Reply from WDW Guest Communications

[JimmyV]

I haven't been since the implementation of FP+, But in all honesty and very much looking forward to it. We are planning a trip now for the end of April, and I can already see how much easier it is making our planning process.

I think it will be a huge win for Disney, despite what many posters on this forum think.

It is entirely possible (and likely) that you will have a great time. But what is too often lost here is that there is no "one way" to tour the parks, and the new system has most definitely handed a short straw to a large segment of the touring population, and they will complain. (And we are not talking about a "small minority" here.) Let's assume that one of the great benefits that you see of this new system is the ability to avoid Rope Drop, tour more leisurely and do things outside of the parks that you could never do before. You've always wanted to have breakfast at Chef Mickey's but could never squeeze it in because you were always going to the parks early. FP+ allows you to arrive at your pleasure. So now your family is at Chef Mickey's from 8:30-9:30 and you hope to get to DHS by 10:00. Your goal for the day is to ride TSM, Rock-n-Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror at least once each. Seated next to you is another family that is going to do the exact same thing. You are staying on site and have pre-booked your FP+s. The other family is staying off site and will have to wait in line to use a kiosk when they arrive. Your two families are going to have incredibly different touring experiences once you get to the park. When your two families arrive, the kiosk lines are 45-60 minutes long, and the FP+ options are very limited. Your family might have a great day and the other might have a lousy day, and neither is "right or wrong", and neither's satisfaction or dissatisfaction is based on an "opinion". The two experiences are measurably different. So it does little good for people here to insist that FP+ will always fail, just as it is irrational for people here to say that there is nothing wrong with the system and nothing worth complaining about. The successes that people are having with FP+ are real. And so are the disappointments. Can't we all agree on that?

 

[faneuil]

You're confusing the letter of the law with the spirit of the law in this instance. The spirit of FP is to use a few a day. The "gamers" used the letter of the law to maximize the amount the could obtain. Understand that I'm in no way saying the gamers of the system were wrong but they definitely took full advantage of the letter of the law in this case.

No one will agree about that topic so I'll just leave my comment at that.

"Gamer" here. And I completely agree. So in this game of dodge ball, there's at least two of us on one side.

 

[sonofanarchy]

She's out quite a few house payments.

I'm guessing she's in foreclosure by now.

 

[sonofanarchy]

I haven't read all of this thread but I totally agree with this!

My sister- who has only been to WDW 1 day over 20 years ago- mentioned that she saw a commercial about something new (FP+) and it sounded like a great way to ride the things you want to ride. She was most excited about it because it was FREE! She is thinking about going next year.

There's a lot wrong with this statement:

First, do you think Disney cares more about the person who has been to Disney 1 day over 20 years ago versus someone who has been every year for the last 10 years? Is that the genius of the Fastpass+ marketing campaign? If so, Disney needs a new marketing head, and fast!

My wife knows someone like your sister. She mentioned that she thought this was a good idea, and then my wife explained how it actually works. That trip was off in a hurry. If anyone unfamiliar with WDW does the least bit of research into FP+, they're likely to be turned off pretty quick when they read and hear all the complaints about it.

 

[Rip]

That's an awesome attitude to have!

I can see the commercials now:

Isn't it time you come to the place where dreams come true? And if it's not, screw you. We don't need your business.

You owe me a keyboard!

 

[chmurf]

Are there many Saudi princes visiting each day and dropping $15 mill? Has a Saudi Prince ever dropped $15 mill in 3 days at Disney?

Answer was Disneyland Paris (but he also toured Tokyo, Anaheim and Orlando before he got to Paris, and spent at all 4 resorts.

So NO.

your question was "at Disney" and the answer is yes.


now if I may.
I am not one of those who like to say who p**'s the farthest because I know there will be someone who could best me in any room I stand in.
But I have 15 trips under my belt, coming from Europe, all of those trips 2 or 3 weeks long with a value in excess of 10.000 euros each ($13,000)
If you check my sig, you'll see that I'm going round the world to visit each and every Disney Resort in the world. I won't tell you how much it costs between onsite in Honk Hong, Tokyo, LA, Orlando, Paris and the non-theme parks resorts but I can tell you that it's $25k for flights only.

Saying that, OP's $100k spent at Disney is a small amount in comparison of what I spent and will keep on spending.
I'm not saying out lout to brag about how much I spend, that's not my point.

My point is to ask why some guests find it necessary to tell Disney how much they spent, and that they should listen because they might no longer spend their money.
As it turns out, I experienced the new FP+/MM+ system and I'm highly satisfied. Should I write Disney to tell how pleased I am and that I will continue to spend money at Disney on top of the hundreds of thousands of dollars I've already spent ?

If I react in such a way, it's because writing to tell a business how much you spend with them, and that they better listen or else ... it's very rude to every other guest or DISer on this forum or in the parks.

It's rude towards those who can't afford to spend that much, because it would mean that spending more gives more right, more weight, more power to bend the system to your will.
And it's rude towards those who spent a lot more for the same opposite reason.

Whatever you spend on something does not (should not) give you more weight, nor should it give you the impression that you can bend a company to your will.

As things stand, what would you think if I started a topic saying "I wrote a letter, I said that I was pleased with the new system, and since I spend so much money at Disney, they better not listen to the measly guests who do not spend that much and still do complain" ...
how rude and insulting would that be ?

In the same fashion I feel insulted by posts where people think that money makes them better than others, and that, money is a leverage tool, and that the very small amount of money they spent gives them the right to speak for others.

Anyway, MyMagic+ costs over $1 billion, that's a lot of $10k/year guests.

 

[sonofanarchy]

You owe me a keyboard!

Fair enough. Better than a mortgage payment!

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

You're confusing the letter of the law with the spirit of the law in this instance. The spirit of FP is to use a few a day. The "gamers" used the letter of the law to maximize the amount the could obtain. Understand that I'm in no way saying the gamers of the system were wrong but they definitely took full advantage of the letter of the law in this case.

No one will agree about that topic so I'll just leave my comment at that.

Completely agree with this.....I use the word in this spirit too.

"Gamer" here. And I completely agree. So in this game of dodge ball, there's at least two of us on one side.

This is exactly how I use the word. It's not meant to be in a bad way. Look at how they are trying to sneak and turn this thread into an argument over the word "gaming." Nice try..... but this thread is about that letter and Disney's bold response----I mean Disney didn't even read it.

 

[surferdave]

That's an awesome attitude to have!

I can see the commercials now:

Isn't it time you come to the place where dreams come true? And if it's not, screw you. We don't need your business.

We don't care; we don't have to!

 

[MrsDuck]

I'm sure that's what they teach at the Disney Institute.

Here's their blog about repeat customers: http://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2014/03/beyond-repeat-customers-building-brand-attachment/245

We are repeat customers... FL residents since birth, premium annual passholders, DVC members with a substantial amount of points, Tables in Wonderland holders, DCL Castaway Cay members who get to WDW almost monthly.

My point is: if I stopped going to Disney, they wouldn't notice even though we ARE repeat customers and have been for the past 20 YEARS.

 

[Jennasis]

Answer was Disneyland Paris (but he also toured Tokyo, Anaheim and Orlando before he got to Paris, and spent at all 4 resorts.

your question was "at Disney" and the answer is yes.

now if I may.
I am not one of those who like to say who p**'s the farthest because I know there will be someone who could best me in any room I stand.
But I have 15 trips under my belt, coming from Europe, all of those trips 2 or 3 weeks long with a value in excess of 10.000 euros each ($13,000)
If you check my sig, you'll see that I'm going round the world to visit each and every Disney Resort in the world (including Hilton Head and Vero Beach) I won't tell you how much it costs between onsite in Honk Hong, Tokyo, LA, Orlando, Paris and the non-theme parks resorts (Hilton Head, Vero Beach and Aulani) but I can tell you that it's $25k for flights only.

Saying that, OP's $100k spent at Disney is a small amount in comparison of what I spent and will keep on spending.
I'm not saying out lout to brag about how much I spend, that's not my point.

My point is to ask why some guests find it necessary to tell Disney how much they spent, and that they should listen because they might no longer spend their money.
As it turns out, I experienced the new FP+/MM+ system and I'm highly satisfied. Should I write Disney to tell how pleased I am and that I will continue to spend money at Disney on top of the hundreds of thousands of dollars I've already spent ?

If I react in such a way, it's because writing to tell a business how much you spend with them, and that they better listen or else ... it's very rude to every other guest or DISer on this forum or in the parks.

It's rude towards those who can't afford to spend that much, because it would mean that spending more gives more right, more weight, more power to bend the system to your will.
And it's rude towards those who spent a lot more for the same opposite reason.

Whatever you spend on something does not (should not) give you more weight, nor should it give you the impression that you can bend a company to your will.

As things stand, what would you think if I started a topic saying "I wrote a letter, I said that I was pleased with the new system, and since I spend so much money at Disney, they better not listen to the measly guests who do not spend that much and still do complain" ...
how rude and insulting would that be ?

In the same fashion I feel insulted by posts where people think that money makes them better than others, and that, money is a leverage tool, and that the very small amount of money they spent gives them the right to speak for others.

Anyway, MyMagic+ costs over $1 billion, that's a lot of $10k/year guests.

I meant Disney World as that is what we are discussing. ...but I'm sure you knew that.

If you are satisfied with the system then heck yeah write a letter! How else are they to know if the good outweighed the bad?

I suppose Disney (world) better hope that high rollin' Saudi Prince loves FP+. What if HE writes a letter lol?

 

[Rip]

This isn't entirely true. One can complain about a change without experiencing it, and indeed, the threat of a cancelled upcoming trip may be more impactful than telling someone that they already have $100K of your money. For example, you have probably heard by now of Delta's change to its frequent flier program. (Points will be awarded based on money spent instead of miles flown, thus rewarding business travelers who fly on full-fare tickets that their company actually paid for!) I don't need to take another flight on Delta before writing to them telling them just how angry and disappointed I am with this change. I can pretty much figure out whose ox is getting gored here, and I can threaten them with the loss of future business. When three people tell me that the milk is sour, I'm fine throwing it away without tasting it myself.

Exactly. It's absurd to state that one must try something to know if they will like it or not. I can tell you right now I am 100% sure I won't like the new system because, among many other reasons MATH (3<6). I don't need to drop thousands of dollars - testing or when all the bugs are worked out - to know that it doesn't fit our touring style. We will be going to Epcot for 1 day during F&W this year and that's it. Rather than the split stays we used to do the rest of our vacation will be spent about 15 minutes up the road where I have steadily been getting more for my money over the past several years.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

We are repeat customers... FL residents since birth, premium annual passholders, DVC members with a substantial amount of points, Tables in Wonderland holders, DCL Castaway Cay members who get to WDW almost monthly.

My point is: if I stopped going to Disney, they wouldn't notice even though we ARE repeat customers and have been for the past 20 YEARS.

No they wouldn't...

In the immortal Words of Tyler Durden..."Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

 

[luvthemouse71]

Interesting. Especially that last sentence, where they totally ignored what you said about not vacationing at WDW again. And were NOT recommending WDW to family and friends. Basically a "have a nice day" reply.

I am not sure why that response would shock the OP. Disney is a huge corporation, they don't need the OP's business.

Really, I'm shocked they got one at all,TBH.

 

[wdwlver]

That's an awesome attitude to have! I can see the commercials now: Isn't it time you come to the place where dreams come true? And if it's not, screw you. We don't need your business.

ROTFL....love that!

 

[TNDisneyNut]

Why was a letter necessary couldn't you simply stop going?

A customer mentioning how much they spend in establishment as to why one should fight to keep their business is second only to "do you know who I am"...

I run a small business and customer feedback is VITAL to me, negative and positive. I want to know what we are doing well and on what we need to improve. I have had clients in the past not tell me something that was going on and then get upset a year later when it was still going on, and it was something I could easily have fixed if I would have known. While Disney is a huge business, they are in the business of customer service. That's all they do day in and day out. I write emails and handwritten letters when I feel the situation warrants it, and I have called on rare occasion both for good and bad reasons. If you care enough to visit a vacation destination every year, a restaurant weekly or monthly, or purchase a product on a regular basis, you care enough to take a minute to let them know how they are doing. I know in my business, complaints I have received made my company better, and the compliments I received made my day!

 

[WillAustin]

My point is: if I stopped going to Disney, they wouldn't notice even though we ARE repeat customers and have been for the past 20 YEARS.

Right. But the point is that they should care and they should absolutely want to know why. At least that's what they teach as their business model.

 

[MrsDuck]

No they wouldn't...

In the immortal Words of Tyler Durden..."Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

I fully agree and have no problems with that mentality! At the end of the day, unlike others, I realize that keeping my business from Disney isn't going to change their quarterly reports or their in-park decisions.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I'm getting really tired of the attitude that if you have something critical to say about Disney you need to shut up and go away.

No one is saying that. What most are saying is that while your opinion may be important to you, it may not be to anyone else. Feel free to express, but be aware that there won't be 100% agreement or that the business may file your complaint in the garbage.

 

[flutterby3744]

What if I told you to eat Dog Crap on a stick ? Would you take a bite before deciding you didn't like it ... or would you just say you'd pass ? How about testicle, or ovaries, eyeballs, brains ? People eat those all over the world.

I get your point, but there are lots of things people, including yourself, wouldn't try for free, let alone pay thousands of dollars to "try" to see if they liked it. On the other hand, if you will "try anything" then, hey I have a beautiful room upstairs in which you will have the greatest sleep/stay of your life, heck bring the whole family and cram, I mean slide comfortably into this opulent getaway destination. Just $5000, I will be waiting for you to tell me when you expect your arrival.

Sorry, I guess I just have a different perspective. Honestly, we aren't FP people anyway. When I used them in the past, I felt beholden to the time and probably half the time didn't even use it once I had one! It's just my personal opinion that saying you'll never go again because Disney is changing technology is a little extreame. Now if they made the announcement, for example, that they would be taking out all dark rides and would be switching to a more thrill park atmosphere, I can see that reaction. This changes the ENTIRE experience.

If FP+ changes the entire experience for OP, then I guess don't go. I just think it's silly.

And for the record: no to crap on a stick. I have an adventurous nature, but I draw the line at feces.