Tom Staggs Confirms Project of "NextGen" Nature

[Disneybear]

I take it there will be limiations put into how the system works regards virtual queuing/fastpasses.

I dont see the point of Disney making their 2 half day parks (some people on here's opinion) into 2 two hour parks if you pre-book your fastpasses and turning the other two into half day parks.

This would mean guests wouldn't be spending all day and all their dollars in the park.

They would be spending it by the pool or worse still for Disney it would allow they more days to visit Uni or Seaworld.

As I say I'm sure they will put some sort of limit in to prevent that, but then I dont see how that offers a vast improvement on the current system as it is.

 

[flavious27]

The NextGen initiative - which as been discussed in the community for over a year as being a billion dollar initiative.. including being quoted in the Orlando Sentinel as such - its not some rumor from a CM.

See - http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/bu...-plus-next-generation-technology-project.html

And the stuff Staggs discussed in the Investor's Meeting this week is not the full extent of this initiative - only portions that have come out of this initiative.

NextGen isn't one thing or even a small set of things - its a set of initiatives scoping investment in new technologies to advance Disney's parks and experiences.

You're disputing a point no one is claiming...

quoted as a 1 billion to 1.5 billion project by former Disney parks executives that don't want to be named. that is alot of money on tech that is already being used without a clear roi.

I have no problem with disney making the experience better, but there is no use in using an inflated price to add flair.

 

[ddrongowski]

No wonder Walt Disney World is getting a bad name, and people at the parks are starting to be angry, short tempered, not having fun guests. People go on vacation to "relax", but now are having their "relaxing" vacation made like everyday "planned out to death" life. To planned out... not enough "lets have fun and let things fall where they may fall" going on.

Would I use this new system? I don't know. After all I do use fastpass once in awhile. But I am not going to race against others to a fastpass system like many of the guests. My family and I go to Disney World for 8 to 10 days, every year. We enjoy taking our time and not rushing. After all this is "family vacation time" and that means slowing down and relaxing, and letting the chips fall where they will. Nothing at any of the parks is that important, that it cannot wait until next year. If it is not there next year, so what, we do not let if bother us. After all there is always something else to do at Walt Disney World.

The point I am trying to make is, do people only go to Disney one time in their lives and only for one day. If so, then yes maybe this will be good for them. But most people here go once every two years if not more. So slow down and enjoy your down time.

Just to let you know, I am a planner and schedule things in detail for my everyday life. But I discovered that doing this at Walt Disney World, made for a lousy trip experience. The maximum amount of planning that is done now, is choosing a primary and secondary park for each day, any more than that is not worth doing, and only ruins our vacation at Walt Disney World.

 

[Criswell3000]

I do not see how anyone can go to Disney World, especially if they have kids, and expect to relax. I'm not trying to be an ______, I'm just saying that if anyone else has figured out how to relax at Disney World, please let me in on the secret. My experience is that it is physically, mentally and emotionally draining, and at the end of the day, I am completely spent. However, that being said, within a week I cannot wait to go back! :lol:

 

[MichWolv]

I do not see how anyone can go to Disney World, especially if they have kids, and expect to relax. I'm not trying to be an ______, I'm just saying that if anyone else has figured out how to relax at Disney World, please let me in on the secret. My experience is that it is physically, mentally and emotionally draining, and at the end of the day, I am completely spent. However, that being said, within a week I cannot wait to go back! :lol:

The following are all defintions of the word relax...

1. to become less tense, rigid, or firm.
2. to become less strict or severe; grow milder.
3. to reduce or stop work, effort, application, etc., especially for the sake of rest or recreation.
4. to release oneself from inhibition, worry, tension, etc.

I suspect we all achieve at several of these at WDW. Don't you?

 

[MichWolv]

Hey guess what, those front desk employees don't give two ____*** about your cranky kids. Most make just above minimum wage and are only nice to you because Disney cast members are forced to be nice to the guests. Wow, you get to go straight to your room at the expense of laying off or forcing a transfer of god knows how many employees. Can't wait to see the day when you tell your kids that you can't even afford to go to Disney World anymore because mommy and daddy lost their jobs to a computer system!

Are you actually saying that we should force all guests to go check in at a counter, even if the guest would rather skip it, just to keep people employed? Why pay somebody to do something that doesn't need to be done? There are lots of things computers, robots, and other automation can't do as well as people...those are the things we should hire people to do.

And as for being forced to be nice to the guests...yes, that is part of just about every job. Being nice to customers is good business. It isn't just Disney that has figured that one out.

 

[GrumpyFan]

The point I am trying to make is, do people only go to Disney one time in their lives and only for one day. If so, then yes maybe this will be good for them. But most people here go once every two years if not more. So slow down and enjoy your down time.

It may be true that most of us here go at least once every two years, some of us more. But, we only represent a small fraction of the guests there normally. I read somewhere that the average visitor only comes once every 6 years. But, even among the average visitor, there are still a large number of first-timers. So, yes, it may be a once in a lifetime visit for many.

The problem or the stigma that Disney faces is that many who visit once or infrequently, don't necessarily leave with a pleasurable feeling wanting to return any time soon. Most leave feeling exhausted and like they wasted their time because they didn't know where to eat and couldn't get on their favorite rides because of long lines. I see these steps (Next Gen) as Disney trying to change some of that by offering guests the ability to get on their favorite ride and avoid the long lines in hopes that they will leave feeling like they had a great time, and book another vacation before they leave or as soon as they get home. If Disney can reduce that average return visitor time from say 6 years to 3, then they've just doubled their revenue.

 

[NYwdwfan]

It may be true that most of us here go at least once every two years, some of us more. But, we only represent a small fraction of the guests there normally. I read somewhere that the average visitor only comes once every 6 years. But, even among the average visitor, there are still a large number of first-timers. So, yes, it may be a once in a lifetime visit for many.

The problem or the stigma that Disney faces is that many who visit once or infrequently, don't necessarily leave with a pleasurable feeling wanting to return any time soon. Most leave feeling exhausted and like they wasted their time because they didn't know where to eat and couldn't get on their favorite rides because of long lines. I see these steps (Next Gen) as Disney trying to change some of that by offering guests the ability to get on their favorite ride and avoid the long lines in hopes that they will leave feeling like they had a great time, and book another vacation before they leave or as soon as they get home. If Disney can reduce that average return visitor time from say 6 years to 3, then they've just doubled their revenue.

I see this a lot with friends that are taking their kids for the first time. They are unfamiliar with the parks and run themselves all over the place because they don't know how to approach them. They come home exhausted saying things like, "never again" and "why did I do this instead of laying on a beach at a resort, relaxing". But then these are the same people that don't grasp what appear to be simple concepts like fastpass and the dining plan. While Disney may be trying to ease the vacation experience for the infrequent traveler, if the concept is even slightly difficult to understand or buy into they are still not going to change the experience for these people.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I see this a lot with friends that are taking their kids for the first time. They are unfamiliar with the parks and run themselves all over the place because they don't know how to approach them. They come home exhausted saying things like, "never again" and "why did I do this instead of laying on a beach at a resort, relaxing". But then these are the same people that don't grasp what appear to be simple concepts like fastpass and the dining plan. While Disney may be trying to ease the vacation experience for the infrequent traveler, if the concept is even slightly difficult to understand or buy into they are still not going to change the experience for these people.

Indeed, and that's just what I meant. I hear the same thing from friends of mine. The question, at least in my mind, is will the concepts and ideas they're pushing with Next Gen make it easier for these guests, or harder.