State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[New Mouse]

How do Entertainers not bring in money?

How many more guests will a performer bring in the gate each day? Disney doesnt find the value worth it.



With a merch team member, there is a tangible dollar amount, and their labor cost is cheaper.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

As someone whose husband has a mostly invisible condition (MS), I heartily agree.

As another person with family members that have invisible conditions, I can’t agree more!

 

[mercuryvenus]

How many more guests will a performer bring in the gate each day? Disney doesnt find the value worth it.



With a merch team member, there is a tangible dollar amount, and their labor cost is cheaper.

Without entertainers you have no characters, no cavalcades, no shows, etc. IMO, Disney would lose a ton of money if they took that stuff away.

 

[ellbell]

As another person with family members that have invisible conditions, I can’t agree more!

As someone with a completely invisible condition I have to 3rd this sentiment.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

How many more guests will a performer bring in the gate each day? Disney doesnt find the value worth it.



With a merch team member, there is a tangible dollar amount, and their labor cost is cheaper.

Shows require lower capital costs for a high perceived value. Shows will be back.

 

[mshanson3121]

.

Us experienced visitors are being replaced. They’re grooming a new audience to enjoy a new experience.

Probably the best statement made on this site in a long time. You just NAILED it.

As someone with a completely invisible condition I have to 3rd this sentiment.

Aw heck, I might as well join in - my son, my daughter and myself all have absolutely invisible issues, our daughter especially. It is incredibly frustrating at times.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Don’t forget all the new Disney addicts who develop after they take their first family trip to WDW. They’ve never knew anything different than what they experienced on their first trip.

Us experienced visitors are being replaced. They’re grooming a new audience to enjoy a new experience.

Or those of us who have been going for years and years (30-ish for me) and continue to have a fantastic time! So glad my view hasn't been tarnished. Not saying it won't happen, but it's not even remotely close yet.

 

[Marionnette]

Don’t forget all the new Disney addicts who develop after they take their first family trip to WDW. They’ve never knew anything different than what they experienced on their first trip.

Us experienced visitors are being replaced. They’re grooming a new audience to enjoy a new experience.

You're assuming that the new visitors will be enamored with their experience. I wonder how many of them are returning from trips this summer and are saying "Gee, golly! I can't wait to fork over great gobs of cash to stand in hour-long lines again!"

 

[mercuryvenus]

You're assuming that the new visitors will be enamored with their experience. I wonder how many of them are returning from trips this summer and are saying "Gee, golly! I can't wait to fork over great gobs of cash to stand in hour-long lines again!"

I’m in a general Disney planning group on FB. 99% of the posts from people returning from trips are overwhelmingly positive.

 

[Marionnette]

I’m in a general Disney planning group on FB. 99% of the posts from people returning from trips are overwhelmingly positive.

And yet, I'm seeing and hearing the exact opposite from young families that had to put off that first visit due to the pandemic and are just now returning from lackluster trips. Most are saying "never again" and "I don't need to travel to Florida to stand in long lines at an overpriced amusement park. I can do that closer to home for half the cost."

 

[mercuryvenus]

And yet, I'm seeing and hearing the exact opposite from young families that had to put off that first visit due to the pandemic and are just now returning from lackluster trips. Most are saying "never again" and "I don't need to travel to Florida to stand in long lines at an overpriced amusement park. I can do that closer to home for half the cost."

Well, my guess is it’s always been the case that some have good experiences and some have bad.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Well, my guess is it’s always been the case that some have good experiences and some have bad.

Yea, I've heard the above from people for years and years. That's not new.

 

[Marionnette]

Well, my guess is it’s always been the case that some have good experiences and some have bad.

And my guess is that first-timers who frequented Disney planning Facebook pages don't tend to return to those pages once their trips have ended if the vacation wasn't magical. The feedback that I'm getting from neighbors, family and friends of my grown children is that Disney as it is right now is nothing special. The experience is no different than visiting Hershey Park but a heck of a lot more expensive.

 

[ziravan]

Jim Gaffigan has an “I hate Disney World” routine that many of you have probably seen. Or can easily find.

I watch it and think, “Thats because you aren’t doing WDW right.” He’s proclaims himself to be the typical tourist who arrives to MK at 11 am in the heat of summer with no plans and can’t figure out why it’s not very enjoyable.

The line between his “I hate WDW” and having a great trip is the ability to plan many of the issues he complains about away.

And yet, those are the very planning tools being held back by WDW. And so, how many Gaffigan-like experiences will WDW tolerate? Because surveys say that when people are happy, they tell 2-3 others, but when they’re not happy, they tell more than 10 others.

My DW and I are coming down for a long weekend date soon. We’ll have a great time, regardless. But we’re super users. We’ll enjoy staying at the new Riveira resort and eating around the world for F&W.

I just wonder how many people are gonna have Gaffigan-like experiences before WDW decides that old FP+ is better than nothing.

 

[luv2cheer92]

And my guess is that first-timers who frequented Disney planning Facebook pages don't tend to return to those pages once their trips have ended if the vacation wasn't magical. The feedback that I'm getting from neighbors, family and friends of my grown children is that Disney as it is right now is nothing special. The experience is no different than visiting Hershey Park but a heck of a lot more expensive.

Gonna strongly disagree with that last sentence, its not even close.

 

[mercuryvenus]

And my guess is that first-timers who frequented Disney planning Facebook pages don't tend to return to those pages once their trips have ended if the vacation wasn't magical. The feedback that I'm getting from neighbors, family and friends of my grown children is that Disney as it is right now is nothing special. The experience is no different than visiting Hershey Park but a heck of a lot more expensive.

There are definitely a few people posting negative experiences. The vast majority are positive, though.

 

[Marionnette]

Gonna strongly disagree with that last sentence, its not even close.

For you. But not for them...you know, those first-time visitors that Disney would like to make into life-time customers. Those guests are not being impressed right now and unlike the hard-core Disney fans, they are not interested in what great stuff is in the planning stages for the 50th or next year. They only know from their one and only experience and it wasn't a good one.

 

[mercuryvenus]

For you. But not for them...you know, those first-time visitors that Disney would like to make into life-time customers. Those guests are not being impressed right now and unlike the hard-core Disney fans, they are not interested in what great stuff is in the planning stages for the 50th or next year. They only know from their one and only experience and it wasn't a good one.

If you’re drawing these conclusions from friends, family, and neighbors, that’s anecdata, which isn’t a great basis from which to draw broad conclusions.

 

[New Mouse]

If you’re drawing these conclusions from friends, family, and neighbors, that’s anecdata, which isn’t a great basis from which to draw broad conclusions.

Most people dont like to wait hours for rides after paying $100 plus for admission, you dont need polls for that.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Most people dont like to wait hours for rides after paying $100 plus for admission, you dont need polls for that.

Sure. But until someone provides systematic data, as opposed to anecdata, I’ll reserve judgment as to what the true sentiment landscape is.