Soarin' SB+ test...Fail

[ArwenMarie]

You've been playing Amusement Park Tycoon again, haven't you....? Against my better judgement, here it goes: Your logic not only ignores capacity, it ignores the multiple types, needs, wants, desires, nationalities, language issues and overall guest type - not to mention social behavior And All of your "logic" ignores the fact that implementing your strategy means there is no standby. Well, I think that's what you mean, but I've completely lost track of what you're proposing, or where you stand. On one hand, you agree this may be the precursor to decreasing standby availability and increasing FP+ capacity available for reservation. On the other hand, you say just stand in line if you don't want to grab a Standby+...... which completely ignores the fact that there is no line to stand in. So logistically, you're proposing (I think) that Disney now have 3 lines FP+, SB+ and Standby - even though none of the rides are set up for that or even have the capability to handle it. You're also surmising that, if FP+ now takes 90% of capacity well in advance (if you still believe Disney is going this route, like you did earlier in the thread), then the earliest guests grab the remaining 10% (remember FP-? That happened with less allocation to FP's) ------what do the day-of guests or late risers do for headliner attractions, without any remaining capacity or a standby line....? How is Disney even going to begin to educate the multitude of languages and nationalities on this very complex addition? And on your continued Gringott's "analogy".... Really...?? The newest, most technologically advanced ride on the Planet has long waits.... Because everyone wants to ride it...... because it's had downtime...... like every other new ride..... I'm shocked... Stop the Presses..... And yet you constantly ignore that 7DMT (a basic 'coaster) was down 9 hours out of 15 on opening day and was down for one full day a few weeks ago, and had significant outages for the 1st 4 weeks. But you see -nobody cares - we're all experienced Park goers - rides break down when they first open. Get over it. Plus, it has absolutely zero to do with this conversation. Yet, you keep bringing it up. Universal is 100% upfront with every aspect of how their Parks work and how guests utilize them. And Disney...? Do we really need to point out to you (again) how this has worked for many months? For example: Do we need to, once again, point out what happened to those 10's of thousands of PoP guests who were left hanging all holiday season as the only on-site guests who suddenly were MB-only while everybody else could pull Legacy FP's? Btw, without any announcement? Do we have to go into the tiering of DAK, with no prior announcement? And on, and on, until this new "fun" ----- with no announcement. What Universal is or is doing has no bearing on this issue - it's a Disney issue And, this is not Amusement Park Tycoon. We are not all the same type of seasoned guest, from the same place, staying in the same lodging, staying for the same amount of time, coming back over and over. 100% anything - whether that's 100% the same type of lodging, or ticket, or ride reservation system, is not feasible for the largest Theme Park Complex in the world. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever - not when humans are involved.

Tiering of DAK?
Did I miss something?

 

[blackmamba10000]

Guest: is this the line for Gringotts?

UNI: Yes

Guest: 400 minutes?

UNI: yes

Guest: but that's 7 hours and I had to buy a hopper so I could ride the train?

UNI: and your point is?

Guest: well can a get a return time if even on a piece of paper?

UNI: no just stand here

There's only a few small differences. This guest can choose to get in line, or not to. They cab also come back later on in the day after they have experienced other attractions, and get in line before the line is closed. This is also a new an extremely popular attraction. I think many who are waiting for Gringotts at this point probably are mentally preparing themselves for long waits. Imagine if there were return times for this ride. There would be extremely long lines to get a return time for this ride. And hey, if you are at the back of a 3 hour line to get a return time, the end result isn't well, I waited for x amount of hours, now I get to ride. It's, well, now I've spent money and waited and don't even get to ride.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

But the point is that some people ENJOY those lunches. And they used to be able to do the lunches AND still do all the rides they liked. Sure sometimes a FP time came up as a conflict. But all you had to do was step aside for a bit and wait for a slightly later time. It still was a far more flexible and spontaneous program.

Also, by booking those lunches we gave Disney more money as those were always OOP if we were on the DDP. Yes, the original FP was best in flexibility so much that we didn't even use the GAC (2 sons on the spectrum).

 

[flicx]

When is your interview scheduled to take Nick Franklin's place?

Don't have one. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the MM plus is way over budget, has way too many IT glitches, and has way too many other problems. If Disney had a do over this would be scrapped in my opinion. Exactly how would have the extra attractions hurt Disney World? Maybe they need to look elsewhere for management. I know Eisner did 10x the job at Disney World than the current clowns! Answer your question?

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Yikes. Maybe they need to get you in one of the management meetings, that should motivate em!

This whole thing reminds me of one friend I have on Facebook whose life is a self inflicted train wreck.

"Hey guys, just bought a new bike... Wow so drunk guys, off out again tonight... Just crashed my new bike guys, in hospital ... Guilty of assault, it's like so unfair... Can't get a job, people hate me!"

"Hey look at this new fast pass... Wait, here is the new one with tiers... Wait here is the new new one with a non existent fourth pass... Wait let's remove standby totally and go back to return times on cards..."

Just want to see what comes next out of a sense of morbid curiosity frankly. It's very entertaining, if irritating.

I have a friend from high school who is very similar. He posted on facebook asking how to fake out a drug test he had to take for a potential job. Then, a couple of weeks later, posted about how crappy it was that they wouldn't give him the job.


Personally, what I think would be smart would be for Disney to stop rolling out things and having guests be the involuntary testers and instead talk to the guests. Find out what they like about their vacation and what they don't like. Get ideas FROM THEM on how the vacation could have been improved. For some, it might be that they wished they understood FP+ more. For others, they might wish that they had realized how important ADRs were as they didn't make any and ended up at counter service restaurants the whole trip. Still others might say that they want more shady spots to sit down and enjoy an ice cream cone. I don't know what everyone wants, but I don't think Disney does, either. Asking them would be a step in the right direction. Oh, and I will be shocked to hear someone say that the best change Disney could make would be whatever the heck they are doing to Downtown Disney.

 

[clsteve]

Tiering of DAK?
Did I miss something?

Smart device being too smart - it resolved DHS to DAK when I mis-spelled it as DAS. I have big thumbs and ten of them - good catch......

 

[ArwenMarie]

Smart device being too smart - it resolved DHS to DAK when I mis-spelled it as DAS. I have big thumbs and ten of them - good catch......

Whew!

 

[jade1]

Well you have to expect it to be crazy over there for a while. Isn't it crazy for the mine train at MK? Any new ride anywhere is going to create a buzz.

Yea hoping so-but grabbed 7DMT for my coworker at 28 days out-20 total.

 

[flicx]

Can you give me the actual budget and how much they have overrun the budget since you apparently have insight into the whole MM+ process?

Maybe Disney should send their recruiters to this board to find Franklin's replacement since so many people have the answers.

This is public knowledge. This has been written about numerous times in numerous publications. Heck Bob Iger has admitted it himself. Can I take it that you think this giant mess was a good idea? They shouldn't have gone with the more attractions? You seriously think if Disney had a do over they would press on with this?

 

[canoe86]

We sat down last night and started going over the parks, one by one and what was 'worth it' in each one. Other than the MK, and somewhat AK, Disney World is a bit thin on things to do in the other parks.

 

[canoe86]

I should add, with all the crazy going on PLUS the lack of attractions, we are seriously considering not going or splitting with Universal.

 

[wn01aa]

Maybe 7DMT is wearing off its luster. Check TP and Space Mountain has an 80 min line and Peter Pan, Splash Mountain, and BTMRR all have 60 minute waits.

 

[mediadiva]

From what I read it sounds like budget was supposedly spent on the magic band and my magic website instead of new rides?

I can't see how Disney could have continued and not updated these sort of thing?

The Magic Bands are exactly that, magic. I adore them. They have added loads of new things at MK, and I like that the other parks are as they are, if there was 3 Magic Kindoms it would be kinda crazy. Epcot to me is meant to be more chill, more grown up. Malstrum is my favorite ride and test track and after several visits I've still not gotten on all of the rides there. I love a nice calm day at Epcot. I wish it had more shady area's thats about it

My husband really likes Animal Kindgom and its a great way to get a really good seat at a parade without fighting so many people. The crowds at MK for a parade are kind of stressful. The food seems better there too. I would imagine they would get less volume so it might be easier to keep the quality up.

Downtown Disney is equally fun, I love walking down and looking at the different shops.

I have been doing to Disney a lot the last few years specifically because of all the neat stuff they have done.

Making good websites is actually incredibly hard, just ask the gov't. Its very easy for internal politics or just having the wrong team (nothing wrong with each individual but just don't work well together) to totally screw a project up, I think the Disney website works very well. I've had problems on Amazon.com and most other big websites.

I had it mess up once for me and I had to call to have it fixed and sure it was boring and sucked some time up but all I was able to do with the website is well worth that one phone call I had to make when my daughter got deleted from the reservation. I've had to do it with Amazon too. I also know why she got deleted. I had added her as a person before I paid like a month before to prepare my profile. Her birthday is literally the week before the trip and I put her age in as 5 (the age she will be when we go) but when I went to fill out stuff when I was purchasing the tickets it asked me her date of birth and it didn't match, because she's 4 right now so it got mad. So I deleted her and started over and put in her age as 4 when I created her profile so it would work the second time around. A week later when I logged in I noticed under my TICKETS only 3 people appeared, though my reservations had 4 people. it was super wacky what happened. They told me I had indeed paid for her and no worries and re-attached her and she was still on all my FP and restaurant reservations.

I think they are doing a great job and I've been thrilled with all the parks have to offer and the website. The only issue I've ever had with Disney is some rude or clueless people at the front desk at the Contemporary. The value resorts seem to have better costumer service at the front desks compared to that hotel.

I remember long lines in the 80's. I remember long lines in 2008. Busch Gardens has long lines too. It they want less crowds they should build a new theme park in a different state. Maybe even an exact replica of certain things that are so popular and successful.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think the Disney website works very well.

I'm sorry, but you lost me after that statement.

 

[mediadiva]

I'm sorry, but you lost me after that statement.

Obv it is my personal experience with it. I've been using it on and off for over 3 months and longer and its been fine. I've not used the app in the park, because I've not gone yet.

 

[Angel Ariel]

My husband really likes Animal Kindgom and its a great way to get a really good seat at a parade without fighting so many people. The crowds at MK for a parade are kind of stressful.

Just in case you weren't aware, the parade at animal kingdom has ended. There is no longer a parade running there, and there has not been any announced plans to replace it with a new parade.

 

[jco_direwolf]

I don't know for sure but everyone is always saying Disney is a corporation whose sole goal is to make money for shareholders. So if they think they make money off of it don't you think they will take advantage of that?

Well it was the same argument people used who hated FP+ that it would be a paid service. So far the only time they have same anything like that it was the thrill attraction tour.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

[QUOTE="mediadiva"

Making good websites is actually incredibly hard, just ask the gov't. Its very easy for internal politics or just having the wrong team (nothing wrong with each individual but just don't work well together) to totally screw a project up, I think the Disney website works very well. I've had problems on Amazon.com and most other big websites.
[/QUOTE]

We're in a world of hurt if we use the gov't as a standard to compare to.

 

[flicx]

Since I missed the public knowledge part. Can you tell me exactly how much they have spent and how much over budget they are?

I really didn't stop to gather the sources. I read several sources and they all had the number at 500 million for the original amount to be spent on the whole thing. It has now been reported that they are over 1.5 billion spent and still going due to additional problems. I believe there was mention of it in the shareholder minutes/report if memory serves. So are you saying these reports are wrong? Do you know the numbers? Please if you know something enlighten us. If not I will stick with what I read.

 

[MickeyOCD]

Somebody asked if there was any information outside of the land on this test. I believe the answer is no. Nobody appeared to know about it, it was not until you went do the stairs, into the zoo, that you realized something was up. Strangly, living with the land only had a 10 minute wait, with at least 1000 people hanging about, holding on to their little cards....sometimes you just cant figure people out.... side note on gringotts: the phenomenon will die down eventually, and in a few months, it will be relatively easy to see, in my opinion. HOwever, this system of standby plus will really change things at disney, and at all the headliners. When I get back home, I want to report on some very funny 'staging' of lines I saw Disney doing, at TOT, a line manipulation to keep people from entering the standby line....at 7pm, when the park closed at 10....perhaps its the norm, not sure.

I sure would like to hear your observations!