Not to reopen that can of worms but...

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Oh man, that stinks!

If you ever get another chance, and want a fairly low stress viewing of Wishes, I would recommend watching from the TTC. We weren't in the park that day but parked at the TTC that night and had an easy non-crowded exit right after they were over. We were in bed asleep around half an hour later.

Wishes by mom2rtk, on Flickr

That is an a AWESOME picture.
(I would ask what you did, but I can't follow along with the photography techno-speak.)

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I would like to be a fly on the wall in a boardroom to know exactly why this is.

ME TOO! This is like my #1 Biggest Mystery about Disney. Why? WHY? WHY THE GLACIAL BUILDING PACE? I just don't get it. I think it was once speculated that they only work during the night, but if that's really the case, Disney should change that policy. It isn't like walls and scrims are good show. Sorry to keep bringing up Universal, but their Kong project was buzzing with people, that thing is humongous, and it's going up FAST. I was shocked that there is a huge, visible hole on the side of the new Adventureland restaurant (facing the water/walkway to Liberty Square) and not a construction worker in sight.

I saw a blog post on Easy WDW recently about a roof replacement at Flame Tree at AK (I think?). It's taken something like 4 months. To replace a roof. Huh? WHY?

 

[TheDisGuy]

That chart also appeared in an item in which the author declared that the Disney brand is "alive and well". So, it is kind of amusing to see some trying to use it to suggest that attendance at Disney isn't really growing at an acceptable rate.

I said nothing of the sort, though interesting way to spin my words. What I said was that there is no reason they haven't been able to continue to develop Capacity to keep up with demand. Which also makes the early point about "picking" numbers absolutely ridiculous. Their attendance just hasn't increased all that much all that fast when you look at it over the long term, pure and simple. Even the growth form 1994, if you used a ridiculous low point, which would be pushing an agenda (oh the irony), 21 years ... 21 YEARS ... and they simply haven't kept up with the pace of increased demand. Its sad, and people defending it on any grounds other than that they are a corporation and are supposed to generate profits are also sad.

 

[tj4disney]

Just got back last Sunday. My conclusion...FP+ only stunk 70% of what I thought it would. Not sure if a 30% reduction in expected stinkage is enough.

The good news was that FP+ was really good for our departure day on Sunday (well, FP+ in conjunction with ticketless MB's). Kids and I had been at MK until after 1:00am the night before, so slept in. Wife walked to DHS at park open and got a couple worthwhile SDFP. So we arrived at DHS about 12:15, and on a crazy busy SWW day we were able to do Star Tours, TSMM, RnRC, and ToT (2x) by 2:20. Then we went to Animation Academy and had to wait 40 minutes to get into a drawing class (maybe they should have FP+ for that!). Left the park at 3:30 to head to the airport.

The bad news was that we only had one departure day on our trip. Arrival day wasn't too bad either (arrived early afternoon), but again, only 1 arrival day (hence my 30% reduction in stinkage...2 out of 7 days worked well). The five days in between FP+ lived up to my expectations.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I would like to be a fly on the wall in a boardroom to know exactly why this is.

Because no one that has run the organization has been a theme park guy in years.

 

[wisblue]

I didn't interpret the numbers. I think you are mistaken. All I did was provide a link to Hydroguy's article and ask if attendance had improved. Sorry it upset you that I responded to someone else introducing this information into the thread. That was not my intention.

Again, I am not at all upset that you brought this into the thread.

But, you did do more than just ask if attendance had improved. You provided your own answer to the question when you added "According to this blog by Hydroguy, not so much". That to me is your interpretation of the numbers because Hydroguy did not say anything like that.

 

[Lucius Best]

ME TOO! This is like my #1 Biggest Mystery about Disney. Why? WHY? WHY THE GLACIAL BUILDING PACE? I just don't get it. I think it was once speculated that they only work during the night, but if that's really the case, Disney should change that policy.

When we were at AK in April, there was constant construction going on all day long in the lake next to Everest (light show) and behind Pizzafari (Avatarland). It was loud and very un-Disney-like.

My first thought on why things take so long would be the $1 Billion Dollar price tag (or higher?) for Magicbands/MDE/FP+. I read an article last year from an alleged "insider", listing the proposed rides that were supposedly getting delayed or axed (both at WDW and DLR) because of how much money and how long it was taking to get MyMagic up and running, not to mention that Disney supposedly was not seeing the uptick in attendance/spending that they were hoping for from Magicbands. It was quite depressing (Incredibles and Monsters Inc rides? Cars Land?).

 

[maxiesmom]

Fair to me is everyone has the same rules. Not that it matters, really.

I totally agree. I think the current FP+ system is as fair as it can get. Another poster was disagreeing with me. All I was doing was illustrating that what is fair depends on how you look at things.

We all have to work with the system, however it is set up.

 

[Barnabe]

When we were at AK in April, there was constant construction going on all day long in the lake next to Everest (light show) and behind Pizzafari (Avatarland). It was loud and very un-Disney-like.

My first thought on why things take so long would be the $1 Billion Dollar price tag (or higher?) for Magicbands/MDE/FP+. I read an article last year from an alleged "insider", listing the proposed rides that were supposedly getting delayed or axed (both at WDW and DLR) because of how much money and how long it was taking to get MyMagic up and running, not to mention that Disney supposedly was not seeing the uptick in attendance/spending that they were hoping for from Magicbands. It was quite depressing (Incredibles and Monsters Inc rides? Cars Land?).

I still can't figure out why Disney thought there would be an up tick in attendance due to MDE and Magic Bands. I believe most guests visit the parks to experience attractions

 

[Barnabe]

Again, I am not at all upset that you brought this into the thread.

But, you did do more than just ask if attendance had improved. You provided your own answer to the question when you added "According to this blog by Hydroguy, not so much". That to me is your interpretation of the numbers because Hydroguy did not say anything like that.

OK. Again, I'm sorry that I irritated and upset you. That was not my intention.

 

[mom2rtk]

That is an a AWESOME picture.
(I would ask what you did, but I can't follow along with the photography techno-speak.)

Thanks! I won't go off track with details, but a tripod is a must.

 

[Barnabe]

Thanks! I won't go off track with details, but a tripod is a must.

I also think talent is a bigger must!

 

[mom2rtk]

I also think talent is a bigger must!

Thank you Barnabe!

 

[Mikie]

Thanks! I won't go off track with details, but a tripod is a must.

Sorry, that is a wonderful picture! It's been a long time since I drove at Disney, so I don't remember TTC well. Were you at your car or at the "station" watching the fireworks? My traveling group would love to see the fireworks without being in MK due to intolerance of the extreme crowd and difficulty navigating park exit after. Thanks!! (Maybe I should just ask for more of your pictures and look at them on a big screen )

 

[Angel Ariel]

Thanks! I won't go off track with details, but a tripod is a must.

Can we cover details in PM? I want to play with my new lens and the ND filters I have

 

[mom2rtk]

Sorry, that is a wonderful picture! It's been a long time since I drove at Disney, so I don't remember TTC well. Were you at your car or at the "station" watching the fireworks? My traveling group would love to see the fireworks without being in MK due to intolerance of the extreme crowd and difficulty navigating park exit after. Thanks!! (Maybe I should just ask for more of your pictures and look at them on a big screen )

Thanks Mikie.

We were actually at the TTC station. (But with parking so close you can make a quick getaway before the crowds exit the park). We got there around 30 minutes before show time and asked the attendant where we could stand. He let us up in the farthest right corner. We were joined by maybe 20 or so people getting off the ferry wanting to watch before leaving. It wasn't crowded, and nobody was pushing or shoving. It really was very pleasant. The lights stay on behind you in the station, but that was actually a bonus for me since I didn't have to adjust my camera in the dark. The best part was the leisurely exit. I really must watch Hallowishes or Holiday Wishes from that spot one day.

 

[mom2rtk]

Can we cover details in PM? I want to play with my new lens and the ND filters I have

Absolutely!

 

[Lucius Best]

I still can't figure out why Disney thought there would be an up tick in attendance due to MDE and Magic Bands. I believe most guests visit the parks to experience attractions

When you have your FP+ reservations, in some sense you're committing to being in that WDW park (and spending money there) on that day. Disney maybe thinks that having your FP+ booked makes you less likely to wake up one day in the middle of your trip and say "let's go to Sea World/Universal today instead".

I read another article somewhere about Magicbands and the "abstraction of money". For me, paying $25 cash for some chicken fingers and a cheeseburger and some drinks for lunch will normally elicit a very negative reaction. You can feel the money leaving your hands, and see how much is left in the wallet. Paying with a credit card is a level removed. Charging it to the room is another level removed, you don't even need to pull out your credit card. Having a Magicband on your wrist, is even further removed, making it theoretically the easiest way for park guests to spend money without thinking about it. Then there's the psychology of a really positive experience/feeling (such as entering the Magic Kingdom, or using a FP at a ride) using the same Magicband touch/swipe/chime/Mickey head lighting up, as the payment system. So buying something with Magicband feels good too.

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

I am personally a fan because of our new, more laid back touring style now that we have a toddler. We don't do as many headliners now, so I don't mind that you cannot do multiple rides on headliners unless there is a fourth+ fastpass availability. I love the ability to change fastpasses on the fly from my phone and not having to send a "runner" ahead to get fastpasses.

The only thing I don't love is having to wear a band on my wrist. I hate having stuff on my wrist, but I did get kind of used to it after a couple of days on our last trip.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I read another article somewhere about Magicbands and the "abstraction of money". For me, paying $25 cash for some chicken fingers and a cheeseburger and some drinks for lunch will normally elicit a very negative reaction. You can feel the money leaving your hands, and see how much is left in the wallet. Paying with a credit card is a level removed. Charging it to the room is another level removed, you don't even need to pull out your credit card. Having a Magicband on your wrist, is even further removed, making it theoretically the easiest way for park guests to spend money without thinking about it. Then there's the psychology of a really positive experience/feeling (such as entering the Magic Kingdom, or using a FP at a ride) using the same Magicband touch/swipe/chime/Mickey head lighting up, as the payment system. So buying something with Magicband feels good too.

Which is specifically why we never attached our CC to KTTW cards, didn't attach it to our MBs last trip either. I highly doubt we ever will. We always carry ID with us wherever we go..throwing a CC in there with the ID doesn't add any bulk to our traveling.