Disney Flashdrive - Trojan

[JimC]

Today: "Why does Disney send me this stuff? It's just so wasteful?"

Tomorrow: "Remember when Disney used to send planning booklets, flash drives and MagicBands? Now all of that stuff has been eliminated, too. They're just so cheap these days."



Some of the duplication does seem a bit wasteful. (Although I suspect DVC owners account for about 95% of all split stays throughout Walt Disney World.)

But it surprises me that people who are normally so attuned to every cost-cutting move made by Disney would so quickly thumb their noses at materials which are obviously intended add a little fun to travel planning. I, myself may be a bit jaded after dozens of trips to WDW, but I don't see anything wrong with Disney spending a few dollars to get people excited about upcoming vacations. Pretty darn expensive vacations, at that.

Should not surprise, just shows the range of views. I see it as wasteful, others see it as useful. Either view is equally acceptable. Disney could, if it chose to, tailor the experience to both audiences.

 

[disneynutz]

What do you base your 90% on. I have friends that just went recently for the very first time and had absolutely no problem understanding the process. I think you are under estimating the intelligence of most Disney guests. Also many have booked with travel agents that are assisting them.

I mean it really is not that complicated, easier to me than getting a new phone, or setting up home wifi.

Those of us that use computers as much as we do tend to have a better understanding of technology and we may have friends who are like us. DVC reports that 50% of members book online, the rest still call in to book and recently explaining magic bands and MDE to members has caused phone wait times to increase up to 40 minutes. Those members could go to the Disney website and learn about magic bands and MDE but they don't.

Banks still have physical branches and people still line up at the post office, I haven't been to a bank or post office in years and in my world have no reason to use them but apparently other people do even though they could do their transactions online.

I may be off with my 90% but if you watch the people at WDW, some have trouble getting through bag check, touching their band to the reader, and inputting their pin when they make a purchase.

Bill

 

[Chuck S]

Well, I can see both sides. It likely is wasteful, if you consider long time DVC Owners who pretty much know the ropes and keep up to date on changes.

But for cash guests, even the returning cash guest, assuming they save and use the flash drive after the initial view, it puts a cute, bright Disney icon in eyeshot often and may get them thinking of booking another trip sooner than planned. Anyone with marketing experience knows you want to keep corporate logos in view as often as possible, as a subtle marketing ploy.

Just like Carnival Cruises, I went on a cruise with friends last year (my first cruise) and it was loads of fun. I'd love to go again sometime. Carnival bombards me with email specials. So I do occasionally go and browse their website for pricing, I haven't booked another cruise, yet...but the temptation is there.

For Disney it is similar, people watch the Christmas parade, they think of a trip. People see the Mickey USB drive, they think of a trip. If they use the USB Drive at work, it can start a Disney conversation and plant the seeds of another trip, too...even for someone other than the person to whom the drive was mailed.

 

[JimC]

?..Just like Carnival Cruises, I went on a cruise with friends last year (my first cruise) and it was loads of fun. I'd love to go again sometime. Carnival bombards me with email specials. So I do occasionally go and browse their website for pricing, I haven't booked another cruise, yet...but the temptation is there....

Chuck, We have to get you on DCL!

 

[bakerworld]

They never sent the KTTW before we left so why send the MB? You can do all your set up at home from your PC (or your work PC ).

 

[tjkraz]

They never sent the KTTW before we left so why send the MB?

So that you don't have to stop at the resort before visiting a theme park. That's exactly what we did on our last trip--drove straight to the parks and MBs worked flawlessly.

I suspect there are also storage issues with keeping tens-of-thousands of bands in different colors housed at the resorts. And producing them in advance allows for the guest names to be embossed--definitely helpful if you have two people in the same villa with the same color band.

 

[wiigirl]

I doubt these things cost Disney much at all. I'd be curios to know. I feel assured, though, that they aren't paying the mailing rates I am.

x2

 

[briand1023]

agreed

 

[cosmos]

So that you don't have to stop at the resort before visiting a theme park. That's exactly what we did on our last trip--drove straight to the parks and MBs worked flawlessly.

Does Magical Express have a queue for the parks?

 

[tjkraz]

Does Magical Express have a queue for the parks?

Many people do not use Magical Express. I've only used it on MAYBE 10% of my visits.

 

[psac]

What do you base your 90% on. I have friends that just went recently for the very first time and had absolutely no problem understanding the process. I think you are under estimating the intelligence of most Disney guests. Also many have booked with travel agents that are assisting them.

I mean it really is not that complicated, easier to me than getting a new phone, or setting up home wifi.

Respectfully, I think it is a very true statement that 90% of Disney guests don't know about these things before they get there, and that they need help understanding, which is what the PP said. How quickly they do understand after it's explained to them is a different story. To some, it is very quick. But that is what the flash drive and other assorted materials is there for. Most people don't spend time on websites like this one like we do.

It's like back in the days where the printed Unofficial Guide was the only thing out there. Part of it was a Q&A of "if everyone follows this guide, won't everyone be in the same situation?" And the answer was that much less than 0.01% of all Disney visitors bought the guide.

I think it's still fair to say 90% of Disney guests are uneducated about these changes.

To be unrespectful (not to you), when you've seen guests at the Boardwalk point at the Swan and say "That's the Polynesian!", and have seen people on the Friendship boats ask the drivers about Harry Potter... then it is easy to underestimate the intelligence (or at least "park education") of some Disney guests.

 

[disneynutz]

Respectfully, I think it is a very true statement that 90% of Disney guests don't know about these things before they get there, and that they need help understanding, which is what the PP said. How quickly they do understand after it's explained to them is a different story. To some, it is very quick. But that is what the flash drive and other assorted materials is there for. Most people don't spend time on websites like this one like we do.

It's like back in the days where the printed Unofficial Guide was the only thing out there. Part of it was a Q&A of "if everyone follows this guide, won't everyone be in the same situation?" And the answer was that much less than 0.01% of all Disney visitors bought the guide.

I think it's still fair to say 90% of Disney guests are uneducated about these changes.

To be unrespectful (not to you), when you've seen guests at the Boardwalk point at the Swan and say "That's the Polynesian!", and have seen people on the Friendship boats ask the drivers about Harry Potter... then it is easy to underestimate the intelligence (or at least "park education") of some Disney guests.

After a 15 minute training session and check in the lady next to me at BWV told the CM, take these things back (bands), all I want is my room key.

Our first MK stop in December was the Disney Railroad. Wait lines were long and people were getting pushy trying to move up to where they assumed the gate would open. Behind us a mature couple were pushing their way past us and I asked, "where do you think you are going", meaning wait in line. His replay was that they were going to their car. I laughed, (in my mind) and explained that the train doesn't go to the parking lot. They reversed their direction, pushed a trash can away from the gate and exited the platform.

Bill

 

[briand1023]

You can be dropped right at any of the parks when you get off the plane with your magic bands and start enjoying your day. We often use a car service, round trip from Orlando to any resort with a stop at a grocery store off-site so you're paying local person prices and not Disney marked up prices, round-trip transportation usually cost $110. With all the money I spend when I'm at Disney this is a very small expense that I consider worthwhile because. The driver pulls my luggage off the carousel puts in the limo brings me to the store brings me to the resort takes my luggage out of the limo what's it on the luggage dolly for the bellhop and I give him a 20% gratuity worth every penny so I don't throw my back out humping my DW's 50+ pound bag of clothing. Plus from the moment I get my luggage out the carousel, to the minute I'm at my resort is usually 30 minutes total this time it was 40 and include a 10 minute stop at the grocery store, maximizing your time is everything when you're at Disney.

 

[CarolynK]

Anyone else get a Trojan message when they used the Disney flashdrive in their computer? I immediately got the message, so I took it out and shut down like my McAfee told me.

Guess I won't be using it.

Yeah, last month we got a flash drive and google chrome wouldn't open it...DH called MS to complain and ended up speaking with someone in IT.

The waste is not tracking guests who know and have used MDE and Fast Pass+. Sending training tools to us is the waste.

90% of Disney Guests have no idea about NextGen, MDE and all of the other changes so they need the help. Waiting to check in at BWV for 40 minutes allowed me to see groups come and go and I really feel for the CM's trying to explain to everyone what a magic band is. Most guests seemed to walk away with a blank look on their face trying to make sense of it all.

Bill

A 40 minute line to check in at BWV?? We've been members 15 years and frequently go at busy times (were just there for NYE). Never have we waited more than 5-10 minutes, usually no line at all (this trip, did online check-in for 1st time, didn't save us any time at all!).

Those of us that use computers as much as we do tend to have a better understanding of technology and we may have friends who are like us. DVC reports that 50% of members book online, the rest still call in to book and recently explaining magic bands and MDE to members has caused phone wait times to increase up to 40 minutes. Those members could go to the Disney website and learn about magic bands and MDE but they don't.

Banks still have physical branches and people still line up at the post office, I haven't been to a bank or post office in years and in my world have no reason to use them but apparently other people do even though they could do their transactions online.

I may be off with my 90% but if you watch the people at WDW, some have trouble getting through bag check, touching their band to the reader, and inputting their pin when they make a purchase.

Bill

We sell stuff (kids' textbooks, old computer equipment, etc.) on ebay which necessitates trips to our local post office. I consider us (ok, DH!) incredibly computer literate...all bills are paid online automatically....

 

[awilliams4]

Today: "Why does Disney send me this stuff? It's just so wasteful?"

Tomorrow: "Remember when Disney used to send planning booklets, flash drives and MagicBands? Now all of that stuff has been eliminated, too. They're just so cheap these days."



Some of the duplication does seem a bit wasteful. (Although I suspect DVC owners account for about 95% of all split stays throughout Walt Disney World.)

But it surprises me that people who are normally so attuned to every cost-cutting move made by Disney would so quickly thumb their noses at materials which are obviously intended add a little fun to travel planning. I, myself may be a bit jaded after dozens of trips to WDW, but I don't see anything wrong with Disney spending a few dollars to get people excited about upcoming vacations. Pretty darn expensive vacations, at that.

Exactly, and reading through 50% of all the misinformed posts about the drive being blank or possibly malicious just verifies that 50% of the rest of the misinformed posts on here about everything else that is wrong about Disney may not be from those that are in the know of all the details they speak of.

 

[nabi]

Blank is blank, no misinformation there.

 

[rkold]

Those of us that use computers as much as we do tend to have a better understanding of technology and we may have friends who are like us. DVC reports that 50% of members book online, the rest still call in to book and recently explaining magic bands and MDE to members has caused phone wait times to increase up to 40 minutes. Those members could go to the Disney website and learn about magic bands and MDE but they don't.

Banks still have physical branches and people still line up at the post office, I haven't been to a bank or post office in years and in my world have no reason to use them but apparently other people do even though they could do their transactions online.

I may be off with my 90% but if you watch the people at WDW, some have trouble getting through bag check, touching their band to the reader, and inputting their pin when they make a purchase.

Bill

To be fair, some people know how to use a computer, but prefer to interact with a person (like the bank or the PO or even calling Disney reservations) because they like interacting with an actual person.

And just like in real life where there are some things you can't do on-line (I'm pretty sure you can't send a package Registered, or a package over a certain weight and size, you must go in person to close a dead relative's account and to set up estate accounts, etc.) There are actually reasons someone technologically savvy might need help with MDE. FP+ can be wonky and can go down. Disney pushes it My Magic + app and says it is available for Android phones and Tablets, however your droid phone must be running Gingerbread or higher and it does not currently work on Android Tablets. Talking to Tech support will get you the answer that it is not something you've done.

During Oct we were Testers for FP+ and due to a prob with Disney's software, I kept seeing an option for FP+ Be Our Guest QS. However, since I wasn't a part of that testing group, I couldn't actually book it. It was a bug. But I wanted to make sure it was a bug by talking to Disney Tech, and by spending some time with them on the phone, I discovered I could ask at Concierge for a special Pass to make a FP+ for Be Our Guest QS.

Though I do agree with you that I would personally like to stop getting all the materials. We got two flash drives within a day of one another for our January and February trips and neither contained info we didn't know already and I just ordered my 3rd set of Magic Bands. I'd really like to be able to just reuse one of the sets we own already.

 

[disneynutz]

A 40 minute line to check in at BWV?? We've been members 15 years and frequently go at busy times (were just there for NYE). Never have we waited more than 5-10 minutes, usually no line at all (this trip, did online check-in for 1st time, didn't save us any time at all!).

We sell stuff (kids' textbooks, old computer equipment, etc.) on ebay which necessitates trips to our local post office. I consider us (ok, DH!) incredibly computer literate...all bills are paid online automatically....

Our wait at BWV was because VGF had not checked us out and with the new software you can't check in to another resort until you are checked out of the old. They didn't realize what the problem was, made several trips to the back room, had suits working on it and ended up calling support.

While checking in the scene was like a Christmas sale at Macy's, CM's were explaining how to use Magic Bands, carrying boxes of them, taking some back, reprogramming them, the line in queue was pretty long.

I also sell ebay stuff and just give the USPO shipments to the Postal Carrier.

Bill

 

[LisaS]

I may be off with my 90% but if you watch the people at WDW, some have trouble getting through bag check, touching their band to the reader, and inputting their pin when they make a purchase.

DH and I were among those having trouble entering our PIN when making a purchase. The PIN pads are badly designed with small, closely spaced buttons. I always take my time and am very careful and yet I still had problems about 20% of the time. I can't imagine what it's like for someone with large hands to try to enter a PIN correctly.

 

[disneynutz]

DH and I were among those having trouble entering our PIN when making a purchase. The PIN pads are badly designed with small, closely spaced buttons. I always take my time and am very careful and yet I still had problems about 20% of the time. I can't imagine what it's like for someone with large hands to try to enter a PIN correctly.

Reportedly the pads are getting redesigned. Larger buttons and the RFID reader on the side instead to the top. Makes it easier to tap your band without having to turn your wrist upside down.

Bill