FoxNews website article on NextGen

[dcibrando]

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/04/18/whole-new-world-for-whole-new-disney

 

[HM Spectre]

Disney is a business, bottom line driven

I wonder how many times Walt Disney himself uttered those words... :hurl:

 

[stitch2008]

I wonder how many times Walt Disney himself uttered those words... :hurl:

Probably a lot more then you think.

 

[HM Spectre]

Probably a lot more then you think.

I doubt it. There are multiple schools of management philosophy and instead of a bottom line driven approach, Walt seemed to favor a customer/product focused approach.

The difference is that those obsessed with the bottom line (like the current management) will make narrow minded decisions based largely on expected impact to the bottom line (like slashing a park budget excessively to save money, even though an "unexpected consequence" is that it causes a dip in ticket sales which negates some of the gains).

I've always thought Walt of the school of thought that by focusing on putting out quality and taking care of the customer experience, the bottom line will take care of itself. Sure, the bottom line is very important with both philosophies but with this one, it's realizing that the bottom line is something that improves based on what is being done well, not just something to be manipulated.

Walt put the business "on the line" several times for projects he strongly believed in. Things like Snow White, Disneyland etc. would never have taken place if he had listened to the "bottom line" people telling him that they were bad business decisions that would sink the company. Heck, the kind of people telling him not to dream and take risks are probably same the kind of people filling up the ranks of TDO today.

 

[dkosdros]

Thanks for sharing. I really cannot wait for this to launch. I think it is a win win for everyone. It's a win for planners like me that would love to be able to plan my rides, meals, shows, and character meets down to the hour. I think this system will make my planning that much easier and will reward me by being able to just walk up and on because I took the time to plan and remained on schedule. Being that I am on a schedule.

It is a win win for everyone else because the other Xpass guests will benefit from me being on time because they get to walk right up and on.

The guests that don't like to plan and don't want to take advantage of Xpass will benefit because everyone else that is on a schedule will be going at their allotted times (which Disney will have down to a science) to keep the standby lines down to between 5-20 min.

The wristbands are an awesome idea. No more carrying room keys, credit cards, ID's, Imagine how interactive the rides could be if they knew your name, had your photo, etc.. They could integrate that information into the rides, attractions, restaurants. It would make WDW even more magical. And for the people on the privacy train. You mine as well just hop off it now. Your information is already out there. Trust me I know. I for kicks and giggles had a random conversation with someone on a plane once. They gave up the city and street the lived on. All I had was their first name. I was able to find their facebook, myspace, home address, how much they paid for their home, if they pay thier bills on time, email, phone #, wifes and kids names, university they attended, workplace, you name it was all on the internet and it took me 2 hours of time. A friend didn't believe that all this info was out there so she wanted me to prove it and I did. Sorry off topic... Can't wait for Xpass. I'd love to test it for them when I go in the end of August, :animwink:wink wink... LOL

 

[Disneyfan_76]

Is nextGen neat? Meh, maybe? Is it worth the billion dollars they spent on it. No way, no how. I just don't understand the reasoning behind this. Why spend all that money to be able to track people when major portions of the park are just falling apart. I think an E ticket and a refresh of the parks in general across the board would have been money better spent. I think just the way that this paints the company in a negative light makes it not worth it alone.

 

[dcibrando]

The guests that don't like to plan and don't want to take advantage of Xpass will benefit because everyone else that is on a schedule will be going at their allotted times (which Disney will have down to a science) to keep the standby lines down to between 5-20 min.

I doubt it...unfortunately... the same # of people will be in the parks... there will be A LOT that won't do this and some that do won't be on their schedule.

While I like the thought process of something different and new, in my experiences it is hard enough to schedule and stay on track for dining reservations much less an entire day. I don't want to go on "vacation" and have every single detail planned out...because things like the weather, or what park we want to go to may change each day which would affect this in a big way.

Also as someone who does some travel agency work on the side and books many WDW vacations for clients, many of them either haven't been to Disney before or don't remember much since the last time they were there... so how are they supposed to plan a day not knowing what attractions to do, not to do, etc. etc.

I just hope they have a major smart way to control this whereas you can only schedule/book so much per day. I also hope if this is something people have to pay for to fully take advantage of, they remember the annual passholders and especially the DVC members who could use an extra perk or 2 for being constanst guests / money spenders

I love Disney World and a lot about it... but some of the things the jury is DEFINITELY still out for me questioning some things:
xPass
Avatarland :hurl:
DTD fiasco and uncertainties :shrug:
Test Track All-Stars brick: sorry had to throw that in there...it was painful to watch the video IMO)

 

[COProgressFan]

Is nextGen neat? Meh, maybe? Is it worth the billion dollars they spent on it. No way, no how. I just don't understand the reasoning behind this. Why spend all that money to be able to track people when major portions of the park are just falling apart. I think an E ticket and a refresh of the parks in general across the board would have been money better spent.

I completely agree it seems like a TON of money to be spending on something like this. I don't really see how it's so wonderful to make a reservation for POTC six months in advance when the mist screens don't work, or the sound cuts in and out. Or order my quick service meal weeks in advance (?!) when I don't know what I'm having for lunch today, and its really not that good anyway.

There are so many huge maintenance and infrastructure issues that need to be addressed at WDW, and it's crazy that they are spending so much money on Nextgen.

 

[MichWolv]

"I know different ways of looking at things. I have my stockholders, and I feel a very keen responsibility to the shareholders, but I feel that the main responsibility I have to them is to have the stock appreciate. And you only have it appreciate by reinvesting as much as you can back in the business. And that's what we've done... and that has been my philosophy on running the business." —Walt Disney

"I knew if this business was ever to get anywhere, if this business was ever to grow, it could never do it by having to answer to someone unsympathetic to its possibilities, by having to answer to someone with only one thought or interest, namely profits. For my idea of how to make profits has differed greatly from those who generally control businesses such as ours. I have blind faith in the policy that quality, tempered with good judgment and showmanship, will win against all odds." —Walt Disney

 

[HM Spectre]

"For my idea of how to make profits has differed greatly from those who generally control businesses such as ours. I have blind faith in the policy that quality, tempered with good judgment and showmanship, will win against all odds." —Walt Disney

Thanks for the quotes, reaffirms my belief even more. TDO should read up on this Walt Disney guy, they might learn a thing or two. :lol:

 

[disneyny]

Thanks for the quotes, reaffirms my belief even more. TDO should read up on this Walt Disney guy, they might learn a thing or two. :lol:

I couldn't agree with you more! Why is it so hard for the current management to see this. It makes perfect sense to me and is the reason there is even a company for them to run today. Please oh please get some people in there to run things that actually understand this philosophy before it is too late!

 

[G00fyDad]

I wonder how many times Walt Disney himself uttered those words... :hurl:

Not Walt, but I'm sure his brother did.

 

[JCtheparrothead]

I work in the active/passive RFID world and have for a number of years. I have sat in on conversations with WDW when they were initially interested in active RFID but the technology was still in it's infancy. They are really not as interested in tracking you around the park for your enjoyment, they are interested in your spending/shopping habits (as this article outlines). The next gen RFID technology is much cheaper than it was 5 years ago and much easier to blend into the facade, which Disney is obsessed with. So they would leave the GPS/cell systems to track you in the park and use the Next Gen stuff to track you inside buildings via portals or transaction points.

I guess that the point of my rambling is that they are interested in separating you from your wallet but will try to make it look cool while they do it.

For the record i agree that then need to focus on spending some cash on certain attractions.

 

[Lee]

I guess that the point of my rambling is that they are interested in separating you from your wallet but will try to make it look cool while they do it.

Bingo!
That is the entire reason the NextGen project exists, to track your spending and figure out how to make you do more of it. They aren't investing a billion dollars just to make the queues more interesting, or have an AA say your name.

They want your spending data. With it they can tailor ads and such to your tastes, use your favorite characters to sell you things, etc. They will also be assigning a "value" to guests based on your worth to the company. A single male with no kids will have a much lower value than a family of four, which will have an effect on how each are treated.

I'm not a fan.

 

[MichWolv]

Thanks for the quotes, reaffirms my belief even more. TDO should read up on this Walt Disney guy, they might learn a thing or two. :lol:

Note, however, that he was indeed interested in profits, and recognized that was the right goal. He just had different (better) ideas about how to get there.

 

[MissMorrow]

I think we all know by now that this is Disney's way of getting as much money out of the guest as possible, but having a attraction welcome me by name is not the way to sell me.

I'm trying to reserve judgment until it's actually implemented, but it just sounds like it over-simplifies some things and over-complicates others.

“This xPASS/NextGen effort is going to fundamentally change how people visit the Disney parks,” said Hill.

Why does this not leave me with a good feeling?

 

[mickeyminiemom]

So is this xpass something that we will pay for or is it free? I don't mind paying for a front of the line pass but paying for it and having to schedule weeks out seems a little annoying.

 

[MissMorrow]

They will also be assigning a "value" to guests based on your worth to the company. A single male with no kids will have a much lower value than a family of four, which will have an effect on how each are treated.

Gee, way to go Disney! Creating their own little class system aren't they?

 

[G00fyDad]

So is this xpass something that we will pay for or is it free? I don't mind paying for a front of the line pass but paying for it and having to schedule weeks out seems a little annoying.

I believe it will be free for anyone booking a package or any trips online with Disney or a TA.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Bingo!
They will also be assigning a "value" to guests based on your worth to the company. A single male with no kids will have a much lower value than a family of four, which will have an effect on how each are treated.

I'm not a fan.

And of course we all know that the single male with no kids will never become a married man with two kids so we better not build the good customer service base when he doesn't count for anything...