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

[clsteve]

I agree it won't be the same. But it still remains to be seen what impact that massive base of local AP holders has on the system. I would expect at first people would just take their chances and book close to the date when they are sure they are going. But after a few times trying to get RSR and coming up empty, I think more of them will book for every weekend "just in case". And of course, you won't be able to book for just one attraction, it will likely be "3 or none". So then the other attractions start going. I view it as a big game of dominos.

And the list of "non-FP" rides at WDW is so small it sort of makes my point. Plus, they will want FPs available for those traveling with small kids, so I don't see them leaving FL out of the equation.

See that's where I think another thing will be different. I don't think Disneyland will be bookable 60 days in advance probably not even 30. We could very well see a kiosk only approach here because of the locals base.

You know, how they implement it in Cali will be more interesting than WDW. They seem to have many more options due to more capacity and the heavy emphasis on AP/local as their guest demographic.

Keeping with the reason for NextGen: predictability, locking guests in, higher guest spend, and lower cost by better distribution of assets (especially headcount), which way do they go?

For example, could they Tier AP types by giving more FP ressies and an earlier reserve date for a premium cost? Maybe add in other incentives like parking on an AP tiered basis? Might they do the same thing with Hotel and ticket bundles for off-siters?

With more capacity to work with and a different guest mix, they seem to have more options to directly play with to increase direct revenue they can attribute to NextGen. Something that's not so easy in Fla. It will be interesting....

 

[Cormoran]

It was usually the same thing with FassPass too. If you had ridden several attractions before noon, and then went to get a FassPass you'd either get bad times or no times at all. I don't think that's an indictment of the system. I think that's the realities of going to the park in Orlando with the fastest attendance growth.

No, Legacy was not like FP+. FP+ was slapped on to multiple rides throughout the parks. Legacy was for headliners only. With FP+ I get the privilege of experiencing longer SB waits for secondary attractions that never had FP+. If FP+ had only been put on Headliners,I don't think there would be as much of an issue.

 

[DDLand]

See that's where I think another thing will be different. I don't think Disneyland will be bookable 60 days in advance probably not even 30. We could very well see a kiosk only approach here because of the locals base.

Simple example. FP+ is made bookable for Standard APs 30 days in advance. They can be given something like 12 Pre Park Fast Passes to use each month. Only three can be used each day. Disney could also change the amount allotted each month based on expected crowds. Canceling is not an option within 10 days.

For Premium APs they could give 24 FPs with the same 3 a day limit. Same cancellation policy applies. They could also expand the booking window to 45-60.

It would incentivize people to buy up, and canceling would mean losing reservations which would encourage better planning.

Disney's smart. They know what to do.

 

[DDLand]

No, Legacy was not like FP+. FP+ was slapped on to multiple rides throughout the parks. Legacy was for headliners only. With FP+ I get the privilege of experiencing longer SB waits for secondary attractions that never had FP+. If FP+ had only been put on Headliners,I don't think there would be as much of an issue.

With shorter wait times on E Tickets. You do realize what they did right? They pushed people to the secondary rides. That's actually a good thing if you ask me.

During the same period attendance has hit record levels too...

The higher wait times across the board could be a result of that at least partially.

 

[Cormoran]

With shorter wait times on E Tickets. You do realize what they did right? They pushed people to the secondary rides. That's actually a good thing if you ask me.

During the same period attendance has hit record levels too...

The higher wait times across the board could be a result of that at least partially.

This is your opinion. Not mine. I am not that impressed by the lower wait times for headliners, they comprised a very small portion of my park touring. Increased SB lines for secondary attractions is a bigger negative effect on me. What they did was right? Again this is your opinion and maybe Universal agrees with you! I think they would've been better off investing that money into attractions and improvements throughout all 4 parks.

 

[mom2rtk]

This is your opinion. Not mine. I am not that impressed by the lower wait times for headliners, they comprised a very small portion of my park touring. Increased SB lines for secondary attractions is a bigger negative effect on me. What they did was right? Again this is your opinion and maybe Universal agrees with you! I think they would've been better off investing that money into attractions and improvements throughout all 4 parks.

I do like the headliners, and I'm still not impressed. Even if headliner wait time is slightly reduced, my overall wait time sykrockets because I get fewer trips through via fastpass. For every trip that goes from FP to standby for me, my total time just continues to rise.

 

[DDLand]

This is your opinion. Not mine. I am not that impressed by the lower wait times for headliners, they comprised a very small portion of my park touring. Increased SB lines for secondary attractions is a bigger negative effect on me. What they did was right? Again this is your opinion and maybe Universal agrees with you! I think they would've been better off investing that money into attractions and improvements throughout all 4 parks.

Yeah... like I said.

That's actually a good thing if you ask me

Yep.

So now that we've gotten that off our chest, I'd like to say that this has maximized previously underutilized attractions. Attractions that were a waste of space. It would've cost them billions to gut and replace all those attractions. Now they can get back to ridership numbers like never before.

They prepared MK for millions more in attendance. What they did was brilliant.

 

[jade1]

I think they would've been better off investing that money into attractions and improvements throughout all 4 parks.

Sounds like 6 parks and climbing.

 

[ThurlFan]

I'd like to say that this has maximized previously underutilized attractions. Attractions that were a waste of space. It would've cost them billions to gut and replace all those attractions. Now they can get back to ridership numbers like never before.

Looking just at the numbers, maybe that seems like a success story. But if you're reducing strain on popular attractions by shunting people through experiences they normally wouldn't have chosen, is that really a plus for the guest experience? When Epcot effectively has only two attractions that people are willing to stand in line for, is a line throttling system really a better solution than adding attractions that people will happily wait in line for?

 

[mom2rtk]

Yeah... like I said.



Yep.

So now that we've gotten that off our chest, I'd like to say that this has maximized previously underutilized attractions. Attractions that were a waste of space. It would've cost them billions to gut and replace all those attractions. Now they can get back to ridership numbers like never before.

They prepared MK for millions more in attendance. What they did was brilliant.

Glad to know you agree with yourself.

Help me understand though. If the attractions were a "waste of space", then why should guests be excited to be herded toward them?

 

[DDLand]

Glad to know you agree with yourself.

Help me understand though. If the attractions were a "waste of space", then why should guests be excited to be herded toward them?

Sassy.

FastPass plus proves that these attractions were previously underutilized, and therefore a waste of space. It forced people into older less desirable attractions. That's a win for Disney.

 

[DDLand]

Looking just at the numbers, maybe that seems like a success story. But if you're reducing strain on popular attractions by shunting people through experiences they normally wouldn't have chosen, is that really a plus for the guest experience? When Epcot effectively has only two attractions that people are willing to stand in line for, is a line throttling system really a better solution than adding attractions that people will happily wait in line for?

What's your definiton of better?

Better or cheaper? Disney's is cheaper...

I still think it has been a net positive though, even if it was a to maximize existing infrastructure.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sassy.

FastPass plus proves that these attractions were previously underutilized, and therefore a waste of space. It forced people into older less desirable attractions. That's a win for Disney.

We can agree that those attractions were previously underutilized.

We'll have to disagree with whether it's good business sense to force people into less desirable attractions.

 

[Cormoran]

Sassy.

FastPass plus proves that these attractions were previously underutilized, and therefore a waste of space. It forced people into older less desirable attractions. That's a win for Disney.

Please realize your Sassy comment can come off as demeaning , and I'm sure that wasn't your intention.

 

[DDLand]

Please realize your Sassy comment can come off as demeaning , and I'm sure that wasn't your intention.

Oh, I was talking about the@mom2rtk comment. The whole thing about agreeing with myself.

 

[ThurlFan]

What's your definiton of better?

Better or cheaper? Disney's is cheaper...

Which is precisely the problem with TWDC. FP+ is just a symptom.

 

[DDLand]

We can agree that those attractions were previously underutilized.

We'll have to disagree with whether it's good business sense to force people into less desirable attractions.

I think you cut to the heart of the matter.

Agreed.

It doesn't bother me too much because the headliners are now shorter, and the ubderutilized attractions were in danger of being destroyed anyway. Things I love like Spaceship Earth have been a target for replacement by Imagineers for years. (Thank Siemens)

Now Spaceship Earth has never had longer waits. Who's going to make the case that it should be replaced now?

Really it averaged all the attractions out. I like that because now the barrier entry is more in harmony park wide. Some don't.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think you cut to the heart of the matter.

Agreed.

It doesn't bother me too much because the headliners are now shorter, and the ubderutilized attractions were in danger of being destroyed anyway. Things I love like Spaceship Earth have been a target for replacement by Imagineers for years. (Thank Siemens)

Now Spaceship Earth has never had longer waits. Who's going to make the case that it should be replaced now?

Really it averaged all the attractions out. I like that because now the barrier entry is more in harmony park wide. Some don't.

Nothing is averaged out for me. If you used to ride 6 headliners with FP and now can only ride 3 with FP, it doesn't matter if the standby wait is slightly lower.

 

[DDLand]

Nothing is averaged out for me. If you used to ride 6 headliners with FP and now can only ride 3 with FP, it doesn't matter if the standby wait is slightly lower.

Most of the Disboards people's day at Disney world went like this:
Get FP
Ride on rides with shorter waits
Use FP
Repeat

Now you can get on headliners as easily as more secondary attractions. You don't have to do that waiting and logistical stuff. You just have an extremly upfront way of dealing with the situation. I like that. More consistent and in harmony park wide.

 

[mom2rtk]

Most of the Disboards people's day at Disney world went like this:
Get FP
Ride on rides with shorter waits
Use FP
Repeat

Now you can get on headliners as easily as more secondary attractions. You don't have to do that waiting and logistical stuff. You just have an extremly upfront way of dealing with the situation. I like that. More consistent and in harmony park wide.

Except that before you could repeat that as many times as you liked.

Now you can only schedule 3, and the experience at WDW to date has mostly been that the only inventory left for 4th and subsequent FPs is for secondary rides that didn't require a FP previously. And your 3 scheduled rides cannot include repeats. Then there's the whole issue of tiering.