Wonders of Life Pavilion cutting back on hours???

[Bob O]

Ive read on other sites that the Wonders of Life Pavilion is cutting back its hours of operation as of 01/05/04 too be open only during peak hours.
Is this true????
And if true how will the disney apologists not claim this isnt another cutback/reduction???

 

[Planogirl]

Another "seasonal" attraction? Odd, Body Wars still seemed to pull in people and so did The Making of Me. I personally still enjoy Cranium Command. What's next, alternating open pavilions?

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Bob O
Ive read on other sites that the Wonders of Life Pavilion is cutting back its hours of operation as of 01/05/04 to be open only during peak hours.
Is this true????

It would help if you could say which "other sites" you read that on, as some are reliable and others are not. I haven't seen that schedule change appear on any of the internal ops charts.

 

[KNWVIKING]

....DW and I were in the "World" approx 5 weeks this year. Didn't go to WoL once.

 

[WDWHound]

Screamscape is reporting the rumor. They claim that the entire pavillion will be closed except during peak seasons starting January 5th.

I love Cranium Commando. Its a must do everytime we visit. I also make a point to ride Body Wars. Granted, both of these attractions are a bit long in the tooth, but the solution is not to close them. They need to either update or replace them.

We usually visit Disney World the first week in December. Looks like when we visit next year we will have 4 less attractions to visit (CC, Body Wars, CoP and Time Keeper), and shortened hours in Future World, Yet we are actually paying more for the privalage. Pay more, get less. The Ei$ner era continues.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Was there a recent price increase I missed ?

 

[WDWHound]

We haven't been in two years, Ibeleive the rates were increased once since then. How ever, I will admit that if Disney repeats the discounts they offered this year (the Fairy tale Vacation Package), that the price increase argument will not be valid.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Weren't CoP and Timekeeper open last week? Weren't there some adds since your last trip as well? It might not only be the pay more aspect that doesn't apply . Look out or circumstances might even put you in the pay less, get more realm .

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
Weren't CoP and Timekeeper open last week? Weren't there some adds since your last trip as well? It might not only be the pay more aspect that doesn't apply . Look out or circumstances might even put you in the pay less, get more realm .

Cop and TimeKeeper are open only while Alien Encounter is being converted. They will be closed again before I get to go back. Unless the something changes, only one new attraction (ie, one that did not replace an existing one) will be the for my next trip (Mission Space). 2 Attractions will have replaced older attractions (Stitch Encounter and Philharmagic) and 4 Attractions that I visited before will have been claosed (Time Keeper, CoP, Body Wars and Cranium Command). Also, hours have been shortend in Future World and Adventure land. This adds up to a net of 3 less attractions, 1 Less Pavillion, and shortend hours in 2 lands. Sorry, but this bothers me. I cant see anyway to agrue that they are not decreasing the value you get for your vacation dollar.

Meanwhile, over at Universal, the total attraction count has remained exactly the same, with no attactions closed, 3 attractions replaced with better attractions (though I will miss Kong) and no shortened hours in any land.

Look, I admit I have seen many good signs at Disney recently. Philharmagic was the right way to deal with an outdated attraction, Mission Space appears to be a good E-ticket and I have high hopes for Everest. My point is that they have been taking away more than the have been adding and are still charging the same or more for the experience. I had thought this trend was reversing given some of the new projects, but the closing of the Wonders of Life pavillion seems to indicate that they are still more interested in cost cutting over value to guests.

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Was there a recent price increase I missed ?

There was one in June.

 

[KNWVIKING]

That was the $2.00 for the daily one park ticket, wasn't it. As I recall, Disney actually delayed the increase 6 months past the normal 1st of the year increase. US/IOA & SW increased theirs the 1st of the year. Were there increases in the park hopper passes also ?

 

[miko]

My point is that they have been taking away more than the have been adding and are still charging the same or more for the experience. I had thought this trend was reversing given some of the new projects, but the closing of the Wonders of Life pavillion seems to indicate that they are still more interested in cost cutting over value to guests.

If Disney can keep charging the same or slightly more and remain profitable then they can remain in business. Selectively closing attractions in each park is probably more effective than keeping them all open, charging more ultimately resulting in further declines in attendance.
They do not close top attractions, although everyones opinions are different, they select ones that are less active. Value to guests without profitability doesn't matter. That results in failure. A balance of each is necessary for success.

 

[KNWVIKING]

I don't like the closing of WoL either, but in some respect I understand it....the place is a ghost town. It's located between two great E-rides and the very popular Energy attraction. They need to shut it down and overhaul it. Cranium Command is a great attraction lost in an uninteresting pavilion. Epcot needs to complete Soarin' and then concentrate on WoL and LS.

 

[Bob O]

wdwhound I agre about Cranium Command!!! For me it is a must see that i usually go to twice on every visit!!!
wdsearcher It is in todays Orlando Sentinel but doesnt give a break down to what hours it may or may not be opening.
And it nevers surprises me that some will approve of any cutbacks made by disney and find excuses to justify them. Why dont they try to reduce ticket price's/food prices to increase business???? Stores do it all the time to increase sales so their is no reason disney couldnt reducew admission prices to increase attendance and reduce food prices to encourage more poeple to eat on site.
But of course the anwser is ALWAYS is to reduce the guest experience and offerings.
With all of the attractions that have been closed its not surprising attendance isnt improving.

 

[raidermatt]

The rumor that its going "seasonal" is also on wdwmagic.com.

They need to shut it down and overhaul it.

Problem is, if its seasonal, its not being overhauled.

We all know its not the most popular pavilion, but simply closing it (most of the time) isn't the answer. As we also know, one of the principles used to build and operate Disney parks is that everything is part of the "Show".

A less than popular pavilion is still better Show than a closed one.

Using that philosophy is one reason why Disney parks are/were different, and more profitable, than anyone else's.

Selectively closing attractions in each park is probably more effective than keeping them all open...

Using that philosophy is one thing that will make Disney's parks more like everyone else's.

 

[mudhen]

I love the concept behind WOL and really wish
this wasn't true. The reason it lags on the
popularity scale is that they haven't invested
one single dime into updating or improving it.

For those that think this is "needed" as a
successful business move, exactly how much
savings is there in closing the attraction
periodically??
I feel this is ANOTHER way they are "nickle and
diming" the guests just to make someone's
budget sheet look better for the suits and
beancounters at TDA.

And as for the cost/attraction ratio, Disney is
probably around a 0 net gain because many of their
"new" attractions have replaced older ones, instead
of being added.

I don't mind cost increases as long as they don't
cut hours, seasonalize attractions, and/or close
attractions in conjuction with the increase.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"Why dont they try to reduce ticket price's/food prices to increase business????"***

Go to AK and buy the $11.99 meal deal. You get a $2.50 bottle of water/soda, a 2.50 ice cream novelty or popcorn, any choice of counter service platter and a large beverage.

Book a trip with Visa, kids are free.

There are various discounts out there if you look for them.

 

[KNWVIKING]

**"And it nevers surprises me that some will approve of any cutbacks made by disney and find excuses to justify them. "**

Has anybody said they "approve" of this cutback.

 

[cristen]

This is shaping up to be one hell of a first trip.

 

[PKS44]

Some people seem to have lost focus-remember the "SOLE FOCUS" of the Disney company is "delivering growth and shareholder value."

As I read on RADP--the theme park business was started with Walt wondering why there could not be an enterprise, or a place where parents and children could deliver growth and shareholder value together.