News Round Up 2016

[rteetz]

NewS

Here's what's happening at WDW during the Fourth of July

http://wdwnews.com/releases/2016/06...-are-invited-to-celebrate-the-fourth-of-july/

 

[rteetz]

Spirited rumor

The Grand Floridian has seen a lot of cancellations since the attack.

WDW is evaluating everything that has an alligator or crocodile in it and whether or not they should get rid of them.

 

[LSLS]

Spirited rumor

The Grand Floridian has seen a lot of cancellations since the attack.

WDW is evaluating everything that has an alligator or crocodile in it and whether or not they should get rid of them.

Do they honestly think that people are not going to cancel and forget about the attack so long as they have nothing on property with a gator on it? What are they going to do with their brand new beach signs?

 

[Budshark]

This is an interesting rumor. It HAS been around for a few years as the next location after WLV 2.0, along with Yacht Club as the other rumored location.

It is unlikely to be a "moderate" DVC though. It would be very very risky for Disney to build a "budget" DVC resort because it would downgrade the value of the points. Disney would have a hard time charging the ridiculous price point they are charging at a moderate location. Likely it would be an independent resort similar to SSR or OKW - I can't imagine sharing facilities with CBR. They still would have to have it be a lower point per night property just because of that location.

The other interesting bit about this is that previous rumors were they would build it on the OTHER side of CBR, which essentially abuts to the back of Epcot, and build a special back entrance from the resort into Epcot - allowing them to continue charging premium prices. This is definitely a new version of the CBR rumor.

Point "cost" will remain the same.
What will change is # of points per night. Expect them to be slightly lower than SSR and OKW.
Its all about the nightly points.

There are already thousands of DVC customers who paid $50-$60/pt who share DVC amenities with people who paid $150+/pt.

It further pushes the "home resort" which used to not matter and nightly point cost difference per resort which is growing rapidly. As the DVC family/size grows they are slowly enforcing a de facto home resort only mentality. Good luck EVER getting into Grand Floridian, Beach Club, or Grand Californian if you don't own there. Outside your home resort booking window, it'll be a crap shoot and you'll focus mostly on SSR, AK, or this new one. Everything else will mostly stay booked.

They will keep the price high, lower the buy-in, and sell the moderate as a "Week Long vacation" and setup a menu to further mask the cost. They'll sell it as a DVC, with all the access - but then when people buy in for $8,000 for a 5 night stay (*during Value season), they'll quickly realize the "Deluxe" are out of reach because the 45 points they bought are only worth 2-3 nights, and they can't get the availability anyways.

So...
Same per point cost
Lower initial buy-in threshold (already done by the way - last year)
Lower per night points (less than AK Standard, OKW, SSR)

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Minor Epcot News:

The Epcot wall timeline was removed this week. (It hasn't been updated since 2007 and frankly there wasn't much they could update it with since 2007)

https://twitter.com/Blog_Mickey/status/745754421901008896

View attachment 177019
Here's what it looked like before:

View attachment 177018

That's not even a indictment...it's a verdict

Amusement parks require vigilance

 

[rteetz]

News

Tikiman was right beaches will close at night

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/wal...s-resort-beaches-and-recreational-marinas.htm

 

[romitaz]

Spirited rumor

The Grand Floridian has seen a lot of cancellations since the attack.

WDW is evaluating everything that has an alligator or crocodile in it and whether or not they should get rid of them.

THIS is the baloney that grinds my gears! Holy stupid overreaction Batman!

 

[rteetz]

News

Inside the Shanghai Disneyland exhibit at Epcot

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/06/inside-shanghai-disney-resort-gallery-opens-at-epcot/

 

[TheMaxRebo]

That kind of sucks and I wish they would've updated it. Poor Epcot keeps losing things without gaining anything.

I was initially thinking, wait, new things just opened there (new Soarin' and FEA) - but those are replacements so a net gain of 0

guess it gained the A&E meet and greet building but that doesn't exactly match Pandora or Star Wars Land

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's just the opposite. At $1.50 a refill, that's $1.50 they will be getting people from people multiple times through the day, whereas they wouldn't necessarily buy multiple popcorns in the old system. Disney would never do this if they didn't project a greater profit overall.

Btw, at $1.50 a refill instead of...free, I have zero interest in lugging around yet another thing.

I don't know - we often get more than one popcorn a day ... when I first heard about this I was expecting it to cost more than $10 for initia and $1.50 for each refill

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I find this a very shocking addition with how much Disney likes squeezing every nickel and dime out of their consumers.

I do as well...but this is becoming a very popular approach by other parks.

Cola and popcorn is so cheap...like minuscule...that even if you pig out, it's tough for them to spend the $12 or $15 or $20 on supply...

And over the whole...the profit is there.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This is an interesting rumor. It HAS been around for a few years as the next location after WLV 2.0, along with Yacht Club as the other rumored location.

It is unlikely to be a "moderate" DVC though. It would be very very risky for Disney to build a "budget" DVC resort because it would downgrade the value of the points. Disney would have a hard time charging the ridiculous price point they are charging at a moderate location. Likely it would be an independent resort similar to SSR or OKW - I can't imagine sharing facilities with CBR. They still would have to have it be a lower point per night property just because of that location.

The other interesting bit about this is that previous rumors were they would build it on the OTHER side of CBR, which essentially abuts to the back of Epcot, and build a special back entrance from the resort into Epcot - allowing them to continue charging premium prices. This is definitely a new version of the CBR rumor.

Maybe I don't know enough about how the points system works, but could they charge a similar amount per point but just require a lot less points to stay there?

If so it could work as people who have points elsewhere could go twice to this location or people who buy here could stay elsewhere once every two years, or something

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Guess it depends how high the glass is. I guess I'm envissioning them going 7-8 feet above the railing. If it is just making the railing a tad higher then I would agree. But I think that with signs, I don't know, maybe I just have more hope than I should, but I stand by I wouldn't call this ridiculous or insinuate it is too reactive.

This is 100% headfake...

It will not provide "safety"...I think it may embolden.

But let's be serious: they overcharge so much for those damn things that they won't really impede the "guests"...

The whole waterfront, point hog concept for DVC is really not looking good right now.

Of course...it's not the humans that say "enough"...they can't spend fast enough...
...it's the gators that get messed with that are drawing the line.

Fitting. Real life tick tock crocs

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Maybe I don't know enough about how the points system works, but could they charge a similar amount per point but just require a lot less points to stay there?

If so it could work as people who have points elsewhere could go twice to this location or people who buy here could stay elsewhere once every two years, or something

They could...

But here's the problem: they created this system based on their own hotel "tiers"...

...they can no longer sell their deluxe rooms at the rates. Out kicked their coverage there about 10 years ago.

So they convert to DVC...but jack up the costs and the points...

From recent rumors...that may not be doing well either anymore. Poly is not flying off the shelfs and they are committed to wilderness lodge.

So now...go "backwards"? Sell Caribbean at $75 a point...charge 6 points a night?

Nope...they'll want $150 a point and want you to book at 10 or 11 a night and tell you what a deal it is...

The water is starting to leak through the cracks of the DVC damn.

Quite simply...and I know it as well as anyone...Caribbean does not provide enough of an allure to the established DVC base. Neither the convenience or the facilities. Even canals to Epcot AND mgm may not be enough.

And the canal to Epcot would have to connect onto the crescent lake near boardwalk to get access. That could be long cruises.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If people are cancelling because they "won't tolerate a gator at their hotel"...

...woah boy...red alert.

They will never get what they want then.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Point "cost" will remain the same.
What will change is # of points per night. Expect them to be slightly lower than SSR and OKW.
Its all about the nightly points.

There are already thousands of DVC customers who paid $50-$60/pt who share DVC amenities with people who paid $150+/pt.

It further pushes the "home resort" which used to not matter and nightly point cost difference per resort which is growing rapidly. As the DVC family/size grows they are slowly enforcing a de facto home resort only mentality. Good luck EVER getting into Grand Floridian, Beach Club, or Grand Californian if you don't own there. Outside your home resort booking window, it'll be a crap shoot and you'll focus mostly on SSR, AK, or this new one. Everything else will mostly stay booked.

They will keep the price high, lower the buy-in, and sell the moderate as a "Week Long vacation" and setup a menu to further mask the cost. They'll sell it as a DVC, with all the access - but then when people buy in for $8,000 for a 5 night stay (*during Value season), they'll quickly realize the "Deluxe" are out of reach because the 45 points they bought are only worth 2-3 nights, and they can't get the availability anyways.

So...
Same per point cost
Lower initial buy-in threshold (already done by the way - last year)
Lower per night points (less than AK Standard, OKW, SSR)

Good breakdown...
...depressing isn't it?

How long before "home only" and a crappy traditional timeshare...

For the privilege of a $1500 annual pass on discount?

 

[saskdw]

Spirited rumor

The Grand Floridian has seen a lot of cancellations since the attack.

WDW is evaluating everything that has an alligator or crocodile in it and whether or not they should get rid of them.

For a 50% discount I would gladly switch my CSR reservation to GF!!

 

[saskdw]

News

Tikiman was right beaches will close at night

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/wal...s-resort-beaches-and-recreational-marinas.htm

Does this include beachy areas at resorts like CSR and CBR or just the resorts that border major waterways?

It will be seriously irritating if I can't lay in a hammock after dark.

 

[saskdw]

This is 100% headfake...

It will not provide "safety"...I think it may embolden.

But let's be serious: they overcharge so much for those damn things that they won't really impede the "guests"...

The whole waterfront, point hog concept for DVC is really not looking good right now.

Of course...it's not the humans that say "enough"...they can't spend fast enough...
...it's the gators that get messed with that are drawing the line.

Fitting. Real life tick tock crocs

I have to think that this plexi glass will greatly lower the appeal of these bungalows. For that kind of money I want to sit on the deck at night and not look through a plexi glass shield.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Does this include beachy areas at resorts like CSR and CBR or just the resorts that border major waterways?

It will be seriously irritating if I can't lay in a hammock after dark.

Prepare to be irritated.