Reservation expansion

[GhostHost1000]

I hope this does not become a thing its allready complicated enough to go to the parks.

Making money > the guest experience

 

[larryz]

We were already on the line about renewing our APs next week but this may have just sealed the deal for a no. The value of the AP was already decreasing but when you add this ridiculous reservation system, now possibly requiring reservations to park hop, and the continued losses of regular AP perks, what's the point. Meanwhile, I just upgraded my SWO AP to include the other parks and got a ton of benefits with that transaction.

 

[aaronml]

The fact is Disney offers a lower wage for people to operate their premium offerings (for which we pay through the nose for) than average offerings like Six Flags. In many ways it’s kind of pathetic. And this doesn’t stop at the CMs in the parks. All the way through imagineering, software development, etc. They are no longer hiring the best because of the Disney brand.

A lot of “prestigious” employers used to do this. And then FAANG / tech companies came along and said “yeah we’re prestigious, but we’re going to pay well also”. TWDC’s compensation strategy is definitely “behind the times.”

I will say though that TWDC invests (IMO) too much in technology these days and not enough into their core theme park experience (attractions, entertainment, etc.). Many park guests don’t want to spend their entire day on their phone.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

The TAP in first requirement is actually worse than the 2:00 restriction.

• If they kept 2:00 and eliminated tap in first, guests could go directly to the "second" park. Better than today.
• If they changed to 12:00 and eliminated tap in first, guests could go directly to the "second" park earlier. Much better than today.
• If they changed to 10:00 AM but keep the tap in first, guests would still be forced to go to the first park first. Barely better and would make the early time nearly useless.
• If they allow a second reservation from the same reservation pool to both go before 2:00 and not tap in first, slightly better but nearly useless in practice as most parks have no reservations available.

As a guest, the second option is the improvement I would want. As management trying to force guest distribution, the fourth sounds more likely. While it appears to be an improvement, I would argue it's not really better at all. In fact, operationally it may be so hard to make use of it that it just feels worse than the existing process. Like they said "here you can do this, psych not really".

The TAP in first requirement is most easily met at DHS or EPCOT by resort guests staying at EPCOT or on the Skyliner. Make the wrong reservation for a day while staying at a monorail resort and you're on the bus for an hour just to tap in.

This isn't going to be an everyone problem, thankfully.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

A lot of “prestigious” employers used to do this. And then FAANG / tech companies came along and said “yeah we’re prestigious, but we’re going to pay well also”. TWDC’s compensation strategy is definitely “behind the times.”

I will say though that TWDC invests (IMO) too much in technology these days and not enough into their core theme park experience (attractions, entertainment, etc.). Many park guests don’t want to spend their entire day on their phone.

This is especially evident in software engineering/product management. Disney's comp is often 25-50% lower than other public tech companies and they are not hiring the best. This is on the streaming side as well as the parks side. Senior engineers are getting offers lower than what mid-level engineers make at other companies.

 

[Joel]

I will say though that TWDC invests (IMO) too much in technology these days and not enough into their core theme park experience (attractions, entertainment, etc.). Many park guests don’t want to spend their entire day on their phone.

I assume you're using the word "invests" euphemistically.

 

[maemae74]

I hope this does not become a thing its allready complicated enough to go to the parks.

Maybe if they paid people a living wage or better .................................................................

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Disney CMs deserve more than a living wage. Minimum wage jobs deserve a living wage and Disney isn’t a minimum wage job. How can we expect top tier services when they aren’t hiring with top tier compensation?

 

[bhg469]

Disney CMs deserve more than a living wage. Minimum wage jobs deserve a living wage and Disney isn’t a minimum wage job. How can we expect top tier services when they aren’t hiring with top tier compensation?

What is the current status of the college program? They loved using them as cheap labor in the past.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Disney CMs deserve more than a living wage. Minimum wage jobs deserve a living wage and Disney isn’t a minimum wage job. How can we expect top tier services when they aren’t hiring with top tier compensation?

My advice for them would be to start at the top and cut out higher salaries and even level(s) of management that are obviously completely worthless

 

[monothingie]

Disney CMs deserve more than a living wage. Minimum wage jobs deserve a living wage and Disney isn’t a minimum wage job. How can we expect top tier services when they aren’t hiring with top tier compensation?

The reason why they can't find people right now. Or at least until the CP slaves are brought up to speed.

 

[aaronml]

I assume you're using the word "invests" euphemistically.

You mean because of how much money they pour into it? Disney invests a lot of money into technology, they just don’t spend it well (which IMO is part of why their IT is so infamous). They hire a large number of “low cost” engineers instead of a smaller number of “high cost” / better engineers.

 

[tanc]

Park reservation was the worst thing to happen during the past 2 years. It basically killed the annual pass to me, and any desire to go to WDW anytime soon. I guess it is here to stay for possibly forever.

Now I suspect this news is likely a misunderstanding, but if it turns out true then I think it's terrible. If this happens, gone will be the days of just doing whatever you want on your vacation. Having to methodically plan a day sounds absolutely dreadful.

Even before park hopper I hated park reservation. It screws you over on certain dates. For example, I missed one of the last Splash mountain merch drops by a day due to the park reservation. I was completely forced to stay in Animal Kingdom and had no option to opt out. There is park hopper now, but to me what made park hopper so great was being able to enter a park, ride a few things at opening, head back to the room, chillax and then go to another park. It wasn't like you had to wait until a certain time.

I miss just being able to do a vacation how I want and not be micromanaged all day. Quite sad how much Disney caters to phones now.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

One final clue of what's to come: there are two park reservation systems. One is the old FP+ system that hasn't really been touched since 2020 and one is fancy, shiny and new and still receiving updates to this day. Do the math.

 

[Jrb1979]

One final clue of what's to come: there are two park reservation systems. One is the old FP+ system that hasn't really been touched since 2020 and one is fancy, shiny and new and still receiving updates to this day. Do the math.

I don't care that its shiny and new. I want it to be less complex to visit. There obsession with controlling guests is insane.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I don't care that its shiny and new. I want it to be less complex to visit. There obsession with controlling guests is insane.

this

 

[Joel]

You mean because of how much money they pour into it? Disney invests a lot of money into technology, they just don’t spend it well (which IMO is part of why their IT is so infamous). They hire a large number of “low cost” engineers instead of a smaller number of “high cost” / better engineers.

I mean it's "investing" like throwing cash into a burning oil barrel is "investing". The money has been spent very wastefully, and as you said, it should really be going to the core experience.

Speaking of euphemisms, though: "low cost engineers", lol.

 

[fngoofy]

Call center employees are rarely given new information more than a day or so before the genera public. And if the information was communicated they would not be able to discuss it with guests until it was announced.

I’m not sure how the call center would be able to say inventory is not there for a system that doesn’t exists yet

I agree
However,
Sometimes computer code gets revealed earlier than you would think, and tips their hand as to future plans.
If the call center is already seeing the hopper reservation interface and its instructions for use, this is where it may be coming from.

 

[Joel]

One final clue of what's to come: there are two park reservation systems. One is the old FP+ system that hasn't really been touched since 2020 and one is fancy, shiny and new and still receiving updates to this day. Do the math.

Thank God Disney has such a sterling record when it comes to fancy, shiny, and new IT systems!

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Read between the lines. Why is A being neglected but not B...