A Spirited Perfect Ten

[ULPO46]

Just curious on the indignation with giving resort guests more. Uni gives their resort guests an Express Pass which gives the guest a FP to nearly every attraction and costs everyone else a bunch of money, but Disney shouldn't give 1 extra FP reservation to resort guests because its unfair to day guests or offsite guests?

I agree. But Disney doesn't take note of this. Sure they don't care as much about offsite tourist, but I believe they should make a better system to how FP+ get's distrubuted to their guest. During Peak Season, even guest who stay onsite, have the most difficult time accuring a FP for a major attraction. Instead they get stuck having a FP+ ticket for a meet and greet.

 

[bhg469]

Just curious on the indignation with giving resort guests more. Uni gives their resort guests an Express Pass which gives the guest a FP to nearly every attraction and costs everyone else a bunch of money, but Disney shouldn't give 1 extra FP reservation to resort guests because its unfair to day guests or offsite guests?

Express pass is pretty infrequently used in the grand scheme of things. Rarely are they causing much of a hold up in standby lines at universal. Giving resort guests one extra FP reservation just causes more of a jam up on WDW property. IMO its also the slipper slope to them eventually charging for what you get for free now, which I am in favor of because it would surely limit some of the artificial wait times that are increasingly annoying.

 

[ULPO46]

If any one ever has the chance to Read the book "Be Our Guest" by the Disney Insitute, you would learn and find out that the wait times on all attractions as well as the big message boards are all raised so that people think the wait is that long or may be 60 min, when we all know that a line coming out of the queue is 120 minutes long.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

May I suggest Sand Lake Drive then. Restaurant Row.

May I suggest Sand Lake Drive then. Restaurant Row.

Last trip in Feb, we got a tip from a friend to head over to Titusville and eat at Dixie Crossroads and try their broiled rock shrimp. We did. They were were great but they had the Royal Reds as well and Lord have mercy. Can't get that type of shrimp and done that way in Arkansas. The two for 20 menu is always down the street.

 

[Frankie The Beer]

I'd rather be Bob Iger than Steve Wynn right now.

 

[Horizons1]

BTW, anyone who wants to be a Lifestyler and included as BRAND advocate contact Jennifer.J.Fickley@Disney.com. I can also provide you with work contact numbers for her if you too want to sell yourself for a little free Disney crap (not passing judgment ... I steal Coke all the time, remember?)

What kind of hoops do you have to jump through to be considered holy enough to be a "brand advocate"? I hate the lifestylers but when I see Ricky getting free stays at the bungalows and I see my family (who have had annual passes since they came into existence in 1982) getting nothing except charged more, it makes me think I'll play the game.

 

[WDWFigment]

Even with the hordes of lifestyles screaming that we are idiots, and the place has never been better.

How many people are *actually* saying this? The 'WDW has never been better line' is a common refrain around here...but not by those who still enjoy Walt Disney World.

I don't mean to single out your post (I generally agree with what you say), but I feel like people tout this line a lot in a disparaging way, and I'm just not seeing the comments like this that they are mocking. I can think of 1-2 prominent voices who do make comments like this, but that's it.

Plenty of fans do focus or fixate on the positive, but not to that degree. Maybe I'm missing something...

 

[ParentsOf4]

Just curious on the indignation with giving resort guests more. Uni gives their resort guests an Express Pass which gives the guest a FP to nearly every attraction and costs everyone else a bunch of money, but Disney shouldn't give 1 extra FP reservation to resort guests because its unfair to day guests or offsite guests?

Express pass is pretty infrequently used in the grand scheme of things. Rarely are they causing much of a hold up in standby lines at universal. Giving resort guests one extra FP reservation just causes more of a jam up on WDW property. IMO its also the slipper slope to them eventually charging for what you get for free now, which I am in favor of because it would surely limit some of the artificial wait times that are increasingly annoying.

As @bhg469 suggests, it's all about usage versus ride capacity.

Universal has 3 onsite resorts offering 'free' Express Pass. Those 3 resorts have about 2400 rooms. Assuming 3 guests per room, that's about 7200 people using Express Pass even if the hotels are full, only a fraction of ride capacity. That's what allows Universal to sell Express Pass at a premium to offsite guests. Universal has a lot of high capacity attractions and excess ride capacity.

Conversely, all WDW guests get 3 FP+ and well over half of ride capacity already is allocated to FP+, resulting in significantly longer Standby lines at WDW. Consider that WDW has over 26,000 onsite rooms. Assuming 3 guests per room, even offering 1 extra FP+ selection to onsite guests would strain an already overburdened FP+ system.

In order to support more FP+ for onsite guests, WDW needs to add significantly more ride capacity at 3 of its 4 theme parks.

I think, at least in part, the indignation is a result of already very long Standby lines at WDW, lines that seem to be shorter at Universal.

 

[BrerJon]

I can eat at an Applebee's in a town of 40,000 in Arkansas. If I'm in Orlando, I'm searching for stuff not found at an exit in Conway.

As for Sea Life hurting Seaworld it only means SW will have to up its game when it comes to attractions. That's one reason for the Blue Ocean project. It will have to do stuff that can't be done at a place like SeaLife. Zoos are constantly upping their game when it comes to animal displays large and small, SeaWorld is no different.

Blue World is Sea World's project, it's Disney where Blue Ocean is the name of their business strategy.

I think in light of recent trends Sea World is dialling back on live animals and going for Sea themed attractions. The Great White coaster they hinted at the other day is bound to be the direction they go in - more rides, less live animals.

 

[Nemo14]

Blue World is Sea World's project, it's Disney where Blue Ocean is the name of their business strategy.

Isn't it "One Ocean" and "Blue Horizons" at SW?

 

[NearTheEars]

Spirited Thursday Musings:

So, am I correct in believing that Nik Wallenda had a disappointing turnout for his walk on the O-Town Eye? I was told there was some chatter on this morning's Today Show. More bloggers likely getting ready for their free food at The Boathouse today and couldn't be bothered.

Nik walenda pulled a similar gig for one of my clients. Promised his act would draw 200k crowds easily. The attendance was lower than the previous day that he wasn't there. Guy is a snake oil salesman and tries to convince people he has power to draw mega crowds when in fact he can't unless it's on tv and there is nothing else on.

I think the Walenda's stunt was purely to get the attention of the national media.

Since the wheel isn't even open yet, there was no need to draw a big crowd to IDrive early in the AM. Anyone that did gather to see it in person was just icing on the cake.

The photos and story on the wire, and the coverage on the Today Show will be great for them. It likely caught the attention of Moms and Dads planning an OTown vacation.

Aren't lifestylers afraid of heights anyway?

 

[BrerJon]

Disney doesn't want Guests to ever go off-property. They look at it like Pandora's box (no blue alien-sex-kittens here or cheap jewelry either). Once that person realizes that there are other options, many better for visiting, for dining, for drinking, for shopping, most won't run crying back to the perceived safety of 'the Disney bubble.'

This is where Magical Express is so genius. There are thousands of guests who have done *multiple* WDW vacations who have never left the bubble once and don't have a clue what life is like outside of the dome.

I like to think every now and then one of them accidentally makes a wrong turn at Downtown Disney, goes past the strange "off-property" Hotel Plaza hotels, and emerges into the sunlight at Crossroads like guy crawling out of the underground at the end of THX-113, or Neo waking up from the Matrix, mind blown.

Next time you see a lost and confused looking guest trying to comprehend the menu at Fuddruckers, there's a good chance they're a Disney escapee.

 

[George]

@George of course!

The real reason I spent years and years avoiding him. :lookaroun

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Blue World is Sea World's project, it's Disney where Blue Ocean is the name of their business strategy.

I think in light of recent trends Sea World is dialling back on live animals and going for Sea themed attractions. The Great White coaster they hinted at the other day is bound to be the direction they go in - more rides, less live animals.

Sorry, Blue World, where they expand the tanks of the orcas at all three parks and create more viewing areas while creating larger habitat that mimics a more natural setting complete with artificial currents. Unless that is canceled, they are making significant capital expenditures in animals not to mention the redo of the dolphin area at San Antonio. I wouldn't write off expanded, grander aquarium attractions which have nothing to do with new shows.

I still wouldn't be surprised to see SeaWorld branded satellite aquariums like SeaLife pop in metro markets.

Anywho, was reading where the Times Square Toys R Us may close several weeks back. What a shame if it does. It's fairly cool with the indoor ferris wheel with toy themed gondolas. Had me start to think about a store that included more rides based off toys like a indoor coaster themed to hot wheels. A bumper car ride where you sucked up balls themed to Hungry Hungry Hippo, a foam ball factory where you shoot foam balls at others themed after Nerf and so on. A lot like a Lego Discovery Center but more broad and with a wide toy selection for sale retail.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Last trip in Feb, we got a tip from a friend to head over to Titusville and eat at Dixie Crossroads and try their broiled rock shrimp. We did. They were were great but they had the Royal Reds as well and Lord have mercy. Can't get that type of shrimp and done that way in Arkansas. The two for 20 menu is always down the street.

Is that the place just north of the Merrit Island National Mosquito Refuge? If it is, ive been there and WHOA.

 

[PhotoDave219]

How many people are *actually* saying this? The 'WDW has never been better line' is a common refrain around here...but not by those who still enjoy Walt Disney World.

I don't mean to single out your post (I generally agree with what you say), but I feel like people tout this line a lot in a disparaging way, and I'm just not seeing the comments like this that they are mocking. I can think of 1-2 prominent voices who do make comments like this, but that's it.

Plenty of fans do focus or fixate on the positive, but not to that degree. Maybe I'm missing something...

A very vocal group online and local to the Theme Parks.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Is that the place just north of the Merrit Island National Mosquito Refuge? If it is, ive been there and WHOA.

It's close to there. It's nothing too fancy, the steak was MEH but the shrimp were great and even with toll and gas, cheaper than eating on resort. I heard the whole story on the Royal Reds. Deep cold water shrimp, hard to fish, must have calmer seas. They have to front the money to the fishermen to go get them. If doing Kennedy Space, it's a great option. Kids meals are cheap.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It's close to there. It's nothing too fancy, the steak was MEH but the shrimp were great and even with toll and gas, cheaper than eating on resort. I heard the whole story on the Royal Reds. Deep cold water shrimp, hard to fish, must have calmer seas. They have to front the money to the fishermen to go get them. If doing Kennedy Space, it's a great option. Kids meals are cheap.

No I've eaten there… It was a fantastic restaurant. Nice, hole in the wall. Good food.

 

[Katie G]

As @bhg469 suggests, it's all about usage versus ride capacity.

Universal has 3 onsite resorts offering 'free' Express Pass. Those 3 resorts have about 2400 rooms. Assuming 3 guests per room, that's about 7200 people using Express Pass even if the hotels are full, only a fraction of ride capacity. That's what allows Universal to sell Express Pass at a premium to offsite guests. Universal has a lot of high capacity attractions and excess ride capacity.

Conversely, all WDW guests get 3 FP+ and well over half of ride capacity already is allocated to FP+, resulting in significantly longer Standby lines at WDW. Consider that WDW has over 26,000 onsite rooms. Assuming 3 guests per room, even offering 1 extra FP+ selection to onsite guests would strain an already overburdened FP+ system.

In order to support more FP+ for onsite guests, WDW needs to add significantly more ride capacity at 3 of its 4 theme parks.

I think, at least in part, the indignation is a result of already very long Standby lines at WDW, lines that seem to be shorter at Universal.

Forgetting the Uni comparison for a moment, wouldn't it make sense to offer more perks to on-site guests given the high perceived cost of staying on-site (at least compared to many off-site hotels). I say perceived high cost because other hotels charge for parking, wifi, "resort fees", airport shuttles, etc. but at Disney these things are free and you also get Dine plans, EMH and early FP booking, and resort transportation. For all the complaining that happens about Disney taking stuff away, in this instance the rumor is that they could be giving more, which sounds like a great thing.

Also, Disney has been doing the "bonus FP" for a little while now and its not for a high demand attraction. So even if they gave another FP to on-site, IF it was for a low demanded ride, they should be able to operationally handle it. Or what IF they required that extra FP was only available during EMH, that wouldn't impact your day guest. There are way to make it less impactful on the operation. It doesn't have to be a bad thing.

 

[NadiaBelle]

I couldn't agree more, Katie! You have some great ideas!

Also, I know I'm a bit late to the party on this one but I saw this while browsing the thread; "450 pounders"? (see below). I definitely fall into that category, and I know that people say all kinds of terrible things about me (both behind my back and right in front of me) but I was kind of hoping this forum would be different. I guess I should be used to it by now but it just caught me off guard a bit.

I love this! A Disney Parks experience that does not consist of 450 pounders gnawing their way through $45 dollar of snacks to get their money's worth for their DDP as they wait 240 minutes for a kid in Elsa dress to uplift them for three minutes from their miserable lives by telling them that they are special and that she'd love to get a picture taken together (she'd call the cops on them if these people would dare address her in the street).

No, Walt and Lillian were right - the essential Disney experience is dressing up real nicely to board a paddleboat replica. The height of Disney elegance. No wonder Lilly loved the finest, most sophisticated ship in WDW to be named after her. I'm sure she thought back to her celebrating her marriage with Walt when she Christened the Empress Lilly.