Magical Express and Extra Magic Hours Terminated Permanently From 2022

[Jaspercat10]

Don't forget we are in the middle of a pandemic !. Disney parks has lost billions of dollars, Disney California has not been open for nearly a year. They have had to let over 68,000 employees go.
They will have to restructure and change their formats I think we just need to wait and see what they come up with.. and although people don't like change it happens..
Companies are on their knees especially hospitality and leisure, Disney is about to go from 25 percent capacity to 40 percent. I wouldn't want to run my business on those numbers.
We are all wanting everything to be the same as it was pre pandemic.. hang fire we don't know what is coming for 2022 yet
Consumers always want more bang for their buck, I bet no one offered to pay a Disney a bit more when they offered free magic magic bands, alcohol on the dining plan everyone took that as an extra..
Come March/ April the packages will either come out or wont for next year that's when you make your call.

[miked1e]

Originally Posted by Jaspercat10

Don't forget we are in the middle of a pandemic !. Disney parks has lost billions of dollars, Disney California has not been open for nearly a year. They have had to let over 68,000 employees go.
They will have to restructure and change their formats I think we just need to wait and see what they come up with.. and although people don't like change it happens..
Companies are on their knees especially hospitality and leisure, Disney is about to go from 25 percent capacity to 40 percent. I wouldn't want to run my business on those numbers.
We are all wanting everything to be the same as it was pre pandemic.. hang fire we don't know what is coming for 2022 yet
Consumers always want more bang for their buck, I bet no one offered to pay a Disney a bit more when they offered free magic magic bands, alcohol on the dining plan everyone took that as an extra..
Come March/ April the packages will either come out or wont for next year that's when you make your call.

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Great post...

[amy56]

I’ve only just seen this and admit to only reading the first 8 pages! 😂

One post I saw mentioned the 30 mins EMH will apply at all four parks rather than at one selected park - is that right? If so, I can see I’m in the vast minority, but I think that’s a good thing! I think it will mean a more even spread throughout the parks and 30 minutes with possibly a quarter of the people, is better than an hour with everyone for me!

I admit that I am DVC so I am not effected by parking charges & we always have a car so MDE isn’t a thing for us - used it once and very much missed my car.

I’ve always eaten offsite (there are so many American chain restaurants we love, that that is half the enjoyment for us) and we have no interest in eating in most of the on-site places - we have three favs (garden grill and Crystal Palace breakfasts - if the buffet ever returns there, and ohana dinner for the bread pudding! The rest we can happily skip!)

Evening magic hours were already disappearing with the ever extending parties, so I’m not sure there is much change for us.

Staying onsite at Disney to be in the Disney Bubble has always been the appeal to us - we love returning ‘home’ when we go offsite, hence why we bought DVC, so none of this makes a difference to us, and I suspect to the average US guest (who let’s face it are all Disney really think about when they make decisions) these aren’t significant enough changes to make them abandon their short trips - we are just unusual in the extended length of time we stay - I think Disney want the short term US guests who probably spend as much in four days as we do in a fortnight on merchandise etc, as they don’t have the extortionate flight costs etc that we also have to factor in.

If they change Fastpass to being paid for, or if they change to the Universal system of only being free to onsite guests, I won’t be delighted at any extra costs, but I actually think that could be a benefit to those willing to pay for it, especially if it means being able to fastpass more than just three rides with much shorter queues - I’d probably pay for that privilege, maybe not every trip, but as one offs.

As I say, I know my opinion is totally against the vast majority here, but for me the draw of onsite has always been purely about being inside the Disney bubble, the added extras were always just that - added extras and not the main reason for my stay (and yes I’m DVC now, but I’ve had many years not being).

[NewtoOrlando]

Originally Posted by gjdjud

No free dining and no fastpasses will stop me staying onsite. I'll still have an amazing holiday off-site and it will be cheaper.

More early paid events to come definitely. Having done a Toy Story one it was amazing but expensive. For me I'd consider a cheaper off-site hotel and use the savings to fund a couple of these. I know that plays in to corporate Disney's hands but all still.

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This is what we would consider, maybe MNSSHP and another after hours event, we never ever make use of a 14 day ticket so cost wise this is far more effective for us.

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

The issue is that we have such different holiday plans than the Americans that changes affect us to a far greater extent.

We all know that the average American family will spend circa 4 days at WDW, probably fly or drive there, pre pay for the food and go full on for the time they are there.

They can absorb additional costs far better than for example a British family spending 14 or even 21 nights there whereby any additional or unforeseen costs are magnified greatly.

When I was working a number of my employees had been to Disney or were planning to go - once!

This forum is full of people who go on average every year or even multiple times a year. Thus we are more canny, more aware of what we perceive to be a drip drip erosion of what we consider to be our right to experience and switched on to how to achieve best value.
Sadly the World has changed and we either roll with it or vote with our feet.

I lay odds that most who say they wont go again or will stay offsite in the future will change their minds.

I am the quintessential Disney cynic and view them as a machine that is trying to fleece me. However they view me as an individual who wont be fleeced and does what he wants not what they want. I'm not the type of Guest they want on property as they struggle to squeeze money out of me.

Overpriced distinctly mediocre food - forget it
Paid for FP's - forget it
No DME - I would pay for an Uber (I hire actually)
Disney merchandise - not for me.

We all need to be more adept at how we allow Disney to manage our time there and that's the only way things will change. However don't hold your breath as they exist for one reason only. Income generation

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You've given me food for thought. I can save money next year by using up my five free nights on site after doing US and SW etc don't need to do parks , eat off site. Give Disney NO money.

Food for thought...I'm going into chemotherapying now , I'll adjust my costs. I think it's as if when you stay onsite you "feel" you have to have tickets etc but I know you rarely do the parks ? Got something to do now for five hours lol

[aqualiv]

Originally Posted by amy56

I’ve only just seen this and admit to only reading the first 8 pages! 😂

One post I saw mentioned the 30 mins EMH will apply at all four parks rather than at one selected park - is that right? If so, I can see I’m in the vast minority, but I think that’s a good thing! I think it will mean a more even spread throughout the parks and 30 minutes with possibly a quarter of the people, is better than an hour with everyone for me!

I admit that I am DVC so I am not effected by parking charges & we always have a car so MDE isn’t a thing for us - used it once and very much missed my car.

I’ve always eaten offsite (there are so many American chain restaurants we love, that that is half the enjoyment for us) and we have no interest in eating in most of the on-site places - we have three favs (garden grill and Crystal Palace breakfasts - if the buffet ever returns there, and ohana dinner for the bread pudding! The rest we can happily skip!)

Evening magic hours were already disappearing with the ever extending parties, so I’m not sure there is much change for us.

Staying onsite at Disney to be in the Disney Bubble has always been the appeal to us - we love returning ‘home’ when we go offsite, hence why we bought DVC, so none of this makes a difference to us, and I suspect to the average US guest (who let’s face it are all Disney really think about when they make decisions) these aren’t significant enough changes to make them abandon their short trips - we are just unusual in the extended length of time we stay - I think Disney want the short term US guests who probably spend as much in four days as we do in a fortnight on merchandise etc, as they don’t have the extortionate flight costs etc that we also have to factor in.

If they change Fastpass to being paid for, or if they change to the Universal system of only being free to onsite guests, I won’t be delighted at any extra costs, but I actually think that could be a benefit to those willing to pay for it, especially if it means being able to fastpass more than just three rides with much shorter queues - I’d probably pay for that privilege, maybe not every trip, but as one offs.

As I say, I know my opinion is totally against the vast majority here, but for me the draw of onsite has always been purely about being inside the Disney bubble, the added extras were always just that - added extras and not the main reason for my stay (and yes I’m DVC now, but I’ve had many years not being).

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Agree that the extra 30 mins across all 4 parks is a good thing for onsite guests, not so much for offsite as you will be playing catch up in all parks especially if no fast passes

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

You've given me food for thought. I can save money next year by using up my five free nights on site after doing US and SW etc don't need to do parks , eat off site. Give Disney NO money.

Food for thought...I'm going into chemotherapying now , I'll adjust my costs. I think it's as if when you stay onsite you "feel" you have to have tickets etc but I know you rarely do the parks ? Got something to do now for five hours lol

See more...

We do the Parks 3 days out of 7. The other days we sunbathe. We used to eat onsite 70 days a year. Not any more. The food is what i call 'safe'. Not bad but not great and if you are paying for it a total rip off.
Take care, hope today goes ok for you.

Edit. We hold annual passes so can pop in and out of the Parks as and when. Not a benefit most on here can do with the ticket restrictions.

[salmim]

Disney will always be Disney.

Imagine sitting down with the very little ones and excitedly saying,

"We're going to Florida! "
"We're going to Universal! "

They'd be like "where's that"?

You say "We're going to Disney!" Its a bit different. People will still save, dream and scramble to take the little ones to Disney, despite any changes.

(Hey I'm a fan, you can tell)

[Disneydreaming_]

It's disappointing, but i'm in the fortunate position (like many others) where i've been to Disney and done the whole "all inclusive" aspect many times.

These changes make me lean towards a villa or Universal hotel which could be quite exciting

[Orlandobelle]

I'll continue to eke out my non expiry tickets (just looked up how much a 14 day ticket is 😲 ) but look to do a shorter on-site stay - if at all.

We all have our personal tippng points when it becomes too much to absorb. Everyone has different circumstances