The Cuts... They Just Keep on Coming

For a company that just made more money last quarter than ever before, you'd never know it with WDW... With the way cuts are being made left and right in WDW, you'd think WDW was going out of business... But when money is all that matters, and guest satisfaction means nothing anymore, do you really expect anything else?

WDW management, in their most infinite wisdom, is now cutting hours in Epcot... And while some may think this is no big deal, on the whole, it is... Why? Because this isn't the end of the cost cutting.... And well, it makes the mouse look greedy and silly especially after the huge quarter they just had...

Pixar Short Film Festival will now close at 7:00 instead of 9:00 (will stay open til 9 during EMH)...

Journey into Imagination will close at 7:00 instead of 9:00...

Phineas and Ferb's World Showcase Adventure closes now at 6:15 instead of 8:45...

Living with the Land closes at 7:00 instead of 9:00...

Mouse Gear will now open one hour after park opens, but still close at park close... So that will be 10:00 AM opening time, 9:00 AM on EMH...

More operating hour cuts to come...

Rumors are cuts are also starting with Cast Member hours at resorts...

Slower times of the year are worthy of changing hours. I bet that in the summer the hours will increase again.

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Originally Posted by j2k

Slower times of the year are worthy of changing hours. I bet that in the summer the hours will increase again.

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Although history has not reflected that in all cases. "New hours" are phased in during a slow time and become the regular hours from that point on.

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Originally Posted by j2k

Slower times of the year are worthy of changing hours. I bet that in the summer the hours will increase again.

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Didn't take long for the defense to come out... So, what is it? Is WDW slow or is there no longer time times in WDW? WDW fans cannot have it both ways for when it fits the narrative of defending/propping up the company... Fans love to say there are no more slow periods at WDW anymore.. Attendance tracking proves that... So your comment is kind of wrong...

WDW has posted huge attendance increases last quarter... Things aren't slowing down, even in February... Hours shouldn't be cut.. Hours should either remain or be extended...

however, in WDW, hours are cut... Wondering why?? Why do they need to save on costs? They just posted huge earnings for parks and resorts... WDW sure isn't hurting? Or is NextGen a bigger financial failure than fans wants to believe, or the mouse wants to let on???? Can the mess in Shanghai have anything to do with the company wanting to suddenly reduce costs??? Or is WDW management just so clueless and brain dead that, well, they know nothing else than cut cut cut???

There is more to this story... Coming soon....

WDW is not the only large corporation to do this type of thing. The one I work for had a banner year but right after the first of the year hour cuts, no travel and do more work with less people is the new norm. I blame it on the stockholders for being so greedy and making such demands on the companies to make more, more, more. I think they forget what it was like to be in the little guy's shoes who actually have to live on what they make and not what someone else hands them for doing nothing.

I may be wrong, but I thought many years ago, all of future land closed at 7pm, and the countries at 9pm. Then with the arrival of soaring; soaring and test track were the only attractions opened after 7pm. Then I was surprised when I realized it was all open until 9pm...although Ellen always closed by 7pm. I've gone almost every year since 1990's...my guess is they are cutting back, cause they are building Avatarland, remaking the Studio's, and now seem to be refurbishing not only BCV (about time, a year late), but also AKV and BLT...WTH...I wondered where all this $$$ was coming from. Prices have been rising, along with special events, i.e. Desserts parties...first year was around $25 for the same desserts and beverages and locations as the $59 now. Shame, shame...same with the MVMCP and MNSSHP tickets.

The only one on that list that surprises me is the Mouse Gear cut. The rest are likely because NO ONE is going on those attractions anyway. Might as well shut them down while they figure out what the heck they are going to do to improve Epcot.

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Originally Posted by BrerGnat

The rest are likely because NO ONE is going on those attractions anyway.

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Not a true statement. We always enjoy these attractions, and we're not alone.

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Originally Posted by BrerGnat

The only one on that list that surprises me is the Mouse Gear cut. The rest are likely because NO ONE is going on those attractions anyway. Might as well shut them down while they figure out what the heck they are going to do to improve Epcot.

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Originally Posted by Sylvia

Not a true statement. We always enjoy these attractions, and we're not alone.

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Well, we were last at WDW for Christmas week of 2015, probably the busiest week of the year. We got a 4th FP for JIYI from a kiosk to make sure we could do this favorite . . . . Got to the attraction about 15-minutes before the FP time (about 7 pm) and there was literally NO ONE in line. The waiting area was empty. I had to find a cast member to make sure it was still open. By the time we were let in there were maybe 15 people there. I was astonished and told me family then that I would not be surprised if they closed the attraction before long.

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Originally Posted by DizneyFreak2002

Didn't take long for the defense to come out... So, what is it? Is WDW slow or is there no longer time times in WDW? WDW fans cannot have it both ways for when it fits the narrative of defending/propping up the company... Fans love to say there are no more slow periods at WDW anymore.. Attendance tracking proves that... So your comment is kind of wrong...

WDW has posted huge attendance increases last quarter... Things aren't slowing down, even in February... Hours shouldn't be cut.. Hours should either remain or be extended...

however, in WDW, hours are cut... Wondering why?? Why do they need to save on costs? They just posted huge earnings for parks and resorts... WDW sure isn't hurting? Or is NextGen a bigger financial failure than fans wants to believe, or the mouse wants to let on???? Can the mess in Shanghai have anything to do with the company wanting to suddenly reduce costs??? Or is WDW management just so clueless and brain dead that, well, they know nothing else than cut cut cut???

There is more to this story... Coming soon....

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In my case I am not playing defense. I am simply stating my opinion. However, I guess my opinion does not matter since you seem to know it all already.

You know, I came back to these boards recently after being absent for a while and noticed how quiet these boards are in comparison to when I first joined in 2012 and now I think I might know why. Because opinions are beaten down by know it all attitudes.

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Originally Posted by Sylvia

Not a true statement. We always enjoy these attractions, and we're not alone.

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I didn't mean in general, I meant between the hours of 7-9pm.

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Originally Posted by j2k

In my case I am not playing defense. I am simply stating my opinion. However, I guess my opinion does not matter since you seem to know it all already.

You know, I came back to these boards recently after being absent for a while and noticed how quiet these boards are in comparison to when I first joined in 2012 and now I think I might know why. Because opinions are beaten down by know it all attitudes.

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The reason the boards are quiet is because most everyone is fed up with the experience they are having when visiting the parks. Disney has done nothing to keep up with the ever expanding crowds. Closing attraction after attraction leaving guests with much less to do while visiting. When they do announce something new it is literally years away or has taken years to complete. After you are on here awhile longer you will realize Disney Freak does know what is going on and is not afraid to express what most of us know to be true. That Disney vacation we all fell in love with is gone, most of us still have hope that it will get better but with so many bad dining reviews, closures, and shoulder to shoulder crowds, the magic is harder and harder to find and all while with Disney asking us to pay more and more money for a less than magical vacation.

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Originally Posted by j2k

In my case I am not playing defense. I am simply stating my opinion. However, I guess my opinion does not matter since you seem to know it all already.

You know, I came back to these boards recently after being absent for a while and noticed how quiet these boards are in comparison to when I first joined in 2012 and now I think I might know why. Because opinions are beaten down by know it all attitudes.

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By nature and by name - this is a discussion board. If someone disagrees with your opinion, are they a know it all? I just don't understand. You might be right, but so might the other side. Right now, cost cutting seems to be all that matters. And from what I can tell, park attendance isn't sliding, it's pretty much busy all year round.

That said, one can hope it's only temporary but there are many here that are counting the trends and expecting things to continue. I certainly hope that's not the case.

And another reason things are quiet - Facebook has pretty much ruined the internet and many discussion communities.

There, I said it....

BTW kind of flew under the radar here, unless I missed it in one of Jason's updates... The water parks have also had their hours cut dramatically... Opening later, closing earlier... I'm sure the mouse defenders will say it is winter... Funny, they didn't open later or close earlier any winter prior to this year...

More cuts to come... WDW just gets more and more magical!!!!!

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Originally Posted by j2k

In my case I am not playing defense. I am simply stating my opinion. However, I guess my opinion does not matter since you seem to know it all already.

You know, I came back to these boards recently after being absent for a while and noticed how quiet these boards are in comparison to when I first joined in 2012 and now I think I might know why. Because opinions are beaten down by know it all attitudes.

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You are welcome to state your opinions... But also realize, no matter what people say, opinions CAN be wrong... This isn't a cut because of lower attendance... Attendance hasn't been higher... How do I know this? 1) I talk to people who know and 2) well, Disney just announced this the other day... This is simply a cost cutting measure, nothing more, nothing less...

When I know something to be true, and I vet the info, yes I post with confidence that I know what I am talking about... If I cannot vet info, but it comes from someone or somewhere reliable, I'll post it, but I tend to post it as simply a rumor until I can say otherwise... People here know this about me... You will too, over time... Trust me, I'm far from a know it all...

And others have already told you why the boards are inactive... Nothing to talk about... And a lot of Disney fans don't want to come here and post the negativity we have been getting from WDW over the last, say 15-20 years... Many Disney fans have finally started getting sick and tired of being nickled and dimed by a slimey CEO and a greedy corporation... Though they been nickled and dimed for a while now, many people are finally getting sick of it... That is why you don't see the boards being that active... We'll check back in 2017 when Avatar opens, and 2020 when (IF) Star Wars land is open by then... You'll see very active boards then... I guarantee!!!!

No doubt, the value for your dollar, diminishes every year at Disney. But the ONLY thing Disney execs. would take sight of, is a deliberate/announced boycott of going to Disney. Only by standing together and not going to Disney, will they feel the collective economic impact, of some of their used to be biggest fans. There are boycott Disney pages setup, to address Disney outsourcing work. Are there any to boycott Disney trips, to address fan concerns of overcrowding? I am sure Disney keeps an eye on any such pages.

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Originally Posted by goofy for pluto

The reason the boards are quiet is because most everyone is fed up with the experience they are having when visiting the parks. Disney has done nothing to keep up with the ever expanding crowds. Closing attraction after attraction leaving guests with much less to do while visiting. When they do announce something new it is literally years away or has taken years to complete. After you are on here awhile longer you will realize Disney Freak does know what is going on and is not afraid to express what most of us know to be true. That Disney vacation we all fell in love with is gone, most of us still have hope that it will get better but with so many bad dining reviews, closures, and shoulder to shoulder crowds, the magic is harder and harder to find and all while with Disney asking us to pay more and more money for a less than magical vacation.

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Very well said!

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Originally Posted by John

...And another reason things are quiet - Facebook has pretty much ruined the internet and many discussion communities.

There, I said it....

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Reading this post from the Chairman was a somber moment for me. For over a year my wife has been coming to me with thing after thing (that I didn't know about) that she has read on Facebook (mostly).

Modern social media (Facebook/Twitter) has left me behind, and definitely created a vacuum as it has grown (and dominated) how information is shared. Facebook is useless for historical or long-term use of information, it's only good for the here-and-now news flash of the day, but it's what the World Wide Web seems to be all about anymore.

:(

So rather than bashing Disney, why not start your own Universal-COT where you can laud all the wonders of Universal? Disney is no different than any other corporation, including Comcast - parent of Universal, in that they will do what's best for the shareholder. It is indeed a problem for our modern economy that so much value is place on the shareholder as opposed to the employee or the consumer. Maybe our next president will figure it out, but we are free market system and right now society values the shareholder over the other two components (employee and consumer). If your perceived value for your dollar isn't meeting your expectations then by all means spend it elsewhere! However there is a difference between constructive criticism and outright disgust as you've shown time and time again.

Many former Disney diehards are spending their time and money elsewhere. Very few of the people I used to discuss Disney with over the years have maintained their "Disney time" at former levels and almost all have dramatically decreased it. By all accounts, attendance is up, but I don't know who is driving those numbers anymore.