Re-framing the Conversation

[dwheaton]

I'm not someone who comes to the DIS for positives and hates to read criticism. In fact, I find that complains can be some of the most interesting discussions. I work in Marketing and Business Development, and we focus a lot of attention on framing the message. No matter how good your services, it only works if the framing is done well.

I think Disney is running into this problem with a lot of their recent decisions. Stay with me. This isn't another negative rant. What I mean is that the perception (at least among many fans) is that Disney is looking at the bottom line and has lost the interest in new attractions. Once this frame is in place, whatever they do falls into that bucket. Even if that had a reason to raise ticket prices that made sense (I've heard many), it's still in that frame. FP+ may have hidden benefits, but they're selling it on deaf ears.

They're also stuck with the theme that they're a giant organization of MBA graduates that moves slowly and can't get anything done. The fact that Avatar is taking so long to build and the Snow White Mine Train still isn't open reinforces that theme. It's hard to sell magic with construction walls everywhere.

So what can Disney do? I think they really need to announce something big prior to the opening of Diagon Alley. While I'd prefer an amazing new ride, even re-theming a section of DHS to Star Wars that's just a restaurant and shops would get a lot of positive attention. Look at how much praise Universal got for Springfield, which is mostly well-themed food places! If they want to build positive momentum, they need to re-frame the discussion or risk losing the argument before it even begins.

I'm a huge fan of the Disney parks and subscribe to several fan magazines. I've found myself questioning the articles about "magic" in Celebrations Magazine because they come off false given the happenings at the parks in the past year. This is an example of how the framing in my brain has impacted even innocent articles from fans that I'd normally like. I think this is happening on the DIS, and I can't blame people for it.

So what can Disney do to re-frame the conversation among fans?

 

[SuperRob]

Managing expectations has been Disney's real problem through this whole thing. The problem with a company that makes "magic" is that sometimes you don't pull off the trick every time. Most of those "street magic" TV shows are edited so they don't show you the times the trick doesn't work.

We're getting it all unedited, here.

My real problem, though is that we're all just as much to blame regarding those expectations as Disney. Some of us "veterans" had just unrealistic expectations that this was going to be perfect. Some of us refused to see any positives for what they were, and suggested that the new limitations were disastrous. Not to mention all the FUD being spread about how Disney was turning into "Big Brother" and tracking us everywhere we go, even into the Tangled Bathrooms!

I don't mind people telling the truth. I do mind when they do it in such an overwhelmingly negative fashion that they now start coloring the expectations of others who might not know that anything has changed and could have a great trip anyway. Those people just keep hearing how it all sucks, and that's a lot of money to spend for that kind of experience. Well, it doesn't suck. Maybe it did for some people, but those people didn't put themselves in a situation where they were willing to have a good time despite any problems that occur.

Disney announcing new experiences or attractions to counter-program against Diagon Alley isn't the answer. Honestly, the best thing Disney could do is hire more people and raise the quality of service that we all know Disney is capable of. Go around the parks and spread a little spontaneous magic. Those stories we all love to hear about the kid to leg go of his balloon and started to cry, and a cast member comes out of nowhere with another balloon. That time when a cast member pulled you out of line and took you to a special meet & greet with a character because they saw the character on your shirt. The "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion was popular because of that spontaneity. For a lot of people, it's those little moments they didn't expect that make a trip magic.

In short, if I were in charge, I'd announce the theme for the coming year would be "Expect the Unexpected". And I'd make sure that every cast member at every park or restaurant or hotel were empowered to make magic happen as they see fit. I bet it would be a heck of a thing.

 

[Planogirl]

If businesses succeed at least partially on good word of mouth then the opposite should be true too. You can't expect people to spread good news and ignore what they see as bad news. That's just human nature.

Disney is responsible for whatever reputation they end up with. You can blame negative nellies, the economy, sun spots or whatever but ultimately it's up to Disney.

 

[mom2cinderella]

The "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion was popular because of that spontaneity. For a lot of people, it's those little moments they didn't expect that make a trip magic.

In short, if I were in charge, I'd announce the theme for the coming year would be "Expect the Unexpected". And I'd make sure that every cast member at every park or restaurant or hotel were empowered to make magic happen as they see fit. I bet it would be a heck of a thing.

your idea! I was just this morning thinking about our trip that took place during the YOAMD. It. Was. So. Magical. Maybe I'm a chump, but little surprise treats would thrill me more than a new ride.

 

[Planogirl]

Surprise treats are nice but the problem is that a lot of people will be skipped and might feel left out. I never even saw someone get a treat and while I don't expect anything extra you will always run into people that do.

 

[Jennasis]

Wasn't "Expect the Unexpected" or something similar the theme over at USO?

Anyhoo...Disney shoots itself in the foot OFTEN. Those huge NYE announcements that they hype and build up only to fall flat with the reality of "Limited Time Magic" or "One More Disney Day".

Year of a Million Dreams was lightning in a bottle and they would be smart to make THAT their ongoing everyday way of operating. It would cost them hardly anything to hand out Mickey ears, pins, free tix, a night in the Dream Suite etc each day...even giving out a DVC contract once in a while or a free trip or cruise wouldn't kill them.

Their marketing team blows right now.

I can't understand how they HAVEN'T announced anything related to Star Wars in the parks yet. The movies are just two years away! Get on the dang ball.

 

[dwheaton]

My real problem, though is that we're all just as much to blame regarding those expectations as Disney. Some of us "veterans" had just unrealistic expectations that this was going to be perfect. Some of us refused to see any positives for what they were, and suggested that the new limitations were disastrous. Not to mention all the FUD being spread about how Disney was turning into "Big Brother" and tracking us everywhere we go, even into the Tangled Bathrooms!

I don't mind people telling the truth. I do mind when they do it in such an overwhelmingly negative fashion that they now start coloring the expectations of others who might not know that anything has changed and could have a great trip anyway. Those people just keep hearing how it all sucks, and that's a lot of money to spend for that kind of experience. Well, it doesn't suck. Maybe it did for some people, but those people didn't put themselves in a situation where they were willing to have a good time despite any problems that occur.

Disney announcing new experiences or attractions to counter-program against Diagon Alley isn't the answer. Honestly, the best thing Disney could do is hire more people and raise the quality of service that we all know Disney is capable of. Go around the parks and spread a little spontaneous magic. Those stories we all love to hear about the kid to leg go of his balloon and started to cry, and a cast member comes out of nowhere with another balloon. That time when a cast member pulled you out of line and took you to a special meet & greet with a character because they saw the character on your shirt. The "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion was popular because of that spontaneity. For a lot of people, it's those little moments they didn't expect that make a trip magic.

In short, if I were in charge, I'd announce the theme for the coming year would be "Expect the Unexpected". And I'd make sure that every cast member at every park or restaurant or hotel were empowered to make magic happen as they see fit. I bet it would be a heck of a thing.

I agree that service needs to be a focus and has slipped, and that's impacting the experience considerably.

Even so, when I talk about setting a new frame, I'm thinking that Disney might be wise to take a break from marketing promotions like Year of a Million Dreams or Limited Time Magic. After you keep doing them every year, people's eye glaze over because it starts to feel manipulative. I recognize that some visitors had amazing experiences during the YOMD, and that's great. Even so, I wonder if that's become too much of the focus.

I'd rather they go back to basics and what built the reputation of the parks: Service and Attractions.

I don't just mean throwing money at the problem and building lots of high-tech rides. I'd rather they focus on upgrading dated attractions like Imagination and Energy or The Great Movie Ride. They could even sell it with some type of typical marketing slogan "A Fresh Coat of Magic" or something like that. I'd rather see that than have the chance of getting an extra service from a cast member.

People want to get excited about the Disney Parks, and I think that's part of even many of the negative comments here. There just comes a point where clever marketing isn't enough.

 

[Tramp68]

In short, if I were in charge, I'd announce the theme for the coming year would be "Expect the Unexpected". And I'd make sure that every cast member at every park or restaurant or hotel were empowered to make magic happen as they see fit. I bet it would be a heck of a thing.

Now THAT would get me reenergized about my trips to Disney.

The magic and the Customer Service is what is slipping. This is where Disney has always excelled and is now starting to lose. The other place is the quality of the dining. The restaurants have taken a nose dive at their worst and are inconsistant at the best. This also detracts from the magic. FP+ and ADRs have taken the spontaneity out of the vacation and there is another loss of the magic.


Please, Disney, just bring back the Pixie Dust

 

[JanaDee]

I agree with most of what has already been said.

Disney is losing the PR battle big time right now. Whether that is due to FP+, the constant cutting of extras, the lack of new attractions, lagging customer service, etc, I don't know.

But a lot of people are unhappy with Disney right now and like Jennasis said, their marketing/promotions departments suck.

 

[mom2rtk]

OP, I agree. But I just think they are too busy trying to lasso the genie they just unleashed.

My interest in FP+ is more than personal. I find it to be a fascinating study in marketing. I'm genuinely curious where they are headed next.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

I'm not someone who comes to the DIS for positives and hates to read criticism. In fact, I find that complains can be some of the most interesting discussions. I work in Marketing and Business Development, and we focus a lot of attention on framing the message. No matter how good your services, it only works if the framing is done well.

I think Disney is running into this problem with a lot of their recent decisions. Stay with me. This isn't another negative rant. What I mean is that the perception (at least among many fans) is that Disney is looking at the bottom line and has lost the interest in new attractions. Once this frame is in place, whatever they do falls into that bucket. Even if that had a reason to raise ticket prices that made sense (I've heard many), it's still in that frame. FP+ may have hidden benefits, but they're selling it on deaf ears.

They're also stuck with the theme that they're a giant organization of MBA graduates that moves slowly and can't get anything done. The fact that Avatar is taking so long to build and the Snow White Mine Train still isn't open reinforces that theme. It's hard to sell magic with construction walls everywhere.

So what can Disney do? I think they really need to announce something big prior to the opening of Diagon Alley. While I'd prefer an amazing new ride, even re-theming a section of DHS to Star Wars that's just a restaurant and shops would get a lot of positive attention. Look at how much praise Universal got for Springfield, which is mostly well-themed food places! If they want to build positive momentum, they need to re-frame the discussion or risk losing the argument before it even begins.

I'm a huge fan of the Disney parks and subscribe to several fan magazines. I've found myself questioning the articles about "magic" in Celebrations Magazine because they come off false given the happenings at the parks in the past year. This is an example of how the framing in my brain has impacted even innocent articles from fans that I'd normally like. I think this is happening on the DIS, and I can't blame people for it.

So what can Disney do to re-frame the conversation among fans?

I have to disagree with you as I see things differently. Disney is bigger, stronger and more profitable than ever before----they are in no way hurting for business and they don't need to "reframe" the discussion. Disney is doing just fine.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have to disagree with you as I see things differently. Disney is bigger, stronger and more profitable than ever before----they are in no way hurting for business and they don't need to "reframe" the discussion. Disney is doing just fine.

That doesn't mean they will always remain so. People plan Disney trips a long ways in advance. Fallout from a bad business decision doesn't necessarily show up overnight.

 

[dwheaton]

I have to disagree with you as I see things differently. Disney is bigger, stronger and more profitable than ever before----they are in no way hurting for business and they don't need to "reframe" the discussion. Disney is doing just fine.

You're correct in terms of profits. I'm not saying they're about to go under.

However, in today's Internet world, branding is so important. Yes, people will still go to the Disney parks and earn them profits. But there's an opportunity cost (to use a business term) by following their current path. Sure, they're still doing well, but how well could they have done?

There's also a lot of spin that goes into reporting their results. Disney's a public company and will never admit if satisfaction is going downward.

If Disney loses its most dedicated fans or even turns them off partially, it will impact them in some way in the future. Companies that seem unstoppable can get kicked down a notch if they aren't careful.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Disney has one of the most powerful brands in the world. Nothing that they are doing now in WDW will diminish that brand. They might be able to do a few things to make patrons feel a little better about their experiences while in WDW, but WDW is a tiny part of their business. Disney executives probably spend a lot less time thinking about WDW than most people on the Dis would believe.

 

[nicleigh84]

In short, if I were in charge, I'd announce the theme for the coming year would be "Expect the Unexpected". And I'd make sure that every cast member at every park or restaurant or hotel were empowered to make magic happen as they see fit. I bet it would be a heck of a thing.

THIS. This would make me so excited for another trip. Just the possibility of some surprise pixie dust would change my whole attitude from anxiety to excitement. How soon can you start??

 

[mom2cinderella]

Disney has one of the most powerful brands in the world. Nothing that they are doing now in WDW will diminish that brand. They might be able to do a few things to make patrons feel a little better about their experiences while in WDW, but WDW is a tiny part of their business. Disney executives probably spend a lot less time thinking about WDW than most people on the Dis would believe.

WDW may be a tiny part of their business, I don't know. But looking at the 2013 financials revenue from media networks was $20b and revenue from parks and resorts was $14b. That is not chump change.

 

[surferdave]

For the sake of the exercise, try to suspend disbelief and pretend Disney could suffer later for being complacent now, just like every other company ever.

I still like the idea of improving the ride queues to be (1) comfortable, (2) mildly entertaining, (3) legit part of the attraction. Bump each queue up from wherever it is now to the next level.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

WDW may be a tiny part of their business, I don't know. But looking at the 2013 financials revenue from media networks was $20b and revenue from parks and resorts was $14b. That is not chump change.

You are correct, their total parks and resorts division generated $14.1B in revenues in 2013, about 31% of the total. It also accounted for the largest portion of profits for the company. And WDW is the largest piece of that department if you include all of the resorts on site (and you really have to), so they are far from a tiny portion of the business. Thank you for the correction.

I still believe that the management team spends a lot less time thinking about WDW than most people on the Dis might believe. Most people think that Disney is the parks, but that becomes less true every year.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

For the sake of the exercise, try to suspend disbelief and pretend Disney could suffer later for being complacent now.

How is Disney being complacent? You may not like where they are investing, but they are investing heavily in their future.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

That doesn't mean they will always remain so. People plan Disney trips a long ways in advance. Fallout from a bad business decision doesn't necessarily show up overnight.

Well- we have yet to see if this is a "bad business" decision. I tend to believe it isn't.....Universal and other theme parks like it have recently filed patents for ride reservation systems very similar to Disney's Magic Bands/FP+. Disney's stocks, profit and attendance continue to grow. Disney is doing more than okay right now....so I don't expect them to change their model. Disney is one of the most powerful and most recognized brands in the world.

Disney is not JCPenny---a company that struggled in the market for decades in attempts to redefine themselves and their brand---up and down...up and down with no consistency. When they hired the Apple guy.....JCPenny was already losing business and the new CEO drove it further into disarray----clothes aren't the same as niche' electronics. You won't find people willing to sleep on the sidewalk for the new Arizona jeans....it was a mess. Disney's brand is strong, profits are strong, stocks are at it's highest, attendance is strong and all consistent -----this is the key. Sure- that can always change but I doubt it. People love entertainment and are willing to sacrifice and pay big bucks for it whenever they can.

You're correct in terms of profits. I'm not saying they're about to go under.

However, in today's Internet world, branding is so important. Yes, people will still go to the Disney parks and earn them profits. But there's an opportunity cost (to use a business term) by following their current path. Sure, they're still doing well, but how well could they have done?

There's also a lot of spin that goes into reporting their results. Disney's a public company and will never admit if satisfaction is going downward.

If Disney loses its most dedicated fans or even turns them off partially, it will impact them in some way in the future. Companies that seem unstoppable can get kicked down a notch if they aren't careful.

Disney is a major media conglomerate and one of only six media giants.... that control 90% of what we all see and hear. You mentioned that Disney needs a "huge" announcement before Diagon Alley opens....guess what- Disney has been advertising Maleficent nonstop on t.v. and people are going to say " hey, let's go see the movie in June"----then they'll want to meet Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent in the Disney parks. It's also an opportunity for Disney to market the mine train and new parade. There are many facets to Disney...they are not just in the theme park business. DVC is Disney's real bread and butter in regards to the parks not the rides. The mine train has a brand new DVC sale center right under it----the sign should read "brought to you by DVC."

Other amusement parks have to build new rides every two years or so just to survive and stay competitive. Disney doesn't have to do this ----just look at how fast they throw up DVC versus anything else at WDW.