Are park reservations going away?

[monothingie]

In this experiment the humans are the ones stuck running in the maze for the mouse.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Or they could just remove the reservations entirely.

Park Pass isn't there because they want it to be there. It's a logistical necessity right now.

And due to pending litigation in California, it's not even working the way they wanted it to in Florida. They have to constantly reallocate reservations to ensure APs have fair access to reservations. They are constantly dealing with thousands of people showing up everyday with out a pass, showing up to the wrong park, hopping before 2pm. They have no way out of this except to wait it out. They must meet a specific CM to guest ratio to ensure a minimum viable experience is met. And even that is being stretched at the moment.

Change is coming, this isn't how things are going to be forever. It's just going to take a while. But to suggest they could just get rid of it and let it be a free for all, impossible.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Actual prisoners can earn more money than those employees though.

Y’all are so unaware of how the dcp actually works, they currently make $14 an hour

 

[Thelazer]

They must meet a specific CM to guest ratio to ensure a minimum viable experience is met. And even that is being stretched at the moment.

I don't buy that one bit.
This is there to manage profit yield by forecasting how much cast should be on hand for a given day.
As a side effect, it does create a ratio of guest to cast, but it's NOT because they want a "viable experience"

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I don't buy that one bit.
This is there to manage profit yield by forecasting how much cast should be on hand for a given day.
As a side effect, it does create a ratio of guest to cast, but it's NOT because they want a "viable experience"

Sorry but this is wrong. They’ve only recovered 40% of their staff. It’s not them creating a pleasant experience, it’s them creating an experience that doesn’t turn into a complete disaster. Think MK on Oct 1st level disaster but every single day during the month of April, at all 4 parks.

 

[Jrb1979]

Sorry but this is wrong. They’ve only recovered 40% of their staff. It’s not them creating a pleasant experience, it’s them creating an experience that doesn’t turn into a complete disaster. Think MK on Oct 1st level disaster but every single day during the month of April, at all 4 parks.

I do get the reservation system in place due to lack of staff. It makes sense to do it. What I don't believe is they care about guest experience and satisfaction as much as you say they do. If they did Genie+ wouldn't be the disaster it is, Magic Express would still be here and all resort guests get Evening Magic Hours, not just those who pay the most.

 

[correcaminos]

Sorry but this is wrong. They’ve only recovered 40% of their staff. It’s not them creating a pleasant experience, it’s them creating an experience that doesn’t turn into a complete disaster. Think MK on Oct 1st level disaster but every single day during the month of April, at all 4 parks.

I also want to know why no other park system in the US struggles to rehire the way Disney does. This starts fo feel like a cop out at this point. Sorry but it does. I also think guest experience is an idea but not something they care about as much as they claim. The double edged sword is these new limitations are causing guests to be extremely unhappy. If they do not drop soon and start treating people like they matter, they'll lost long time guests. Which I doubt they care about - going back full circle about lack of care.

It all sounds well and good but more of excuses people use to justify choices Disney has made.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I do get the reservation system in place due to lack of staff. It makes sense to do it. What I don't believe is they care about guest experience and satisfaction as much as you say they do. If they did Genie+ wouldn't be the disaster it is, Magic Express would still be here and all resort guests get Evening Magic Hours, not just those who pay the most.

Genie+ is, indeed, a mess. And it will continue to see changes. They’ve already been changing it.

Deluxe Extended Evening Hours serve a purpose and are very popular. In fact, guest reviews on the extended early and late hours score very well with guests.

DME is fair but it actually wasn’t as beloved as some here suggest. Lots of complaints about wait times and service. These things were largely out of Disney’s control, so they took the opportunity to offload it now. Guests will forget it ever existed in a year or two.

The point is, while they don’t care about pleasing YOU, they do actually care about overall GSATs. That’s why they are pivoting on DE and planning Harm changes. Neither were the original plan.

Based upon Guest preferences, the next move will be removal of park hopping hours. That is constrained by staffing and should improve this summer. And, of course, guests complain about dining availability and the lack of DDP. No movement there until restaurant staffing improves. That is a nationwide issue.

Guests also complain about room cleaning. Staffing issue. Working on it.

 

[correcaminos]

Genie+ is, indeed, a mess. And it will continue to see changes. They’ve already been changing it.

Deluxe Extended Evening Hours serve a purpose and are very popular. In fact, guest reviews on the extended early and late hours score very well with guests.

DME is fair but it actually wasn’t as beloved as some here suggest. Lots of complaints about wait times and service. These things were largely out of Disney’s control, so they took the opportunity to offload it now. Guests will forget it ever existed in a year or two.

The point is, while they don’t care about pleasing YOU, they do actually care about overall GSATs. That’s why they are pivoting on DE and planning Harm changes. Neither were the original plan.

Based upon Guest preferences, the next move will be removal of park hopping hours. That is constrained by staffing and should improve this summer. And, of course, guests complain about dining availability and the lack of DDP. No movement there until restaurant staffing improves. That is a nationwide issue.

Guests also complain about room cleaning. Staffing issue. Working on it.

The evening hours for deluxe guests definitely serves a purpose for Disney and I happen to agree, they are amazing. I stopped doing EE because honestly it's not as much of a perk when the parks are as crowded as they were. The morning hours can be a hot mess sometimes but the even MK and Epcot hours are amazing. I never stayed the whole time but walked on a few rides and left. So that is a good for me.

I'm one of the ones who did not use ME after bad experiences. I do not miss them. Of course I've been going long enough that I've had more years without them than with.

I do think the rest is valid and to me produces a mix of if they really do care about overall guest experiences. They are angering guests. I feel they are just moving at a snails pace on some things which would make others more forgivable otherwise.

 

[trainplane3]

The point is, while they don’t care about pleasing YOU, they do actually care about overall GSATs. That’s why they are pivoting on DE and planning Harm changes. Neither were the original plan.

Not the thread for it but I assume just show adjustments?

 

[mikejs78]

I also want to know why no other park system in the US struggles to rehire the way Disney does. This starts fo feel like a cop out at this point. Sorry but it does. I also think guest experience is an idea but not something they care about as much as they claim. The double edged sword is these new limitations are causing guests to be extremely unhappy. If they do not drop soon and start treating people like they matter, they'll lost long time guests. Which I doubt they care about - going back full circle about lack of care.

It all sounds well and good but more of excuses people use to justify choices Disney has made.

The evening hours for deluxe guests definitely serves a purpose for Disney and I happen to agree, they are amazing. I stopped doing EE because honestly it's not as much of a perk when the parks are as crowded as they were. The morning hours can be a hot mess sometimes but the even MK and Epcot hours are amazing. I never stayed the whole time but walked on a few rides and left. So that is a good for me.

I'm one of the ones who did not use ME after bad experiences. I do not miss them. Of course I've been going long enough that I've had more years without them than with.

I do think the rest is valid and to me produces a mix of if they really do care about overall guest experiences. They are angering guests. I feel they are just moving at a snails pace on some things which would make others more forgivable otherwise.

I think everyone has to keep in mind that Central Florida does have a significant labor problem. Also, prior to the pandemic Disney had a significant portion of their workforce in the cultural representation program and the college program, both of which are non-existent at the moment and are just starting to ramp back up. Let's say the college program and cultural representation program represented a third of their workforce in Florida (I don't know that to be the case, I'm just speculating.). That means to get back to 100%, they would have to hire their entire workforce back that they laid off during the pandemic, along with enough to cover the other third. Are there that many people looking for these kinds of roles in Central Florida? And programs like the college program and cultural program take time to get moving due to numerous logistical issues.

I don't like the park reservation system as much as anyone. But if the choice is to have to make park reservations or to have an October 1st experience, I'll take the park reservations.

 

[drizgirl]

Sorry but this is wrong. They’ve only recovered 40% of their staff. It’s not them creating a pleasant experience, it’s them creating an experience that doesn’t turn into a complete disaster. Think MK on Oct 1st level disaster but every single day during the month of April, at all 4 parks.

Disney has a reservation system and they alone control how many people they admit to the parks each day. If they don't have the staff, they can control how many guests they are serving.

 

[correcaminos]

I think everyone has to keep in mind that Central Florida does have a significant labor problem. Also, prior to the pandemic Disney had a significant portion of their workforce in the cultural representation program and the college program, both of which are non-existent at the moment and are just starting to ramp back up. Let's say the college program and cultural representation program represented a third of their workforce in Florida (I don't know that to be the case, I'm just speculating.). That means to get back to 100%, they would have to hire their entire workforce back that they laid off during the pandemic, along with enough to cover the other third. Are there that many people looking for these kinds of roles in Central Florida? And programs like the college program and cultural program take time to get moving due to numerous logistical issues.

I don't like the park reservation system as much as anyone. But if the choice is to have to make park reservations or to have an October 1st experience, I'll take the park reservations.

And yet some of the central Florida locations are not having an issue. The College Program is back. Yes the cultural program is not yet and returning and honestly I give them some slack for that. I absolutely do. But at this point, it starts to feel like excuses. They might have some issues, but enough to force the park reservations and park hopping to remain almost 2 full years after reopening doesn't sit well. Not anymore.

 

[matt9112]

Could in

Park Pass isn't there because they want it to be there. It's a logistical necessity right now.

And due to pending litigation in California, it's not even working the way they wanted it to in Florida. They have to constantly reallocate reservations to ensure APs have fair access to reservations. They are constantly dealing with thousands of people showing up everyday with out a pass, showing up to the wrong park, hopping before 2pm. They have no way out of this except to wait it out. They must meet a specific CM to guest ratio to ensure a minimum viable experience is met. And even that is being stretched at the moment.

Change is coming, this isn't how things are going to be forever. It's just going to take a while. But to suggest they could just get rid of it and let it be a free for all, impossible.

Could increase CM pay and make it more attractive to work for the mouse.....

Phased closings were a thing before. Theres no need for a park reservation system. Except to control labor.

 

[drizgirl]

Could in
Could increase CM pay and make it more attractive to work for the mouse.....

Phased closings were a thing before. Theres no need for a park reservation system. Except to control labor.

It’s all about control and labor. And labor equals cost. Therefore it’s never going away.

 

[Grumpy4196]

Josh D'Amaro has already stated that he believes the Park Reservation system is here to stay. It's not a matter if we like it or not, we are still stuck with it.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Josh D'Amaro has already stated that he believes the Park Reservation system is here to stay. It's not a matter if we like it or not, we are still stuck with it.

Park Pass isn't going anywhere but your distaste for it may. The current implementation of the system is not the long term version (nor are the current capacity limits).

 

[Disstevefan1]

Park Pass isn't going anywhere but your distaste for it may. The current implementation of the system is not the long term version (nor are the current capacity limits).

Much like Park Pass reservations, my distaste for Park Pass Reservations will never go away...
Wait till they start charging for them...
A reservation at MK during spring break or Christmas week will cost the most.
A reservation at EPCOT for the last day of F&W will cost more.
And so on...

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Much like Park Pass reservations, my distaste for Park Pass Reservations will never go away...
Wait till they start charging for them...
A reservation at MK during spring break or Christmas week will cost the most.
A reservation at EPCOT for the last day of F&W will cost more.
And so on...

Never going to happen.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Never going to happen.

I hope you are right but nothing would surprise me from TWDC....