Is This a Sign Of Things To Come?

[BuckeyeBama]

Maybe Disney is just getting things ready to sell off the parks? The higher the revenue stream the higher the asking price and the better return for the #1 priority, the investors.

No, it is the opposite. The more money Disney is worth, the less likely they can be bought out in a take-over attempt.

 

[mom2rtk]

Maybe Disney is just getting things ready to sell off the parks? The higher the revenue stream the higher the asking price and the better return for the #1 priority, the investors.

While hard to wrap my head around it, the speed with which this stuff has been coming out really makes it feel like something is up.

 

[lugnut33]

In response to BuckeyBama: If that was true then Disney wouldn't have bought Marvel or Lucas

 

[2Gma]

If you don't want to pay for early (or late) access, then don't do it. It's not that big of a deal!! It will have very little bearing (may have a little more crowds early/late but I doubt much) on your vacation.

I do think it will affect everyone's vacation. There will now be crowds of people entering the park for "extra experiences" that may not have come otherwise. I think it will be similar to how crowds have been affected by the addition of FP+. More congestion than ever.

 

[pens4821]

I do think it will affect everyone's vacation. There will now be crowds of people entering the park for "extra experiences" that may not have come otherwise. I think it will be similar to how crowds have been affected by the addition of FP+. More congestion than ever.

You could be right. I personally don't see it, but you never know, and we won't until it happens. Those people would be at Disney anyway, it's not like these things are going to make people come there. IMO, most people will probably plan these experiences around days they'd be at that park anyway. And if you're an early person, you were going to go early anyway, and most likely they won't book the night experience (and vice versa). I just don't see it being a huge influx of people early in the AM/late at night where it's going to cause major congestion.

I get the uncertainty, I just don't get the uproar before anyone knows how it'll turn out.

 

[Iowamomof4]

If the event is as limited as they are indicating, perhaps it won't make such a huge impact on the final hours of the day. Mixing in an additional 3-5,000 guests probably won't be so bad. Certainly not the same as the several thousand that come to the parties in the fall.

 

[erikajoe]

Similar thoughts here for our vacation the first week of May. I just hate the constant changes and unknowns on a trip that they require me to plan 6+ months in advance. I'm really curious about what this will mean for our 2 early BOG reservations.

UGH Me too! WE have 8:05 reservations at BOG on May 7th. I hope this doesn't mess that up!

 

[HopperFan]

So does Universal also require you to make ADRs 180 days in advance and plan your rides 30-60 days in advance?

Perhaps "require" is a strong word, but I have been told that making ADRs that far in advance is necessary if you want to ensure certain experiences like BOG meals - is that incorrect? Because I would love for that to NOT be the case!

Not getting a specific ADR would def not ruin our entire trip, but this is our only time going to WDW so of course I want to make the most of it - and to get that ADR, I apparently have to plan it 180 days out. I would much rather Disney do away with ADRs and let us just put our names on a list the day of, like any other restaurant - we can always walk around or do something else while we wait...is that an option?

Our friends just went to WDW in February, supposedly a "slower time". Not planners, thought making ADRs and FP reservations was ridiculous. Know what happened the first day? They went to MK and could not do ANYTHING. The lines for the FP kiosks were too long to stand in with their small kids, let alone rides. They actually left after a few hours because it was no fun. Spent the next day at their hotel, stalking MDE for one character meal during their trip and making FPs for other days....still only ended up doing a few "big rides" the entire trip. In FEBRUARY.

I'm just trying to avoid that!

Required? No. Advisable for a couple you REALLY want? Yes.
You can always change them so why not go ahead and book them?

We go a lot so we don't normally HAVE to have any of them so I usually don't start booking ADRs until maybe 30-60 days out. Honestly have gotten lots of hard ones the week of, the night before, the day of. Of course I know the risk is not getting them. Holidays we got California Grill during Holiday Wishes the day before. Have gotten BOG plenty last minute and cancelled last minute. I've cancelled dinner at BOG week of at least 5-6 times.

List, day of, walk up? Not an option and never really will be except for Skippers Canteen but I can see that changing if it doesn't stay filled. Disney wants every seat filled at all times (where they have servers to cover tables) and that means advanced bookings. Allowing walk up means losing money.
Disney Dining Plan also means booking so you get your monies worth.
Disney World Dining is like no where else and can't compare.


FP+ at 60 days ... why not especially if you want 7DMT and TSMM. Hopefully the new track will help with TSMM. Then add Soarin', Frozen After After, New Anna & Else Meet and Rivers of Light this summer to the hard to get ones. But we normally are not slaves to the 30-60 rules and haven't had issues.

 

[jbharr1]

I get the uncertainty, I just don't get the uproar before anyone knows how it'll turn out.

there is a 100+ page thread about a rumored resort fee. this is what happens here

 

[2Gma]

That hardest thing around these supposed changes is not knowing how to plan to get the most for your money...incredibly frustrating!

Unfortunately now there is no good time to tour! It used to be "get there early and do rope drop" OR "stay late" Now it will just be crowds all day long!

 

[HopperFan]

I think it a minimum of 6 hours too correct? We have done it with family a couple of times so it is also on top of park admission. It is great if you get the right guide and they treat you right

"...a minimum duration of 7 continuous hours..."

 

[Twinprincesses]

I think that Disney should have certain perks that if you can afford it then go for it. Like the VIP experience, get to the front of the line I don't care. Like Universals VIP guides do. It is a top notch service but it is very limited. Do I deep down hate those people, yes but go for it.

Disney jams people in the parks so tight it is so unenjoyable. Yet now they want to charge for every single thing

 

[monorailrabbit]

So... I'm sorry... do we know what effect this will have on early morning ADRs or are we all speculating? (nothing wrong with that, just trying to make sure I am still on the same page!) I think DH will loose it if we can't book ADR before park opening without paying some sort of fee on top of what we are paying for the meal...

 

[HopperFan]

So... I'm sorry... do we know what effect this will have on early morning ADRs or are we all speculating? (nothing wrong with that, just trying to make sure I am still on the same page!) I think DH will loose it if we can't book ADR before park opening without paying some sort of fee on top of what we are paying for the meal...

EVERYTHING IS speculation, conjecture, imagination and gossip.

It doesn't even matter if Disney says something .... until they actually implement it then EVERYTHING is a maybe.

I think the guess comes from ---
- How do you have people paying for early entry to get on rides and people who are eating pre-park opening meals at same time?
- If you don't let the eaters ride .. because they have no sticker, there will be UPSET people because they always could before.
- If you do let the eaters ride .... those who paid for those short lines will be upset and no one will book it.

Who thought they would offer these After Hours "limited experience EMH with free ice cream" for $149?
So won't be shocked at all if mornings and pre-park ADRs change drastically.

 

[Twinprincesses]

So it is showing online, but you cant book yet and no details are being offered?

 

[ArielSRL]

Not really. The closest lot at MK is not preferred, the preferred is actually just behind it. The folks who lost out are those with Handicapped Tags who used to park where it's going and will now have a much longer walk unless they moved them to the closer lot but I don't see that happening with how the road is laid out.

I read on the Tiered Parking thread - from a CM - that the handicap lot did not change at MK. Where did you get the info that it did? And where did it move to?

 

[serenitynow]

Of course, it is Disney after all!

 

[HopperFan]

I read on the Tiered Parking thread - from a CM - that the handicap lot did not change at MK. Where did you get the info that it did? And where did it move to?

The tiny small handicapped lot did not change - but it is way too small for MK so they use Jafar for HC as well. Jafar, the larger overflow handicapped lot where many of us already park, is the one that has been announced to be used for this. So unless you are the small group who arrive at very early/rope drop for the tiny lot, then you will likely be moved to another lot.

- Preferred Parking is being tested in Jafar. Jafar was the overflow handicapped lot that was always available no matter when you arrived.
- If they don't allow handicapped to share with Preferred then HC parking will have to move.
- Because we enter from the East drive, logic would say they would move us to Zurg. A much longer walk for a park that is already hard to get to for folks with physical issues.
- If they have success with Preferred maybe they will move it to Aladdin to sell more spots and is actually the real preferred lot location - but for now early birds get it for free...
- Now they could change Aladdin to the extra HC but getting there past other lots during morning hours means weaving through people heading to tram which isn't safe and they seem to have avoided doing at parks the last couple years.

[At Epcot they are also using the lot where the too small HC parking is and they let us park in the regular spots right behind them where Preferred will now be. If Preferred becomes a success I could see complaints that it has come at the expense of HC parkers.]

 

[Jing]

I might be one of the few people who actually really likes the breakfast food at BOG. That open faced egg sandwich... I still think about it. We've booked a pre-park opening for September and plan to each enjoy our own meal.

I'd be fine if the actually enforced the pre-fixe breakfast at BOG. Open up the reservations for people who actually want breakfast without wasting park time.

Concur, and will add the cured meat and cheese plate to the list. We got the gluten free option for the millet bread (we don't have gluten issues) and it was fabulous. We plan to do another pre-park ADR.

 

[Sher9411]

drastic cuts? what would MK closing at 6p with no fireworks be considered then? or all water transport shut down?



how do you know?

Interesting....I did not post that, only the comment above! I agree!!