I heard some resort closing info today...

[disneybridetobe]

Oh, and I may be crazy, but didn't they close POFQ or POR in the early 90's, around 1993? I remember being there and "half" of the resort was closed. My memory is fuzzy since I was 12... but I distinctly remember one of the Port Orleans resorts being closed.

 

[EEyorelover22]

Oh, and I may be crazy, but didn't they close POFQ or POR in the early 90's, around 1993? I remember being there and "half" of the resort was closed. My memory is fuzzy since I was 12... but I distinctly remember one of the Port Orleans resorts being closed.

It was after 9/11 that I remember. It was our second trip to Disney in 2003. That's when they closed all of POFQ. Not sure about earlier closures though.

 

[huge mickey fan]

I know people are saying they would never close a deluxe but I think the deluxes are at just as much of a risk. For example if Pop is consistantly at a 80-90% booking rate and one of the deluxes is at a 30-40% booking rate I would think they may be on the temporary closing block. I was just at CBR and ALL Star Movies in Oct and I doubt either of these would be closing. CBR is in the middle of a refurb and All Star Movies is very popular and so is Pop. POR is one of the few places a family of 5 can stay and All Star Music has the family suites. My guess would be All Star Sports, and POFQ. It would be easy to close access to All Star Sports by closing up the main building and putting up a wall around the pools. But before they completely close any resort I would think they would just shut down some of the sections. CBR has many "villiages" and closing one section would be easy. Same with the All Stars. I would even think this would be done at Poly and GF.

 

[TSMAMI]

I posted this on another thread, I talked to a CM to change part of my reservation today and we started talking about POP Century. I told her of the rumor that I had heard about it closing or shutting down some buildings, and she told me that it is not closing, she stated that she heard they were going to expand it. I am assuming she means finishing Legendary Years. I feel a little better now.

 

[Karlzmom]

I know people are saying they would never close a deluxe but I think the deluxes are at just as much of a risk. For example if Pop is consistantly at a 80-90% booking rate and one of the deluxes is at a 30-40% booking rate I would think they may be on the temporary closing block. I was just at CBR and ALL Star Movies in Oct and I doubt either of these would be closing. CBR is in the middle of a refurb and All Star Movies is very popular and so is Pop. POR is one of the few places a family of 5 can stay and All Star Music has the family suites. My guess would be All Star Sports, and POFQ. It would be easy to close access to All Star Sports by closing up the main building and putting up a wall around the pools. But before they completely close any resort I would think they would just shut down some of the sections. CBR has many "villiages" and closing one section would be easy. Same with the All Stars. I would even think this would be done at Poly and GF.

Ah, but people at the value won't complain about an "upgrade" to a deluxe..any deluxe. You take a CL paying guest at a deluxe and tell them that they either have to move to another hotel or, heaven forbid, downgrade and watch the feathers fly!

 

[Clotho]

Ah, but people at the value won't complain about an "upgrade" to a deluxe..any deluxe. You take a CL paying guest at a deluxe and tell them that they either have to move to another hotel or, heaven forbid, downgrade and watch the feathers fly!

Just what I was going to say. They can discount a deluxe and keep everyone happy. But try to move deluxers to a value, and you will lose business.

 

[tinkbyday]

Just what I was going to say. They can discount a deluxe and keep everyone happy. But try to move deluxers to a value, and you will lose business.

Absolutely - I would not go if I had to stay at a value. I prefer the deluxe accomodations and all that goes with it (indoor corridors, theming, TS restaurants, etc).

I'm getting a negative feeling from a couple of posts and I'm not sure why the "us vs them" mentality has to be brought into this thread.

 

[Misty89]

i do not believe the rumor.
we are traveling to Orlando in Feb, and the first two weeks of the Month, all values and Poly are sold out........who knows about the rest.
Disney is not being affected by the economy, at all! if anything -
it is trhiving! offering all the deals they are keeping the parks full, too full - in IMHO
obvisoulsy if resorts are booked solid in the #@$%^&* slow time.
i am Not a happy camper, i can never catch a break no matter what time of the year i go to WDW.

 

[rantnnravin]

i do not believe the rumor.
we are traveling to Orlando in Feb, and the first two weeks of the Month, all values and Poly are sold out........who knows about the rest.
Disney is not being affected by the economy, at all! if anything -
it is trhiving! offering all the deals they are keeping the parks full, too full - in IMHO
obvisoulsy if resorts are booked solid in the #@$%^&* slow time.
i am Not a happy camper, i can never catch a break no matter what time of the year i go to WDW.

There really is no telling if the resort is "booked solid". It may seem that way if the values and poly appear to be sold out. But all it takes to make them appear that way is to limit bookings to a certain percentage of rooms/buildings/sections.

 

[EEyorelover22]

We were there Dec 20-25 and although the parks were very busy, WL was not and there were standard rooms available for the 26th and 27th...long story, but I checked for two additional nights close to our departure.

I assume this means that people are staying off site because it costs less. Perhaps the values and mods were full although POR was not when I called in late Nov and I could still get a room with a public code less than 30 days out. I was also able to use a public code for a standard room at WL which I think always sells out fast.

 

[chuckml]

We just booked POFQ two weeks ago with the 4/3 deal, and now I'm reading alot of rumors that it may be on the chopping block. Anybody have any more info on this? For what its worth, we booked for 2/28-3/07, so it is only like six weeks out, an even with the 4/3 promo, we basically had our choice of resorts and room levels to choose from. I like the way it sounds for crowd levels, but it doesn't seem to be very encouraging as far resort closings would go. Thanks in advance for any info on this

 

[mitros]

We just booked POFQ two weeks ago with the 4/3 deal, and now I'm reading alot of rumors that it may be on the chopping block. Anybody have any more info on this? For what its worth, we booked for 2/28-3/07, so it is only like six weeks out, an even with the 4/3 promo, we basically had our choice of resorts and room levels to choose from. I like the way it sounds for crowd levels, but it doesn't seem to be very encouraging as far resort closings would go. Thanks in advance for any info on this

I don't know what you heard about crowd levels, but they will be high with all the offers Disney is putting out there. Generally, crowds will be high all year. Spoke to a reservationist on the phone a few days ago, and she said they are doing land office business. Seems like everyone is going to Disney........................bum economy??? I don't think so, at least not as far as WDW is concerned.

 

[RescueRanger]

I don't know what you heard about crowd levels, but they will be high with all the offers Disney is putting out there. Generally, crowds will be high all year. Spoke to a reservationist on the phone a few days ago, and she said they are doing land office business. Seems like everyone is going to Disney........................bum economy??? I don't think so, at least not as far as WDW is concerned.

Mitros...what is your angle? You comment on just about every thread that involves Disney, the economy, and attendance. You try to contradict everything that others state. If someone tells you that they went for the week and it was dead, you come back with NOOO! I went one day and it was mobbed. Really? You went one day in a week and it was mobbed? Are you making assumptions that it was mobbed all week in all parks because it was mobbed that one day? Was it mobbed in every park on that "ONE" day that you went or did you just go to one park? Did it ever occur to you that maybe you are just picking the wrong parks on the wrong days? If you would just take a step back and realize how foolish you are sounding, you might realize that there are others who may actually know more than you. People have given you facts about the lower attendance and decreased reservations but you still ignore them. Even Disney itself has said that it has been hurt by the recession, but yet you still ignore the facts. Disney has been hurt and will continue to be hurt by the recession, and you hiding your head in the sand will not change that. Sorry to others for the long rant, but the constant contradictions by mitros has gotten beyond annoying.

 

[LVSWL]

Maybe he thinks that if we are worried about the crowd levels then maybe we won't go. NOT! I really do welcome all of the info on this thread.

 

[RescueRanger]

Maybe he thinks that if we are worried about the crowd levels then maybe we won't go. NOT!

Maybe you're right. Makes perfect sense now.

 

[chuckml]

Thanks guys. I know I'm a newbie on this site, but I have been to Disney 11 times in my 36 years, and I have never seen so many incentives being offered to visit. I checked Disney's website again last night, and still nearly every resort at every room level is still available at the 4/3 rate. I can't imagine the crowd levels are what Disney is used to having. Thanks again in advance for any info you guys may have.

 

[Uncleromulus]

For what (little) this is worth, friends of ours just got back from WDW (7 nights) on Sunday. They said it was VERY crowded, with lines at all the major attractions. All the restaurants were full (Signature spots mostly).
I often hear all kinds of talk on the decline of restaurant business. Yet the last 4 times we went out (around here), it was SRO and at two of them we couldn't get anywhere near the bar to get our usual seats!!
So if the country is dying, it certainly isn't dead yet!
As to what the future holds for WDW, who knows? It may be possible to keep the parks etc looking full with all the special offers, but that would certainly cut into any profits. Good or bad business idea? I don't know.
PS: Our friends are repeat WDW visitors--they have a good idea what a crowd is.

 

[NMW]

I know 2 families that just booked Disney trips with the buy 4/get 3 deal (one BC and the other BWI) and another one that is going to do it once they find out their sons lacrosse schedule this week. We were not planning on going to Disney this year because we have a fairly expensive vacation planned in June. However, the buy4/get3 deal was too good for us to pass up.

I had booked the POLY Theme Park View and DH convinced me just last night to switch to YC water view. We always stay at the Epcot resorts and I wanted to try something new...long story short I drank a bottle of wine and agreed to switch. Don't get me wrong, I love the BC/YC resorts and know it will be a great trip. However, this morning I went on WDW's website to see if the POLY was still available with the buy4/get3 deal, and it is not. Nor is the GF, and I think the CR only had bay lake view. Then I thought I'd upgrade to club level water view at the YC. This was on the website as available with the deal yesterday. Today only garden club is available. since we have the deluxe dining plan, I stuck with the better view.

My point is that not all resorts are still available with the deal. So, people are booking them. The other families I know are taking previously unplanned trips to WDW in the Spring because of the deals. How many other families in the country do you think will too? I really doubt Disney is going to be dead in May. I bet it will be mostly like last May, maybe slightly less crowded because of the economy. I would love lighter crowds.

 

[Minnie Lor]

I really doubt Disney is going to be dead in May. I bet it will be mostly like last May, maybe slightly less crowded because of the economy. I would love lighter crowds.

I agree. Disney is a business that has to worry about a 5% or a 10% decline in park attendence. Afterall, that'll hurt their stockholders and the boards huge bonuses.

I don't want to see Disney hurting but I am thrilled they are offering good deals. I also will be happy to see 5% - 10% fewer people in the parks.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Anecdotal crowd information is and always will be.. highly subjective.

Not the least of which is because rides and shows operate at various capacity levels. Run everything at half capacity and shorten the park hours (which Disney has done) and by gosh darn it - a half empty park will look full.

But it's not.

I've consistently reported the "actual" way way below usual occupancy %'s and nobody wants to believe me. Fine, don't believe me. The mere fact alone that the buy 4 get 3 offer hasn't sold out.. (it wasn't on ALL room inventory .. just a select # of rooms..) is a very key indicator that all is not rosy in Orlando.

Yes vacation times will still be very busy. Yes, spring break, Easter and the Fourth of July will be nuts.

But let's see about the first week of May.. or the last week of February. And not anecdotal, but actual occupancy numbers.. Right now, neither is look very pretty.

Like Ripley said "Believe it, or not." - Either way, it's true.

Now.. having said that.. I don't think any resorts will be shuttering in the next 90 days.. but in the next 12 months?

I dunno.. maybe.

If I knew the answer to what the economy was going to do, I sure wouldn't be posting it on the DIS!

Knox