What will WDW "cut" next?

[Robo]

All of the "finale bird releases" were ended at the parks years ago.

Hmmmm. I don't know about the rest of the shows, but FoW definitely still had white doves at the end of the show last time I was there (within the past year).

But that's a bird show!

But, the birds no longer ride their bicycles off the stage.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I suspect it will be a pay for thing. Universal does it this way, so Disney will follow... I don't do the fast pass thing so i don't care but when i heard Universal did it i thought it was scummy. If Disney does it, i will have a similar opinion.

Stay on Universal Resort (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort) and you get the FREE acsess to FOTL (Front Of The Line). I love staying on-site!! You can't beat the FOTL!

 

[pjpoppins]

I think we just have to understand that this is the theme around our country right now. Everybody is hurting economically. I work in a hospital that is cutting stuff left and right. And just like Disney I think "couldn't they save a few bucks somewhere else?" but it is what it is. Just like the hospital I hope Disney makes up for it when things turn around and the have the funds again.

 

[ttintagel]

I just think many of us "uberfans" put Disney at a higher standard, and we wish that Disney would do things just because, and not for profit. Yes, perhaps each thing that was taken away was a little thing by itself, but for me it was the totality of the little things that was Magic...

I just wanted to add to your excellent comment, that it's not some arbitrary standard that fans made up - it's the standard that the company set for itself.

 

[BLTLDZ]

Fireworks.

I hope not!!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I think we just have to understand that this is the theme around our country right now. Everybody is hurting economically. I work in a hospital that is cutting stuff left and right. And just like Disney I think "couldn't they save a few bucks somewhere else?" but it is what it is. Just like the hospital I hope Disney makes up for it when things turn around and the have the funds again.

I keep seeing this comment and I would agree except then I see comments that Disney is packed all year around. So which is it?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I keep seeing this comment and I would agree except then I see comments that Disney is packed all year around. So which is it?

Great marketing efforts, Linda.

 

[disney1990]

I just have to mention that I spent yesterday at Six Flags Great Adventure with DD9 and my sister. The park was so run down, bathrooms dirty, food horrible and much more expensive than Disney ($3.50 for a bottle of water). 95% of the rides worth doing had a minimum height of 54", so DD couldn't do them. The only ride with any themeing worth mentioning was Houdini.
At the end of the day, I had spent as much as I would have at Disney and there was no magic in my day.
They don't let you ride most thongs with any sort of bag (even a small crossbody bag), this is so they can suck $1 out of you for a one time use locker. Fast Pass (flash pass there) will cost at least an extra $120 for a family. The other option is to wait at least an hour for any minimally popular ride.
I don't care if WDW stopped stamping their napkins, or if they cut an hour from EMH (btw, in MK, the regular hours are extended an hour, so it's still open just as long), they are still the best game in town by far!

As I read through this entire thread, I was thinking about Six Flags and knew that going to Disney was so much better. I will take Disney (with the cutbacks) over a Six Flags any day of the week.

 

[jlevis]

I keep seeing this comment and I would agree except then I see comments that Disney is packed all year around. So which is it?

Sure the parks are "packed". Last figures I saw here were that attenance at Disney was up 1% over last year. Just because people are in the parks does not mean they are spending like they used to. Lower class of rooms or off site, shorter stays, CS instead of TS meals and fewer souveniers. We have annual passes and we stay at our timeshare. We'll be there two weeks but other than 3 TS meals at the parks we are not planning on spending like we used to.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

This is a fascinating thread.
Yes, of course we can go back and count what Disney added and what Disney took a way, and yes, from a mathematical and business standpoint in would make perfect sense.

I just think many of us "uberfans" put Disney at a higher standard, and we wish that Disney would do things just because, and not for profit. Yes, perhaps each thing that was taken away was a little thing by itself, but for me it was the totality of the little things that was Magic...

Say what you will about the napkins, mickey butter, the mist in EE, the Beauty and the Beast preshow, (and for that matter the doves at the end, are they still there)...

but devil is in the details. it is precisely DETAILS and "little things" that set Disney apart from any other company, and every other theme park, and make you go home and just feel "wow, that was a special place."

naive? perhaps, and sure i know businesses need to thrive, I just agree with a previous poster and I just miss certain things.

I agree

I understand that the bottom line is money. Sure, they add things and make improvements. They need to do this in order to give people a reason to return. Some will not miss the "perks" (for lack of a better word) that are gone. Some will. I'll still spend my hard-earned money at the parks, there aren't many places like it. But I also don't have to like or agree with any of the cuts (whether there is sound business reasoning behind them or not). I am a customer and a stockholder (full disclosure and all ). I look at any cuts (or additions) from the standpoint of the consumer (my family) and how it impacts our vacation. Each cut impacts each "consumer" differently and therefore there will be varying opinions on the outcome of the cuts that Disney makes.

It's interesting to read the different takes

 

[vicki_c]

Excerpts from Disney's 2011 annual report (because I would rather have facts than guesses) - feel free to read it in more detail yourself.

"The increase in EPS for fiscal 2011 reflected higher operating results driven by ... increased guest spending and volumes at our domestic parks and resorts,.... These increases were partially offset by higher costs at ESPN and at our domestic parks and resorts...."

Parks & resorts had a 10% increase in revenue from 2010 to 2011, and operating income up 18%. 9% increase in operating expenses.

Attendance at domestic parks was only up 1%, but per capita park spending was up 8%. Per room guest spending (so spending @ the resorts, not parks) went up from $224 to $241.

"Revenue growth of 11% at our domestic operations reflected a 6% increase driven by higher average guest spending and a 3% increase due to volume driven by higher passenger cruise ship days due to the launch of our new cruise ship, the Disney Dream, in January 2011, and higher attendance. Higher guest spending was primarily due to higher average ticket prices, daily hotel room rates, and food, beverage, and merchandise spending."

So it's not true that people are still going, but spending less.

 

[nansmama]

------------------------

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

I totally agree with this. We live the next town over from a Six Flags and we have season passes. Yes, general admission is half the price of Disney, but the standards of upkeep and entertainment at Six Flags are not anywhere even remotely close to Disney standards. It's expected rather than exception to see things like litter along the sides of walkways or peeling paint on the attractions or surly employees. There is a whole section of (IMO wasted) space devoted to pay-as-you-go carnival games that most people walk on by. Almost all of the queues are outdoors and there is very little shade in the park in general so there's no escape from the sun. Then if you have little kids, your fun potential is cut by about 70% because most rides are for bigger people. The one big perk at our Six Flags is that the water park, which is a decent one, is included in admission. When we go, the kids typically spend several hours at the water park, ride a few rides in the main park, and we're done, since there's nothing else to do or see and nowhere you can just sit and hang out.

This is why we pay thousands every other year to go to Disney when we have a Six Flags in our backyard. I know people on this board say not to compare Disney to "other" amusement parks, but that's in fact the model that Walt Disney was trying to transcend so I think comparisons are natural and necessary. If Disney ever sinks to the standards of our Six Flags, that's when I'll know they're in big trouble and when the trip to FL won't be worth it anymore.

Great points. My DW and I were discussing the other day that while the costs are high, so is the proverbial return on investment for our family. In a way you can equate it to going to a Broadway production versus a show at the local playhouse. The costs are definitely higher, but so are the production values and, therefore, the enjoyment factor. Both have a place in the theatrical world, and it's natural to try to compare them, but they are simply not comparable in my opinion.

Again, believe it or not, I am not an apologist for WDW and I understand the frustrations that people feel when things they enjoy are taken away, changed, allowed to decrease in perceived quality, etc. But I am pragmatic to a fault and so I also feel that, in my opinion, for every one thing that has been changed, something else has been added, and as a whole, the product offerings are deeper than they were in the past. WDW is not perfect, but it never was! Don't forget that Disneyland's first day was a fiasco!

In short, changes are not, in and of themselves, cuts. Doesn't mean we have to like them, or even accept them, but they are not cuts as long as total spending is increasing, and it is, at least on the macro-level that any of us on the outside can glean.

 

[hollygolitely93]

Sure the parks are "packed". Last figures I saw here were that attenance at Disney was up 1% over last year. Just because people are in the parks does not mean they are spending like they used to. Lower class of rooms or off site, shorter stays, CS instead of TS meals and fewer souveniers. We have annual passes and we stay at our timeshare. We'll be there two weeks but other than 3 TS meals at the parks we are not planning on spending like we used to.

Profits are up in the double digits for Disney parks...

With that said the cutbacks have been nominal...and clearly smart decisions that affect the few, not the many...

I see only add on's from my perspective...new attractions, queen beds at my moderate resort, free wi-fi, a refillable mug for my basic free dining plan, free apps to manage fast pass...I am certainly not complaining!

A responsible company always needs to manage it's OP EX against it's NOP...I think based on attendance and stock reports Disney is clearly doing a very good job.

Now, if they needed to cut something else...I vote for Bo Peepin the Christmas parade...she's been given me nightmares since I first saw her porcelain face

 

[jlevis]

...
Attendance at domestic parks was only up 1%, but per capita park spending was up 8%. Per room guest spending (so spending @ the resorts, not parks) went up from $224 to $241.


So it's not true that people are still going, but spending less.

I stand corrected. I hope I can be forgiven from projecting my experience on the population as a whole.

 

[Mom-2-2Princesses]

I just have to mention that I spent yesterday at Six Flags Great Adventure with DD9 and my sister. The park was so run down, bathrooms dirty, food horrible and much more expensive than Disney ($3.50 for a bottle of water). 95% of the rides worth doing had a minimum height of 54", so DD couldn't do them. The only ride with any themeing worth mentioning was Houdini.
At the end of the day, I had spent as much as I would have at Disney and there was no magic in my day.
They don't let you ride most thongs with any sort of bag (even a small crossbody bag), this is so they can suck $1 out of you for a one time use locker. Fast Pass (flash pass there) will cost at least an extra $120 for a family. The other option is to wait at least an hour for any minimally popular ride.
I don't care if WDW stopped stamping their napkins, or if they cut an hour from EMH (btw, in MK, the regular hours are extended an hour, so it's still open just as long), they are still the best game in town by far!

This. Absolutely this. We are fondly referring to summer 2012 as the "Summer of the Theme Park", as we have visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Hershey Park, Sesame Place, Dutch Wonderland and Disney so far this summer, and none of those other parks come close to Disney in terms of theming, cleanliness, accessibility, ease of transportation, food offerings or overall experience. Busch Gardens was the closest, but even that was lacking when compared to our Disney experiences. Have there been changes at Disney? Of course. Like anything else that wants to survive, Disney evolves. Yes, things come and things go, but at the end of the day Disney is still providing a superior experience. A different one than the experience 25 years ago, but still superior.

 

[Phatoomch]

I just have to mention that I spent yesterday at Six Flags Great Adventure with DD9 and my sister. The park was so run down, bathrooms dirty, food horrible and much more expensive than Disney ($3.50 for a bottle of water). 95% of the rides worth doing had a minimum height of 54", so DD couldn't do them. The only ride with any themeing worth mentioning was Houdini.
At the end of the day, I had spent as much as I would have at Disney and there was no magic in my day.
They don't let you ride most thongs with any sort of bag (even a small crossbody bag), this is so they can suck $1 out of you for a one time use locker. Fast Pass (flash pass there) will cost at least an extra $120 for a family. The other option is to wait at least an hour for any minimally popular ride.
I don't care if WDW stopped stamping their napkins, or if they cut an hour from EMH (btw, in MK, the regular hours are extended an hour, so it's still open just as long), they are still the best game in town by far!

Yep, I refuse to go to Six Flags - my DD gets free tix through school (for her) and I still won't go. The place is <insert Vomit smilie here>

 

[crostorfer]

It doesn't matter, quite frankly, in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't matter what they cut, or if they stop offering discounts, people will still go to Disney World. Period. We, (those of us here on the Dis), are a teeny, tiny, miniscule percentage of the people who go to WDW on a yearly basis. Even if we all at one time decided to raise our voices in protest over one concern in particular I doubt they would bat an eyelash in our direction, other than the obligatory e-mail and phone call to politely discuss our concerns.

Bottom line: Disney is a business. It always has been a business. They have huge operating costs and thousands of employees to pay. I'm sorry for anyone that feels personally offended by anything that has been cut, but honestly, do any of you who are boo-hooing and threatening to spend less or vacation elsewhere if X or Y is cut think that they seriously give a rats patootie if you come back or not? If you don't go, another family will fill your space.

It's a business. Their goal is to make a profit. If you see yourself as "special" or anything other than a step toward making a quarterly profit you are mistaken. It's just the way it is. I can't for the life of me figure out why people take things like Napkin-Gate and the cutting of an hour from EMH personally. It's not being done just to offend *you*. or reduce *your* experience.

 

[bytheblood]

They cut and Pirate and Princess Party a few years ago. I would not be surprised if Night of Joy, MVMCP or something of the like is on the radar.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

As I read through this entire thread, I was thinking about Six Flags and knew that going to Disney was so much better. I will take Disney (with the cutbacks) over a Six Flags any day of the week.

Disneyland and WDW were built to correct all the mistakes of parks like six flags and cedar point...and every rundown carnivale out there...

So while they are of a superior quality - they can only fairly be judged based on their own history - not in comparison with a six flags...

perhaps you can compare them with Universal, legoland, or the former AB parks...because they are higher ticket, higher investment, parks...but even then its still comparing apples to pears...

When disney comes out and publically states that - due to economic realities - they are going to allow their operations to go the more "traditional" entertainment/ themepark route - then you won't hear a word from me...

But, i don't like BS to my face...so as long as its "The brand", "the mouse", "the dream"...then DO BETTER...in my opinion.

I don't claim to know that my opinion is right...but it can be argued. And better than six flags doesn't fit.