Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[Oglet]

next thing you know the busses wont run during emh.

Then will come the following announcement.

Due to poor attendance we are no longer offering Extra Magic Hours for resort guests. Valued guests of the Walt Disney World Resort will still be able to take advantage all the many other great offerings we CURRENTLY offer until we cut them back as well.

As a limited time offer please use coupon code 'suckers' to take advantage of semi free dining and receive 10% off our slightly increased room rates and reduced entertainment.

 

[skater]

OK, so the Poly doesn't have a hot tub AND it won't have monorail service during EMH? There is no way I would invest in this resort. Its beautiful and has nice restaurants, but I can enjoy them without spending the big bucks .

 

[baler31]

Then will come the following announcement.

Due to poor attendance we are no longer offering Extra Magic Hours for resort guests. Valued guests of the Walt Disney World Resort will still be able to take advantage all the many other great offerings we CURRENTLY offer until we cut them back as well.

As a limited time offer please use coupon code 'suckers' to take advantage of semi free dining and receive 10% off our slightly increased room rates and reduced entertainment.

I agree this is the next announcement and I admit that we have not found most evening EMH to be crowded (the reason we liked them).

I received a Disney survey several months ago that fed into cutting different services including DME and how would you react and what discount would mitigate your reaction. The economy must be sinking like a stone for these kinds of cuts, I expect more will be coming.

What a hassle this will be for the CM's dealing with all the complaining guests who were unaware of this.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We stayed at Polynesian for the first time during our last visit and loved the convenience of the monorail, especially being able to go from Magic Kingdom at closing to Epcot for EMH. If they stop monorail service one hour after park closing that might not make me cancel a trip but I would seriously consider a less expensive alternative to the Polynesian. I will say the boat from Magic Kingdom to Polynesian was just about as convenient as the monorail.

 

[bicker]

The good news is that, during this period where apparently so many people will choose not to visit WDW, those of us who continue to visit WDW on its merits will enjoy fewer crowds, and then still benefit from all the things Disney does, later, to draw new guests back into the parks.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I will say the boat from Magic Kingdom to Polynesian was just about as convenient as the monorail.

About 90% of people who want to get to Poly from MK take the monorail. Force them onto the boats (along with all of GF's guests too), and suddenly the line for those dinky little boats becomes a whole lot longer.

 

[Oglet]

About 90% of people who want to get to Poly from MK take the monorail. Force them onto the boats (along with all of GF's guests too), and suddenly the line for those dinky little boats because a whole lot longer.

And then when it suddenly becomes too windy for watercraft to run.... No Monorail CM's there to start it back up and no watercraft + thousands of people..... not a good mix

 

[Planogirl]

The good news is that, during this period where apparently so many people will choose not to visit WDW, those of us who continue to visit WDW on its merits will enjoy fewer crowds, and then still benefit from all the things Disney does, later, to draw new guests back into the parks.

How do you know that they will do anything later to draw new guests? If they are making cutbacks, it might be a while at the very least.

As for the monorail, the boat launches to the Polynesian and Grand Floridian are very nice but don't hold very many people. Hopefully, they will have them out in force to keep up with demand.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

And then when it suddenly becomes too windy for watercraft to run.... No Monorail CM's there to start it back up and no watercraft + thousands of people..... not a good mix

I'm not saying the boat was as good an option, but it wasn't bad. You are completely right though about the extra bodies trying to get on boats. We were at the park in February and took the boat back one evening after Magic Kingdom closed and it was COLD - monorail would have been a much better choice that night.

And I HATE the buses, which is the main reason I enjoyed Polynesian so much.

 

[bicker]

How do you know that they will do anything later to draw new guests?

They always have in the past, so it is a sound bet.

If they are making cutbacks, it might be a while at the very least.

I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Regardless, note the entire statement - in the meantime, before they "do anything", we'll enjoy fewer crowds, right? Or are you expressing skepticism that the claims that people will stop visiting WDW as a result of this sort of thing?

Beyond that, I don't think they're making cutbacks, per se. They are reducing waste, that much is certain. Even in good quarters my company isn't going to ignore data showing that something we're investing money in isn't paying off in terms of attracting business and satisfying customers. As a matter of fact, we're going to continue to conscientiously look at everything we spend money on, all the time, to make sure that we're being responsible with our owners' money.

 

[Oglet]

I'm not saying the boat was as good an option, but it wasn't bad. You are completely right though about the extra bodies trying to get on boats. We were at the park in February and took the boat back one evening after Magic Kingdom closed and it was COLD - monorail would have been a much better choice that night.

And I HATE the buses, which is the main reason I enjoyed Polynesian so much.

Picture this nightmare

Monorail has shut down for the night when a nasty Florida storm pops up. The winds are above 20 mph so all watercraft are down and you have 5000+ people all trying to get out of Magic Kingdom back to their resorts and out of the weather. The bus system is running however do to severe flooding on the road below the water overpass near the contemporary they are unable to get out.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

The good news is that, during this period where apparently so many people will choose not to visit WDW, those of us who continue to visit WDW on its merits will enjoy fewer crowds, and then still benefit from all the things Disney does, later, to draw new guests back into the parks.

Somebody always has to say this. Not that it really moves the conversation forward. Disney isn't expecting any less people because of this - they always want more. And those people will be coming for less and less extras that always made Disney stand out.

And you think the parks will be any less crowded because of little changes like this? Think again. I'll still be there (but probably staying at the Swan or Dolphin), while others will still be choosing Disney resorts. Keep in mind - guests of the monorail resorts make up a tiny, tiny fraction of Disney park guests. Most people are coming from off-property or the people-eating values and moderates anyway (speaking of which, Art of Animation will soon be adding room for thousands and thousands of additional guests to be immersed in the 'magic').

 

[Planogirl]

They always have in the past, so it is a sound bet. I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Regardless, note the entire statement - in the meantime, before they "do anything", we'll enjoy fewer crowds, right? Or are you expressing skepticism that the claims that people will stop visiting WDW as a result of this sort of thing?

Beyond that, I don't think they're making cutbacks, per se. They are reducing waste, that much is certain. Even in good quarters my company isn't going to ignore data showing that something we're investing money in isn't paying off in terms of attracting business and satisfying customers. As a matter of fact, we're going to continue to conscientiously look at everything we spend money on, all the time, to make sure that we're being responsible with our owners' money.

You caught me. I don't think this will change anything as far as crowds go. I do wonder if they are at least considering doing away with EMH though. A cut here, a cut there - you never know. I wonder if doing away with EMH would matter much when it comes to occupancy.

 

[Brian Noble]

And you think the parks will be any less crowded because of little changes like this?

You are mistaking bicker's sarcasm for something else.

 

[Cinders Mum]

the watercraft size, increased numbers waiting on the small watercraft for GF and Poly, and the cooler night time temps during MNSSHP/MVMCP nights were the first things that came to mind when reading this.

So are they going to run the larger WL watercraft for GF and Poly?
The slightest bit of rain, and that journey becomes downright miserable

The impact on the MK resorts for the MK monorail is of a greater concern to me, than the Epcot monorail in fairness... (that's more of a minor inconvenience than anything else).

 

[doconeill]

Picture this nightmare

Monorail has shut down for the night when a nasty Florida storm pops up. The winds are above 20 mph so all watercraft are down and you have 5000+ people all trying to get out of Magic Kingdom back to their resorts and out of the weather. The bus system is running however do to severe flooding on the road below the water overpass near the contemporary they are unable to get out.

Wouldn't they just route them the long way around, via the backstage Road Thou Shall Not Pass Of course, they'd have to black out the windows...

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

You are mistaking bicker's sarcasm for something else.

Oops. I'm not really in the mood for detecting sarcasm, since this is a really serious topic for me. We have 7 nights planned at the Grand in August, and we're not flushing $4000 down the drain just to be inconvenienced by this.

My point still stands - I'll still be in the parks taking up space in line and on the transport system. But I don't plan on buying any of the homogenized souvenirs (haven't bought Disney merch in years), eating as many meals at Disney restaurants (Swan and Dolphin have great restaurants), or staying at a Disney resort. My annual pass is already a sunk cost so I plan on using my admission for all it's worth, but Disney resorts are already priced far beyond what their amenities (outside of convenience) actually provide.

 

[bicker]

Picture this nightmare

Monorail has shut down for the night when a nasty Florida storm pops up. The winds are above 20 mph so all watercraft are down and you have 5000+ people all trying to get out of Magic Kingdom back to their resorts and out of the weather. The bus system is running however do to severe flooding on the road below the water overpass near the contemporary they are unable to get out.

I don't have to "picture" it. My wife and I lived it, about 15 years ago. We ended up having to buy new sneakers the next morning. What is the point, though? ... given that this wouldn't be a new phenomenon ...

And you think the parks will be any less crowded because of little changes like this?

No: Rather I am going to agree with Planogirl and acknowledge that some people are overestimating the impact this will have on WDW.

You are mistaking bicker's sarcasm for something else.

Not sarcasm, no. Truthfully, someone like you, specifically, could have posted some fully cohesive assertion of why this situation would have led to lower crowds or whatever, and I may have believed it, and went forward based on that understanding. You do a great job of presenting the clear picture of things. In the absence of that, though, I'm resonating with Planogirl's clear assertion:

I don't think this will change anything as far as crowds go.

​

 

[iheartdisney]

Declining by degrees folks! Its been going on for years! Apparently this is the point where many of you are uncomfortable with yet another minor cutback, but added to all the other cutbacks add up to dissatisfaction.

However, a small part of me can't help but wonder if this might be some overstretching new safetly regualtion. Didn't the fatal monorail crash occured in the early morning hours? I wouldn't be suprised to find out that some report found that the lateness of the hour contributed to the accident, and that reducing servce could improve safety.

 

[bicker]

Oops. I'm not really in the mood for detecting sarcasm, since this is a really serious topic for me.

For me as well, and that's why I would look for a clear outline of how the predictions of doom made in this thread could be reasonable to expect. As I said, someone like Brian Noble is really good at presenting that big picture unclouded by angst about how such changes would affect him personally. And something like that could still sway my perspective, I suppose, but it doesn't seem forthcoming.

I don't plan on buying any of the homogenized souvenirs (haven't bought Disney
merch in years),

So no change. I suspect no one who would view the souvenirs that way would buy them, and therefore there is really no impact on that.

And that's really the issue. Yes, things go up and down; there are improvements and discredits. I still see the introduction of DME being a Disney resort enhancement that could trump all "take-aways" for at least ten years, so they've got at least another four years of credit from that, afaic, and I'm not even using it this year.