Half the street shuttered – Now that’s MAGIC!!

[raidermatt]

I would "Hope" (pun intended ) that the parks' budgets allow for increases in variable costs that correspond to higher attendance (as well as cost decreases for lower attendance).

That's pretty basic stuff.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Are the four theme parks treated as seperate entities when it comes to manpower. It appears that while MK is out of man hour funds till the next budget, MGM is adding hours to some things. Can't they sorta rob Peter to pay Paul ?

 

[hopemax]

That's a good question, I just looked at the MK vs MGM for hours in June.

MK: 364 hours
MGM: 370 hours

Also the MK had 38 total fireworks and Specto performances, MGM had 40 performances of Fantasmic! It's kind of odd which park is better off, and somehow I doubt that at the end of the year MGM will be pulling in the 14 million guests per year and the MK will only be pulling in 8 million.

So what's going on?

 

[raidermatt]

Can't say for sure about the current hours in each park. It has always seemed strange to me that MGM, along with AK and Epcot for that matter, can have such consistent hours, yet MK requires swings of 3 or 4 hours in the same week. But perhaps the attendance at MK is really that volitile???

Perhaps the costs of running MK are so much higher than the other parks (due to its number of attractions/stores/etc), that Disney finds it worth their while to try to manage costs day-to-day. As opposed to the other parks where an hour or two difference in closing doesn't make as much of a bottom line difference, so the micro-management isn't worth their time??? (Just talking out of my "ear", but that's what comes to mind immediately)

Also the MK had 38 total fireworks and Specto performances, MGM had 40 performances of Fantasmic!

An even better time to ask this question is during slow periods, when MK often has one parade and fireworks show per WEEK, while MGM (and Epcot) still have one every NIGHT. I've always assumed its because the other parks NEED those shows to get folks in the door (and keep them for more than a few hours), while MK can still draw well enough without them, at least without having them every night.

If the goal was to have these shows where the most people are, it would be MK that has the most showings...

 

[KNWVIKING]

mostly I was refering to the ABC Commisary and Backlot Express staying open 7 days a week now. MK is closing things,MGM is opening things. If MGM has the manpower for this, why doesn't MK.


***An even better time to ask this question is during slow periods, when MK often has one parade and fireworks show per WEEK, while MGM (and Epcot) still have one every NIGHT. I've always assumed its because the other parks NEED those shows to get folks in the door (and keep them for more than a few hours), while MK can still draw well enough without them, at least without having them every night.***

I've thought that also. Everybody goes to MK regardless, the others need a real show stopper sometimes to get us in.

 

[Dznefreek]

If MGM has the manpower for this, why doesn't MK.

Especially since we are always told MK is the most popular park.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

All I know is I was VERY irritated during my trip last Jan when the restaurants (counter service) were closed up 2 hours before the park closed! Here I was all ready to go eat- and either the doors are locked or you open them to find CMs telling you they are closed.
I was like but the park doesn't close for 2hrs yet!!!!!!! They just shrugged.
Ridiculous.

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
mostly I was refering to the ABC Commisary and Backlot Express staying open 7 days a week now. MK is closing things,MGM is opening things. If MGM has the manpower for this, why doesn't MK.

MGM did cut out the character meals at Hollywood & Vine which might kind of offset the longer hours at the counter service places. I would guess that counter service restaurants are cheaper to run.