Disney is losing it

[Napria]

Just an observation...

First, last month after waiting a loooong time for my vacation planning DVD it finally came in. It was outdated. It showed "Downtown Disney" and a bunch of other areas/attractions with outdated information.

Yesterday (February 19) I got a mailer saying that my "FastPass+ Date is coming up fast." Um, yeah. My FastPass+ Date was Feb. 2.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Just an observation...

First, last month after waiting a loooong time for my vacation planning DVD it finally came in. It was outdated. It showed "Downtown Disney" and a bunch of other areas/attractions with outdated information.

Yesterday (February 19) I got a mailer saying that my "FastPass+ Date is coming up fast." Um, yeah. My FastPass+ Date was Feb. 2.

They still send DVDs? What is this, 2004?

 

[Napria]

They still send DVDs? What is this, 2004?

Hahaha. I know. But I'm glad they do because I collect them for each trip we go on so I can look back on it and know how Disney presented WDW each trip.

 

[DVCcurious]

I have a VHS tape from Disneyworld from before Animal Kingdom existed! It's awesome!

 

[Robo]

The "FP+ reminder" has been showing up long after the earliest date since they began sending reminders.
Reports on this board all the time.

I'm going to guess that it is designed for guests who may have not yet noticed they could book in advance.

 

[JimmyV]

I'm going to guess that it is designed for guests who may have not yet noticed they could book in advance.

But are we going to land astronauts on Mars before Disney figures out that it can send its blast emails 62 days before arrival instead of 55 days before?

 

[disnut8]

But are we going to land astronauts on Mars before Disney figures out that it can send its blast emails 62 days before arrival instead of 55 days before?

It think the post suggested that there are people who don't know they can get FastPasses 60 days out if staying at a Disney resort.

There are any people who aren't on this board and know everything about Disney World (or think they know everything about Disney World ). For example, I just started a temp job a few weeks ago and a co-worker is going on an unexpected trip to Disney World next week. It's herself, her husband and two small daughters. He's in the National Guard so they get military passes which made the trip affordable to them. But, she recently said they didn't book an onsite resort room because the values don't have refrigerators in them and they just needed a small one for the girls' milk. She also said it was frustrating for her because they can't book their FastPasses until they get there because they are not staying on site.

When she first started talking about going, I said if she needed advice to let me know because I've been there a lot and read up on things. She dismissed me with a wave of her hand and said "we go every year and we have military discounts so we know what we are doing."

So a Disney "expert" who doesn't know she can book FastPasses now.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

This past month alone I have given tips on saving money, rope drop, fast passes, discounts, links to Robo's thread for fp priority, ADR advice, and sent at least 5 different people links to wdwinfo, Allears, Mouse Savers, Undercover Tourist, Kenny the Pirate, etc. So many people have no idea. I put it that they can take it or leave it, but for many this is a first time/only time trip, so it's best to try to get the most out of it. Many people I have talked to recently (with all the changes, especially wait times and crowds) are not inclined to want a return trip any time soon. They are quite overwhelmed.

 

[Bobb_o]

They still send DVDs? What is this, 2004?

Hence why the videos are so out of date.

 

[csjordan]

We received our DVD about 2 weeks ago, and were disappointed, too. It was the same as last year. We collect them, and still watch the old ones from time to time.

 

[lovethattink]

The DVDs are filmed well in advance of their release. My family and I filmed, ironically in 2004, and our segment has made every DVD since. I think we were filmed in October for a January release date. I've been edited out several times, as has dh, but ds has remained. It's in the babycare center segment.

 

[JimmyV]

It think the post suggested that there are people who don't know they can get FastPasses 60 days out if staying at a Disney resort.

But why remind them they can get their FPs 60 days in advance 55 days in advance? Why isn't the system set up to send out reminders "60+ x" days in advance? That "fix" has nothing whatsoever to do with being a novice or an expert. It is content neutral and just seems to make sense.

 

[Bobb_o]

But why remind them they can get their FPs 60 days in advance 55 days in advance? Why isn't the system set up to send out reminders "60+ x" days in advance? That "fix" has nothing whatsoever to do with being a novice or an expert. It is content neutral and just seems to make sense.

I would think they send out the reminders on the 60 day mark. That way there's no way the reminder gets to the recipient before their window is open.

Granted, this should all be done by email and instant.

 

[JimmyV]

I would think they send out the reminders on the 60 day mark.

You would think. Yet they don't. And since the booking window commences at midnight eastern, it ought to be the 61st day. Might as well give guests the full value of all 60 of their days.

 

[larryz]

I would think they send out the reminders on the 60 day mark. That way there's no way the reminder gets to the recipient before their window is open.

Granted, this should all be done by email and instant.

Well, perhaps the new crew working Disney IT can get a handle on this...

 

[Robo]

What percentage of on-site guests worry about the advantage of first-possible-second-booking of FP+?

How many guests on this board ignore (or outright deny) the Rope Drop advantage?

 

[epcotty]

I got the planning dvd through my coke rewards last year (0 points), it was disappointing. They kept coming back to certain attractions instead of showing more attractions, still making a big deal out of old attractions sometimes like Indiana Jones @ HS

 

[Asc341]

My family orders, keeps, and constantly re-watches the planning videos each year. We've noticed that while there is always something new in each video, Disney recycles most of the footage for about 3/4 years or so, and then revamps the entire thing. We obviously don't know Disney's intentions, but since the parks are in a big transition period, it made sense to us that they'd wait to shoot a completely new video until more new attractions have arrived...

 

[larryz]

I got the planning dvd through my coke rewards last year (0 points), it was disappointing. They kept coming back to certain attractions instead of showing more attractions, still making a big deal out of old attractions sometimes like Indiana Jones @ HS

That wasn't by any chance Club Cool, was it?

 

[epcotty]

I don't recall that but they kept coming back to Test Track (as well as Indy @ HS)