News Disneyland Magic Key Program

Stevek

Well-Known Member
They claim they want to limit attendance lower than the true maximum capacity.

Will they actually do this? It remains to be seen, but if this isn't the case, why have reservations at all?
That's the biggest question here. If you believe Disney, which many will not, then the guest experience should be much better due to reduced crowds caused by reservation system. Ultimately, it's just a matter of how reduced will they be? 10% less? 20% less?
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
You do realize that generally, that's a BAD thing right?

Saying Disneyland needs discounted admission reinforces the idea that the audience will always prioritize cheap access over experience. This idea that Disneyland isn't really selling a theme park experience (with rides, and food and merchandise), but really just selling access to come in and sit on a bench and be there. That completely tilts the operational thinking of the park and how financial returns are planned.

Disney doesn't have to spend to improve the guest experience, just continue to lower the price enough to attract people. Long lines at the toll booths, security, no parking lot trams, understaffed facilities and convoluted entrance rules and requirements are all justified by having an AP program. People paying a discount to get in, will always overlook these little failures.

There are all sorts of other negative long term effects too: entitled passholders putting downward pressure on labor retention, long term attraction and expansion spending not being justified by smaller returns, more park area and green space being eaten away for guest accommodation.

You can take almost any complaint made against the park in the last ten years and tie it back to the AP program.




I still disagree that this is the same system. It looks very similar to the old system, to be sure, but the addition of the reservations significantly alters what is being offered. We knew the old APs were dead as soon as they committed to moving forward with reservations only. Bringing back something similar is really meant to help convince the locals to buy into the same system, but most of the power now is with Disney.

It's actually going to be quite some time before we know for sure to what degree access is still available to the former AP crowd and whether the reservations will severely limit access to the park, or be enough of a deterrent to keep people from buying the new memberships. Personally I don't see why anyone would buy into this system without fully knowing or understanding how the reservations will work not just in principal but in practice.




Observational data would indicate that attendance has actually gone up in the last two weeks. I can tell you during my normal commute, the lines for Mickey and Friends and Pixar Pals have both increased significantly and have been back to being out in the street blocking traffic.

Thrill data seems to indicate that I'm not entirely crazy, with the average wait times also increasing over June numbers:

View attachment 577733

Most likely this corresponds to the release of the So Cal ticket discounts and general "end of summer/before back to school" trips that would see a spike in attendance pre-Labor Day. This is actually a fairly normal attendance pattern.

Where you might be right, is in thinking what will happen after August. Disney can gauge expected park attendance from their hotel bookings and now park reservations and ticket sales. If their bookings are soft, they might be worried that off-season attendance is going to crater HARD. This makes a lot of sense considering the unavailability of international travel, a domestic travel industry that is in flux, and the concerns over the delta variant and public health lockdowns coming back.

I wouldn't be surprised at all, if Disney actually ended up having competing AP replacements to choose from, and ended up choosing one based solely on future booking numbers looking so bad. Seems off that they would take eight months to come up with something that is "essentially the same as before but just with reservations" right?
I totally agree with you on all fronts. All they had to do was change admission cost instead of doing this bulk admission discount model.

I think its bad for Disney and their brand that they have to sell discounted admission. They should've kept it up with tickets and multiday tickets but adjust prices based on demand. They would've made a killing and no more entitlement.
 

socaljoeyb

Active Member
I think they will cap the reservations at the tipping point, above the tipping point gsat goes down and restaurants+ shops are too crowded.

Basically APs won't be able to ruin the experience for day guests.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
Day guests used to always ruin my visits when I was an AP. Walking way too slowly, they don’t know where they’re going, asking WAY too many questions, literally stopping to take photos of everything, complaining about how much money they spent and what little they got done, clearly didn’t know the lyrics to “Let’s All Sing Like the Birdies Sing” in Tiki, etc.

My visits and happiness were usually always destroyed by the day guests.
 

Stevek

Well-Known Member
Day guests used to always ruin my visits when I was an AP. Walking way too slowly, they don’t know where they’re going, asking WAY too many questions, literally stopping to take photos of everything, complaining about how much money they spent and what little they got done, clearly didn’t know the lyrics to “Let’s All Sing Like the Birdies Sing” in Tiki, etc.

My visits and happiness were usually always destroyed by the day guests.
And none of them could recite the Haunted Mansion stretching room narration word for word like us APs could. Pfft. Losers!




;)
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
And none of them could recite the Haunted Mansion stretching room narration word for word like us APs could. Pfft. Losers!




;)
That’s a for sure way to spot a day guest! Silence during the Ghost Host spiel in Mansion.

Let’s also not forget their looks of envy when I’d whip out my pass for my discount on food. Don’t look at me and my pass, if you want a discount, head to an entrance booth and get your own pass. Also, clogging up the line at Plaza when they’ve had HOURS to get their chicken. But I have to be patient one, even though I literally just got to the park at 7pm for some dinner. Nonsense.

What losers indeed, always killing the magic for the rest of us.
 

Stevek

Well-Known Member
That’s a for sure way to spot a day guest! Silence during the Ghost Host spiel in Mansion.

Let’s also not forget their looks of envy when I’d whip out my pass for my discount on food. Don’t look at me and my pass, if you want a discount, head to an entrance booth and get your own pass. Also, clogging up the line at Plaza when they’ve had HOURS to get their chicken. But I have to be patient one, even though I literally just got to the park at 7pm for some dinner. Nonsense.

What losers indeed, always killing the magic for the rest of us.
I used to have my pass in one of those lanyard holders and I'd walk right down the middle of Main Street, holding it out for everyone to see...all while singing this song.





I expected the crowds to part for me like the Red Sea.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
I think it’s clear we need a Disneyland AP-only sub-forum, where we can discuss our annoyances with day guests and flex our superiority over them in peace without being harassed.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
I hate how day guests wait in line at City Hall, so I'm unable to go complain about important stuff. Don't they realize my time is important?
Facts. I lost my hat somewhere on Thunder Mountain, but you’re in line to complain about a CM telling you to get in the back of the line after catching you trying to cut? Oh, okay.

Give me a break.
 

SoCalDisneyLover

Well-Known Member
I think it’s clear we need a Disneyland AP-only sub-forum, where we can discuss our annoyances with day guests and flex our superiority over them in peace without being harassed.
With different key levels. I'm going to have a Believe Key, and would prefer to not associate with those who can only "Imagine" to be at my level. I'm sure those with Dream Keys would feel the same about me.
 

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
I totally agree with you on all fronts. All they had to do was change admission cost instead of doing this bulk admission discount model.

I think its bad for Disney and their brand that they have to sell discounted admission. They should've kept it up with tickets and multiday tickets but adjust prices based on demand. They would've made a killing and no more entitlement.

If this were true why would every amusement park in the world offers some type of annual pass?

All the financial experts running the parks seem to disagree with you. As a guest I hate lines too but for the park owners lines = dollar signs.

The reality is APs are vital to amusement parks success, without them most theme parks would see their attendance and revenue plummet. Whether people like them or not, or they make the parks more or less enjoyable, is irrelevant because they aren’t going anywhere.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
If this were true why would every amusement park in the world offers some type of annual pass?

All the financial experts running the parks seem to disagree with you.

The reality is APs are vital to amusement parks success, without them most theme parks would see their attendance and revenue plummet. Whether people like them or not, or they make the parks more or less enjoyable, is irrelevant because they aren’t going anywhere.
APs are money makers because they give you a percieved "value" as a customer, but really you are in fact providing a commitment to keep visiting a location to get said value.
 

DanielBB8

Well-Known Member
APs are money makers because they give you a percieved "value" as a customer, but really you are in fact providing a commitment to keep visiting a location to get said value.
You’re merely fronting your money in the hopes your visits will recoup the investment. Genius. That’s why the loyalty program never got off the ground. The administration will be more expensive than how much they can extract from the customer.
 

Emmanuel

Well-Known Member
This information is pretty much known but want to mention this since this carries over from the monthly payment for APs

You can put a larger down payment to bring down monthly but must be done at the Ticket Booths as you can't put a larger down payment online.

Would be the smart thing to do for those looking to pay less than $100 a month for the Dream Key.

Downside is that you'll likely not get in the parks the same day unless they're providing a park hopper reservation for use for the day of purchase.
 

waltography

Well-Known Member
This information is pretty much known but want to mention this since this carries over from the monthly payment for APs

You can put a larger down payment to bring down monthly but must be done at the Ticket Booths as you can't put a larger down payment online.

Would be the smart thing to do for those looking to pay less than $100 a month for the Dream Key.

Downside is that you'll likely not get in the parks the same day unless they're providing a park hopper reservation for use for the day of purchase.
The Flex pass let you in same day, so I hope they do the same for the Keys. Granted, this was a time when reservations were only for Flex passholders so I'd understand if they didn't do this anymore.
 

Sailor310

Well-Known Member
I did a same day or two on Flex pass. If there are open reservations, I can't see that it matters if you are 90 days before or day of.
 

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