WDW Cuts and Upcharges

[Ultranel]

They want Disney Channel and other exposure in China. $$$

Then they deserve every bit they got.

 

[Mad Dog]

They want Disney Channel and other exposure in China. $$$

Exactly.

 

[IzzyB]

You know where Disney could save some money? The stupid Magic Band packaging. First off if you are an annual pass holder they should send you a coupon each year that gets you x amount off a magic band. That amount can equal the generic colored magic bands. Then you go and buy whatever you want and if it costs more than x you pay the difference. They would save on shipping and packaging. But nope, instead EACH passholder gets a SEPARATE shipment with a huge fancy slide out box with one tiny band in it. It is silly and dumb! We should have gotten one box with all 3 bands in it, not 3 different ones all costing packaging and shipping money.

Same with hotel guests. They should have the option of getting a coupon or getting bands sent to them. That way for guests that come multiple times over the years, they can start with the bands they have and buy additional ones in the parks if they want. At least for them they get one box with all their bands, but does it need to be so fancy?

Disney just wastes money to waste money.

 

[Jon84]

You know where Disney could save some money? The stupid Magic Band packaging. First off if you are an annual pass holder they should send you a coupon each year that gets you x amount off a magic band. That amount can equal the generic colored magic bands. Then you go and buy whatever you want and if it costs more than x you pay the difference. They would save on shipping and packaging. But nope, instead EACH passholder gets a SEPARATE shipment with a huge fancy slide out box with one tiny band in it. It is silly and dumb! We should have gotten one box with all 3 bands in it, not 3 different ones all costing packaging and shipping money.

Same with hotel guests. They should have the option of getting a coupon or getting bands sent to them. That way for guests that come multiple times over the years, they can start with the bands they have and buy additional ones in the parks if they want. At least for them they get one box with all their bands, but does it need to be so fancy?

Disney just wastes money to waste money.

The costs for this will be factored in the hotel prices and AP prices. They are not just paying for this out of their profit/money for building new stuff

 

[IzzyB]

The costs for this will be factored in the hotel prices and AP prices. They are not just paying for this out of their profit/money for building new stuff

I get that, but they could reduce those expenses and keep the prices the same. My AP price did not raise from last year to this year, but I ordered these fancy new magic bands this year and didn't last year. So they got no more money out of me, but spent way more money on me than needed. The prices we pay are what we pay, but they could cut expenses and make more money in this area. That would be like a company saying we are not going to go paperless which will save us money because that won't help reduce our production expenses to give us more money for machines. So instead we are going to lay off 2 people. That is not how most companies work. They want to cut costs everywhere to have more money elsewhere.

 

[Mad Dog]

I had trouble figuring where to post this, but in an odd way it kind of fits in here since WDW has been cutting staff & staff perks even though park business & revenues are good...According to an article on OI, Universal today announced it is hiring 2,500 new team members for the Orlando parks. Also, "last month, Universal shared with TM's that they are being given more complimentary tickets, with no blackout dates, for friends & family to enjoy." Also, Wet & Wild comp tickets for TM's friends & family. And Universal says there will be more TM perks on the way. Plus minimum wage is being increased to $10 hr. ...This is such a vivid contrast in business styles. I would guess the incentive is there for people to work for Universal rather than Disney. One company is looking at their employees as valuable assets while the other is basically saying take it or leave it. Very interesting.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I had trouble figuring where to post this, but in an odd way it kind of fits in here since WDW has been cutting staff & staff perks even though park business & revenues are good...According to an article on OI, Universal today announced it is hiring 2,500 new team members for the Orlando parks. Also, "last month, Universal shared with TM's that they are being given more complimentary tickets, with no blackout dates, for friends & family to enjoy." Also, Wet & Wild comp tickets for TM's friends & family". And Universal says there will be more TM perks on the way. Plus minimum wage is being increased to $10 hr. ...This is such a vivid contrast in business styles. I would guess the incentive is there for people to work for Universal rather than Disney. One company is looking at their employees as valuable assets while the other is basically saying take it or leave it. Very interesting.

Combine this with Universal being easier to schedule with it's a no brainer. It'll really be in stark contrast to WDW when they cut back and then remove all their comp tickets (including maybe even free entry for CMs). There will be something coming out soon about Chapek that will startle a lot of people, this is Paul Pressler 2.0.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I remember when I started I was amazed we get into HHN for free... every night we want to!

 

[Mad Dog]

Universal has really upped their game. Universal TM's ....Disney CM's

 

[Parkscope Joe]

MiceChat has a great article up about the emergency $500 mill cut from budgets and how it affects guests and TMs.

 

[graspthesun]

I don't really understand the massive cuts. Is Disney too prideful to take a write-down on the construction costs and just apologize to the shareholders? Let everyone take a hit this quarter and then return to profitability in Q3.

 

[Mad Dog]

This is what happens when Executive compensation is so heavily tied into stock price & options. The Executives have a big time vested interest in the stock price. One reason for Disney's short term business outlook instead of a long term philosophy.

 

[GAcoaster]

Iger has a winning streak he doesn't want to break. His ego is too big for that. While this is all being blamed on Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Paris, this is also a bloated bureaucracy that is to blame and needs reshaping. These cuts also push out some longtime staffers at the top of the salary scale through early retirements or they just quit in frustration. This is not the first time it has happened, it's a cycle Disney goes through every so many years to weed out people that cost them the most.

 

[IzzyB]

I think if they stopped comp tickets and allowing employees in for free they would have a revolt on their hands. That is why some people even work for Disney. I think it would be a huge mistake and customer service would take a nose dive. I agree Disney is very bloated and they need to start looking to restructure their higher ups more than looking to cut benefits.

 

[Disneyhead]

I think if they stopped comp tickets and allowing employees in for free they would have a revolt on their hands. That is why some people even work for Disney. I think it would be a huge mistake and customer service would take a nose dive. I agree Disney is very bloated and they need to start looking to restructure their higher ups more than looking to cut benefits.

Funny you should mention that. It's coming, but that won't stop the cuts.

 

[Mad Dog]

Pictures over at TPI showing Chinese tourists trashing the Downtown Disney shopping area at the Shanghai Park. Even a picture of a woman having her child defecate in a planter in full public view. A typical Chinese behaving badly in public scenario that's all too common in that Communist/Totalitarian nation.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Pictures over at TPI showing Chinese tourists trashing the Downtown Disney shopping area at the Shanghai Park. Even a picture of a woman having her child defecate in a planter in full public view. A typical Chinese behaving badly in public scenario that's all too common in that Communist/Totalitarian nation.

Good news is a lot of people showed up to Downtown Disney. Now if they'll go into the parks or spend money is another question and one I'm interested to see the answer to

 

[Mad Dog]

Good news is a lot of people showed up to Downtown Disney. Now if they'll go into the parks or spend money is another question and one I'm interested to see the answer to

Well, it was kind of Free...Actually, I think they'll do well at first because the party (government) will make sure there's plenty of bodies there. Now whether they actually pay to get in will be another story. Box office receipts and paid attendance in China are not to be trusted. Long run, I think Disney is in for a lot of troubled times with that park, on more than one front.

 

[Plastic Person]

When HKDL opened, there were reports in the US media and on forums of guests behaving in a rude or inappropriate or criminal manner, but they all dissipated fairly quickly. Mainland China is a different, more corrupt story, but having visited, a lot of it is hot air. I think a lot of people on this forum want this to fail, owing to anti-Disney or anti-communist sentiment, but I think it'll tick along nicely before long. The mouse is just as evil and greedy as the state deep down.

 

[Nick]

When HKDL opened, there were reports in the US media and on forums of guests behaving in a rude or inappropriate or criminal manner, but they all dissipated fairly quickly. Mainland China is a different, more corrupt story, but having visited, a lot of it is hot air. I think a lot of people on this forum want this to fail, owing to anti-Disney or anti-communist sentiment, but I think it'll tick along nicely before long. The mouse is just as evil and greedy as the state deep down.

Nobody should want this to fail if we ever want to see Disney put away the axe.