New expensive "interactive" merch - Haunted Mansion Ghost Post

[Magenta Panther]

This. I thought this same thing. As a instructional designer, I could tell a lot of planning and thought went into the design and build of what was included. This level of planning and execution is what I wish we could get as the norm for the parks when new experiences and attractions are designed. I know the imagineers can do this on a larger scale, I just wish they were given the support from those above them to bring it to fruition in the parks all the time (without cuts along the way). Color me impressed.

Me too. The idea of a Phantom Radio is awesome, and the execution certainly does the idea justice. It's an immersive Haunted Mansion experience, right in the comfort of your own home. Outstanding. But $200, wow, too dear for me right now.

 

[Stevek]

I can't even remotely fathom a) spending $200 and not knowing what I'm getting and b) spending $200 and being excited about what I saw in that youtube video. I guess it's just not my cup of tea.

 

[AgeEight-E]

I guess it's just not my cup of tea.

I see what you did there.

 

[JustInTime]

I saw it and it's not anywhere near worth the price.

 

[Stevek]

I saw it and it's not anywhere near worth the price.

But Disney knows there are enough fans out there willing to throw cash at anything. When you make it limited, they'll throw more and much quicker. This is a prime example of that.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Keep in mind this is also box 1-of-3... I would imagine that the "cooler" things would come in later boxes and as such, assuming each box should contain ~$70 worth of value may be unfair. Personally, I think the amount of thought that went into this is really, really awesome. In a lot of ways, you're not really paying in order to receive $200 worth of stuff, you are paying for the fun/adventure/game/discovery that the three boxes provide. Would I pay it? Possibly, but I don't have an iPhone so it's really a moot point.

 

[MrPromey]

Personally, I think the amount of thought that went into this is really, really awesome. In a lot of ways, you're not really paying in order to receive $200 worth of stuff, you are paying for the fun/adventure/game/discovery that the three boxes provide.

It's this point EXACTLY!

 

[wdwmagic]

Not that it'll change your mind but it appears they put an extraordinary amount of thought and design into this for it to be such a small run. As a consumer, $200 may seem like a lot but if this is truly the only run, as one third of the product, the amount of custom artwork, design, engineering, web/app programming, unique printing and "die" cuts (for things like the paper puzzle and the cardboard radio frame) that went into this offering would be difficult for most companies to pull off at this price point. That's why i'd say it's not overpriced (a rarity for me with things from Disney with anything pertaining to a theme park, these days).

As for the value, it's kind of a Wu Tang Clan - Once Upon a Time in Shaolin kind of thing. I guess we should be happy they made more than one in case Pharma Bro beat everyone to the ordering page.

I was thinking the same. The software development alone for this would not be cheap. I think a platform is being built here for much more to come.

 

[zooey]

You guys know the first box is selling for like 300+ on eBay right? Meaning anyone who bought this is no fool. They got three boxes for 200 bucks... Bargain.

 

[MrPromey]

But Disney knows there are enough fans out there willing to throw cash at anything. When you make it limited, they'll throw more and much quicker. This is a prime example of that.

Personally, I consider a money-grab charging a family of four $600 to spend three extra hours in the Magic Kingdom after closing it two hours earlier for everyone else (but not really since they aren't saying how many people they are selling this same experience to).

When you consider the amount of paid labor involved in what they produced for this that we so far know about - the going rates for that kind of labor - the management of it, the degree of planning, etc. it appears that something else must be going on with this. Now, if they had limited it to say 50,000, it still would have sold out, at least in a few days and then you'd have had a point because their costs would have been much, much, lower per sale.

At 999, they're looking at less than $200k in total sales. Even if that was nothing but pure profit, it wouldn't be enough to move the bar that much for a company like Disney but hey, they sometimes do it with a pin or a t-shirt that they'll sell for $15-$50.

Within that $200k though, they are paying for whoever mapped the whole offering out, App development, web development (QA testing for both) - lots of custom or customized artwork, lots of graphic design and page layout, paper engineering, exotic printing processes, custom product design, copywriting, limited run production of physical merchandise, etc.

There are enough disciplines at work here that it had to be done by more than just a tiny team of people. If you consider all that, it can't add up to much for them which is why I'd be surprised if this wasn't a live test of some sort of concept in development.

Maybe you would have preferred whatever $66.66 could have gotten you in merch from Disney that was limited to an edition size of 999. Looking at Art of Disney pricing, I'm guessing that might have been a few pins, maybe?

Regardless, if it's not your thing, that's cool. A lot of people would rather buy an awesome home entertainment system than pay for a trip to Disney with their family (regardless of the current state of the parks).

To each, their own.

I just don't want you to have the impression that Disney's making hand-over-fist money with this. They're not.

 

[glvsav37]

Personally, I consider a money-grab charging a family of four $600 to spend three extra hours in the Magic Kingdom after closing it two hours earlier for everyone else (but not really since they aren't saying how many people they are selling this same experience to).

When you consider the amount of paid labor involved in what they produced for this that we so far know about - the going rates for that kind of labor - the management of it, the degree of planning, etc. it appears that something else must be going on with this. Now, if they had limited it to say 50,000, it still would have sold out, at least in a few days and then you'd have had a point because their costs would have been much, much, lower per sale.

At 999, they're looking at less than $200k in total sales. Even if that was nothing but pure profit, it wouldn't be enough to move the bar that much for a company like Disney but hey, they sometimes do it with a pin or a t-shirt that they'll sell for $15-$50. Within that $200k though they are paying for whoever mapped the whole offering out, App development, web development (QA testing for both) - lots of custom or customized artwork, lots of graphic design and page layout, paper engineering, exotic printing processes, custom product design, copywriting, limited run production, etc.

There are enough disciplines at work here that it had to be done by more than just a tiny team of people. If you consider all that, it can't add up to much for them which is why I'd be surprised if this wasn't a live test of some sort of concept in development.

Maybe you would have preferred whatever $66.66 could have gotten you in merch from Disney that was limited to an edition size of 999. Looking at Art of Disney pricing, I'm guessing that might have been a few pins, maybe?

Regardless, if it's not your thing, that's cool. A lot of people would rather buy an awesome home entertainment system than pay for a trip to Disney with their family (regardless of the current state of the parks). To each, their own. I just don't want you to have the impression that Disney's making hand-over-fist with this. They're not.

thank you...as an Art Director, I would DREAM to get my hands on a project like this, but I can only imagine what it would cost to produce. Ohhfffa!

 

[glvsav37]

Funny, when I think Disney "money grab" I always think of when the sell tickets just to be first in line to BUY merchandise at a special event.

 

[MrPromey]

I was thinking the same. The software development alone for this would not be cheap. I think a platform is being built here for much more to come.

And if this is the future of an up-charge in the parks, I could TOTALLY get behind it. Imagine being able to add something onto your resort stay package. The first morning of your stay, a box is delivered to your room with something similar to this in it. Imagine that there are items in that box (just as an example) that you're encouraged to take with you to the park and in the queue or on the ride, those items interact in strange and interesting ways.

The shape and design of the doom buggies and the layout of the Haunted Mansion as part of an omnimover system are interesting because combined, they provide a fairly unique opportunity for Disney to do some crazy seeming stuff that would only be experienced by the people in that ride vehicle. You've already got on-vehicle speakers and sight lines in a number of places that are or could easily be momentarily obstructed from the two vehicles on either side of you, for instance. Unlike It's A Small World where every person in that boat and the one behind it will see your good-by message, there is a lot of opportunity using the same technology installed for (possibly even in connection with) the magic bands to do some really crazy stuff that would be exclusive to your party... And best of all, it wouldn't impact anyone else. Your wait for 7 dwarfs mine train at rope drop wouldn't be longer because other people were already there. The park wouldn't be closing early for an after hours party or experience and guests who pay full price to get in but not for this kind of up-charge wouldn't be left to feel like second class citizens because they aren't allowed into a fireworks viewing area or some other experience they can clearly see taking place but can't be a part of... It would be virtually transparent to those who didn't pay for it and possibly very cool for those who did...

If you could pay $50-$100 per family for something like this, I think it would be appealing to a lot of people and unlike other offerings, they wouldn't have to limit the number because they wouldn't be reducing capacity for non-up-charge-paying guests...

Who knows what they're really doing but the potential is possibly a win-win for Disney AND guests. This kind of development tied to the parks gives me, as a long time fan, hope for the future of WDW.

 

[The90skid]

I think this could be a trial run for something bigger. Just my take on it, because I agree, this is a lot more effort than just simply throwing some stuff in a box and calling it Ltd. Edition merch.

 

[glvsav37]

@MrPromey all of that is what the "NextGen project" should (should have) evolve to. I love all the ideas and frankly the opportunity is limitless if the infrastructure in the parks ever caught up.

Listen I'd love to add new E-ticket attractions as much as the next guy, but if we could 'Plus" existing attractions and add interactive elements or experiences to them then I am all for focusing R&D $ that direction.

 

[MrPromey]

@MrPromey all of that is what the "NextGen project" should (should have) evolve to. I love all the ideas and frankly the opportunity is limitless if the infrastructure in the parks ever caught up.

They always spoke in noncommittal terms on what could be possible in kind of vague ways. I really hope this is finally the realization of that. Imagine if they had upcoming projects that included attractions that were built from the ground up with this kind of thing in mind...

Listen I'd love to add new E-ticket attractions as much as the next guy, but if we could 'Plus" existing attractions and add interactive elements or experiences to them then I am all for focusing R&D $ that direction.

And I'm completely cool with them doing limited testing of concepts with this kind of thing and paying for those tests with cool things that widen the story of classic attractions in the park with things like this.

One can hope!

 

[Stevek]

I just don't want you to have the impression that Disney's making hand-over-fist money with this. They're not.

I don't.

 

[Keith Richardson]

Last month, the unboxing video I made for the first Ghost Post box got shared here are got a lot of views so, I thought I would share with you the next installment! This time, I used a lot of audio from the app so you get a better feeling of the full experience.

Thanks to everybody that checked out the first video and I hope you enjoy this one!

 

[glvsav37]

marked for later...thanks for sharing

 

[Stevek]

Still doesn't look even remotely interesting to me. Just can't fathom spending the money on it.