Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Jeff4272]

Disney excels at is creating inflated false value to help steer and justify consumer behavior...

DDP is a great value (because we boosted all the prices to steer people to DDP and make it look better)
DVC is a great value (because we compare only to deluxe resorts with absurd rack rates)
AP discounts are great (because we are already overcharging you rediculous list prices)

The same will be for paid fastpasses... Disney will establish a price and then tease people with 'great value' by giving it away or bundling it with things. By monetizing something DIsney basically has zero cost for, they are basically printing money/value they can barter with guests over.

Stay at this hotel at this higher rate and get 2 free passes per guest!
Oh I'm sorry you we disappointed with our service, here are free lightning lane pass credits for each of your party...
etc
etc

Just wait...

Cant believe i liked your post, prob the first time ever

But i do agree with you for once

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney excels at is creating inflated false value to help steer and justify consumer behavior...

DDP is a great value (because we boosted all the prices to steer people to DDP and make it look better)
DVC is a great value (because we compare only to deluxe resorts with absurd rack rates)
AP discounts are great (because we are already overcharging you rediculous list prices)

The same will be for paid fastpasses... Disney will establish a price and then tease people with 'great value' by giving it away or bundling it with things. By monetizing something DIsney basically has zero cost for, they are basically printing money/value they can barter with guests over.

Stay at this hotel at this higher rate and get 2 free passes per guest!
Oh I'm sorry you we disappointed with our service, here are free lightning lane pass credits for each of your party...
etc
etc

Just wait...

Sad but true…

I dispute DVC…because it’s been sold for 30 years and it wasn’t always operated the way it is now…but the rest are correct.

the easiest is the dining plan…there is no actual way it’s a “benefit” in adult terms other than weird valuations assigned to what the buyer labels as “convenience”

 

[mattpeto]

1. I can get travel insurance from a third party for the same price that Disney charged.
2. A team of Clydesdales could not pull me on the Disney transportation unless it's absolute only option. We rent a car specifically for this reason.
3. I don't want anything charged to my magic band so I never set that up anyway.
4. See number 2.
5. 30 minutes extra in the park honestly is not enough of a draw to make me want to have to spend an extra $1,500.
6. We were going to stay at a value resort so the deluxe extra hours don't apply.
7. This is the one that concerns me I guess. We're going to be going in November next year so I'm hoping that since it's a slower time of the year for travel to Disney World that I'll have a better shot of getting these options after the park opens.
8. But how much longer? I know you say 60+ but even if I'm staying off property I can still book my ADR's at 60 days early for each day of my trip correct? I would just have to get up every single morning for the length of my stay. I could book 60 days out for my day one of my trip, then 60 days out on the next morning for day two of my trip, etc?
9. What do you mean dining plan bolt-on?

Luckily for you, most of the perks I mentioned doesn't impact you much. But I'm not really sure what changed from March 2020 with ones you are ripping to threads? Why didn't you always stay offsite?

Was it just about the FP+?

RE: Disney Dining Plan - when it returns will only be available to resort guests.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I think it’s more they stopped caring about fostering long term, multigenerational core fans…

people follow patterns…and if the pattern becomes “they really didn’t want me there unless I bought port Orleans DVC or club 33…”…it will take hold and bare “fruit”

it’s Just a matter of time.

Or the tree will dry out, shrivel up and die.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Hardly different from what was the default Mermaid typeface...

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View attachment 585717

The applique signs for all the other rides I've seen have used that attraction's default typeface. It's not Times New Roman for Toy Story Mania or for Swirling Saucers...

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Good. But lord how I loathe those dismissive ellipses.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Good. But lord how I loathe those dismissive ellipses.

"Dismissive Ellipses"? That's my drag name!!

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

So you believe that anecdotal is evidence of the dominant pattern?

…maybe. I don’t agree…but maybe.

In all kindness, you're free to believe whatever you wish to believe.

You made a blanket statement that one ride can't lure people to WDW. I'm inclined to believe you weren't at WDW the week SW opened.

I also gather you just didn't visit Epcot in all of 2014, because the Anna +Elsa Epcot M&G craze lasted most of 2014, the year Frozen was the #1 Billboard Chart album, until WDW moved the M&G to Princess Hall in MK which offered more capacity. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/top-billboard-200-albums


Alas, if you weren't a forum member or Epcot visitor in 2014, perhaps you don't remember how popular it was. Here's a little info to get you started:

The movie was released in released Nov 2013.

By Dec 2013, the wait to see Anna+Elsa was 2 hours, reported in this thread: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/no-snow-in-disney-my-live-christmas-report.878062/page-14#posts

Epcot also capped the line for a time. If queue was full, people had to come back later. Multiple folks posted that they were unable to enter the queue. (threads dating to early 2014).

As of Feb 17, 2014 - line is reported to be a 4 hour wait. As reported in this thread: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/youre-going-again-youre-crazy.879640/page-4#post-5944635

March 15,2014 - wait was 4hours: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/anna-and-elsa-just-plain-ridiculous.881490/#post-5989446
Same thread - MLK weekend of 2014 = reported waiting 5 hours (post #88)
Same thread - Mar 26- poster reports they got in line at 9:05 ( 5 min after park opening) and wait was already 4 hours long.
Same thread- another poster reported they are at Akershus before park opening, and were able to get in line for princesses before Epcot opened (8:40am). they were 7th in line, were out by 9:15, and by 9:15 wait was 6 hours. (post #127).

 

[Parker in NYC]

Let us suppose for a moment, that WDW built an attraction with the high expectations of a ride like Rise or FoP, but with such high capacity that waits were kept short. That just wouldn't go over very well. If the wait was short, people would instantly start to wonder why the wait was so short. Of course we all know, only lame rides have short waits.

Or maybe the ride is okay, but if there's no wait, there's no urgency to ride it.



On the other hand, let's suppose the park came up with like a lottery system for deciding who gets to ride. Set it up so it is like a slot machine. First, people will be excited when they 'win' a golden ticket, AND they will get to brag about actually riding the ride. Maybe put this lottery in a park that kind of sucks, so you know, maybe people will go there twice as much just to see it they will 'win' the ride lottery. Oh, wait.

That’s a lot of supposition. Who else here just wants a ride that operates consistently? Other than consistently inconsistent.

 

[disneygeek90]

1. hardly a benefit as opposed to another cost
2. Anyone can use the transportation, it's free for non resort guests too (at least for now)
3. Anyone can buy a Magicband, not just resort guests
4. DME is over
5. only a small % of guests rope drop (i think its 15%)
6. Deluxe only, so have to pay up
7. No way any of these ever sell out by park opening completely irrelevant and a complete non factor
8. 60+10, fair point but not worth the thousands you pay up
9. TBD

Just to clarify, the OP was talking about the ability to charge purchases with your magicband, that's linked to your room.

I, as a local that just drives home and sleeps in my bed 20 minutes away, do not have the ability to charge purchases with my magicbands.

 

[Hawg G]

Honestly dont know why anyone would stay on Disney property ever again..........

This place BLOWS all WDW hotels away, for less than half the cost AND you get Express Pass


Remind me why i'd pay $1,000 for the Poly?

I've got Portofino for $200 for 5 nights with AP discount in a little over a week. How much does All-Star Sports go for now?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I've got Portofino for $200 for 5 nights with AP discount in a little over a week. How much does All-Star Sports go for now?

I had a couple nights at POP A few weeks ago on the backend of DAKL…

you’re in the ballpark

 

[Jeff4272]

I've got Portofino for $200 for 5 nights with AP discount in a little over a week. How much does All-Star Sports go for now?

The motel?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In all kindness, you're free to believe whatever you wish to believe.

You made a blanket statement that one ride can't lure people to WDW. I'm inclined to believe you weren't at WDW the week SW opened.

I also gather you just didn't visit Epcot in all of 2014, because the Anna +Elsa Epcot M&G craze lasted most of 2014, the year Frozen was the #1 Billboard Chart album, until WDW moved the M&G to Princess Hall in MK which offered more capacity. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/top-billboard-200-albums


Alas, if you weren't a forum member or Epcot visitor in 2014, perhaps you don't remember how popular it was. Here's a little info to get you started:

The movie was released in released Nov 2013.

By Dec 2013, the wait to see Anna+Elsa was 2 hours, reported in this thread: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/no-snow-in-disney-my-live-christmas-report.878062/page-14#posts

Epcot also capped the line for a time. If queue was full, people had to come back later. Multiple folks posted that they were unable to enter the queue. (threads dating to early 2014).

As of Feb 17, 2014 - line is reported to be a 4 hour wait. As reported in this thread: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/youre-going-again-youre-crazy.879640/page-4#post-5944635

March 15,2014 - wait was 4hours: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/anna-and-elsa-just-plain-ridiculous.881490/#post-5989446
Same thread - MLK weekend of 2014 = reported waiting 5 hours (post #88)
Same thread - Mar 26- poster reports they got in line at 9:05 ( 5 min after park opening) and wait was already 4 hours long.
Same thread- another poster reported they are at Akershus before park opening, and were able to get in line for princesses before Epcot opened (8:40am). they were 7th in line, were out by 9:15, and by 9:15 wait was 6 hours. (post #127).

Take 2 on this:

this is still ultimately anecdotal. It may indicate a longterm pattern…but it may not.

tell me how you know people “specifically” booked a trip to wdw for the frozen meet and greet…
I bet the number was very…very small.

Disney thought Star Wars fans would do that in Anaheim and they ripped stuff out to have more space for people to line up…how’d it go?

that is direct contradiction to this claim.

it’s the cost…people generally don’t “throw together” a trip to Orlando if they hadn’t Planned on it. That used to be more possible in the Eisner years.

the groups that may are fla residents, APs and DVC…and guess what? They would be there in short order anyway.

opinions vary…ours do. No problem with that.

 

[mightynine]

"Dismissive Ellipses"? That's my drag name!!

Miss Dismissive Ellipses is, in all honesty, a great drag name.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

"Dismissive Ellipses"? That's my drag name!!

That’s a lot of supposition. Who else here just wants a ride that operates consistently? Other than consistently inconsistent.

If "Dismissive Ellipses" is taken I'll be "Consistently Inconsistent".

Maybe we can do some sort of 2-person show.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Just to clarify, the OP was talking about the ability to charge purchases with your magicband, that's linked to your room.

I, as a local that just drives home and sleeps in my bed 20 minutes away, do not have the ability to charge purchases with my magicbands.

Curious. How does linking a credit or debit card to a magic band have anything to do w if you are a local or not?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Curious. How does linking a credit or debit card to a magic band have anything to do w if you are a local or not?

Can you do that? Everything I’ve ever read suggests you need a resort stay to do that. You are really just charging to your room. A local would not typically have a resort stay.

 

[Parker in NYC]

"Dismissive Ellipses"? That's my drag name!!

If "Dismissive Ellipses" is taken I'll be "Consistently Inconsistent".

Maybe we can do some sort of 2-person show.

Disney’s making me waive my royalties. Just send them a check.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Can you do that? Everything I’ve ever read suggests you need a resort stay to do that. You are really just charging to your room. A local would not typically have a resort stay.

There’s no advantage to resort charges anymore except not carrying a physical card/form of payment…they just charge it in almost real time anyway…

…I’m sure that’s moving toward smartphone forms of payment…which will be the only option soon enough

 

[disneygeek90]

Curious. How does linking a credit or debit card to a magic band have anything to do w if you are a local or not?

Can you do that? Everything I’ve ever read suggests you need a resort stay to do that. You are really just charging to your room. A local would not typically have a resort stay.

Correct, no credit card info is actually stored on your magicband. I can mobile food order on the app with Apple pay, but any time you use a magic band to purchase something you're really just charging it to your room account at your resort. The same way that many hotels will accept your room key as a form of charge at a hotel restaurant, to be billed and paid at checkout.