Mouse Extra

A few weeks ago, I went crazy over the news that Disney was cutting back Fantasmic to only two nights per week.  This cost cutting measure came right at the same time Bob Iger was spewing over how well the parks division was doing, and right after another hike in ticket prices.  Despite the good news about the parks financials, and the increased revenue from higher ticket prices, it seems the cutting goes a lot further than just one show.

According to Lou Mongello at DisneyWorldTrivia.com, there are many smaller programs that will be, or already have been, given the axe…

I mentioned a few weeks ago the fact that, due to apparent cutbacks, the Four for a Dollar pre-show performers from the Beauty and the Beast stage show were going to leave permanently as of September 20th. I have also come to hear that they may not be the only group who will be retired. From what I understand, Inkas Wasi and The Karuka Acrobats in Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom have been retired as of September 1, 2008. Also, The Main Street Family Fun Day Parade will end its run on September 27th. OrisiRisi, the African performers in World Showcase, have been retired effective August 30, 2008; and also in World Showcase, Spelmanns Gledje, the Norwegian folk group, was retired on that date as well. Even Wes Palm, the walking and talking palm tree at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, may have been retired as of September first. And as I mentioned previously, Woody’s Cowboy Camp will have its last hoedown in Frontierland on September 27.

Now, I can’t get all worked-up over this because none of these things are really all that important to me.  If they are to you, please feel free to post any rant you wish in the comments section.  (Providing, of course, that you keep it clean!) 

But as hard as this may be to swallow, if Disney feels the need to cut costs this is the way to do it.  These are the types of shows that can be scaled back, replaced, or even lost during rough times.  Not something as universally popular as Fantasmic.  I am still hoping Disney pulls their heads out of the collective you-know-what’s and corrects that monumentally stupid decision.

But having said all that, I still don’t believe Disney’s theme parks are in such financial woes that these things need to be done.  The economy may be slowing down, but there in no evidence that it is severely hurting Walt Disney World.  Until there is, making people pay more to get less is unacceptable in my book.