News Round Up 2016

[rteetz]

All personal opinion. Destroying the rose gardens and damming up the water doesn't look prettier to me.

The water is still there.

 

[Tiggr924]

The water is still there.

Not to the same extent it was. Like I said, they dammed it up. Poor ducks haha

 

[luisov]

The hub expansion was necessary though. At least they made an effort to make it pretty instead of pouring concrete everywhere and call it a day.

 

[Eoghann]

Not to the same extent it was. Like I said, they dammed it up. Poor ducks haha

With the number of people jamming into the hub it was a necessary trade off. When we did the Christmas party in 2014 the hub was a nightmare to try and move around.

 

[DoingDisney]

I don't think this is the downfall. The whole MyMagic+ system has been a problem since its inception but of course the excuse times pushed through with it and are going to continue to, to make it seem like it's not a fail.

I didn't mean this was the particular point at which FP+ has failed, I just meant that this is sort of the final nail in the coffin, or the final proof that FP+ has, pretty much, failed.

Its funny, I did read all these discussions people were having about FP+ and one of the things I know some people were suggesting was that FP+ was going to be too costly, too cumbersome ... and others were up in arms how that would never be and how they already had to pay people to man the FP distribution machines, etc. Well, it appears the folks with concerns were correct...

Still looking forward to the app thing though, even though I am sure thats just a cost cutting measure, and I am sure they could have had the 4th+ available on the app from the very start but chose not to ... its a really interesting turn of events.

 

[Eoghann]

I didn't mean this was the particular point at which FP+ has failed, I just meant that this is sort of the final nail in the coffin, or the final proof that FP+ has, pretty much, failed.

Its funny, I did read all these discussions people were having about FP+ and one of the things I know some people were suggesting was that FP+ was going to be too costly, too cumbersome ... and others were up in arms how that would never be and how they already had to pay people to man the FP distribution machines, etc. Well, it appears the folks with concerns were correct...

Still looking forward to the app thing though, even though I am sure thats just a cost cutting measure, and I am sure they could have had the 4th+ available on the app from the very start but chose not to ... its a really interesting turn of events.

I don't think this relates specifically to FP+ costs at all. It's just part of an overall penny pinching that's going on. They're cutting back on staffing throughout the parks.

 

[EricInPA]

Maybe the pendulum will swing back (you can hope), but this Disney trend of cuts and revenue I'm afraid is only just getting started.

Just as a counter-point, the Dis podcast gave the food booths at this year's F&G festival unanimous positive reviews and strongly encouraged people to check it out. Portion comparison is a valid complaint, but I would need some more data.

As far as the FP+ touchpoint thing, last September they were already doing this at several rides we went on. Didn't seem like a problem and you still need people at the merge to direct traffic.

 

[DoingDisney]

I don't think this relates specifically to FP+ costs at all. It's just part of an overall penny pinching that's going on. They're cutting back on staffing throughout the parks.

I think they are finding FP+ is costing them much more than they thought it would and it isn't providing the increased revenue or allowing the cost savings they were counting on. Indeed I imagine they have seen costs increase due to FP+ rather than decrease, so instead they are making arbitrary across the board cuts to staffing and are scaling back the staffing FP+ requires by reducing offerings and scan points, and kiosks/attendants etc.

 

[Eoghann]

I think they are finding FP+ is costing them much more than they thought it would and it isn't providing the increased revenue or allowing the cost savings they were counting on. Indeed I imagine they have seen costs increase due to FP+ rather than decrease, so instead they are making arbitrary across the board cuts to staffing and are scaling back the staffing FP+ requires by reducing offerings and scan points, and kiosks/attendants etc.

It may not have given the increased revenue they wanted, I don't know, but the staffing cuts are not just focused on FP+ and all the rumors point to it being related to costs elsewhere not at WDW at all. I think you're joining dots that aren't there for the moment at least.

 

[Eoghann]

Just as a counter-point, the Dis podcast gave the food booths at this year's F&G festival unanimous positive reviews and strongly encouraged people to check it out. Portion comparison is a valid complaint, but I would need some more data.

As I recall the didn't eat from the booths but from the special preview event. I wonder then if that might make a difference.

 

[EricInPA]

As I recall the didn't eat from the booths but from the special preview event. I wonder then if that might make a difference.

They traveled back to the park (a day or two later?) and ate from the booths and still maintained that they were very good.

 

[Eoghann]

They traveled back to the park (a day or two later?) and ate from the booths and still maintained that they were very good.

Taste in food is very personal, as proven by the 2 people who insist Tony's is great.

My main issue is the portion sizes for the money. Those pictures were pretty damning.

 

[EricInPA]

As I said above, would need to see more dishes, maybe he got a stingy server

The portions of other dishes seemed substantial, and some were more than last year's offerings (he commented as such). I didn't do a dish for dish tally, but it seemed like he enjoyed a lot of the dishes.

To keep this discussion more on topic:

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2016/...at-the-2016-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival/

This is a very positive review and comparing the portion pictures, it seems the complaint should be more that portioning is inconsistent, than it is reduced across the board.

 

[Fantasia79]

Images I saw looked substantially smaller at the locations they visited. Sure, could've been bad luck with servers, but when the shrimp size went down too, it seemed like a plan. I would hope it's just coincidence and bad luck.

The quality has to be great, I was blown away when I was there a few years ago.

 

[rteetz]

I think they are finding FP+ is costing them much more than they thought it would and it isn't providing the increased revenue or allowing the cost savings they were counting on. Indeed I imagine they have seen costs increase due to FP+ rather than decrease, so instead they are making arbitrary across the board cuts to staffing and are scaling back the staffing FP+ requires by reducing offerings and scan points, and kiosks/attendants etc.

FP+ isn't a separate part, it's part of the overall MyMagic+ project. Yes that project cost them over 2 billion.

 

[rteetz]

As I recall the didn't eat from the booths but from the special preview event. I wonder then if that might make a difference.

They have been back since and have done small videos of the booths. They all liked what they tried no complaints. They also said the food at flower and garden was better than what they remember from food and wine.

 

[nkosiek]

Wow! And they got rid of the Rose Gardens and built that awful looking hub. Sigh.

Was there any info given as to what happened to those roses? Was curious this past December where they went.

 

[minnie mum]

Was there any info given as to what happened to those roses? Was curious this past December where they went.

My gut says they were probably sent to Disney's Magical Compost Heap. The gardener part of me hopes some of them made it over to Epcot's Rose gardens.

 

[xray2001]

Wow! And they got rid of the Rose Gardens and built that awful looking hub. Sigh.

I am going Easter week and I have a Wishes fastpass. I love doing it with fastpass because you can sit and relax with your family. We get food and make it a picnic! I have heard they are going to make it the area for the dessert party people. That is just ridiculous! I am definitely not paying 400.00 for our family of 5 to eat a dessert and watch fireworks!!!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Wow! And they got rid of the Rose Gardens and built that awful looking hub. Sigh.

man…i hate it when this happens…

this was always the end game: concrete to crowd sardines with no direct benefit other than more can space fore the sardines. Everybody seemed to think it was such a "great idea" when they started pouring…but i just KNEW it was gonna end up in an uglier, less convenient park.

and like-a HEEERRRREEEE we go