Why we didn't get any free souvies as resort guests:

[bumbershoot]

Sometimes even a minimal expenditure can return much more to a business in terms of goodwill. Don't they teach that in business school anymore?

I'm in a business degree right now, and no, that is not taught. Like or not, it's not what is taught.

That costs Disney literally zero.

Again, in a business degree right now, and it costs Disney $70 in revenue for every single person who takes them up on it. I'm sure that part of what they take in for photopass pays for photographers.

I think it's disgustingly ridiculous that I have to defend a post where I think it would have been nice to get a commemorative pin, 1 per family, for a >$1,000/night room.

No one is making you defend anything. You have your opinion and others have theirs.

I said 1 pin per room for the 50th. btw I mean one day. Not the whole weekend.

That's not what Disney does, though. Their year of a million dreams lasted 2 years. The disneyland 50th lasted ages. This 50th is lasting 1.5 years.

But only 1 per room

Super fun for extended families!

Philosophically though, there are posters here thinking that I am ridiculous

I see no one thinking you're ridiculous.

Disney has always attempted to promote themselves as beyond the standard business, they weren't focused solely on the profit, it was about the magic.

I've only been going to WDW since 2010, and I think that ship sailed by 2012.

I see him as a pop culture icon, I just don’t believe he is on the same level is all. Maybe someday, but definitely not today

also that article is almost 30 years old

I have a teen. Mario > Mickey.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I have a 2 year old Mickey > Mario . I don’t know why that’s even relevant for this. I’m not saying mario isn’t popular, I’m saying he doesn’t hold a candle to Mickey Mouse. Tell you what, go to any retailer you like, abd I bet you find the mouse in multiple areas, target, Walmart, kohl’s, supermarkets, gas stations, CVS, Walgreens. I don’t think you can say the same about mario, definitely not to the same scale. Mickey is also catered to every generation old and young, mario is catered to people 40 and under for now. If the younger generation is as nostalgic as millennials, mario has a shot, if not, he will still be popular just not as much IMO

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Thanks CaptainAmerica!
It's not often I encounter such a clear-cut example of a strawman argument in the "real world" that I can share with my class.
Don't worry, proper attribution will be made. Thanks again.

Can you imagine the real captain America actual speaking like that? Awful.

 

[focusondisney]

Almost anyone under 40 will choose Mario over Mickey in a heartbeat. Which is a huge problem for WDW in the long run.

None of the under 40s I know would. Maybe gamers, but I doubt anyone who isn’t would.

 

[jthornton94]

None of the under 40s I know would. Maybe gamers, but I doubt anyone who isn’t would.

This I agree with. For those who game, and in a specific genre, sure, Mario is huge. However Mickey appeals to many more than just gamers. Kids are raised on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Disney movies, not Mario. I have a 16 year old and a 20 year old. Last trip we made to Universal, we couldn’t even last three days there. On the third day of our three day passes, we opted to go to Disney instead. My 16 year old gamer son doesn’t care about Mario AT ALL. He did SL to go back to Disney though.

 

[FCDub]

It’s just SO Dis to get dug in and feel the need to defend your beloved Mickey Mouse against anything that could ever possibly be equally as popular. Same thing happened with Harry Potter.

The popularity of one thing does not negate popularity of another. There’s enough room in this world for multiple things to exist at the same time.

Tribalism over cartoon characters is so weird.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

It’s just SO Dis to get dug in and feel the need to defend your beloved Mickey Mouse against anything that could ever possibly be equally as popular. Same thing happened with Harry Potter.

The popularity of one thing does not negate popularity of another. There’s enough room in this world for multiple things to exist at the same time.

Tribalism over cartoon characters is so weird.

Definitely weird to see people talk about Mickey Mouse on a Disney fan site , if you read the thread, i believe the conversation has more to do with another company overthrowing Disney, Mickey, and Mario are just the catalysts.

I agree, Mario is popular......... i don't think anyone has really argued that, just that he isn't as popular as Mickey

I think what's weird is taking the time to jump into a conversation you clearly want nothing to do with

 

[persnickity]

I think what's weird is taking the time to jump into a conversation you clearly want nothing to do with

Maybe they just want it to stoppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

 

[MickeyMice]

mickey mouse clubhouse is terrible and was forbidden in our house when the kids were little. i would have rather them watched barney.

the recent mickey mouse shorts are fantastic, and they're probably the only relevant media mickey and co have appeared in since house of mouse or whatever. MM is obviously a trademark that stands in for disney at large, but as a character, even disney is pushing anna/elsa/moana in front of MM&co.

 

[StacyStrong]

Wait.

Am I correct in understanding that people are saying they would have been satisfied if there was a small trinket in the room on the 1st, while also saying they weren’t satisfied when given a free trinket in the parks?

idk I get the vibe that if a pin was left, people would argue that the pin wasn’t good enough.

(With that said Disney is overpriced and I love free things, I just never expect them or get mad if I don’t get them)

 

[mom2rtk]

Again, in a business degree right now, and it costs Disney $70 in revenue for every single person who takes them up on it. I'm sure that part of what they take in for photopass pays for photographers.

No it doesn't.

The photographers are there whether anyone gets the photos for "free" that day or not.

For this to actually "cost" them anything, it would require that the people taking them up on the deal planned on buying the one day Photopass package and didn't.

That said, I still think it was a nice offering subset of people it helped. (It wouldn't have been of value to me since we purchase the length of stay Memory Maker when we go.)

 

[bsmcneil]

I wonder if the Japanese pavilion will continue to sell Mario, etc when EU opens! FWIW, for my two kids (amab, 8.5 and 5), I think Mario/Epic Universe would beat Mickey. There isn't a ton featuring MM right now (whether in media, or merchandise where we are). There isn't a current MM video game out (that I know of) but the kids play Mario Kart, Party, etc on their Nintendo Switch. They definitely have formed strong connections to Disney IP (Frozen, Lilo and Stitch, Lion Guard in the past, Amphibia, P&F, Pixar films). But 1:1 Mario vs. Mickey? These kids would connect to Mario more (and I would imagine that's no unheard of). I've actually weighed whether we should take our Jan trip because there's very little that specifically interests them (I trust that when we get there, they'd like it more).

 

[glocon]

They should have had a special 50th towel animal in each room on 10/1. Use old towels and washcloths, and one per room… would have been cute! Something from the past everyone loved!

 

[MainMom]

I got a button existing MK on speak like a whale day when Finding Dory was being released. Are they even doing 50th buttons at all (like the my first visit button.)
On my first ever trip to WDW in 1995(ish) we had “stockings” filled with candy on our door on Christmas morning. A token for the 50th would have been a nice gesture.

 

[FCDub]

Definitely weird to see people talk about Mickey Mouse on a Disney fan site , if you read the thread, i believe the conversation has more to do with another company overthrowing Disney, Mickey, and Mario are just the catalysts.

I agree, Mario is popular......... i don't think anyone has really argued that, just that he isn't as popular as Mickey

I think what's weird is taking the time to jump into a conversation you clearly want nothing to do with

Disney fans should WANT Universal’s Mario theme park expansions to be a huge hit and be more popular than WDW. Pressure on Disney is good for consumers. Y’all put too many emotions in cartoon characters sometimes.

 

[Punkrockbebop]

Let’s get real. The free photopass was more like a promo of a paid product they will be offering in the future rollout of Genie+. Whereas a pin would be a genuine offering of goodwill.

if they couldn’t afford the pin, how about the gesture of a Happy 50th flyer or a special message on the Resort TV channel.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Disney fans should WANT Universal’s Mario theme park expansions to be a huge hit and be more popular than WDW. Pressure on Disney is good for consumers. Y’all put too many emotions in cartoon characters sometimes.

I agree, I would like pressure put on Disney, what I'm saying is that I don't think EU is going to be able to add as much pressure as preferred, because I don't think Mario is as big a draw as people think, is literally all i was getting at, i realize the train came off the tracks there haha

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Let’s get real. The free photopass was more like a promo of a paid product they will be offering in the future rollout of Genie+. Whereas a pin would be a genuine offering of goodwill.

if they couldn’t afford the pin, how about the gesture of a Happy 50th flyer or a special message on the Resort TV channel.

They did have a flier as well at MK

 

[Punkrockbebop]

They did have a flier as well at MK

You are right, I shouldn’t have mixed up park and resort goodwill, but people were comparing them. I guess I was referring more to resort guest magic. Could have been cool and inexpensive to have a special “Thank you for visiting on our 50th Anniversary” message on the TV, like in the space where they sometimes have “welcome Smith Family”, maybe with a special song or graphic.

 

[goofyernmost]

I have been going to WDW regularly for 39 years. In that time I have NEVER received a single free piece of bling, not a single fastpass, not a single thing from WDW. I have left behind a whole lot of cash though. To put it in reality context, I have never expected any nor sought anything from them. Not anymore then if I go to a movie and get nothing more then a movie. Those little bling things are worthless once you leave the place anyway. Where can you wear or use them? I paid for a Behind the Scene tour once and got a WDW Lanyard and a single pin. It is now hanging on a peg along side my purchased souvenir golf balls from when they used to sell them with the date on them. They stopped that to and I haven't bought one since then. I have to dust it once in awhile. All those bling things have never been worth what they charge for them especially that selection for $500.00. Seriously? How much are they going to be worth years from now $501.00? Disney has a lot of collectables and they pump out more and more every year. There is a limited market for them so even though a few might make a few bucks, not everyone is going to. The bigger the supply the lower the price.