Not sure $149 Disney After Hrs event is doing well... (ETA: reviews in 1st post)

[Love Tink]

Did you read the whole of the quote I was replying to (in particular the last line)?

I'm not angry at all, just gobsmacked at the idea that someone is 'gleefully rubbing their hands together hoping it fails'. That isn't really expressing an opinion, it's just plain not nice

Did you read the whole of the quote to which you were replying? Because the person didn't say "gleefully."

I can't speak for the other poster, but why would someone be rooting hard for this to fail? Because they are worried this is the latest step in pricing every aspect of the WDW experience, from doubling the price for the parties to charging for FP+. Because they think this represents a fundamental change in how Disney vacations can be enjoyed.

It isn't about rooting against Disney and not being nice. It's about hoping against hope that something you love isn't about to become something you don't love. SMH.

 

[Kimberly9701]

This may have already been said, but I just got home from WDW and am only now having a chance to sit at a computer and type out my experience on thursday evening at MK. i DID NOT have an after hours ticket. We were there with our kids and fireworks at 10 was as late as we could stay anyway.

Here is what happened:

I saw two younger women in the bathroom behind tomorrowland terrace cafe wearing their after hours badges. It seemed likely to me that they were CMs there for free. Earlier in the day, there had been speculation on here that CMs would get in free just like DVC and I wanted to know if it was true. The CMs were actually very chatty. Here is what they said:

1. Yes the CMs were offered free tickets for thursday.

2. The circulating rumor among CMs was that ONLY 200 tickets were sold for the event prior to opening up to DVC.

3. The event was intentionally under-advertised, because Disney expected it to sell out quickly.

4. The CMs asked me a lot of questions about why I wasn't attending and said "they're going to want to know about this at work tomorrow, so this is helpful."

5. The CMs said this event is targeted for people traveling without children and for OFF PEAK season. The morning hours event will be aimed more at families during the summer than the after hours event.

6. The CMs said Disney was particularly concerned about whether this event (or its sister event in the morning) would impact a guest's plans to attend party events or other special experiences (like CRT or Wishes Dessert Party). They were confused as to why the others sell so well and then this not so much.

I gave my feedback. I told them they needed to lower the price. I said it made me more interested in MNSSHP or MVMCP because those seemed to have more value than this for a family like mine. I'm sorry if this is repeat information. Like I said, I'm just now home from my trip. It was very obvious to me that CMs had been given free passes based on who was entering the park near closing. If I was one of those 200 who paid, I would be PISSED.

This is what I've been saying since the beginning. It's common sense.
This event is NOT aimed at the family of 5-6 who is staying 7+ nights.

There are a lot of other people who go to Disney World besides that type of guest. WDW travelers come in all ages, income levels, party size, stay lengths, on site travelers, off site travelers, etc etc etc

Just because this doesn't benefit one type of WDW guest doesn't mean it won't benefit another guest.

 

[chelynnah]

Did you read the whole of the quote to which you were replying? Because the person didn't say "gleefully."

I can't speak for the other poster, but why would someone be rooting hard for this to fail? Because they are worried this is the latest step in pricing every aspect of the WDW experience, from doubling the price for the parties to charging for FP+. Because they think this represents a fundamental change in how Disney vacations can be enjoyed.

It isn't about rooting against Disney and not being nice. It's about hoping against hope that something you love isn't about to become something you don't love. SMH.

I didn't see it as rooting against Disney, I see it as rooting against those who may see a benefit in it that the OP doesn't. That's what's not nice.

Maybe it's the latest step in Disney trying to accommodate some of the complaints about crowds, wait times, people saying they'd pay more for a later experience, gearing it towards off-site (and yes, them making money). Why is everything Disney does a potential threat to our holiday. As I said in another post, stop letting the 'what ifs' cloud everything and just enjoy being there. Roll with the changes (that are inevitable) and just enjoy being there.

This is what I've been saying since the beginning. It's common sense.
This event is NOT aimed at the family of 5-6 who is staying 7+ nights.

There are a lot of other people who go to Disney World besides that type of guest. WDW travelers come in all ages, income levels, party size, stay lengths, on site travelers, off site travelers, etc etc etc

Just because this doesn't benefit one type of WDW guest doesn't mean it won't benefit another guest.

^^^THIS!!

 

[chelynnah]

Oops accidental duplicate

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I actually don't think it's that at all. If Disney had given more lead time to the announcement, we would have had six months of complaining instead of two.

People don't like it when they think Disney is not giving them something they want. If there's a common thread to the criticism it's that -- I want to get all I want/can for the ticket I paid for, and Disney is limiting what I get for my money. I get that and usually agree.

What I don't agree with is the villianization of Disney in these -- or any -- processes. it does come down to making money, but that goes both ways. Because for the guests it comes down to spending money. Disney wants to maximize their limited resources, and so do its customers. So, for example, if Disney extended hours to 1 am, and there are 1000 people left in the park, all of whom are walking on and all of whom paid a standard entry ticket, that's not Disney's best use of resources, and as much as patrons may resent them acting in their own interest, it's no different than the consumer acting in their own as well. You don't see customers offering more money on nights when WDW stays open late -- customers are just grateful for the extra time. And on those nights, WDW sees a benefit to their extra costs. But if the benefit doesn't match the cost -- no matter how much other money they company or the park makes -- then it's no different from a customer deciding they aren't going to pay whatever the price may be.

I don't think anyone -- on this thread or any other -- tries to browbeat those who choose not to pay into paying, but there is a lot of criticizing those who think there's value there, and there's a lot of demonization of Disney for doing the exact same thing its customers do. I don't think any of these things are a money grab, because I think Disney makes plenty of money. I think they are trying to find a way to regulate their increasing crowds without turning people away at the gate. I've said before that I think the key might be a split day -- a ticket that gets you in for either 9-8 or 1-12, so both sides have time with smaller access. But I'm just spitballing and there are plenty of other options -- like they could just switch to Disney Nights, and have every day end at 7, and then bring in a new crowd at 5 until 11.

They have limited resources in terms of ride capacity. I know the easy answer is that they should expand, but that's up to them -- Hamilton has sold out through November, but I'd be hard pressed to tell them they're being negligent by not putting four or five productions on the road. I feel the same way about Disney.

For me it is at least partially the last minute nature of it. Disney has been pretty disrespectful in the way it rolls things out lately. I'm leaving in two weeks and they just came out with the HS fireworks schedule for May and its 4 days a week. Where did that come from?? I was not promised fireworks, in fact I was fully prepared not to have them but I expected it would be all or nothing. I'm happy for the people who are getting fireworks but if Disney had played by their own rules and announced this at least 61 days out, I would have a chance to change my plans to see fireworks. Since they waited so long, I would now have to give up my TSMM FPs to see fireworks. An unnecessary frustration in my book. I have no dog in the fight over DAH. My little kids don't stay up that late. But I can see where right now people who have summer plans are hoping for extended hours like they have in the past and DAH may impact that. And maybe they plan for the days where Disney has them scheduled now and Disney makes them every day ending in Y for the summer (Not likely of course, but they could). It's just that if they give people enough notice, those who don't want to be affected can adjust. But the way they do things doesn't fit with the 180/60/30 day model they have created. Just because what people are used to wasn't a contractually binding agreement doesn't mean they aren't taking it away. If people feel like it's standard operating procedure and it changes with little notice, they may feel disappointed and frustrated. Disney created the rules and circumstances that lead to that emotional response. It's certainly on the individual to temper it and get over it or stop going but to say that Disney didn't have a hand in how people are feeling is ignoring the situation.

I will go and not have fireworks and get over it and have a wonderful time anyway. That doesn't mean I can't ask (whine?) for Disney to be more respectful of me as a guest...

 

[jknc]

If Disney announced in the fall/winter that After Hours with dates/prices was coming in the future then this isn't a problem and people could have planned around those events accordingly.

 

[AnnaKat]

Keeping my fingers crossed they don't keep the MK closing hours at 10 for an upcharge event.
Last year closing - NON EMH - was 1.

As bad AS
eliminating evening MK EMHs would be, and only offering the $149 After Hours Events,
what would really be upsetting would be IF they ACTUALLY changed the later hours into an upsell!

What IF they started regularly closing MK @ 9 for regular tix holders, & required an upsell ticket of $49 for
9 pm to midnight or 1 a.m., INCLUDING Wishes @ 10, & the Main Street Electrical Parade @ 11?
Disney could make MK's nighttime entertainment an upsell to an already purchased tix,
thereby raking in millions of $$$$$$s, AS families WILL PAY extra to enjoy Wishes & MSEP.

 

[opus1guy]

For me it is at least partially the last minute nature of it. Disney has been pretty disrespectful in the way it rolls things out lately. I'm leaving in two weeks and they just came out with the HS fireworks schedule for May and its 4 days a week. Where did that come from?? I was not promised fireworks, in fact I was fully prepared not to have them but I expected it would be all or nothing. I'm happy for the people who are getting fireworks but if Disney had played by their own rules and announced this at least 61 days out, I would have a chance to change my plans to see fireworks.

My same situation in May. Now my only option to see the Star Wars fireworks is to skip Illuminations and hop over to the Studio. It's way too late to attempt to change my park days around and lose my existing Fastpass+ and dining ressy's.

 

[PetePanMan]

My same situation in May. Now my only option to see the Star Wars fireworks is to skip Illuminations and hop over to the Studio. It's way too late to attempt to change my park days around and lose my existing Fastpass+ and dining ressy's.

Exact same for us and our trip first week in May so we are not happy campers. First, no RoL as announced. Then, MK after hours event the same day we are going to MK. and now ...no StarWars fireworks for day we are at DHS. Too late to shift plans and change ADR's, FP+'s etc. They really need to do better job on providing more advanced notice.

 

[GATORinaZ28]

Call me crazy, but IF this is available in Nov/Dec, I am considering purchasing a ticket for one night. I would have to drop one of my parties (I do multiple parties every year) and possibly drop Downtown Disney, but it may be worth it for me. We will see.

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

check MK hours for June. Every night close is 10 p.m. Get used to this.

 

[Mikie]

check MK hours for June. Every night close is 10 p.m. Get used to this.

I need a dislike button. My kids are finally getting old enough to stay out late and I've been looking forward to trying that out on WDW trips. . .I hope the earlier closings or paid-only late nights do not become more the norm. I know park hours change as you get closer, but I don't know whether there is any typical time for changes to be 90% final. I thought people used to say they were pretty reliable by about 6 weeks out with occasional day-of extensions, but I really don't recall. If this June schedule remains, that is a huge change from 2015 when every single day was open (regular hours) until 12 or 1.

 

[Confederate Scott]

The key to seeing the end of the $149 after hours is people not buying the tickets.

 

[jknc]

I need a dislike button. My kids are finally getting old enough to stay out late and I've been looking forward to trying that out on WDW trips. . .I hope the earlier closings or paid-only late nights do not become more the norm. I know park hours change as you get closer, but I don't know whether there is any typical time for changes to be 90% final. I thought people used to say they were pretty reliable by about 6 weeks out with occasional day-of extensions, but I really don't recall. If this June schedule remains, that is a huge change from 2015 when every single day was open (regular hours) until 12 or 1.

Hopefully, DAH is not extended. If so, from experience Disney will have managed to take priceless time from 11 - 1 am I had with my girls and put a price tag on it.

 

[JACKNAG]

This is a test the waters. If it works all the parties Halloween, Christmas .... will be at this price point. Buckle up people if you loved those parties the price is going up!

 

[whiporee]

Hopefully, DAH is not extended. If so, from experience Disney will have managed to take priceless time from 11 - 1 am I had with my girls and put a price tag on it.

It always had a price tag. It's just that this one is higher than you want to pay.

 

[lovethattink]

A reminder to keep things friendly and to stick to DIS posting guidelines. "No attacking others and no sarcasm please. Either will result in an infraction. http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm

 

[Mikie]

Here's an article calling it a flop "for now." http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/16/disney-worlds-149-experiment-is-a-flop-for-now.aspx

Thanks for posting that. . . not sure whether I agree. I really think the first night results (both positive and negative) have to be taken with a grain of salt. Lots of social media talking about how great it was from a guest perspective. From a Disney perspective, I certainly think that positive word of mouth will be their best advertising, so I'm not sure low sales on night 1 are a death knell. If sales don't increase much, it could be because the price point is too high OR because Disney really didn't advertise or market this very well.

 

[Confederate Scott]

This is a test the waters. If it works all the parties Halloween, Christmas .... will be at this price point. Buckle up people if you loved those parties the price is going up!

I do think how this fairs could impact the cost of the Halloween and Christmas parties some but cannot see they going to $149. The parties have more tickets available (I have heard perhaps 20,000) per party whereas the after hours is apparently limited to 3,000. If they raised the price to $149 for these there is no chance they sell the number of tickets they do now.

 

[Mikie]

check MK hours for June. Every night close is 10 p.m. Get used to this.

Again, I say I don't know how far out park hours usually become more final, so I sure hope these are going to change, but currently July and August are listed as 10pm close daily too, except for a handful of 9pm closes!

It looks odd because June and July of 2013-2015 the park closed at 11pm or later every single day.
Who knows what they're playing around with, because in May 2015 (at least according to the park hours on this site) MK closed at 10 every single day, but May 2016 lists only 4 10pm closes and all other days are 11pm or later. It just looks weird with one entire month being a clean sweep of one particular closing time like that with the comparable month in others years not looking that way or the surrounding months in the same year not being that way.

Anyway, here's hoping summer hours will still be updated, or else that's a LOT of missing park hours this summer - 1-3 hours every single day compared to the last 3 summers.