In Defense of Bob Chapek

[ChipnDale79]

Kind of amazing that the people here who are most against Chapek never had any issues with Fastpass+. Kind of remarkable actually!

I had major issues with it.....

when it first rolled out, my wife spent hours on the phone with Disney prior to our trip (we did have a large group of 10 going), but there issues with that had to be ironed out caused by Disney's system.

Fastpass+ had some good and bad, I've always wished it was a mix of the old fastpass system and fastpass+.

I dont like everything planned out...i like the freedom to do what i want. Fastpass+ didnt offer you that freedom.

 

[BrianL]

You might be right on Chapek, he might not be the right CEO. All I have been saying is give him a chance. He has three years to prove he has a plan that will take a company, that honestly is not trending in the right direction, and let's see if he can take this plane out of the nose dive that it is currently in. It saddens me to see the state that this company that I use to have high regard for.

Well, look, that I can see. He is new and maybe he will find his footing. You've gotta admit though that he has not been off to a great start, and I still think someone more affable would have weathered that better.

A lot of what we see in the market is a result of deception, and unfortunately, we are starting to pay the piper, and probably will for the next 3-5 years. Just because people like shows doesn't mean it's good for them.

Just so you know, I appreciate the conversation.

Oh, well, yeah, it comes back around. Still, that's the nature of the beast.

And yeah, we're all cool. It's a good conversation.

 

[bakenatj]

Well, look, that I can see. He is new and maybe he will find his footing. You've gotta admit though that he has not been off to a great start, and I still think someone more affable would have weathered that better.



Oh, well, yeah, it comes back around. Still, that's the nature of the beast.

And yeah, we're all cool. It's a good conversation.

I would not want to be in his shoes. It would be nice if the parks were separate from the media side of the business. Whenever you start robbing Peter to pay Paul it's a never-ending cycle. What has happened is under performing parts of the business have been artificially propped because of egos and agendas. If your area of the business isn't performing to what is expected, they need to be held accountable. But, we live in a world of politics and you can't run things the easy way.

But it's nice we can sit here from the peanut gallery and complain

 

[BrianL]

I would not want to be in his shoes. It would be nice if the parks were separate from the media side of the business. Whenever you start robbing Peter to pay Paul it's a never-ending cycle. What has happened is under performing parts of the business have been artificially propped because of egos and agendas. If your area of the business isn't performing to what is expected, they need to be held accountable. But, we live in a world of politics and you can't run things the easy way.

But it's nice we can sit here from the peanut gallery and complain

Oh, I agree. Iger was smart to get out when he did. He goes down as a great CEO, and Chapek has to clean up the mess.

 

[bakenatj]

A lot of what we see in the market is a result of deception, and unfortunately, we are starting to pay the piper, and probably will for the next 3-5 years. Just because people like shows doesn't mean it's good for them.

Just so you know, I appreciate the conversation.

If you are interested, I agree with this guys opinion on what is about to happen.

 

[Jonfw2]

I had major issues with it.....

when it first rolled out, my wife spent hours on the phone with Disney prior to our trip (we did have a large group of 10 going), but there issues with that had to be ironed out caused by Disney's system.

Fastpass+ had some good and bad, I've always wished it was a mix of the old fastpass system and fastpass+.

I dont like everything planned out...i like the freedom to do what i want. Fastpass+ didnt offer you that freedom.

Thank you for saying this! The folks here saying how they never had issues with FP...no. Sorry. That's just revisionist history.

 

[MillauFr]

Thank you for saying this! The folks here saying how they never had issues with FP...no. Sorry. That's just revisionist history.

Agreed. No problems with the previous system? LOL Wouldn't take too long to search through old threads with millions complaining about FP+

 

[Moliphino]

Thank you for saying this! The folks here saying how they never had issues with FP...no. Sorry. That's just revisionist history.

I honestly can't think of any in my personal experience. Definitely nothing major enough to leave an impression. FP+ was a huge improvement over paper fastpass, IMO, because you could plan ahead and know before you even got there that you'd be able to ride all the important stuff. No need to rope drop and run, then be at the mercy of whatever random return time you managed to get (which they brought back in Genie+).

 

[Jrb1979]

Agreed. No problems with the previous system? LOL Wouldn't take too long to search through old threads with millions complaining about FP+

Genie+ is just as bad.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I honestly can't think of any in my personal experience. Definitely nothing major enough to leave an impression. FP+ was a huge improvement over paper fastpass, IMO, because you could plan ahead and know before you even got there that you'd be able to ride all the important stuff. No need to rope drop and run, then be at the mercy of whatever random return time you managed to get (which they brought back in Genie+).

This was the biggest improvement from paper Fastpass to Fastpass+ IMO. When I went to Tokyo Disneyland they still had paper Fastpass and I literally saw people trampling over families with kids and older people to grab Fastpasses for the big E-ticket rides. A few rides were gone for the day within 2 hours of the park being open. It was great to be able to book on your phone, though like I've said before both Fastpass+ and Genie+ were and are flawed systems.

 

[Moliphino]

This was the biggest improvement from paper Fastpass to Fastpass+ IMO. When I went to Tokyo Disneyland they still had paper Fastpass and I literally saw people trampling over families with kids and older people to grab Fastpasses for the big E-ticket rides. A few rides were gone for the day within 2 hours of the park being open. It was great to be able to book on your phone, though like I've said before both Fastpass+ and Genie+ were and are flawed systems.

Yeah, we did Disneyland and DLP when they still had paper fastpass after getting used to FP+ and it was awful. The line to get a fastpass at the big rides in the morning was as long as the line to ride. We actually gave up on getting a fastpass for RSR and just did the single rider line because it wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[MillauFr]

Genie+ is just as bad.

If it was that bad no one would buy it.

 

[MillauFr]

Yeah, we did Disneyland and DLP when they still had paper fastpass after getting used to FP+ and it was awful. The line to get a fastpass at the big rides in the morning was as long as the line to ride. We actually gave up on getting a fastpass for RSR and just did the single rider line because it wasn't worth the hassle.

You didn't get a fastpass for the fastpass line?

 

[BrianL]

This was the biggest improvement from paper Fastpass to Fastpass+ IMO. When I went to Tokyo Disneyland they still had paper Fastpass and I literally saw people trampling over families with kids and older people to grab Fastpasses for the big E-ticket rides. A few rides were gone for the day within 2 hours of the park being open. It was great to be able to book on your phone, though like I've said before both Fastpass+ and Genie+ were and are flawed systems.

I am surprised you saw that in Japan. In my experience, those were the most docile and polite crowds of people I have ever seen. Must have been a lot of foreigh visitors when you were there!

 

[wabbott]

Pixar and Lucasfilm, in general, will not be the cash cow due to straying from basic storytelling and from canon. Broadcast TV, and ESPN in particular, have to be pulled back from political theater.

This is why I said (either here or on another thread) that DIS needs to get shed of ABC riqht quick. Spin it off or sell it. It has a news division which is nothing but politics - the nature of the beast. With ESPN and the network TV shows it is all just too much to manage. It distracts from the core strength of DIS which is storytelling.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Yeah, we did Disneyland and DLP when they still had paper fastpass after getting used to FP+ and it was awful. The line to get a fastpass at the big rides in the morning was as long as the line to ride. We actually gave up on getting a fastpass for RSR and just did the single rider line because it wasn't worth the hassle.

I remember that too. On my first ever trip to Disneyland, I remember the line for the Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass line being so long it would snake into the Bug's Land and into the It's Tough to be a Bug line. Also anyone else remember when Soarin was the hot new ride and if you didn't run over there first thing, Fastpasses would be gone within 30 minutes of the park being open?

I am surprised you saw that in Japan. In my experience, those were the most docile and polite crowds of people I have ever seen. Must have been a lot of foreigh visitors when you were there!

Oh in terms of the actual lines people were super chill and had no issue waiting. I even saw a line cutter be physically removed from the Indiana Jones line. The massive stampede to grab Journey to the Center of the Earth Fastpasses was a sight to behold though. In that regard it made me wish they had Fastpass+ - the running around to grab FPs when it was also 100 degrees in the summer was also horrendous LOL

 

[BrianL]

You didn't get a fastpass for the fastpass line?

No, you have to use your phone to get a virtual queue boarding group number to get in line for the FastPass distribution, which will be given out virtually for the chance to get in line for the FP machine that will give you Lightning Lane access through your app, but this is only for resort guests booking deluxe, concierge level, boutique rooms 273 days in advance, and with park reservations made during the last full moon.

 

[BrianL]

I remember that too. On my first ever trip to Disneyland, I remember the line for the Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass line being so long it would snake into the Bug's Land and into the It's Tough to be a Bug line. Also anyone else remember when Soarin was the hot new ride and if you didn't run over there first thing, Fastpasses would be gone within 30 minutes of the park being open?


Oh in terms of the actual lines people were super chill and had no issue waiting. I even saw a line cutter be physically removed from the Indiana Jones line. The massive stampede to grab Journey to the Center of the Earth Fastpasses was a sight to behold though. In that regard it made me wish they had Fastpass+ - the running around to grab FPs when it was also 100 degrees in the summer was also horrendous LOL

The only HOT FP's I remember were Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Toy Story Mania. TSM was an easy skip for us, and Journey was practiaclly empty the whole time we were thee. We rode it like 7 times and it was THE BEST! We went in late April, sort of the end of Cherry Blossom season, and it was pretty chill.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The only HOT FP's I remember were Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Toy Story Mania. TSM was an easy skip for us, and Journey was practiaclly empty the whole time we were thee. We rode it like 7 times and it was THE BEST! We went in late April, sort of the end of Cherry Blossom season, and it was pretty chill.

I went early June and unbeknownst to me, the day I went to Disneysea was the first day of a summer event so that park was INSANELY busy. Journey was the first FP to sell out for the day and I didn't do Mania because the line was crazy.

Not like it matters now since they introduced a paid skip the line service for certain rides - I believe Beauty and the Beast and Soarin have it. At least they don't have Genie+ I guess....?

 

[Jrb1979]

If it was that bad no one would buy it.

It may be better then FP+ but it is still very flawed.