Lack of crowds and Disney's response

[gottalovepluto]

I’m not the best guesser when it comes to crowds, but what if ROTR still doesn’t bring in the big crowds? I wonder what Disney will do then?

Throw up and fail to report to the next management meeting. Unless you’re Iger and then it will magically become the moment you actually decide to retire.

 

[cdatkins]

Tha’s great. Unless you just want a DAS return time and are stuck standing there for 10 mins while the 1 CM on duty explains the entire MP system to someone who can’t Google. And then has to re-explain it when their Significant Other joins the convo. And then the CM has to demonstrate after assiting the guest with their purchase. Followed by doing it all over again because you were 3rd in line, not second and the second guest had a similar question but didn’t listen in on guest 1. There are very good reasons they staff more than 1 person at those locations!

All good points, but we use DAS too and have frequently seen the scenario I describe this week.

Now, the CMs that are completely overworked along the lines of what you describe are those working the fast pass return lines. That is frequently a trainwreck on every ride.

 

[iMadHatter]

Well I hate to say it, but I can confirm the article talking about the decline of custodial and other support staff. The bathroom cleanliness at the parks declined through our stay. And we didn’t even get housekeeping services at the Grand one day. Had to go track down extra towels, etc. Not a huge deal. But it was different and noticeable from previous years where multiple park toilets weren’t clogged with waste and trash wasn’t always overflowing. If they reduce more staff, I can’t imagine how hard the CMs who are left will have to work to pick up the slack.

I too am wondering if they are going to unblock APs...we are trying to squeeze another trip in before official blackout ends, so selfishly, I hope not!

Ew! If you're going to cut costs, don't cut your custodial crew! That's just common sense (and gross if you do!)

 

[EmJ]

Rumor Mill says Disneyland is implementing a hiring freeze and budget cutbacks in all departments immediately in response to the summer’s soft crowds at the parks and hotels. Guess the AP promo didn’t fix all their problems...

WHY would they not lower prices or offer discounts on hotels? I understand that they would like to get $450 a night at Paradise Pier, but if they can’t have it, wouldn’t $250 be better than $0? Help me out business people, I don’t understand!

 

[midnight star]

WHY would they not lower prices or offer discounts on hotels? I understand that they would like to get $450 a night at Paradise Pier, but if they can’t have it, wouldn’t $250 be better than $0. Help me out business people, I don’t understand!

They probably don't want people to think that they are desperate for more guests to stay at the hotels. I remember a few weeks ago someone posted threads about some offsite hotels having flash deals. They most likely saw that DL made their prices super high, and so did they, but then their bookings were too low, so they offered deals.


Outside of bad PR and angry guests, this also might be why they won't unblock lower passes. Last year when they announced the separate blockout calendars, they pretty much said it was to help manage crowds. Well, they def managed them...by scaring them lol or pricing them out. I was talking to people at work who let their passes go. They heard about the low crowds and they said the only thing stopping them from getting a new pass is the price. They just cant'/won't pay the price for one.

 

[MillauFr]

Time to eliminate the hard block of APs. They should move to a soft block

 

[azdisneylover]

I'm still waiting to see if they may unblock some days for deluxe AP holders. I bet even if they unblocked just a few weekdays, not even weekends, for the rest of the summer there attendance numbers would rise.

One of the reasons we did not renew our deluxe APs was the days blocked into Disneyland were doubled! It went from 51 days blocked to over 102! I do not like the separate park blocked nonsense when you fork over the money for an AP (especially when you are out of state and have to give all of it right then and there!) Bonehead mistake, Disney. Give deluxe back days, lower the cost of the rooms, bring back the deals of when you purchase a certain amount, get XX for XX. Oh, and make sure you have special AP treats too. (A pin and an edible). Your AP holders are your bread and butter. Make sure you have Disneyland instead of Disney Parks on everything. Believe me, that will help the undecided to crack open the wallets. Spend the pennies so we will spend our dollars.

 

[gottalovepluto]

WHY would they not lower prices or offer discounts on hotels? I understand that they would like to get $450 a night at Paradise Pier, but if they can’t have it, wouldn’t $250 be better than $0. Help me out business people, I don’t understand!

That’s literally the multi-million dollar question. On both coasts. Fall bookings at WDW are also looking light. My musings... I suspect Iger isn’t the only SW fanboy amongst top execs and one of those geniuses is the one who made the call to stop/pull all discounts post SWGE openings. Luckily for Disney baby DLR opened first, will they learn from their mistakes and treat WDW differently? Or are their heads buried in the sand? Come back at the end of Sept to find out!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Time to eliminate the hard block of APs. They should move to a soft block

Forget it. They have FlexPass for those who want a soft block.

 

[Guy in Fargo]

Disney obviously overplayed its hand.

They tremendously overestimated demand for SWGE and DLR in general.

If time in California works like it does in North Dakota, it only goes one way. Disney is not getting these days or potential profits back.

Given that they were off this summer and last, I think their models are broken. They need to figure what went/is going wrong and fix it as soon as possible, and I'm not sure that they have a clue.

Also, regarding hotel rooms. Every modern hotel practices dynamic pricing. They aren't keeping prices high to save face, their doing it because that's what the computer program generated.

 

[mamapenguin]

Disney obviously overplayed its hand.

They tremendously overestimated demand for SWGE and DLR in general.

If time in California works like it does in North Dakota, it only goes one way. Disney is not getting these days or potential profits back.

Given that they were off this summer and last, I think their models are broken. They need to figure what went/is going wrong and fix it as soon as possible, and I'm not sure that they have a clue.

Also, regarding hotel rooms. Every modern hotel practices dynamic pricing. They aren't keeping prices high to save face, their doing it because that's what the computer program generated.

Obviously it’s time that real people start making those decisions based on what is currently happening with attendance and our overall economy. They should be making real time adjustments and not following a computer model off of a cliff.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

A bunch of performers are posting their last days since so much of the entertainment is being cancelled. Lion King dancers and Red Trolley Newsboys look like July 21 and 23, respectively? And a lot of the bands are going to half the number of appearances.

Working at DL as a baseline CM or performer is always less-than-lucrative, but the massive cuts and cancellations are really throwing people for a loop.

 

[midnight star]

A bunch of performers are posting their last days since so much of the entertainment is being cancelled. Lion King dancers and Red Trolley Newsboys look like July 21 and 23, respectively? And a lot of the bands are going to half the number of appearances.

Working at DL as a baseline CM or performer is always less-than-lucrative, but the massive cuts and cancellations are really throwing people for a loop.

Is that why there isn’t an 11:30am lion king show anymore? The first weekend they had it and that’s when I saw it, but now it seems like it’s only in the afternoons when it’s super hot.
I am not complaining about the low crowds, but it’s sad hearing about CM’s getting hours cut

 

[SeaDis]

Disney obviously overplayed its hand.

They tremendously overestimated demand for SWGE and DLR in general.

If time in California works like it does in North Dakota, it only goes one way. Disney is not getting these days or potential profits back.

Given that they were off this summer and last, I think their models are broken. They need to figure what went/is going wrong and fix it as soon as possible, and I'm not sure that they have a clue.

Also, regarding hotel rooms. Every modern hotel practices dynamic pricing. They aren't keeping prices high to save face, their doing it because that's what the computer program generated.

Well said. I've had a short August trip for GCH sitting in my cart for weeks. Send me a Pin code Disney, and I'm there.

I've had a few conversations with friends who are all GCH fans. I tell them DL is empty so far this summer. They say no way, maybe we should go. Then I tell them GCH is $850/night with tax (standard room), and they spit out their drink. Non-starter!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Is that why there isn’t an 11:30am lion king show anymore? The first weekend they had it and that’s when I saw it, but now it seems like it’s only in the afternoons when it’s super hot.
I am not complaining about the low crowds, but it’s sad hearing about CM’s getting hours cut

Yeah.

I’m sad for the CMs, but I’m also bummed about what this all means for the parks going forward. They aren’t empty anymore (even though crowds are still very reasonable - spent 12 hours there yesterday, can confirm). Anyway, the unfortunate thing is that all of these reactionary budget cuts and cancellations are going to hit visitors going forward, when there ARE crowds. So at some point, there will be crowds AND less staff, and less entertainment, and less available in general... probably shorter hours and stuff not running at capacity and all of that...

June was a delight. But I think we’re all going to be paying for it on future visits. And for people like me who are there all the time, meh, we roll with it. But I always feel for the tourist crowd who unwittingly show up at a bad time, and I fear that time is coming.

 

[BrianL]

As I think about it, I don't really think they should have built Star Wars Land at DL. I think a lot of people consider the WDW version to be the "real" one and will travel to go to that. Disneyland serves the locals, wand when they are blocked out, crowds are going to drop. I think it would have been better to just build the Millennium Falcon ride for DL, put it in Tomorrowland (maybe even in lieu of Star Tours) and call it a day. DL would have been better served with something different occupying that space.

But, look, Disney will be okay. This has happened before (ahem...California Adventure). They'll make adjustments and figure it out. All will be well.

 

[billyjobobb]

I don't understand why people here seem to think that allowing people to enter the park for free will help Disneyland?

That's what letting in passholders that have already paid for a pass that excluded these dates would be. Disney would be giving out free tickets. They've already offered a deal to get in for $99. I might see that going down, but not all the way to free. What would that benefit Disney? And the hotels would still sit empty.

I got an email offering 20% off the Disneyland hotel and Grand Californian. Just use my Disney Visa. Only problem is that the cheapest room, with a view of the dumpster, is $729 a night......

 

[mamapenguin]

As I think about it, I don't really think they should have built Star Wars Land at DL. I think a lot of people consider the WDW version to be the "real" one and will travel to go to that. Disneyland serves the locals, wand when they are blocked out, crowds are going to drop. I think it would have been better to just build the Millennium Falcon ride for DL, put it in Tomorrowland (maybe even in lieu of Star Tours) and call it a day. DL would have been better served with something different occupying that space.

But, look, Disney will be okay. This has happened before (ahem...California Adventure). They'll make adjustments and figure it out. All will be well.

You had me until Star Tours. Star Tours must stay. Galaxy’s Edge will be fine in HS, but Epcot is a park that really could use something new. I’m not sure how it fits in where it’s located in DL, I guess I will see in September. I do like Tomorrow Land.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I don't understand why people here seem to think that allowing people to enter the park for free will help Disneyland?

Well, attendance figures on their own are a powerful metric for stockholders.

Beyond that, there’s all the money those people spend when they’re there. $25 to park their car right off the bat. A meal, a snack, the latest color-of-the-moment spirit jersey... that “for free” park entry can easily cost someone over $100 by the time the day is done. Yes, some people bring in their own food and buy nothing, or next to nothing, but that’s not the norm.

 

[mamapenguin]

Well, attendance figures on their own are a powerful metric for stockholders.

Beyond that, there’s all the money those people spend when they’re there. $25 to park their car right off the bat. A meal, a snack, the latest color-of-the-moment spirit jersey... that “for free” park entry can easily cost someone over $100 by the time the day is done. Yes, some people bring in their own food and buy nothing, or next to nothing, but that’s not the norm.

We budget $100 pp per day. Some days we spend more, others less. In the end it is pretty accurate. (No parking included) Either Disney wants my money or I will spend it elsewhere.