WDW to prevent AP holders from visiting parks many mornings

[Jonfw2]

No, predating it.

The off-site passholders are so low on the priority list for park entry times, that not only do ALL of those staying in Disney owned property on-site get "length of stay" advantages in addition to their passholder park reservation hold limits (3 for Pixie), but guests of all of these ginormous other hotels also get priority over Disney passholders who must choose from Bucket #2 and are limited to that measley number of park reservations. These people are booking months in advance, consuming the park reservation spots. Disney now wants to take away morning entries from the #2 buckets to give to these people too -- not just those who stay on-site in Disney hotels. These are HUGE - HUGE hotels. Basically, I would forecast that those in the #2 bucket will soon be limited to partial days -- now and then for entry choices. That is what Disney administration is doing to its local fan-base.

"If you booked an upcoming stay at one of the following hotels, you can review theme park reservation availability for “Select Resort Hotels”:
...
Other Walt Disney World Resort Area Hotels

• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
• B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista
• Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Shades of Green
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista"

"Disney now wants to...."

PLEASE acknowledge that you do not in any way know that this is true!

 

[Jonfw2]

No, predating it.

Okay.

 

[Miffy]

My kids would demand whatever the "entertainment/infomercials" they watched told them they should. Companies like Disney (and not just Disney, obviously) have long since evolved from simply trying to identify and satisfy demand, to intentionally manufacturing it.

They base their overseas ordering months in advance on demand that they plan to create. Every single new and acquired IP is done with that in mind. Again, not just Disney, but Disney is the master at it.

I'm not sure this topic really warrants a debate. It's already fairly well known at this point by most people on this board.

I realize this is from a few years ago, but Disney is not always a master at this. One glaring example is Frozen. Disney was completely unprepared for what a gigantic hit this movie was. There was practically no merchandise available and I seem to recall that it took them quite a while before there was anything in the shops.

Despite everything, no one knows when something is going to be a big hit--or even a big flop. If this were actual knowledge, every single movie that's released and every single show on TV would be a hit and--they are not.

 

[NJlauren]

My AP is up for renewal at the end of the month, if the number of full day passes available are limited or reduced this would probably push me over the edge or renewing.

I only have 2 trips planned for the next year, and my wallet could use that being the only 2, and if I couldn’t make full day reservations it would push me to not renew.

I’m hopefully this is just an additional option, and could be used as not counting towards your 3 regular reservations. If staying off site.

 

[whiteness]

"Disney now wants to...."

PLEASE acknowledge that you do not in any way know that this is true!

Saying that Disney "wants" to do something is not the same as saying Disney will actually do it. We will just have to wait until they make an official announcement, as always.

 

[Jonfw2]

Saying that Disney "wants" to do something is not the same as saying Disney will actually do it. We will just have to wait until they make an official announcement, as always.

So she knows Disney wants to do this?

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[whiteness]

So she knows Disney wants to do this?

Disney is a corporation. It doesn't have "wants." Individuals within Disney may "want" various things. But a collective decision must be made for the corporation to take action. An insider expressing a personal opinion anonymously is evidence that he/she, and perhaps a faction within Disney, wants to make a change. And maybe even expects for good reason that it will happen. But until the announcement has been made we don't know if that "want" will translate into action.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Saying that Disney "wants" to do something is not the same as saying Disney will actually do it. We will just have to wait until they make an official announcement, as always.

No, but it implies an awareness of intent, as it lacks any qualifiers, as in "it looks like Disney wants to".

 

[Jonfw2]

No. What I wrote is clear enough. I could add a weasel word like "purportedly" ("purportedly wants") but it is not necessary and you have no authority to make me do so. This is social media. Communication doesn't have to be that precise. Whiteness understood for sure.

It may not happen, but it is far from "conjecture" at this point when the prior blogger was touted to be an insider and had a picture of the already digitized and website ready choice would look like. I have said before we will have to wait and see what happens to the all-day reservations after implementation. However, just because the "insider" did not affirmatively say this will happen and couched his/her language with "if", "might" and other parsing language does not mean there isn't a substantial circumstantial evidence trail left by which reasonable persons could not observe and start planning accordingly. It is better to be very astute and watchful at this point than to just be naïve and hope for the best. There is already a track record by Disney here of, 1. having two buckets instead of one, 2. having the CEO make a speech to stockholders that they were manipulating the crowds and passholders so that they could get the right mix of profitable guests and 3. the actual fact that ticketed guests and those in bucket 1 were still being offered park reservations when those in bucket #2 were shut out (this got them into the lawsuit in California and has been observed since then at the resorts on both coasts. So, this is not just conjecture to say they are still attempting to manipulate the buckets and park reservations to the disadvantage of bucket #2. This is not just an option or additional add-on. Any savvy person is going to expect the take-away of almost all morning reservations from bucket #2 passholders. We also already paid for gate admission -- most often before those in bucket #1. They have our money and it is their duty to deliver; not to continue to try to reduce the benefit of that bargain.

I surely hope it does not happen. But if I were a betting person, at this point, I would bet on it.

It was very clear indeed. And very inaccurate.

 

[tjkraz]

The old Disney parks axiom is that those who know aren't talking and those talking don't know. That's not entirely accurate because some lower-level staffers gain access to slivers of forward-thinking info as it intersects with their job responsibilities. But let's not pretend that people leaking this stuff are the decision-makers.

I've been down the WDWMagic rabbit hole before so perhaps this is simply experience talking. You know: once burned, twice shy. But this is basically how the Disney rumor mill operates:

Step 1: Comments from insider with partial knowledge of one possible outcome

Step 2: Other sites pick up on the single-sourced rumor, adding their own elements of speculation

Step 3: "Everyone is talking about this so it's only a matter of time! We must assume it's true and voice our opposition!"

Step 4: Disney does something entirely different, or nothing at all

Step 5: "See Disney changed their minds so we made a difference!"

One of the most obvious examples of this was talk of changes to FastPass+ which seemingly lingered for more than a decade. I mean, it did eventually happen (only took a global pandemic to kick-start), so some people probably feel vindicated for making that prediction. Maybe that 5th theme park really IS just around the corner...

 

[Jonfw2]

The old Disney parks axiom is that those who know aren't talking and those talking don't know. That's not entirely accurate because some lower-level staffers gain access to slivers of forward-thinking info as it intersects with their job responsibilities. But let's not pretend that people leaking this stuff are the decision-makers.

I've been down the WDWMagic rabbit hole before so perhaps this is simply experience talking. You know: once burned, twice shy. But this is basically how the Disney rumor mill operates:

Step 1: Comments from insider with partial knowledge of one possible outcome

Step 2: Other sites pick up on the single-sourced rumor, adding their own elements of speculation

Step 3: "Everyone is talking about this so it's only a matter of time! We must assume it's true and voice our opposition!"

Step 4: Disney does something entirely different, or nothing at all

Step 5: "See Disney changed their minds so we made a difference!"

One of the most obvious examples of this was talk of changes to FastPass+ which seemingly lingered for more than a decade. I mean, it did eventually happen (only took a global pandemic to kick-start), so some people probably feel vindicated for making that prediction. Maybe that 5th theme park really IS just around the corner...

EXACTLY! Thank you!

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[whiteness]

I think it is a fair statement to say that a faction within Disney wanted to move in the direction of monetizing Fastpass and getting people to make reservations prior to entry. And to better monetize more desirable days by giving preferential treatment to guests who are willing to pay more for certain days than guests who aren't. And that it this predated the pandemic. I know it did, because when I interviewed at Disney prior to the pandemic, these are things that we discussed during the interview. Using data analytics to get maximize spend per guest is very a thing at Disney. And well it should be.

And it is also a fair statement that a faction within Disney would like to have more insight and control over capacity utilization over the course of a day. And that a faction in Disney would like to monetize more desirable entry times by, again, giving preference to guests that are willing to pay more for those times.

Again, the folks in analytics wouldn't be doing their jobs if they weren't constantly running models that ask: what can Disney do to make more money per guest? Identifying things that guests are willing to pay more for, and figuring out ways to get them to do that, is something that entire departments of people do all day long at Disney. With massive datasets and servers running SAS and etc.

So, to say that Disney "wants" to do these types of things is not even a conjecture. It is a simple fact. But, for various reasons, it's not always that simple for Disney to do what it "wants."

It took a pandemic to give them sufficient cover to implement various things that they've "wanted" to do for years. No, those rumors weren't rumors: "Disney" has wanted to monetize Fastpass for years. Or, at least, the faction that is concerned with maximizing spend per guest did. When the pandemic hit, that faction saw an opening, and they finally got what they "wanted."

I have no doubt what-so-ever that a faction within Disney (the faction I interviewed with) that "wants" to better monetize more desirable park entry times for guests willing to pay for them. Will they? In my opinion, in the long run, the answer is almost certainly "yes." The question is how soon, and what forms will it take.

 

[BeachClub2014]

To quote Edgar Allan Poe — "Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see."

I would hope that most readers are able to discern what is an educated and thoughtful opinion versus an unarguable fact, but perhaps I am naive.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Sandisw]

We disagree. However, I edited and I added, "It seems highly likely". Perhaps that helps your understanding and sensibilities.

Now, I have made no secret that I am not an insider Jon, but your statement that my statement was inaccurate is an assertion that you KNOW what Disney wants. If you know for certain that my statement was inaccurate, then how do you KNOW that? Perhaps you should disclose how you know that and your credentials.

I will add that I can see where that poster is coming from to a degree.

Anyone can say they are an insider, and be nothing more. Screen shots can be faked too.

Unless there is a source, like Disney Parks Blog, hinting at at, it is still all speculation and conjecture as to how this potential program could go.

The only true facts are that park reservations exist, AP and ticket holders exist, Disney keeps different buckets for making park reservations.

There is at as least one person who felt the terms and conditions of an AP were deceptive for use at DL and filed a lawsuit.

We also know new AP sales are currently suspended but renewals continue for all current AP holders with all kinds of certificates and passes at WDW.

It is great when people share thoughts on what they think might be the intent, but it is still a guess.

None of us know what plans will unfold in the future…even the title of the thread can be misleading because it assumes it’s been confirmed, even though it is clearer when you read the posts it’s all based on some person,

Take the post in one of the threads about whether Poly tower will be part of PvB. Someone said a CM at the desk in the lobby said they thought it would be when guides are not supposed to do that…and I have talked to several, including the Senior guide I deal with..because nothing has been given to them to confirm that

Again, it’s great for all of us to take a rumor like this and speculate what might happen and the potential benefits or drawbacks of it. I too love to speculate and share my thoughts with the best of y’all

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.