As Walt Disney World prepared to reopen in July, they announced significantly shorter park hours than guests were used to before the closures. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does. Disney park hours have been reduced again. Walt Disney World announced new operating hours for all four parks yesterday. The new, shortened hours will begin September 8 through the end of October. The announcement was made through push notifications on the Disney World app with a simple message, “As you prepare to visit, please note that park operating hours for September and October have recently changed. Check the park hours for details.” Upon checking the My Disney Experience app, these are the operating hours currently reflected:
Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are closing one hour earlier, EPCOT is closing two hours earlier, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close one hour earlier and open one hour later. Other than the push notification, no explanation from a Disney source has been released. This leaves us to speculate on why the already limited hours are being reduced more. On Tuesday, Disney released it’s third-quarter earnings results, revealing just how much of an impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on business, especially in it’s theme parks. Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products segment, which includes the theme parks and Disney Cruise Line, reported $983 million in revenue during the quarter, an 85 percent decline from the $6.57 billion it generated in the same period in 2019. In its earnings report, Disney said that the coronavirus-related shutdown of its parks had an estimated $3.5 billion impact on the segment’s operating income. Obviously, Disney anticipates a reduction in guest attendance upon the return to school/work for many families in September. Small changes like this will lower operating costs for Disney in light of these reductions.
This latest news has left many Disney guests feeling frustrated, having already adjusted to the decrease in the value of a park ticket without a decrease in the price. This perceived decrease in value is based on the elimination of parades, fireworks and other offerings, as well as the already reduced hours of operation. While most guests are trying to hang in there and trust that Disney is doing their best, many are finding it hard to justify the cost any more. That, plus a surge in new cases of Covid-19 and the cancellation of special events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Disney may be looking at record low crowds in September and October. The “Disney can do no wrong” model has not survived the pandemic. In the past, this model showed Disney raising prices, cutting entertainment and reducing hours with guest attendance still continuing to rise. Those days are over, for now, and every move they make is receiving scrutiny. It is a fact that consumers are less brand loyal and more value sensitive during a recession. When it comes to travel, it is a buyer’s market right now and Disney needs to find a way to put value back into a ticket.
If it were up to me (which it’s not, I’ve called Bob Chapek several times and he hasn’t returned any of my calls), I would entice guests with an after hours event. It would be an event that has an extra ticket price but offers some sort of desired value, similar to the after hours events we’ve seen before. It could have socially distanced character interactions, exclusive merchandise and event snacks. These events have been very popular and usually sell out. The crowds and wait times are low and guests can get a lot done in a short amount of time and in cooler weather. Because Disney can limit the attractions, stores and restaurants that are open, they have more control over operating expenses such as staffing. Unfortunately, this would require the monorail, boats and buses to keep operating, which could prove counter-productive.
We will have to wait and see what Disney comes up with. We are talking about some of the most creative minds on the planet here. In the meantime, if you’re looking for ways to fill your evening hours in Disney World, Disney Springs will keep their current daily hours of 10AM to 10PM. Unfortunately, with nothing else to do in the evenings, Disney Springs is about to get very crowded. Not exactly what you want to hear during a pandemic. How do you feel about these new, reduced hours? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us through the “Contact Us” page.