Disney guests to skip ride lines with new plan

[jernysgirl]

Did anyone else see this? I am not too sure how this is going to work, but... who knows...?

http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2011/02/17/disney-guests-to-skip-ride-lines-with-new-plan/70529/


Disney park visitors will be able to reserve times for rides and check into hotel rooms from home under a system that the company is developing, the parks’ chairman announced Thursday.

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, announced the plan for visitors to avoid lines and personalize their vacations during a 25-minute presentation at Walt Disney Company’s 2011 Investor Conference at the Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim.

Staggs gave no date for starting the new time-saving programs at Disney parks. But he said they were “well into development” and that patents were underway.

The new program would be like a Fastpass system for the whole vacation, Staggs said.

“Our new tools will help them better understand all that we have to offer and better plan their time with us,” Staggs said. “They’ll be able to create a personalized itinerary that gives them the exact Disney vacation they want.”

Visitors will be able to reserve times for attractions, character greetings, shows and meals. Hotel guests could arrive with their room keys in hand, avoiding check-in lines.

“They will be able to go straight to their room or a theme park … allowing them to get to the fun faster,” Staggs said.

Disney also plans to set up more personalized experiences, such as homes for each princess character to meet with visitors.

Activities and features would be added to queue areas, giving visitors the chance to play and explore while they wait for rides.

For example, Walt Disney World added play areas, including Rabbit’s garden and Eeyore’s house, to the entrance of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in November. The line features are so popular that some children ask parents to skip the Fastpass system, Staggs said. Read more about Disney World’s Pooh ride features.

The Fastpass system, started in 1999, allows visitors to get tickets that list a time window when they can return to certain attractions in a shorter line.
Fastpasses are available at six Disneyland rides and four Disney California Adventure rides. Visitors also can get Fastpasses for times to watch the “World of Color” light-and-water show at California Adventure. See tips for using Disneyland Resort’s Fastpass system.

The new system is part of the Next Generation Experience, which the company has been developing, according to some blogs and publications. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney is spending about $1 billion on the experience, according to interviews with former company executives. Read the Orlando Sentinel’s story about the Disney park system. (UPDATE: I just changed the amount that Disney spent on Next Generation.)

“We see a real opportunity to further enhance and differentiate the Disney vacation experience,” Staggs told investors.

 

[RedRosePrincess]

Just saw this and wanted to see if anybody posted it yet. I'm not a fan of this. I think it takes the charm out of going to the park.

 

[6Smiles]

It sounds like a perk for people staying on site (with room key in hand). But if so wouldn't that just make longer waits for people who don't stay on site. Is this their way of getting rid of the fastpass system? Hmmm....

 

[granismith]

It seems like having your rides all scheduled out would be stressful trying to make it to all your apointed times...............IMHO

 

[gapoochi]

if your scheduled for a certain ride at a certain time and the kids just saw something else they MUST do RIGHT NOW, how do you deal with that? that's how most of our trip goes and I'm sure it's the same with most with younger kids. you go where their attention was drawn to. I can't see everything being scheduled working well.

though i do like being able to reserve shows...that would make sense to me.

 

[Sherry E]

Also, if the survey I did for Disney Resorts the other day is any indication, they are considering (operative word) quite a few big changes to the existing onsite hotel booking/reservations/policies and set-ups - some of which will likely be met with some unhappy people, I think (like removing Magic Morning privileges for those who get discounted rooms). Some of the perks they are "considering" adding to onsite reservations will be nice (like a free character meal or free WoC Fast Passes, that kind of thing) - but the catch it you will have to pay more to get those.

The way it broke down in the survey I did - and again, who knows which of these things they will actually implement, but they are considering many scenarios - was basically that the people who got discounted rooms (like with PIN codes or whatever) would have fewer perks and much less flexibility in terms of cancellations and payment, while the people who paid full rack rate for the rooms would get more perks beyond what is currently in place and more flexibility with cancellations, one-night deposit up front, etc.

They are "considering" revising the payment set-up, i.e., full payment due upon booking/no refunds - OR you can bank what you paid if you have to cancel and use it for a future reservation, etc.

I'm not sure when any of these things will come to pass, but I had a hunch that there were going to be some big changes a-comin' in conjunction with the DCA makeover - and the info that jernysgirl's post reveals seems to back that up as well!!

 

[Susie63]

Also, if the survey I did for Disney Resorts the other day is any indication, they are considering (operative word) quite a few big changes to the existing onsite hotel booking/reservations/policies and set-ups - some of which will likely be met with some unhappy people, I think (like removing Magic Morning privileges for those who get discounted rooms). Some of the perks they are "considering" adding to onsite reservations will be nice (like a free character meal or free WoC Fast Passes, that kind of thing) - but the catch it you will have to pay more to get those.

The way it broke down in the survey I did - and again, who knows which of these things they will actually implement, but they are considering many scenarios - was basically that the people who got discounted rooms (like with PIN codes or whatever) would have fewer perks and much less flexibility in terms of cancellations and payment, while the people who paid full rack rate for the rooms would get more perks beyond what is currently in place and more flexibility with cancellations, one-night deposit up front, etc.

They are "considering" revising the payment set-up, i.e., full payment due upon booking/no refunds - OR you can bank what you paid if you have to cancel and use it for a future reservation, etc.

I'm not sure when any of these things will come to pass, but I had a hunch that there were going to be some big changes a-comin' in conjunction with the DCA makeover - and the info that jernysgirl's post reveals seems to back that up as well!!

I read about this on another board and was less than impressed. If Disney does go ahead with these changes, I will have stayed at a resort hotel for the last time.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Sounds very strange. Kinda like Big Brother always knows where you're at?

 

[tholczer]

But the rooms are always on sale in one way or another, so I'm not sure how that part would work.

I can see how they would want to cater more to the big spending tourists, I just don't see how this is the way to do it. Why offer a perk (and have to pay rack rates to get it) that isn't all that appealing? Having the entire day planned out like a military operation isn't my idea of a vacation. But maybe others will differ.

Being local, we only stay onsite once a year. It would be sad indeed if they took away MM from everyone but the big spenders.

Tracy

 

[Disney Dreams]

It seems like having your rides all scheduled out would be stressful trying to make it to all your apointed times...............IMHO

if your scheduled for a certain ride at a certain time and the kids just saw something else they MUST do RIGHT NOW, how do you deal with that? that's how most of our trip goes and I'm sure it's the same with most with younger kids. you go where their attention was drawn to. I can't see everything being scheduled working well....

I agree that this would be stressful to stay on a plan and I have no clue how you handle kids (or adults for that matter) wanting to do other things.

However, those on this board who use and encourage the use of RideMax may comment towards this as it's exactly how it works.

- Dreams

 

[Sherry E]

I read about this on another board and was less than impressed. If Disney does go ahead with these changes, I will have stayed at a resort hotel for the last time.

Susie63 - I have a feeling you won't be the only one. I'm not sure which way they will go with these options - some of them may never see the light of day. In this survey, they were showing us all kinds of different package scenarios and asking which ones we preferred. The higher priced/non-discounted room packages had all the good stuff, and they were at least $200 or $250 more than the options they showed for the discounted rooms, which had almost no good stuff.

I've always been a big advocate of staying onsite for my own personal experience. To me, it enhances my trip a great deal. I can understand why staying off-property can so appealing to others when you can sometimes stay at HoJo's for $59. That would be tough to pass up for many people. I usually stay onsite for the overall Disney experience/immersion, but also for things like the MM option. And for the room only/non-package reservations, I like only having to put down the one-night's deposit up front, and getting a full refund if I need to cancel (which I have not had to do in a long time). At the same time, I always try to use a PIN code or AP rate or whatever discount I can find when it's available.

If DLR starts taking away things from the 'discount room guests' like the MM and getting a full refund upon cancellation - or even if they start making people pay the total amount due up front - I think that will only drive people to stay off property even more than they already are. I'm not sure people will want to pay full expensive rack rate to get the free character meal, the MM, a free mug, some Fast Passes and the ability to only pay a one-night deposit up front, with a full refund upon cancellation. Maybe they will? I just don't know. But I can't help but think that more folks will end up staying off-property.

Now what jernysgirl posted in the OP is very interesting, indeed. I am wondering how successful the ride reservation time thing would be. Hmmm...

 

[Davids-Coco]

Wonder what this would mean for DVC as well...

 

[Susie63]

Unless I misunderstood the survey...booking a discounted rate would not even give you the option of choosing which hotel you get!

 

[HydroGuy]

See page 6 of this transcript...

http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/parks_resorts/WDPR - Tom Staggs - Investor Conference.pdf

Did anyone else see this? I am not too sure how this is going to work, but... who knows...?

http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2011/02/17/disney-guests-to-skip-ride-lines-with-new-plan/70529/


Disney park visitors will be able to reserve times for rides and check into hotel rooms from home under a system that the company is developing, the parks’ chairman announced Thursday.

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, announced the plan for visitors to avoid lines and personalize their vacations during a 25-minute presentation at Walt Disney Company’s 2011 Investor Conference at the Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim.

Staggs gave no date for starting the new time-saving programs at Disney parks. But he said they were “well into development” and that patents were underway.

The new program would be like a Fastpass system for the whole vacation, Staggs said.

“Our new tools will help them better understand all that we have to offer and better plan their time with us,” Staggs said. “They’ll be able to create a personalized itinerary that gives them the exact Disney vacation they want.”

Visitors will be able to reserve times for attractions, character greetings, shows and meals. Hotel guests could arrive with their room keys in hand, avoiding check-in lines.

“They will be able to go straight to their room or a theme park … allowing them to get to the fun faster,” Staggs said.

Disney also plans to set up more personalized experiences, such as homes for each princess character to meet with visitors.

Activities and features would be added to queue areas, giving visitors the chance to play and explore while they wait for rides.

For example, Walt Disney World added play areas, including Rabbit’s garden and Eeyore’s house, to the entrance of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in November. The line features are so popular that some children ask parents to skip the Fastpass system, Staggs said. Read more about Disney World’s Pooh ride features.

The Fastpass system, started in 1999, allows visitors to get tickets that list a time window when they can return to certain attractions in a shorter line.
Fastpasses are available at six Disneyland rides and four Disney California Adventure rides. Visitors also can get Fastpasses for times to watch the “World of Color” light-and-water show at California Adventure. See tips for using Disneyland Resort’s Fastpass system.

The new system is part of the Next Generation Experience, which the company has been developing, according to some blogs and publications. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney is spending about $1 billion on the experience, according to interviews with former company executives. Read the Orlando Sentinel’s story about the Disney park system. (UPDATE: I just changed the amount that Disney spent on Next Generation.)

“We see a real opportunity to further enhance and differentiate the Disney vacation experience,” Staggs told investors.

 

[Sherry E]

Unless I misunderstood the survey...booking a discounted rate would not even give you the option of choosing which hotel you get!

Yes, that was how I understood it as well. That was one of the options that popped up repeatedly in the survey. I kept thinking to myself, "You mean we won't even be able to decide where we stay?"

I understand Disney has to make changes for business reasons as they expand and develop, and I had a feeling that they would tweak the reservations system sooner or later - not quite in the way they seem to be entertaining right now, though. Hopefully, they won't go with a complete extreme of 'pay more, get more' (get everything) and 'pay less, get less' (get nothing but the room) but it looks like they will definitely be adding and removing some things.

I'll have to take it on a case by case basis for myself, I guess. If I am more solvent at a given time, maybe I will throw caution to the wind and go for the pay more/get more thing without fainting. Otherwise, I will have to weigh how important it will be to me to stay onsite if all the privileges are removed and if it will still be worth it to me. Maybe it will be. Maybe not. I'm not sure. We shall see. And if it comes down to it, HoJo's, here I come!

But I definitely think that if DLR removes too many of the privileges from the discounted rooms, they will lose some guests to offsite hotels.

 

[erikamj]

For the parks I think it would definitely take away the spontanity of going to an amusement park and enjoying the day whichever way it takes you.
As for the reservation changes, How is this going to affect the Good Neighbor hotels and those packages?

 

[Captain Hindsight]

You gotta remember that Tom Staggs is president of ALL Disney Parks and Resorts, so what he is planning is not necessarily happening at Disneyland! In fact this is the kind of stuff that is needed at that mess they call WDW! At WDW you HAVE to plan everything... You HAVE to book your dining reservation 6 months in advance, or you are doomed to cafeterias and counter service... It only makes sense that you have to reserve your seat on rides in the place where you have to reserve everything else! With only 3 on property hotels I just cant see this happening at DL even if it is a success at WDW!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Sherry,
I was sent the survey as well, and that is what I took away from it--that if you wanted to stay on property but wanted to pay less, then they would pick your hotel. If you pay a higher rate, then you get to pick your own hotel. I thought the survey was interesting, but I like picking my own hotel!

 

[kiwitravel]

Wait until they close the Harbor Blvd entrance to all but the parking shuttles....That would certainly make some think twice about not staying onsite... as it stands with the exception of GC the nearest hotels use this entrance and are significantly closer that DH and PP...

 

[nunzia]

It seems like having your rides all scheduled out would be stressful trying to make it to all your apointed times...............IMHO

That was my thought also..I don't want my Disney trip super regimented.."No, you can't see Mickey..we MUST get to Indy NOW!" ack