News Round Up 2019

[wareagle57]

Not Disney news, but Sea World abruptly ended their Orca Whale “One Ocean” show today 2 days ahead of the announced closure. Went to watch it one last time today to find it was the new Orca Encounter.

Apparently employees didn’t even know and guests were screaming when they showed up this morning to signs announcing this. I don’t understand why they’d do that when they already announced an end date. I can’t imagine the backlash Disney would get if they pulled something like this.

 

[crazy4wdw]

The Walt Disney Company announced that it has scheduled its annual shareholders’ meeting for Wednesday, March 11, 2020 in Raleigh, N.C.

Raleigh is about 3 hours from where I live. I'm going to plan to go.

 

[wareagle57]

If you enter MK and leave, are you able to get back in during phased closures? I don’t think we’ve had any this week but I’m preparing for the worst tomorrow.

 

[SaintsManiac]

OK, I don't spend a lot of time complaining about WDW - at least as much as some. But one thing that is starting to get me super irritated is their inability to put up the true park hours until weeks before a trip. We are 6+ weeks from heading to WDW - and the park hours schedule is still showing MK hours for the week of Feb 15-22 as being 9 AM to 8 PM every day. You are telling me a week that contains (a) Presidents Week, (b) Princess Half Marathon, and (c) Mardi Gras is really going to be only open until 8 PM every day?

C'mon Disney - get your dang dates set.

My biggest complaint! Heck it is probably my only real problem with WDW. The rest is petty little stuff, but the park hours communication is infuriating to me.

 

[OKW Lover]

If you enter MK and leave, are you able to get back in during phased closures? I don’t think we’ve had any this week but I’m preparing for the worst tomorrow.

Depends on the phase and what type of guest you are. There are IIRC, 4 levels of "closures', the lowest of which is simply that the close the parking lot and send guests to other parks. Only the highest level do the not let anybody in until some people leave. The intermittent levels give resort guests and those with ADR's in.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

NEWS/REPORT

Seeing reports of the MK ferry service being suspended because someone jumped off the ferry into seven seas lagoon

 

[dlavender]

NEWS/REPORT

Seeing reports of the MK ferry service being suspended because someone jumped off the ferry into seven seas lagoon

View attachment 461424

Seems she has been rescued. I hope she’s ok.
What do you even do as a passenger in that situation? I’ve been on those boats a hundred times and I can’t think of what I would do/where I would go to get help...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Seems she has been rescued. I hope she’s ok.
What do you even do as a passenger in that situation? I’ve been on those boats a hundred times and I can’t think of what I would do/where I would go to get help...

I think all you can do is alert the crew and then stay out of their way and listen/follow any directions and say a prayer

 

[Sweettears]

Did she jump or fall?

 

[skier_pete]

Seems she has been rescued. I hope she’s ok.
What do you even do as a passenger in that situation? I’ve been on those boats a hundred times and I can’t think of what I would do/where I would go to get help...

Throw them a life ring. Unless it's my kid, then I'm likely going in after them.

 

[rteetz]

Did she jump or fall?

Unknown. Likely won't ever know the full story either. I can't see how one would just fall unless something was wrong with the ferry or if the person was messing around.

 

[Carol_]

Seems she has been rescued. I hope she’s ok.
What do you even do as a passenger in that situation? I’ve been on those boats a hundred times and I can’t think of what I would do/where I would go to get help...

Throw her a life ring and/or life preserver

 

[starstruck93]

Thinking about the history of Disney cutting back hours this isnt that surprising. I assume they have some sort of threshold for what they considerable " reasonable profit" per hour for them to extend operating hours. They must have some formula based off ticket sales, hotel occupancy and reservations plus historic data to determine that on such and such days if they keep the park open for a extra 2 hours or something they get x hundreds thousands of dollars per hour of profit for keeping park y open.

I feel as little as 4 years ago it was just about can we keep the park generating profit past what time then lets keep it open. Now its not about can we make profit but at least some threshold number of profit. It prob makes sense in terms of maintenance costs for rides, which allows them to stretch out maintenance windows on the rides. It prob also allows them to maximize reset time during park off hours but I agree it comes at the cost of experience to the guests. I miss the 2am Magic Kingdom and I doubt we will ever get a 24 Hour Day anytime in the near future

Me too!!! I was just talking about this a few weeks ago.... we purchased DVC in 2009, back then and even until around 2015 the late night park hours were AMAZING. My little boy and I are night owls, not morning people so we would be out late every night. It was truly magical to have the park to yourself. I really miss those days. I'm not sure what triggered them to start taking away so many perks.... I mean obviously money but like you said.... "at what cost to the guest experience?" Over the past 4 years they've slowly taken things away and increased prices or started charging for it... (like the after hours parties).

 

[Sweettears]

Unknown. Likely won't ever know the full story either. I can't see how one would just fall unless something was wrong with the ferry or if the person was messing around.

Can’t make any conclusions or judgments without the facts but I would certainly hope that she did not voluntarily take the jump in this environment. Pretty traumatic to a large number of vulnerable people and kids in particular.

 

[rteetz]

News

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/new...0191231-qebgkg5cevhcdin2dvk3yh7moy-story.html

 

[rteetz]

News

John Debney’s “For Scores” Podcast Episode Reveals Exciting Disney History

 

[rteetz]

News

Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Opening at 1 p.m. on January 12, 2020

 

[Navychica]

Seems she has been rescued. I hope she’s ok.
What do you even do as a passenger in that situation? I’ve been on those boats a hundred times and I can’t think of what I would do/where I would go to get help...

If you witness a man overboard and there are multiple witnesses (which on those boats, there always are), have one person throw a life ring, one person grab the emergency phone to communicate with the crew, and EVERYONE ELSE should look at the person in the water and point at them. It’s incredibly easy to lose sight of a person in the water, especially at night, even in somewhere sheltered like the Seven Seas Lagoon. The ship will be maneuvering to stay near the person but not too near them, so keeping a good bearing and range on them is vital. Continue pointing until the rescue swimmer has them.

I know nothing about this particular instance, but can talk your ear off about safely recovering a man overboard.

 

[wareagle57]

Depends on the phase and what type of guest you are. There are IIRC, 4 levels of "closures', the lowest of which is simply that the close the parking lot and send guests to other parks. Only the highest level do the not let anybody in until some people leave. The intermittent levels give resort guests and those with ADR's in.

What time in years past has it closed? Is it just ADRs or are FP included? I work in the park until 11 pm tomorrow but I also have an AP and want to tap in with my wife before my shift so I can just come up and watch the fireworks. Not worried about myself but I’d like for her to not have to hang out on the craziest day of the year for that long if she doesn’t have to.

 

[disneygirlsng]

What time in years past has it closed? Is it just ADRs or are FP included? I work in the park until 11 pm tomorrow but I also have an AP and want to tap in with my wife before my shift so I can just come up and watch the fireworks. Not worried about myself but I’d like for her to not have to hang out on the craziest day of the year for that long if she doesn’t have to.

AP's can get in all the way through Phase 3, just not Phase 4, which nobody is allowed in. Phase 3's have occurred on NYE, but not since 2013, no idea what time they began though. Phase 1 and 2 have been more common in recent years, and if my memory is correct, is somewhere around early-mid afternoon. But, that doesn't always mean that the closure is for the rest of the day, the phase can be reduced or lifted.