What will WDW "cut" next?

[Colleen27]

I suspect that EMH is on its way out... Eliminating the most desirable part of evening EMH, which is the more attractive of the extra hours because of the natural reluctance to be up with the sun on vacation, will reduce demand for what is left, opening the door to ending the perk altogether once Xpass rolls out and can be promoted as the big perk of staying onsite. Disney has successfully eliminated "empty parks" times of year with free dining, and now it seems they've turned their attention to putting an end to "empty parks" times of day.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Are the monorails not running all the time now? I thought the only down time was due to construction, and not wanting to pancake the monorail with a beam. Not a true cutback.

I thought the monorails were still operating on the reduced schedule of stopping 1 hour after regular park close and not operating during the PM EMH. Have they restored monorails back to their full operation?

 

[TDC Nala]

Eliminating the most desirable part of evening EMH

. Disney has successfully eliminated "empty parks" times of year with free dining, and now it seems they've turned their attention to putting an end to "empty parks" times of day.

It's the most "desirable" part of EMH for planners on this board because it's when the park is the most empty.

Disney doesn't like empty. It doesn't like staffing empty parks. I agree, that's why it's being done.

They've also learned what times of year they can fill the resorts to a good extent without offering free dining, and they won't extend park hours until they've tried to figure out how empty the park might be in the later hours.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Here are just a few things. Keep in mind, IMHO these are all small things by themselves. But pile them on top of each other combined with annual price increases and some people (me) consider it to be a (albeit slight) diminished service that I'm getting for the money I pay.

• appetizers with DP (regular)
• Fantasmic cut backs
• Animal Kingdom PM EMH
• Lights of Winter
• Decrease in Monorail Service
• decreased park hours
• Plain Napkins (I'm kidding! )
• Tips in DP

But as others have stated, what about all the things they've added and/or improved? It is not a win or lose proposition to most of us and we don't know what the changes you decry triggered as far as improvements.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

It's the most "desirable" part of EMH for planners on this board because it's when the park is the most empty.

Disney doesn't like empty. It doesn't like staffing empty parks. I agree, that's why it's being done.

They've also learned what times of year they can fill the resorts to a good extent without offering free dining, and they won't extend park hours until they've tried to figure out how empty the park might be in the later hours.

Exactly. What business in its right mind stays open when its expenses outstrip its revenue? I know many people liked it, but evidently not enough or they would have been in the parks at 2:30AM. If not enough people care about the third hour of PM EMH, doesn't it make sense to allocate those resources to something else that more people WILL care about and that WILL improve the experience of the average guest (which most of us on this board are not)?

 

[Phatoomch]

I think that what's been cut pales in comparison with what's been added.

But that wouldn't be much fun for the 'this is an outrage' people would it?

The only "big" thing I can see being cut is EMH.

I know right. Wake me up when they remove the Castle ....

 

[maxiesmom]

I thought the monorails were still operating on the reduced schedule of stopping 1 hour after regular park close and not operating during the PM EMH. Have they restored monorails back to their full operation?

I thought they had added them back.

Hopefully someone will post who knows, because that is good information to have!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I thought they had added them back.

Hopefully someone will post who knows, because that is good information to have!

I could be completely wrong here, but I thought the monorail shutdowns were for some maintenance that had to be done. I'm not sure if the hours are back to normal or not.

I was there during the EMH monorail closing and it really wasn't a big deal, once I figured out I needed to hop a bus from Epcot to the Contemporary. As long as there's a way for me to get home, I'm good. The bus was actually easier, too, because with the monorail, we had to transfer from the Epcot loop to the resort loop. No transferring with the bus!

 

[rock_doctor]

this is a good thread. We all know Disney does read this forum so it will give them some feedback on what the guests are willing to tolerate before public opinion starts to turn.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

That would be a good thing. Free dining resulted in less quality and varity in the meals.

Amen, reverend

 

[Palendat]

They probably make a boatload on "Free" dining, so I wouldn't bet on it.

This is true! I just booked a trip that I had NO INTENTION of going on!! Timing + good value + ADHD impulsivity = more $ for Disney.

 

[bigdaddy511]

They never were in AK, we're they? That and lids. It's a environmental issue.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

No zoos use straws or lids. They get blown around and they are very dangerous to the animals.

 

[Epeyon]

The monorail hours are still reduced to one hour after MK closes. This is not an issue of money, but an issue of safety.

It takes them two hours minimum to get all of the monorails back to shop, they can't begin working on them until all of them are back there. So when you have 2 A.M. EMH they're not getting back there until 4 A.M. giving them 1 hour to turn around and get them back out onto the beams to begin running for the next day. If you really want this to change then start complaining with "the monorails are old and smelly" and maybe they'll begin to think about bringing on new ones.

 

[Senator Tressel]

We're going to be down to three parks soon. DHS is as good as gone.

 

[kaligal]

I think the monorail is still limiting hours. If it needs work or replacing, fix/replace it and get going!

The trams really need work. Some of them are just a disgrace. They're dirty and that stuff that covers the seats is all ripped. Just icky.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

We're going to be down to three parks soon. DHS is as good as gone.

Not that I don't agree...perhaps...but I was wondering if you could "flesh out" your comment a little?

 

[Simba's Mom]

About 10 years ago, you had to pay for extra magic hours in the evening. I remember paying my $12 at the resort. Does anyone else remember that?

 

[Planogirl]

I see a lot of small cutbacks but litle that is major. I would expect prices for things like "free" dining to go up and maybe new charges added for fastpass nexgen.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

this is a good thread. We all know Disney does read this forum so it will give them some feedback on what the guests are willing to tolerate before public opinion starts to turn.

I wish it where that way...

But the reality is that for everyone person who has recurring, legitimate complaints about declining quality and no dedication to a coherent reinvestment plan (which there really isn't nor has been since people walked into animal kingdom and realized they were walking through what amounts to a municipal zoo's worth of entertainment)...there are a thousand that dump 5000 for a week in paradise and think that the parks/ wdw facilities have never been stronger...

The reality is that they are not....
They enjoy the "blessing of size"

And that now means that the sheer size allows slow but methodical erosion to occur with little blowback as prices elevate along a consistent price curve...

It's not that the have "cut drastically"...it's that they have lowered the public's expectations as to what they will add/renovate/ enhance/maintain to
Earn the repeat business on the money you're already spending...but that is no longer the deal they make with you. The bar is being lowered like a bad limbo scene in a 1988 beach movie.

But it's meticulously slow...steady...but ultimately deliberate.

The proof is in the pudding...Go back and track what they have done since 4/15/98...the rough opening of Animal Kingdom...the overall list combined with what's been taken out of
Service is actually disturbing...and they've still managed to increase fees, rake, increase overall attendance and profits...

Nothing changes until they are hit in the wallet - which does all the thinking.

I can't see that happening until the old style "Disney" reputation has long since been dead and buried

 

[mom2rtk]

They added the refillable mug to the dining plan.

They only added the mugs on the regular dining plan, in conjunction with taking away a snack credit on the QSDP to gain a larger differential between the 2 plans to make the upgrade cost more. That jumped the upgrade by somehwere around $5 a DAY when staying at a value resort. Those mugs are going to cost me $50 each on our trip this year. ($5 per day X 10).

I thought they had added them back.

Hopefully someone will post who knows, because that is good information to have!

The only thing they "gave back" was keeping the resort monorail open until 12:30 on hard ticket party nights. That after the MESS they had after the first few parties. Some people reported taking hours to get back to their resorts.