Yet Another Entetainment Cut????

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03-13-2014, 01:14 PM
DizneyFreak2002

Posted 03-13-2014 01:14 PM by DizneyFreak2002

Let me start by saying: THIS IS ONLY A RUMOR... No confirmed reports out there as of yet... But the current rumor is (AGAIN STRESSING RUMOR!!!!) is that Voices of Liberty will not have their contract renewed and will, in fact, be a cost cutting, um, cut, and will have their run end on March 23...

Again, this is only a rumor that is currently making the rounds on the internet... There has been no solid proof that VoL are in fact being cut... But there are people who claim that the contract is up soon and negotiations are supposedly on going... Do VoL actually work on a contract basis?

Is there anyone here who knows what exactly the story is?

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Updated 03-13-2014 04:44 PM by DizneyFreak2002

Thankfully, this does seem like it is just a rumor with no basis in fact... VoL is on hiatus, or will be shortly, for rehearsals as they introduce a new CM into the fold... This is coming from someone in entertainment on another site... Let's hope they have the information right....
03-13-2014, 01:22 PM
Melanie

Ugh! Seems as of late, these rumblings usually prove to be true more often than not. IF this is true, and the contract isn't renewed, I personally will be very upset. They aren't just entertainment before the attraction. They are part of the attraction. I just can't believe Disney would go this route, but I never thought they'd get rid of the Billies at Disneyland either.
03-13-2014, 02:01 PM
Hammer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melanie

Ugh! Seems as of late, these rumblings usually prove to be true more often than not. IF this is true, and the contract isn't renewed, I personally will be very upset. They aren't just entertainment before the attraction. They are part of the attraction. I just can't believe Disney would go this route, but I never thought they'd get rid of the Billies at Disneyland either.

Mel, I agree. Some of the entertainment in WS is nice compliment to the atmosphere of a country or land and while I don't like to see them leave, it does not take away from my overall enjoyment of that country/area. Voices of Liberty are different as they are an extension of the overall American Adventure presentation.

Like you said, though, if TD Anaheim got rid of the Billies, nothing is truly protected.
03-13-2014, 02:17 PM
cer

whoa.

You know, I figured out a long time ago that it is the cast members that make Disney a special place.

Since I have been going, I have seen at least 3 'interactive' attractions be added that have nothing to do with personal interaction. AND I have seen personal entertainment/interactions being reduced.

I think there is a thread up right now about being in MK after park hours. To me it will always be the people who make the magic, so really I have no desire to be in an empty park, less crowded park, yes, but empty, no.

I hope that the folks managing the parks realize sooner than later that the real magic lies in its cast and not these electronic substitutes.

What a shame if they were to remove Voices of Liberty...

What's next, Off Kilter? Hoop De Doo? Streetmosphere in DHS? Do we really NEED the Mayor on Main Street? No one really needs those characters...

Here's hoping this is just a disappointing RUMOR.
03-13-2014, 02:18 PM
Zippy 1

I have heard from an inside source that a lot of the performers in the different countries will not be returning.:(
03-13-2014, 02:23 PM
kms1066heb

Oh, I hope this rumor does not prove to be true! I love the VoL and always make it a point to catch their show when I visit EPCOT. I look at the VoL as the opening act to the American Adventure and it will truly detract from the overall show if they are cancelled.
03-13-2014, 02:36 PM
ibelieveindisneymagic

Oh no!!! I hope not. The Voices of Liberty are a must do for us ... usually more than once a trip!

The "entertainment" is such a part of Disney, especially of Epcot and I'm sad with what has already gone but would be heartbroken to loose even more.
03-13-2014, 02:44 PM
Melanie

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibelieveindisneymagic

The "entertainment" is such a part of Disney, especially of Epcot and I'm sad with what has already gone but would be heartbroken to loose even more.

The entertainment IS such a large part of Epcot, and makes up for the 'lack' of attractions in World Showcase. Remove the entertainment, and you've pretty much got restaurants and shops. Not that we don't all love those restaurants and shops, but really....Disney can't rest their laurels on that. The Ziti Sisters are gone. The Chinese acrobats are gone. Miyuki is gone. Have there been replacements for these?
03-13-2014, 02:58 PM
cer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melanie

The entertainment IS such a large part of Epcot, and makes up for the 'lack' of attractions in World Showcase. Remove the entertainment, and you've pretty much got restaurants and shops. Not that we don't all love those restaurants and shops, but really....Disney can't rest their laurels on that. The Ziti Sisters are gone. The Chinese acrobats are gone. Miyuki is gone. Have there been replacements for these?

Did not know the acrobats were gone... :(
03-13-2014, 03:20 PM
Melanie

Quote:

Originally Posted by cer

Did not know the acrobats were gone... :(

I think they actually were replaced with a similar group though.
03-13-2014, 03:20 PM
BrerGnat

I have a hard time believing all this entertainment costs SO much. More likely, Disney wants to get rid of all these "contractors" in their parks and replace them with actual Disney employees.

This seems to be why Push, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, and all the previously mentioned acts have been eliminated. This can't be simple cost cutting. Something else is at play here.
03-13-2014, 03:44 PM
Hammer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melanie

Miyuki is gone.

Is that the candy lady? I thought she left because she was having health issues and couldn't keep working a daily schedule. All the others, though, I agree were Disney corporate's doing. Though Natalie's reasoning makes sense as their possible long term strategy.
03-13-2014, 03:48 PM
Melanie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Is that the candy lady? I thought she left because she was having health issues and couldn't keep working a daily schedule. All the others, though, I agree were Disney corporate's doing. Though Natalie's reasoning makes sense as their possible long term strategy.

I never heard an official reason for her departure, but whatever it may have been, the 'entertainment' wasn't replaced.
03-13-2014, 07:48 PM
Ian

I'm not saying they wouldn't do it ... at this point I put absolutely nothing past TDO ... but I would be surprised if they let VoL go.

They have a pretty big presence not only in the attraction, but also in other shows and venues (Candlelight Processional to name just one).

But ... if they think it'll save them a few nickels and help absorb the outrageous waste of money that has been "MyMagicFastpassYourWay+" I could see them doing it. God forbid we have a quarter where we're not in the black.
03-14-2014, 12:43 PM
Tekneek

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

God forbid we have a quarter where we're not in the black.

It doesn't even seem to be about whether they are in the black or not. It is about staying a certain amount (an outrageous one, IMO) in the black.

I have had the growing suspicion that Epcot is going to have three seasons: Flowers, Food/Wine, and Christmas. If what you do doesn't line up with those directly, you're going to be on the chopping block.
03-14-2014, 09:19 PM
Ian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I have had the growing suspicion that Epcot is going to have three seasons: Flowers, Food/Wine, and Christmas. If what you do doesn't line up with those directly, you're going to be on the chopping block.

Isn't this what it is now? lol
03-15-2014, 05:23 AM
Tekneek

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Isn't this what it is now? lol

Yeah, I guess so. Terribly unfortunate, for those of us who enjoyed it when it was supposed to be more than that. For whatever reason, Disney management has seemingly struggled to recreate the atmosphere, theme, and sense of purpose that the first 10 years of EPCOT Center had.
03-15-2014, 09:26 AM
yankeesfan123

Many of the recent "cuts" have been outside contractors with whom Disney could not reach an agreement with, correct?

If so, it is difficult to criticize the company without knowing what occurred during negotiations IMO.
03-15-2014, 09:17 PM
Mousemates

Quote:

Originally Posted by yankeesfan123

Many of the recent "cuts" have been outside contractors with whom Disney could not reach an agreement with, correct?

If so, it is difficult to criticize the company without knowing what occurred during negotiations IMO.

Perhaps difficult on an individual basis, but it seems to be part of a trend. A trend where "little things" disappear that give the parks a sense of charm and that make WDW different from other places in order to squeeze out another 3.2 cents (or whatever the actual amount is that the accountant projects) per guest.

Whats makes it appear all the worse is that the items that disappear are replaced by either nothing (as is often the case with entertainment ) or something hoped to create some incremental degree of revenue...say room for a few more tables of counter service dining at Caseys after removing the bleachers and cartoon screen.

Many of the decision makers don't seem to grasp that it's these little things that give WDW its appeal. The little things add to the story, and in the end Disney is about story.
03-16-2014, 07:56 PM
Tekneek

Quote:

Originally Posted by yankeesfan123

Many of the recent "cuts" have been outside contractors with whom Disney could not reach an agreement with, correct?

If so, it is difficult to criticize the company without knowing what occurred during negotiations IMO.

Unless these outside contractors are all the same company, or represented by the same company, it would be fair to criticize the common factor in all of them (Disney). Unless you might be suggesting that all of the contractors colluded to demand terms that were beyond normal extensions that were signed in the past?

The only thing we do know is what was said involving Push. In that instance, the contractor indicated that Disney was seeking additional intellectual property rights and refused to sign an extension not including that.
03-16-2014, 09:49 PM
yankeesfan123

I'm just saying that there any many different factors at play in contract negotiations.

We don't know if disney is trying to get them to take a pay cut or if the contractors are asking for higher numbers.

We don't know how long they've been under their current contract for (are they signed yearly? For 5 years?). We don't know what the contractors could be using for leverage if they are asking for a bigger deal.

Maybe they're currently on one year deals but want multiyear deals? Maybe disney wants more IP rights (like was reported for Push).

Maybe they do (eventually) plan to replace it with their own entertainment.

Or, probably more likely, they consider some of these acts a waste of money in a business sense.

I agree that these acts are a large part of the magic; it's what makes disney special.

But I've never heard anyone say, "ugh I'm never going to disney again because the candy lady is gone."

I understand that the bigger picture is that it's many small acts leaving and that adds up and makes a significant difference.

But just like with My Magic Plus and MDE, a business (even disney) doesn't care about *you*, an actual, physical person. They care about what you represent: a number. And as long as that representative number doesn't go down, and ideally goes up, disney will continue to have the upper hand in negotiations because typically these acts need disney a lot more than disney needs them.
03-17-2014, 01:00 PM
Tekneek

Quote:

Originally Posted by yankeesfan123

But I've never heard anyone say, "ugh I'm never going to disney again because the candy lady is gone."

It isn't likely anyone would ever say that, really. What is more likely to happen is people noticing the atmosphere isn't the same. They may not even be able to specifically say what was different or underwhelming, and they may just have a feeling that it wasn't what it used to be. These all appear to be very business-ish management-by-spreadsheet type of decisions and no doubt they will look very smart in that environment. Just like the difference between good enough service and exceptional does not necessarily reveal itself on a spreadsheet. In dollars and cents, exceptional service and atmosphere performers are cost centers. What they do for the guests is not immediately represented on the bottom line directly. Only when it is gone, might it begin to have an impact. Even then, you might never be able to make the correlation.