floats and new costumes for dancers, plus new music. It's not a completely new parade - it's just an updated version of the beloved SADCT parade.

The new version of the parade also has three show stops - 1. From Pecos Bill to Diamond Horseshoe. 2. From Liberty Square Bridge to top of Main Street. 3. From "center street" of Main Street to the Fire House in Town Square. This makes the parade much longer timewise than the previous versions. If you want to see the parade quickly then get on with theme parking, your best bet is to watch the parade from Frontierland.

And the balloons are the new celebration's icon.... notice the commercials? I'm not surprised that they've incorporated them into the parade.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

We were there mid January. I did notice that most of the children's counter service meals were served on a paper plate, instead of the cute Mickey ears plastic plates.

Also the drink cups were still Christmas themed. They weren't dated, so in theory could have been used during Christmas 2009.

Busses at CBR seemed less frequent then in the past.

In the past, when WDW screws up, they usually make it up to you. One day at CBR our room key cards wouldn't work. The maintenance manager tried various cards but it even the master key wouldn't work. We waited close to an hour for a couple of Electrician/Engineer types to show up. It was a cold day. I had a s/w I had bought from the food court get cold. There was really no apology.

We did have a very good time, but I did notice a little decline in the service and it looked like they were cutting back.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

When we were checking out of ASMo on 1/11, they were giving a balloon to every child checking in. The lobby was decorated with colorful balloons everywhere! Maybe it was simply because this was the kick-off to the Celebrations year, but it was kind of cool to see the little ones excitedly skipping to their rooms with a balloon bobbing behind them.

I agree with the others that it's just so much more fun when the magic isn't expected.

 

[angwill]

If your there on your birthday you can opt to get a free gift card worth $75 use that for baloons and you will get a whole lot of them.

 

[Amii]

Disney not giving away balloons for birthdays may be because of this year's promotion. There must be many more people going on their birthdays because you can get into the park for free that day. Getting into the park free is a much better deal than getting free balloons.

 

[kaytieeldr]

they no longer send a couple of balloons to room w/character card (dissappointing for me 'cause I just took my SIL for her bday Dec 1st, and it was attached to our door the next am--she was soooo excited), and neither kid had mickey confetti at the table for their birthday meals (another thing we were used to)

These were never guaranteed or SOP. Now, with the "What Will YOU Celebrate?" theme - determined prior to the economic downturn - Disney has a variety of celebration options the Guest can purchase.

Also the drink cups were still Christmas themed. They weren't dated, so in theory could have been used during Christmas 2009.

Except then you'd have storage issues (space that could be used for more immediate supplies throughout the year) and the accompanying potential damage; plus the leftover 2008 Christmas paper goods probably wouldn't coordinate at ALL with the 2009 Christmas theming.

Better to use them up now.

 

[WDWAurora]

I hate to tell you, but I have pictures of a lot of those floats from the 80s. They update the big ones and reuse them forever, unless they totally don't go with the theme. Then they just bring them out at Christmas and for other special parades.

I agree that the no balloons/confetti is because of the new promotion. If they give away perks for celebrations, no one will pay for the perks that they want you to buy this year.

I think the main place cut backs will be seen is in staffing. There may be fewer counters open at restaurants, fewer people on the janitorial staff taking care of restrooms, etc.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I saw the parade last month and was so disappointed

The whole parade felt the same - dancers float dancers float.....and they all seemed to be doing the same dance to the same song. We won't wait for it again, that is for sure!

 

[disneybridetobe]

Sort of a shame that they had to cut out the balloons but if the requests were getting out of hand I can understand that ( & saving money). Now what Disney should do is make it available for a nominal fee. Charge $3 for a couple of balloons & card to cover costs & make someone happy. It could even add a few cents to the bottom line. Dont think there were would be too many arguements if it was kept pretty cheap.

I'd gladly pay $3-5 for a balloon and a card! It's not a lot to pay for a nice little suprise for a loved one. It would probably cost Disney what, 75 cents, $1.25 maybe? The little things don't have to be "free," they just should be available as an option.

 

[mjbaby]

We just got back yesterday and I have to say that I didn't notice too much in the way of cutbacks. Some, sure, but that's to be expected (heck, if you want to roll the clock waaaaaay back to the first time my parents took my sisters and me - well, the crowds were great! of course, there were only three hotels....) because things change, after all. My daughter's birthday was the first day of our stay and everyone at the hotel (Saratoga Springs) was delightful to her. She received two pins (one was the standard birthday pin and the other a Tink collectible-type), a card and a balloon, as well as a coupon for a free photopass 8X10. We don't actually do photopass so don't plan to use it, but it was a nice gesture. Oh, and both she and her brother were "confetti'd" during our vacation in separate events. Based on the confetti we saw on the ground I'd say that there's plenty of it being stewn about these days!

We don't do parades, so I can't speak to that. The cups we saw were all current and everything seemed just as clean and tidy as ever. In fact, during our stay the entire resort got new mulch and a thorough power wash of the walking trails and cement paths. Our room was kept wonderfully clean with daily mousekeeping, performed by a woman who always "tucked in" our children's stuffed animals, to their delight.

I had been bracing myself for some level of disappointment based on threads I'd read here at on the Families board but I never encountered anything to be disappointed about. If anything, I'd put some of the more "budget" changes as much to the crowds as to the economy. Sure, everyone - even corporations - need/want to save money, but I imagine that it's sure hard to put on the magic at such a sustained level for so many people so much of the time. And, as others have noted, when the little touches are understood to be entitlements more than just serendipitous extra fun, well, no company can be expected to maintain that.