By now, you’ve probably heard that the Wand that’s stood next to Spaceship Earth for the past eight years is being dismantled. Which many Disneyana fans have chosen to take as a sign that Walt Disney World has finally turned a corner. That — from here on in — the Mouse will concentrate on delivering a top quality guest experience to all WDW visitors. Meaning that the bad old days of continual cost cutting are now finally behind us.
Well, far be it from me to drag a little reality into Fantasyland. But over this past weekend, I learned that cost cutting is still alive and well at the WDW Resort.
“And where is Disney nickel & dime-ing us now?,” you ask. Would you believe it’s at that annual event that’s designed to celebrate the Season of Giving — Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
Strange but true, folks. This after-hours hard ticket event (Which was originally dreamed up ‘way back in 1986 as a way to get Central Florida residents to come out to the Magic Kingdom during the first week of December. Which — back then — was an extremely slow time of year for the resort) — has grown from being just this simple 2 night-long holiday-themed affair to becoming Disney’s Christmas Cash Cow.
I’m serious. In 2007, “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” will be presented on 19 different nights. Starting on November 13 and continuing right up until December 22, upwards of 25,000 guests will enter the Magic Kingdom on each of these special evenings and then enjoy a wide variety of holiday-themed entertainment.
Mind you, it’s not just the number of nights that “MVMCP” is presented on annually that’s been expanding. The price of this holiday hard ticket has also grown in size over the past twenty-plus years. Where back in 1987, it only cost an adult $17.95 to gain admission to the Magic Kingdom’s after-hours Christmas event … Nowadays, a same-day ticket to “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” will cost you an eye-popping $47.95.
Of course, there are those that will tell you that — what with the presentation of the special holiday version of “Wishes” as well as “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade” — that that $47.95-per-person price tag is really worth it. Particularly since — in addition to all of the holiday-themed entertainment that you get to see as you wander through the Magic Kingdom that night — you also get free hot chocolate & cookies, a souvenir button as well as a complimentary photograph to commemorate your after-hours visit to this theme park during the holiday season.
Which is all well & good. Except that — starting in 2004, as a cost-saving measure — the Walt Disney Company discontinued the free “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” commemorative button. And starting last year, Disney also did away with the complimentary photograph.
The way I hear it, Magic Kingdom managers got so many complaints from party-goers last year once they learned that this particular free perk had been cut from MVMCP that … Well, it was felt that something had to be done in advance in order to prepare for all the guest complaints that they were sure to receive at this year’s event.
“So what are they going to do?,” you query.”Reinstate the complimentary photograph at ‘Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?’ ” Hardly. What Disney decided to do instead last week was create an explanation that Magic Kingdom managers can then use to placate any angry guests that they encounter at this year’s after-hours holiday event. Which goes like this …
“Instead of waiting in line to have a complimentary picture, Disney’s PhotoPass will be covering the party and offering party Guests 50% off all 5×7 photos and the ability to view and share online at no charge. To lessen the Guest perception of the ‘take away,’ specialized MVMCP event borders and PhotoPass cards have been created as a keepsake for the Guests. Guest Relations will be armed with a number of ‘discount codes’ which Guests can redeem for a free photo online as Guest Service Recovery.”
It’s hoped that — now that they’ll have these “discount codes” at their disposal — Magic Kingdom managers will then be able to quickly placate any angry MVMCP guests that they encounter at this year’s event.
More to the point, as time goes by, WDW managers are hoping that fewer & fewer MVMCP goers will remember that this event used to feature a complimentary photograph or even realize that this perk has been cut. So that these folks will then happily shell out the extra bucks necessary to get a souvenir photo of this after-hours holiday event. A souvenir that — right up until 2005 — used to be a freebie.
Obviously, Mouse House managers never intended that this particular informational leaflet be leaked to the public. Otherwise, they never would have included a description of the ABC Christmas parade tapings that featured this clearly-meant-to-be-private joke :
“Coming back for its 23rd year, the Emmy Award Winning ABC Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade will tape from Main Street, U.S.A. on December 1-3. This year promises to be bigger and better than the last, with new acts on the Castle Stage and Regis and Kelly back in the host booth in Town Square. And don’t forget, in order to accomodate Regis’ ego, the Town Square Christmas Tree will not be loaded until December 6.“
Soooo … In the weeks ahead, it’s going to be interesting to see who’s going to make the bigger stink. WDW visitors (Once they realize that Mouse House managers now want them to forget that “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” ever used to feature a complimentary photograph) or Regis Philbin (Once Philbin finds out that WDW managers are making fun of him behind his back).
Your thoughts?