Disney , please don't do this...

[sonofanarchy]

Pffffffffft......please. Why do people always think they can speak for Walt Disney, and attest to what he "would say", or "would think"? Walt Disney was a business man. He was a lot of positive things, and a lot of negative ones too, the man was not the saint we all paint him to be. As a business man, it's just as possible he'd be thrilled. The man was not your "Uncle".

And they already bleed customers dry, btw. How much is a bottle of water in the park? Or an ice cream cone? $500-$1000 a night to stay in a deluxe with a view of the castle, but other than that is a mediocre room. Come on now, let's just get real about this.

While I agree, the Uncle Walt stuff is silly, Walt was far from a business man. Roy was a business man. If Walt ran the business side of things, WDW would probably not exist. Walt was a perfectionist.

As for bleeding customers dry, not entirely accurate. I always hear people complain about how much they charge for a bottle of water. It's $2.50. Try getting that at your local movie theater. It's a theme park, not a retail store. For their quick service food, Disney happens to be a heck of a lot cheaper than your local Six Flags.

Yes, the Deluxe Resorts are priced super high. However, that's a choice some people choose to make. No one is being forced to pay for a view of the Castle.

 

[disneynutz]

I know when it comes to it Disney is a company and its ultimate goal is to make money, and this may come from me growing up poor, but I always thought there was something magical about once you entered the parks everyone was the same. Everyone had the same shot at meeting a princess, riding a ride or seeing the fireworks no matter how much money they had. We usually stay on property and can probably learn to live with just three fastpasses but somehow knowing some people can buy more "magic" will just make the place seem less special.

It isn't Disney's ultimate goal to make money, it's their only goal. Everything they do from magic bands, to fast passes, to the design of a seat in a restaurant is about making money. Nothing wrong with that, it's a for profit business run by bean counters.

Bill

 

[surferdave]

While I agree, the Uncle Walt stuff is silly, Walt was far from a business man. Roy was a business man. If Walt ran the business side of things, WDW would probably not exist. Walt was a perfectionist.

I definitely agree with this; what we have as the Disney park legacy is a blend of Walt's idealism and Roy's business sense.

But it is amusing whenever someone invokes Walt's name to condemn some present day Disney action that they personally dislike. My favorite is still Starbucks in the parks ruining the theme, when Disneyland had MAXWELL HOUSE signs plastered about.

 

[crostorfer]

While I agree, the Uncle Walt stuff is silly, Walt was far from a business man. Roy was a business man. If Walt ran the business side of things, WDW would probably not exist. Walt was a perfectionist.

As for bleeding customers dry, not entirely accurate. I always hear people complain about how much they charge for a bottle of water. It's $2.50. Try getting that at your local movie theater. It's a theme park, not a retail store. For their quick service food, Disney happens to be a heck of a lot cheaper than your local Six Flags.

Yes, the Deluxe Resorts are priced super high. However, that's a choice some people choose to make. No one is being forced to pay for a view of the Castle.

I never said other theme parks, or venues, don't bleed customers dry. Professional sporting events are worse than most theme parks. But, Disney does it too, they aren't exempt.

And why are you all of a sudden Disney Defender? Apparently FP+ hasn't completely beaten all of the pixie dust out of you.

 

[swilshire]

Yeah Disney, please don't reward people who give you more money and commitment, and PLEASE for the love of god don't attempt to make money.

Charging for expedited ride access is exactly why we haven't been to Universal Studios for years.

At $100 a day per person, Disney is making money off the day guests. If they alienate the ones who chose, for whatever reason, to stay off-site or who live in the area, I would expect it to hurt their bottom line. I'm sure they have a slew of economists and other experts who make this type of decision.

We already visit Disney much less frequently than we did in the past. We bought annual passes for our family of six more than once and visited five or six times within a year. Now we go once a year at most and spend three or four days in the park.

We can get a premium two-year annual pass for all Busch Parks for an affordable sum. Maybe they will get more of our business in the future and Disney will get less or none.

Sheila

 

[alicat8]

I know when it comes to it Disney is a company and its ultimate goal is to make money, and this may come from me growing up poor, but I always thought there was something magical about once you entered the parks everyone was the same. Everyone had the same shot at meeting a princess, riding a ride or seeing the fireworks no matter how much money they had. We usually stay on property and can probably learn to live with just three fastpasses but somehow knowing some people can buy more "magic" will just make the place seem less special.

Me too! (but I was also poor )

 

[crostorfer]

Charging for expedited ride access is exactly why we haven't been to Universal Studios for years.

At $100 a day per person, Disney is making money off the day guests. If they alienate the ones who chose, for whatever reason, to stay off-site or who live in the area, I would expect it to hurt their bottom line. I'm sure they have a slew of economists and other experts who make this type of decision.

We already visit Disney much less frequently than we did in the past. We bought annual passes for our family of six more than once and visited five or six times within a year. Now we go once a year at most and spend three or four days in the park.

We can get a premium two-year annual pass for all Busch Parks for an affordable sum. Maybe they will get more of our business in the future and Disney will get less or none.

Sheila

It's already begun. Off site FP+ can only be booked at 30 days now, rather than 60 for on site guests. Let the games begin.

 

[ArwenMarie]

There's been in talk in other places that they were going to tier number of FPs by onsite/offsite/resort. But then it seemed with the testing to bring offsite onto prebooking that it wasn't true. With yesterday's news, it is confirmed that Disney is ok with having different classes of customers in terms of FP.

So will they give more FPs to onsite/higher-resorts?...They will if it suits their business needs. As to where they will get them from, they will just take them from the FP pool. And the 60/30 booking difference will help do that. Whatever is left at 30 days is left. We still don't know for sure what they are doing with offsite-non-APs. It looks like they will be able to prebook, but at what day? Who knows.

Anyway, I do think this is all kind of sad, as someone who will probably never stay onsite again. On the other hand, I can also see the point of rewarding someone who pays $1400 for one night in a club-level hotel room at the Grand Floridian over Presidents Day weekend. It's not that the extra FPs will make someone change their plans so drastically, but it can just make them feel a little more appreciated for their business.

 

[JanaDee]

That is what I am thinking. I think the FP+ was only for resort guests and AP holders, they could build a few new resorts as more might want to stay there to take advantage of it. But then I think why would Disney want to make even more money at this point....

Disney needs to build more attractions, not more places to stay.

 

[MrsDuck]

Charging for them? No. Giving more to those staying at on-site resorts? Yes. I have no problem with that. Will not pay a dime extra for additional passes though.

This.

 

[dissupermom]

Disney needs to build more attractions, not more places to stay.

so true!!!

 

[dissupermom]

why are people saying that they are being forced to participate? I don't understand. you don't have to participate in FP+, FP-, or whatever the new ideas may be. you have a choice... you can stand in the standby lines and ride whatever you want , when you want. you do not have to preschedule anything. you don't have to worry about how many passes you get for which rides.. none of it! i was there in October and didn't use it, and was still able to enjoy what I wanted. I will be there again in May, and may take advantage, may not. I am staying on property, as I always do, in a value resort and will be happy because I'm not at work!!!

 

[surferdave]

They need to sell WWWD shirts in the gift shops, it's become a popular mantra for supporting any opinion.

 

[JanaDee]

why are people saying that they are being forced to participate? I don't understand. you don't have to participate in FP+, FP-, or whatever the new ideas may be. you have a choice... you can stand in the standby lines and ride whatever you want , when you want. you do not have to preschedule anything. you don't have to worry about how many passes you get for which rides.. none of it! i was there in October and didn't use it, and was still able to enjoy what I wanted. I will be there again in May, and may take advantage, may not. I am staying on property, as I always do, in a value resort and will be happy because I'm not at work!!!

I think you are going to find a vast difference regarding lines in May than in Oct.

 

[surferdave]

.....and will be happy because I'm not at work!!!

I never understood this rationale. Why don't you just vacation at the nearest Holiday Inn Express? Unless you work there, of course.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I would have no problem with them offering more FPs for those staying at moderate resorts, and even more for those staying at the deluxe resorts. As an added bonus, maybe it would keep people from booking throwaway rooms.

I'd be on board with this. This is America, more $ = more benefits. That's not to sound like a jerk, but that's the way it goes. Gotta pay to play.

I think offering extra FP's or any other perk if staying in a higher priced resort would make the price more worthwhile.

 

[CarolynU]

I seem to be in the minority here. I stay onsite, have an annual pass, make multiple long trips per year because I can. This is usually a split stay between onsite and a DCL cruise, and yet I really hope that offsite guests are treated equally regarding the number of FP+ they can make and that they do not have to pay for them nor spend a disproportionate time in a stand by line to me.
For my onsite perks I have EMH and the transportation system which means I don't have to drive plus the Magical Express. That's enough for me.

 

[drew64]

what Walt Disney himself intended when he got the idea for Disneyland . And I don't think he would like this practice if it is ever enacted . It should be equal access to anyone with any type of admission . At least that's what I think and how I believe Uncle Walt would want it as well . They certainly have the right to do whatever they want with their product and I don't begrudge them making a profit ...however I and I believe many other people think that Disney has always separated themselves from the rest of the pack by offering a superior family product and not bleeding their customers dry with extra costs just to enjoy their day at the parks . I'm afraid of WDW establishing a class system if the give these as extra perks for onsite guests and/or charging for additional FP+ .

Walt said he intended a park where th eenire family could enjoy it together - not every family in the world having equal access. Am so sick of people sayign they know what Walt would think. Disney was opened as and has always been an expensive park and always outside of the reach of many.
Guests of Disney Resorts should have adidtional benefits over others as they are giving Disney more money. Guess what, it is a class society. Disney is a business, not the red cross.

 

[kidd_freeper]

don't charge for any FP+ , EVER , and don't give extra FP+ to guests staying at any of your resorts , or Annual Passholders , or anyone for that matter .
In addition , can you please allow 4 FP+ for the MK ? I believe 3 is fair for the other three parks (at least for now) however because the MK has so many more attractions available it should get an additional FP+.

Yes.

I don't go to Universal because of something similar.

If Disney resorts can't draw guests because of what the resorts offer, then perhaps the resorts should adjust their prices.

And for those of you who will ONLY stay onsite and think you DESERVE another perk, then ask yourself...how is Disney going to make back the money that they're spending on FP+?...Answer: if this is a perk only for resort guests, they're going to get their money back from resort guests.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

When a regional theme park created a pay express line and people were angry, I proudly said that Disney would never do that. Yes, I know they have a VIP tour, but it's not visible to the average parkgoer. It's not because they care about making people happy instead of making money. It's that they make money by making people believe in the "magic." That's what draws in customers and makes them spend above their budget while they're there. It's not very magical for the average family to see the wealthy people who have advantages in real life once again stepping ahead of them in line. If Disney charged for extra FP, I would worry that the "bean counters" lost sight of what made Disney so successful.