Summer Guest Attendance Down? CM Hours Cut

[11290]

FWIW: Been a MK CM for a bit over 8 years and in my areas of work every year from (normally) mid August until the early part of October hours are "tightened up" due to the Fiscal Year closing at the end of September. Wouldn't read anymore into it than that and don't expect that this year would be any different.

Things change somewhat because of the party season though.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Sometimes it is cheaper to pay someone 1 1/2 or even double time than it is to get another full time hire and have to provide them benefits. In other instances, management has decreed that no new head count increases will be approved, so the only way to get around it to meet demand is to hire temps through a temp agency (and thus not true hires) which I don't think will really work for WDW or pay over time. No idea if these are the case here, I just know that both are true at many companies due to management stubbornness/shortsightedness. I know that we have some guys who work in our plants who are making more in OT/DT each week than they do in normal take home pay, just because mgmt won't approve more hires.

For WDW, their "temps" are the CP CMs who work without benefits other than free entry into the parks.

The Entertainment CP CMs filled the meet and greet and dining venue roles. This Summer, show, parade, and event CMs are filling in at these venues at a greater cost to Disney.

 

[MrsDuck]

If there are cuts, you will not feel them.

 

[ShellieMimi]

Attendance is down but profits are up. Disney is very happy right now.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Attendance is down but profits are up. Disney is very happy right now.

That was true for the last quarter, but we don't know if it is now.

 

[Jim Shuler]

The fact the MK closing times are now 10:00 is causing us to rethink our upcoming trip and if we are getting our money's worth. It is too early to close at 10:00 esp in the summer. If crowds are down they are going to drop even more when people do not feel they are getting a fair shake.
Also closing MK at 10:00 means people will be pouring out of the parks right after the fireworks. Means longer lines for resort buses.

 

[AngiTN]

Funny, Universal seems to do just fine closing at 9:00 or 10:00, or even earlier most nights. How is it so awful for Disney to? I guess I don't get it.

I just can't chalk up everything Disney does away with to budget cuts and low attendance

Haven't you learned by now that EVERYTHING Disney changes or cuts is due to budget cuts and low attendance. They are always trying to stick it to the guest any more. At least that's how it seems if you read half the posts here.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Sometimes it is cheaper to pay someone 1 1/2 or even double time than it is to get another full time hire and have to provide them benefits. In other instances, management has decreed that no new head count increases will be approved, so the only way to get around it to meet demand is to hire temps through a temp agency (and thus not true hires) which I don't think will really work for WDW or pay over time. No idea if these are the case here, I just know that both are true at many companies due to management stubbornness/shortsightedness. I know that we have some guys who work in our plants who are making more in OT/DT each week than they do in normal take home pay, just because mgmt won't approve more hires.

My husband's job is like this.

They work 72/week and have been running like that since last October.

 

[ShellieMimi]

That was true for the last quarter, but we don't know if it is now.

I think it's highly likely.

A lot of people want to pretend that Disney is doing badly because they're unhappy with recent changes and have been (or nearly have been) priced out.

The truth is that Disney doesn't care and isn't hurting. If the current prices are too high for you (general you), you are not who they want in the parks. They want people with deeper pockets, whether they're first time visitors or not, who will spend freely. This model seems to be working out just fine for Disney.

 

[randumb0]

Funny, Universal seems to do just fine closing at 9:00 or 10:00, or even earlier most nights. How is it so awful for Disney to? I guess I don't get it.

My son's babysitter works at Universal and she said things have been crazy there

 

[Echo queen]

I would love to hear your take after your visit or during.

 

[lentesta]

...I take this as confirmation that attendance has been low and hit the bottom line so to show a profitable or balance operating cost this move had to be made.

The words used to explain it to me were "Thanks, ESPN."

 

[IrishNYC]

Doesn't seem to be down for December where no rooms or ADRs can be had! I guess August then would be a great time to visit.

It's very difficult to get a room anywhere this August or September for the dates I've looked at. Mid-August has no rooms at WL, and mid/end September has had nothing at WL, Poly, POR, or AKL for months. Possibly even more resorts, but this are what I looked at and can recall.

 

[Beer Me]

We were there from 7/8-7/14 and to me every park felt crowded compared with past July trips. Nothing extreme but definitely crowded. Maybe I was just in the wrong parks at the wrong time but I wouldn't go expecting light crowds.

 

[patrickpiteo]

We were there from 7/8-7/14 and to me every park felt crowded compared with past July trips. Nothing extreme but definitely crowded. Maybe I was just in the wrong parks at the wrong time but I wouldn't go expecting light crowds.

Yup felt the same way to us when we were there.

 

[robl45]

Number one Universal offers unlimted express passes so people don't need to be there at night when crowds are lower. That is the major difference.

Funny, Universal seems to do just fine closing at 9:00 or 10:00, or even earlier most nights. How is it so awful for Disney to? I guess I don't get it.


Haven't you learned by now that EVERYTHING Disney changes or cuts is due to budget cuts and low attendance. They are always trying to stick it to the guest any more. At least that's how it seems if you read half the posts here.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Universal is pretty different. They don't have the same caliber of nighttime show at either of their parks like MK does that draws people in later in the day. Exiting at Universal is staggered and naturally winds down. It will be interesting to see how it changes when they get their HP holiday offerings including a projection show on their "castle"

 

[AngiTN]

Number one Universal offers unlimted express passes so people don't need to be there at night when crowds are lower. That is the major difference.

And this just solved why Disney cut back the hours. People don't go in high enough numbers to make it worthwhile to keep the park open. I would guess more people needed to go to show Disney they needed the later hours. But of course, that would counter the reason most here loved those late hours.

For what it's worth, we did go late. We are late night people way before we are early morning people. We have sure not gotten bent out of shape about the change in hours nor have we found we get less done. Sure we now start early, we adjust our schedules to fit the park hours. No biggie.

 

[123SA]

I know nothing about staffing. I don't know if this is a "low crowd" time staffing thing or an everyday thing since my last 5 visits have been at the same time of year, but it drove me crazy last 2 years in late August early September. I wanted to enjoy walk on rides in the opening hour at MK but it seemed to me that some of the rides were not fully staffed in the opening hours. Only one side of POC was running, (in 2015) only one side for BTMR, loading every other boat Splash, very slow at Jungle Cruise. Of course, the lines were not actually long but the wait was caused strictly by the lack of staff and that was why I found it annoying. Waiting my turn because others arrived before me doesn't bother me, waiting because the staff isn't in place irritates me.

 

[back2disney]

I am in the single digits happy dance and have been reading about the low crowds on just about every popular fan site including Josh. Of course, that has been music to my ears.

Today I read Len's post that starting this week Park and Resort cast member hours are being cut until the end of their fiscal year (Sept 30, 2017). Have any cast members here confirmed?

I take this as confirmation that attendance has been low and hit the bottom line so to show a profitable or balance operating cost this move had to be made. I had to make this move for my business last year so completely understand.

However, as a guest, I am wondering about the impacting from my park strategy to resort experience at the Poly. Do cuts occur across the board, or specific to operations? Fewer Cast Members at the merchandise stores seems would have minimal impact but if it's also dining or ride operations, then there's the rub.

Are fewer vehicles run? or is there less line management? Closing of the FP second scan point? How best to account for this situation?

Just came back from a 10 day trip, parks were not packed like sardines if thats what they mean.. Us fillets were side by side and still mostly touching each other, lots of bumping, and moving around each other, and trying to find out who has the right away, who is going to budge first, whats that smell. Low crowds, lol. no. Busy and crowded yes. Its the most visited park in the world. Low crowd is when you don't need a fastpass. Fastpass was introduced in late 1999. Everyday you need a fastpass if you are in the park for more than 2 hours during the busy(this includes summer) season. Same with all the other parks that have skip the line passes.

Funny, Universal seems to do just fine closing at 9:00 or 10:00, or even earlier most nights. How is it so awful for Disney to? I guess I don't get it.

Last 2 hours at Universal are golden. Last hour is magical. Rest of the day after morning?(I haven't rope dropped here in over a decade though) crowded but not as bad as disney.

Edit to also add: Hollywood Studios wasn't that crowded, except at Fantasmic (Where did all those people come from), Epcot wasn't congested except at Spaceship Earth in the first hour or so, Animal Kingdom wasn't too bad. Magic Kingdom was the one that felt crowded.