MyMagic+ Rollout to be accelerated.

[AgentC]

. . . One thing that confused me about the app was that it really didn't know where I was. I wanted to see there here and now in the parks but it kept telling me that I was not in the parks, even though I was using Disney Wi-Fi and had the location on my phone turned on.

That has been my biggest complaint with the app too. It happens to me all the time!

[Ian]

On one side of the scale = SOME guest complaints and concerns

The complainers being loudest and most visible in certain locations does not necessarily mean that they are in the majority.

Time will tell.

best,

.................john

My wife is a Disney travel agent and I'll have to admit that most of the folks she books like the program.

Now of course not all of them have anything to compare it to (because they're first-timers), but since that's the group Disney seems to care most about I guess they're getting what they aimed for.

[Melanie]

Now of course not all of them have anything to compare it to (because they're first-timers), but since that's the group Disney seems to care most about I guess they're getting what they aimed for.

I find that so sad. And to be honest, beyond frustrating. But hey, whatcha gonna do? Well, I know what I'm going to do.

[JerseyDad]

I find that so sad. And to be honest, beyond frustrating. But hey, whatcha gonna do? Well, I know what I'm going to do.

....wonder if they get enough feedback related to the FP+ being in only one park (not really lending itself to park hopping) ...if they would possibly modify it and do it like a restaurant menu:

One Park = 1 major ride + 2 minor

Two Parks = 1 major in one park + 1 major in park #2

or

Two Parks = 1 minor + 1 minor (over two parks)

....anything is possible if they are still tweaking or open to revisions.

[snowflakegirl]

I've been reading reviews on other websites from folks who used the Magic Band and FP+ recently! and they are mostly positive. I would venture about 90% positive experiences.

A coworker of mine visited the second week of December and the first thing she said to me when she got back was: "Jen, they have these amazing things, these bands...they're fabulous." She loved the FP+ and they didn't book their FP in advance, and she loved the ease of use of the magic bands.

[Crow]

supposedly gonna let park hopping w it....but maybe only 3 total FP+. that was one of the things I didn't like on my trip. only being able to book 3 FP on a day. and the way they limited things

[PopPhan]

Maybe I am being naive, but why couldn't they allow 1 "E-ticket" in each park per day pre-planned and have unlimited on-site FP using kiosks or machines at each attraction?

This would allow for everyone to get one "major" attraction covered, allow for park hopping, and allow for more than 3 total FP per day.

They seem to be treating this whole this as "rocket science" when it really isn't. The old FP system worked pretty well (even if there were those who abused it).....The old system with the new technology could have been great!

[JerseyDad]

Maybe I am being naive, but why couldn't they allow 1 "E-ticket" in each park per day pre-planned and have unlimited on-site FP using kiosks or machines at each attraction?

This would allow for everyone to get one "major" attraction covered, allow for park hopping, and allow for more than 3 total FP per day.

They seem to be treating this whole this as "rocket science" when it really isn't. The old FP system worked pretty well (even if there were those who abused it).....The old system with the new technology could have been great!

.....from a "guest perspective" ...that makes a huge amount of sense. It allows for some "free will" choices to be made regarding where, when, how .....as part of a person's "touring style"

....but ....unless the "store owner" (WDW) wants to go that route ...and discard or modify the "crowd control" aspect of the system ...I don't know if that will happen.

....the basic premise of the system is to control where the guest is / will be ...as part of crowd management ....and of course ...income management by spacing out the attraction reservation times ...and having a guest spend in gift shoppes / food shoppes ...etc ...in the 'down time' between rides & attractions.

....that one "E-Ticket" ride / attraction per park would be the carrot-on-a-string to get the guest to the park(s) ....and the pot of gold would be that ride itself. Perhaps if there was that one "major attraction" per park ...then the allure of park-hopping remains intact?

....I'm not sure that they'd keep the "unlimited" ....aka 'Legacy" FP system alive ..because that gives the guest too much free-will ...and I don't think at this point WDW would want to relinquish that much control ....because then the crowd management aspect of the 'system' doesn't work.

....maybe one "E-Ticket" + 1 minor attraction per park, per day, could be that reasonable balancing point between owner's desire for control/profit ...and the guest satisfaction? Usually, in business, one variable takes care of the other ...meaning, a satisfied & happy customer (guest) ....will always work in favor of a business (WDW) being profitable.

[Ian]

....the basic premise of the system is to control where the guest is / will be ...as part of crowd management ....and of course ...income management by spacing out the attraction reservation times ...and having a guest spend in gift shoppes / food shoppes ...etc ...in the 'down time' between rides & attractions.

I still believe this is a fundamental flaw in the entire goal of this project. I believe that, by and large, the vast majority of guests have a budget they're going to stick to when they're on vacation. I truly see no logic in thinking they're magically going to spend more money just because they're not waiting in lines. They'll do what I do ... go on more rides.

This is why I always have and always will forecast an epic failure when it comes to the ROI on this program.

[mickclub1955]

I still believe this is a fundamental flaw in the entire goal of this project. I believe that, by and large, the vast majority of guests have a budget they're going to stick to when they're on vacation. I truly see no logic in thinking they're magically going to spend more money just because they're not waiting in lines. They'll do what I do ... go on more rides.

This is why I always have and always will forecast an epic failure when it comes to the ROI on this program.

I totally agree with you Ian. I am heading out of my door now. The money I have in my pocket is the money I am spending on this trip. No more. I am going to give the rest of this a fair shake to see how I like it. I am looking forward to trying out the bands and the FP+. Hopefully, no ride will get left behind.

[Donald Duck]

I just got back yesterday.
I was there 12/27/13 to 1/3/14, the most crowded week of the year.

I made my FP+ in advance and before the tier rule.

If it wasn't for the old FP, we would have only seen 3 rides per day.
Test Track and Soarin had a 4 hour wait, Toy Story Mania was 3 1/2. Space Mt, Splash Mt, BTMRR all were over 2 1/2 hours.

3 rides per day is ridiculous.

They have to get rid of tiers and limiting FP+ to one park per day.

No one in their right mind would ever get a park hopper again.

Also, we had a FP+ for Fantasmic.
There isn't a reserved section for FP+ only those with dinning package. Dinning package had great seats in the center.
We were told to sit anywhere.
Don't waste a FP+ for Fantasmic.

[WiltonJohn]

I still believe this is a fundamental flaw in the entire goal of this project.

How do you know this (what you are quoting above) is a goal of Disney Management's for the program?

best,

.............john

[JerseyDad]

I still believe this is a fundamental flaw in the entire goal of this project. I believe that, by and large, the vast majority of guests have a budget they're going to stick to when they're on vacation. I truly see no logic in thinking they're magically going to spend more money just because they're not waiting in lines. They'll do what I do ... go on more rides.

This is why I always have and always will forecast an epic failure when it comes to the ROI on this program.

....funny you say that ...because that was our basic rule (mind the budget!) regarding our trip this past August. "

"We can't spend it if we don't have it, and if you don't need it ...then why buy it" ...because money for this trip was much tighter than in other prior vacations.

....other than food ...we "went light" on buying extraneous items ...a few gifts were purchased for friends for when we got home ...and actually, the snacks and other various "yummies" in the parks were pretty much passed over. (we didn't even get desserts with meals 90% of the time ....which was frugal ..and somewhat healthy ...I suppose).

...but ...in the 'doldrums' between going to the Haunted Mansion and PotC ...and then to Space Mountain and maybe Carousel of Progress ...I never found myself saying: "Hey ...we're bored and doing nothing ...let's go spend money"!!

....that kinda' makes me wonder too ....is the income that WDW makes from non-food item sales in the parks ..."down"?

[Gator]

Maybe I am being naive, but why couldn't they allow 1 "E-ticket" in each park per day pre-planned and have unlimited on-site FP using kiosks or machines at each attraction?

This would be great! It would finally make the FP+ a real plus. I still don't like the idea of a no-FP ticket system, but this would be a vast improvement.

[DisneyGiant]

We're going in July & seriously considering not paying extra for park hopping. Why bother to do that - if your chances of getting on an attraction at the afternoon\night park are between slim and none?

This means we'll need to do Epcot in the morning - FP Soarin & wait on line for Test Track in order to do that in one day.....

Normally we go to parks in the morning, take a swim break in the afternoon & then go back out to a park at night. Usually we switch parks for variety - but now we'll just have to go back to the same park. Not that big of a hardship.....

Also - going in July - I can't wait to see how FP+ works with those tour groups. You get in their window & the fast pass becomes a slow pass very quickly.......

[Ian]

How do you know this (what you are quoting above) is a goal of Disney Management's for the program?

best,

.............john

Well to be fair, I don't. However, I can't come up with another way in which they could expect a 19% ROI on the program so I think it's a safe assumption.

Also, I do know that this was a goal for the original FP program. Given that it doesn't seem like too much of a leap.

[Mousemates]

We just got back from an eight day stay (four days in the parks) at Fort Wilderness and initially found the Fastplus+ to be somewhat of a hassle. There were difficulties in linking our tickets (which we purchased after our arrival through our daughter who is a cast member) to our room keys and magic bands (they gave us both).

There were also difficulties that arose out of the fact that both my wife, daughter and I each have our own "my Disney experience" accounts. There were also issues with getting the pre-scheduled fastpasses to show up on everyone's app.

As we tried to sort through the problems we were bounced from concierge to a help line to guest relations. No one seemed to be fully trained on the system (or that is what many of the CMs said to us) and the response to any problems was never "Oh, this is how to fix that" but "let me try this and see if it works."

In the end it took the better part of a half a day to get everything resolved. Frustrating.

However, once we got the issues worked out the system worked out well for us...especially given that for the time being you are still allowed to use the old card fastpass machines as well. We were there at what is essentially the busiest time of the year and were able to ride all the mainliners through a combination of fastplus+, early arrival, and paper fastpasses.

So with all that being said in the end I give our maiden voyage into the new system a C-.

[Ms. Mode]

Well everyone, I keep reading all your posts and I just can't help but think that if you continue to look on the dark side all you will see is the dark side.

Once the full roll out is complete and the legacy FP is gone I believe you will see shorter standby lines (with the exception being holiday crowds) and the whole thing will become something excellent.

I personally don't think it's some dastardly plan of Disney to make me spend more money in the stores...I spend plenty there already. Maybe they should just do away with FP all together?

[MizMissy]

Well everyone, I keep reading all your posts and I just can't help but think that if you continue to look on the dark side all you will see is the dark side.

Once the full roll out is complete and the legacy FP is gone I believe you will see shorter standby lines (with the exception being holiday crowds) and the whole thing will become something excellent.

I personally don't think it's some dastardly plan of Disney to make me spend more money in the stores...I spend plenty there already. Maybe they should just do away with FP all together?

To me, it's not a matter of looking on the dark side and only seeing dark side .... it's the simple fact that I am NOT in the mood to micro-manage and plan that much for my vacation. And, I am also NOT in the mood to stand in really long lines for things other than my three chosen rides a day, if I actually went to all the trouble to plan and micro-manage my vacation. Add to the fact that WDW has not really added anything new, great or must-sees/can't misses to the parks since the last time I visited ... I, the true Disney lover in our house, keep saying no when my kids suggest we plan another trip to Disney.

The only Disney trip I would consider right now is a dream trip to Disneyland.

[joonyer]

. . . .

I personally don't think it's some dastardly plan of Disney to make me spend more money in the stores...I spend plenty there already. Maybe they should just do away with FP all together?[/COLOR][/FONT]

OK, maybe they aren't trying to get YOU to spend any more. But it is definitely their plan to get everyone else to spend more money in their stores. It's every business's plan to get its customers to spend more $$$.

You want fries with that? How about dessert?