TSM standby-less test Oct. 6-9

[cakebaker]

Walt was pretty happy making as much money as possible, so I don't think any of us really know which side of this he'd fall on.

I agree. Walt has been gone a long time. It's impossible to know what he would think of the world today and the choices being made at the parks.
I'm not so sure he wouldn't be very happy- they are, after all, doing a booming business.

Personally, I don't think unsolicited opinions here or on facebook is where one looks for the most accurate assessment of people's opinions. Displeased people always speak louder and more often than satisfied ones.

If you went by the majority of opinions here, WDW is going to hell in a handbasket- well if they are, the basket is going to be full of money when they get there.

 

[mesaboy2]

I agree. Walt has been gone a long time. It's impossible to know what he would think of the world today and the choices being made at the parks.
I'm not so sure he wouldn't be very happy- they are, after all, doing a booming business.

Personally, I don't think unsolicited opinions here or on facebook is where one looks for the most accurate assessment of people's opinions. Displeased people always speak louder and more often than satisfied ones.

If you went by the majority of opinions here, WDW is going to hell in a handbasket- well if they are, the basket is going to be full of money when they get there.

Maybe so, but where would you suggest someone go for accurate assessments of people's opinions (if there is such a thing)?

 

[Jennasis]

I agree. Walt has been gone a long time. It's impossible to know what he would think of the world today and the choices being made at the parks.
I'm not so sure he wouldn't be very happy- they are, after all, doing a booming business.

Personally, I don't think unsolicited opinions here or on facebook is where one looks for the most accurate assessment of people's opinions. Displeased people always speak louder and more often than satisfied ones.

If you went by the majority of opinions here, WDW is going to hell in a handbasket- well if they are, the basket is going to be full of money when they get there.

 

[cakebaker]

Maybe so, but where would you suggest someone go for accurate assessments of people's opinions (if there is such a thing)?

Someone outside of Disney? Just regular people you mean? I don't know that there is an accurate way to know really. Disney has all sorts of scientific methods they can employ to get an accurate assessment.

For us, I'm not sure we can and not sure we really need to. It's entertaining to discuss it ( most times), but none of us have access to real data showing what the general park going public really thinks.

An interesting thing I ran onto is a recent discussion by Disney- it'll probably bore some people to sleep, but I found it an interesting read to see what Disney thinks about fp+ and how it's doing:

http://cdn.media.ir.thewaltdisneycompany.com/2014/events/jar-gs-2014-0910.pdf

 

[Ellwood970]

I think Disney already has enough data to make accurate predictions on crowd flow and control. I think this is all psychological testing to test how we will react to the changes and to test the waters.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think Disney already has enough data to make accurate predictions on crowd flow and control. I think this is all psychological testing to test how we will react to the changes and to test the waters.

It's interesting that you mention the psychological testing. Watching the podcast today, Kathy said that when she posted about the TSMM test on her FB page, someone (I'm assuming a source w/I Disney from how she worded it) contacted her and told her that the point of these tests was basically to train guests to think of lines differently. To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line - as opposed to thinking the standby line is the main line, and the FP+ lets you skip the line as the general thinking is now.

If this really is where Disney is going in their thinking, IMHO that points even more towards them going to 100% ride reservation system at least for the E-ticket rides.

 

[cakebaker]

To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line - as opposed to thinking the standby line is the main line, and the FP+ lets you skip the line as the general thinking is now.

I'm not sure how the tests "train" guests, but the explanation for what Disney is after certainly makes a lot of sense, to me at least.

And maybe it does make more sense to look at FP+ in a different way. It isn't a fp at all, it's a reserved place in line. Maybe Disney should have come up with a name for it that didn't link to legacy fp- in that using that label makes us all think of it's use as we did legacy fp, and it's not apparently how they intended for it to be thought of.

Not that I'm particularly thrilled with that idea- I see long lines with FP+ in my future.

Ha! I'm already being trained without even being there.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm not sure how the tests "train" guests, but the explanation for what Disney is after certainly makes a lot of sense, to me at least.

/

From what I gathered on the podcast the general idea is that the tests will get the guests to start seeing the FP+ line as the *only* line, since they won't have any other option, as opposed to a way to skip the line since there isn't a line they'd be skipping.

And maybe it does make more sense to look at FP+ in a different way. It isn't a fp at all, it's a reserved place in line. Maybe Disney should have come up with a name for it that didn't link to legacy fp- in that using that label makes us all think of it's use as we did legacy fp, and it's not apparently how they intended for it to be thought of.

Not that I'm particularly thrilled with that idea- I see long lines with FP+ in my future.

Ha! I'm already being trained without even being there.

I agree that if this is what they were after, they should have gone for a name that had no link to legacy FP. I don't know that it would make the idea be received any better...I still think there's just a lot of people who aren't interested in having to have their entire vacation prescheduled...but I do think it would have saved a lot of the whole legacy/+ comparisons.

 

[DisneyBum303]

To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line.

Wow. Sounds like the standby line will be the new 'single rider' line.

 

[g-dad66]

Installment #4
(#1: Post 361 on page 25
#2: Post 647 on page 44
#3: Post 818 on page 55)

At around 6pm today it took us over 45 mins to ride TSMM with our FPs. people were angry and several groups left through the emergency exit which aggravated the CMs. at one point someone said we should start chanting and all walk out. right before you got on the ride there was a manager passing out FPs to another ride and these passes were good until Oct.31st. didn't help us since we are leaving in a day though. The passes also were not good for shows, Fantasmic or Toy Story which doesn't leave much if you don't like thrill rides. Big pain!

Is this test still going on today? Because I am seeing one FP+ available for only 2 people (we have 4 in our family, so...useless anyway) and it's 5:55-6:55. It says no others available. That and Star Tours are the only rides my 7yo likes at DHS. So do I drive 45 minutes on the hope that we can ride one of the two rides we want? I'm gonna say no thanks, Disney. I hope whatever it is they're trying to figure out is worth it, because they just kept us out of the park for a day--and I would hope that's not their goal. But who knows?

There were no FP+ when I checked at 5am, but now they are wide open. Not helpful, Disney. If I were a normal person (which, clearly I am not), I would have assumed that meant FP+ were gone for the day and made difference plans. What's the point of opening them all up at 9am, when it's too late for a visitor to decide whether it's worth it to go to DHS or not? Frustrating.

FP+ line currently snaked all the way back to the etch-a-sketch. Will report back on wait time once we're off the ride.

One other note. Is 150 minute wait for RNR normal for this time of year? I've never seen it that high and figure it's likely spiked due to the TSMM test.

Took right at 20 to get through the line so in and out around 26-27 minutes. Was able to secure another for tsmm at 445pm but will likely let it go. Need to head towards Epcot around then for Fuel!

 

[Cielei]

Good Morning, here is your itinerary for the day ... please be sure not to deviate from the plans you made months ago. Oh, you forgot to schedule a bathroom break? I'm sorry, we're all out of fp+ for that at this time, but maybe there is a chance we can work you in somewhere ... have a magical day!

Do you think if I'm a really good girl and learn to sit and roll over, I'll get a treat?

 

[Planogirl]

Good Morning, here is your itinerary for the day ... please be sure not to deviate from the plans you made months ago. Oh, you forgot to schedule a bathroom break? I'm sorry, we're all out of fp+ for that at this time, but maybe there is a chance we can work you in somewhere ... have a magical day!

Do you think if I'm a really good girl and learn to sit and roll over, I'll get a treat?

I feel like this too lately.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

It's interesting that you mention the psychological testing. Watching the podcast today, Kathy said that when she posted about the TSMM test on her FB page, someone (I'm assuming a source w/I Disney from how she worded it) contacted her and told her that the point of these tests was basically to train guests to think of lines differently. To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line - as opposed to thinking the standby line is the main line, and the FP+ lets you skip the line as the general thinking is now.

If this really is where Disney is going in their thinking, IMHO that points even more towards them going to 100% ride reservation system at least for the E-ticket rides.

Not saying that Disney isn't trying to do this but come on! There are many first time guest that don't do any research before coming to Disney and yet Disney is somehow thinking they are going to change the way THESE guest think about lines for rides that is different from any other amusement park, carnival or theme park. Not to mention all the foreign guest that CMs have a hard time getting to understand how things work, even when it is close to what is the normally accepted. How will they get them to understand that they need to schedule ALL of their rides??

 

[Ellwood970]

It's interesting that you mention the psychological testing. Watching the podcast today, Kathy said that when she posted about the TSMM test on her FB page, someone (I'm assuming a source w/I Disney from how she worded it) contacted her and told her that the point of these tests was basically to train guests to think of lines differently. To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line - as opposed to thinking the standby line is the main line, and the FP+ lets you skip the line as the general thinking is now. If this really is where Disney is going in their thinking, IMHO that points even more towards them going to 100% ride reservation system at least for the E-ticket rides.

Well it is a different way of thinking about it. For those of us who have been there many times I think it will be easier to accept at least for me. Meaning if I don't get to ride a few rides it is no big deal. But people who come once in a long while I don't know. I think they may be going for a full resort experience and those staying off property will just have to make do.

 

[annacali]

This all makes me sad. Our last trip was last Thanksgiving and I knew then it would be our last for a while. We had been yearly visitors but the introduction of FP+ was a deal breaker for us. We were off site guests, did not have access to FP+ that trip and FP- was basically nonexistent. Disney lost a lot of its magic for us that trip. I haven't seen anything here since to make me think I should give it another try-it all only seems to get worse. We are offsite people and Disney just keeps making it more and more clear that we are not important to them so we will stay away. I have lots of other places on my vacation bucket list. My kids love Disney but they want to ride rides...again and again, not once during a weeklong vacation if we manage to schedule it right. This wasn't previously too much to ask.

 

[vacationer1954]

Maybe so, but where would you suggest someone go for accurate assessments of people's opinions (if there is such a thing)?

The surveys that they do in the parks are probably good. And while we each know what we have told them we don't know what others have told them. The parks are incredibly successful despite decades of people getting really upset with things Disney does.

 

[magicbob]

It's interesting that you mention the psychological testing. Watching the podcast today, Kathy said that when she posted about the TSMM test on her FB page, someone (I'm assuming a source w/I Disney from how she worded it) contacted her and told her that the point of these tests was basically to train guests to think of lines differently. To train guests to think of the FP+ line as the main line, and the standby line as a true standby "we'll take you if we have space for you" line - as opposed to thinking the standby line is the main line, and the FP+ lets you skip the line as the general thinking is now.

If this really is where Disney is going in their thinking, IMHO that points even more towards them going to 100% ride reservation system at least for the E-ticket rides.

As I and others predicted over a year ago.

 

[mesaboy2]

The surveys that they do in the parks are probably good. And while we each know what we have told them we don't know what others have told them. The parks are incredibly successful despite decades of people getting really upset with things Disney does.

Useless, since that data is not available.

 

[vacationer1954]

It is useless in terms of second-guessing Disney. That's true.

 

[Pumba's Truth]

Useless, since that data is not available.

I wouldn't say the data is useless. Except to us, seeing as we dot have it. Quite frankly we don't call the shots at Disney we don't have a right to the data. Anyways.

Well something else to look at would be what happens if and when on property resort capacity exceeds park capacities, or at least comes close. Is there a potential for Disney to move to a position of no offsite guests? There is already a tiered servicing happening with respect to FP+.

Could be interesting to see what this resort experience looks like in 5-10.

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