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Walt Disney World: Non-Theme Park Discussion

Ironically Europa's attempt at copying Epcot with a European version of World Showcase now works better than the original.
While Epcot tries to show other countries 100% authenticly EP's loving paradoy/inspired versions are a lot more fun and feel more alive and lived In. Just compare these two pictures:

306000019-europa-park-8-1600x900.jpg


mfp102783LARGE.jpg


The one from Epcot is clearly more aaccurate to France, but EP looks like a more interesting place to be.
 
I’m not sure if this is the right place to post, so I apologize if it isn’t. But people from the UK have until this Friday to apply if they want to spend 12 months working at Disney World. I’m not involved in recruitment and I don’t have any stake in this. I do currently work at Disney World but I’m writing this in an unofficial capacity. I normally post anonymously, to make it clear I don’t represent any parks. But on this occasion I thought I’d post using my real name, so if anyone wants to they can message me with any questions.

This are some upfront costs, as you have to pay for your visa, a deposit on housing and your flight over here. It’s also very competitive to get onto. However, it's a Q1 visa, so anyone over 18 can apply, regardless of education or qualifications.

You'd work in the UK pavilion in Epcot in either food or merchandise. You get free entry to all the Disney parks and exclusive Disney events. There’s a lively social life. Disney provides the accommodation and it gets taken out of your wages.

 
I think they're just letting the "take your money" pressure off slightly after spending the last decade doing nothing but ratcheting it up. I agree that it's very strange to see any news about Disney lowering prices, or even removing some costs entirely (even if those costs were outrageous to begin with)
 
I am being very optimistic but perhaps Iger has realised that continually raising the prices while the quality of the experience decreases is a bad idea?
 
Interesting development from an albeit relativity small Disney shareholder on the current theme park strategy. Can’t say I disagree with too much of this.

"Disney may believe that price increases and 'nickel-and-diming' of cast members and other costs is good for the bottom line," he says. "However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk."
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Disney accused of squeezing theme park customers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64255871
 
Hats off for Iger for a PR triumph with the removal of charges for overnight guest parking which were introduced by ... Iger.
 
Rick said:
Hats off for Iger for a PR triumph with the removal of charges for overnight guest parking which were introduced by ... Iger.
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I think Chapek was head of parks and resorts at the time. The CEO of the entire group would have had less involvement in smaller changes.
 
The whole Reedy Creek Improvement District saga has taken another turn today, with a new bill posted which proposes changes to RCID... which are seemingly nowhere near the crazy plans DeSantis threatened proposed previously.

The new bill - H9B - in full here, seems to propose a few key interesting changes (although I've not read it in full, so there could be more!)
  1. Renaming RCID to 'Central Florida Tourism Oversight District'... really? 🙄
  2. The board of supervisors will consist of 5 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate
  3. The board of supervisors may not contain anyone who has worked with or for a theme park or entertainment complex within the last 3 years
  4. Any person elected to the board may only complete a maximum of 3 terms (a current board member has been so since 1975!)
  5. RCID is not being dissolved, simply renamed with new rules, and may continue to use its name for 2 years to transition
So, it seems in short, this bill would remove Disney's ability to control the board and the voting power of landowners.

But at least RCID isn't being completely 'dissolved' which DeSantis promised to do.. in fact it makes it quite clear it won't be:
Section 7. Notwithstanding s. 189.0311(2), Florida Statutes, the Reedy Creek Improvement District is not dissolved as of June 1, 2023, but continues in full force and effect under its new name.
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Who didn't see that coming 🙄😂
 
Anybody heading to Orlando and visiting Disney soon may find this article useful;

touringplans.com

Posted vs Actual Wait Times – Worst Offenders! | TouringPlans.com Blog

TouringPlans is all about understanding what's actually going on with lines for rides. But most guests base their decisi
touringplans.com touringplans.com

As has been mentioned in vlogs I have watched recently, the standby queue times posted for Disney World rides have been highly overstated (most likely to push Genie+ / lightning lane sales). The above article shows the following;

Epcot - The worst park for overstating, with queue times averaging 60% of the advertised time (so if Disney say 60 mins, it would only be 36 mins)

Magic Kingdon / Hollywood Studios - 64% of advertised wait time

Animal Kingdom - 68% of advertised wait time.

With the free fastpass being a thing of the past, the above is worth noting for visits (assuming it is accurate). I go in June and having seen the big queue times on the app recently, feared it will be a nightmare compared to previous visits so may need to fork out for Genie+. If the article is accurate then it certainly helps to plan ahead.
 
Well in a rather hilarious twist to the Ready Creek Improvement District tale, it appears that the previous administration signed away the development rights of the area to Disney themselves last month.

This means the DeSantis appointed board seemingly have very limited powers which stretch to pretty much just maintaining the roads.

I did wonder why Disney were quite so laid back about this whole thing, seems they had a plan all along.

www.clickorlando.com

Disney made last-minute deal with former Reedy Creek board giving company wide powers, new board says

"This essentially makes Disney the government," board member Ron Peri said.
www.clickorlando.com www.clickorlando.com
 
Absolutely hilarious that Desantis thought he could mess with Disney's money and actually emerge victorious. I have no knowledge either way, and the way Disney works, nobody ever will, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're doing even more behind the scenes to punish him and his future political prospects for this stunt. You don't mess with the mouse, as they say.
 
On the surface this means the parks won’t be affected, or not too much. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that. In the parks there are a lot of staff on hourly wages, so it’s easy to cut people’s hours rather than cutting the number of staff. There are a lot of roles like engineering and culinary that have been short staffed since Covid, so freezing staffing numbers at the current rate would still affect the guest experience. Also, over the last five years there has already been a massive reduction in the number of management at the parks.
 
I’ve heard a lot of talk about this whole “Disney vs Ron DeSantis” affair, and I was just wondering; what consequence would Ron DeSantis’ chosen people taking over the Reedy Creek Improvement District actually have had on Disney? Surely they’re just a different set of governors, are they not?
 
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