Hey Ap'ers, how does it feel to know you are a contingency plan?

[zulemara]

Airlines have been finding ways to limit who can access their lounges. Too many people gained access through credit cards and other programs so they are dialing it back.

The people Disney wants to have passes, the ones who run the blogs and drum up excitement, they won’t have an issue with access. Otherwise, infrequent visitors are worth more now than APs under normal business operations.

That may be. In fact I’m sure that’s been the case and attitude behind the scenes for many years. But they knew how to shut their mouth about it. Their arrogance is blatantly on display for all to see now and that’s why their negative word of mouth is arguably at an all time high

 

[zulemara]

1) What we pay for is objectively quantifiable: one day admission, one dinner, one souvenir. Being able to experience every attraction is never promised. Once there, you choose to pay the dinner prices or go off property. You choose to buy gifts or get plenty of possibly lower priced Disney merch at Walmart. You can buy a $35 t-shirt in MK or a $12 one on 192.

They owe you what you pay for, and hopefully service with a smile. Extra is a bonus by definition.

2. If I got what I paid for and it was satisfactory, certainly.

In life, sometimes you’ll get extra, and sometimes you’ll experience disappointment. At WDW, disappointment is usually relative and minor. Expect it, and you have reasonable expectations and a better time.

My trip reports will mention when we just missed CoP before it closed or when we got drenched because the Main Street stores were roped off when it rained. They’ll also mention when we got to stay late, walk-on attractions, discover a new fave wine, etc. It’s all in context, and nothing ever “ruined” a trip! There was even a time we cut a trip short around 1/1 because it was too crowded and we’d rather spend our days off at a quieter time. Nothing was bad about that, it’s just the way things unfolded.

Don’t make assumptions. I have gone for many years with many disappointments that I took with a grain of salt and I always recognize very reasonably what is and isn’t Disney’s fault when it comes to the experience in their parks.

But when you jack prices, pull benefits, add extra costs, and fundamentally alter the experience of a pass holder all at once, it says plenty - and that was before the boneheaded CFO got a microphone and confirmed it

People buy on EMOTION. This company can’t seem to understand that.

They deserve every bit of negative press and when the day comes that the parks are being sold to the highest bidder because they can’t sustain this ridiculousness because they’ve angered and lost their “contingency plan” with their arrogance, it’ll be a day I won’t want to say “I told you so”

 

[The Colonel]

They are not managing a business they are just managing earnings. They miss their numbers and panic because they have no plan to begin with. They go from paying hiring bonuses to hiring freezes and layoffs. They are clueless.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

Honesty that is just stupid. Even if you think Disney is different than other sellers of “products” that doesn’t change how a CFO should act…in a freaking financials meeting. It’s just plain stupid to think/expect that Csuite executives are supposed to be tailoring there reports in the same way as a commercial to the general public.

This wasn’t a PR junket, it wasn’t a Disney+ spot. It wasn’t a horse and pony show to drive internet content like D23. It was a business meeting, run like a Fortune 500 company should run such a meeting, using language that one should expect from a proper business meeting.

Completely disagree. Everything that can potentially make it to the public is a PR move. Disney is trying to win the battle instead of winning the war. Many times, wars are won by conquering hearts and minds.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Completely disagree. Everything that can potentially make it to the public is a PR move. Disney is trying to win the battle instead of winning the war. Many times, wars are won by conquering hearts and minds.

Disney is neither trying to win a battle or a war. They don’t care about universal nearly as much as these message boards make out. If they hit their target numbers and financials they don’t care what universal does.

Nor does the company care about people who are mining shareholder reports or other business meetings for nuggets or sound bites. The parents basement Morlocs who do so don’t matter, both from a business and a life perspective. What makes it onto ABC/GMA/Instagram/Tiktoc that’s what’s matters from a marketing/PR perspective. A bunch of people typing away about what happened in their day at the park 20yrs ago when they uses to walk to school everyday, up hill, both ways, in the snow do not matter to any company, let alone one the size of Disney:

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Nobody was doing Disney a favor by attending their parks.

Indeed, and I really believe if you don't like what they're doing or how they talk about their customers you have the option of just not going. Then, if you're still in the mood, take advantage when they scramble to try and get you back if business starts suffering. If they've lost you forever, that's their problem.

Part of me wonders whether Disney on some level wants to weaken the sense of ownership over the parks that has developed among APs and frequent visitors more generally. Even in terms of word of mouth, the picture might be more mixed between brand ambassadors and people who treat the parks and resort like their own community and Disney executives as elected officials. I don't know if this is true, but Disney might feel that not only are APs not especially lucrative for them in a financial sense anymore, but they are a bit of wash when it comes to word of mouth compared to those who still view a visit to Disney as a special occasion.

Overall, I am still struck that we have one thread where people are complaining about Disney referring to people as "friends" so as not to inadvertently offend/upset people, and another where people are complaining that their feelings were hurt when Disney referred to bringing back APs as a possible contingency plan.

 

[phillip9698]

Indeed, and I really believe if you don't like what they're doing or how they talk about their customers you have the option of just not going. Then, if you're still in the mood, take advantage when they scramble to try and get you back if business starts suffering. If they've lost you forever, that's their problem.

Part of me wonders whether Disney on some level wants to weaken the sense of ownership over the parks that has developed among APs and frequent visitors more generally. Even in terms of word of mouth, the picture might be more mixed between brand ambassadors and people who treat the parks and resort like their own community and Disney executives as elected officials. I don't know if this is true, but Disney might feel that not only are APs not especially lucrative for them in a financial sense anymore, but they are a bit of wash when it comes to word of mouth compared to those who still view a visit to Disney as a special occasion.

Overall, I am still struck that we have one thread where people are complaining about Disney referring to people as "friends" so as not to inadvertently offend/upset people, and another where people are complaining that their feelings were hurt when Disney referred to bringing back APs as a possible contingency plan.

That part is what APs are having a hard time coming to grips with. Word of mouth does not travel by mouth in 2022, it travels on Facebook, instagram, twitter, etc…..

You know who is posting pics of spicy chicken and waffles, Buffalo chicken tots, ronto wraps, Splash Mountain, ToT, etc……. and selling Disney World better than Disney ever could. It’s the people who are making their once every couple of years or lifetime trip. It’s not the APs who have seen and experienced those things hundreds of times.

When the parks are full and bookings are up APs have the potential to hurt business more than they help. They take up dining reservations and fill the queues of rides which hampers the experience of the infrequent visitors. And as I said , who are the people posting their experiences for all to see, those infrequent visitors. There was a LOT of vitriol pointed at APs when Rise first opened because many would brag about their 30th ride while the person who may never get back to the park couldn’t sniff the ride.

When times are good Disney wants bloggers and destination visitors. They don’t want local APs, if that bothers you then you have every right to not renew. Universal, Sea Word, and Busch Gardens would love to have you.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney is neither trying to win a battle or a war. They don’t care about universal nearly as much as these message boards make out. If they hit their target numbers and financials they don’t care what universal does.

Nor does the company care about people who are mining shareholder reports or other business meetings for nuggets or sound bites. The parents basement Morlocs who do so don’t matter, both from a business and a life perspective. What makes it onto ABC/GMA/Instagram/Tiktoc that’s what’s matters from a marketing/PR perspective. A bunch of people typing away about what happened in their day at the park 20yrs ago when they uses to walk to school everyday, up hill, both ways, in the snow do not matter to any company, let alone one the size of Disney:

Agreed, Disney does not care about people. They care about the share price and how to keep it moving in the right direction. People are just something they must put up with and somehow keep making them open their wallets and spending money on Disney resorts, DVC, merch, movies, streaming.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I was definitely doing them a favor by speaking highly of them and Referring them willingly without personal compensation, which makes me an Ambassador of - anyone - I choose to do so for

Only in your own mind. You prove the point as to why Disney wouldn’t want any rando to be a brand ambassador - you turned on them.

You greatly overestimate your own importance in this context.

People buy on EMOTION

Speak for yourself.

There’s emotion, and then there’s EMOTION. The former being that childlike wonder when you book your trip and imagine what’s to come; the latter is just plain childlike - all the whining and threats and temper tantrums because it isn’t 1985 anymore.

they’ve angered and lost their “contingency plan” with their arrogance

No, just the ones who can’t reason like adults.

 

[SteveAZee]

No, just the ones who can’t reason like adults.

As I've gotten older, I've noticed that most people don't use reason nearly as much as I think they should. For better or worse, I suspect that's the case (perhaps even more so) for Disney fans.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

As I've gotten older, I've noticed that most people don't use reason nearly as much as I think they should. For better or worse, I suspect that's the case (perhaps even more so) for Disney fans.

I have wondered if the qualities that make someone a superfan of Disney also make some of them act...a certain way.

 

[JoeCamel]

I have wondered if the qualities that make someone a superfan of Disney also make some of them act...a certain way.

Lot of OCD in this community

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

As we let our 12 year+ AP expire, sold our DVC Points?
Not involved. Sorry for everyone else . Not a money thing... a calculated USE of money thing...

 

[rreading]

I think the landscape is changing right before our eyes. I think people used to go vacation to WDW and visit Universal and now (especially after Epic U opens) it will be go on vacation to Universal and stop in WDW for a day............Their hotels are nicer and hotel perks are WAY better and they are also way cheaper while at the same time WDW has eliminated all of their perks to staying onsite

I don’t know where you usually stay.

I’m a DVC member who stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal (to get the free FP) and I was NOT impressed. Really cheap small rooms and the lobby was maybe as nice as a Marriott.

Never going to stay there again

 

[Casper Gutman]

I don’t know where you usually stay.

I’m a DVC member who stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal (to get the free FP) and I was NOT impressed. Really cheap small rooms and the lobby was maybe as nice as a Marriott.

Never going to stay there again

The rooms at Royal Pacific are the same size as at the Disney lodges, significantly less expensive, and were recently renovated. I prefer the lobbies at Cabana and Sapphire, but in no way, shape, or form is the Pacific lobby equivalent to a Marriott. I have a suspicion you had determined your opinion of the resort before you set foot in it.

 

[TQQQ]

I don’t know where you usually stay.

I’m a DVC member who stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal (to get the free FP) and I was NOT impressed. Really cheap small rooms and the lobby was maybe as nice as a Marriott.

Never going to stay there again

I’m dvc since 2010 at blt (which I love) mainly for the location but I’m a realist and let’s face it, the pool and lobby aren’t the greatest. Hard Rock and Portofino are excellent, have great lobbies, awesome pools, express pass included And oh yeah, one other thing, they are about half the cost of their Disney comps.

 

[zulemara]

Only in your own mind. You prove the point as to why Disney wouldn’t want any rando to be a brand ambassador - you turned on them.

You greatly overestimate your own importance in this context.

Speak for yourself.

There’s emotion, and then there’s EMOTION. The former being that childlike wonder when you book your trip and imagine what’s to come; the latter is just plain childlike - all the whining and threats and temper tantrums because it isn’t 1985 anymore.

No, just the ones who can’t reason like adults.

Today I took a Universal AP survey. One of the questions was “Do you feel valued as an annual pass holder?”

Isn’t that interesting???

It’s not about reason, it’s biology. Human beings buy with emotion and justify with logic especially as the purchase gets more premium. It’s not opinion, it’s biological fact.

Underneath that logical stance, there is an emotional need being met. When the emotional need is no longer met, the logic will no longer make sense. On the contrary, something be be totally logical but when the emotion doesn’t match, we don’t take action or buy.
Look up “start with why” and perhaps you’ll understand

 

[Nubs70]

I agree this may happen. My question is, where are these former WDW vacationers going to stay? We know the WDW resort blows all other resorts out of the water.

This will be a huge opportunity for hotels that are nearby the Universal parks to partner with Universal much like the Disney Springs hotels partner with WDW.

Former WDW vacationers go to the real UK, Germany, Spain, Canary Islands for a similar if not cheaper price.

FWIW, the only thing that is authentic at the Beirgarten are the flags on the wall.

 

[matt9112]

I don’t know where you usually stay.

I’m a DVC member who stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal (to get the free FP) and I was NOT impressed. Really cheap small rooms and the lobby was maybe as nice as a Marriott.

Never going to stay there again

Legitimately never heard this before….it’s almost universally accepted that universal resorts are a higher breed. I mean….you can’t compare a normal hotel room to a DVC studio even usually.

I feel the opposite I normally stay at cabana bay because I’m a plebeian and it’s by and away better than any disney moderate and I’ve stayed at all of those.

I would also like to point out that in most all remodels disney is now doing its Marriott and Hilton all the way. The charm I presume you are eluding to is being destroyed before your eyes.

 

[matt9112]

I’m dvc since 2010 at blt (which I love) mainly for the location but I’m a realist and let’s face it, the pool and lobby aren’t the greatest. Hard Rock and Portofino are excellent, have great lobbies, awesome pools, express pass included And oh yeah, one other thing, they are about half the cost of their Disney comps.

Irony is when I had my AP I avoided the MK like the plague place was always a madhouse. But I imagine the view from BLT is great. My first universal top tier hotel trip is coming up and I have never (stayed the night) at any disney deluxe resorts. Price matters value matters.