Why doesn't WDW have a frequent visitor program?

[auntpolly]

I know I have whined about this before, but why don't they have one -- do you think? Is business so good that they don't need it.

I think people would be way more inclined to book extra trips if they were working toward earning <i>something</i>.... a free meal.....a free night....a free mickey bar, even!

Everybody's got them...why not Disney? (and I mean without having to get the Disney CC -- based on actual stays)

 

[webmomom]

I like the idea, but I really feel they don't need it. Just look at the people on these boards. How many are planning more than one trip. I know I usually have a couple working at the same time.

 

[momxx5]

Because they don't need to.

As far as I can tell there are 2 kinds of visitors to WDW. The families that are going on a "once in a lifetime vacation" and the people who love WDW are are frequent visitors. Of course some people manage to go on more than one trip per year and others settle for once a year vacations to WDW.

I am willing to bet that at least 50% of their business is return visitors. They do offer special rates for AP holders, enabling them to visit more often. Even the AP itself is a kind of discount allowing one to come for a whole year at a lesser charge than regular park admission - I know this is not a reward.

Yes, it would be nice to be rewarded for being a loyal or frequent visitor but since we will go back to WDW because we want to be there, then WDW doesnt' have to offer something like that.

 

[auntpolly]

Well this is where I think they are wrong!

I know lots of "once in a lifetime" families that would like to go back but see it as impossible.

I know it seems like everyone goes many times but it's easy to start thinking that when you read these boards. We don't exactly get a diverse sampling of the population. Mostly just us Disney junkies.

 

[Doug123]

Unless the resorts are filled to capacity most of the time, some sort of awards program might make some sense. Besides the overhead of actually running the program, the "rewards" could really cost them very little.

Look at the number of people on these boards, for example, that work toward higher posting numbers for no apparent reason! If there was some sort of reward involved, any type of reward, people would go nuts over it.

 

[lentesta]

I've heard they're working on one, based on what I've read in some trade magazines and "friend of a friend" discussions.

The first step, I'm told, was to install computer software that could track your relationship with Disney. For example, now when you call in, Disney generally has an idea of the last few visits you've made with them. (It's not perfect - they have only half of my trips for some reason, but they have the idea). I believe they retain the names of people you've stayed with, as well as the location.

The next step would be to track - through your room key - your purchase patterns. I don't think they're there yet, but the technology exists to do so. And I believe they have started getting intellectual property protection for a number of ideas related to tracking you individually through the parks in the hopes of making your visit unique. (Again, a quick visit to the US Patent and Trademark website yields some interesting information - search for 'Disney' and 'theme park' in all fields.)

So, for example, if you visit the Tiki Birds before Timekeeper, a possible scenario might be for Timekeeper to look at you and say something like "Did you enjoy your nap at the Tiki Room?"

There are other applications as well. Saving your ride photos so you can purchase them online after getting home is one often-heard idea. Of course, all of this might be completely off-base. But I think some of it will appear sooner, rather than later.

Len

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by Doug123

Look at the number of people on these boards, for example, that work toward higher posting numbers for no apparent reason!

Good one! You see my point! Thank you! Now the question is: Does WDW usually fill to capacity?

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by lentesta
I've heard they're working on one, based on what I've read in some trade magazines and "friend of a friend" discussions.

The first step, I'm told, was to install computer software that could track your relationship with Disney. For example, now when you call in, Disney generally has an idea of the last few visits you've made with them. (It's not perfect - they have only half of my trips for some reason, but they have the idea). I believe they retain the names of people you've stayed with, as well as the location.

The next step would be to track - through your room key - your purchase patterns. I don't think they're there yet, but the technology exists to do so. And I believe they have started getting intellectual property protection for a number of ideas related to tracking you individually through the parks in the hopes of making your visit unique. (Again, a quick visit to the US Patent and Trademark website yields some interesting information - search for 'Disney' and 'theme park' in all fields.)

So, for example, if you visit the Tiki Birds before Timekeeper, a possible scenario might be for Timekeeper to look at you and say something like "Did you enjoy your nap at the Tiki Room?"

There are other applications as well. Saving your ride photos so you can purchase them online after getting home is one often-heard idea. Of course, all of this might be completely off-base. But I think some of it will appear sooner, rather than later.

Len

Very interesting! Thanks for posting that!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by auntpolly
Well this is where I think they are wrong!

I know lots of "once in a lifetime" families that would like to go back but see it as impossible.

I know it seems like everyone goes many times but it's easy to start thinking that when you read these boards. We don't exactly get a diverse sampling of the population. Mostly just us Disney junkies.

I don't think Disney has an obligation to make sure the one time visitors can come back. If that were the case, they could lower their prices. The fact Disney does not lower their prices is because they don't have to. People and I mean MILLIONS of people enter WDW and DL every year.

Just go over the the DVC board. Now DVC owners are the most frequent visitors of WDW, and WE don't get much in the perks dept., in fact, alot of the perks we used to get are being taken away. Over on the DVC board, every now and again, a thread will pop up about this very thing. Why are we not rewarded for being Disney's number one customers? the response almost everytime, because they don't HAVE to reward us. As long as we keep going back, and we do, and spend our money in the resorts and in the parks, and we do....then why does Disney have to reward us?

I am sorry that you know lots of people that just can't make it back to WDW. The fact is, many people can go back, and do.

What about the people who could never afford Disney for even their Once in a Lifetime trip? Should Disney just let them come for free because they would never afford it otherwise?

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by Disney1fan2002
I don't think Disney has an obligation to make sure the one time visitors can come back.

Of course they don't. Why would you think I meant that?

I'm talking about how I think it would help their (WDW's) business. For instance, Continental has no obligation to make sure I have free airline tickets, and yet they offer frequenst flyer miles that absolutely make me want to fly Continental airlines as much as I can.

 

[frannn]

I know you pay a set price for it, but it is actually a pretty decent discount for people who visit WDW more than 8 days/year. I would love to see a rewards program though, as opposed to an enhanced marketing program. It seems that every time Disney changes something "for their customers", its really an obvious strategy to bring in more $$$ (the DV, etc).

 

[moinab]

Ok, here's my two cents. I agree with those who say that Disney doesn't do this because they simply do not have to.

Frequent visitor/customer/flyer programs are used by companies facing cutthroat competition, to try to retain customer loyalty. Customers shop for the best price, because, for most people, it doesn't matter if they stay at the Sheraton or the Marriott, or if they fly Continental or Northwest.

Let's face it - there's no place else like WDW. There's no comparison to staying onsite.

It would be nice if they created a return customer program (DCL has Castaway Club perks for repeat cruisers), but I don't think it would make a significant difference in profit. JMHO.

 

[alliecats]

I guess I don't see the logic in the "they don't have to" argument. This assumes that they are not interested in gaining more money, because they have enough. Since when has that been a business approach? If they weren't interested in making more money, they wouldn't be pulling up this Grand Gathering thing & all their other events they promote, like the Food & Wine thing; etc. Do you think Bill Gates is going to scale back on innovation because he has enough money & he "doesn't have to" work so hard? The more money a business makes, the more it wants.

I think the major thing preventing it is leadership. It would be an enormous undertaking to set up a program like this, coordinate systems to track customer use; etc. An ambitious visionary, like say, Walt, would be able to get this going. I think current leadership seems to lack vision, is a little too satisfied with the status quo, etc. And I do think it would be a huge difference in profit if you can get people who consider it a once-in-a-lifetime or every five years trip to become as loyal as some of us. I think it is only a matter of time, and according to Len, that may be the case. Len is a pretty reliable source! I hope they do it.