VIDEO - Tom Staggs joins D11 conference to talk MagicBands and MyMagic+

[flynnibus]

All I can say is... you guys are getting just a slice and extrapolating everything instead of actually following these folks, this conference, etc.

If this were a corporation you didn't like.. say.. Facebook.. and they were grilling Zuck over his stances towards privacy defaults... or Steve Jobs over why Apple sells something for $30 that should be included.. you'd be singing a different tune.

 

[TP2000]

All I can say is... you guys are getting just a slice and extrapolating everything instead of actually following these folks, this conference, etc.

If this were a corporation you didn't like.. say.. Facebook.. and they were grilling Zuck over his stances towards privacy defaults... or Steve Jobs over why Apple sells something for $30 that should be included.. you'd be singing a different tune.

Some might be. But the fact remains this Kara woman made a fool of herself with her hipper-than-thou disdain for the product she was given for free by the Chairman sitting next to her on the stage.

If she had the Chairman of Sears Roebuck up there and said "Gawd, I hate Sears. I just can't stand visiting your stores, and yet my kids let your products infect my house. Why can't you be more like Target?" And the Sears Roebuck Chairman would have to smile and try and tell her about a new company initiative they are doing to modernize their stores. Meanwhile, the Chairman knows that two weeks earlier they gave Kara a $2,500 gift certificate to visit a Sears and buy whatever she wants with the help of a personal shopper, just to get her in a Sears store once in advance of the interview. But she still badmouths the company on stage to try and make herself look cool. Utterly tiring.

She could have phrased her concerns about Disney theme parks much more graciously and much more intelligently, and a fascinating and constructive conversation could have unfolded between her and Staggs. Instead she stuck to her "Disney is evil" meme from 1975, with a big dollop of 21st century hipster attitude on top, and made herself out to look like the pompous jerk she apparently is. And the result is that her guest was forced into a corner to spout his approved talking points. What a waste of an interview opportunity, for her and her audience.

It doesn't matter which industry she was discussing or who the exec in the guest chair was, her attitude and behavior made her look very foolish.

 

[luv]

I honestly don't think they were all that hard on him. They asked him the questions Disney wanted to be asked and a couple they didn't. They let him get away with things not everyone might have. They even let him play his little promo film with that weird little woman.

For someone who says she doesn't like Disney, she referenced the fact that she has more than enough Disney stuff in her home and complimented some things they do.

She seemed a little full of herself, maybe, but not too hard to like. And I liked the guy.

Staggs seemed very I'll at ease, but was just there parroting the company line, so it's hard to get a feel on him. His face is like a mask, though. I wonder if he had those injections people get so that their faces don't move much.

 

[GoofGoof]

Yeah, kind of skeptical about that one. I guess we will see but I have a feeling we are going to get a good laugh watching the crash and burn...

I'm skeptical too. It could be effective in limited areas. For instance when Fantasmic let's out if anyone with a smartphone gets a message about a character meet and greet on the other side of the park or even better a bonus FP for a ride other than Tower of Terror or RNRC that may help to break up the log jam. It could also be useful on really busy days to guide people to unused nooks in the parks. One problem I have noted with some meet and greets is if the line gets big enough it can cause a major traffic jam.

 

[CndleontheWater]

So I hear Staggs mention about these "enhanced" experiences that will be a reality with magic bands, and then some of you in this thread mentioned that Snow White will "magically" know little Susie's name, with a simple glance at an itouch. Well, maybe the hand-held device isn't realistic, but how is it going to happen? It will have to be broadcast on a screen somewhere, and it would have to be somewhere that Snow White could quickly, easily, and repeatedly read. Meet and Greets go pretty fast, there isn't much lag time between guests, how is Snow White going to stay on top of every magic banded guest that enters into Fairytale hall? And really, how much information could she possibly read and digest in the five seconds between one guest walking away and another one walking up? Snow White isn't exactly going to be able to peruse a whole life history, name and mandatory celebration information is probably about it. Its not like those small bullet points of information are really going to radically change character interaction as we know it.

 

[GoofGoof]

Stags seemed very I'll at ease, but was just there parroting the company line, so it's hard to get a feel on him. His face is like a mask, though. I wonder if he had those injections people get so that their faces don't move much.

That was actually pretty good for Staggs especially considering the subject matter

I agree that they were not very hard on him...and they really shouldn't be. He was an invited guest at a conference not a perp at a police interrogation. It would have been interesting if they brought up the Congressman who was crusading against the bands, but I'm sure that was probably off limits.

 

[bubbles1812]

I'm skeptical too. It could be effective in limited areas. For instance when Fantasmic let's out if anyone with a smartphone gets a message about a character meet and greet on the other side of the park or even better a bonus FP for a ride other than Tower of Terror or RNRC that may help to break up the log jam. It could also be useful on really busy days to guide people to unused nooks in the parks. One problem I have noted with some meet and greets is if the line gets big enough it can cause a major traffic jam.

Or if there is a rush on the FP line. Some lines just to get FP can get long. And then the FP lines themselves can actually get long too... I was about to go on Everest in Feb and had a Fastpass. But right before I got there, so many people went into the FP line that it was out into the walkway. I would guess it was at least a 30-40 min wait for the FP line (standard was 80). Needless to say I opted for single rider line and gave the FP away...

 

[GoofGoof]

So I hear Staggs mention about these "enhanced" experiences that will be a reality with magic bands, and then some of you in this thread mentioned that Snow White will "magically" know little Susie's name, with a simple glance at an itouch. Well, maybe the hand-held device isn't realistic, but how is it going to happen? It will have to be broadcast on a screen somewhere, and it would have to be somewhere that Snow White could quickly, easily, and repeatedly read. Meet and Greets go pretty fast, there isn't much lag time between guests, how is Snow White going to stay on top of every magic banded guest that enters into Fairytale hall? And really, how much information could she possibly read and digest in the five seconds between one guest walking away and another one walking up? Snow White isn't exactly going to be able to peruse a whole life history, name and mandatory celebration information is probably about it. Its not like those small bullet points of information are really going to radically change character interaction as we know it.

She could glance at the screen of the handheld as the kid walks up...the handler could whisper the name in her ear...she could have an ear piece like those secret service guys...she could learn morse code... OK, I'm out of ideas how, but it doesn't seem too complicated to me. As far as enhancing the experience, depends on the person. Some kids may really get a kick out of it while others will scream and run away terrified.

 

[GoofGoof]

Or if there is a rush on the FP line. Some lines just to get FP can get long. And then the FP lines themselves can actually get long too... I was about to go on Everest in Feb and had a Fastpass. But right before I got there, so many people went into the FP line that it was out into the walkway. I would guess it was at least a 30-40 min wait for the FP line (standard was 80). Needless to say I opted for single rider line and gave the FP away...

Good point. They will also know how many fast passes are scheduled for a given hour. If too many people have fast passes in Fantasyland the text comes with a free FP to Pirates or Jungle Cruise or maybe Mickey and Minnie appear in Frontierland.

I always did just fine before fast pass. I sometimes wish it would go away...then I see the standby time at TSMM

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I guess that depends on what you consider rational. Investing money now for future returns doesn't seem irrational to me. But it's not for everybody I suppose?

The part that is wrong is that as a shareholder it should bother me that this project costs $2 billion. I'm looking at what that 2$ billion will return 10-15 years down the road. Does that answer your question?

I don't recall asking you a question.

But I'll make my point to you simply: This thing is already costing them more than expected and it has yet to move past small tests. Reports are that they've realized staffing levels will have to rise much higher than anticipated, with no end date in sight. We have no idea how everything will be maintained, and have no idea how the general public will react, and how costs for the system will grow.

Just because they've decided to invest this doesn't mean it'll be a success and welcomed with open arms, and thus far there have been nothing but roadblocks. If you don't see how it could allow doubt to creep into a shareholder's mind, I don't know what to tell you.

There are many different ways to invest $2 billion for future return 15 years down the road. Just ask DLR and UNI.

 

[GoofGoof]

There are many different ways to invest $2 billion for future return 15 years down the road. Just ask DLR and UNI.

Or DVC... In which case the return is more like 3 years

I wonder how valid the $2B number is. Seems like nobody really knows what got spent outside of the inner circle.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Or DVC... In which case the return is more like 3 years

I wonder how valid the $2B number is. Seems like nobody really knows what got spent outside of the inner circle.

Yeah, who knows. I use that number because most of our insiders (on both sides of the issue) say between 2 and 2 1/2 billion. And all seem to agree the number is growing higher and faster than expected, with unexpected costs arising.

 

[misterID]

Her audience may not have realized she was comped into the place for a VIP day that only 0.5% of visitors get to have. And she may not even realize how special her day at Disneyland was, or how little it equates to a WDW experience with a MagicBand. But Staggs knew. And he smiled and pretended to have fun with her trash talk. Poor guy.

And it makes these tech titans, Walt and Kara, look even more foolish than their pompous commentary already does.

But she also had a film crew following her around the park, along with a photographer, so I think her experience had strings attached. She said the same stuff to Iger, which is why they decided to comp her in the first place. Even though she was complimentary of DLR, she was also showing she wasn't going to be bought off to change her opinion.

Yeah, they were douches, but so are most of those people at those digital functions. But Staggs sure didn't send her to WDW and the FLE to knock her socks off, did he?

 

[GoofGoof]

Yeah, who knows. I use that number because most of our insiders (on both sides of the issue) say between 2 and 2 1/2 billion. And all seem to agree the number is growing higher and faster than expected, with unexpected costs arising.

I have no clue what the cost is either. I think it was about 6 months ago that the number was rumored to be $1.5B and now it's $2 to $2.5B. I just can't understand how they could spend another billion dollars in 6 months with not much to show for it. Cost overruns I understand, but we're talking billions, not millions.

 

[MattM]

I don't know what to tell you.

That's ok, I didn't ask

Relax.

 

[dadddio]

Absolutely not. But it WILL increase my wait time for those rides.

That is not correct. Guests with the RFID cards will have the same FP ability

And you're not looking at it rationally.

See? We can both do that.

I am looking at it long term. Go up a few posts of mine where I clearly stated what my problem is with this whole thing. I shouldn't need to type it again. The post you just quoted of mine was everything about this that should bother a stockholder. Let me know which part of that wasn't true.

It seems that the market disagrees with you, as DIsney stock has been doing pretty well lately.

 

[dadddio]

So I hear Staggs mention about these "enhanced" experiences that will be a reality with magic bands, and then some of you in this thread mentioned that Snow White will "magically" know little Susie's name, with a simple glance at an itouch. Well, maybe the hand-held device isn't realistic, but how is it going to happen? It will have to be broadcast on a screen somewhere, and it would have to be somewhere that Snow White could quickly, easily, and repeatedly read. Meet and Greets go pretty fast, there isn't much lag time between guests, how is Snow White going to stay on top of every magic banded guest that enters into Fairytale hall? And really, how much information could she possibly read and digest in the five seconds between one guest walking away and another one walking up? Snow White isn't exactly going to be able to peruse a whole life history, name and mandatory celebration information is probably about it. Its not like those small bullet points of information are really going to radically change character interaction as we know it.

I don't know how they'll do it, but one fairly easy way would be to have the handler have the tablet and Snow White wear an earwig.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

That is not correct. Guests with the RFID cards will have the same FP ability
It seems that the market disagrees with you, see g as DIsney stock has been doing pretty well lately.

I've said numerous times I'm not talking just about the bands but the whole division between the haves and have nots that this system will create. I really don't care about the bands. I'm talking about the system as a whole. Disney will reward those they choose to with various things that others won't get. If you don't spend the same money, you won't get the same experience.

I won't even address the stock price statement. But it was good for a chuckle.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

That's ok, I didn't ask

Relax.

Mmmmmkaaaayyyyy.... ???

 

[dadddio]

I've said numerous times I'm not talking just about the bands but the whole division between the haves and have nots that this system will create. I really don't care about the bands. I'm talking about the system as a whole. Disney will reward those they choose to with various things that others won't get. If you don't spend the same money, you won't get the same experience.

I have no clue what you are going in about.

I won't even address the stock price statement. But it was good for a chuckle.

The stock is up something like $15 over the last six months. So basically, since they announced MM+ the stock has improved considerably.