FP+ Details Are Out!

[jade1]

I got it at mid-night. There were none at 8:00 a.m. They sold them all to those that got to the store and stood in line before midnight.

Weird, ours were at 10PM (hmm no getting up early-wonder why that changed after all these years.

Walmart has unwrapped the details on its Black Friday specials early, and theres a lot of loot for mobile technology lovers on the hunt for a deal especially if you dont mind shopping on Thanksgiving day. Some of the biggest bargains include a Nook Color for just $99 and an Acer Ultrabook for a shockingly low $499.

Walmarts deals kick off before the final NFL game of the day, with the first of three low-cost price waves (wonder why they would want different waves/times of deals-maybe its to get more guests spread throughout the day, less stampedes, and that some guests have different shcedules they like ) starting at 8 P.M on Turkey Day. You can grab the LeapPad 1.0 Learning Tablet at $65, down $14 off its normal price, as well as movies and video game consoles marked down at steep discounts, but consider the 8 P.M. offers to be the appetizer for the main course.

At 10 P.M., Walmart plans to roll out price cuts for numerous brand-name electronics, highlighted by a One-hour guarantee that locks certain Black Friday deals in stone if youre waiting in line for, amongst other things, a 16GB iPad 2. The tablets being sold if its usual $399 cost, but Walmarts sweetening the pot by tossing in a $75 Walmart gift certificate, and if your store runs out of stock before 11 P.M., theyll give you a rain check for a pre-Christmas pick-up.
Notable 10 P.M. offerings include an unnamed 15.6-inch HP laptop with 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive for $279, several discounted cameras, the 8GB Nook Color for $99 ($50 off its normal price), and a Virgin Mobile MiFi hotspot for $39.88.

Shoppers who decide to wait until Black Friday proper will be greeted by a third and final wave of deals at 5 A.M. The specials here skew more towards the everyday crowd, but mobile mavens may be excited by the $100 gift card Walmarts offering when you buy select phones, including the Galaxy S III, HTC One X and Droid Razr M.

 

[Buckeye218]

How about the double digit increase in attendance at Universal after the HP opening or the increase attendance from Carsland in Disneyland. Wouldn't that be ROI too?? New rides creates excitement and increases attendance. It has the added benefit of spreading out crowds too.

Universal was a park that was underperforming attendance-wise prior to HP.

I'm not saying that Disney doesn't need to create new rides or that they shouldn't. I'm simply saying that with the current attendance boom, I think the executives have little appetite for aggressive attraction expansion.

The only problem with that approach is that by the time attendance starts flagging (and it will eventually), it's a little late to start building new attractions then. I think it's better to be proactive, but then I don't have to satisfy the shareholders from where I sit.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Can you restate what you mean by this?

There are lots of good places you can watch the fireworks from. Disney can rope off many large areas and give you a tiered selection of locations. They could add bleachers eve. I am not sure how many, and opinions would very on what is good or not, but I bet Disney could decide to set aside room for many hundreds if not thousands for fast pass.

 

[rlin1914]

When or if will MDE be available for Windows phones?

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Weird, ours were at 10PM (hmm no getting up early-wonder why that changed after all these years.

Walmart has unwrapped the details on its Black Friday specials early, and there’s a lot of loot for mobile technology lovers on the hunt for a deal — especially if you don’t mind shopping on Thanksgiving day. Some of the biggest bargains include a Nook Color for just $99 and an Acer Ultrabook for a shockingly low $499.

Walmart’s deals kick off before the final NFL game of the day, with the first of three low-cost price waves (wonder why they would want different waves/times of deals-maybe its to get more guests spread throughout the day, less stampedes, and that some guests have different shcedules they like ) starting at 8 P.M on Turkey Day. You can grab the LeapPad 1.0 Learning Tablet at $65, down $14 off its normal price, as well as movies and video game consoles marked down at steep discounts, but consider the 8 P.M. offers to be the appetizer for the main course.

At 10 P.M., Walmart plans to roll out price cuts for numerous brand-name electronics, highlighted by a “One-hour guarantee” that locks certain Black Friday deals in stone if you’re waiting in line for, amongst other things, a 16GB iPad 2. The tablet’s being sold if its usual $399 cost, but Walmart’s sweetening the pot by tossing in a $75 Walmart gift certificate, and if your store runs out of stock before 11 P.M., they’ll give you a rain check for a pre-Christmas pick-up.
Notable 10 P.M. offerings include an unnamed 15.6-inch HP laptop with 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive for $279, several discounted cameras, the 8GB Nook Color for $99 ($50 off its normal price), and a Virgin Mobile MiFi hotspot for $39.88.

My point was, it isn't for the same items. Wal-Mart isn't tell folks that are at the back of a line for a Nook, TV, Game system or whatever it is, that they are going to stop selling that item at 20 and after another 8 hours will sell the other 20 they have in stock. That is the point I am making about Disney holding FP+s for those late planner, no planners or day guest. I believe Disney could very well offend both those that want to pre-book by not having enough of the headliners to book at the desired times of day (because they are holding some back) and those that don't want to pre-book (day guest or just not wanting to be tied down) by limiting what they have to choose from on that day.

 

[doconeill]

When or if will MDE be available for Windows phones?

No one knows. They are having a hard enough time with the two platforms they are dealing with now...

 

[d1gitman]

how long ago was it announced that Disney was going to move away from the discounts... a year or so? yet we still have free DDP promotions, room discounts, etc....any thoughts as to they may eventually drop those discounts/promos thus capturing the higher profit-making guest thus lowering the crowd levels or would conventional wisdom stay put at keeping the resorts as full as possible at all times?

just wondering if there is any angle or correlation to that old announcement and FP+ strategies by corporate? or was that announcement a dud

 

[mom2rtk]

I believe Disney could very well offend both those that want to pre-book by not having enough of the headliners to book at the desired times of day (because they are holding some back) and those that don't want to pre-book (day guest or just not wanting to be tied down) by limiting what they have to choose from on that day.

Yep. That.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think Disney's current primary focus is how to make more money off the people currently in the parks, not how to dramatically increase attendance levels.

Yes to this.

 

[Robo]

It is really $100m per E-ticket, including design, construction, etc.? I'd expect it to be much more than that...depending on how much they can just duplicate (I'd of course prefer all originals...)

Since we can only go by the drips and drabs of info that leaks out of Disney, I'm basing my WAG of $100 million for a new E-Ticket on those trickles of info attributed to biggies like Exp. Everest (that I have culled from years of keeping files.)

But, let's go the OTHER way...
What about FP+/MyMagic+ would would actually cost a BILLION dollars?

The hardware?
(Same stuff as many companies use to open door locks and parking gates.)

The research?
(That be some big ol' lotta research, no?)

 

[d1gitman]

But Disney looks at it this way: the folks spending 6 hours paid the same as your family spending more than double that time. Your family is the problem with them running out of ride slots on all their rides. Nevermind that Splash Mountain was the last major ride at the MK.

It's clear Disney wants to push everyone into the "go to the park, return to the resort for a swim and nap, hit dinner somewhere, and return to a park for a couple hours at night" group. I don't pay nearly $100 a day to spend hours traveling around, and taking naps, or swim in a pool I can swim in on a day I don't pay for park entry.

But since Disney won't spend money on new rides, they must enforce FP+ to limit everyone's rides. They can't limit your park time, without creating a huge revolt, but they CAN enforce limits on your fun, under the guise of "awesome new technology".

That is what they are doing. The parades/fireworks/B ticket FP+s are all just a red herring to make you feel like things are the same.

Jason

I would partially agree with the bolded statement...this is a direct quote from the response I got from WDW " In order to allow more Guests to partake in the new
offerings, certain limitations have been put in place". my belief is that they expected the current FP system to be utilized by more guests, with less frequency per guest. what they probably found out was that FP did not change guest habits with regards to park attendance. what it did do was change the habits of those who take the time and effort to learn how to maximize the FP system. what FP+ seems to be intended to do is cause guests to change the patterns of how they not only do attractions but how we visit WDW as a whole. i'm sure they would like to level off the peaks and valleys of all aspects of a guests stay.

 

[Robo]

Spread the Misery.

The great leveler.

The problem is, while that works if you have no CHOICE in the matter.
It's less of a problem-solver if guests can decide to reduce their own misery
by heading elsewhere for more of their vacation.

 

[xipetotec]

Universal was a park that was underperforming attendance-wise prior to HP.

I'm not saying that Disney doesn't need to create new rides or that they shouldn't. I'm simply saying that with the current attendance boom, I think the executives have little appetite for aggressive attraction expansion.

The only problem with that approach is that by the time attendance starts flagging (and it will eventually), it's a little late to start building new attractions then. I think it's better to be proactive, but then I don't have to satisfy the shareholders from where I sit.

Agreed. Thing is they put in these measures to increase attendance without building new E-ticket attractions.... what happens when attendance is so high, with no new attractions, that the parks are packed and wait times are crazy... then attendance will drop, cause no one will want to do that... and you may not get those people back.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I agree that this is a KEY piece of information, but we really don't have any reason to think that they will continue to allow for more then 3 FPs per day. While we do have reason to think that they will not.

It would make total sense and fit with the testing they are doing to do only 3 FP+'s in advance and then allow you to get more as you use them. This will allow us to do a number of FP's while allowing the person who comes for only 6 hours to at least get 1 or 2 rides in that they want. Remember that the number of rides are doubled and parades, fireworks, and character meet and greets are added. It would make no sense to increase expotentially all these things and then allow on 3 FP's. This is also why, I think, they will limit you to 1 park per day once you use your first FP; specifically because you will be able to get more.

I think it is a 99% chance they will allow more FP's in park, but they cannot advertise this now, they will only advertise the minimum 3 you can do in advance.

From a cold-blooded, dollars and cents standpoint, I don't think the corporate executives much care if Disney fanactics like Fastpass+ or not; that's for the marketing department to handle. I think they only care that it will become a major new revenue stream.

You are going to invest a billion dollars if you plan to make 2 billion off it.

ROI is probably better with this new FP+ than it would be building new attractions.

Absolutely right! The Magic Kingdom is so far above every other theme park in the world in attendance, it is amazing! They need to find a way to maximize the experience for each visitor before they get any larger. Magic Bands and FP+ will give them information to do this. It will be worth every penny. And they will add rides eventually, but I am looking forward to new Fantasy Land!

 

[Robo]

If Disney doesn't care about their REPEAT CUSTOMERS,

why do they try to make their FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS happy?

After all, those first-timers already bothered to show up.
By then, who cares if they don't want to come back?

 

[Cafeen]

how long ago was it announced that Disney was going to move away from the discounts... a year or so? yet we still have free DDP promotions, room discounts, etc....any thoughts as to they may eventually drop those discounts/promos thus capturing the higher profit-making guest thus lowering the crowd levels or would conventional wisdom stay put at keeping the resorts as full as possible at all times?

just wondering if there is any angle or correlation to that old announcement and FP+ strategies by corporate? or was that announcement a dud

My thinking (pure speculation mind you) is that FP+ incentives will eventually replace some of the discounts. Since FP+ incentives are theoretically free, the cost of the "discount" is far less than a room rate or free dining plan. Especially since they come at times when FPs are a bit more likely to be available anyway.

Of course, those same times the FPs aren't particularly needed all that much, but the perception of getting extras may outweigh the reality on the ground.

As far as increasing guest stuff... the FP+ (and really, MM+) system has been under development for years, long before the record increases in crowds. I'd even suggest that the results of Cars and Harry Potter had little to do with the design of MM+ (the announcements may have, but the large uptick in guests were probably after MM+ was deep in design phase).

Also, to get a large double-digit increase in attendance at MK it would take much more than at IOA or DCA. (IOA was 30% in 2009-2010, and 29% in 2010-2011, 2009-2010 symbolizing ~1.3m, and the following year ~1.7m, DCA's 2011-2012 figures are roughly 22%, or ~1.4m) None of these increases would be much more than 10% at MK (2012 Attendance ~17.5m). Of course, that's all just the numbers, but the ROI for attractions in MK would likely not have nearly as large a bump (percentage-wise) as they did at IOA and DCA, simply because the starting point is at least 3-4 times the starting point of those two parks.

 

[Shaden]

It would make total sense and fit with the testing they are doing to do only 3 FP+'s in advance and then allow you to get more as you use them. This will allow us to do a number of FP's while allowing the person who comes for only 6 hours to at least get 1 or 2 rides in that they want. Remember that the number of rides are doubled and parades, fireworks, and character meet and greets are added. It would make no sense to increase expotentially all these things and then allow on 3 FP's. This is also why, I think, they will limit you to 1 park per day once you use your first FP; specifically because you will be able to get more.

I think it is a 99% chance they will allow more FP's in park, but they cannot advertise this now, they will only advertise the minimum 3 you can do in advance.

This really makes no sense. Its true that being able to book Parades, Fireworks, etc, will probably spread the FPs to other "attractions", they have stated MULTIPLE times, including in what digitman pointed to above, they want to limit the use of FPs in order to "allow more people to experience the attraction". Their entire purpose seems to be to shorten stand-by lines, and limit the use of FPs, which means it makes total sense to restrict you to 3FP+s per day, with no extra FPs.

There is no reason to think that just because people who are now testing FP+, while the FP system is in place, can also pull FPs, that once FP is replaced by FP+ that will continue. Again, there have been many comments that would seem to contradict such an assumption.

And why in the heck wouldn't they be able to advertise it, if that was the case, NOW !?!?! There is NO reason for that. They could say things like this system will allow guests to experience AT LEAST three of their most desired attractions. But even in the flyers we have see, screen captures what have you, no mention of this. Just the number 3.

 

[lovethatmouse28]

I feel like I'm the only one sitting here thinking..."I don't care about all these details, just give me my purple (my fav color) magic band and let me pick my rides!!"

 

[WillAustin]

I think they have no idea how many people will book in advance or how many FP+ slots might be available for same day reservations. On either end of that they have to make sure they have enough. That's why we aren't hearing specifics. I don't think they know until they start manipulating the numbers in an actual usage scenario.

3 per day is probably a "safe" number based on the number of FPs they give out now.

 

[Shaden]

I feel like I'm the only one sitting here thinking..."I don't care about all these details, just give me my purple (my fav color) magic band and let me pick my rides!!"

I bet you say that now, but wait until you log in to pick your rides, and you can't get either the ride or the times that you want. Or when you are at the park and one day doesn't go as planned, and you have missed your favourite attraction and can't book it again because they were all booked up 60 days out