Why Disney World is Incorrect About Vacation Experience Overlays.

Shortly after the “new” Haunted Mansion interactive queue debuted (nearly 15 years in the past) at Magic Kingdom, I had the possibility to attend an occasion throughout which Imagineers talked up the additions, inspiration, and so on. It was the beginning of Walt Disney World’s now-infamous NextGen challenge, which seen interactive queues as the way forward for theme parks with the plan to deliver them to most sights as a technique to, I don’t actually know, enhance visitor satisfaction, I suppose?

Interactive queues being the longer term weren’t the one factor they have been mistaken about that night. Being a Halloween-time occasion revolving round Haunted Mansion, the query that at all times comes up finally got here up: When will Haunted Mansion Vacation lastly come to Walt Disney World? 

At the moment, it appeared like a reasonable-enough query. The Haunted Mansion Vacation overlay at Disneyland was not that outdated and had confirmed a smash success for a number of years operating. It thus stood to purpose that Walt Disney World administration would finally need in on that, proper? Incorrect.

Based on ex-Imagineer Jason Surrell, the corporate felt it inappropriate to deliver Haunted Mansion Vacation to Walt Disney World. He went on to elucidate that, in comparison with Disneyland, most Walt Disney World company have been rare or once-in-a-lifetime guests, and as such, Disney needed to current the unique Haunted Mansion to them.

Usually, I’d omit the identify of the Imagineer in query, particularly in a subject like this that calls out the corporate for being mistaken. Nonetheless, it’s germane right here as a result of Surrell had a historical past of talking his thoughts, and made Imagineering’s PR folks sweat each time he took the stage. He was not one to tow the corporate line–which means his reply wasn’t merely a regurgitated speaking level. Or not less than, to the extent that it was, it’s one folks inside Walt Disney World and Imagineering truly believed.

For no matter it’s value, a model of this rationalization is what I’ve heard repeatedly over time. Not simply that Walt Disney World desires to current the unique Haunted Mansion, however that they need to keep away from visitor complaints. These can be attributable to having an iconic attraction down a number of weeks annually for the changeover and in addition by supposedly-lower visitor satisfaction for Haunted Mansion Vacation versus OG Haunted Mansion.

One persistent rumor is that Haunted Mansion Vacation Nightmare at Tokyo Disneyland was initially meant for Magic Kingdom. Not simply the idea, typically, however the precise overlay that’s offered within the park to today. Supposedly, the overlay plans received so far as fabrication, solely to be rejected last-minute by park management on-the-ground in Orlando. (I can’t communicate to the veracity of this, but it surely strains up and the overlay would match Florida’s Haunted Mansion completely.)

I’ve heard this similar “guest-friendly” rationalization for Walt Disney World eschewing seasonal overlays on numerous events to excuse numerous issues. Similar goes for “it’s a small world” vacation, Nation Bear Christmas, and Area Mountain. Ditto attraction overlays which might be presently unique to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration.

It’s additionally been prolonged to seasonal leisure and overlays that aren’t even to sights. Even right now, some folks inside Walt Disney World declare that the Cinderella Fortress Dream Lights are usually not offered on account of visitor complaints in regards to the crane that put in them. The grievance half is true…which is exactly why Disney began decreasing the cranes through the day within the final two years the icicle lights have been offered. Visitor complaints are completely not the rationale why the Dream Lights show is useless. Cash is.

Frankly, I think Walt Disney World’s notorious cheapness can also be the true purpose why vacation journey overlays have been rejected. No matter whether or not it comes all the way down to cash or visitor expectations, Walt Disney World is mistaken.

For years, the typical wait instances for Haunted Mansion Vacation at Disneyland have far exceeded these for the common Haunted Mansion. In equity, the seasonal overlay does run through the busiest stretch of the yr, however the story is identical when evaluating summer time stats for Haunted Mansion with the early fall low season. It’s the very same story with Haunted Mansion Vacation Nightmare at Tokyo Disneyland.

Talking of Tokyo Disneyland, one other good instance there’s the Jingle Bell Jamboree/Nation Bear Christmas and Trip Jamboree/Hoedown variations of Nation Bear Jamboree that the U.S. parks way back deserted. We had the chance to observe each of those overlays taking part in to completely packed homes this summer time and vacation season. They’re so widespread that Tokyo Disneyland even bought merchandise based mostly on the seasonal exhibits a number of years again.

Then there’s the “it’s a small world” vacation model of the long-lasting boat journey at Disneyland. To name this extra widespread than the common “it’s a small world” can be an enormous understatement. Once more, this isn’t an ideal comparability, as a result of a part of the overlay is the beautiful exterior gentle show, which pulls crowds (and wouldn’t even be potential in Magic Kingdom). However wait instances are elevated night throughout daylight, indicating it’s the substance of the seasonal overlay that’s widespread–not simply the brilliant lights.

One excuse we’ve heard WDW diehards provide for the Florida parks not doing seasonal overlays is that visitor demographics are totally different at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland versus Walt Disney World. The pondering goes that there are a lot of extra locals, repeat guests, and Annual Passholders at these parks. In contrast, Walt Disney World is extra reliant on one-and-done vacationers.

There’s no denying that is true…to an extent. Los Angeles and Tokyo are two of the most important metro areas on the earth, and these fanbases are unquestionably extra diehard than Walt Disney World. These Disneylands are ingrained within the native cultures, and each parks skew extra in the direction of locals than vacationers.

Nonetheless, Tokyo doesn’t have Annual Passes anymore and it’s nonetheless been true. Each have completed extra to courtroom non-locals, and we suspect it’s labored in California. Anaheim hasn’t seen an explosion in accommodations since Vehicles Land opened for no purpose–it ought to go with out saying, however LA and Orange County residents aren’t reserving these rooms. And we know Tokyo has been profitable in broadening its attain as a vacationer vacation spot, as OLC releases these stats in its quarterly reviews.

In the meantime, demographics are additionally shifting at Walt Disney World–and within the different path. Disney Trip Membership membership numbers proceed to develop, and people developments are disproportionately in Florida. It’s on the level know the place a large chunk of Walt Disney World’s room stock is DVC, and people are all repeat guests. That’s how Disney Trip Membership works!

Maybe most importantly, there was a inhabitants explosion in Central Florida. This has been a nationwide story in the previous few years, but it surely truly began pre-COVID (that hyperlink is from 2019!). The development has solely accelerated since then (listed here are Census numbers revealed this yr).

A number of cities in Central Florida are among the many quickest rising in the US. Many of those new Florida residents are folks fleeing the Northeast, Midwest…or California. That is important as a result of it means Walt Disney World, historically a vacationer vacation spot with a far decrease AP pool than Disneyland, has elevated its Annual Passholder inhabitants in the previous few years. Surprise how Walt Disney World has managed to extend AP costs a lot? Or why the week after New 12 months’s is now so busy? Extra locals is the reply.

All of that is most likely self-evident to Floridians residing close to Walt Disney World. Throughout our time residing within the Sunshine State, empty fields reworked into seas of subdivisions, single-lane roads grew to become multi-lane, cease lights proliferated, faculties have been constructed…and all of it nonetheless wasn’t sufficient. There’s nonetheless a housing scarcity, visitors is horrible, faculties immediately want modular school rooms, and so on. And an extremely widespread sight whereas sitting in that visitors? Walt Disney World Annual Passholder magnets on perhaps one-third to half the automobiles. (No judgment–like so many, we moved to Florida due to Walt Disney World!)

The purpose is that typical knowledge about vacationers vs. locals at Walt Disney World (versus Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland) is antiquated. It would’ve been true 20 years in the past, however has been much less and fewer correct with every passing yr. Each time there’s a brand new DVC resort or one other subdivision–and there have been a lot of each–there are new diehard Walt Disney World followers who’re common or repeat guests.

Frankly, I don’t assume this “knowledge” was true throughout that Haunted Mansion occasion over 15 years in the past. Bay Lake Tower had already opened, and Walt Disney World was within the midst of constructing or planning a number of new Disney Trip Membership resorts. The tides had begun to show, however notoriously slow-to-adapt Walt Disney World management was nonetheless caught in its methods and outdated line of pondering.

There have been numerous examples since that underscoring the “energy” of repeat guests and Walt Disney World diehards. The strains for that Figment popcorn bucket that garnered nationwide media protection. The crowds for opening day of any seasonal occasion or new attraction, irrespective of how large or small. (A digital queue with an 8-hour await Moana’s Journey of Water?!) The strains for just about any AP magnet, giveaway, or providing.

We simply returned from Christmas at Walt Disney World and by far the preferred shirt we noticed on company was a not-so-ugly Christmas sweater that Figment wears in Journey into Creativeness. This $75 shirt that doesn’t even say “Disney” isn’t being purchased by first-timers. It’s being purchased disproportionately by DVC Members (at one level, about one-third of company within the EPCOT lounge have been sporting one!), Annual Passholders, and Floridians. It’s alone noteworthy that folks residing in Florida are dropping large bucks on a sweater.

However once more, this additionally will not be something new! The prevalence of this fan-favorite Figment sweater gave me flashbacks to nearly a decade in the past, over the last yr of the Osborne Household Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Not solely was Disney’s Hollywood Studios insanely busy that Christmas with company saying their goodbyes, however about one-quarter of company (not even an exaggeration) have been sporting crimson “That’s A Wrap!” passholder-exclusive shirts. For the following few Christmases, this shirt and the inexperienced basic public model continued to be the most typical shirts we’d see through the vacation season.

Maybe the traditional knowledge was true for the primary few many years of Walt Disney World’s existence. I’d consider that. However it actually looks like, for the final 20 years, it’s been a handy excuse. A approach for administration to justify its personal laziness and cheapness–the kind of factor that has typified Workforce Disney Orlando management pondering for a very long time, and that continues to work as a result of, frankly, Walt Disney World followers don’t count on or demand extra. As an alternative of holding Disney to excessive requirements, they parrot the reasons.

I haven’t believed the speaking factors about seasonal overlays at Walt Disney World for a very long time, however what actually sealed the deal for me was the strains we encountered this yr for Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses. That is the uncommon overlay that Walt Disney World truly does do, and to their credit score (and within the curiosity of equity and steadiness), it has gotten larger and higher each single yr because it began.

Christmas 2024 looks like the approaching out social gathering for Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses. Walt Disney World received higher about advertising it, gave it a correct identify and web site presence (we’d at all times referred to it as ‘Merry & Vibrant Nights’ previously), and actually went all out adorning.

Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses went from being what appeared like a ardour challenge of Solid Members and the EPCOT group to one thing extra–a real, fully-fledged seasonal overlay. The purpose of this put up isn’t about how superior Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses is that this yr–and the way it retains getting higher–however I’d be remiss if I didn’t not less than acknowledge that in a put up that’s in any other case destructive in the direction of Walt Disney World. (And maybe suggest utilizing a Lightning Lane on it, slightly than the favored follow of an early morning throw-away LLMP at Residing with the Land.)

Suffice to say, Walt Disney World actually received Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses proper. And crowds responded accordingly!

Each single evening we have been there, Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses had a peak wait time of 60 minutes or extra. Its vary within the evenings (the one time that issues because it’s a lightweight show) was recurrently 45-55 minutes, even on the very finish of the evening through the fireworks. To make certain, this overlay has been widespread for the final a number of years, however I’ve by no means seen strains like this–and on random weeknights outdoors of peak season dates!

I don’t doubt there have been vacationers in these strains for Glimmering Greenhouses. In spite of everything, if there are two issues with common attraction, it’s Christmas lights…and greenhouses! It’s an superior overlay, and there’s no purpose to consider it could be widespread completely with Walt Disney World followers, even when there was the next focus of Figment sweaters in line.

That’s form of the purpose, although. Walt Disney World’s typical knowledge appears to presuppose that vacationers don’t care about or gained’t like seasonal overlays. I don’t consider that’s in the slightest degree true. I extremely doubt Haunted Mansion Vacation or “it’s a small world” vacation have decrease visitor satisfaction numbers than their common counterparts. Ditto the less complicated ones in Vehicles Land or for Mission Breakout.

On the contrary, I feel a majority of company from all demographics get pleasure from attending to expertise “one thing particular.” Even when they don’t just like the overlays, it’s pretty straightforward to keep away from them. We dwell in an period of knowledge. Roughly 13% of the world’s inhabitants has a weblog or vlog about Disney. With even a modicum of on-line analysis, you possibly can principally keep away from the overlays if it’s that essential to you. Similar goes principally for the downtime to put in them, which is pretty constant year-to-year.

Talking of which, the opposite argument issues complaints about downtime to put in and take away the overlays. I’m additionally skeptical of this. Walt Disney World’s monitor document of including refurbishments to the calendar on the absolute final minute and poor preventative upkeep doesn’t recommend to me they really care about this. In the event that they did, they’d publish the total refurbishment schedule not less than 6 months upfront (a la Tokyo Disney Resort) or work tougher to forestall unscheduled journey breakdowns. It’s one other handy excuse to justify not placing in additional effort.

With all of that mentioned, this put up serves two functions–one destructive (however hopefully constructive!) and the opposite constructive. We have been actually blown away by simply how a lot Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses has grown into its personal, and need to present our appreciation for a way this journey overlay has blossomed:

In the end, we’ve got to offer kudos to Walt Disney World for a job nicely completed on Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses. Whether or not it’s a labor of affection amongst Solid Members working within the Land pavilion or park administration giving them extra sources–or each–the journey overlay appears improbable this yr.

This pretty easy overlay (in comparison with those Disneyland does) simply scratches the floor of what’s potential, and demand for it additionally demonstrates why Walt Disney World’s handy excuses for not doing vacation overlays are additionally self-defeating. It’s not simply company who profit from seasonal overlays or choices.

Disney is promoting these Figment sweaters at $75 a pop, which might be like $70 of margin. Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses is getting locals to go to or protecting them within the park later, which most likely ends in meals or $75 sweater gross sales. (In the event that they made the Land brand decoration into an precise decoration, myself and hundreds of different APs would drop $30 or no matter on it!) Followers would actually e book journeys for a return of the Cinderella Fortress Dream Lights, which might additionally promote extra PhotoPass packages plus all the above.

The listing goes on and on. So typically, it seems like Walt Disney World’s lack of effort is actually on account of laziness and little else, and that there’s loads of purpose to consider they’d come out forward by making an attempt only a tad tougher to exceed visitor expectations. Penny smart and pound silly. However the regular stream of vacationer {dollars} breeds complacency and provides a disincentive for making an attempt tougher, or placing within the stage of effort of Disneyland. That’s unlucky, and never only for us as followers. If Walt Disney World administration is studying this and stays unpersuaded, I’d suggest a easy, low stakes check: deliver again Nation Bear Christmas in 2025.

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Your Ideas

What do you consider vacation journey overlays? Would you be upset about not attending to expertise the common model of the attraction, or joyful about seeing one thing particular and new? Would you e book a visit to Walt Disney World at Christmas to expertise an overlay? Or would you keep away from the parks? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of shifting demographics and WDW’s pondering on overlays being outdated? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!