Say goodbye to the entertainment at the Poly

[Polynesian Dweller]

As the person who, uh, keeps flipping the channel over to "Casey" when we're at WDW, I gotta believe the Disney Corporation is going to provide us and ours a great vacation for decades to come.

I absolutely bet that they will. But right now, this isn't normal times so they've got to make sure the business stays as healthy as possible.

If this was normal times, then all the commentary about giving more for the money and lowering prices to attract etc. would be quite accurate. But, nobody has seen anything like this downturn in our lifetime. Its universally agreed that this has been unprecedented and things will get somewhat worse. Companies have only one choice and that's to protect themselves and to keep as much going as they can without any precedent to go by to know what the right thing is.

If the effect to Disney visitors is limited to two relatively minor things like these (as much as people enjoy them, in 19 years at the Poly I have never seen the torch lighting and never missed it and wouldn't miss the piano player) then we will be lucky. Unfortunately, as the impact of reduced bookings (which seems likely according to the analysts) hits Disney there will likely be more impacts. You cut back from least essential to essential when you have to and these things aren't essential like housekeeping, food, bell services, and front desk.

I could upset with Disney too if it wasn't that almost every company is doing this and trying to do things with the least impact (see 500,000 job cuts in one month). Even the biggest companies have been cutting back, no company is immune.

My concern is with the unfortunate people who lose jobs. I will reserve my anger with Disney for the moment but will be upset if they don't restore things (or add better things) when the economy improves.

[valjane]

If Disney hadn't been acting greedy and making cutbacks over the past few years, then I could believe this is all happening because of the economy.

Unfortunately though, for me, this is just a continuation of what they've been doing for quite some time now.

I vacation at WDW every year (and have since I was 9 months old back in '75) and I've seen the cutbacks in service, cleanliness, and "magic" increase steadily over the past 5 years, firsthand.

[Wayne]

This is exactly what you get when you let the "bean counters" have the last word in running a company.

[Simba's Mom]

What a shame! I hate to see how Disney is always cutting live entertainment. I wish they'd realize that the live entertainment is part of the ambiance that makes WDW a special place.

[pixiesmimi]

Bummer! And this will be my first stay at the Poly. We had a great vacation planned for our 40th Anniversary there next year but since we don't know what is going to happen between now and then and what is going to get cut, I'm afraid that I'm going to end up being disappointed with all of it. I will keep this reservation until I see that things are really getting cut out and then, because of how much we are paying, when I see that it is no longer a nice deal, we will change our reservations or cancel altogether and go somewhere else. I feel like Disney, like so many other companies might be on a downward spiral. I hope not! The fact that you can't even make reservations 180 days out right now and they keep putting it off, says something to me.

I also know they are closing some of their other departments of interns and employees. It will be interesting to see how things fare in the new year along.

When we originally made our reservations, it was before all this financial mess and it has been depressing watching the way things are starting to go downhill.

[tikiman]

I totally agree and the CMs I talk to agree also. They have been outsourcing stuff all over the resorts and with the outsourcing the long time CMs that know the resorts get let go and the quality of service goes down. Also when something goes wrong they just say that they can’t do anything about it because the people that do it are from an outside company.

The CMs for the last few years that are left are underappreciated, under paid and work many hours and many days in a row with little time off.

Funny because just recently the Polynesian said it has been at or close to capacity with its bookings so I don’t see how they are getting hit but maybe they are just expecting to. Well if they keep reducing amenities they will be hit by a reduction in their bookings.

I hate to seem so angry but I feel so bad for those who lost their jobs and for those that have to still work in that environment while trying to make the guests happy who will be even more angry when they see these things go away.

I agree that I think the economy is a little bit of an excuse. Things have been changing around the resorts for years now (slow decline) and I think many of us are tired of seeing them go in the wrong direction. Maybe they think we don’t notice or care.

I will say that they have done a great job spending money on the resort to fix it up but the heart of the resort is the people that work there.

[Mickey91]

I have to agree that if Disney quality and service hadn't taken a sharp and steady downturn in the last five years, I could believe some of the cutbacks were economy driven. This is all about greed. And eventually the greed will ruin the company.

If Disney would try to keep their guests happy as they did in the past the stock holders would remain happy with the results. Instead, they are trying to keep stock holders happy and we are all suffering for it.

I cannot understand why the number one entertainment company would want to follow the other bozos down the drain.

This is one family who will probably no longer make a yearly trek to Disney. The trips I have passed up in the past because I thought Disney offered so much more are looking better.

[ayeckley]

IIRC, the torchlighting ceremony consisted of a fire knife dancer and Auntie Wini. Aren't they both performers in the Spirit of Aloha show? How much savings could there really be by eliminating two person-hours from the daily payroll of the resort? They haven't reduced employee headcount as near as I can tell. Talk about penny-pinching!

Edit: I recognize that their positions are probably not paid for by a resort account (more likely an entertainment account). I guess it's not surprising considering that they closed the Adventurer's Club as well.

I'm going to predict thay they mothball one of the resorts [again] soon.

[tikiman]

I agree with Mickey91. I pass up going to other destinations to go to Disney. We have already planned a Disney trip for next August but I think after that we will be returning to other locations.

I am looking forward to the 4 seasons to open for a few reasons. They will give good competition to the Disney resorts and hopefully raise the bar on what quality to expect on property. Also it will give some of the good CMs a place to apply to that they can go work for more and better treatment. Once Disney starts to lose their good staff members they will have to improve things to get people to stay or come back to work there.

I can tell you that the resorts and hotels in Hawaii are hurting bad from the economy and air line ticket prices but they are doing all they can to get people to come. They are reducing rates, adding amenities and they are so friendly when you are there so you feel welcome. They make you feel they care and are thankful you are a guest at their hotel. I think they also realize that if you don’t like your experience they lose future business to the hotel down the street. Unfortunately Disney knows that the hotel down the street is theirs also.

I hate posting negative stuff about Disney or the Polynesian and I hope that soon we can all be reporting that things are changing for the better.

[Ian]

The thing is, though, you can't just say everyone is cutting back so Disney has to cut back, too.

Ford and Wal-Mart cutting expenses ... that doesn't really affect their end customers experience with them, not does it affect the likelihood that they'll return to patronize their business again.

I mean if they lay off 5,000 admin assistants, widget pushers, and washroom attendants, it really doesn't affect how well made your Taurus is, you know?

But at Disney, they don't offer a hard product ... they offer an experience. And that's why they can't follow the same mold everyone else does during an economic downturn.

Not to mention that fact that most of us are old enough to remember a time when Disney never followed anyone. They lead.

[tikiman]

The thing is, though, you can't just say everyone is cutting back so Disney has to cut back, too.

Ford and Wal-Mart cutting expenses ... that doesn't really affect their end customers experience with them, not does it affect the likelihood that they'll return to patronize their business again.

I mean if they lay off 5,000 admin assistants, widget pushers, and washroom attendants, it really doesn't affect how well made your Taurus is, you know?

But at Disney, they don't offer a hard product ... they offer an experience. And that's why they can't follow the same mold everyone else does during an economic downturn.

Not to mention that fact that most of us are old enough to remember a time when Disney never followed anyone. They lead.

Well said.

[big blue and hairy]

I certainly understand people being upset about cutbacks at WDW and I do think getting rid of the singer at Tambu is a bad idea. Not only does he keep people ther longer so they spend more money, I would be that people waiting to get into Ohanas are more patient when they're entertained. I do have a couple of questions though...

How many people pay extra to stay at the Poly because of the special atmospheric touches like the torch lighting ceremony? How many people now might downgrade to a moderate or even stay off property because they can no longer see the value-add in paying deluxe rates?

How many people have actually seen this ceremony? If you have, how many times have you seen it? I would guess that for the percentage of people who stay at the Polynesian that have seen (or even know about) the ceremony, this was not one of the more important things for atmosphere.

[tikiman]

I certainly understand people being upset about cutbacks at WDW and I do think getting rid of the singer at Tambu is a bad idea. Not only does he keep people ther longer so they spend more money, I would be that people waiting to get into Ohanas are more patient when they're entertained. I do have a couple of questions though...

How many people have actually seen this ceremony? If you have, how many times have you seen it? I would guess that for the percentage of people who stay at the Polynesian that have seen (or even know about) the ceremony, this was not one of the more important things for atmosphere.

I would guess a good amount of people have seen it at least once. I don’t se it every time I go but I have taken the time to see it about every 3 visits.

My opinion is how much could it cost to get two people (that have other jobs at the resort already) for 20 minutes a few times a week (its not every day)?

Is the atmosphere completely ruined if it is gone? NO

I think that there needs to be hidden treasures to make it a true Disney resort (I am sure some people are rolling their eyes at that comment). I also think that it is a small thing that can make a big impact. When I have gone to watch it and I see people just getting to the resort to check in or just walking through the lobby and run across the show, not knowing it even existed is one of those experiences that you write down in your journal or tell your friends and family about when you go home. It is something out of the ordinary that gives you a special moment during your visit. Like the Electrical Water Pageant, it is nothing spectacular and it is very dated but it reminds you of what Disney was and should still be. Would you pay to go see the Electrical Water Pageant? Probably not but when it shows up on the beach of your resort it is very special and a great surprise if you did not even know it existed.

[Stickey]

It is always disappointing when cutbacks occur. The extra touches contribute significantly to the overall quality of the experience. Deluxe resorts are characterized by their exceptional theming. These shows at the Poly will be missed. Poly fans should relay their concerns to Disney management.

Regarding the 4 night, with 3 nights free promotion, this is a very good deal. From a room only perspective, that is a 43% savings. AAA discounts are 15-20%. AP discounts have not been close to 40% off. For the critics of this promo, please name the specific discount offers that make this deal look mediocre.

[tikiman]

It is always disappointing when cutbacks occur. The extra touches contribute significantly to the overall quality of the experience. Deluxe resorts are characterized by their exceptional theming. These shows at the Poly will be missed. Poly fans should relay their concerns to Disney management.

Regarding the 4 night, with 3 nights free promotion, this is a very good deal. From a room only perspective, that is a 43% savings. AAA discounts are 15-20%. AP discounts have not been close to 40% off. For the critics of this promo, please name the specific discount offers that make this deal look mediocre.

I know of a deal that is better if you include tickets but I can’t mention it here.

I did run the numbers against the deal with just the room and you are correct that it is less if you are staying 7 nights but it should be called the “get less than a night free if you use this deal” since the difference in the total for the room for 7 nights is about $200 (less than a discounted night at the Polynesian for one night. Not to turn up my nose at $200 but if I added on tickets I would not save as much using the new deal. You again are paying rack rate for the tickets and getting the last 3 days for free. Ever look at how much it cost to add on a few days once you have paid for 4? It is very little compared to the cost of the first few days.

I would not suggest that people don’t try this deal, I just think people need to see it for what it is a compare the cost to other options instead of just jumping at it because it sounds like they are getting so much for free when they really are not.

It is good to debate it though because if gives people some different opinions to view so I appreciate your input.

[Ian]

How many people have actually seen this ceremony? If you have, how many times have you seen it? I would guess that for the percentage of people who stay at the Polynesian that have seen (or even know about) the ceremony, this was not one of the more important things for atmosphere.

Well, that wasn't exactly my point. I was speaking more generally and using this as an example.

The overall intent that I was trying to convey was simply that I don't believe anyone at Disney could quantify just how much they actually save with each one of these cuts, because I highly doubt they actually have a clue how much revenue these events truly generate for them.

Regarding the 4 night, with 3 nights free promotion, this is a very good deal. From a room only perspective, that is a 43% savings. AAA discounts are 15-20%. AP discounts have not been close to 40% off. For the critics of this promo, please name the specific discount offers that make this deal look mediocre.

The issue is that the discount is A. off rack rates and B. requires you to buy a Magic Your Way package.

I could absolutely, 100% book a room only package with an AP discount and buy an AP for less than this 7 for 4 deal. I know, because I've done it many, many times in the past.

Do you know how many times I've been able to snag a room at WL for $149 a night? You spread that across 7 nights and it's $1,000. An AP is $450. That's $1,450. The dining plan is $37.99 a day per person. For two adults that comes to $531.86. Total that comes to $1,981.86, but Disney was asking $2,300 for that same package on the 7 for 4 deal.

[valjane]

I've actually only seen the torchlighting ceremony once, two years ago. We weren't even staying at the Poly, but we were there for dinner at Ohana and we ran into it on our way out.

I thought it was neat-- one of the things I love(d) about Disney is that you never know what special entertainment or "magic" you'll run into. It helps make the trip special.

I can stay at a Hampton Inn and be perfectly happy with no entertainment, and I can go to Six Flags down the street and ride rollercoasters, but I go to Disney every year for the extra experience they offer(ed).

[Hammer]

Moderator Alert

Let's keep the discussion about the entertainment cutbacks at the Poly. If people want to discuss the value of the 4 + 3 promotion, please start a new thread.

Thanks, let us now return to our regularly scheduled programming...

[big blue and hairy]

Well, lots of you may have had a premature coniption. According to Screamscape (with video), the torch lighting ceremony is back. It only stopped temporarily because one of the people in it left.

Being a Frasier fan, I also refer to this as a Bulldog moment.

[johnO]

Ian's absolutely right. WDW IS about the experience. People keep going back because the experience is like no other. It's like no other because of things like the torch lighting ceremony or a lounge singer or paint brushes on TS Island in MK, or hidden mickey's or any number of small nuances that makes WDW different from other destinations.

big blue and hairy: How many people have actually seen this ceremony? If you have, how many times have you seen it? I would guess that for the percentage of people who stay at the Polynesian that have seen (or even know about) the ceremony, this was not one of the more important things for atmosphere.

BBandH, where does it end? You start getting rid of all of the "not so important things" at WDW and soon there'll be nothing left.

WDW could stop painting busses to save cost too. I'm mean why do the busses need to be painted as long as they get you there right? I don't think anyone will mind if the busses were primer grey right? Or how about CM uniforms? How much money could be saved if everyone wore the same uniform throughout the parks rather than all these different ones? WDW would lose any magic there right? And how about all of these crazy themes at the different resorts? Just make them all the same and WDW will save tons of dollars........................................... .............................Where does it end when you start down this road Mr. Iger??????????????? It ends when you end up with six flags or Universal for three times the price.............