USA! USA! USA! Good has as soon as once more triumphed over the evil empire, as Walt Disney World has introduced that parking trams will quickly return to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. This covers every part we all know (mainly a single sentence) plus a surplus of shuttle commentary (mainly the remainder of the put up).
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World closed again in March 2020. That was the final time that parking tram service was supplied in any respect 4 parks. Upon reopening a number of months later, indoor points of interest operated on the parks and the open-air trams had been suspended all over the place…for security.
Quick-forward a few 12 months later, and Walt Disney World primarily deserted all well being security protocol by the beginning of Summer time 2021. Trams remained suspended all over the place at the moment. Roughly 16 months after Walt Disney World reopened, the parking zone trams returned to service at Magic Kingdom in December 2021.
Walt Disney World made the next announcement again on December 2, 2021: “Driver you might be clear…to unfold a bit of vacation cheer! Parking trams shall be returning to Magic Kingdom Park later this month and different Walt Disney World theme parks all through 2022!✨”
Delivering on that daring promise, parking zone trams returned to Animal Kingdom on Could 27, 2022. That was the final we heard something about parking zone trams at Walt Disney World.
It’s my understanding that the 12 months is presently 2023 based mostly upon most standard calendars. Based mostly upon my unscientific calculations, it’s roughly 8 months after the newest date in 2022. However my math could possibly be improper.
It’s been over 1,100 days because the parks reopened. It’s been over two years since issues went again to regular. Costs have elevated by, I dunno, not less than 15% as in comparison with pre-closure. (The exact quantity relies upon upon the way you account for the removing of previously-free perks like FastPass, Disney’s Magical Specific, and so on.) And but, no parking trams at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Properly, our lengthy nationwide nightmare is sort of over. After over 84 3 years with out them, each EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios may have parking zone tram service restored in September 2023.
Right here’s the official announcement from Walt Disney World: “Beep beep! This September, parking trams will return to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With this replace, trams will as soon as once more be accessible in any respect Walt Disney World theme parks.”
By way of commentary, I wish to begin by admitting that I’m not fairly certain methods to thread the needle on this information. A horrible battle is occurring inside me between two wolves. One wolf is offended, aggravated, resentful, sarcastic, and has laborious drive filled with outdated memes. It’s in all probability apparent from the textual content and photograph decisions above, that this wolf is the one successful out so far.
That’s as a result of this information is lengthy overdue. Frankly, December 2021 was “too late” for parking zone trams to return to all 4 parks, and we’re ~20 months after that. A trip vacation spot that purportedly prides itself on delivering world-class visitor service and exceeding expectations must be embarrassed by this delay. It’s a “please clap” second–Disney doesn’t deserve accolades for doing the minimal in such a late style.
Then there’s the wolf within me that’s stupidly upbeat, simply impressed and pleasantly stunned by this information. That a part of me thought parking zone trams could be gone perpetually at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios as soon as the calendar rolled over to 2023. That visitor complaints should not have been too unhealthy about their absence. Or that the cost-savings was value it. That trams had been gone for therefore lengthy that it was virtually definitely everlasting at this level.
That wolf (extra like a miniature dachshund, to be sincere) is extra sympathetic to Walt Disney World’s post-reopening place. I understand staffing shortages considerably hampered makes an attempt to scale up, and there are a selection of how–large and small–that this stays true even right now, in some way. And I do know that’s the precise situation, since Walt Disney World continues to be leaving cash on the desk relating to different issues. (Clearly not with trams, however with a fuller slate of After Hours, afternoon tea, extra character meals, or the costly occasions in the course of the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant.)
This a part of me doesn’t wish to applaud Walt Disney World for doing the correct factor approach too late, but in addition doesn’t wish to be too heavy-handed with the criticism. In spite of everything, an amenity absent for 3 years is often gone for good. Bringing again the parking zone trams at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will value Disney more cash, and so they in all probability might’ve “gotten away” with not doing this.
Provided that, I don’t wish to come throughout as punishing Walt Disney World for doing the correct factor. That sends the improper message, and disincentivizes the corporate from making strikes like this sooner or later. (This isn’t the one instance of this–the identical occurred with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion and can happen to a extra pronounced diploma throughout Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, with the parade specifically.)
In order that’s why this has me so conflicted. Bringing again parking trams at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios shouldn’t be praiseworthy, however Walt Disney World additionally shouldn’t be condemned for this. It’s a small step ahead. In an ideal world, I might’ve written about this subject in harsh phrases final month, and constructive ones proper now.
Actually, parking zone trams usually are not an enormous deal to us. At the same time as now we have regularly pushed and parked at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland frequently within the final decade, I can’t recall the final time we used a tram anyplace. It’s been not less than 2019. Earlier than that, we’d’ve used them about as soon as per 12 months.
Nonetheless, we are able to acknowledge that not every part at Walt Disney World must cater to us. We’re wholesome, comparatively younger, and revel in strolling–not everybody who visits the parks is like us. At finest, having to hike from the parking zone makes a foul first impression. For older or disabled visitors, these with continual ache, mother and father with younger youngsters–and others I’m in all probability forgetting–it’s even worse. The expertise is downright disagreeable and uncomfortable, and undoubtedly not what you’d fairly anticipate of a “world class” theme park complicated.
Once more, it was laughably embarrassing…to the purpose that it grew to become a punchline even past the Walt Disney World fandom. On the Late Present section about “skimpflation” (2 years in the past!), Stephen Colbert used the parking zone trams at Walt Disney World asn instance, noting that visitors need to stroll almost a mile from the parking zone to theme park entrances. (That video picks up the place the related joke begins on the 6:46 minute mark.)
Colbert joked that in typical Disney style, they’ve rebranded the disagreeable parking zone stroll into an attraction known as Simba’s Boiling Asphalt Stroll. “It’s truly extra enjoyable than you suppose!”
Colbert’s section is predicated on an NPR article, “Meet Skimpflation: A Motive Inflation is Worse Than the Authorities Says It Is.” We’ve truly mentioned the idea lots since and the way it applies to Walt Disney World, however that’s nonetheless an fascinating learn should you missed it. Though the tram debacle is the one direct connection made to Walt Disney World, many of the examples within the article additionally apply to Disney.
We’ve been pretty forgiving of Disney’s sluggish restart in the course of the phased reopening, recognizing that labor shortages and provide chain disruptions are impacting companies across the nation. In some circumstances, the extra measured method is prudent; long run options to momentary issues would pose totally different issues. We don’t give Disney the move on this one.
Finally, the return of the parking zone trams at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom is nice information. Nevertheless it’s additionally lengthy overdue. Their absence was one other occasion of eroding the visitor expertise. No parking trams by themselves usually are not an enormous, make-or-break element of a Walt Disney World trip. Nonetheless, the dearth of trams usually are not “by themselves.” It’s the totality of the circumstances–the cumulative influence of many cutbacks and nickel & diming practices over the past three years.
Conversely, the comeback of parking zone trams could possibly be considered as one other small sign that Walt Disney World is taking severely its visitor satisfaction woes, and is actively making an attempt to enhance. While you add parking zone trams to bringing again free in a single day self-parking at on-site resort lodges, including on-ride pictures to Disney Genie+ service, and Walt Disney World’s 5 main enhancements to make your go to simpler in 2024…it may be considered in a way more favorable gentle.
Therefore the inside wolves battle defined above. Walt Disney World nonetheless has an extended option to go earlier than restoring the visitor expertise to what it was again in 2019. It’s applicable and arguably productive to proceed pointing this out. That’s the position of shoppers, and it’s good to carry Walt Disney World to their very own purportedly excessive requirements!
It’s additionally honest to acknowledge steps in the correct route, even when they’re overdue. A number of you might be understandably nonetheless hoping to see main modifications, however the factor about that’s it should by no means occur in a single leap ahead. So right here’s to applauding golf clapping the small stuff, and hoping that that is one other within the line of many constructive modifications on the horizon for Walt Disney World!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you concentrate on all this Walt Disney World information? Are you offended/upset/embarrassed by how lengthy it has taken Walt Disney World to carry again parking zone trams at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Or are you optimistic about this? Suppose persons are making a mountain out of a molehill? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!