I was just watching the news and.......

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by MickeyMoose15
Almost every year Disney does something positive......except replace a old attraction with a character meet and greet.

honestly, the Attractions management has no plans when they close down an attraction. So they'll typically use it for storage space. But when entertainment uses it, at least SOMETHING is being done w/ it. I'd rather have a character meet than a wall.

 

[space42]

honestly, the Attractions management has no plans when they close down an attraction. So they'll typically use it for storage space. But when entertainment uses it, at least SOMETHING is being done w/ it. I'd rather have a character meet than a wall.

No plans???? then why the heck did they close it????? I think most guests would rather have an attraction than either a wall or character meet. I'm not attacking you, it is just sad to see Disney keep closing attractions with no replacement. There are now 4 attractions < that I can think of > that have had NO replacement!!!!! Time Keeper, Keel Boats, 20K Leagues, and the Skyway. Yet, ticket prices keep going up.

 

[WDWJunkie]

Personally, I can't stand Character meet and greets. They take down good attractions just to place some characters, which are all over the park I'd like to add. They think that everyone visiting there park has a 2 or 3 year old kid who is crying to see these characters. I'm not bashing Disney or anything like that, but still, come on, you get rid of an attraction that people can enjoy just for someplace that a little kid can get a characters signature and stand next to them for a 3 second picture.

 

[johare]

No plans???? then why the heck did they close it?????

So they can lay off all the employees who previously operated the attraction. It's much easier to pay one person minimum wage to stand there in a Pluto suit.

 

[mktiggerman]

The command to close an attraction does come from the executive level, but what to do with it is up to the local area management. If the local area management has nothing to do w/ it they'll just use it for storage (A perfect example, though not an attraction, is the Adventureland Veranda). However, if entertainment wants to take responsibility over that plot of land, they can, and they can do whatever they want w/ it (ie. Character Meet).

Also, FYI, WDW Management has no control over character meets, sicne they are under the responsibility of Walt Disney Entertainment.. not Walt Disney World.

 

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by johare
So they can lay off all the employees who previously operated the attraction. It's much easier to pay one person minimum wage to stand there.

no... entertainment gets paid more than ops to start with (not more, but more). Factor in 2 characters, plus one greeter. That's 3 CM's. Timekeeper only takes 2 to operate. And those 2 probably made less than the entertainment CM's.

 

[johare]

no... entertainment gets paid more than ops to start with (not more, but more). Factor in 2 characters, plus one greeter. That's 3 CM's. Timekeeper only takes 2 to operate. And those 2 probably made less than the entertainment CM's.

Not sure what you mean here. Do you mean that entertainment makes more because it takes more employees (at least in this one case) or that the hourly salary for an entertainment cast member is higher than a ride op. Not sure I feel to safe if the later is true. Regardless of salary, it does cost much more to keep an attraction maintained and running than it does to have a character meet and greet area...especially since usually the characters are not out there the entire time the park is open.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

They sometimes do have a plan to replace an attraction when they close it....look at Horizons or Take Flight.

 

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by johare
Not sure what you mean here. Do you mean that entertainment makes more because it takes more employees (at least in this one case) or that the hourly salary for an entertainment cast member is higher than a ride op. Not sure I feel to safe if the later is true. Regardless of salary, it does cost much more to keep an attraction maintained and running than it does to have a character meet and greet area...especially since usually the characters are not out there the entire time the park is open.

Entertainment just gets paid more. Even though the AA aren't operated, the A/C and power still are.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

It seems that Walt Disney Company is really blaming management for the low attendance for not having a huge new E-Ticket attraction since 1999.

They are planning:
* Mickey's PhilharMagic for MK to replace Legend of the Lion King
* Reign of Fire at Disney's Animal Kingdom
* Mission: Space for Epcot
* A new 360 Canada film for Epcot
* Figment's Journey into Imagination for Epcot

Looking forward to the new attractions.

 

[johare]

They are planning:They are planning:
* Mickey's PhilharMagic for MK to replace Legend of the Lion King
* Reign of Fire at Disney's Animal Kingdom
* Mission: Space for Epcot
* A new 360 Canada film for Epcot
* Figment's Journey into Imagination for Epcot

Well, one of those is already in progress and I think if they follow thru with at least two more of them (Figment for sure!) they will be taking a big step in the right direction. All they need to do is hire a few friendship dock workers back and touch up some paint here and there and I'll move up to car #2. I'm planning on buying seasonal passes again for 2003 and really hope they come up with some great things by then.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

2003 will be the year to visit Epcot.

 

[nats]

The main reason Disney is losing money is because they are not taking care of maintenance the way they used to. Years back when you stood in line at the Magic Kingdom, air conditioning was being blown in and you could be comfortable. The parks are not as clean as they used to be. As a matter of fact while I was there last October, the Orlando Sentinel ran a story on this subject. On the front page they had a picture of Main Street and many lights were out on the buildings. This would never happened years ago. We need a cloning of Walt to bring the parks back to where they should be.
Another reason , as I said many times before, too many thrill attractions and not enough new family attractions

 

[nats]

Originally posted by nats
The main reason Disney is losing money is because they are not taking care of maintenance the way they used to. Years back when you stood in line at the Magic Kingdom, air conditioning was being blown in and you could be comfortable. The parks are not as clean as they used to be. As a matter of fact while I was there last October, the Orlando Sentinel ran a story on this subject. On the front page they had a picture of Main Street and many lights were out on the buildings. This would never happened years ago. We need a cloning of Walt to bring the parks back to where they should be.
Another reason , as I said many times before, too many thrill attractions and not enough new family attractions

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Maintanance may have something to do with it but the main reason may be that they have not had a major E-Ticket attraction since 1999. The next one will probly be Mission: Space in 2003. That is 4 whole years! The Magic Kingdom hasn't gotten a E-Ticket attraction since Splash Mountain in 1992. Animal Kingdom doesn't have a true E-Ticket attraction since DINOSAUR (former CTX) was toned down for the kiddies.

 

[johare]

The Magic Kingdom hasn't gotten a E-Ticket attraction since Splash Mountain in 1992. Animal Kingdom doesn't have a true E-Ticket attraction since DINOSAUR (former CTX) was toned down

Isn't Alien Encounter considered an E-Ticket attraction? It is one of the attractions that's open on 'E-Ticket nights', though Buzz is also included in that group so maybe not? Also, what about Kali River Rapids. That seems like it would be an E also.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Alien Encounter from what I have been told is close to an E-Ticket attraction but is not. It is a sensory thrill attraction much like HISTA. Its not an E-Ticket attraction maybe because it doesn't go anywhere.

 

[JeffH]

Note: the parks never have 'lost' money. This year their profits are down from last year (during the successful Millenium Celebration during a successful economy).
Since the Orlando Sentinel ran that article (and we discussed it here), things changed at WDW. The lights are kept up and the cleaners are evident. Let's hope they keep it up.
Considering that It's a Small World was an E attraction, I consider all the attractions (except Pocahantas and the Boneyard) E attractions at AK. But AK is incomplete and WDW must add BK ASAP.

 

[johare]

Alien Encounter from what I have been told is close to an E-Ticket attraction but is not. It is a sensory thrill attraction much like HISTA. Its not an E-Ticket attraction maybe because it doesn't go anywhere.

I'm not sure an attraction has to go anywhere to be considered an 'E-Ticket'. I would consider Fantasmic to be an E-Ticket attraction as well as some of the shows at the studios. I think Disney decides what to call an E-Ticket and if it's open during 'E-Ticket' nights then it's an E-Ticket. And, if Small World is considered an E-Ticket as JeffH stated, then I think everything right down to the parking lot trams should be considered E-Ticket attractions.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Fantasmic is not an E-Ticket attraction since it is a show and a night time show at that. Timekeeper was on E-Ticket Nights and they just closed it so I don't think that every ride opend during E-Ticket nights is and E-Ticket attraction