Another Test Eliminating Standby - now at Anna & Elsa M&G

[BrianV]

I really don't want to have the DIS / Uni discussion again either but it is worth noting the following. BOTH USF and IOA have more attractions than every park other than the Magic Kingdom. That is unless you start counting meet and greets, etc. as attractions. How about just saying Major Attractions? That is the real issue here. All 4 Disney Parks need more attractions period. All of them have less to do than 10 years ago. This is the actual problem that Disney just seems unwilling to correct and instead we see all of this FP+ nonsense.

All fair points. But if we get to restaurants I'd have to disagree. Disney has vastly more table and quick serve restaurants. And maybe at high season at universal there are lines to eat, but the times we've been in October around HHNs, we've walked into Mythos, the Fish Restaurant (and done the cinematic spectacular show), and even the three broomsticks (which is quick service) and never had any lines or needed reservations. Same is true at the hotels (Emrils place is pretty good). Maybe this is a function of how people et at universal vs at disney. It might have nothing to do with how they run their businesses. But to the point of spontaneity, for whatever reason, you can still be quite spontaneous at universal. Maybe their recent (5 year) success and their buildout of hotels will change that as crowds get bigger and stay longer.

My point is not that universal is better (I don't think they are), but that for whatever reason they've escaped some if the pitfalls disney has hit, so far.

 

[dadddio]

All fair points. But if we get to restaurants I'd have to disagree. Disney has vastly more table and quick serve restaurants. And maybe at high season at universal there are lines to eat, but the times we've been in October around HHNs, we've walked into Mythos, the Fish Restaurant (and done the cinematic spectacular show), and even the three broomsticks (which is quick service) and never had any lines or needed reservations. Same is true at the hotels (Emrils place is pretty good). Maybe this is a function of how people et at universal vs at disney. It might have nothing to do with how they run their businesses. But to the point of spontaneity, for whatever reason, you can still be quite spontaneous at universal. Maybe their recent (5 year) success and their buildout of hotels will change that as crowds get bigger and stay longer.

My point is not that universal is better (I don't think they are), but that for whatever reason they've escaped some if the pitfalls disney has hit, so far.

I wonder if the difference is the huge amount of onsite guests at Disney. The eating decision of onsite v offsite is much different for a WDW guest than a US guest, I suspect.

 

[BrianV]

I wonder if the difference is the huge amount of onsite guests at Disney. The eating decision of onsite v offsite is much different for a WDW guest than a US guest, I suspect.

I think you are right. You are far less a captive audience at US. that is true in most respects, be it fast pass, ADRS, or anything else.

 

[Nubs70]

So if wdw restaurants are so packed due to captive nature, why not build more on site capacity? That econ 101 thing.

 

[DoctorDisney]

So, haven't read all the updates since my last post in here, but went to MK today again for about an hour and got this info from the CM outside Fairytale Hall.

~ Not sure how long this test will run. Could end after Thursday, but may continue.
~ Standby isn't necessarily just open for the first hour or until an hour of wait time is in place, but it's "based on numbers" and then shut off for the day and guests are directed to FP+ kiosks or MDE.
~ FP+ return guests are still sent only through the FP+ entrance. Essentially...that means that the Anna and Elsa side of the hall in Princess Fairytale Hall isn't being seen after 10AM during this test.

I understand that FP return needs to go in through the side, but why make the beautiful hall pointless for half of it?

I'm going to go back on Friday morning and see if this test is continuing.

 

[BrianV]

So if wdw restaurants are so packed due to captive nature, why not build more on site capacity? That econ 101 thing.

I agree. All I can guess is they'd rather have 100 restaurants at 100% capacity than 120 at 90%. But I don't speak for them. In fairness, though, it feels like all they build these days are restaurants. New fantasy land is cool, but mostly two restaurants and two rides. In EPCOT they are slowly making every inch of the lagoon front a restaurant plus new ones in the back (Italian pizza place comes to mind). And I'd be shocked if we didn't get two restaurants at a minimum in Star Wars world. Not sure about avatar themed dining yet!

 

[Mike S]

So if wdw restaurants are so packed due to captive nature, why not build more on site capacity? That econ 101 thing.

Or just open the capacity that's already there.........

 

[lazyboy97o]

So if wdw restaurants are so packed due to captive nature, why not build more on site capacity? That econ 101 thing.

Because the crowding and hassle has not had a big enough impact on guest satisfaction survey. Why pay for all of that staff when you do not have to?

 

[Nubs70]

Because the crowding and hassle has not had a big enough impact on guest satisfaction survey. Why pay for all of that staff when you do not have to?

But if the restaurant is operating at 100% capacity, revenue is being left at the front door. Any restaurant wants to operate with at least 1 empty table at all times.

 

[natatomic]

Here's the perspective from a CM friend:
"It has been a disaster. Monday night, the line got so bad that it blocked the carousel exits. So they ended up closing the carousel at 8pm, even though the park closed at 10. They apparently didn't think that they released enough of the fastpasses, so they were Handing out legacy fastpasses on top of them. Yesterday, was much better. They didn't release as many fastpasses, probably because of the Halloween party last night. I felt especially bad after we ran out of fastpasses, because we could only give out DAS return times for Cinderella and Rapunzel."

 

[BrerJon]

I think new folks now have to take a community college course on Walt Disney World before they come so that they can know about every attraction and restaurant that they might "need" to reserve before they go, and to know for SURE so that they can reserve them with a credit card...

Can we see them extending the credit card scheme to Fastpass+ eventually?

If you don't show up for your ride, your card is charged a penalty, to stop people selecting Fastpasses because the system told them they can have three, even if they don't need them, so that other families don't miss out because there are no slots.

 

[BrerJon]

You know, the best thing that they could do at this point, is to have Bob Iger or some other executives, take off the business suits and give in their backstage passes, and simply plan to go to Walt Disney World for a regular vacation under a different name.

I find it incredible that they don't do that, and is the biggest sign that they don't give a mouse's behind about anything other than the stock price.

If I ran a big company I'd regularly go undercover to see how things were working (or not working) on the shop floor, it just seems basic common sense.

It would be easy to do as well. I bet 80% of CPs wouldn't have a clue who Bob Iger was if he came up to them as a regular guest and asked for a Turkey Leg.

 

[cmarten]

I find it incredible that they don't do that, and is the biggest sign that they don't give a mouse's behind about anything other than the stock price.

If I ran a big company I'd regularly go undercover to see how things were working (or not working) on the shop floor, it just seems basic common sense.

It would be easy to do as well. I bet 80% of CPs wouldn't have a clue who Bob Iger was if he came up to them as a regular guest and asked for a Turkey Leg.

THIS. 100% agree. Especially with a company such as disney where it would be do easy to just be a part of the crowd. I would bet more guests would recognize him than CM's.

 

[stevehousse]

We need to start a petition to get him on Undercover Boss immediately!!! Working the Frozen meet n greet!

 

[natatomic]

Any update to this? Anyone see it first-hand yet?