Disney says MyMagic+ is not over budget

[Yellowstonetim]

My point is that none of the big advantages can be linked directly as "profit"

It's an infrastructure project...like a retention pond or monorail track

It's silly to even talk about "profits" in relation to this...it's not a product they're selling...I feel like Staggs is selling magic beans to blind, greedy investors

I agree completely. The real benefits are not directly related to profits. But, investors like to hear about profits not long term data mining so that is what they try to show. There are real profits in making it easier to spend and allowing a few more people in the parks each day, and that provides a simple measurable value, but the real value will come in the future. In a sense, it is gravy to be able to get people to spend more while mining all that valuable data.

I WANT them to have all this data on me while I am in the parks. Then they will know what I like and what I want and can respond quickly to me and those around me. This will make the experience much better. As long as they don't have sensors at my home...

 

[beer dave]

It is hard to believe that any company would not want brand loyal returning customers

Like the cable companies?

 

[beer dave]

I WANT them to have all this data on me while I am in the parks. Then they will know what I like and what I want and can respond quickly to me and those around me. This will make the experience much better. As long as they don't have sensors at my home...

Yup-- I want Mickey Mouse to come running across epcot at 6 pm calling out my name and bringing me a turkey leg and a beer. pure magic.

 

[tiggerdad]

Yup-- I want Mickey Mouse to come running across epcot at 6 pm calling out my name and bringing me a turkey leg and a beer. pure magic.

I would prefer Pocahontas thank you very much...

 

[Laz]

How? I would think an expert in FP- will have a huge advantage over a new guest. It seems pretty much the same to me-just everyone has plucked out 3 FP's out of the machines ahead of time, but business as usual once your 3 are gone otherwise.

Not business as usual. In the past, I was not locked down to a specific park at a specific time nor was I locked down to a kiosk or phone app. Weather, Crowds, or just a whim and I had great flexibility to move between parks or hotel, or mini golf or what ever. FP+ limits this IMO.

 

[Laz]

Disney had to teach people to use legacy FP when it was something entirely new, and it came to be widely accepted. Adapting an accepted system seems like less of a challenge for guest behavior than adoption of an entirely new system. And with more and more people already developing certain expectations of technology, it does seem like a sensible transition for Disney and other organizations to pursue.

It was NEW. Consumers had no prior expectations The consumer is now being asked to stop one set of learned behavior and adapt to another. Many may reject this



While Disney should want repeat business as well as new guests, they ultimately just need for gains in any one group to outpace losses for the other. The new system was still rolling out at the time, but their Q1 results sounded like they were doing a pretty good job with drawing more people in than they were pushing out. How do you feel you are being alienated by MyMagic+? The things you mention don't seem like they'd be impacted much (if at all) by the new system as separate pay-for-service experiences.

[COLOR="Red"True, WDW could be looking for a whole new target, but can they afford to alienate the old? How do I feel? I now go to DLR.][/COLOR]

n

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Yup-- I want Mickey Mouse to come running across epcot at 6 pm calling out my name and bringing me a turkey leg and a beer. pure magic.

Not business as usual. In the past, I was not locked down to a specific park at a specific time nor was I locked down to a kiosk or phone app. Weather, Crowds, or just a whim and I had great flexibility to move between parks or hotel, or mini golf or what ever. FP+ limits this IMO.

You were most definitely tied to a kiosk. It was the only way to get a FP. Not only were you tied to a kiosk, you were tied to specific kiosks in specific parks to get a particular FP.

 

[jade1]

Not business as usual. In the past, I was not locked down to a specific park at a specific time nor was I locked down to a kiosk or phone app. Weather, Crowds, or just a whim and I had great flexibility to move between parks or hotel, or mini golf or what ever. FP+ limits this IMO.

Sorry, I was talking about how you were "taught to use FP-", not what you decided to do each morning. Like if you entered the MK, then started selecting FP- at the 3 mountains "locking you in" on those return times, and blending in what SB you can here and there.

What you were taught will be very helpful IMO.

I'm already reading from some commandos they are planning say, the 3 mountains at MK at 8AM, 9AM and 10 AM. Oddly-the same 3 they would have tried to obtain first thing on MK arrival anyway-but already in their possession.

Blend in some SB choices along with those. As soon as the 3rd FP+ is gone, they will use there previous knowledge to select (yes currently from a kiosk unlike a FP machine) which FP+ they want for #4. Admittedly they won't get to enjoy the walk over to the 4th FP machine but will go to the nearest kiosk instead (and likely an app one day if they choose). A new visitor even if they managed to figure the best use and times of the first 3 FP+'s, will not know which 4th FP+ makes the most sense. Which will be sooner, which will be shorter SB, which will be worth grabbing even if its a few hours away, which will give you time to keep/make an ADR, or make it to a parade or night show, or YES which one will give you time to go min golf etc.

Decisions exactly like you used to be faced with, but with all available attractions and return times right in front of your face to select.

 

[Laz]

Sorry, I was talking about how you were "taught to use FP-", not what you decided to do each morning. Like if you entered the MK, then started selecting FP- at the 3 mountains "locking you in" on those return times, and blending in what SB you can here and there.

What you were taught will be very helpful IMO.

I'm already reading from some commandos they are planning say, the 3 mountains at MK at 8AM, 9AM and 10 AM. Oddly-the same 3 they would have tried to obtain first thing on MK arrival anyway-but already in their possession.

Blend in some SB choices along with those. As soon as the 3rd FP+ is gone, they will use there previous knowledge to select (yes currently from a kiosk unlike a FP machine) which FP+ they want for #4. Admittedly they won't get to enjoy the walk over to the 4th FP machine but will go to the nearest kiosk instead (and likely an app one day if they choose). A new visitor even if they managed to figure the best use and times of the first 3 FP+'s, will not know which 4th FP+ makes the most sense. Which will be sooner, which will be shorter SB, which will be worth grabbing even if its a few hours away, which will give you time to keep/make an ADR, or make it to a parade or night show, or YES which one will give you time to go min golf etc.

Decisions exactly like you used to be faced with, but with all available attractions and return times right in front of your face to select.

Love this thread! Very good discussion that has me thinking. I can bet someone will start developing a database of FP+ usage based on crowd levels and time of year. So if I am going in June, I could look up the data on which FP+s I should choose and when, and then what extra FP+s will be available and when for #4, #5, etc. The commando approach will continue, just in cyberspace instead of in the parks.

 

[PJGP]

Sorry, I was talking about how you were "taught to use FP-", not what you decided to do each morning. Like if you entered the MK, then started selecting FP- at the 3 mountains "locking you in" on those return times, and blending in what SB you can here and there.

What you were taught will be very helpful IMO.

I'm already reading from some commandos they are planning say, the 3 mountains at MK at 8AM, 9AM and 10 AM. Oddly-the same 3 they would have tried to obtain first thing on MK arrival anyway-but already in their possession.

Blend in some SB choices along with those. As soon as the 3rd FP+ is gone, they will use there previous knowledge to select (yes currently from a kiosk unlike a FP machine) which FP+ they want for #4. Admittedly they won't get to enjoy the walk over to the 4th FP machine but will go to the nearest kiosk instead (and likely an app one day if they choose). A new visitor even if they managed to figure the best use and times of the first 3 FP+'s, will not know which 4th FP+ makes the most sense. Which will be sooner, which will be shorter SB, which will be worth grabbing even if its a few hours away, which will give you time to keep/make an ADR, or make it to a parade or night show, or YES which one will give you time to go min golf etc.

Decisions exactly like you used to be faced with, but with all available attractions and return times right in front of your face to select.

Totally agree. And I will add that for a commando style behavior, it may even be easier to get 3 mountains from 8 to 10am with FP+, since you won't be stuck with a 2 hour window for the 3th mountain as it used to happen.

I read around the posts and people is still stuck with the idea of 3 FP+ and no park hopping. That will change! That has to change! But can't be everything at once IMO. Disney (Tom Staggs) already gave a hint of the changes as you are describing above, we now have to wait what the park hopping strategy will be.

I am really hoping I'll be able to try the 4th FP+ idea in my upcoming vacation, but if not, I'll still be able to enjoy the parks as last July I was there when we still used FP-.

 

[ponyboy]

While this is probably technically true, I think the number that may Disney sites are getting is how much Disney has lost on this system. Bottom line is it's not bringing in the profits like they thought it would, which is probably one of the reasons we are seeing the major changes already.

This isn't something that brings in profits as soon as they turn it on. It isn't a revenue generator in and of itself, it's a new method that allows them to tweak pretty much everything in the parks so that they can increase the profits from their already established revenue generators.

Over time they will gather data and feed it to a bunch of statisticians sitting in a dark room somewhere and they'll tell them what they need to tweak and what changes need to be made in order to maximize revenue.

They'll save money on some things and generate higher profits with others. The number one priority of any business is "Know your customers" and when they're done Disney will understand their customers better than any other theme park in the world.

 

[DPCummerbund]

I still think we're very early in the FP+ rollout. There's nothing intrinsic in the FP+ system that say 3 FP+ is a limit. As has already been mentioned, Disney is in the process of allowing guests to park hop with FP+, and is allowing additional FP+ after the first three have been used - and we're only a few months into the new rollout.

If you think about it, if the FP+ is a success, then why would Disney want to restrict its success to a 3-hour window (or 3 separate hours) when the FP+ is available to you. If it's truly a better system (i.e. making money for Disney), then they would want you to use FP+ for your whole day, and your entire WDW stay.

Basically (and I've written the same thing in other threads, so I apologize if anyone is reading this twice), FP+ will work when guests have time to "stand around" between rides. They are more likely to use that time to shop, eat, etc. This is where Disney will make their money.

In other words, if you just got off one ride and it's still an hour or two until your next FP+, you're not going to wander aimlessly about the park, you're going to go standby for another ride.

However, if your next FP+ is only 30 minutes away, and you've planned your FP+ for the rides to be near each other, then you have 30 minutes to kill before your window opens up. That's probably not enough time to ride another standby line, so you're likely to just wander around, look in the shops, get a bite to eat, or whatever. In other words, spend money.

Disney's goal is to give people as many of these "shopping windows" as they can. So, they start with 3 FP+, and see how it goes. With Magic Bands, they can actually track where you were and what you did in that window, too - since they know what ride you were on, and what ride you went to next, they can probably figure out you exact path from one ride to the next - especially if you make stops along the way. They can tell whether you went left or right, and which shops/restaurants along the way actually earned your money. They can change a store display, offer a special, or waft a new smell in your direction, and that same day they can calculate how many shoppers it attracted.

They can save money with it too. Before, you never really knew how long the lines were going to be for any particular ride, because it depended on the whim of the guest. If it's planned out, Disney will know exactly who will be where, and when. They can move personnel around, add or delete cars or boats from an attraction, or whatever they need to do to cut costs and increase guest satisfaction.

The possibilities are nearly endless.

 

[rteetz]

Video from George Kalogridis about the state of mymagic+ and how opening day of MK was really a failure. George discusses how MK on opening had so many problems and hints that mymagic+ does to but look where the magic kingdom is today compared to where it was then. Disney had a bulletin in place from a special printing machine that was where the disney university is today. This bulletin said there was going to be opening day problems but CMs need to roll with it and do what they need to to benefit the guest. George said they will continue on the journey to rollout mymagic+ and it will evolve just like the MK did. He pretty much says nothing is perfect and we know mymagic+ isn't but we will keep working until it's as close to perfection as it can get.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/60XRAqJgfSc

 

[planningjollyholiday]

Video from George Kalogridis about the state of mymagic+ and how opening day of MK was really a failure. George discusses how MK on opening had so many problems and hints that mymagic+ does to but look where the magic kingdom is today compared to where it was then. Disney had a bulletin in place from a special printing machine that was where the disney university is today. This bulletin said there was going to be opening day problems but CMs need to roll with it and do what they need to to benefit the guest. George said they will continue on the journey to rollout mymagic+ and it will evolve just like the MK did. He pretty much says nothing is perfect and we know mymagic+ isn't but we will keep working until it's as close to perfection as it can get.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/60XRAqJgfSc

Thanks for the link, it was an interesting video!

 

[Laz]

I still think we're very early in the FP+ rollout. There's nothing intrinsic in the FP+ system that say 3 FP+ is a limit. As has already been mentioned, Disney is in the process of allowing guests to park hop with FP+, and is allowing additional FP+ after the first three have been used - and we're only a few months into the new rollout.

If you think about it, if the FP+ is a success, then why would Disney want to restrict its success to a 3-hour window (or 3 separate hours) when the FP+ is available to you. If it's truly a better system (i.e. making money for Disney), then they would want you to use FP+ for your whole day, and your entire WDW stay.

Basically (and I've written the same thing in other threads, so I apologize if anyone is reading this twice), FP+ will work when guests have time to "stand around" between rides. They are more likely to use that time to shop, eat, etc. This is where Disney will make their money.

In other words, if you just got off one ride and it's still an hour or two until your next FP+, you're not going to wander aimlessly about the park, you're going to go standby for another ride.

However, if your next FP+ is only 30 minutes away, and you've planned your FP+ for the rides to be near each other, then you have 30 minutes to kill before your window opens up. That's probably not enough time to ride another standby line, so you're likely to just wander around, look in the shops, get a bite to eat, or whatever. In other words, spend money.

Disney's goal is to give people as many of these "shopping windows" as they can. So, they start with 3 FP+, and see how it goes. With Magic Bands, they can actually track where you were and what you did in that window, too - since they know what ride you were on, and what ride you went to next, they can probably figure out you exact path from one ride to the next - especially if you make stops along the way. They can tell whether you went left or right, and which shops/restaurants along the way actually earned your money. They can change a store display, offer a special, or waft a new smell in your direction, and that same day they can calculate how many shoppers it attracted.

They can save money with it too. Before, you never really knew how long the lines were going to be for any particular ride, because it depended on the whim of the guest. If it's planned out, Disney will know exactly who will be where, and when. They can move personnel around, add or delete cars or boats from an attraction, or whatever they need to do to cut costs and increase guest satisfaction.

The possibilities are nearly endless.

This is where I agree with the thought that they are not interested in veteran WDW visitors like myself. I have enough souvenirs, buy very little food in the parks, and constantly refill my water bottle. I will plan my rides, get in as many as I can, then leave.

 

[manning]

This is where I agree with the thought that they are not interested in veteran WDW visitors like myself. I have enough souvenirs, buy very little food in the parks, and constantly refill my water bottle. I will plan my rides, get in as many as I can, then leave.

I don't use fast pass so I have no issue there. Now if they require a fast pass on my favorite that would be a deal breaker

My favorite? Bench sitting.

 

[jade1]

My favorite? Bench sitting.

 

[manning]

Has to be sitting. That position would cost 4 FP+





=

 

[RhodyJim]

This isn't something that brings in profits as soon as they turn it on. It isn't a revenue generator in and of itself, it's a new method that allows them to tweak pretty much everything in the parks so that they can increase the profits from their already established revenue generators.

Over time they will gather data and feed it to a bunch of statisticians sitting in a dark room somewhere and they'll tell them what they need to tweak and what changes need to be made in order to maximize revenue.

They'll save money on some things and generate higher profits with others. The number one priority of any business is "Know your customers" and when they're done Disney will understand their customers better than any other theme park in the world.

It should also be noted that Disney is a multimedia, international company, and there is nothing stopping them from sharing this information within their own organization. Their terms & Conditions say that they won't give your information outside of the company, but they can use it at will within the company.

For example, you have to register your MDE account to link everything together. Well, if you use that same browser to visit news websites, to shop at Amazon, to do your banking, etc. They have tons of data from all of those actions too. It's all in the Terms and Conditions. Basically, they want to compete with Google in terms of the amount of data that they can generate and use.

I don't think people have realized that this system really is a data collection system. The FP+ and other "benefits" are just to get you to register online and use the bands.

 

[AquaDame]

I don't think people have realized that this system really is a data collection system. The FP+ and other "benefits" are just to get you to register online and use the bands.

Funny because the one main problem I have with the bands IS their use of FP+ on it. Viva la FP-!