Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Discussion Thread

[robbalvey]

Stitch is gone? Awesome. Hopefully Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is next.

No, it's not gone. Please try READING the thread next time before you post. Thanks.

[xstech25]

As much as I dislike Stitch's Great Escape this is not a good sign for Disney or Florida tourism in general. I've been in Florida long enough to know when attractions start going seasonal that means business has slown.

[SharkTums]

^I don't think it's any big secret that Orlando did not have the best summer. Between Brexit, Brazil's economy, Pulse, and Zika it's obvious to some of us locals that tourism is down. Throw in the horrible uncertainty of the upcoming election and it's a mess. No one's really admitting it or freaking out publicly yet though, so maybe that's a good sign.

[robbalvey]

And while things have been slow, it's not like it's been terrible either. I'm going to assume attendance may have been "flat" for this summer. We've had days where the parks were totally empty when they usually would be busy, but then again, Epcot looked like this the other day:

Edited September 21, 2016 by robbalvey

[xstech25]

I guess the good news is that the population of the Central Florida super region has exploded over the past decade, so even if tourism is down they can count on making some serious $$$ on weekends during F&W regardless (although I do wonder how many of those people came in for free with the extra tickets they gave all the cast members to try and pad the numbers for this summer ). In addition to all the bad news in the worlds economy I think Disney and Universal are OK with thinning the herd a bit as they have really been pushing prices closer to elasticity the past few years, so some of it may be by design.

 

In semi related news I went to Sea World yesterday with someones AP bring a friend for free ticket and walked right onto Mako in the front row, which was running mostly empty trains in the middle of the day, so for some parks even big discounts and free tickets doesn't cut it .

[robbalvey]

I do wonder how many of those people came in for free with the extra tickets they gave all the cast members to try and pad the numbers for this summer ).

Not many at all. You have to remember that Food & Wine, especially that opening weekend is a VERY popular event for DVC members, out of town locals (like 3-4 hours away) and annual passholders to come out. Almost everyone we talked to when we attended the media event was from out of town somewhere.

 

Extra comps given to cast members over the summer is not going to see that huge of an uptick on their attendance overall, especially when you're talking about theme park numbers that range upwards of 50 million annually. When you only have about 70,000 cast members in Orlando, that's a lot, and I mean a *LOT* of comp tickets that would need to be given out to make a dent in that number!

 

Just to put it into perspective, EVERY SINGLE ONE of those 70,000 employees would need to be given 15 additional comp tickets from what they already get each year, AND every one of those comps would need to be used to even break an additional 1 million people coming through the gates. I highly doubt that's anywhere near the reality of the amount of comps being given to and used by cast members over a period of a few months.

 

So you can see just how unrealistic your thought would be...

Edited September 21, 2016 by robbalvey

[coasterbill]

In semi related news I went to Sea World yesterday with someones AP bring a friend for free ticket and walked right onto Mako in the front row, which was running mostly empty trains in the middle of the day, so for some parks even big discounts and free tickets doesn't cut it .

 

I'm not a local, but is that a surprise for this time of year? I would think that since schools just started back up nationwide and you visited in the middle of the week the parks would all be very slow minus maybe Epcot which has a special even going on that caters to an over 21 crowd.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm absolutely prepared to be, but I always assumed that September was really slow mid-week.

[xstech25]

That is how Sea World is for most any time of year actually other than Christmas and some of spring break. Although yes you are correct, most parks (other than Disney) will be walk on city this time of year.

[Genx24]

Stitch is gone? Awesome. Hopefully Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is next.

No, it's not gone. Please try READING the thread next time before you post. Thanks.

Sorry. I looked at a couple of posts before mine and must have misinterpreted what they said. Mea Culpa.

[Hilltopper39]

I wonder what they will replace Stitch's Great Escape with............and it's a Meet n Greet.

*ANYTHING* would be an improvement. If they turned it into a quick service restaurant, that would still be a location I would probably frequent more than I do Stitch's Great Escape!

 

Oh I'm not complaining at all, a permanent Stitch meet n greet or Buzz, Monsters Inc. whatever would be great! But yeah anything other than what it is now will be an improvement, quick serve, meet n greet, Intergalactic Frozen Space treat that greatly resembles a dole whip station, heck an American version of Tokyo's Stitch encounter would be pretty fun.

[coasterbill]

If they replaced it with a quick service restaurant that didn't suck that would actually be amazing. Tomorrowland needs that desperately.

[Hilltopper39]

^Yeah the one they have is, pretty dated and boring. Doesn't even have astronaut ice cream.

[Genx24]

I'm a fan of Cosmic Ray's, but I'd welcome another quick service restaurant in Tomorrowland.The park could certainly use another.

[robbalvey]

If they replaced it with a quick service restaurant that didn't suck that would actually be amazing. Tomorrowland needs that desperately.

Even if they replaced it with a crappy quick service restaurant that would still be better than Stitch! I mean, I can get a Coke Zero at a crappy quick service restaurant!

[Satans Hockey]

I don't know if this would even be possible but I'd love to see them close this and monsters laugh factory and put in that tron coaster

[TheCoasterKid211]

I don't know if this would even be possible but I'd love to see them close this and monsters laugh factory and put in that tron coaster

Yeah... as much as I'd love to see that happen, it won't. Space Mountain is less than 100 yards away from that spot, plus with the PeopleMover, there would be zero room.

[thrillrider]

The more I think about it, why don't they replace it with pizza planet? We found it kind of odd that the magic kingdom does not offer pizza except for the flat breads in pinnocchio house.

 

The theme would fit right in, and it will fill a pizza void in the park

[BlahBlahson]

I'm actually elated to see stitch on life support. It's the worst attraction I have ever been on at any theme park anywhere. At least it's the only one I've been on that seems designed to be annoying, physically unpleasant, and at times painful. I have only done it once ever and haven't even been curious to try it again. I can't believe it exists in a park as nice as Magic Kingdom.

[TheCoasterKid211]

The more I think about it, why don't they replace it with pizza planet? We found it kind of odd that the magic kingdom does not offer pizza except for the flat breads in Pinocchio house.

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[robbalvey]

I'm actually elated to see stitch on life support. It's the worst attraction I have ever been on at any theme park anywhere. At least it's the only one I've been on that seems designed to be annoying, physically unpleasant, and at times painful. I have only done it once ever and haven't even been curious to try it again. I can't believe it exists in a park as nice as Magic Kingdom.

It's one of the very few attractions where if I'm with someone who decides they want to do it, I will choose to sit on a bench, and I have a better time.

 

Ellen's Energy Adventure is another one. So it's kind of fitting that both of these attractions may soon be on the chopping block!

Edited September 23, 2016 by robbalvey

[jray21]

If they replaced it with a quick service restaurant that didn't suck that would actually be amazing. Tomorrowland needs that desperately.

Even if they replaced it with a crappy quick service restaurant that would still be better than Stitch! I mean, I can get a Coke Zero at a crappy quick service restaurant!

 

Totally agree! Bench the ride is tons better than Stitch.

[A.J.]

I'm actually elated to see stitch on life support. It's the worst attraction I have ever been on at any theme park anywhere. At least it's the only one I've been on that seems designed to be annoying, physically unpleasant, and at times painful. I have only done it once ever and haven't even been curious to try it again.

"The restraint will automatically stop when it touches your shoulders".

 

Yeah freaking right. You have to hold your hands up above your shoulders to get the harness to a point where it ISN'T crushing your entire body for the length of the show. I realize that's the way they had to do it to get the sensory effects when they did Alien Encounter but...

[thrillrider]

Screamscape is reporting rumors that stitch will be replaced with a wreck it Ralph attraction of some kind.

[TheCoasterKid211]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGIC KINGDOM!!!

[DorneyKid14]

Did the park do special fireworks last night? I saw a tweet with a video of fireworks but can't remember who tweeted it. I'm pretty sure it was for the anniversary.