I Smell A Big Stinky Rat(mouse)with the new "FREE" E Ticket type hours!!

[OLT2004]

I HOPE I AM WRONG -
BUT I SMELL A BIG STINKY RAT(MOUSE) WITH THESE NEW "FREE" E TICKET TYPE HOURS!!!

Flame Me, Burn Me, if you must... have a ball...I can take it...
But...
Lets try to keep the EMOTION(Magic, Pixie Dust, Memorys of Deceased Friends/Relatives , Songs, Hopes & Dreams, CM Days, Etc. Etc.) out of this Thread!!!

Lets discuss this in a cool, logical, and business like manner....

THE SUM OF MY FEARS...
DISNEY HAS FIGURED OUT A WAY TO CHARGE "DOULBE ADMISSION" FOR ITS PARKS!

I HOPE I AM WRONG...BUT, I SMELL A RAT! Follow my thinking...

* Disney will announce that this "test" was not well received.
* Disney will go back to EE/EMH in the AM for All Resort Guests.
* Disney will cut back on operating hours Forever.
MK will close @ 6 PM every night..DS/MGM @ 6 PM as well...
EPCOT will maintain usual hours...
AK will close @ 5 PM every night...
* Disney will announce "The Park After Dark" Program...
Guests of "Selected" WDW Resorts can purchase admission to
"The Park After Dark"- Park Of The Day @ about $15 P/P
The Park Of The Day will be open from 7PM to Midnight...
* You will not be able to purchase this admission "Seperatly."
* You must have, and have used a Multi Day Pass to Qualify.

I am sorry...But I see something like this coming down the road!

I HOPE NOT!! BUT-THIS IS THE SAME DISNEY THAT DROPPED E/E!

 

[princesstommi]

Wow. Um...that's quite a stretch don't you think?

I think I will reserve my forcast and opinion on the future of WDW resort guest perks and park hours until this test program actually goes live and mgmt decides what to do based on the response.

As far as logical business thoughts, like I said in the other thread, I think this is a good business move by Disney. I would guess up-to- 3-hours at the end of the day would generate more revenue than the 1 hour at the beginning. I also think that non-resort guests will observe this perk and give them more of a reason to think about staying onsite than the current EMH gives them. So it can be a good marketing tool as well.

But, until it actually happens, there's no real way to know what the response will be.

 

[Tink]

I think that the idea of generating revenue while to the park is open after hours would be huge! Look at EE/EMH. Our family goes to get Dumbo with little lines. There are not too many places that are open to eat/shop in at that hour.

When Disney introduced FP, they saw a big increase in the amount of money generated in snacks. For example: You get a FP for Pooh. You do a few rides, and then head over. If you get there a little early you grab a popcorn/pretzel/mickey bar and maybe a drink. Lots of this happens. Or better yet for Disney, you browse the shops. You can bet your bippy they have the numbers.

If the park stayed open later - and guests had the choice to sleep in a little - and they kept the snack places and possibly a counter service or two open, it would be huge.

Our family uses EE as I explained. We do not to the E Ride nights since our kids are too little, and frankly, I don't want to pay another admission. (Granted, we still go off season so it's not as packed).

I would give hours at night a shot. I would like to have my dinner in the park, and to me, the parks are just so pretty at night.

By not charging an extra admission, I still think they will make money. On site guests get a perk, hotels fill up, and so on...

 

[Chuck S]

Ummm...I'm pretty sure AK closing early has something to do with stress on the animals.

Other than that, what you describe as a horrible future sounds an awful lot like the current "E" night program...and people seem to like that.

 

[OLT2004]

Thanks For Your Reply!
But...
Why would Disney Management increase its Labor Hours And Labor Dollars by 23% without an Increase in Revenue??

Just for Marketing Purposes? To Lure off site guests to become onsite guests?

Who can Crunch these numbers?

How many "Converts" is the break even point?

Increased Resort Revenue + Increased Food Service Revenue but
Minus the Cost of increased Resort Labor to handle the "Converts"??

Remember - Disney is a BUSINESS!!!

 

[OLT2004]

Yikes!...AK is open till 8PM in the Summer...Disney Management is not concerned about "Stress" for the Animals during the high Summer Revenue Season!!

Please - Keep EMOTION out of this discussion!!!

So - AK open to Midnight - No Problem - See EMH Schedule - Drop daylight attractions - add some shows...Done!

 

[TDC Nala]

wasn't this called "E Ticket Nights" at the MK?

And that schedule sounds like a current normal schedule in non-peak times...

Please - Keep EMOTION out of this discussion!!!

You're the one using all those exclamation points.

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by OLT2004
Why would Disney Management increase its Labor Hours And Labor Dollars by 23% without an Increase in Revenue??

Now, that's a HUGE stretch!

How do you figure they're increasing labor hours and dollars by 23%?

 

[princesstommi]

Originally posted by OLT2004
Who can Crunch these numbers?

That's the thing, I'm not even going to pretend to know operating costs and/or revenue.

But yes, I do think that Disney believes that the revenue generated by the extra operating hours of the park (and possibly the increase in resort revenue) will be greater than the operating costs of having the park open for X amount of hours. This decision is by no means just a way to make resort guests happy. They wouldn't be testing it if they didn't think there was a strong indication that it will be profitable.

 

[Chuck S]

"AK is open till 8PM in the Summer...Disney Management is not concerned about "Stress" for the Animals during the high Summer Revenue Season!!"

It also gets dark much later inthe evening in the summer, so the animals are up later...or haven't you ever had an outside pet?

 

[philaround]

Corrrect me if I'm wrong but I did not see the word "Free" in the annoucement for the test they are running in May. As a matter of fact I believe it states firmly that this will be an additional charge of $12.00 per person on top of the park ticket and you must have gone to that park that day to get the E-night ticket.

It seems obvious to me that E-night at the MK has been working so well lately that they want to see how much more money they can make on the other parks.

I know it costs alot to go to Disney but with the economy in the condition it is in I don't think it is unreasonable for a company to try to give their customers more for the smallest possible price that would give them the greatest possible benifits.

I know $12 per person could be a real hardship for a lot of people added to what they are spending already but with a little pre-planning I see it as doable.

My best memories of Disney World from years ago is from after sunset. I for one would be willing to spend $4.00 an hour to experience all the parks after dark again.

 

[FatCow]

Is it me or is it true that virtually every comment and/or thread by the OP have always been negative?

 

[TDC Nala]

Corrrect me if I'm wrong but I did not see the word "Free" in the annoucement for the test they are running in May. As a matter of fact I believe it states firmly that this will be an additional charge of $12.00 per person on top of the park ticket and you must have gone to that park that day to get the E-night ticket.

"Guests staying at Disney-owned-and-operated resorts, as well as those staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, or the Lake Buena Vista Hilton, may enjoy both the morning and evening Extra Magic Hours at no charge with valid theme park admission. Guests staying at Shades of Green may participate in the morning offering only. "

No charge for the evening Extra Magic Hours. The OP seems to think that Disney's ultimate intent is to charge for them... well, they might. I've seen lots of commentary on how E-Ride Nights at the Magic Kingdom are generally considered to be well worth the 12 bucks it cost the last time they had them. The question may be, will guests feel the same way about MGM or the Animal Kingdom? And why is it that I can't see extra evening hours being a huge draw at Epcot, which is always open until 9 anyway?

 

[OLT2004]

TDC Nala - Yes, You make my Point!! $10 Extra in 2000!

Sorry about all the !!! Points...

I consider myself duly chastied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lenshanem]

Nothing would surprise me. Hey, maybe you gave them an idea!

 

[OLT2004]

KathyTX
It is Very Smple to Crunch The Numbers...

If a Theme Park is open for 10 hours - say - 9AM to 7PM

If it stays open to 8 PM you have increased its hours by 10 %

Etc. Etc. - I came up with a 23% by figuring it would close @ 6 PM and reopen @ 7 PM

Please check my calculations...Did I error???

 

[OLT2004]

FatCow
I am a realist - I am also a Disney Stock Holder Of Record!

Do you know what that means?

Have you ever read the UG...

 

[jordanyosh]

Why so glum....?

You're right, Disney is a business...but they also look for ways that increases or changes can be mutually beneficial....remember currently, Disney doesn't offer E-nights at all during slow seasons--attendance doesn't warrant it. I don't need to pay 12-15 dollars during the off-season to ride TOT 5x when I can practically walk on anyway....Closing times for the parks are already 5/6/7pm except for Epcot...So if they DID offer it, it would be an ADDED benefit during slow seasons.

So...during the busy season, you are worried about reduced hours and then having to pay again. Well...remember it wouldn't be every park, every night. It would be similar to EMH, rotating parks every night. Disney is probably thinking if we can cut labor hours at one park 1- 2x a week AND gain money from E-night ticket media, why not? Are the guests losing out? Well during busy seasons, waits for high demand attractions can and do exceed an hour. Sure you can FP, but really how many times would you really get a ride like TOT? With an E-night, I may get to ride it several times.....nice benefit to those staying at a Disney resort....With the opening of several high profile attractions over the next few years just think how much more impacted those attractions will be and how much nicer it would be to have the option to ride with less of a wait......

The only way that it would be bad is IF Disney did close every park early, 6/7pm, during busy seasons....but so far there is nothing to indicate that would happen.....

 

[jordanyosh]

sorry, double posted

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by OLT2004
KathyTX
It is Very Smple to Crunch The Numbers...

If a Theme Park is open for 10 hours - say - 9AM to 7PM

If it stays open to 8 PM you have increased its hours by 10 %

Etc. Etc. - I came up with a 23% by figuring it would close @ 6 PM and reopen @ 7 PM

Please check my calculations...Did I error???

Actually, you've grossly oversimplified.

You have not accounted for the fixed labor costs- those that are not driven directly by hours. And you've assumed that all functions of the park will have direct labor costs for all of (and only) the actual operating hours.

So yeah, you've erred.