Orlando Sentinel article...CEO says park goers happier now than before Covid

[Eric Smith]

I think it's going to be way more then that. Streetmosphere actors I doubt come back, shows will come back but without the equity actors and I do see more evening parties. Basically making people needing 2 seperate tickets for each day.

Streemosphere was already gone pre-COVID. They've been cutting down on that for years. They're using equity actors for FOTLK when it comes back this summer, so I think you're wrong on that count. I don't see more evening parties happening. With what they were doing before, you didn't need two tickets on any day. MK was the only park with a ton of evening parties and you could work around those if you want to or just hop to a different park when the party started.

 

[Disneytrippin']

Thats what happens when you've been locked down. You appreciate anything. I don't think anyone is happier going to Disney World now as opposed to before Covid. They are more appreciative.

We did not like our experience with the Covid restrictions. I learned what I love about Disney are the parades and shows.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I think it's going to be way more then that. Streetmosphere actors I doubt come back, shows will come back but without the equity actors and I do see more evening parties. Basically making people needing 2 seperate tickets for each day.

FOLK and appx 90% of the shows are Equity actors or Equity eligible shows. While i foresee it taking a couple of years for full Equity productions to return, certain Equity/Equity eligible member shows and performers returned like the Dapper Dans, VoL, the Savi builder, various characters.

 

[yorkieteacher]

Thats what happens when you've been locked down. You appreciate anything. I don't think anyone is happier going to Disney World now as opposed to before Covid. They are more appreciative.

We did not like our experience with the Covid restrictions. I learned what I love about Disney are the parades and shows.

Amen to this-I am basically so excited to finally be able to go somewhere, it takes less to thrill me, for sure! In another year, I expect things I accept like less housekeeping, longer lines, fewer food options, no entertainment, and less personal service will start to bother me.

 

[DLgal]

Speculation from those who have taken post-visit surveys was the surveys were concentrated on satisfaction with Disney’s COVID safety so of course satisfaction was an all time high

This. I get a survey every time I go to Downtwon Disney at DL and 95% of the questions are about how safe I felt and how I felt about the Covid protocols. There really weren't options to express dissatisfaction either. The closest it gets is you can answer that the Covid protocols are "too much". They are not designed to find out what people really think.

 

[rpb718]

I learned what I love about Disney are the parades and shows.

I'll agree with you on shows. I was under the impression that there is only 1 parade at WDW at one part of the day in 1 park, so I'd rather have periodic cavalcades at various times of the day in all the parks.

 

[Disneytrippin']

I'll agree with you on shows. I was under the impression that there is only 1 parade at WDW at one part of the day in 1 park, so I'd rather have periodic cavalcades at various times of the day in all the parks.

The parades are actually spectacular.

 

[firefly_ris]

The parades are actually spectacular.

I believe they are alluding to the fact that parades have been massively reduced before Covid. No more night time parade, and AK and DHS don't have parades at all anymore. So just Festival of Fantasy basically.

 

[Eric Smith]

I believe they are alluding to the fact that parades have been massively reduced before Covid. No more night time parade, and AK and DHS don't have parades at all anymore. So just Festival of Fantasy basically.

Parades are nice, but they also really mess with traffic flow throughout the park. I don't mind there only being one parade in MK.

 

[BrianL]

Parades are nice, but they also really mess with traffic flow throughout the park. I don't mind there only being one parade in MK.

I can definitely understand this. I do love the parades, but they can be difficult. I think this is moreso an issue at Disneyland where the parade is just an absolute mess!

 

[ford91exploder]

Makes me wonder what Disney will actually bring back. If people are happier with half the experience and the parks are filling up what incentive does Disney have to bring certain things back ?

None whatsoever. Zenia’s flying monkeys at angels 12 with white ones on the rails

 

[New Mouse]

Things will come back. I think most people are reasonable and look at it through the lens of a COVID environment. Is it the full experience? No, it isn't but it's also a place you can still go to enjoy yourself where COVID restrictions are actually being enforced. I think that's where the satisfaction is coming from.

How can you determine any of that without knowing what the questions were?

 

[New Mouse]

I think they'll use it to restructure fastpass at WDW and restructure the AP program at Disneyland. Other than that, not really. It also seems like they're using the lower capacity times right now to catch up on a bunch of maintenance in preparation for the 50th, so that kind of counts too. However, that's probably not negative enough for your taste. Fireworks will come back, meet and greets will come back. Shows will come back. Disney will bring back things once it is safe to do so. It looks like it will be a gradual ramp up to the 50th.

Also, haven't you gotten tired of the sarcastic laughing reaction yet?

I think youd be surprised how much theyve been salivating to trim their work force.

 

[jerry557]

Well since everyone is happy, people won't complain when the prices go up and the reduced experiences become the new normal.

 

[ford91exploder]

I think youd be surprised how much theyve been salivating to trim their work force.

thats been an open secret for years along with AP holder’s and DVC members being considered ‘bad for business’

its always astonished me how much Disney management hates their most loyal customers. Most companies create at great expense loyalty programs.

as for quality it looks like Fyre Festival is the standard they are aiming for. I’ll be great if Disney can charge 10k per night and serve bologna and cheese sandwiches....

 

[ford91exploder]

Well since everyone is happy, people won't complain when the prices go up and the reduced experiences become the new normal.

only Dinosaurs like me will complain, the Igerbots will insist that ‘Disney’s Never been Better’.

 

[hertamaniac]

Well since everyone is happy, people won't complain when the prices go up and the reduced experiences become the new normal.

That's a genuine concern of mine. We might be in the "conditioning mode"" right now that our baseline shifts southward in terms of expectations.

 

[jerry557]

thats been an open secret for years along with AP holder’s and DVC members being considered ‘bad for business’

its always astonished me how much Disney management hates their most loyal customers. Most companies create at great expense loyalty programs.

as for quality it looks like Fyre Festival is the standard they are aiming for. I’ll be great if Disney can charge 10k per night and serve bologna and cheese sandwiches....

Well they are sort of stuck with DVC for awhile whether they like it or not....the current contracts they are selling right now at Riviera Resort don't expire until the year 2070.

 

[mamaofsix]

My guess is Chapek is basing his data on surveys taken last summer / fall when lines weren't snaking halfway through the parks and walkways weren't crowded with people having no where to go.

It's also my fear that Disney will use this "proof" of guest happiness to excuse why they are not quickly returning beloved experiences. It's a great way for them to save money.

 

[Nabas]

Since we don't see characters anymore and rarely stay for the nighttime shows (hate fighting to get on a packed bus), I have found my recent experiences generally more favorable than in previous years.

I also dislike standing in a Standby line while hundreds walk past in the FastPass line. Post reopening, even the long Standby lines that snake through the park tend to keep moving and almost no one is in the FastPass line.

Then there are crowds. We went to WDW in March 2019 and it was difficult to walk around at the Magic Kingdom. You had to constantly weave to avoid other Guests. We just completed another trip last week and even the most crowded parts of the Magic Kingdom were empty compared to what March 2019 was like.

Really, the only thing I don't like is having to wearing masks.

I suspect many others who are going now are just happy to go anywhere, and WDW is one of the public places that are enforcing COVID rules the best, making WDW a good option for those who want to get away.

I suspect many other Guests are appreciating WDW for the reasons I mentioned above.