I'm not sure if the FP nonusers spend lots of money or not. But that isn't really the issue. It is if Disney can get them to spend MORE. And all the while that MORE being more than what they will lose from me and those like me. That will be the $1b question...one element that hasn't really entered the discussion regarding FP, FP+ and revenue is that they also have data on who is spending and how much. When merchandise is paid for by room charge or credit card, they have a record of who spent how much and on what. So i'd venture to guess Disney has a good idea where the bulk of their profit comes from with regards to newbies vs. lifers. my guess is its more the newbie crowd as they may be more likely to make emotional and impulsive purchases. those of us who have gone numerous times may (not all) but a good percentage may be inclined to not spend on the more impulsive type items. even my DS12 & DS7 don't really bug us for trinkets anymore
Who buys all the insane profit margin pins and vinylmations? Joe sixpack or Joe DISer? Disney's food is overpriced, but I'd have to guess that certain merch is truly where they make the cash. They want you in the park to buy merch, and to a lesser degree food. That's why FP was invented. However, apparently over the years, fewer folks are spending that extra time on merch and food, and are instead spending it on more FPs.
Carsland wasn't built to sell rooms, or even tickets. It was built to sell cars and shirts with cars on them. The more tickets sold, the lower the satisfaction of the average visitor if the number of rides stays the same. Unless you are filling up a park no one is visiting, like DCA.
WDW doesn't need to sell more tickets, the lines are already full, and they seem to refuse to build E tickets. Again, the last MK E ticket was Splash, for cryin' out loud. They DO need/want to sell more pins that cost them a quarter and sell for $8. And yeah, they like to sell food that costs $3 for $8 too, and a souvinier bucket of popcorn for $10 that cost them less than a dollar, with the popcorn. But NORMAL meals aren't the huge money makers. Joe sixpack is going to buy burgers and fries for the kids, but will they buy the high margin comfort foods? Not if they are on a really strict budget.
WDW is so popular because it IS that yearly magical vacation for many people, and those folks buy pins every year, and a shirt for the family every year, etc. FP+ doesn't help those folks at all.
Maybe all us naysayers on DIS are completely wrong, and the lifers don't really spend a lot of cash there, but I bet we do. I'm sure Disney knows that answer. Many industries try very hard to build a repeat fanbase, such a cruise lines, and DVC is exactly that. Disney, with FP+ seems to be wanting to run off their repeat fanbase because they were using the FP system too wisely. My guess is they never intended the FP system to be used as wisely as it has been but decided to let it run its course. I agree that the ultimate goal of FP/FP+ is revenue. If they can find a way to keep larger masses of people from melting down in line, then yes, it will likely translate into added $$. I'm definitely not the only person who will absolutely stop spending $300 a day for their family to go to WDW wow, $300 day and i think we're doing good if we do it for $500-$1000 day for our family of 4. Then again, we eat at the TS's, buy the $4 mickey bars, $10 popcorns and pay for exhorbinent onsite motels. We like to let the purse strings loose a bit while on vaca. We budget adn pinch all year long for daily life, when on vaca, i want no part of my daily reality. if we're only getting 3 FP+s, and the rest is baking in the standby line. If they were (never will but asking anyway) to eliminate FP altogether and everyone was in the same lines, would that stop you from going altogether? i ask because it seems we are so used to FP and having our way that no one seems appreciative of any FP benefit vs. NO FP benefit. As if we are all entitled to 9 headliners per day with no wait. And I've spent a fair amount there. And will be spending quite a bit at DL in a month. Note that I'm going to DL, not WDW. When the decision was made, I assumed FP+ could be in place, and that drove us off. FP+ or not, we prefer DLCA over WDW on a pure enjoyment level.
The math simply isn't there, unless the current clueless non FP users simply become clueless FP+ users. But most of us believe one of the huge points is to reduce the clueless number as much as possible. Agreed except one thing, we all know how simple FP is yet there is still that 'clueless' contingency. That exists not because of how simple or complex the system is, it exists because of human nature. That I am willing to bet won't be changing too much anytime soon. FP or FP+.
Jason
Except you and me. We're awesome.
It is almost as if the plan is to make guests ride a few rides, see long lines at the others, and then throw their hands up and head to the gift shops when exasperated. 
