Sept. E-nights

[Amor4Pooh]

From a West Coast perspective, Disneyland has enforced a policy that if the park has very high attendance, they will announce that the park is staying open an hour or two later (at least they did during the holidays). Why can't WDW enact the same? They pay CM's overtime just like DL, they ask them to stay and pay them accordingly ( if they are past 8 hours). I would think the CM's would be more then willing to stay if they are working on reduced hours during off peak season, the more hours and money- the better for them. Imagine what the guests would say at the MK in WDW if they did the same, and the cm's as well. It would be a small gesture of 1 or 2 hours, but so many would be happier. At the very least it would be excellent PR, and at the most, create many returning guests/$$$.

 

[Luv2Roam]

In terms of most here, I am a Disney newbie. I discovered these boards just over two years ago when I was planning our first trip.
We have been repeat visitors to WDW since, always having at least one Disney trip in the works while we are taking one.
This year we bought AP's. I am a DC member and spend a small fortune on pins. (I could buy a new car with the pins I have!)
This last May we went to WDW, knowing it would be much busier (and hotter) thank our usual January trips.
We noticed the significant (to us) cut backs between our January '02 trip and May's.
That and add on crowds... We enjoyed our trip, but decided not to return in May again.
May '01 we did the So CA/DCA/DL trip and we would do that again.

I couldn't figure out MK. It was VERY busy the Tuesday after Memorial Day. We happened to be in Adventureland around lunch, and thought we would grab some tacos at El Pirata. CLOSED! When the park was BUSY! Didn't make any sense then and doesn't now. And like everyone else, we went to Pecos Bills. An absolute unenjoyable madhouse! Never again.
We even left MK early because it was just too crowded to really be enjoyable. We constantly found ourselves saying, "Oh we'll do that in January."
This upcoming January trip will be the first time I won't have another WDW trip in the planning stage. Esp if they do have dark days at DAK. That will be the last straw for me. Not unless they want to lower AP/ticket prices significantly. And I won't hold my breath on that.

 

[wahoo]

Luv2roam,
I don't think this spring was typical in attendance. We went for easter break and it was terribly crowded...so much so that we swore we would never do it again. A friend who was with us for that trip went back in May and said the crowds were as bad or worse. She has gone in May EVERY year I have known her and has never experienced anything like it. She said that apparently everyone who had planned to go in the fall rebooked for spring, so it was packed.

 

[space42]

Originally posted by wahoo
Luv2roam,
I don't think this spring was typical in attendance. We went for easter break and it was terribly crowded...so much so that we swore we would never do it again. A friend who was with us for that trip went back in May and said the crowds were as bad or worse. She has gone in May EVERY year I have known her and has never experienced anything like it. She said that apparently everyone who had planned to go in the fall rebooked for spring, so it was packed.

Some of this situation can also be attributed to the cutbacks. The parks seem like they are more crowded than they actually are.
The parks are open for less hours forcing people to do more in less time. Also many attractions are not operating at full capacity creating longer lines.

While some of this makes sense during the off season, it is having a negative impact during busier times.

 

[Luv2Roam]

We arrived the Saturday before Memorial day and left the following Saturday. We were not in the parks the Saturdays. All the other parks were very comfortable crowd-wise. It was perfect. Not crowded, not dead. MK was very busy.
We went on May 31st to MK again (Friday). I thought it would be busier yet. But it really was the same as the past Tuesday when we went.
I just couldn't understand why the transporation seemed to be cut back, along with the hours and even food places. In January they were DEAD and we had what expected.
May, it was much busier and the cut backs were very noticeable. We certainly got a lot more bang for our buck with the January trip than the May trip.
And we still really enjoyed ourselves in WDW. But I really enjoyed (even more so) the May in So CA trip.
As a guest -- which will I choose? hhmmmm Tijuana, SD Zoo, DL -- here we come!

 

[Luv2Roam]

We arrived the Saturday before Memorial day and left the following Saturday. We were not in the parks the Saturdays. All the other parks were very comfortable crowd-wise. It was perfect. Not crowded, not dead. MK was very busy.
We went on May 31st to MK again (Friday). I thought it would be busier yet. But it really was the same as the past Tuesday when we went.
I just couldn't understand why the transporation seemed to be cut back, along with the hours and even food places. In January they were DEAD and we had what expected.
May, it was much busier and the cut backs were very noticeable. We certainly got a lot more bang for our buck with the January trip than the May trip.
And we still really enjoyed ourselves in WDW. But I really enjoyed (even more so) the May in So CA trip.
As a guest -- which will I choose? hhmmmm Tijuana, SD Zoo, DL -- here we come!

 

[wahoo]

space,
I hadn't thought about the rides being operated at less than full capacity. We have always had to go in prime season (4 kids in school) and the hours have always been quite extensive. How much have the hours been cut in the off-season compared to previous years?