News Round Up

[WDWChloe]

More confirmation that ToT is out for good next year... From the W.I.S.H. thread:

Oh. My. God. This scared me until I saw the "RunDisney".... Wow.

If that is true I'm still a little sad... Yet to have done the ToT 10-miler but I promised myself I would next year. Of course lol

 

[rteetz]

New bus route test at the Monorail resorts.

Starting October 12 through to October 25 2014, the new bus route will travel between Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Typhoon Lagoon.

The new route will alleviate the problem of no direct service from Typhoon Lagoon after 2pm, and all guests being routed via Epcot. The current routing leaves the monorail resort guests having to transfer back to their hotels via the monorail from Epcot.

Via wdwmagic.com

 

[lockedoutlogic]

That may be a goal, but at least for us, shortening times in line will only translate into us going on more rides... NOT spending more time/$$$ in a giftshop. I'm sure we're not the only ones with that attitude.

Cheers,
--Lee

But you are what they don't want...
Like how a credit card company hates those that never runs a balance.

The bottomline is giftshop time is at the very top of the goal list...and if they're finding that's not happening... They'll enact measure to try to steer people
That way.

Staff shifts/reductions as well... As Disney has never made one cent of profit off someone working a ride...at least not since the early days of tickets at Disneyland - perhaps.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

That was, according to Disney, the problem with the original FP. It didn't put people in the stores like they hoped. It put them in other ride lines.

And that's probably why the program was guillotined unceremoniously 10
Months ago

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If the goal is to have people in the gift shop and spend more....

put out some good merchandise.

The stuff in there is very boring and bad quality

honestly i wanted to buy something the last 5 times i went and came out thinking that nothing in there is worth wanting...forget about the price...i just didn't like anything.

I agree...but they won't do that...

They went complete Chinese crap from the mid 90s through about 2005...and their profits off merchandise soared due to cheap over head and dirt cheap product cost.

The key would have been NOT to buy the stuff then. It's not turning back.

Then they started to not even differentiate between the different parks and hotels...only WDW 20__ fill in the blank stuff.

Then the piece de resistance...."Disney parks"...because you can't differentiate when your 3 resort areas (bonjour... completely disney owned euro) are only a mere 3,000 miles apart.

Every now and then you see limited things here and there... Haunted mansion or small world for example...
And they have tinkered some with Bringing back resort specific apparel - but that seems to be a vacation club thing... As they won't generally touch the year/non specific stuff.

Need more sad history? Try to think back of the stores at world showcase in EPCOT in the 80s or 90s...and look what you see now.

Or my favorite - days of Christmas - once an awesome place that is now half empty and repetitious Disney stuff within the store itself.

I would gladly buy $60 radkos... And with it some Disney stuff. They probably made a little off the licenses stuff and alot off the Inhouse product.

Now they don't make a cent.

Boy...now I'm depressed again.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I agree I really think big things are coming for DHS regardless of Disney spending money on DLP.

I think they'll tell you it's big...

But you can't discount the euro thing... They will be a 2.5 billion dollar debt holder on parks with their own brand tied to them. It's a no win.

And they will very quickly be the full owner/ operator with the same labor and attendance issues that have crippled the partnership. Nobody is gonna "give it a go".

That is gonna hurt the US parks or at a minimum increase the up charging drastically...there's no way they "eat it" and anger the mighty Wall Street.

As far as studios goes... I'm expecting a fantasyland style carrot dangle and roll out for more Pixar... And minor Star Wars additions with the "promise of more"

Heck...the mine train is a cute family ride...but I'll never doubt for a second that they were "begrudgingly" forced to build it because of the mass expansion and early returns over at universal.

I think they "overspent" what their secret agenda was for fantasyland...which was basically more foot traffic space and some window dressing.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

New bus route test at the Monorail resorts.

Starting October 12 through to October 25 2014, the new bus route will travel between Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Typhoon Lagoon.

The new route will alleviate the problem of no direct service from Typhoon Lagoon after 2pm, and all guests being routed via Epcot. The current routing leaves the monorail resort guests having to transfer back to their hotels via the monorail from Epcot.

Via wdwmagic.com

Well...at least a change was made. I hadn't heard of read this...
But making people shelling out at those three places specifically transfer is what we used to refer to as "bad show"

 

[rteetz]

I think they'll tell you it's big... But you can't discount the euro thing... They will be a 2.5 billion dollar debt holder on parks with their own brand tied to them. It's a no win. And they will very quickly be the full owner/ operator with the same labor and attendance issues that have crippled the partnership. Nobody is gonna "give it a go". That is gonna hurt the US parks or at a minimum increase the up charging drastically...there's no way they "eat it" and anger the mighty Wall Street. As far as studios goes... I'm expecting a fantasyland style carrot dangle and roll out for more Pixar... And minor Star Wars additions with the "promise of more" Heck...the mine train is a cute family ride...but I'll never doubt for a second that they were "begrudgingly" forced to build it because of the mass expansion and early returns over at universal. I think they "overspent" what their secret agenda was for fantasyland...which was basically more foot traffic space and some window dressing.

Well if it's fantasyland style I'm okay with that because DHS just needs more rides period.

 

[skier_pete]

Well if it's fantasyland style I'm okay with that because DHS just needs more rides period.

Well, this is true. Part of the problem with TSMM being so popular is that there is very few RIDES for the under 6 set. I mean, take away ToT, RnRC, and Star Tours, and what little kid really likes the GMR. Sure, there's shows, but an actual RIDE...TSMM is IT.

So yeah, I think some dark ride style rides would probably help the park. But it wouldn't get the "approval" of the folks on this board. Top tier E ticket or BUST!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Well if it's fantasyland style I'm okay with that because DHS just needs more rides period.

I completely agree...
It needs alot more.

But so does animal kingdom ...and EPCOT is in dire straights in that department.

Somebody was saying the other day that Disney's "target" for guest per day is 10 experiences...as in if the crowds are managed properly and people get 10...they're happy.

The problem with that is that you can't find 10...10 is pretty much everything in all those parks and that means including what are uninteresting/dated/skips.

That's only reasonable for first timers/one timers.

The fast pass reservation system -more than anything for me - has really illuminated that problem.

And not just for me.. I've heard this from quite a few others... Who don't observe like I do and aren't nearly as skeptical.

I wonder what might happen when the bubble crashes the next time and travel dries up for another 3-5 years...
Will the "backbone" audience that keeps things level for TWDC still be there to serve as the backbone?

For the first time...I really wonder. Florida residents were always leaned on in bad times (Disney ignores/abuses them in good)...but they have priced the rooms to the point where even 40% discounts might be looked at as gaudy prices.

Bet big... Win big. Until you crap out and the house takes you for all you've got.

It's a lesson for business schools about longterm complacency, a downturn in overall quality and reputation, and lack of innovation.

 

[wallrock]

New bus route test at the Monorail resorts.

Starting October 12 through to October 25 2014, the new bus route will travel between Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Typhoon Lagoon.

The new route will alleviate the problem of no direct service from Typhoon Lagoon after 2pm, and all guests being routed via Epcot. The current routing leaves the monorail resort guests having to transfer back to their hotels via the monorail from Epcot.

Via wdwmagic.com

Not saying that it would happen, but it can also double as a test run on bus performance should the monorail go away.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Well, this is true. Part of the problem with TSMM being so popular is that there is very few RIDES for the under 6 set. I mean, take away ToT, RnRC, and Star Tours, and what little kid really likes the GMR. Sure, there's shows, but an actual RIDE...TSMM is IT.

So yeah, I think some dark ride style rides would probably help the park. But it wouldn't get the "approval" of the folks on this board. Top tier E ticket or BUST!

Well...I'm ok with any additions... For sure.

But they have lagged and gagged in this park for 25 years. It's to the point where I rarely set foot in it. The problem is from a cost and experience perspective...the whole complex is kinda running into a wall of sorts.

I mean...how on earth did the backlot JUST close...and the hunchback theater was never re occupied...and that the sounds dangerous through AI theaters have been closed more than they've been opened for about 15 years (i miss Doug, personally)...and how on earth does the honey I shrunk the audience AT LEAST not get a re theme? (Not like they had a Pixar bug movie or anything...)

I try - honestly - not to think about this park... Or animal kingdom...or EPCOT too much. At least downtown has some reprieve.

Lots of neglect across the board... Which I wouldn't even hammer them for if not coupled with these massive price increases (and policy changes to suit them) and distasteful hard ticket events.

Ho hum...Where's the coffee?

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

So yeah, I think some dark ride style rides would probably help the park. But it wouldn't get the "approval" of the folks on this board. Top tier E ticket or BUST!

I would love some new dark-rides in DHS!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Not saying that it would happen, but it can also double as a test run on bus performance should the monorail go away.

I was even gonna even go there (I'm lying)

 

[clsteve]

I wonder what might happen when the bubble crashes the next time and travel dries up for another 3-5 years...
Will the "backbone" audience that keeps things level for TWDC still be there to serve as the backbone?

For the first time...I really wonder. Florida residents were always leaned on in bad times (Disney ignores/abuses them in good)...but they have priced the rooms to the point where even 40% discounts might be looked at as gaudy prices.

Bet big... Win big. Until you crap out and the house takes you for all you've got.

It's a lesson for business schools about longterm complacency, a downturn in overall quality and reputation, and lack of innovation.

Yep.

And there's one other thing that goes right along with what you're saying - something that has to keep their risk mgrs up at night: exchange rate

Disney's benefited greatly from an historically long run of it being in their favor.

Europe has a laundry list of major issues they've been avoiding

South Am. is in its longest run of growth and stability ever. How long will that last? Volatility has usually been the name of the game

Favorable rates have paid a lot of big bonuses and filled a lot of $500 hotel rooms .....

Add in the EuroDisney cash buy out and the cash outlays for the stock buy backs....

That's a lot of real money I'm sure they'd like to have on hand if a downturn happened.....

 

[rteetz]

I completely agree... It needs alot more. But so does animal kingdom ...and EPCOT is in dire straights in that department. Somebody was saying the other day that Disney's "target" for guest per day is 10 experiences...as in if the crowds are managed properly and people get 10...they're happy. The problem with that is that you can't find 10...10 is pretty much everything in all those parks and that means including what are uninteresting/dated/skips. That's only reasonable for first timers/one timers. The fast pass reservation system -more than anything for me - has really illuminated that problem. And not just for me.. I've heard this from quite a few others... Who don't observe like I do and aren't nearly as skeptical. I wonder what might happen when the bubble crashes the next time and travel dries up for another 3-5 years... Will the "backbone" audience that keeps things level for TWDC still be there to serve as the backbone? For the first time...I really wonder. Florida residents were always leaned on in bad times (Disney ignores/abuses them in good)...but they have priced the rooms to the point where even 40% discounts might be looked at as gaudy prices. Bet big... Win big. Until you crap out and the house takes you for all you've got. It's a lesson for business schools about longterm complacency, a downturn in overall quality and reputation, and lack of innovation.

Well at least AK is getting something. Most likely two attractions an e or d ticket and then another d or c ticket with avatar.

I was the one that said the 10 experiences, and that means everything rides, characters, shows etc.

Hopefully EPCOT gets some help after DHS.

 

[rteetz]

Not saying that it would happen, but it can also double as a test run on bus performance should the monorail go away.

Which would probably make a lot of people upset.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Which would probably make a lot of people upset.

Which would matter in a place where the CUSTOMER uses their wallets to dictate what standards are...

That is not wdw.

I have no way to gauge it...but I'm guess new trains and upgrades of the system are probably a 200 million dollar bill. That's conservative...it could be way higher.

Now...they have put some work into the control systems (blame OSHA for that) and done some track maintenance to a certain extent...which means the monorails arent going away...
Yet.

But say they've bought 10 years...then the rails are 50 years old and trains are horribly over extended...and we're getting to a very high number (if its not already there)...

Does the plug not get pulled?

 

[rteetz]

Which would matter in a place where the CUSTOMER uses their wallets to dictate what standards are... That is not wdw. I have no way to gauge it...but I'm guess new trains and upgrades of the system are probably a 200 million dollar bill. That's conservative...it could be way higher. Now...they have put some work into the control systems (blame OSHA for that) and done some track maintenance to a certain extent...which means the monorails are going away... Yet. But say they've bought 10 years...then the rails are 50 years old and trains are horribly over extended...and we're getting to a very high number (if its not already there)... Does the plug not get pulled?

I agree the monorail is very costly system and we all know disney doesn't like to spend money when they don't get a direct return.

I have a fun thing to think about imagine if today's management was the management in charge of building and opening WDW in 1971 what would it look like today?

 

[etherealcaitiff]

I agree the monorail is very costly system and we all know disney doesn't like to spend money when they don't get a direct return.

I have a fun thing to think about imagine if today's management was the management in charge of building and opening WDW in 1971 what would it look like today?

All the resorts would be built like prison cells and ghettos.