Bob Iger at WDW now ... BoD to Follow?

[CaptainAmerica]

It's like talking with my wife...

Is this the beginning of your justifying tiered pricing? The Magic Kingdom is the most popular theme park in the world and it feels crowded on an average day. You're not wrong in saying "it needs less people" but that's because it is short on capacity.

Tiered pricing is ridiculous. I have nothing against it in principle but it's an unnecessary complication that will confuse guests for minimal benefit.

My point is that MK CANNOT build enough capacity to escape overcrowding. I wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Look at the additional crowds from the relatively tame New Fantasyland. If they had built more/better, those new crowds would have been even bigger. No matter how much capacity they build, that many guests and more will flood in to fill it. You act like crowds are an independent variable that can be managed with capacity, but the two are actually codependent. If crowds were going to stay flat, increasing capacity would absolutely alleviate congestion. The problem is that crowds DON'T stay flat. When you add capacity, crowds grow, leaving you right back where you started except with more strain on walking areas and parade/fireworks viewing areas.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sarcasm time?

I don't think so… He wasn't using the sarcasm font.

 

[SYRIK2000]

No sarcasm there really is a 'Strategic Planning' board probably Eisner's greatest mistake, It came to be after Frank Wells death.

No I mean is it time for sarcasm.

 

[rucifee]

No I mean is it time for sarcasm.

It's always time for sarcasm.

 

[SYRIK2000]

Tiered pricing is ridiculous. I have nothing against it in principle but it's an unnecessary complication that will confuse guests for minimal benefit.

My point is that MK CANNOT build enough capacity to escape overcrowding. I wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Look at the additional crowds from the relatively tame New Fantasyland. If they had built more/better, those new crowds would have been even bigger. No matter how much capacity they build, that many guests and more will flood in to fill it. You act like crowds are an independent variable that can be managed with capacity, but the two are actually codependent. If crowds were going to stay flat, increasing capacity would absolutely alleviate congestion. The problem is that crowds DON'T stay flat. When you add capacity, crowds grow, leaving you right back where you started except with more strain on walking areas and parade/fireworks viewing areas.

To be honest, every thing else is tier priced. I'm surprised it took this long for tickets to be.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Tiered pricing is ridiculous. I have nothing against it in principle but it's an unnecessary complication that will confuse guests for minimal benefit.

My point is that MK CANNOT build enough capacity to escape overcrowding. I wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Look at the additional crowds from the relatively tame New Fantasyland. If they had built more/better, those new crowds would have been even bigger. No matter how much capacity they build, that many guests and more will flood in to fill it. You act like crowds are an independent variable that can be managed with capacity, but the two are actually codependent. If crowds were going to stay flat, increasing capacity would absolutely alleviate congestion. The problem is that crowds DON'T stay flat. When you add capacity, crowds grow, leaving you right back where you started except with more strain on walking areas and parade/fireworks viewing areas.

Spot on. All of the "new fantasyland" capacity that was added was instantly filled.

If they want crowds to be smaller at the Magic Kingdom, you have to expand the secondary parks and draw people away from the Magic Kingdom.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

No, that would be the strategic planning board. Different group of people.

It's not really a board so much as a department, and every company worth anything has one. That doesn't mean they always make the right decisions, but it's absolutely proper that one exists. Companies with disparate divisions tend to function in silos. You need a broad-scope team to evaluate and coordinate things across the enterprise.

 

[asianway]

Tiered pricing is ridiculous. I have nothing against it in principle but it's an unnecessary complication that will confuse guests for minimal benefit.

My point is that MK CANNOT build enough capacity to escape overcrowding. I wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Look at the additional crowds from the relatively tame New Fantasyland. If they had built more/better, those new crowds would have been even bigger. No matter how much capacity they build, that many guests and more will flood in to fill it. You act like crowds are an independent variable that can be managed with capacity, but the two are actually codependent. If crowds were going to stay flat, increasing capacity would absolutely alleviate congestion. The problem is that crowds DON'T stay flat. When you add capacity, crowds grow, leaving you right back where you started except with more strain on walking areas and parade/fireworks viewing areas.

That's not quite true @lentesta did an interesting article on raising prices and at what point they would have to be raised to dissuede attendance. There is a finite number of people who can afford WDW

 

[CaptainAmerica]

That's not quite true @lentesta did an interesting article on raising prices and at what point they would have to be raised to dissuede attendance. There is a finite number of people who can afford WDW

Understood, but from the survey I saw it didn't look like the tier premiums would have been significant enough to make much difference. I'd rather see admissions mirror room nights. Start with a high "rack rate" and achieve tiers via seasonal discounting.

 

[asianway]

Understood, but from the survey I saw it didn't look like the tier premiums would have been significant enough to make much difference. I'd rather see admissions mirror room nights. Start with a high "rack rate" and achieve tiers via seasonal discounting.

Those increases were very hefty on the back end. The beauty of MYW has always been the cheap days at the end. They really did a number on those

 

[SYRIK2000]

Those increases were very hefty on the back end. The beauty of MYW has always been the cheap days at the end. They really did a number on those

Yeah the one I saw had the multiday discount removed but it was explained that they were arbitrary numbers and it was the tiered price concept being surveyed not the numbers themselves.

 

[Cesar R M]

In theory with more rides there will be less people on the on-stage paths, and more in ques and attractions.

until they throw fastpass with 75% dedicated capacity.. and make artificially long standby wait lines.

 

[asianway]

Yeah the one I saw had the multiday discount removed but it was explained that they were arbitrary numbers and it was the tiered price concept being surveyed not the numbers themselves.

Nothing but out for guest consumption in such a manner is arbitrary. It was coldly calculated and passed through a half dozen departments.

A lot of the MKs problems could be alleviated by stopping the "I need to see wishes 4x in the park every trip" crowd from dropping by since it only cost $4

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

The incredible @marni1971 posted this on another thread and thought I'd share it over here.
---------------


Pick a colour, any colour...

Every area that I've heard was considered for large-scale change over the last 3 years. No guarantee which will make the final chop. Other areas could be included but I can't personally confirm.



That's how potentially far-reaching and thorough the makeover could be. Note I said "could".
-------------

Thanks again @marni1971

You forgot Muppets...
and Echo lake (with surrounding buildings)

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

So we have confirmation that one board member has visited the MK on two occasions. I would sure like to know if anyone else has been to the parks that are not the MK.

 

[Mike S]

Spot on. All of the "new fantasyland" capacity that was added was instantly filled.

If they want crowds to be smaller at the Magic Kingdom, you have to expand the secondary parks and draw people away from the Magic Kingdom.

All we need now is for Disney to not slow down any further. We'll have Frozen , Avatar, whenever the new Soarin' movie comes, and then whatever opens up first at the Studios. Who knows, maybe they could have something open at another park in conjunction with Star Wars but let's not get ahead of ourselves

 

[RSoxNo1]

Tiered pricing is ridiculous. I have nothing against it in principle but it's an unnecessary complication that will confuse guests for minimal benefit.

My point is that MK CANNOT build enough capacity to escape overcrowding. I wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Look at the additional crowds from the relatively tame New Fantasyland. If they had built more/better, those new crowds would have been even bigger. No matter how much capacity they build, that many guests and more will flood in to fill it. You act like crowds are an independent variable that can be managed with capacity, but the two are actually codependent. If crowds were going to stay flat, increasing capacity would absolutely alleviate congestion. The problem is that crowds DON'T stay flat. When you add capacity, crowds grow, leaving you right back where you started except with more strain on walking areas and parade/fireworks viewing areas.

Capacity wasn't increased from 1992-2014. The park is woefully under capacity. They never allowed the park to organically grow. New Fantasyland appears to have added around 5000 guests per hour in attraction capacity. The park likely needed 3 times that number.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Spot on. All of the "new fantasyland" capacity that was added was instantly filled.

If they want crowds to be smaller at the Magic Kingdom, you have to expand the secondary parks and draw people away from the Magic Kingdom.

And totally retool or get rid of Fast Pass. And add a few Mega "E"s at the edges of the park that can absorb large crowds.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Spot on. All of the "new fantasyland" capacity that was added was instantly filled.

If they want crowds to be smaller at the Magic Kingdom, you have to expand the secondary parks and draw people away from the Magic Kingdom.

Both need to happen, but guests simply don't skip the Magic Kingdom. The billion dollars+ that's going to DHS is only going to help MK. Yes, new Fantasyland capacity was absorbed by the increase in guests, but they need to expand the park quicker than the attendance growth.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

FWIW (and back on topic), a little birdie told me that this BOD meeting has, in fact, been scheduled for months. It's one of six for the current fiscal year, and the only one that's three days in length. The next will be 10/1.