Numbers, Cars and Quality ...

[Merriweather A. Pleasure]

I'm just wondering what happens when NextGen doesnt work how it should. Obviously it won't go to DL or DLP. But what about the mountains of now useless infrastructure and the executives who nurtured it since 2006 or thereabouts?

They'd better hope this is a success than myself and many other think it will be.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I would think so. What if we were expected to swipe the RFID card every time that we went into a ride or restaurant? They would learn all about your preferences regarding rides, parades, and how you spend your day. Then, one thing to market would be a plan that was created especially for you. They would also learn about your dining preferences and what you like to buy and voila, it's amazing available for you. This might be taking it too far but I can see them doing this. I do data mining for a living as an auditor and it is easy to identify trends and even anomalies. With a GPS chip in the RFID card/wristband, they'll know where you are the whole time. I know this sounds like "Big Brother is watching you" but it could easily be taken that far without doing anything more than handing us the RFID wristband or card.

This gets back to crowd control and finding a way to try and enhance your experience. For a cost. For the record, I am not terribly concerned about them knowing where I am. If they really need to know when I eat, ride, and go to the restroom, more power to them. I just don't want to have to pay for an enhancement that I don't care about and I don't want WDW to not develop rides because of $1.5 billion+ being spent on NextGen.

So tell me how they get my SS# from reading my rdf coded room key when I'm queuing up for Haunted Mansion?

 

[Sans Souci]

Are you saying with next gen Disney is going to gather the aforementioned information?

I think it's a wind-up.

 

[Skibum1970]

I doubt that they could get your SS# per se, although if someone entered it into a form somehow, it's there. I'm pretty sure that they could only track spending, location, ride selection, and time in parks. I would hope that noone is ignorant enough to hand over their SS# to anyone. It isn't necessary. I also don't tie my credit card to my KTTW as I worry about losing the KTTW more than my credit card. Plus, I do have a concern about cc fraud.

 

[marni1971]

I think it's a wind-up.

Wish it was.

 

[Longhairbear]

Attendance must be down at WDW. Someone posted over on the cruise forum that there is mention in the cruise advertising about having time to see the New Fantasyland expansion. We DVC members are getting an offer for 300 bucks off of passes. I think TDO is asking all the divisions to provide implied incentives to visit WDW.
It wouldn't surprise me to find a new Adventures By Disney of FLA. The Everglades, St Augustine, NASA, and a special Utilidor tour of MK, and wine tastings at EPCOT.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Attendance must be down at WDW. Someone posted over on the cruise forum that there is mention in the cruise advertising about having time to see the New Fantasyland expansion. We DVC members are getting an offer for 300 bucks off of passes. I think TDO is asking all the divisions to provide implied incentives to visit WDW.

During the 2012 fiscal year conference call, CFO Jay Rasulo said:

On the attendance trends on the two coasts, obviously, the great success of Cars Land, both from a quality and from a quantity perspective in terms of attendance and pricing, has reflected itself in Disneyland Resort greatly outgrowing Walt Disney World. I'll say that -- you know, Walt Disney World attendance was down modestly, but Disneyland attendance was up substantially, resulting, if you add the two together, in domestic attendance being up the 3% that I mentioned.

It's uncertain what "down modestly" means. Most companies downplay bad news at such conference calls. Doing a little bit of inexact extrapolation:
- Domestic attendance is up 3%
- Total DLR 2011 attendance was 22.5M according to Themed Entertainment Association (TEA)
- Total WDW 2011 attendance was 47.4M according to TEA

Given that "Disneyland attendance was up substantially" while "Walt Disney World attendance was down modestly", what exactly does a 3% attendance increase mean?

People have suggested that DCA could break the 10M mark this year, up from 6.34M in 2011. DL might be down a bit (1M?) since more people are visiting DCA. Combined together, I'd guess DLR's total attendance might be 26M. Again, this is just a guess but I'd call that "up substantially". Total attendance is up 3% (22.5+47.4 X 1.03 = 72M) , so WDW's attendance would be about 46M (72 - 26), or down about 3%.

If I was the CFO on a public conference call, I'd call a 3% decline "modest". Behind closed doors, I'd be scrambling to figure out how to fix it.

 

[SirLink]

During the 2012 fiscal year conference call, CFO Jay Rasulo said:

It's uncertain what "down modestly" means. Most companies downplay bad news at such conference calls. Doing a little bit of inexact extrapolation:
- Domestic attendance is up 3%
- Total DLR 2011 attendance was 22.5M according to Themed Entertainment Association (TEA)
- Total WDW 2011 attendance was 47.4M according to TEA

Given that "Disneyland attendance was up substantially" while "Walt Disney World attendance was down modestly", what exactly does a 3% attendance increase mean?

People have suggested that DCA could break the 10M mark this year, up from 6.34M in 2011. DL might be down a bit (1M?) since more people are visiting DCA. Combined together, I'd guess DLR's total attendance might be 26M. Again, this is just a guess but I'd call that "up substantially". Total attendance is up 3%, so WDW's attendance would be about 46M, or down about 3%.

If I was the CFO on a public conference call, I'd call a 3% decline "modest". Behind closed doors, I'd be scambling to figure out how to fix it.

JR doesn't care for the parks, but he'll soon be gone soon anyway.

 

[Sans Souci]

Wish it was.

Are you serious? Exactly how much data will they have access to? I can't imagine people assenting to this.

 

[lobelia]

As a researcher, I would love to get my hands on all of that data to see the trends of the "guests". It would allow me to make better decisions about operations. I would find out that I go to the bathroom 5-7 times while I am there. I would see that around 11 am I want to eat lunch and at 2 pm I want my Diet Coke. Operations would know that there better be a drinks cart in several areas of the Park.

Now I could ask Operations to add an Ice Cream cart near where I get my drinks and since they know my teenager is with me, create a situation where an impulse buy occurs. Now I have data that shows an increase in ice cream sales can be attributed to moving the cart. Now they know that white, 40 something woman with son will likely purchase drink and ice cream treat at 2:00 pm. Imagine all of the correlations that can be exposed with data at my fingertips and I never even had to talk to a single guest.

What they didn't know was that I was ed becuase I had to pay $4.00 for a 20 ounce drink that costs $1.40 at the vending machine down the hall from me and another $4.00 for an ice cream treat. Determining what we do in a park through data still doesn't allow them to find out my mood or my satisfaction. So this will never take the place of observation, feet on the street surveying, focus groups and after-trip surveys. However, this later part of research requires people, an investment in time, and great effort if it is to be completed correctly.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Are you serious? Exactly how much data will they have access to? I can't imagine people assenting to this.

You can't imagine people assenting to datamining? It is already the standard. Have a look at the banner above this page. It is personalised for you. Based on your browser history, internet spending, recent activities etc. You are profiled. For example, for me, it shows an advert for Thai massage oil the collected works of Victor Hugo in first print. For you it will show something entirely different.

 

[Sans Souci]

You can't imagine people assenting to datamining? It is already the standard. Have a look at the banner above this page. It is personalised for you. Based on your browser history, internet spending, recent activities etc. You are profiled. For example, for me, it shows an advert for Thai massage oil the collected works of Victor Hugo in first print. For you it will show something entirely different.

No, I already know I'm being data mined. I have been looking at flights to the UK for Christmas, so I get ad BA ads. A few years ago, I read an article about AMEX tracking its customers' purchases. If a card member showed a certain number of Walmart purchases, his/her limit was lowered. What I meant was the extent of data, credit numbers, salary, and employment history seems superfluous for day-to-day park operations. That is what I thought was hyperbole.

Thai massage oil...really? You scoundrel.

 

[asianway]

As a researcher, I would love to get my hands on all of that data to see the trends of the "guests". It would allow me to make better decisions about operations. I would find out that I go to the bathroom 5-7 times while I am there. I would see that around 11 am I want to eat lunch and at 2 pm I want my Diet Coke. Operations would know that there better be a drinks cart in several areas of the Park.

Now I could ask Operations to add an Ice Cream cart near where I get my drinks and since they know my teenager is with me, create a situation where an impulse buy occurs. Now I have data that shows an increase in ice cream sales can be attributed to moving the cart. Now they know that white, 40 something woman with son will likely purchase drink and ice cream treat at 2:00 pm. Imagine all of the correlations that can be exposed with data at my fingertips and I never even had to talk to a single guest.

What they didn't know was that I was ed becuase I had to pay $4.00 for a 20 ounce drink that costs $1.40 at the vending machine down the hall from me and another $4.00 for an ice cream treat. Determining what we do in a park through data still doesn't allow them to find out my mood or my satisfaction. So this will never take the place of observation, feet on the street surveying, focus groups and after-trip surveys. However, this later part of research requires people, an investment in time, and great effort if it is to be completed correctly.

Its like the F&B survey - they only give it to you if you bought food. Never would they ask why you didnt buy any - especially with every other guest bringing in backpacks full of food...

 

[lobelia]

Here's what really rankles me about the project as a "guest" and what has been proposed might happen....

If I am required to pay more to get more free passes then it creates an environment whereby the "haves" once again have the opportunity to have a better experience at my expense. (If the standby lines end up taking longer). We all see that usually the "haves" can have a better experience if they are ready to fork over $300.00 or more a night to stay in a deluxe resort. This is usually hidden when we arrive in the park. When we pay to get into the park we expect to have an opportunity to have the same experience since we paid the same price. I believe the reason this really upsets so many of us is that is conflicts with the egalitarianism we expect as Americans. It screams hipocracy when you see Main Street, the Hall of Presidents, and all of the patriotic symbolism. Capitalism is the country's economic value not our citizenship values. Because we believe..."All people are created equal".....
When we are forced to confront evidence of this conflict it makes us feel "icky".

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Here's what really rankles me about the project as a "guest" and what has been proposed might happen....

If I am required to pay more to get more free passes then it creates an environment whereby the "haves" once again have the opportunity to have a better experience at my expense. (If the standby lines end up taking longer). We all see that usually the "haves" can have a better experience if they are ready to fork over $300.00 or more a night to stay in a deluxe resort. This is usually hidden when we arrive in the park. When we pay to get into the park we expect to have an opportunity to have the same experience since we paid the same price. I believe the reason this really upsets so many of us is that is conflicts with the egalitarianism we expect as Americans. It screams hipocracy when you see Main Street, the Hall of Presidents, and all of the patriotic symbolism. Capitalism is the country's economic value not our citizenship values. Because we believe..."All people are created equal".....
When we are forced to confront evidence of this conflict it makes us feel "icky".

And the more repulsed you are, the higher those who walk past you by value their VIP treatment. It adds value to their experience.

What worth a fastpass+ if all it does is let you walk past happy people waiting in line for five minutes?

 

[jback93]

Here's a way imagineers can easily value engineer real rock work!

canyon by jback93, on Flickr

 

[lobelia]

And the more repulsed you are, the higher those who walk past you by value their VIP treatment. It adds value to their experience.

What worth a fastpass+ if all it does is let you walk past happy people waiting in line for five minutes?

Your right...there would not be a need for Fasspass if there is no wait. There is an example of what it is worth at Universal. According to Universal anywhere from 35.99 to 119.99 per ticketed person depending on the date.

Survey questions: How much does it stink to be in this line? Oh I am sorry. We will do something about it. What would you be willing to pay to bypass the wait. Oh ok that much. Now I have data evidence that proves that fp+ is feasible.

They may not have asked the question should we do this in a survey. What are the fundemental issues of dividing the guests into the "I will pay anything to make this trip awesome no matter the expense and because I can." and the "I saved for years to make this trip for my family and I cannot afford another add-on" or "I won't be nickeled and dimed and I expect a great time because I already paid for a ticket to participate." It was a good thing Cinderella has a fairy godmother and a Prince to save her from waiting in standby.

For full-disclosure...I purposefully stayed at a Universal Resort so that we could have early access to Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Journey and so that I did not have to wait in lines in the rest of the park. I paid more for the privledge to do so. I know I did. It worked out that we had plenty of time to see everything, plus a nap back at the resort. However, I felt awlfully guilty about streaming right past the guests in line. Hard for me to look them in the eye.

 

[Clever Name]

So tell me how they get my SS# from reading my rdf coded room key when I'm queuing up for Haunted Mansion?

They do it the same way as Google. They take bits and pieces of data and put them together like a jigsaw puzzle. They associate an email address with a name and an ISP and a cell phone provider and a phone number and a credit card and an address and a birth date and so on. None of your personal information stands independant from your other personal informaation.
Most of the information is a matter of public record and is easy to find if you know where to look. As just one example, social security numbers and marital status often appear on mortgage loans and these instruments are public records in most jurisdictions.

 

[wm49rs]

Most of the information is a matter of public record and is easy to find if you know where to look. As just one example, social security numbers and marital status often appear on mortgage loans and these instruments are public records in most jurisdictions.

Mortgage notes and deeds are in the public domain, but they only reference amounts and properties. The SSN information for loans are usually found on a HUD-1 form and other bank loan paperwork, which is not filed for record....

 

[DocMcHulk]

FWIW: wdwinfo.com- Cars Land is coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios!

While still a rumor, The DIS has confirmed from multiple sources that Disney will officially announce this week that they are bringing Cars Land to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Lights, Motors, Action! and the Backlot Tour will be leveled to make room for an expansion of Pixar Place to include the new land. Disney opened Cars Land at Disney California Adventure back in June to rave reviews and this would be a much needed boost to DHS, which is starting to show its age.

While we don't know yet which attractions will be included with the new expansion, attractions like Radiator Springs Racers have been wildly popular and most likely would be included.