What's with the wait times!? (hint.. they're low)

[mickEblu]

You don't setup a reservation system designed to manage crowds if you aren't expecting crowds... nor block out your employees, etc.

Let me get this straight. You re saying they created this reservation system and blocked out their employees for almost the entire month of June because they thought tons of Sig APs and tourists were going to flock to DLR to see the new land they can’t get into?

Or are you trying to say the decline in revenue is ALL because of people with reservations that didn’t show up? No official numbers have been released but I’d wager the majority of folks with reservations visited and it has very little to do with the decline in revenue.

 

[RobWDW1971]

You don't setup a reservation system designed to manage crowds if you aren't expecting crowds... nor block out your employees, etc.

Nor spend millions to build new parking structures and widen walkways that have been there for 60+ years.

 

[flynnibus]

Let me get this straight. You re saying they created this reservation system and blocked out their employees for almost the entire month of June because they thought tons of Sig APs and tourists were going to flock to DLR to see the new land they can’t get into?

Or are you trying to say the decline in revenue is ALL because of people with reservations that didn’t show up? No official numbers have been released but I’d wager the majority of folks with reservations visited and it has very little to do with the decline in revenue.

They setup these constraints because they fully expected the park to be over run. So they blocked the free admissions from employees and setup throttling for the land. They fully expected to have crowds that would break stuff, so they went full defense mode to be able to control it. They setup dca with things so those people wouldn’t be upset about dL.

My response was all about your statement questioning their expected crowds. They didn’t setup limits to keep crowds UNDER last year... they put limits in because they expected a huge surge.

They would have expected a drop in attendance leading up to the opening as people delay to get on the other side of the opening. But when they added in “no standby” to the plan... that was the nuclear option and it’s impact was now quite clear in hindsight.

The overrotation and impact on the actual crowds is a culmination of multiple things... mostly driven by the blockout calendar. The fact the crowds didn’t show up in the first week after it was clear it was the best time to visit in a long time... means the locals couldn’t... and the tourists had already set their plans. So the response to the actual crowds could not happen quickly. The block outs, pricing, and travel plans kept people from adapting.

Personally I think the uncertainty around the openings and fear of out of control crowding is what kept the tourists and cash gate people away. Those with aps who were blocked out decided they can afford to wait. That last category is the result of the brutal assault on ap pricing in recent years.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They setup these constraints because they fully expected the park to be over run. So they blocked the free admissions from employees and setup throttling for the land. They fully expected to have crowds that would break stuff, so they went full defense mode to be able to control it. They setup dca with things so those people wouldn’t be upset about dL.

My response was all about your statement questioning their expected crowds. They didn’t setup limits to keep crowds UNDER last year... they put limits in because they expected a huge surge.

The overrotation and impact on the actual crowds is a culmination of multiple things... mostly driven by the blockout calendar. The fact the crowds didn’t show up in the first week after it was clear it was the best time to visit in a long time... means the locals couldn’t... and the tourists had already set their plans. So the response to the actual crowds could not happen quickly. The block outs, pricing, and travel plans kept people from adapting.

Personally I think the uncertainty around the openings and fear of out of control crowding is what kept the tourists and cash gate people away. Those with aps who were blocked out decided they can afford to wait. That last category is the result of the brutal assault on ap pricing in recent years.

The moon must be in retrograde or something.

The number of reasonable opinions being attacked or strongly disagreed with (the later in this case...I don’t think mick “attacked” you) this weekend is off the charts.

They expected it to be overrun simply because the Star Wars label was on it. All the developments support that conclusion. No advertising, throttling, pass exclusion...how much evidence do we need?

The Bobs expected - and probably promised the board - that the Star Wars celebration crowd would be there and spend a fortune. Because that’s exactly what a mating pair of weasels would do. Completely overrun at full price.

Didn’t everyone get creeped out when watching that awful opening ceremony with Lucas, ford and hamill? When none of them could sell it and Iger looked lost? And the forced overcheering from the WDI/park ops crowd?

I get PR...but that was a New breed. I suggest people pull the video now and watch with context.

It hasn’t worked out so far...why are we debating the facts?

 

[ProjectXBlog]

The moon must be in retrograde or something.

mercury actually

 

[mickEblu]

They setup these constraints because they fully expected the park to be over run. So they blocked the free admissions from employees and setup throttling for the land. They fully expected to have crowds that would break stuff, so they went full defense mode to be able to control it. They setup dca with things so those people wouldn’t be upset about dL.

My response was all about your statement questioning their expected crowds. They didn’t setup limits to keep crowds UNDER last year... they put limits in because they expected a huge surge.

They would have expected a drop in attendance leading up to the opening as people delay to get on the other side of the opening. But when they added in “no standby” to the plan... that was the nuclear option and it’s impact was now quite clear in hindsight.

The overrotation and impact on the actual crowds is a culmination of multiple things... mostly driven by the blockout calendar. The fact the crowds didn’t show up in the first week after it was clear it was the best time to visit in a long time... means the locals couldn’t... and the tourists had already set their plans. So the response to the actual crowds could not happen quickly. The block outs, pricing, and travel plans kept people from adapting.

Personally I think the uncertainty around the openings and fear of out of control crowding is what kept the tourists and cash gate people away. Those with aps who were blocked out decided they can afford to wait. That last category is the result of the brutal assault on ap pricing in recent years.

Again I was talking about June. Stop speaking In generalities and stick to the subject. You didn’t answer my question. Who are the people that Disney was expecting to show up in June but didn’t?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

mercury actually

Wasn’t Saturn pretty bright last week?

I’m pretty sure

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Again I was talking about June. Stop speaking In generalities and stick to the subject. You didn’t answer my question. Who are the people that Disney was expecting to show up in June but didn’t?

I’m not sure why that matters?

They absolutely expected it to be mobbed the minute it opened. And who knows when the opening date was completely set in relation to blackouts? The correlation isn’t 100% assured.

 

[mickEblu]

I’m not sure why that matters?

They absolutely expected it to be mobbed the minute it opened. And who knows when the opening date was completely set in relation to blackouts? The correlation isn’t 100% assured.

It matters because my original point was if they were expecting it to be packed in June when they blocked everyone out and created a reservation only system for the land than they re either arrogant or stupid. So I’m trying to understand who are these people Disney thought was going to show up in June but didn’t? Is it the Deluxes that didn’t run to DCA to see Mickey’s Philharmagic or the Sig APs and tourists that didn’t rush to DL to walk up and down Big Thunder Trail and imagine what SWL will be like?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It matters because my original point was if they were expecting it to be packed in June when they blocked everyone out and created a reservation only system for the land than they re either arrogant or stupid. So I’m trying to understand who are these people Disney thought was going to show up in June but didn’t? Is it the Deluxes that didn’t run to DCA to see Mickey’s Philharmagic or the Sig APs and tourists that didn’t rush to DL to walk up and down Big Thunder Trail and imagine what SWL will be like?

Are you saying somebody in park ops is stupid?

...ok...that’s not a reach.

But it has been very interesting. It’s almost a “test case” of bobs grand IP strategy.

And that can only happen in Anaheim. Doesn’t work under current conditions in Orlando

 

[flynnibus]

Again I was talking about June. Stop speaking In generalities and stick to the subject. You didn’t answer my question. Who are the people that Disney was expecting to show up in June but didn’t?

I was speaking about June and the time since,.. since that’s what matters. They weren’t panicking about the crowds before Ge opening.
That 50% increase comment? Total read fail. The land opened at the end of the month. They would have known the land opening would have a delay effect on guests. The freak out is about the dates since Ge opening.

A soft June just takes away any leeway they had by starting behind the curve. Delays due to the opening is expected... but you expect to pick that back up after the opening.

There are ap tiers that can visit, people can buy blackout passes, and there are cash guests. Disney managed to scare all the demos away.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was speaking about June and the time since,.. since that’s what matters. They weren’t panicking about the crowds before Ge opening.

That 50% increase comment? Total read fail. The land opened at the end of the month. They would have known the land opening would have a delay effect on guests. The freak out is about the dates since Ge opening.

A soft June just takes away any leeway they had by starting behind the curve. Delays due to the opening is expected... but you expect to pick that back up after the opening.

There are ap tiers that can visit, people can buy blackout passes, and there are cash guests. Disney managed to scare all the demos away.

I would think their data gleaning would have saw the trend several months ago...probably March-April at the latest.

I wonder why they didn’t adjust? Still very confusing.

In the end...the Florida one will have stupid crowds because that clientele needs little justification to throw money at it...but the Disneyland side will be interesting for a long time.

How much do you want to bet we get a “we actually planned it this way for shakedown”...after the crowd picks up in one of the two and they can claim victory?

 

[mickEblu]

. I was speaking about June and the time since,.. since that’s what matters. They weren’t panicking about the crowds before Ge opening.

That 50% increase comment? Total read fail. The land opened at the end of the month. They would have known the land opening would have a delay effect on guests. The freak out is about the dates since Ge opening.

A soft June just takes away any leeway they had by starting behind the curve. Delays due to the opening is expected... but you expect to pick that back up after the opening.

There are ap tiers that can visit, people can buy blackout passes, and there are cash guests. Disney managed to scare all the demos away.

You still haven’t answered my question. Because you can’t.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Jeez...fight nice. Or don’t...because neither of you disagree...just debating common sense stuff and looking for internal Disney data no one here has access to

 

[RobWDW1971]

Fair enough - your data point is more recent than mine. I'll experiment next time I go. I know it worked before because my wife was calling me a loser for sitting at home booking/cancelling FP times.

Just tested it again yesterday and you absolutely can book (and cancel) FP's hours after leaving the parks and being a hundred miles away. There is no geofence, just turned on once you enter the park and ends at closing. And yes, I continue to be a loser for caring that you can do this.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The 40 million people who don't own an AP within a 2 hour drive and an hour flight.

And the “irresistible allure” of Star Wars...

Which has taken body blow after blow for 20 years.
I’m not discounting the generation that was still attached to the toy era and were kids during the prequels...that is significant.

But the old guard and the reports of soft merchandising demand for the Disney era are very significant. And the whole “box office flop” of a Star Wars labeled movie.

Trying not to exaggerate...which would be easier to resist if there wasn’t a complete dismissal of the issue by the “alternative” viewpoint...

Anyone want to start calling names? I hope not.

 

[socalifornian]

Just tested it again yesterday and you absolutely can book (and cancel) FP's hours after leaving the parks and being a hundred miles away. There is no geofence, just turned on once you enter the park and ends at closing.

That’s interesting. So they prevented location spoofing by requiring your ticket/AP to be scanned in, then it’s a free for all. The app also refuses to open, like Pokémon Go, if your device is jailbroken

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s interesting. So they prevented location spoofing by requiring your ticket/AP to be scanned in, then it’s a free for all. The app also refuses to open, like Pokémon Go, if your device is jailbroken

I assume you’re talking maxpass?

I haven’t used it - yet...but one of the things I recall is that they actually suggest to use it at your hotel to book after “breaks”...so they would have to not be tightly location controlled for that to work anyway, correct?

 

[socalifornian]

...so they would have to not be tightly location controlled for that to work anyway, correct?

Yes. That’s the whole point of maxpass anyways I guess, so it makes sense. Would’ve also been nice to be able to book one from Mickey and Friends at the beginning of the day when it’s busy. We could scan our APs at the parking booths to check-in with the system. I get it tho

 

[Disney Irish]

Just tested it again yesterday and you absolutely can book (and cancel) FP's hours after leaving the parks and being a hundred miles away. There is no geofence, just turned on once you enter the park and ends at closing. And yes, I continue to be a loser for caring that you can do this.

Interesting, wonder why I've had issues both in May and last weekend when staying at the Majestic which is right behind the park looking at the backside of Galaxy's Edge.