MyMagic+ article from Fast Company magazine

[zakattack99]

The real question is how can one spend that much time with Joe Rhode and not ask about Disco Yeti!?!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

2014 attendance numbers have NOT been released. Your yearly 2014 number is grossly off. By a very wide margin. 2014's attendance numbers will come out next month, and then you can talk about 2014. You're quoting USF's rise from 2012 to 2013.

His point was that even if USF has a larger percentage increase in attendance, WDW smaller percentage increase can still dwarf the actual attendance numbers increase. It's something that people like to do to redirect what is really happening.

 

[Lord_Vader]

I don't go anywhere and not make a reservation as I want my table in the restaurant I want when I want it.

I value my time way to much to want to wait an hour for a table. That is just the culture today and the fact of the way that business works.

I take reservation even at my sports restaurant as my customers have dictated it.

But when I go on vacation I book dinner at the best restaurants because I want to make sure I get to enjoy them. The foodie in me needs my fixes.

Well stated!

Last week I took my family to BJs Brewhouse, we made an online reservation through their app and once inside we had a ten minute wait for our table (the standby wait was well over 2 hours) where we used the same app to build our order and submit. Once we sat, the server promptly brought our drinks without having even seen them yet so our introduction was with our drinks and was really nice. Secondly she confirmed our orders and noted the app we ordered would be ready in a few minutes which was brought out almost immediately. This entire experience was relaxing, easy-going and we had much less interruption during our meal from start to finish. I even paid through the app which was another nice feature, the server didn't take my card to the back of the restaurant to run which provides more guest enhancement.

Reservations, advance ordering, online/tap-to-pay is the future and WDW is just ahead of the curve but not quite bleeding edge with advance payments, reservations and pre-ordering and is the future for most younger adults. My 17yo son uses ApplePay now attached to his Debit Card (checking account) at various restaurants & retailers which is much like the chip/pin that MM+ uses.

 

[GLaDOS]

His point was that even if USF has a larger percentage increase in attendance, WDW smaller percentage increase can still dwarf the actual attendance numbers increase. It's something that people like to do to redirect what is really happening.

I know what he was trying to do. It's a valid argument when talking about 2013's numbers. I'm just saying wait until 2014's numbers come out to see just how much Diagon Alley brought in.

 

[Lord_Vader]

Unfortunately, we'll never see Fast Pass + removed from WDW. Removing it would be admitting failure. And since this HBFW, like the article said, Failure is not an option.

FP+ is actually a benefit for many, including myself so removing it would be taking something away from us and not a failure.

 

[Lee]

If you read the Article you will see in the early stages of developing MM+ when they were still in the WoL pavilion James Cameron came to visit while he was working on the new Avatar land. This means that Disney had started planning the new Avatar land long before either Harry Potter areas opened... I am assuming Universal did the same and Avatar was probably in response to Disney learning USF was planning Harry Potter lands in the parks.

Nope. The Avatar project began in earlyish 2011.
Potter opened to booming business at IoA in summer 2010.
Avatar was entirely a reaction to Potter.

 

[BJones82]

His point was that even if USF has a larger percentage increase in attendance, WDW smaller percentage increase can still dwarf the actual attendance numbers increase. It's something that people like to do to redirect what is really happening.

I don't know if you are saying I am redirecting what is really happening but I feel the actual numbers are extremely important either way because large companies simply cannot grow at the same percentage as a smaller company... Eventually you pick the easy apples from the trees and growth and "farming new customers or guests or profit" becomes much more difficult to do. USF is still getting the easy Apples using Harry Potter, WDW decided to setup infrastructure to make it easy to pick those easy Apples and then plant them into return business. How simple everything is now just a year after MM+ launched, check in online, pay with magic band, FP with magic band, room key with Magic Band, everything in one. Bus systems and transportation all over property, hundreds of restaurants. They now have the infrastructure to give an experience which no amount of rides will dwarf and it is something very dangerous for USF to ignore... I know we just decided after our 4 day trip for our wedding planning session to skip USF on our 14 day honeymoon because the bubble is getting more real than it has been in a very long time.

And for people to say this isn't an important upgrade with the way technology is growing in the wearable sector is most likely why they weren't the people making that decision.

Again @LuvtheGoof If you weren't saying I was trying to distract from what was actually happening I am sorry I took it the wrong way but if you were saying I was then we will just agree to disagree about what we think is actually happening...

 

[AustinC]

I want to be careful with my words because I haven't read the piece yet, so my feelings on its true journalistic merit may well change.

I already see seven pages of people largely patting the author on the back, which is typical.

Negative story ='s Disney hating writer who is lying and has an agenda.

Positive story ='s fair and balanced writer who has no agenda.

It would appear this story is gushing in its praise for the (two) billion dollar boondoggle, so everyone thinks that Austin is Moses coming down the Mountain to tell 'the word'.

It may be that easy for some of you, but it isn't for me. I do understand how Disney works to control the message.

I am curious about many things, foremost would be why the author is here on this site and now after six months (?!?!) of work on the piece. I hope Austin was paid well for his efforts. But why reach out and reach out to this very skeptical and probing community AFTER the fact? Did the author even know the site existed? Or was he pointed this way by someone inside TWDC who's looking to change the narrative? As I writer, I'd have been interested in getting perspectives from individuals here before I actually wrote my story, regardless of whether I'd be using the quotes/information or not.

Now, the writer wants to have an account here and be an all-knowing NGE guru that fans can go to and get 'the real story'. Whose story and to what end? He did the work, filed the story and was paid. Why would you waste time with fans on a fan site?

I'm sorry, but I think critically and wonder why. Who is he helping here by doing so? Himself? Disney? Or all of us ignorant folks who just don't understand how Disney was/is breaking all sorts of tech barriers with NGE?

None of you are curious?

I did see him continually push the narrative that NGE's cost was under a billion. I'd love to see the corporate documents that he reviewed to come to that conclusion. Oh, you don't think Disney would show those? You're right. So basically if he asked two execs (let's call them Tom and Jay) what the cost of the program was and they gave him a number then he was doing his due diligence to source the info.

Again, I haven't read it ... but I am curious if he spoke with or quoted Nick Franklin, the exec who spearheaded the program to save his job and wound up leaving Disney anyway. I am curious if he spoke with Jim MacPhee who was in charge of MM+ implementation at WDW. I am curious if he spent time in the parks talking to CMs (without a Disney handler) asking them about how the system is (or isn't working).

Like I said, I have lots of questions. But clearly I'm in the minority ... maybe I'll agree with y'all when I read it later or this evening. I don't know. But I do know there are a lot of questions and critical thinkers might want to know those answers.

I'll read it and then I'll tell you what I think.

Right now, I think it's counter-programming.

EDIT: And, btw, doesn't Fast Company do placed/sponsored content?

Howdy! Thanks for your comment -- one thing that I'm surely impressed by: there's so much passion here and throughout this forum for Disney. It's great.

I would encourage you to read the piece, WDW1974, and can understand why you might be skeptical. A few thoughts to help ease your concerns:

- First off, no ulterior motives re: why I'm here! After spending months reporting a feature, we typically do live Q&As with our readers (like I did for my last feature on Amazon: http://live.fastcompany.com/Event/Amazon_2?Page=0). This time, we thought it might be fun to jump into one of the Disney forums instead, since this is such a specific topic. This forum seemed to have the most vibrant community (yes, I've been aware of it for some time), so we reached out a few weeks ago to the site's moderator, who very kindly welcomed us here.

I like that this is apparently a skeptical/probing community, as you say! It's good fun. And no, I do not intend on becoming some sort of "all-knowing NGE guru" who prowls these here forums from now until eternity. As much as reporting this story was a lot of fun, I'm already onto my next long-term assignment, so I'm afraid I probably won't be back here after this week (sorry, Stephen!). You mention that I filed the story and was paid (FWIW, I'm on staff, so I would've been paid regardless ; ), and then wonder why I would waste time with fans on a fan site. Super simple answer: because we thought y'all might be interested in what I wrote! I found this topic fascinating -- I wouldn't spend six months+ reporting on it if I didn't -- and I'm hoping you all do too : )

- Second, I appreciate your predictions about my sourcing, but again, I'd encourage you to read the story before painting it such a bad light. Yup, I talked to Tom; yup, I talked to Jim; yup, I talked to Nick; yup, I talked to a ton of CMs (with and without handlers, over multiple trips); and yup, I talked to a ton more former/current executives + Imagineers, employees, partners, and so on. Not quite sure why you're making so many assumptions about my work, but perhaps it's because you've had bad experiences reading other Disney pieces before this one? No worries if so; I stand by my reporting, and my only allegiance is to telling the truth to our readers.

- Lastly, nope, I'm not Moses.

If you don't have time now to read our ~9,000 word feature, perhaps this preview will suffice in the interim:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3044922/...illion-attempt-to-reinvent-its-iconic-theme-p

 

[Lee]

FP+ is actually a benefit for many, including myself so removing it would be taking something away from us and not a failure.

It's actually detriment for many, including myself so keeping it would be taking something away from us and a failure.

See...goes both ways.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Very little, if any, would be my guess.

The argument could be made that on peak capacity days they are able to have more people in the park, but all that means is that those people aren't going to the other 3 parks.

 

[BJones82]

Nope. The Avatar project began in earlyish 2011.
Potter opened to booming business at IoA in summer 2010.
Avatar was entirely a reaction to Potter.

So we're completely ignoring this article then? When something is announced is not necessary when something starts... It would be safe to say as well you may know more about this subject than me but I am just going off the article we are discussing in this topic, that article in an interview it states James Cameron Visits NGE while it is still in early development in WoL while he is working Avatar... That is all I have to go off of in here...

 

[TalkingHead]

The infrastructure upgrades that WDW has made and is now using with MM+ puts them in a place to offer a better experience which gives people a much more streamlined experience than what USF can offer without playing catchup regardless.

Or you can look at it like this: WDW has slipped further behind Universal's attraction lineup and now gets to play catch up or bank its future on an increasingly old-timey roster of attractions.

 

[Lee]

So we're completely ignoring this article then? When something is announced is not necessary when something starts... It would be safe to say as well you may know more about this subject than me but I am just going off the article we are discussing in this topic, that article in an interview it states James Cameron Visits NGE while it is still in early development in WoL while he is working Avatar... That is all I have to go off of in here...

I knows what I knows....
The Avatar project began life in 2011.

 

[jakeman]

Howdy! Thanks for your comment -- one thing that I'm surely impressed by: there's so much passion here and throughout this forum for Disney. It's great.

I would encourage you to read the piece, WDW1974, and can understand why you might be skeptical. A few thoughts to help ease your concerns:

- First off, no ulterior motives re: why I'm here! After spending months reporting a feature, we typically do live Q&As with our readers (like I did for my last feature on Amazon: http://live.fastcompany.com/Event/Amazon_2?Page=0). This time, we thought it might be fun to jump into one of the Disney forums instead, since this is such a specific topic. This forum seemed to have the most vibrant community (yes, I've been aware of it for some time), so we reached out a few weeks ago to the site's moderator, who very kindly welcomed us here.

I like that this is apparently a skeptical/probing community, as you say! It's good fun. And no, I do not intend on becoming some sort of "all-knowing NGE guru" who prowls these here forums from now until eternity. As much as reporting this story was a lot of fun, I'm already onto my next long-term assignment, so I'm afraid I probably won't be back here after this week (sorry, Stephen!). You mention that I filed the story and was paid (FWIW, I'm on staff, so I would've been paid regardless ; ), and then wonder why I would waste time with fans on a fan site. Super simple answer: because we thought y'all might be interested in what I wrote! I found this topic fascinating -- I wouldn't spend six months+ reporting on it if I didn't -- and I'm hoping you all do too : )

- Second, I appreciate your predictions about my sourcing, but again, I'd encourage you to read the story before painting it such a bad light. Yup, I talked to Tom; yup, I talked to Jim; yup, I talked to Nick; yup, I talked to a ton of CMs (with and without handlers, over multiple trips); and yup, I talked to a ton more former/current executives + Imagineers, employees, partners, and so on. Not quite sure why you're making so many assumptions about my work, but perhaps it's because you've had bad experiences reading other Disney pieces before this one? No worries if so; I stand by my reporting, and my only allegiance is to telling the truth to our readers.

- Lastly, nope, I'm not Moses.

If you don't have time now to read our ~9,000 word feature, perhaps this preview will suffice in the interim:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3044922/...illion-attempt-to-reinvent-its-iconic-theme-p

That's exactly what someone on the take would say...

 

[BJones82]

Or you can look at it like this: WDW has slipped further behind Universal's attraction lineup and now gets to play catch up or bank its future on an increasingly old-timey roster of attractions.

The same Old-timey roster which all over this forum people complain about being replaced? There hare hundreds of threads about bringing back old rides or how horrible it is to change the old rides for a new generation...

Also there is a critical mass you reach which without upgrading traffic flow you cannot grow even with new rides... To support new rides in all 4 parks Disney needed infrastructure upgrades...

 

[TalkingHead]

For the first quarter of Disney's fiscal 2015, which corresponds to Universal's last fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2014, Disney's Parks & Resorts revenue grew by 8.7%. Universal, which opened Diagon Alley, grew Theme Parks revenue by 29.9%.

If anything, WDW's failure to open a new land comparable to Diagon Alley has placed it at a disadvantage to Universal.

Bells and whistles aside, amusement parks are still about what Disney likes to call "Guest experiences", a.k.a. rides and shows.

After the success of the original Wizzarding World of Harry Potter and Disney's own Cars Land, has Disney recognized that MyMagic+ might not have been the wisest investment. That's why Disney is building Pandora in Disney's Animal Kingdom and some exciting () new lands in Disney's Hollywood Studios. That's why Disney does not plan to role out full versions of MyMagic+ at its other resorts.

This does not mean MyMagic+ was a bad investment, only that there probably were better ones for Disney to make.

See, I had faith that you'd be able to produce some numbers!

 

[BJones82]

I knows what I knows....
The Avatar project began life in 2011.

Sources besides I know what I knows lol?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I don't know if you are saying I am redirecting what is really happening but I feel the actual numbers are extremely important either way because large companies simply cannot grow at the same percentage as a smaller company... Eventually you pick the easy apples from the trees and growth and "farming new customers or guests or profit" becomes much more difficult to do. USF is still getting the easy Apples using Harry Potter, WDW decided to setup infrastructure to make it easy to pick those easy Apples and then plant them into return business. How simple everything is now just a year after MM+ launched, check in online, pay with magic band, FP with magic band, room key with Magic Band, everything in one. Bus systems and transportation all over property, hundreds of restaurants. They now have the infrastructure to give an experience which no amount of rides will dwarf and it is something very dangerous for USF to ignore... I know we just decided after our 4 day trip for our wedding planning session to skip USF on our 14 day honeymoon because the bubble is getting more real than it has been in a very long time.

And for people to say this isn't an important upgrade with the way technology is growing in the wearable sector is most likely why they weren't the people making that decision.

Again @LuvtheGoof If you weren't saying I was trying to distract from what was actually happening I am sorry I took it the wrong way but if you were saying I was then we will just agree to disagree about what we think is actually happening...

Actually, I was saying the same thing you were, and I think other people are trying to distract everyone from the truth. We both understand that just because USF may have had a larger PERCENTAGE increase in attendance, doesn't mean that Disney didn't have a larger increase in ACTUAL number of visitors.

 

[BJones82]

See, I had faith that you'd be able to produce some numbers!

Guest experience is not just rides and shows, if it takes me 45 minutes to check into my hotel, 45 minutes to check out, renting cars, driving everywhere in an area I don't know, having to worry about remember all of our parties payments or FP paper tickets to have my vacation that is not the same experience as if you have the same rides without those stresses...

 

[lebeau]

Sources besides I know what I knows lol?

Lee is source enough for a lot of us.