[Other] OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

[JMazz]

I am a futurist at heart, so speaking of “what if’s?” is not only appealing to me, it is also part of my job as a director in a Health & Safety Dept. “What if’s?” are my life... so please allow me this DLR-related "what if?":

Last winter I thought that the success of the One More Disney Day (OMDD) would eventually translate into another project along those same lines. Given that Disney is going to be promoting 52 week-long campaigns, what if they did a week long project just like OMDD where the park was opened 24/7 for one entire week???

Would you go or would you avoid the resort corridor for the whole week? What do you think the logistics would be like? How would they sell tickets (as in, would you pay once and you could stay for 24 hrs or a whole week)? Do you think there would be a limit on the number of in’s & out’s for each guest to prevent “camping” within the berm? Would DCA be involved? Do you think this would probably never happen?

If they did something along these lines, my guesses would be that it would occur near the beginning of the year b/c this would be an outrageous stunt on their part and would become one of the biggest freebie advertisements ever for Disney. Also, the start of the year is the cold part of the year and this would deter ppl from “camping” within the berm, so this is another reason to have it near the start of the year.

I also think that the local government and other organizations would be alerted well beforehand for safety and logistics in the area.
What are your thoughts on this idea?

[junkin jay]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

A week of Disneyland would be a logistics nightmare, could they even pull something like that off. I'm 50/50 on whether I would go.

[frollofan]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

Having Disneyland open for a week would be chaotic, and it would have a damaging effect on the rides that would not get the proper downtime that they need.

[DJS]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

It's not impossible. Las Vegas runs 24/7

logistically, it would work. Would people go? Sure, not a lot, but they would.

the only thing I believe would be the make it break point would be, tickets.
They would need to implement an RFID sort of tracking device and RFID scanner. To assure guests are not trekking back to the hotel for some zzz's and returning within a certain timeframe, exploiting a loophole.

So far as maintaining rides, it would be the same as any other day, ride would shut down for its allotted period of time, then reopen. I don't see why the guest safety would need to be put in jeapordy to accommodate the hours.

[swampymarsh]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

With OMDD, the parks closed on each end of the 24hrs. While it surely put pressure on the night crews who only had a short morning to reprep the park it worked fine.

If they did a week meaning days without closing I think they could do it by going 6 to 6 one day at DL then 6 to 6 the next day at DCA, alternating.

If they sold a ticket for the whole week it would have to be expsensive, like $500, or else crowds would come like crazy. Anything close to a week for one days cost would attract many people saving money for big trips, and incentive for locals to go a few days.

Otherwise if price doesn't attract guest it would be ok week days and a crazy weekend. A lot more guests could come to spend all night on Friday or Saturday.

[clippers6]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

In the 80s they kept the park open for 60 hours for the EO and Star Tours openings. I can't imagine that working now though. There are way too many APs that would camp out in the parks just to say they stayed the whole time.

[Michael808702]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

Went to OMDD I hope they never do it again is was so bad and chaotic I don't think they could do it for a week the parks would fall apart very fast.

[bigcatrik]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

If it was weekdays only -- from Monday morning opening to Friday midnight closing -- it might work. Having multiple over-nighters might spread the crowds out. For OMDD it was that night or nothing so everyone showed up. Technically DLR never sleeps, right? There are always people there working, it's just not open to guests for 1/3rd of the day.

Or, possibly better, make the over-nights a separate-ticketed event so the park would be open continuously, just not with the same constant guests. Shoo out the daytimers like they do for Grad Nite or Halloweentime and limit the tickets sold. That would eliminate the possibility of 80,000-strong crowds every night.

[Chuuster]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

I think one of the main issues with having the park open an entire week is how it would effect the productivity of the staff. Guest satisfaction should be Disney's priority, which cannot be achieved without the backbone of the parks, the hard working cast members. So how would they rotate the cast members during OMDW so that they can still provide the Disney magic, and aren't over worked.

I think having a OMDW can be effective if planned on a low crowd season. But, I do not think a ticket should last an entire week, that would be disastrous for the hotels and multi-day ticket profits. I think it should be marketed as "come whenever you want, the gates are open all week!" but the ticket could only last for 24 hrs. I think If OMDW was to sell tickets for the entire week, it would become too proprietary. You would have a small number of returning guests(which is bad for marketing since it isn't a fresh flow of guests with money) Then Disney would possibly have to sell extra "week-long tickets" to anticipate the "fallout" of guests throughout the week, which wouldn't work as you near the end of the week.

[BugSam101]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

To think that there is a chance will the park will be dead at a certain time would be great til everyone hears it's dead and it goes back to normal again. I would like it but there would a lot of issues with attractions and space. If only there were more parks at the Resort that would take part in it.

[calsig31]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

It's not impossible. Las Vegas runs 24/7

Vegas doesn't require an admission ticket.

[DrFink]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

I don't know if I would go near the park if it was open for a solid week. If I did I would probably go Tuesday or Wednesday in the wee hours of the morning. That gives the weekend crowd a chance to relax and get some sleep and would put me in between the crowd coming for the end of the week.

It isn't impossible to do, but I wonder if it would really work. It would be difficult to keep the park clean, I think, and do proper prep and maintenance.

[ohmyjustin]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

I don't think OMDW would be good for anyone, in the end. What I'd rather see is the alternating parks idea above or just having a kind of "slumber party" sort of thing where the park is open later and you get special incentives for staying late like dessert a la OMDD.

[DJS]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

Vegas doesn't require an admission ticket.

Yet it still runs, 24/7 and people earn their livings and guests enjoy themselves.

[calsig31]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

Yet it still runs, 24/7 and people earn their livings and guests enjoy themselves.

That's true, but the point was brought up that it may be a logistical problem to determine when a single day ticket ends during such an event. With Vegas that issue doesn't exist.

[Chuuster]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

I know the perfect solution... we go back to ABCDE ticket books haha)

[JMazz]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

I know the perfect solution... we go back to ABCDE ticket books haha)

An A La Carte system could work for OMDW promotion.

Anyway, I do think it is very possible. And could be a success.

They may lose a bit of money on admissions, but the PR for the entire years worth of different week-long events would make up for this.

As for the staff, third shifts could be made for sure. We are turning into a 24/7 society more and more each year across the world. Vegas is a very good example of non-factory 3rd shifts. It is so common and no one bats an eye when you mention that you went for sushi at 2am or saw the latest film at 3 or have to get to the office by 11pm. Office workers are even starting to work during 3rd shifts. Is it fair to the CM since they aren't used to that lifestyle? Something tells me this wouldn't be a reason not to have OMDW.

[Chuuster]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

An A La Carte system could work for OMDW promotion.

Anyway, I do think it is very possible. And could be a success.

They may lose a bit of money on admissions, but the PR for the entire years worth of different week-long events would make up for this.

As for the staff, third shifts could be made for sure. We are turning into a 24/7 society more and more each year across the world. Vegas is a very good example of non-factory 3rd shifts. It is so common and no one bats an eye when you mention that you went for sushi at 2am or saw the latest film at 3 or have to get to the office by 11pm. Office workers are even starting to work during 3rd shifts. Is it fair to the CM since they aren't used to that lifestyle? Something tells me this wouldn't be a reason not to have OMDW.

Very true, a 3rd shift can very easily be implemented. With today's desire for work, and the many applicants for the DCP, Disney could definitely handle a OMDW. Although if the park was to become 24/7, it would become more like a shopping district than a theme park for the duration of the event. That would be a separate issue.

I definitely agree with you that CM lifestyles probably will not be factored into having OMDW. Disney should know best to rotate a 3rd shift to keep CM production value high. Else the guests would be going to Disneyland seeing disgruntled Mickey Mouse and Princesses, haha.

[swampymarsh]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

They may lose a bit of money on admissions, but the PR for the entire years worth of different week-long events would make up for this.

As for the staff, third shifts could be made for sure. We are turning into a 24/7 society more and more each year across the world. Vegas is a very good example of non-factory 3rd shifts. It is so common and no one bats an eye when you mention that you went for sushi at 2am or saw the latest film at 3 or have to get to the office by 11pm. Office workers are even starting to work during 3rd shifts. Is it fair to the CM since they aren't used to that lifestyle? Something tells me this wouldn't be a reason not to have OMDW.

3rd shift at DLR does major cleaning. Things like power washing roadways that can't be easily done with hundreds of guests on it. That is why simply leaveing the park open continuously would mean the condition/cleanliness deteriorates as the week goes on.


As far as PR, take a survey of people who knew about OMDD before it happened, not after the traffic problems(negative PR) made the news. I incidently did this on a conference call, where the repeat client who I know also on a personal level asked me if I was going. My assistant asked after tha call what OMDD meant, when I said One More Disney Day, one of the other 5 people in the rooms thought, maybe they had heard of it. So that made 2/7, the two biggest DLR fans with knowlege of it that week before the 29th.

A problem would be people delaying or replacing trips for a OMDW. They may see value in 24 hr park days versus 12hr park days. Going on trips where you don't get much sleep will leave a bad taste in the mouth of many.

[JMazz]

Re: OMDW (One More Disney Week) - Could It Work for 2013 ???

3rd shift at DLR does major cleaning. Things like power washing roadways that can't be easily done with hundreds of guests on it. That is why simply leaveing the park open continuously would mean the condition/cleanliness deteriorates as the week goes on.


As far as PR, take a survey of people who knew about OMDD before it happened, not after the traffic problems(negative PR) made the news. I incidently did this on a conference call, where the repeat client who I know also on a personal level asked me if I was going. My assistant asked after tha call what OMDD meant, when I said One More Disney Day, one of the other 5 people in the rooms thought, maybe they had heard of it. So that made 2/7, the two biggest DLR fans with knowlege of it that week before the 29th.

A problem would be people delaying or replacing trips for a OMDW. They may see value in 24 hr park days versus 12hr park days. Going on trips where you don't get much sleep will leave a bad taste in the mouth of many.

They could sweep (security type) a land, then power wash it, porter it, etc. then reopen it.

As for the neg press/PR, I dont think that would hurt Disney Parks too much and in the end, it would help them. It creates an air of must-have-products. Our society views Black Friday as a challenge now, whereas, say, 30 years ago, hard core shoppers would have been freaked out.

With such a heavy AP population, I think this would have no trouble working. Tourists would get the benefit if they happened to be there. I was under the impression that each week-long promo was to be announced at the last minute, so no one would delay their trips. Even if they did, I think the number of delayed guests would be small, esp if it were to be announced at the start of 2013.

The more i read the posts in this thread, the more i think Disney could pull this off.