Garcia: With MyMagic+, Mickey will watch where you go, what you do

[jed012788]

Great....maybe it won't be as busy for you then. It will just be you and the rest of the 1%. You can have my spot.

Once again, if you think I belong to the "1%," you are sorely mistaken. Just because I have a job that forces me to travel much of the year doesn't mean it's a high-paying one. But the reality is, considering how much I am forced to travel, it is nice to have certain perks that make being on the road feel a little bit more like home.

Honestly, if the executives at Disney ever decide the company's best business strategy is to price me out, I won't begrudge them. I am not entitled to visit Walt Disney World. As an American business, The Walt Disney Company is entitled to make money -- or lose money -- as it sees fit.

 

[jed012788]

Bringing it back to WDW, prices will go up for everyone but the blanket offers of 35% room discounts or free dining may be phased out and replaced with targeted offers. If your profile shows that you could be swayed to stay longer, upgrade from a moderate to a deluxe or buy additional items they may try to entice you.

How do you feel about that strategy? Your post, perhaps intentionally, presented the facts without your opinion.

 

[Lucky]

With the data available on spending now they will be able to tailor offers to people they deem to need an added incentive to return. The more valuable they see you as a customer the more important it will be to get you to return. If they don't see you as a valuable customer they will make less of an effort to get you back.


The blind pixie dusters who will pay anything because its magical will probably end up with less discounts.

That's pretty much right. They don't just care about how much someone spends, but also about whether they'd spend it anyway even without incentives. And the last thing Disney would take into account is what someone thinks they "deserve" in return for being a big spender.

 

[ddrongowski]

Here is how I see it. With the data available on spending now they will be able to tailor offers to people they deem to need an added incentive to return. The more valuable they see you as a customer the more important it will be to get you to return. If they don't see you as a valuable customer they will make less of an effort to get you back.

I posted this in another thread, but I think it's a good analogy. The department store jewelry counter marks their jewelry up 200% then has a 50% off sale. Anyone going to the store gets the sale price. There are 2 customers, a bargain hunter who waits for the sale each year to buy his wife a gift. Customer 2 needs a gift fast and walks into the store with no idea a sales is going on. They both buy the same earrings for the same price. Wouldn't the department store like to only offer the sale price to the guy who is only going to buy at the sale and charge full price to the other guy?

Bringing it back to WDW, prices will go up for everyone but the blanket offers of 35% room discounts or free dining may be phased out and replaced with targeted offers. If your profile shows that you could be swayed to stay longer, upgrade from a moderate to a deluxe or buy additional items they may try to entice you.

The blind pixie dusters who will pay anything because its magical will probably end up with less discounts. Same with the less desirable guests who don't spend enough while they are there. The group in the middle will still get offers but like the jewelry store customer they will still pay more. The psychological impact of getting a "free" offer is powerful. Look at how excited people get about pin codes or free dining.

Well I can say this, after dropping $8,590.29 in 2010, $9,014.48 in 2011, $9,444.26 in 2012, and estimated $8000.00 this year (been going since 2001). None of these include the airfare, or car rental. These are the amounts they got from us for 9 day trips. They haven't given us anything extra's or benefits or discounts that were like "AWESOME THANKS SO MUCH!!!". We have been "upgraded" once to a different room, but honestly it wasn't anything more special then the room we would have had (it looked over the pool, instead of trees). Every time I call they always ask the same questions about how many times have we visited in the last xxx years, etc.. This after getting my reservation number, name, address, etc... So if they are already not doing us any favors, I don't expect them to start. But sure they will be like "they come every year so let's charge them more". That is why I do it anonymously when I price it out, then login, and confirm. Looks like I will make all my purchases with my cc at the world from now on.

 

[flynnibus]

Isn't the whole point of a rewards program to reward customers for being loyal and spending more?

No, the point of rewards programs are to try to encourage you to spend only with this company.. and not others.

Hotel rewards programs, casino programs, etc are intended to TRAP your business with them. They have to compete with many different 'like' competitors.. so the programs are designed to create vendor lock where you always come back to them.. for the lure of some benefit or discount.

This is very different from Disney's world. Disney doesn't have a like or equal competitor it's competing with. Disney knows this... Disney's system is not setup to trap your business, but rather simply try to encourage you to come more. They know you want to visit Disney.. the model is simply 'how do I close the deal?' - and they offer discounts to do so.

But an important distinction is in that model you use a discount 'per transaction' to try to close the deal. 'Come between Nov and Dec and get XYZ'. Not 'Hey Mr Bill, you've been a great customer, so here's 20% off going forward for your loyality'

Disney isn't in the loyalty program business.. they are in the "discount to close" the deal business.

As long as Disney doesn't think it has equal competitors fighting for their customers... they don't need a loyalty program. Those people are going to pick Disney anyways.. the key is to pull them more frequently and for bigger spends.

The more often you come tho, the less you have to spend... hence another reason Disney loves the less frequent traveler vs the weekly guy.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

If MM+ is allowed to track spending, I can't see Disney not using that information to its advantage as a way in offering frequent and bigger spending more discounts and perks the person staying off property just can't get. It simply makes more sense or cents from a business perspective to give the guy dropping 5k on a trip staying on property that the guy going on the cheap and staying at a I-90 hostel.

With MM+, I can easily see Disney building 100k more hotel rooms and keeping the parks exclusive to resort guests only, that's really not as far fetched as one would believe.


Jimmy Thick- Disney World is not for the locals you know...

 

[The Mom]

Please keep this discussion civil - no personal attacks, etc.

 

[Mkcoastie]

Quick question. What makes anyone think Disney does not already have access (and keep track of) this info already? As of right now resort guests are the only ones who will be utilizing the full MM+ system.

So before MM+: Key to the World card is your room key, park ticket, and charge card.
After MM+: Same thing.....but with bands.

Add to that that Disney already has records of every credit transaction that takes place anywhere on property, and anyone entering the park does so with a non-tranferable ticket that requires biometric scan. The point I'm trying to make here is that none of this is new info to Disney....MM+ just streamlines exisitng data mining. The overall system has many problems and valid reasons to dislike it.....I just think that the "big brother Mickey will now be watching us!" boat sailed a long time ago, and if thats your primary reason for opposing it....well, you might want to take a step back.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Has Jason re-discovered that he is a Journalist?, His stuff used to read like it came straight from TDO's PR department. Perhaps he's seen the light and realizes that while this stuff may be good short term for TDO it's VERY bad for Orlando as whole because the place for better or worse revolves around WDW's fortunes.

No, I know theres a lot of things that Jason wants to examine/look at/write about, its just being able to prove things. Its one thing to hear a rumor, have a source that tells you something, but its another to actually ahve the proof.

Does the Data Mining and Tracking bother me? Very much so. Can I prove what theyre going to do? Nope. But I'm concerned.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Quick question. What makes anyone think Disney does not already have access (and keep track of) this info already? As of right now resort guests are the only ones who will be utilizing the full MM+ system.

So before MM+: Key to the World card is your room key, park ticket, and charge card.
After MM+: Same thing.....but with bands.

Add to that that Disney already has records of every credit transaction that takes place anywhere on property, and anyone entering the park does so with a non-tranferable ticket that requires biometric scan. The point I'm trying to make here is that none of this is new info to Disney....MM+ just streamlines exisitng data mining. The overall system has many problems and valid reasons to dislike it.....I just think that the "big brother Mickey will now be watching us!" boat sailed a long time ago, and if thats your primary reason for opposing it....well, you might want to take a step back.

Well, not quite.

Before you didn't have an active radio transmitter on your wrist broadcasting your movements with the park - meaning they can find a particular guest if they want.

Before you didnt have databases that were looking at the analytics and habits of the average park guest.

So this goes beyond Data mining.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Quick question. What makes anyone think Disney does not already have access (and keep track of) this info already? As of right now resort guests are the only ones who will be utilizing the full MM+ system.

So before MM+: Key to the World card is your room key, park ticket, and charge card.
After MM+: Same thing.....but with bands.

Add to that that Disney already has records of every credit transaction that takes place anywhere on property, and anyone entering the park does so with a non-tranferable ticket that requires biometric scan. The point I'm trying to make here is that none of this is new info to Disney....MM+ just streamlines exisitng data mining. The overall system has many problems and valid reasons to dislike it.....I just think that the "big brother Mickey will now be watching us!" boat sailed a long time ago, and if thats your primary reason for opposing it....well, you might want to take a step back.

Shhhhh..

Don't be logical, just play along.

Say it with me..."Evil Disney...Evil Disney..."


Jimmy Thick- Internet usage is datamined more than anything at WDW, but people have to complain...

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Do people know Facebook does more with datamined information than Disney more than likely ever will? Where do you think Facebook's revenue comes from?


Jimmy Thick- Can I get an enough already? Susan Powter, are you listening?

 

[flynnibus]

That article was a really long winded way to say "Business Intelligence and Analytics provides value to companies and gives them ways to increase guest satisfaction and/or revenue"

Something people like myself have been saying for what.. a year plus now?

The article doesn't say anything about sharing the info with third parties (something the privacy policy already answers) and only serves to try to explain (again) to people why BI is valuable to companies.

 

[wdisney9000]

The way Disney speaks about gathering data it seems less like they will offer you a discount/reward and more like they will just be able to give you a "tailored" sales pitch. I dont think they are out to offer discounts/rewards even if you spend $20,000 on your vacation. There goal is to get you to spend $21,000 or more in any way they can.

This program is not designed to identify big spenders and REWARD them, its designed to identify big spenders and SQUEEZE them for more. Its not a "reward" to receive a text message telling me that (insert restaurant name) has tables available or that merchandise is on sale somewhere.

 

[flynnibus]

Yeah, those hoping Disney is gonna offer a loyalty program and reward you shouldn't be holding their breath...

 

[Mkcoastie]

Well, not quite.

Before you didn't have an active radio transmitter on your wrist broadcasting your movements with the park - meaning they can find a particular guest if they want.

Before you didnt have databases that were looking at the analytics and habits of the average park guest.

So this goes beyond Data mining.

While I agree with you that MM+ streamlines data mining, I have to disagree with your other two points. First off: Magic Bands use NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communications, and there is a reason it is called that. NFC has a maximum theoretical working distance of about 7 inches. The idea that the passive target in the Magic Band can be located anywhere in the park is just not practically achievable. A lot of the scary information coming from various sources right now seems to stem from a lack of knowledge about what NFC actually is, and what it can do. As for the second item.......do you really think that Disney didn't have multiple databases for the purpose of analytics prior to this? The fact that Disney has held an "Analytics & Optimization summit" for the last 13 years would seem to debunk that theory. Traditionally the CEO of SAS (the analytics company used by Disney) speaks at these events as well as Disney Analytics cast members. Like I said, there are many reasons to dislike MM+......but the data mining boat sailed a long time ago.

 

[flynnibus]

While I agree with you that MM+ streamlines data mining, I have to disagree with your other two points. First off: Magic Bands use NFC

You have incomplete information. Magic Bands have two elements.. the RFID tag used for NFC-like operations like door locks and tap to pay. In addition, the bands have an active 2.4GHz radio (rumored to be Bluetooth) that would allow for long range detection and interaction.

Like I said, there are many reasons to dislike MM+......but the data mining boat sailed a long time ago.

I agree and disagree at the same time. Data mining.. of course. But there are lots of NEW opportunities with the solution (part of why they built it..) that some people could be bothered by.

 

[PhotoDave219]

While I agree with you that MM+ streamlines data mining, I have to disagree with your other two points. First off: Magic Bands use NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communications, and there is a reason it is called that. NFC has a maximum theoretical working distance of about 7 inches. The idea that the passive target in the Magic Band can be located anywhere in the park is just not practically achievable. A lot of the scary information coming from various sources right now seems to stem from a lack of knowledge about what NFC actually is, and what it can do. As for the second item.......do you really think that Disney didn't have multiple databases for the purpose of analytics prior to this? The fact that Disney has held an "Analytics & Optimization summit" for the last 13 years would seem to debunk that theory. Traditionally the CEO of SAS (the analytics company used by Disney) speaks at these events as well as Disney Analytics cast members. Like I said, there are many reasons to dislike MM+......but the data mining boat sailed a long time ago.

Dude, you have six posts and you're gonna start an argument? You're gonna get all condescending? It was on my wrist YESTERDAY; it has two radios in it. One is NFC, the other goes a bit farther.

 

[draybook]

I use Facebook and am neither 12 nor a female. Facebook helped reunite me with my half brother and sisters as well as my step brother and sister.


And the tailored sales pitch shouldn't be a surprise coming from a company that has timeshare booths in the park and is setting up Visa reward booths as well.

 

[ford91exploder]

Do people know Facebook does more with datamined information than Disney more than likely ever will? Where do you think Facebook's revenue comes from?


Jimmy Thick- Can I get an enough already? Susan Powter, are you listening?

And that's why I created a FB profile - so no one could 'pretend to be me' and DISABLED it.