Spirited News and Observations and Opinions ...

[Cosmic Commando]

I've only been following the NextGen discussion on here and on a few other sites very loosely, but this thing just seems, to me anyway, to be setting itself up to be one of the biggest fiasco's in Disney history. Why does there seem to be such a disconnect all the way down the line in TWDC?!?! Could this REALLY be a real "Disney's Folly"?!?!

Leave the "D-word" out of it. "Iger's Folly" seems more appropriate.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Yeah, I just don't get it. Tokyo "suits" still wear actual suits in the parks there, while the Anaheim "suits" do sort of an upscale business casual look, with occasional sightings of sport coats and/or neckties. And the WDW "suits" are in a much different league, not even tucking their short-sleeve shirts in any more.

But senior executives announcing a Billion dollar program to the media on launch day? Nick Franklin, who like many of us won't ever be confused as a male model, was wearing slacks and a blue shirt, with his shirtsleeves turned up at the wrists. I picked up on it immediately, because it's just such a shleppy look. It's an acceptable look for cubicle work and going over the latest TPS reports before running to Subway for lunch. But an Executive Vice President launching a Billion dollar revolutionary consumer initiative? For that, it just looks slobby and like the guy doesn't care about his project or its customers.

I think what makes these guys think their lowered dress code standards are acceptable is because a legit genius like Steve Jobs used to appear on the stage of the Moscone Center wearing jeans and a turtleneck. But a Nick Franklin is no Steve Jobs, and he simply comes off looking like a guy from cubicle 520E about to make a Subway run for his buddies working on the TPS reports. Put a coat and tie on, man!

Yeah, the creatives can get away with casual, because they're hard to replace and their legitimacy comes from their actions. Nobody's going to tell Steve Jobs that he couldn't wear his jeans or tell Joe Rohde to take that thing out of his ear. Something tells me Nick Franklin isn't irreplacable.

To be fair, though, I think it's a societal thing and not just limited to poor TDO. Mike Nolan, former coach of the 49ers, had to get special permission to dress like this on the sidelines:

... while nobody from the NFL had a problem with Bill Belichick dressing like this:

 

[Tadifer]

I really don't see the issue. I've read up on all of this, and my roommate is working with all of the MagicBand stuff, and it seems pretty awesome. My roommate has said how much people love it, and that people are actually starting to complain because they're not able to use it yet. It seems like everything Disney does, everyone on here hates. If you hate Disney so much, why be a fan? Why care? It's annoying to see nothing but negativity on here. Disney is trying to make everyone's experience unique. If you don't like it, DON'T GO. It's as simple as that. No one is saying you have to support them by giving them any money whatsoever. People are still going to go...a couple hundred angry people on an online forum isn't going to change things.

 

[donaldtoo]

Leave the "D-word" out of it. "Iger's Folly" seems more appropriate.

Fair enough.
From what I understand "Dr. Igenstein" seems to fancy himself as quite the Steve Jobs of TWDC.
But, last time I checked it was still just that...TWDC. It wasn't yet TRIC.
Not yet, anyway...?

 

[donaldtoo]

Let the games begin!

Yet again...

 

[RSoxNo1]

I was just talking to a friend about this and the whole AP question came up. That wasn't answered by either man today despite what you may think. APers are going to get bands. It doesn't say whether they have to be purchased. It doesn't say whether one is good for an entire year or whether you have to get them daily or by visit (let's say week for argument's sake). ... So many questions. ... Like by staying at the Rosen Shingle Creek instead of the WL do I get the same number of FPs? Is my access to attractions tiered by where I am staying and my spending patterns and the size ... of my party that is?

Mr. Franklin sure didn't have many more answers than Tom Staggs did (and he had a team working on that blog post that he put his name to).

The way I read it is that Hotel guests and AP holders would get their bands for free, people staying offsite that purchase MYW tickets will have to pay extra for the band if they want it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Staggs said building new attractions doesn't cut it anymore, or something to that affect. Your thoughts about that?

They may be right that the theme park experience needs to be dramatically changed (I don't agree, but there is a slim chance that they're right). However, they still need to build new attractions. NextGen, by itself is not going to boost attendance. New attractions boost attendance, and if the convenience of Next Gen is successful, that will result in repeat guests and positive word of mouth. Instead, you have a cynical group of guests going in that are going to much more difficult to please because in their eyes it's going to be much harder to experience what they already know.

Ignoring all of the other aspects of NextGen, the possibilities of Fastpass+ seem like they can result in substantial tweaking. Disney should be able to adjust the number of available Fastpasses to guests in real time based off of current usage and current guests in the park. Maybe some people in the park already have 4 reservations they made 180 days in advance. Those guests can also be able to park hop and have their available reservations also change accordingly. Say a guest starts their day at MK, uses 4 FP+ reservations by 3 o'clock and decides that they want to go over to DHS. On an average day, maybe Toy Story Mania doesn't have availability, but that guest should still be able to get a FP for Tower of Terror and Star Tours. If this isn't possible, then the new system is a step backwards by ever definition.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Just seems....wrong.

Especially for a place that has historically offered a fairly level playing field, where everyone that bought a ticket had the same experience without any extra concessions or work.

And I don't think your comparisons really fit. For example, a sweepstakes entry doesn't require you to "give up" anything, simply to fill out a firm. ("No purchase necessary...")
Disney is requiring something in exchange for access to FP+.

It sounds like prior to this change that the better informed people will get the most out of their park experience. Now, it sounds like after this change the people that pay the most will get the most out of their park experience.

 

[GoofGoof]

I really don't see the issue. I've read up on all of this, and my roommate is working with all of the MagicBand stuff, and it seems pretty awesome. My roommate has said how much people love it, and that people are actually starting to complain because they're not able to use it yet. It seems like everything Disney does, everyone on here hates. If you hate Disney so much, why be a fan? Why care? It's annoying to see nothing but negativity on here. Disney is trying to make everyone's experience unique. If you don't like it, DON'T GO. It's as simple as that. No one is saying you have to support them by giving them any money whatsoever. People are still going to go...a couple hundred angry people on an online forum isn't going to change things.

I'm not one of the negative people and I have actually been one of the few defending some aspects of this "experiment", but I would flip your question on you and ask you why you come on here if it's annoying and too negative? Just don't log in. Try another Disney site. There are many out there. This place is great because of the give and take and sharing of opinions. I like hearing others opinions even if I disagree with them. If you look around in various threads there is a lot of love for WDW. NextGen is still pretty confusing and many, me included, do not see the money being spent resulting in enough of a positive change.

 

[GoofGoof]

It sounds like prior to this change that the better informed people will get the most out of their park experience. Now, it sounds like after this change the people that pay the most will get the most out of their park experience.

This is exactly true. Well said.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Or you could buy Toy Story Mania on the Nintendo Wii and get someone to push you round your living room on an office chair, spinning you occasionally. You don't even have to wake at 6.00am then.

TSM for the Wii isn't as good as the ride

 

[Captain Chaos]

I'm not one of the negative people and I have actually been one of the few defending some aspects of this "experiment", but I would flip your question on you and ask you why you come on here if it's annoying and too negative? Just don't log in. Try another Disney site. There are many out there. This place is great because of the give and take and sharing of opinions. I like hearing others opinions even if I disagree with them. If you look around in various threads there is a lot of love for WDW. NextGen is still pretty confusing and many, me included, do not see the money being spent resulting in enough of a positive change.

Can I get a golf clap for this post? Goof, you said it perfectly. There is a Dis board out there sprinkled with pixie dust, Disney can do no wrong attitude. And any negative comment on there you are ridden off the boards. But, then again, I haven't seem them embrace this NextGen nonsense either. Well, not like they do with everything else.

Anyway, I have read nothing that makes me think this program will be anything that makes going to Disney better. Actually, it will make it feel more of a chore.

 

[wm49rs]

I really don't see the issue. I've read up on all of this, and my roommate is working with all of the MagicBand stuff, and it seems pretty awesome. My roommate has said how much people love it, and that people are actually starting to complain because they're not able to use it yet. It seems like everything Disney does, everyone on here hates. If you hate Disney so much, why be a fan? Why care? It's annoying to see nothing but negativity on here. Disney is trying to make everyone's experience unique. If you don't like it, DON'T GO. It's as simple as that. No one is saying you have to support them by giving them any money whatsoever. People are still going to go...a couple hundred angry people on an online forum isn't going to change things.

I have little doubt that your roommate speaks for everyone when they claim that "people love it." Well, actually I do, but that's for another discussion.

And Steve has set forth a forum here to discuss TWDC, warts and all. If you don't like the tone here, you certainly have other options of DIScussion. But you're not going to find people unwilling to have a critical eye at this $1B+ boondoggle when those monies (in part) could have been invested in new rides and attractions to bring people in, as they did at DCA.

 

[RSoxNo1]

• If they are going to offer order ahead.. even if you don't want that service, that means they'll likely post their menus online and you can't get it direct from disney (updated) rather than relying on 3rd party sites - To me, I would like an app that listed the menu's (or even on their website). Then again I don't get booking reservations 6 months in advance.

Many of the menus are there. What Jim Hill was touting was a way where you can order your food on your phone and pick it up like a takeout order. For QS restaurants this definitely appeals to me.

• The idea that I can see return times and wait times on my smartphone is a benefit (this too was part of nextgen build up) - Put this in the app I wanted.

It's part of the new app - as far as I know the app is synced correctly with the reported wait times in the park, however TouringPlans still has more accurate actual standby info.

• The idea I can check FP/FP+ availability without having to cross the park to figure out is a benefit - This too.

Again, I agree so far this is all good.

• The idea I will have kiosks in the park I can check dining availability (as well as via my devices) is a benefit - and this.

Yes, also a benefit. I have WDW Dine on my phone and have called while in the park on many occasions. But what this doesn't do is change actual availability - The Disney Dining Plan has hurt the dining experience in the parks. It's harder to get into restaurants now than it was prior to DDP. There is nothing to convince me otherwise that the same problem won't happen as a result of FP+. It's building a Disney Riding Plan. It's going to be harder to get into the higher demand attractions just like it's now harder to get into the top restaurants.

There is no risk in ridership of Toy Story Mania declining to the point where Disney needs to assure people will ride it 180, or even 60 days in advance. The same can be said about the Dining plan. Take a restaurant like Blue Bayou out in Disneyland. Yes, you can make reservations up to 60 days in advance, but there's no dining plan in California and on most days you can get in for lunch or dinner with less than a 30 minute wait. The reason is - high quality food at an appropriate price. Yes, they could move the booking window to 180 days out and add the dining plan but it's not going to change the number of tables in there or the pace that people eat. All it will change is a way to make the menu fit into a Dining plan.

If someone can convince me that the same type of crap won't happen as a result of FP+, then I'm all for it. Except right now, it's already happening. If people have booked up all of the Splash Mountain Fastpass reservations for 180 days from now and then the Laughing Place stops working and all the animatronics on the Riverboat hunch over, what's the guarantee that Disney is going to close the attraction that isn't show ready? I see them using this as another excuse to not do necessary maintenance. As long as the next gen, screen components work it's all good.

• The potential for services like people locating would be a benefit - Like a lost child? I suppose. I'm not a parent so can't comment

This is a good thing.

• The potential for improvement in services by knowing actual crowd loads (like bus stops) would be a benefit - This from a service standpoint I agree with. If they will actually use it? I'd be shocked

That was rumored as a selling point. I would expect this to be used in some capacity but possibly not in the direction you would think. I would suspect there will be a lot less empty busses arriving at parks. What it may be is a situation where the current routes are re-optimized on an as needed basis.

• The potential for new show integration (just because you may not enjoy it doesn't mean all guests won't) - Lost on this one

I'm expecting this. I think there will be a lot of E.T. like things rolled into many different attractions. I have less of an issue with this as a premium offering as long as it's not too intrusive for us "normies".

 

[Darth Sidious]

@RSoxNo1 I would implement an empty FP+ window towards the end of the day to allow for potential downtime. Although I truly believe they will end up going to a similar model they currently have. Go to a kiosk tap your band and get the time. Or something like that. The big difference would be that the 'reload' time for another FP would vary on your vacation package. ie. deluxe have 45 min reloads and value have 75 min reloads... Off site have 2 hour. Something like that.

 

[GoofGoof]

@RSoxNo1 I would implement an empty FP+ window towards the end of the day to allow for potential downtime. Although I truly believe they will end up going to a similar model they currently have. Go to a kiosk tap your band and get the time. Or something like that. The big difference would be that the 'reload' time for another FP would vary on your vacation package. ie. deluxe have 45 min reloads and value have 75 min reloads... Off site have 2 hour. Something like that.

And they could also give you FP+ for Small World or Philhamagic or something that is not filled up at the time. I assume they could integrate the phone app to send you a message saying Splash Mountain is going to be down during your reservation and suggesting available FP+ reservations to replace it. Then as availability permits they could make you eligible to rebook Splash later in the day.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

They may be right that the theme park experience needs to be dramatically changed (I don't agree, but there is a slim chance that they're right).

I was ready for them to bring FP and some other aspects of the resort a step forward into the 21st century. I've grown sort of tired of the idea of the FP "runner", darting all over the park to get the attraction you want to ride then making a return trip later when you can actually ride. I would LOVE if you just open up your smartphone while you're in the park and pick a time for a FP on the other side of the park when you're actually planning on being over there instead of the FP ruling your day. Actually take the time to experience each land instead of doing it all piecemeal. I don't know why there have to be three Downtown Disney buses pulling up to an empty queue at Pop before the next Magic Kingdom bus shows up. I would love if you could "check-in" at bus stops or tell Disney "party of 4 heading to the Pop bus stop at DAK".

I wanted a step forward. What we're getting is four steps in a direction that I'm not entirely sure is forward.

 

[Tadifer]

I'm not one of the negative people and I have actually been one of the few defending some aspects of this "experiment", but I would flip your question on you and ask you why you come on here if it's annoying and too negative? Just don't log in. Try another Disney site. There are many out there. This place is great because of the give and take and sharing of opinions. I like hearing others opinions even if I disagree with them. If you look around in various threads there is a lot of love for WDW. NextGen is still pretty confusing and many, me included, do not see the money being spent resulting in enough of a positive change.

I've been a member of this site for 8 years, and have NEVER seen such negativity. It's just sad, that's all.

 

[Nemo14]

I've been a member of this site for 8 years, and have NEVER seen such negativity. It's just sad, that's all.

I see it as healthy discussion.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I've been a member of this site for 8 years, and have NEVER seen such negativity. It's just sad, that's all.

Maybe the folks being negative have never seen WDW is such sad shape. I don't believe we are just making it up to be negative.