Sept. E-nights

[SnackyStacky]

E-Nights were never meant to be a profitable endeavor. They were meant to offset the reduced hours they had in the off-season so that guests would have a chance to see the Magic Kingdom at night.

People can go on and on about how Epcot and MGM are open later, and that's fine for them. If that's what they like so be it. But the central selling point of Disney is the Magic Kingdom. It has to be. Look at the attendance, and I don't mean figures. No matter when you go, there are always more people at the Magic Kingdom than any other park. And that's a relative number. ALL attendance figures are down in the off-season, but the Magic Kingdom still will have the most guests of any of the parks.

They love to show the castle lit up, and the fireworks on their advertising materials, but they don't put a little disclaimer at the bottom: "If you visit anytime other than summer, Christmas, and Easter, you will only be able to view the fireworks on Saturday nights."

This is the last word I'll say on this. Not because I don't think I can debate it, but as someone said, the fact that they are working every PENNY out of their theme park guests to cover their internet, television and film losses is immensely annoying and too frustrating for me.

 

[KNWVIKING]

... you stated E-nites were created as an incentive to stay on property- how so? EE was an on property incentive,but aren't/weren't E-nites open to anyone who wished to pay ?

Another poster mentioned that E-nites were intended for the off season- I don't understand that statement either. If attendance is down,I'll be able to do what I want to do in the parks during normal hrs. Why would I pay an additional fee to go back in and do them all over again.

WDW would not end something that was profitable or at least holding it's,it would end something if was losing money or causing another segment to lose. I can see this happening if people are ONLY purchasing E-tickets and hitting the hot rides. People on a mission and limited time don't spend spend spend.

 

[space42]

... you stated E-nites were created as an incentive to stay on property- how so? EE was an on property incentive,but aren't/weren't E-nites open to anyone who wished to pay ?

Incorrect. E-nites are / were for WDW resort guests only.

 

[Ona]

Another poster mentioned that E-nites were intended for the off season- I don't understand that statement either. If attendance is down,I'll be able to do what I want to do in the parks during normal hrs. Why would I pay an additional fee to go back in and do them all over again.

It's not all about being able to do every attraction. The thing that makes the MK so special is the atmosphere. If the money men say that it is not profitable to keep the park open until night has fallen (when the MK is at it's most magical), then e-night is a way for the guests to see the MK at night while also bringing in a bit more cash. But now we don't get to see the MK at night even if we're willing to pay extra.


Ona

 

[Jackie H.]

"..can only see Spectromagic and MK fireworks on Saturday nights.."

That isn't even true anymore. My family & I are arriving on Monday, Sept 2 and leaving Sunday, Sept 8th. There is not one night time parade or fireworks during that time...NOT ONE!

I emailed WDW with my anger over this situation, but I don't expect anything from it.

I really think my park tickets should cost less at this time of year - I'm not getting as much as summer attendenees do. No night parade. No fireworks. No Tinkerbell. No opportunity to attend anything in MK after 6pm at all - not even for extra money.

And as to the lower attendence levels. I have to agree with those that cited the fact that attendence is still much larger than it was years ago and MK was open at night then. Does it cost that much more to run MK than MGM or EPCOT? If so, why would it?

I have considered the idea that it is simply a ploy to make us stay longer. If I could go to MK on a Tuesday in Sept from 9-9, I may not need a second day in that park.

And I don't feel "entitled" to anything either. But I do want to get what I pay for.

 

[Gillian]

Jackie H. -- The Friday & saturday of your trip is the Nights of Joy at the MK. It is a separate ticket event ($35, no park admission req.). That's why there are no parades or fireworks that weekend. I read that an enight was added for sept 1, but that doesn't help you either, I know. It would be great if they could open the MK late one night that week to make up for being closed for a special event over the weekend.

I believe that AV speaks the truth, and it depresses me. When management has that kind of attitude, nothing will change until you get new people in charge.

 

[raidermatt]

It would be great if they could open the MK late one night that week to make up for being closed for a special event over the weekend.

Sounds like a reasonable gesture to me.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by raidermatt


Sounds like a reasonable gesture to me.

Me too.

 

[Jackie H.]

I see how I worded that wrong, but I did realize Night of Joy was the weekend during our trip.

But you see, that doesn't help me at all. I can spend an extra $150 for the four of us to go to MK and still not see the parade - the best I can determine it doesn't run then. Some say the fireworks do go, some say they don't.

My point is, I am there 7 days, 6 nights! That should be enough to see and do everything I want to do. At least once during that time these events should be offered. I still understand why it isn't run every night......but just once - I don't think that is too much to expect.

So I bought tickets at the same price as someone who is going at another time. They get to see night parade and fireworks, they get to be in MK at night. I do not. I can already hear the "well, why don't you go at a different time of year and quit complaining". Because we can't go at a different time of year; because we have gone this time of year before and not found this situation; because I am not expecting summer hours and summer programs - just a little tidbit sometime during a week's stay.

Disney seems to want to attract visitors during off season times, this doesn't seem to be the way to do it.

I also cannot understand why MGM is open until 8:30 and EPCOT until 9 and MK closes at 6 everyday. At least alternate the parks! Why is the most popular park the one that closes the earliest?

 

[d-r]

Hi Jackie H,

Last year we went to wdw during night of joy, too.

We found out about it a couple of weeks before we left. We thought about buying tickets for night of joy thinking it might be sort of like e-night.

But the advice we got all over the internet was that if we weren't going for the music, then it would be a waste. APparently it is really crowded with all the different groups and youth groups and local folks, so that you don't have much of a chance to ride rides. I think there are fireworks though.

Your point of view is really nicely worded and laid out. You should mail it to someone at Disney and at the magic kingdom.

I think that eventually they are going to start listening to the guests who are complaining about MK closing every night earlier than epcot and mgm, and will probably start rotating mgm with mk, but they aren't going to do that if they don't hear from guests -

DR

 

[Gillian]

Jackie H., I understand how you feel, I just wanted to make sure you knew about NoJ. Some people don't. I don't consider it an option unless you want to see the concerts. We'll be there the 7th through the 15th, and are also disappointed, even though we will have parade/fireworks on the 14th. I'm sure it will be packed!

I'll send an email to Disney if you do

 

[Jackie H.]

Gillian,
I already have sent an email to Disney. Thanks for your sympathy!

I am still looking forward to a great trip and I hope your is also!

 

[wahoo]

What Disney does not seem to understand is that the more these perks are taken away, the less incentive there is to stay in their over-priced and sub-standard resort rooms. Let's face it- the theming is great, but the rooms are so-so and the service is poor. That's less hotel revenue. Then there is less partaking of their sub-standard food in their resort restaurants and less items purchased in their over-priced resort stores. Why should i pay a massive premium to stay somewhere that is not being well-maintained, greeted by surly cm's when i can go stay at a beautiful hotel on international drive, a few minutes from any disney property, for a lot less money and even get free breakfast thrown in for my dh and 4 kids. Part of the reason we paid extra to stay on property was to feel special and magical...now, we just feel ripped-off. And this is from a dvc member. Hilton Head here we come.

 

[MelissathePooh]

Wahoo,

I appreciate that we are all entitled to our own opinions, but your post is just that - your opinion.

Actually there are dozens of resorts off property that cost as much if not more than some of the resorts on property. I'm referring to rack rate on property rooms at that.

IMHO, some of the resort restaurants are excellent - better than most anything we have in Lansing. For the handful of good restaurants we have here - they are priced about the same.

A lot of the issues going on here lately are just this - cases of one persons opinion vs another persons. What your family may value most in a vacation may be completely different than for my family. Quite often value is totally subjective.

 

[wahoo]

Melissa,
I would venture to say that most items posted in chat rooms are opinions.

Despite my view that, dollar for dollar, the rooms at Disney are not what I would consider deluxe, our family made a massive investment to be part of the Disney magic, via DVC. Believe it or not, having perks like early entry and e-nights were pivitol in our decision to do so. We are also Disney stockholders. I think that the business decisions that are being made, things like cutting back on restroom cleanliness to save a few minimum wage dollars, are unwise and shortsighted. The main product that wdw sells is the magic you feel when you come in the place. When that is eroded, it loses its entire competitive advantage and becomes just another theme park, instead of what it had been, the gold standard of theme parks. And that is very sad indeed.

 

[MelissathePooh]

True most everything is just an opinion - that's my point. We don't feel like the magic of WDW has been "eroded" and we feel that we get more for our money now than ever before at WDW.

Not everyone is having such a negative experience with Disney. I can honestly say that we pay less now for a WDW vacation than we ever have (not less than my mom when I was a child), but as adults we are paying much less than when DR and I first started going together.

My point was just that value is subjective.

 

[raidermatt]

True, it is subjective.

That's why things like attendance and bookings are better indicators of whether or not Disney has diminished its offerings to its guests...

 

[wahoo]

Raidermatt,

True, the bookings are the best indicator. I know that I will be expressing my dissatisfaction by not going as frequently as I had before. It is my understanding that attendance has dropped significantly after the backlog of rebookings that happened this spring after 9/11 last year. I just hope that Disney responds to this by renewing its commitment to excellence. Everybody understood dropping services when the
parks were deserted last September... I don't think Disneyphiles will be so understanding if reduced service becomes wdw's modus operandi.

 

[Planogirl]

I can't imagine staying onsite right now unless we get a nice bargain. The reasons I enjoyed staying onsite are being severely eroded which of course is my subjective opinion. I just feel that we are getting a lot less for our vacation dollar than before and that makes me feel ready for new experiences.

I agree that Disney offering one later night at MK to offset the Night of Joy event would have been a great gesture. I think that it's just good service.

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

My experiences over the past few years have been exactly the same. The crowds have been similar, prices higher, and service and cleanliness had decreased.

We always have a great time, but we always notice the differences.

When does the decrease in value of the experience change our decision to visit?

I probably drop between 1 and 3 grand every year at Disney and have been doing so for years. I am a VERY good customer. Most people that I know from up here look at Disney as a once in a lifetime vacation, and they will not notice any changes because they have no reference point. Disney will still attract these type of visitors.

The ones who are not returning are the frequent, Disney addicts. People like us notice the seasonal and reduced hours of attractions, missing EE, fewer CMs, service breakdowns, less than perfect restrooms, closed favorite restaurants, reduced entertainment, etc. Surveys probably don't reflect a large percentage of people seeing the decreasing guest experience because we are the minority.

Let me give you an example. We went to MGM on the 4th of July this year. The park was packed to the gills. We took a rest break in the afternoon and came back at about 6:30 to catch a few more attractions (The park was open to 9:00). Everything closed between 7 and 7:30 except for TOT, RRC, and Star Tours. The park was absolute filled, and closing everything down that early was crazy. Restaurants, carts, some shops.....everything closed down when the parked was packed with guests.

We caught the last show of Fantasmic. It was missing several show elements, floats, and character parts that only a veteran would notice. (Still a great show though) Then when we left they were running only two of the five trams and we waited an hour to catch one to our car. People were really really really angry while they were waiting in line with their kids sleeping on their shoulders. For many of them it tainted the day.

Did we have a nice time.....yes. Did we notice the tremendous cut back in staffing and service. Yes again. A first time visitor wouldn't notice any difference however.

On the plus side, for the first time in years, everything appeared to have been re-painted and repaired. That part of the trip was impressive. Staffing, and service were lower than I have ever seen them though.

We have really noticed the changes over the past 4-5 years. Prior to that, we always returned from our annual trips glowing about the "near perfect" experience. Now we notice something every year that upsets us.

The one other thing that really upset me that week was the operating hours of the MK. They closed at 9 or 10 pm during one of their busiest weeks of the year. The park was very crowded when they shut down on the day we visited. What the heck are they thinking?

We usually don't stay on-site unless we stay at Ft. Wilderness. Usually we stay at a local, less expensive hotel. When I did stay at Ft. Wilderness we sometimes used EE, and then park hopped to another park, but the loss of EE doesn't affect me because I didn't do that very often. I do dislike seeing seasonal or limited hour attractions and missing out on the evenings at the parks because they close much earlier now.

There is a reason Disney parks attract 10-15 million people per year, while Six Flaggs is lucky to get 1-2 million. People want an experience that they cannot get anywhere else. You take a "leap of faith" that things will be near-perfect at a Disney resort.

I am slowly losing faith.