Disney makes an ANNOUNCEMENT about park capacities at Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Uncategorized

Disney’s Chief Financial Officer made a huge announcement about park capacity at Walt Disney World on Monday as she participated in a Q&A session at Morgan Stanley’s 2022 Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.

Christine McCarthy, CFO of The Walt Disney Company, was asked about Disney’s Parks, Experience, and Products division. Specifically, she was asked about experiences and about park capacity.

“We are coming back towards full capacity, we’re not yet there,” McCarthy said. “But one of the things we were able to do when the parks were closed was really look at some of the underlying technologies for how we could run the business better and give a better consumer experience.”

magic kingdom crowds

McCarthy touted the Park Pass Reservation System, which was unveiled when Disney World reopened in July 2020 after an almost four-month closure in response to the coronavirus pandemic. McCarthy said that the system was necessary as Disney dealt with capacity limitations as the parks reopened. But she says the company realized quickly that the system could continue to be used after those limitations were gone as a tool to “manage attendance.”

In fact, she made a huge announcement in the midst of all the questioning and answering that took place during the conference. She said that the parks will not be returning to pre-pandemic capacity levels. She even said that Disney doesn’t want the parks “bursting at the seams.”

During the conference, McCarthy was asked, “What does full capacity mean looking forward?” She answered, saying that the parks aren’t currently operating at full capacity. (Tell that to Guests who’ve visited lately and have returned with photos of massive crowds at Disney World!)

But if you’re thinking that Disney wants Guests comfortable with lots of wiggle and elbow room while they’re visiting the parks, think again. It’s much more probable that Disney wants you to have just enough room to reach for your wallet. When attendance (aka “crowds”) is managed (by the aforementioned Park Pass Reservation System), Guests have more room–spending room. They enjoy the parks more and feel freer with their money.

Think about a time you visited Disney World and it was so crowded, you couldn’t think. Crowds make us more easily frustrated, on edge, etc., and when we feel that way, we’re frustrated about spending money. But if we’re more at ease during our visit, our wallets seem to open more easily as well.

And thanks to the Park Pass Reservation System, Disney can continue to create more and more demand for its products and experiences: in this case, admission to Disney World.

McCarthy talked about several things that seem to play a role in Disney World’s “new normal,” including Genie+, Lightning Lane, character meet-and-greets, and other things, such as the upcoming debut of Guardians of the Galaxy: COSMIC REWIND attraction at EPCOT this summer.

Character Experiences at Disney World

McCarthy talked about the recovery of the company’s parks division, saying it was driven by ticket prices and by Guests’ spending while in the parks as well.

“Part of it is because people could not go to our parks for a long period of time, especially in California, and when they came back, they wanted to spend money,” she said.

The company’s latest earnings reports show a massive increase in revenue in its parks division–nearly $7.2 billion earned in just one quarter.

Disney CFO Gives Update on Face-to-Face Character Interactions

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Via DisDining.com

When Disney Parks first reopened after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a lot of things that were different. Many of the dining options were unavailable, Park capacities were significantly decreased, and characters were nowhere to be seen. All of these new changes were meant to keep both Guests and Cast Members safe. As COVID numbers have declined, more and more things have been brought back to Parks, to the delight of many Guests.

Characters have slowly made their way back to Disney Parks, but Guests have been unable to get up close and personal with them. At both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, all character meet and greets are still being done from a socially safe distance. While masks were required for months at those meet and greets, recently both Disneyland and Disney World dropped those facial covering mandates.

Now, Walt Disney Company CFO Christine McCarthy is giving fans another update on character interactions. During the Q&A portion of the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, she was asked about the return of face-to-face character interactions. McCarthy said that Disney has been monitoring the COVID situation at all of its Parks and said that the close interactions will return “soon.”

“With the trending of COVID, we’re definitely going to see some of those face-to-face interactions come back.”

Christine McCarthy

Both Disney World and Disneyland have seen a steep drop in COVID-19 cases in their areas. These decreases have allowed Disney to drop its mask mandates for vaccinated Guests, open more restaurants, bring back buffets, and bring back nighttime experiences like World of Color and Fantasmic!.

Right now, there is only one Disney Park that is allowing up close and personal interactions between Guests and characters. Disneyland Paris requires all Guests to provide proof of vaccination before entering the Parks — as is the law in France. Because Guests must prove that they are either vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID, Disneyland Paris is now allowing Guests to see the characters and even hug them.

Ariel meet and greet

McCarthy also stated that Disney is looking forward to bringing back these types of interactions because they help balance the crowds in the Parks. Neither Disneyland Resort in California nor Walt Disney World requires Guests to provide proof of vaccination. Disney is watching to see if the numbers keep going down before they allow close character interactions.

Cast Members Are Not Cinderella

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

There are a number of things that make visiting the Walt Disney World Resort special. Some of those things are obvious, like the fun rides, delicious food, and great character interactions. One other thing that makes Disney a step above is how clean their Parks are. From the hotel grounds to the theme Park garden areas to the restaurants. Walt Disney always prided himself on keeping Disney looking spic and span.

It is no secret that Disney Parks don’t seem to be as well-staffed as they were before the pandemic. However, Disney is continuing to hire more Cast Members since the number of Guests visiting is near pre-pandemic levels. Even though some areas of the Parks may be understaffed, Cast Members still work as hard as they can to keep things looking good for Guests. Unfortunately, some Guests make that very hard for them.

Disney World clean

Some Guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort recently saw a table that a group decided to leave in an absolutely disgusting state. Not only was trash and food left all over the table, but the ground was littered as well. Now, while some Cast Members will gladly take your trays and empty plates once you are done dining, many consider it highly disrespectful to just leave a giant mess because you figure the Cast Members will clean it up.

Cast Member

WDW YouTuber shared a picture of the gross table and was in complete shock.

Many people were appalled that someone could actually leave the area in such a state. However, others pointed out that, in some countries, Guests will be spoken to if they try to clean up after themselves, as that is the staff’s job.

Some even said that they would leave the table like that simply because they are not going to clean up after themselves since they are paying so much to get into the Park in the first place.

While you may feel as though it is okay to let Cast Members clean up your massive mess, please remember that they are people too. They have no control over how much you paid to get into the Park, and they do their best to make sure you have a magical day. Yes, janitorial Cast Members are supposed to clean up after Guests, but leaving a big mess isn’t appreciated by anyone.

Disney Updates Genie+ Attractions

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Guests who purchase Genie+ have access to the Lightning Lane which allows guests to “skip the line” at select attractions at the four theme parks. A second option is to pay for Individual Lighting Lanes at select attractions (two at each park). Disney has announced an update to the attractions included with Disney Genie+. During the busy spring and summer season, Disney will be moving three of the Individual Attraction selections to the Genie+ lineup so that guests have more options when using Genie+.

Here is the statement from Disney with the updated policy:

Between February 25, 2022 – August 7, 2022, the following attractions will be added to Disney Genie+ service*:

    • Magic Kingdom Park: Space Mountain
    • EPCOT: Frozen Ever After
    • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

During this time period, these attractions will not be available for purchase a la carte. This will help to give Guests more options as we prepare for a busy spring and summer season.

*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances that are Disney Genie+ and individual purchases are limited in availability, subject to change or closure, may vary by date, are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection. 

We applaud this move by Disney. Paying for access to Lightning Lanes has come with mixed reviews. Most of those we have talked to, have not had overall positive experiences, and paying for something that was free is always a bummer. Disney changing the lineup does two things that help guests–(1) give those paying for Genie+ more attractions to experience and (2) reduce the amount guests need to spend to use the Lightning Lane by removing the need to pay for three Individual Lighting Lane Attractions. Paying for these attractions costs $7-$15 per person, which offers huge savings to guests who were planning on paying for these attractions. Now, guests have more choices and more value when purchasing Disney Genie+. Well, at least through August 7!

The Woman who spends thousands on Disney popcorn buckets

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Diehard Disney fans usually have a favorite Disney character, Disney Park, park attraction, Disney film, etc. Some of them even have a favorite Disney Parks souvenir. And some love those souvenirs so much that they purchase them on repeat, making it a goal to acquire an entire collection, or to get their hands on every version of that souvenir.

Kayla Freitas is one such Disney fan, and her passion is Disney Parks popcorn buckets.

Kayla was in good company last month when EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts opened, and a brand-new Figment-themed popcorn bucket debuted. The bucket was so popular that many Guests at EPCOT waited in line for between four and six hours just for the opportunity to purchase one (or several). A few fans even became the focus of news stories about the buckets, some for buying more than Disney’s per-Guest limit allowed, and others for their uncommon kindness in waiting in the line, purchasing a bucket, and gifting it to a total stranger so she didn’t have to wait in line.

figment popcorn bucket

Like many of those Guests who waited for hours to buy a Figment bucket, Kayla is a popcorn bucket enthusiast. The 32-year-old mom and Navy veteran has a travel-focused YouTube channel called Travel Memoirs. It’s only been a little over a year since she started collecting the souvenir buckets, which, she says, started by accident.

Years before she began her YouTube channel, Kayla says she attended a “swap meet,” which was an event where people got together and traded their collectibles and other items. It was during the event that she first saw a Disney Parks popcorn bucket shaped like Cinderella’s carriage.

cinderella carriage popcorn bucket

Kayla says she thought the bucket was “a cute little Disney collectible,” so she bought it, and it only cost her $5. It wasn’t until she was looking for information about the bucket online that she discovered that many of the same buckets were selling online for $100 or more.

But it wasn’t until after she had her daughter that she began to acquire more of the festive Disney Parks souvenirs.

“Once I had my daughter,” she explained, “it kind of gave me an excuse to buy all the Disney stuff I wanted as a kid.”

Kayla says she doesn’t really have a “collection niche.” Rather, she buys items that she thinks are “especially interesting or unique.” In this case, those items are Disney Parks popcorn buckets, and in just over a year’s time, Kayla has collected more than 50 of them, and they didn’t all come as cheap as the Cinderella bucket did.

“My most expensive bucket is the Figment one,” Kayla said. “I got it secondhand when it was relatively cheap, a couple hundred dollars, but now they’re going for thousands online, so I’m sort of glad I got it when I did.”

The Figment bucket was sold only at one booth at EPCOT for $25 each, but they sold out quickly. The bucket was recently restocked, but fans could only buy them online. Soon after the announcement was made about the restocking–you guessed it–they sold out yet again.

woman with popcorn buckets disney

So what’s the deal with these popcorn buckets, and why do they go for so much online?

One reason is that many are only sold at international Disney Parks, such as Tokyo Disney Resort and Shanghai Disneyland. One Tangled-inspired bucket from Tokyo Disney Resort featured Pascal (Rapunzel’s chameleon sidekick) on the strap, looked like a lantern, and could even light up. But since it was only sold at the one Resort, fans like Kayla who want to add one to their collections usually have to pay the resale price determined by the seller on sites like eBay, and then pay for international shipping.

woman with disney souvenirs

“It would be really cool if Disney brought some of those really creative ones to the US,” Kayla said. “There’s obviously a demand for it.”

Kayla says she has spent “several thousands of dollars” on the buckets in her collection. She loves them and sees them as very creative souvenirs that are also practical because they can be used in a variety of ways.

“A question I get daily, even from Disney lovers, is: what do I do with all these popcorn buckets?” she said. “The answer is everything; I use them as purses, as decorations. I even use them as night lights and piggy banks. They’re just so versatile and so cute. They have so many purposes.”

But she also says she does it for her fans–the one million people who follow her on TikTok–who love to see the new buckets she buys.

“People want more popcorn buckets, so I’m buying them constantly,” Kayla joked. “Not that I’m upset about it.”

Kayla says the buckets’ versatility lends itself to the appeal of these limited-edition souvenirs.

“I think that’s made the popcorn buckets more appealing,” she said. “If they’re just for popcorn, you may or may not be interested. But if you can decorate with them or wear them as a purse at the park, they become an inexpensive but great souvenir.”