Spirited News and Observations and Opinions ...

[rael ramone]

But the headline? Didn't you hear? There's no need to announce expansions when earth shattering events like Limited Time Magic will bring in customers in droves. Limited Time Magic is where it's at.

You know they can really run with this Limited Time Magic.

Enjoy the Limited Time Magic at newly reopened California Grill before we dumb down the menu.

Enjoy the Limited Time Magic at the newly reopened Splash Mountain before more show scenes break down and the logs start to smell.

And of course, Enjoy the Limited Time Magic of owning shares of a non-tanking DIS before Iger gets dragged up to the hill to testify.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I was thinking it would be hilarious to get a big group of 200+ people to all put their bracelets in 1 backpack and have that person take that backpack all around the park, and have the infrastructure freak out that 200 people are waiting at a churro cart, or that 200 people just got on a boat at It's a Small World.

YOu mean like with a brazilian tour group?

 

[briandoc]

Rep. Markey certainly has an agenda. He’s the Democratic front-runner to replace Kerry. With Kerry confirmed as Secretary of State, Markey’s wants that Senate seat badly. Politically, that’s what he cares about the most. If it’s in his best political interest to let Iger’s letter pass, Markey will let it pass. If Markey decides he can use Iger’s letter for political gain, Markey will do that at the time most advantageous for Markey. The special election is tentatively set for June. Rep. Lynch already has announced he intends to challenge Markey for the seat. Does Markey want to score points with the voters before the election or is this something he wants to take up if he wins the election? With challengers in the primary and special elections, does Markey have the time to even bother with Disney?

I’m sure backroom deals are being made but haven’t a clue by whom or for what. For all we know, Markey’s letter was an attempt to extort political donations from Disney and Disney has already bought him off. Conversely, Markey might already have had a set agenda against Disney no matter what their response was. Politics is a dirty game, with friend and foe often changing sides. I don’t know where this is headed; only that Disney has to do damage control on NextGen’s less than stellar initial reception.

Imagine what happens if Markey suddenly declares “I think MyMagic+ is great”. It would put Disney in a strong position against other critics. Disney would be beholden to him for it. Politics is complex and stranger things have happened.

No matter what happens politically, Disney has to overcome the problem of “guests” simply not wanting to wear those bracelets. On this point, perhaps it would have been smarter to hold off on these until later and advertise them as an upgrade. “Sure, we have MyMagic+, but only our really cool special guests get to wear MagicBands!” Instead, Disney put them front-and-center. People started asking, “What makes them so special?” Perhaps more than anything, it was MagicBands that opened up the can of worms for Disney.

Not to be rude, but this is what I read: There's a bunch of stuff going on. I don't know what it is, why it's happening or what may come of it. But I thought you should know that it doesn't look good for Disney or maybe it does.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I wonder if anyone will jokingly wear it around their ankle instead - it could work as part of a costume for MNSSHP!

I can think of another place to wear it.

 

[scpergj]

Today's Dilbert strip seems apropos:

http://www.dilbert.com/dyn/str_stri.../70000/6000/600/176637/176637.strip.print.gif

Beat me to it...I always check Dilbert at lunch, right before I see what's happening here on MAGIC....

 

[ScoutN]

An example of what planning ahead entails.
We are DVC members, and can book our stays 11 months out at our home resort of VWL. Any other DVC resort, we can book 7 months out. That means our second or third, or fourth choice of resorts is where we end up booking, and we're good with that. Not so at DLR.
There are only 50 villas available, usually booked up at 7 months for us. We get lucky at times, and so we are going to DLR this sunday for a few nights.
That's about as much planning ahead as I want to do. I will call for a reservation at Carthay Circle, but that is it. I can't imagine going to FLA and planning all my FP+, my resort, my dining, my parades, fireworks etc.
That's just too much pressure! I can't, and won't do that.
When we go back to FLA, which we haven't in a few years, I have to plan groceries for our DVC kitchen to save some bucks over going out every night. We bought our DVC to save money, and if ordering groceries 6 months out was part of that, we were ok. We are not ok with planning that far out for our daily routine. Anyone that does that is insane.
The weather changes, so instead of MK, we cool off at Blizzard Beach. Are there going to be FP+ at the water parks? It rains the day we are DAK, did we just lose our FP+ on the Safari?
This Next Gen totally sucks in our humble opinion, and it's just common. I'm going to play the elitist card, and say it is just common. We all pay an enormous amount of money to go to WDW, DLR, and the other resorts.
For the money I spend, and have spent, I don't want a plastic bangle to open my resort door. I want a shiny brass key that bespeaks the amount of money I paid for my accommodations.
Are they really going to put plastic bracelets on the upper crust at the Grand Floridian, the entire bridal party at the wedding pavilion, and the homeowners at Golden Oak?

And that is where my largest issue lies. As a DVC Members the visits I make on MY points and not my family's are typically made within three weeks of visiting the property. Where does that leave me on planning rides

 

[RSoxNo1]

I'm one of few that actually likes Heimlich's Chew Chew Train. I know @WDWFigment and @WDW1974 hate it, LOL. Still, it's cheap.

Oh my goodness... First of all, Monster's Inc is in Holllywood, despite the fact it has NOTHING to do with the land, although it's a great dark ride, IMO. Mad T Party doesn't really have anything to do with the land, either. There's cheap entertainment, such as Dancin' with Disney, which I can't stand, and my friend always makes me go with her whenever we go. -__- Basically little kids dance to music with various Disney characters. The CMs' costumes are so tacky, I can't stand them. The Land just doesn't make sense. You've got Tower that's set in the 1920s or 1930s, but nothing else fits that era. It's just a mess. The only redeeming attractions are Aladdin, Tower and the Art of Animation building/activities.

I think A Bugs Land looks good. But the attractions are all A-tickets save It's Tough to be a Bug (which is somewhat removed from the land anyway). There's nothing wrong with A-tickets, I would have preferred something like this at DAK in lieu of Dino-Rama but it would be nothing to get excited about.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think A Bugs Land looks good. But the attractions are all A-tickets save It's Tough to be a Bug (which is somewhat removed from the land anyway). There's nothing wrong with A-tickets, I would have preferred something like this at DAK in lieu of Dino-Rama but it would be nothing to get excited about.

Nothing wrong at all with A-tickets. I just want the land to be themed to a more specific California reference. The kiddie aspect of the land can stay, I just would like to see a different theme.

 

[flynnibus]

I understand they don't HAVE to use the band, but that's all part of the perception versus reality. The reality is that even if the vast amount of the consumers are ignorant, Disney still has to deal with that, period. You, I, and about everyone in-between here knows that there is the card alternative, but that doesn't matter in the real world. It'll be a real treat for the frontline cast to have to deal with the moaning band wearers on a daily basis.

I'm still largely confused by your scenario. So you are saying this population doesn't care and is ignorant of things... but at the same time they magically care about this band..

What you describe tho is all about presentation. It's as simple as how you present to the ignorant guest and what do you offer first, etc.

Do you give them a band first.. and wait for them to opt-out?
or
Do you describe the services and then ask them if they want to participate in those?
or
Do you state the baseline, and then present an upsell to the features of the band?

This is all very dependent on the sales strategy and training.

Disney can prioritize adoption.. they could prioritize customer satisfaction... they could prioritize transaction efficency..

It's hard to say what they will do here to help/hurt the guests. But this is also an area that is very easy to adapt and refine. So I'm not overly worried about it. YMMV

 

[alphac2005]

I'm still largely confused by your scenario. So you are saying this population doesn't care and is ignorant of things... but at the same time they magically care about this band..

What you describe tho is all about presentation. It's as simple as how you present to the ignorant guest and what do you offer first, etc.

Do you give them a band first.. and wait for them to opt-out?
or
Do you describe the services and then ask them if they want to participate in those?
or
Do you state the baseline, and then present an upsell to the features of the band?

This is all very dependent on the sales strategy and training.

Disney can prioritize adoption.. they could prioritize customer satisfaction... they could prioritize transaction efficency..

It's hard to say what they will do here to help/hurt the guests. But this is also an area that is very easy to adapt and refine. So I'm not overly worried about it. YMMV

I think I have the IQ to understand that I spoke of presentation, but I was just replying to your constant complaint that everyone is a slob at the parks and I have a feeling you knew that, but your replies always seem to devolve into some type of challenge or argument to anyone that you've posted to. So, I'll stop feeding the beast.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Not to be rude, but this is what I read: There's a bunch of stuff going on. I don't know what it is, why it's happening or what may come of it. But I thought you should know that it doesn't look good for Disney or maybe it does.

Gotta like a thread titled "Spirited News and Observations and Opinions ..."

 

[RSoxNo1]

You mean the same one 1974 has been hinting about for a week?

Did I miss something?

 

[flynnibus]

I think I have the IQ to understand that I spoke of presentation, but I was just replying to your constant complaint that everyone is a slob at the parks

Really? It was you who introduced the slob description - I was merely describing their willingness to immerse themselves in the Disney product and spirit when in the parks. Somehow this has become a 'constant complaint that everyone is a slob...' Ok..

and I have a feeling you knew that, but your replies always seem to devolve into some type of challenge or argument to anyone that you've posted to. So, I'll stop feeding the beast.

Would you prefer I just say 'Your wrong!!!!' and keep repeating myself? Because we know that's the mature, logical way to work through a debate or counter argument?

Every conclusion is based on assertions. The structured way to correct or challenge a conclusion is to look at the legitimacy of the assertions themselves or how the conclusion is linked to the assertions.

But hey, if people think taking on their assertions is 'nitpicking' - yeah, maybe they just prefer the debate skills of angry 8 year olds.

 

[MattM]

I just tried to explain to my 5 year old why MM+ was going to be a better experience for him than, say, Potterland at UNI. He just looked at me and said "Dad that does not make any sense."

From the mouth of babes...

 

[briandoc]

From the mouth of babes...

of course I'm curious though if he said he never wants to go to Disney World again because of it...

 

[RSoxNo1]

@ParentsOf4
You know what pressing, earth shattering facet of MyMagic+ that we haven't discussed??
Watch tans and smelly magic bands.

Do they smell better or worse than the Splash Mountain water?

 

[MattM]

I don't understand this requirement that we are holding investments to now.. and why there should be new standards compared to the company's behavior for decades.

Largely because this is a discussion forum, and we like to discuss things

And I think the average person here, on a disney fan forum, is concerned about the cost of the investment because they see that our sibling to the west invested $1.1 billion dollars and has an attraction that the whole theme park industry and fans are buzzing about.

Walt Disney World is investing at least that much (and more likely twice as much) and fans are wondering, is what we are getting as good if not twice as good as CL?

And the costs matter because ultimately they are going to be passed down to us, because as you know, corporations pay for nothing.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Nothing wrong at all with A-tickets. I just want the land to be themed to a more specific California reference. The kiddie aspect of the land can stay, I just would like to see a different theme.

That's a fair point - the land doesn't fit into that park at all.

 

[MattM]

Calm down Flynn, we both know that opinions passed off as facts are way more acceptable here than actual legitimate facts.

And what oinks says is always fact. You know this is true because you read it on the internet.

 

[MattM]

Not to be rude, but this is what I read: There's a bunch of stuff going on. I don't know what it is, why it's happening or what may come of it. But I thought you should know that it doesn't look good for Disney or maybe it does.

Then the problem is not on the original poster's end...