Disney's $1 billion dollar bet on magical wristband - Wired

[rteetz]

I think you'd be talking 25%-50% rating excellent. Then there would be the satisfied crowd that should more then push it above 50% satisfaction.

Randomly selected probably on different income/geographic lines. It has to be reasonable or they're at risk of lawsuit.

I understand it's just my point is disney can only use a survey the way they want to without getting in trouble. You limit the options for example loved it, liked it, it was ok, other. Therefore they are bound to get an answer that a majority at least thought it was ok. Disney also would never announce that people don't like it because that would be bad for them in many ways. Disney could also tell surveyors to look for people who may seem that they like it so there it isn't necessarily random. I've always heard that the people with the surveys are never going to pick you if you look like you want to get picked.

 

[Cormoran]

the last survey I took for Disney only allowed the respondent to choose positive answers. No negatives were available.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

All together a fascinating rebuttal.

It was an interesting post..

It's one thing to carry the bag...it's another to suspend common sense and swallow what a suit says.

" we find our guest prefer..."
Shut the ears down at that point...because whatever is said following is calculated and for the benefit of spin. You're better off shutting it down right there.

I'm not exaggerating.

 

[OKW Lover]

the last survey I took for Disney only allowed the respondent to choose positive answers. No negatives were available.

That's interesting. I get surveys very regularly - probably once every couple of weeks - and all of them have less than positive answers.

 

[MrJobson]

Automate everything and the special touch (some call it 'pixie dust' around here) that can't be predicted, computatively analyzed or categorized goes away. There are countless examples about guests patting a cast member on the back for doing something out of the ordinary. No need to do that anymore when so much of your time there can be easily predicted (I'm sorry, planned).

I would argue that there are many ways that the new technology can add “pixie dust.” What if your kid does a Mickey meet and greet one day, and the technology tracks that and makes it so that there is a phone call from Mickey to your hotel room the next day to tell your kid how nice it was to meet him. Or creepy talking Mickey magically already knows your kids name when they first meet. Or Disney will know where you will be eating for your birthday dinner and send a character to bring you a birthday card. Or after Disney has captured significant data about ride capacity and crowd levels, the computer may be able to determine a specific ride will have excess capacity and text guests in the area with a surprise fastpass. So you have a technology they are already using to try and make things like getting from the airport to the hotel or getting into the park easier and more efficient, and it can also provide new methods to individually enhance a guest experience.

There are all sorts of applications to add immersion and interaction to the environment and to rides that can make you feel like you are having your own individual and personalized adventure even when surrounded by 50,000 people. They could use the RFID tech to have individualized environmental affects occur or to personalize rides in the future. Maybe they will never develop it beyond the basics, but I feel there are many cool implications to be optimistic about, so I will be happy that they are making my vacation a little easier right now and hope that eve more exciting things are coming down the line.

Again many may prefer this approach. For me, I miss the days when I didn't have to make dinner reservations six months in advance. Growing up, part of the adventure of a Disney trip was the bit of mystery that surrounded it - you truly didn't know what you were going to do that day because the choices were wide open. It felt like, you know, vacation....

Touring plans and crowd level estimate calendars and trying to plan around the extra-magic hours predate Nextgen by quite a bit. I don’t see how MDE significantly worsens the experience, with the possible exception of a handful of attractions where you need to book the fastpass+ months in advanced instead needing to race to the park really early on that day before the fastpass- run out.

Take your example of dinner reservations. Did MDE affect reservation times at all? Controversies like Howie’s Angels happened well before before Nextgen was even a glimmer of a plan for how Bob Iger could specifically ruin the lives of his costumers (I like to imagine him stroking a cat as he thought it up). Restaurants that book out well in advance due so based on popularity; it doesn't matter if they are booked through the phone or internet or an app. One of my favorite features of MDE actually is that it minimizes my need for advanced dinner planning. If there is a specific restaurant I really want to do on a trip I can do that in advance to make sure I get it on the specific day I want. Otherwise, I just pull open the app that day or when I’m feeling hungry and can easily search for open times at specific restaurants or in specific regions, and make a spontaneous decision based on where I happen to be and what is available. There was no way to do that easily previously. You had to call or go to guest services, and had to have a specific restaurant in mind. You couldn’t easily just see what’s open at a specific park or resort. I find making a reservation much easier in a specific way that lets me be more relaxed and spontaneous. It can also help spontaneous decisions about what attraction to do next by looking at wait times at a glance on your phone, rather than walking to each individual ride or the central boards. While MDE can be used to plan whole itineraries in advanced, I find it makes it much easier to access information to help make decisions on the fly.

One whole Park is almost a shell of itself. To the point of having to be propped up by Frozen Sing-alongs. Even if they started now, what are we talking 2021, 2022 to get it back to or above it's original state?

Back to or above its original state of 5 attractions (and that's counting Indy)? It is currently 15-16 depending on if you count Jedi Academy. The planned retheming and expansion of DHS are very necessary, but they are necessary because the studio production model was basically stillborn in 1989, not because Disney has suddenly closed a large number of rides. MGM/DHS has always been a bit of a shell with a handful of really good rides over the years attempting to overcome the failure of the studio model.

So, nothing new for EPCOT after Soarin' in 2005 but closures. So 10 years and counting for EPCOT

Except for new O Canada film in 2007, Gran Fiesta tour in 2007, The Seas with Nemo in 2007, Spaceship Earth redo in 2008, Kim Possible in 2009, Captain EO returning in 2010, Kim Possible becoming a Platypus in 2012, and complete retheming of Test Track in late 2012.

DHS with LMA 2005 and TSMM 2008 against the closures. So we're going to go over a decade before anything new there

Except Star Tours 2 in 2011.

(shout out to 20K and MR Toad also gone)

Both gone in the 1990s. Almost like ride closures and openings and replacements have occurred for a long time based on many different factors.

I actually am curious: What is the appropriate number of new attractions Disney should be opening and how regularly? This is not rhetorical. I understand that some posting here do not feel there have been enough new attractions recently, but I do not know what would be considered the appropriate amount.

I remember Jim Hill stating once or twice that Disney had found that their average guest/family revisits every 3.5 years, and that they therefore try to space major expansions to make sure they have a reason to keep that up.

Recent history seems to follow that to a degree. You have MGM in 1989, then a few smaller additions and upgrades before new Tomorrowland in MK and Tower of Terror at MGM in 94-95. Then again not much until Animal Kingdom and Fantasmic in 98, Test Track and Rock-n-Roller Coaster in 99. Then there is a period of more sustained additions from 2001-2006 with major additions over that time being Mission Space, Soarin, and Expedition Everest. Then Toy Story in 2008. Then Star Tours Adventure Continues in 2011, then FLE in 2012-14. Next scheduled openings include Frozen and Rivers of Light in 2016 and Avataria in 2017. Then at some point after that Star Tours and likely Pixar something or other, which would be about on their recent schedule.

And large gaps in new stuff in individual parks is not a new thing. After Thunder Mountain in 1980, the Magic Kingdom's next big attraction was Splash Mountain in 1992. During that period it lost the Mickey Mouse Revue, the Swan Boats, and one of its riverboats, and only gained a new movie for the circlevision, Magic Journeys coming over from epcot to replace the Mickey Mouse Revue, and the then temporary Birthdayland. Epcot only got renovations/enhancements of Spaceship Earth, American Adventure, and Universe of Energy between the Norwegians showing up in 1988 and Test Track in 99.

None of this directly effects whether you consider the current offerings at Walt Disney World worth the price of admission (and food and transportation and lodgings). Just that I'm not sure the schedule of additions and updates is much different than historical averages.

 

[Alfalfa]

I actually am curious: What is the appropriate number of new attractions Disney should be opening and how regularly? This is not rhetorical. I understand that some posting here do not feel there have been enough new attractions recently, but I do not know what would be considered the appropriate amount....

For starters? Whatever quantity is deemed sufficient to negate the need for tiering.

 

[clsteve]

For starters? Whatever quantity is deemed sufficient to negate the need for tiering.

Agree 100%

Except for new O Canada film in 2007, Gran Fiesta tour in 2007, The Seas with Nemo in 2007, Spaceship Earth redo in 2008, Kim Possible in 2009, Captain EO returning in 2010, Kim Possible becoming a Platypus in 2012, and complete retheming of Test Track in late 2012.

Except Star Tours 2 in 2011.

Upgrading/refurbing an existing ride from one century's to the current century's requirements is basic blocking and tackling and should be expected and demanded. It's the cost of doing business.

That still brings nothing to the table as new or net new capacity. And going over a decade without either in some of the Parks in light of the closures.......

Captain EO returning. Kim Possible..... still trying to figure out if that was sarcasm or not....

 

[lockedoutlogic]

For starters? Whatever quantity is deemed sufficient to negate the need for tiering.

I wish I could like this 1,000 times...

The tiering is one of the more embarassing things over ever scene at wdw from a guest services perspective.

"We have this great system...but 2 of our 4 parks are in desperate need of experiences so we have to put the binkie tether on there...enjoy!!"

 

[wallrock]

I would argue that there are many ways that the new technology can add “pixie dust.” What if your kid does a Mickey meet and greet one day, and the technology tracks that and makes it so that there is a phone call from Mickey to your hotel room the next day to tell your kid how nice it was to meet him. Or creepy talking Mickey magically already knows your kids name when they first meet. Or Disney will know where you will be eating for your birthday dinner and send a character to bring you a birthday card. Or after Disney has captured significant data about ride capacity and crowd levels, the computer may be able to determine a specific ride will have excess capacity and text guests in the area with a surprise fastpass. So you have a technology they are already using to try and make things like getting from the airport to the hotel or getting into the park easier and more efficient, and it can also provide new methods to individually enhance a guest experience.

There are all sorts of applications to add immersion and interaction to the environment and to rides that can make you feel like you are having your own individual and personalized adventure even when surrounded by 50,000 people. They could use the RFID tech to have individualized environmental affects occur or to personalize rides in the future. Maybe they will never develop it beyond the basics, but I feel there are many cool implications to be optimistic about, so I will be happy that they are making my vacation a little easier right now and hope that eve more exciting things are coming down the line.

This is coming from someone with 25 years of IT experience...plus you're missing the point of what I was talking about.

The big difference between the human element and the computer is that the computer can't make a snap decision based on unpredicted events. You can't program everything and you can only program what you know. Most of the examples you state require input from the guest. These 'benefits' can only be capitalized on if the guest yields. What happens if they don't yield? At what point will yielding be a requirement? Personally I think it will eventually. I've seen first hand what happens when the human element is removed from areas that human interaction is vital for success, and in a place that services tens of thousands each day with each having their own definition of a good time that problem is only compounded. Nine times out of ten the company retracts the initiative. Obviously NextGen isn't going anywhere so I'll be interested in how they address the X factor. Also personalization of something doesn't equate to immersion, but rather isolation. An app can't impact your senses. Lastly, while you cite examples around guest benefit don't forget that Disney has every intention of making back that multi-billion dollar investment - and it will take more than phone calls from Mickey to make it happen.

Again when the HAL 9000 doesn't provide the alternative you find agreeable when the inevitable hiccup happens remember that you can't argue with it or the tiers it represents.

Touring plans and crowd level estimate calendars and trying to plan around the extra-magic hours predate Nextgen by quite a bit. I don’t see how MDE significantly worsens the experience, with the possible exception of a handful of attractions where you need to book the fastpass+ months in advanced instead needing to race to the park really early on that day before the fastpass- run out.

Take your example of dinner reservations. Did MDE affect reservation times at all? Controversies like Howie’s Angels happened well before before Nextgen was even a glimmer of a plan for how Bob Iger could specifically ruin the lives of his costumers (I like to imagine him stroking a cat as he thought it up). Restaurants that book out well in advance due so based on popularity; it doesn't matter if they are booked through the phone or internet or an app. One of my favorite features of MDE actually is that it minimizes my need for advanced dinner planning. If there is a specific restaurant I really want to do on a trip I can do that in advance to make sure I get it on the specific day I want. Otherwise, I just pull open the app that day or when I’m feeling hungry and can easily search for open times at specific restaurants or in specific regions, and make a spontaneous decision based on where I happen to be and what is available. There was no way to do that easily previously. You had to call or go to guest services, and had to have a specific restaurant in mind. You couldn’t easily just see what’s open at a specific park or resort. I find making a reservation much easier in a specific way that lets me be more relaxed and spontaneous. It can also help spontaneous decisions about what attraction to do next by looking at wait times at a glance on your phone, rather than walking to each individual ride or the central boards. While MDE can be used to plan whole itineraries in advanced, I find it makes it much easier to access information to help make decisions on the fly.

The big difference between Touring Plans and NextGen is that one has no influence on what goes on inside The Castle and the other totally controls it. There's no valid comparison between the two.

I recall vividly during the early years of Epcot that I could walk into the park and go to a kiosk where a human - not an app that can't reason - would appear and work with me on getting a reservation that day. This six month nonsense is a recent development.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I don't know about guest surveys and the accuracy of PR news releases about NextGen, but I know that a certain percentage of guests are royally P.O'd with the FP+ part of NextGen.

These include the swarms of guests we see in pictures posted of long queues at FP+ kiosks. And the guests whom we often see complaining on these boards that "the app just didn't work in the park". Add to that the people that can't or won't make reservations at midnight 2 months before their trip, who are staying off property and can't book a FP+ until 1 month before, or who buy their tickets fairly late and don't really have the opportunity at all until maybe the night before their park visit - if then. Or who dislike tiering, and the lack of support for park hopper passes FOR WHICH THEY PAID EXTRA. Yes I know these are only a big problem if you're visiting at "busy times" but think of what that means - the higher the attendance, the higher the number of people who will be baffled and irritated with the new technology.

I don't know if the baffled/irritated crowd represents 50% of guests - it's probably smaller. If (say) "only" around 20% of guests have come to dislike the system then it could be spun to the board and to the investors as an overwhelming success. You get 80% on a test and you're top of the class! But I don't think you can afford to annoy even 20% of your customers, especially if they're the "gravy" customers who show up at busy times on last-minute vacations, and who splurge on park hoppers. So if 20% of their guests are unhappy with the ride allocation part of NextGen, I would call the overall investment at least 1/2 of a failure. The Magic Bands get very few complaints as far as I can tell and I would say that's a genuine success. But FP+, not so much.

 

[Planogirl]

I've seen a few of Disney's surveys. Was it magical or wonderful or exciting or... They are quite good at spin when they want to be.

I'm glad to see tiering being brought up. What a ridiculous concept that is.

 

[Cormoran]

I don't know about guest surveys and the accuracy of PR news releases about NextGen, but I know that a certain percentage of guests are royally P.O'd with the FP+ part of NextGen.

These include the swarms of guests we see in pictures posted of long queues at FP+ kiosks. And the guests whom we often see complaining on these boards that "the app just didn't work in the park". Add to that the people that can't or won't make reservations at midnight 2 months before their trip, who are staying off property and can't book a FP+ until 1 month before, or who buy their tickets fairly late and don't really have the opportunity at all until maybe the night before their park visit - if then. Or who dislike tiering, and the lack of support for park hopper passes FOR WHICH THEY PAID EXTRA. Yes I know these are only a big problem if you're visiting at "busy times" but think of what that means - the higher the attendance, the higher the number of people who will be baffled and irritated with the new technology.

I don't know if the baffled/irritated crowd represents 50% of guests - it's probably smaller. If (say) "only" around 20% of guests have come to dislike the system then it could be spun to the board and to the investors as an overwhelming success. You get 80% on a test and you're top of the class! But I don't think you can afford to annoy even 20% of your customers, especially if they're the "gravy" customers who show up at busy times on last-minute vacations, and who splurge on park hoppers. So if 20% of their guests are unhappy with the ride allocation part of NextGen, I would call the overall investment at least 1/2 of a failure. The Magic Bands get very few complaints as far as I can tell and I would say that's a genuine success. But FP+, not so much.

I just got blasted for suggesting that FP plus May not survive due to guest dissatisfaction, but I think MDE can survive without FP plus. I just don't think Disney will be successful in convincing enough guests that making advanced ride reservations is a great idea.

 

[Alfalfa]

As long as WDW is continuing to produce surveys asking for feedback on FP+, there is doubt.

In regards to the below, all I can say is spot on. Sometimes it takes the perspective of someone with decades of experience to point out that what can theoretically be accomplished via algorithms may not correlate in a positive manner to innate human behavior.

This is coming from someone with 25 years of IT experience...plus you're missing the point of what I was talking about.

The big difference between the human element and the computer is that the computer can't make a snap decision based on unpredicted events. You can't program everything and you can only program what you know. Most of the examples you state require input from the guest. These 'benefits' can only be capitalized on if the guest yields. What happens if they don't yield? At what point will yielding be a requirement? Personally I think it will eventually. I've seen first hand what happens when the human element is removed from areas that human interaction is vital for success, and in a place that services tens of thousands each day with each having their own definition of a good time that problem is only compounded. Nine times out of ten the company retracts the initiative. Obviously NextGen isn't going anywhere so I'll be interested in how they address the X factor. Also personalization of something doesn't equate to immersion, but rather isolation. An app can't impact your senses. Lastly, while you cite examples around guest benefit don't forget that Disney has every intention of making back that multi-billion dollar investment - and it will take more than phone calls from Mickey to make it happen.

Again when the HAL 9000 doesn't provide the alternative you find agreeable when the inevitable hiccup happens remember that you can't argue with it or the tiers it represents.

The big difference between Touring Plans and NextGen is that one has no influence on what goes on inside The Castle and the other totally controls it. There's no valid comparison between the two.

I recall vividly during the early years of Epcot that I could walk into the park and go to a kiosk where a human - not an app that can't reason - would appear and work with me on getting a reservation that day. This six month nonsense is a recent development.

 

[MrJobson]

For starters? Whatever quantity is deemed sufficient to negate the need for tiering.

Both rides that cause the tiering are scheduled to get their capacities bumped by 50% in the next year. Based on history and the current plans/rumors the major changes in the 2010s will be:

2011: Star Tours II
2012: Tron Track
2012-2014: FLE (three new attractions, a very popular restaurant, a completely new themed area, and a completely rethemed area).
2016: Frozen, Rivers of Light (but not Frozen Rivers of Light, because then the projection system probably wouldn't work)
2017: Avatarland (but based on the weird blue people and not the cool cartoons)
2018-20: Star Wars and potentially other stuff at MGM. Hopefully.

So between 2012 and 2017 there will be two new themed "lands" at two different theme parks, and there is a good chance there will be at least one and potentially two more at MGM before the end of the decade. I'm personally not convinced the plans to expand Soarin and TSMM are the best use of resources, but they do help directly address the tiering issue.

Upgrading/refurbing an existing ride from one century's to the current century's requirements is basic blocking and tackling and should be expected and demanded. It's the cost of doing business.

That still brings nothing to the table as new or net new capacity. And going over a decade without either in some of the Parks in light of the closures.......

I would argue that they didn't just refurb to keep up to date. For Star Tours, Tron Track, and the Nemo Seas they took existing ride vehicles but made new narratives and experiences. It is quite valid to prefer completely novel rides, but just treading water is, say, if they had just remastered the old Star Tours video in HD (or just adding some speakers to play sound in Space Mountain...). Even Spaceship Earth, which was closer to a straight refurb, added a whole new narration (by one of her majesty's knights of the realm no less), multiple new scenes, plused some existing scenes, added a new interactive element to the ride vehicles, and added a new post-show.

And what does count as a valid addition? Let's say the current rumors are true and Disney adds two new rides in a new Star Wars theme land to Disneyland, that would be a waste of time and money as it would be two rides replacing two rides and not add "new or net new capacity"? This is an important point because I'm not sure the Magic Kingdom can really expand anymore. Everything new there will likely come at the expense of something that exists right now. FLE was only able to happen because of the land reclaimed from the fake ocean.

I also am not sure I understand what the major closures are for Epcot during this period. Seems like it is basically the Wonders of Life, but that went seasonal in January 2004 which was during the same period in which the transition of World of Motion to Test Track (99) and Horizons to Mission Space (03) significantly increased the number of thrill rides, Soarin opened to create a new headliner (05), Turtle Talk with Crush opened (04) and then the Seas was completely rethemed (07). I loved Cranium Commander and can respect the attitude that things should not close without a specific planned replacement. However, the WoL attractions had comically low attendance by that point and were likely hit even harder by the additions in Future World. I remember at one point Mission Space briefly gave out extra surprise fastpasses for Body Wars, which did not actually have fastpass, just to try and convince anyone to ride it.

Personally I do want something new and big in the pipeline for Epcot after Frozen, but I think the history of Epcot in this period is much more nuanced than they just close things and bring in nothing new. And since then the only major closure at Epcot without a known planned replacement hasn't even happened yet. Unless I'm forgetting something.

Captain EO returning. Kim Possible..... still trying to figure out if that was sarcasm or not....

I was trying to do a complete list of changes and additions, but why would that be sarcasm? Kim Possible added 7 different narrative driven experiences that had many interactive effects and utilized portions of the World Showcase that did not have existing attractions. I didn't even know there were flats around that one corner in England, and then I got to flood one. I thought it was a pretty fun and novel addition, and I hope that nextgen gives them the ability to add more personal little adventures through the different parks.

 

[rteetz]

I just got blasted for suggesting that FP plus May not survive due to guest dissatisfaction, but I think MDE can survive without FP plus. I just don't think Disney will be successful in convincing enough guests that making advanced ride reservations is a great idea.

I don't think FP+ is going to go anywhere. WDW doesn't have a type of visitor base that disneyland has for example where locals can push hard to persuade Disney. Locals don't have any push in Orlando.

 

[Cormoran]

I don't think FP+ is going to go anywhere. WDW doesn't have a type of visitor base that disneyland has for example where locals can push hard to persuade Disney. Locals don't have any push in Orlando.

I'm not referring to locals. Just as Josh Hendy stated, even if thereis a 20% dissatisfaction rating with FP+ it does not bode well for Disney convincing guests to embrace FP+. No, I do not know any survey results , nor does anyone else.

But FP+ has been in existence for 1 year and the negative posts on this and other Disney fan boards are not fading away. I also believe the majority of the posts on the theme park and strategy boards are pleas for help with FP+. I don't think this is a local issue. I think there are guests who do not like FP+ and everything that it entails. And as long as FP+ remains the way it is, reserving rides 30 -60 days out, Tiering, and obtaining 4th FP+ at the Kiosks; Disney is not going to change their minds.

IMO Disney can't change FP+ to address these issues:

1. Reserving rides 30 -60 days out: This is Disney's method of locking guests into their vacations. Guests have to purchase tickets to make FP+ reservations. This was one of the main reasons FP+ was implemented and a good reason for the 1-2 billion dollar investment.

2. Tiering They can't eliminate the tiers, because they don't have enough attractions at either DHS or Epcot.

3. Reserving 4th FP via phone app: This will never happen either, because guests would then realize how limited their selection really is for a 4th FP+. Another reason is that the kiosk line is another crowd management system. I would guess that if they allowed guests to obtain their 4th FP+ via the app, all FP+ would be gone by 1-2 pm at the latest.

These are the top 3 complaints I see about FP+ and I don't see that these will change unless Disney adds more attractions.

 

[rteetz]

I'm not referring to locals. Just as Josh Hendy stated, even if thereis a 20% dissatisfaction rating with FP+ it does not bode well for Disney convincing guests to embrace FP+. No, I do not know any survey results , nor does anyone else.

But FP+ has been in existence for 1 year and the negative posts on this and other Disney fan boards are not fading away. I also believe the majority of the posts on the theme park and strategy boards are pleas for help with FP+. I don't think this is a local issue. I think there are guests who do not like FP+ and everything that it entails. And as long as FP+ remains the way it is, reserving rides 30 -60 days out, Tiering, and obtaining 4th FP+ at the Kiosks; Disney is not going to change their minds.

IMO Disney can't change FP+ to address these issues:

1. Reserving rides 30 -60 days out: This is Disney's method of locking guests into their vacations. Guests have to purchase tickets to make FP+ reservations. This was one of the main reasons FP+ was implemented and a good reason for the 1-2 billion dollar investment.

2. Tiering They can't eliminate the tiers, because they don't have enough attractions at either DHS or Epcot.

3. Reserving 4th FP via phone app: This will never happen either, because guests would then realize how limited their selection really is for a 4th FP+. Another reason is that the kiosk line is another crowd management system. I would guess that if they allowed guests to obtain their 4th FP+ via the app, all FP+ would be gone by 1-2 pm at the latest.

These are the top 3 complaints I see about FP+ and I don't see that these will change unless Disney adds more attractions.

And with the way Orlando is operated I don't see them getting rid of it unless they really have to. You are never going to please everyone. Legacy FP wasn't favored by everyone either. You said it that they want to lock people in and get them to spend money therefore FP+ isn't going anywhere.

 

[mom2rtk]

For starters? Whatever quantity is deemed sufficient to negate the need for tiering.

Sing it!

 

[Cormoran]

And with the way Orlando is operated I don't see them getting rid of it unless they really have to. You are never going to please everyone. Legacy FP wasn't favored by everyone either. You said it that they want to lock people in and get them to spend money therefore FP+ isn't going anywhere.

Disagree. This is a Disney Website, we are Disney's biggest fans. I am seeing an awful lot of posts from people saying they are cutting back on their visit frequency or else cutting out WDW. In my case, I've reduced my time at Disney in half for my next vacation. At this point theme park attendance is up, but that 's for all theme parks, not just Disney.

I am seeing posts on non-Disney fan sites that say the amount of planning is ridiculous. I don't think Disney can sustain a system that elicits this amount of negative feedback. We shall see, but I don't think they'll be able to turn this around.

 

[Cormoran]

And with the way Orlando is operated I don't see them getting rid of it unless they really have to. You are never going to please everyone. Legacy FP wasn't favored by everyone either. You said it that they want to lock people in and get them to spend money therefore FP+ isn't going anywhere.

Additionally, Legacy did not elicit the amount of negative comments currently enjoyed by FP+. I agree there are always going to be unhappy guests, but IMO this is not just a few people. Just because Disney invested a lot of money to lock guests in, doesn't mean they're going to achieve their objective.