What's Your Idea for the Next Upcharge / Money Making Experience?

[James Norrie]

There's no confusion. Flynnibus is absolutely correct: the ONLY reason the express bus service exists--and some people are willing to pay for it--is because the existing bus service is sub-par. Instead of providing great bus service for everyone traveling park to park, Disney has chosen to provide premium service only for those willing to shell out more money.

Barring food, hotels, souvenirs, etc. (which have always been separate purchases of varying cost and quality), and barring the obsolete pay-as-you-ride tickets, all guests used to experience the "Disney difference" in the parks with the purchase of an admission ticket. Now guests are increasingly invited to purchase additional VIP services for a top-notch experience. It doesn't matter that none of it is required. It doesn't matter that some people are willing to pay for it. What matters is that some guest are being nickeled and dimed for that premium Disney experience and, since exclusivity is a necessary requirement for VIP up charges, most guests are denied that premium experience.

It's like this...
If I purchase a ticket aboard Southwest, I am expecting a basic service, for a basic price. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, If I want a better chance at more leg room, I purchase the early bird option. If I want a guaranteed chance at better seat by getting first board privileges, I purchase Business Select. These are all options within my purchasing control. Nothing is being forced on me, and if I want to upgrade my experience I have that ability through multiple options.
When you stay at WDW, you are guaranteed transportation. However, you may have to be stuck in a bus queue for a bit. If you want to avoid that, you can hail a taxi, get an uber, rent a car, or now pay $24 length of stay to go park hopping. Once again, all options that are up to the consumer to decide, but at least Disney now has a hand in the custom transportation that some may have been requesting for years, instead of allowing a 3rd party to profit off of Disney's guests. If they're not taking away existing service (which they're not), I don't see a problem. I'm not saying the existing bus service is perfect, it needs attention. But at least now there's another option.

 

[flynnibus]

I Don't know, as I'm not on the Customer Experience Team at WDP&R. I can tell you this: Adding an option while not taking away from anything else is surely not a bad thing...

It would be if it cost a lot of money and was never used... which gets back to the point... something must have convinced Disney that this idea will make sense NOW... and its not like its some new invention so the idea isn't new. So consider what has changed that makes this viable now.. It can't be 'well its just an option...'

 

[flynnibus]

It's like this...
If I purchase a ticket aboard Southwest, I am expecting a basic service, for a basic price. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, If I want a better chance at more leg room, I purchase the early bird option. If I want a guaranteed chance at better seat by getting first board privileges, I purchase Business Select. These are all options within my purchasing control. Nothing is being forced on me, and if I want to upgrade my experience I have that ability through multiple options.

This is the problem... you are comparing an expectation of Disney to Southwest (the bargin commodity). Disney did not become Disney by being a Southwest... it became Disney because it was a premium product and experience.

The analogy would be better served to say when you bought a BMW.. I am expecting German Engineering and a luxury touring car product -- not being given an option to pay for the smooth 6 cyclinder vs a ratty rough engine.. all the engine options should be smooth and quality. That's the expectation of the BMW image and quality that BMW has built over the years through their past offerings.

Making something that is expected a paid option to maintain the same thing... is not 'options'.

 

[James Norrie]

It would be if it cost a lot of money and was never used... which gets back to the point... something must have convinced Disney that this idea will make sense NOW... and its not like its some new invention so the idea isn't new. So consider what has changed that makes this viable now.. It can't be 'well its just an option...'

Let's see here... Without having access to attendance metrics, this is all conjecture. But, My guess is with a quarter of AK closed, Water Parks Closing for seasonal refurbs, 1/2 of DHS under construction, and an announcement of massive overhaul of Epcot, I would venture to say that they're anticipating heavier usage of Park-Hopper passes. Which, in turn, will mean more demand on Bus Service between parks, which will aggravate many people not park-hopping, causing them to complain on WDWMAGIC about how horrible the bus service is. So, here's an option to upgrade... Or is that too far out of the realm of possibility?

 

[James Norrie]

This is the problem... you are comparing an expectation of Disney to Southwest (the bargin commodity). Disney did not become Disney by being a Southwest... it became Disney because it was a premium product and experience.

The analogy would be better served to say when you bought a BMW.. I am expecting German Engineering and a luxury touring car product -- not being given an option to pay for the smooth 6 cyclinder vs a ratty rough engine.. all the engine options should be smooth and quality. That's the expectation of the BMW image and quality that BMW has built over the years through their past offerings.

Making something that is expected a paid option to maintain the same thing... is not 'options'.

Wrong analogy on your part. It's buying a 3 series versus a 7 series That's more accurate (keeping the BMW theme)

 

[flynnibus]

Let's see here... Without having access to attendance metrics, this is all conjecture. But, My guess is with a quarter of AK closed, Water Parks Closing for seasonal refurbs, 1/2 of DHS under construction, and an announcement of massive overhaul of Epcot, I would venture to say that they're anticipating heavier usage of Park-Hopper passes. Which, in turn, will mean more demand on Bus Service between parks, which will aggravate many people not park-hopping, causing them to complain on WDWMAGIC about how horrible the bus service is. So, here's an option to upgrade... Or is that too far out of the realm of possibility?

So you postulate that under those conditions, Disney will fail to meet service expectations... so instead of expecting Disney to meet their own level of service... you're saying offering people a way to buy their way out of misery is a quality, customer focused move?

 

[James Norrie]

So you postulate that under those conditions, Disney will fail to meet service expectations... so instead of expecting Disney to meet their own level of service... you're saying offering people a way to buy their way out of misery is a quality, customer focused move?

Nope, People will still be served by bus routes... The main customer being targeted is not Park Hoppers but those staying at Disney Resorts and going to Disney Parks. Park Hopping guests are great for the bottom line, given the higher ticket price, but are not the traditional guest. So, will resort guests be transported to the parks? Yes! That's meeting service expectations... Now, given expansion/improvements, there will probably be a downslide of amount of time spent at AK, DHS, and EP... Unavoidable without spacing the improvements years apart (which causes more guests to complain on WDWMAGIC about how drastically in need of repair or addition the parks are). As such, a small percentage more will purchase Park Hoppers. And a small percentage will ignore your doomsdayer attitude and purchase the express hopper transport because they see it as a value. BUT, the rest will still settle for the bus, like every other paying customer at Disney resorts that utilizes the buses does. And they will get to the parks without paying 15 bucks or 24. Simple as that.

 

[flynnibus]

Wrong analogy on your part. It's buying a 3 series versus a 7 series That's more accurate (keeping the BMW theme)

A 3series still carries the BMW flag and does it well.. without asking you pay extra for what a 'real' BMW is. That's whats happening here.

 

[James Norrie]

A 3series still carries the BMW flag and does it well.. without asking you pay extra for what a 'real' BMW is. That's whats happening here.

A 3 series is a basic BMW with standard options. A 7 series has all the bells and whistles. The rest of the class is on Page 18...

 

[James Norrie]

A 3series still carries the BMW flag and does it well.. without asking you pay extra for what a 'real' BMW is. That's whats happening here.

Going by your logic, A guest staying at POP should be able to Swim at GF Because they "Paid for the Disney Experience".

 

[flynnibus]

Nope, People will still be served by bus routes... The main customer being targeted is not Park Hoppers but those staying at Disney Resorts and going to Disney Parks. Park Hopping guests are great for the bottom line, given the higher ticket price, but are not the traditional guest

Not the traditional guest? You are aware that parkhopping was the default for a multiday ticket before Disney monetized it with MYW pricing right? Don't confuse 'most sold' with 'traditional' or not.

And nothing you've tried to say here addresses the original point. What has changed that makes this new offer viable now vs the 20+ years prior?

So, will resort guests be transported to the parks? Yes! That's meeting service expectations

Simply getting your there is not meeting service expectations. This...

would not qualify as 'meeting service expectations'. Your definitions and requirements are bunk.

 

[flynnibus]

A 3 series is a basic BMW with standard options. A 7 series has all the bells and whistles. The rest of the class is on Page 18...

obviously you've never quoted a BMW...

 

[flynnibus]

Going by your logic, A guest staying at POP should be able to Swim at GF Because they "Paid for the Disney Experience".

Please find someone nearby that can read these posts for you.. because your ability to follow along is atrocious.

 

[James Norrie]

37k vs 90k. and the 3 series is basic... Lots of Standards on a 7 aren't even available on a 3 (moonroof, et al.). I think you just love to hate, and that's fine. I for one will continue to use the busses, as they satisfy a basic need. I don't need upgraded service. Is it uncomfortable? Not to me. To each his own...

 

[James Norrie]

Please find someone nearby that can read these posts for you.. because your ability to follow along is atrocious.

And your ability to understand basic vs optional is equally atrocious. Just because you pay for 1 thing it doesn't automatically qualify for an optional upgrade at no additional cost.
I have no problems with reading. The confusion comes from trying to understand how you've made it this far in life...

 

[rkleinlein]

I, and I think many others, see it like this:

We need to make a distinction between services and things that nobody would begrudge being charged more for (first class vs. coach air travel, deluxe hotels vs. value hotels, fast food vs. fine dining, etc.) and things like bus transportation and comfortable places to sit. For basic services and amenities EVERY SINGLE GUEST at Disney World should feel like they are being provided first class service and getting the best experience possible. For SOME things, guests should not be invited to shell out more money for better services/experiences. In offering up-charges for basic services and amenities, beyond feeling nicked and dimed, all guests, the elites and the hoi poll alike, are blatantly reminded that the normal service/experience Disney provides for its guests is NOT first class. It's economy. If you want first class you have to pay more. Experiencing Disney magic or the Disney difference is becoming an increasingly a two tiered experience--in more places, for more services, and in more visible ways. There are many of us who think this is a bad trend and that it's only going to get worse.

To take one example, the busses: Disney offers "complimentary" resort-wide transportation (of course we pay for it, whether or not we use it, but we are not charged extra to use it). What a great idea it is to provide express bus service for park hoppers from points within the parks to save the time and hassle of going out and back in through main gates. It's an example of Disney doing everything possible to cater to guests--and to make guests aware they are being catered to. Imagine how much it would have pleased park hopping guests if they all could have use this improved service for free, like all the other busses in the resort. Wouldn't that have been great? But instead, by making it a VIP service and up charging for it, those who can't afford it are disgruntled and many who can and do pay for it are disgruntled as well after having already paid a hefty fee for the privilege of park hopping (which, everyone is aware, used to be free). No, nobody is FORCED to pay for this and yes you can still travel to another park the regular way. But everyone, both those who choose it and those who don't, feel like they are being nickeled and dimed. It sours the entire experience. Needlessly. All the park hopping busses should have just been re-routed. It would have been easy, it wouldn't have cost Disney a penny, and everyone would have been thrilled.

 

[James Norrie]

Now, This makes sense to me. Except for the one thing I still disagree with... If Disney had taken away Park Hopping Busses, and forced people to pay for Express Park Hopping Extravaganza Transit, there would be room for argument. But they're not. They are not taking away anything (albeit they are also not fixing a subpar system, I will go that far), so people still get to stay the same route. Hence, it is an upgraded service. And the argument of Coach vs. First Class is absolutely on point. You pay for upgrades above the normal service, whether it fits your personal standard or not...

 

[James Norrie]

All the park hopping busses should have just been re-routed. It would have been easy, it wouldn't have cost Disney a penny, and everyone would have been thrilled.

I definitely don't agree here, as those busses are not on a set route anyway (Unless I read wrong on this site). One leg of that driver's trip could be to AKL, another to EC, and then to DS. Taking a bus out of The pool to have it on a Set Park Hopping Route definitely takes away from the other guests, and makes queues longer, times farther apart, etc. Having an upgrade takes nothing away. No Drivers, No Busses, heck, not even queue space.

 

[21stamps]

@MisterPenguin your humor is not lost on me. I remember very well my first trip to Disney World, made possible only because my father had saved to make it happen. Despite what some people seem to think, Disney World was never free. It was never a place where a family with a tight budget could just walk through the entrance and have a day of carefree, all you can ride, all you can eat, everything you could possibly want, day. It was expensive, relatively, from the start. For those who don't know- you had to have a ticket for almost every ride or attraction. The tickets were sold in booklets of varying cost with different tiers of tickets. I remember having the least expensive booklet. It had only one E ticket. I had to choose what to use it on. I used it on Space Mountain and waited in line for 2 1/2 hours! Yes, even in the 70s there were lines! Hard to believe, right? That line was swelteringly hot too and once I'd had my ride I was sweaty, thirsty. Deliriously thirsty actually. We had to search for a water fountain because it was the only drink we could have. The beverages being sold were too expensive for my family. We didn't snack in the park either. My father had decided to splurge on a dinner at the Contemporary that evening, so after eating a sandwich in the car that morning upon arrival we knew we wouldn't be eating again until dinner. And that splurge at the Contemporary, while it was amazing, it was not a free for all. We had entrees, and one soda a piece (refills were not free). We all shared one dessert. As for souvenirs, with my paltry allowance the only thing I could afford in the giftshop were a few post cards. I had a fantastic day despite the frugality. A day I never forgot. A very special day. I didn't focus on what I couldn't have. I didn't dwell on the fact that everywhere I looked other children had fatter ticket books, and cotton candy, and balloons. It never occurred to me that I was entitled to those things because they should be less expensive or simply handed out. My point is, it's never been within the means of everyone to go to Disney World. It's never been a human right to take vacation. There will always be someone who has something that you don't. Remember to find pleasure in what you do have.

I just want to say thank you for sharing this story. I'm baffled at the fact that it doesn't have over 100 likes..or more.
This is also the Disney that I remember as a child. It has never been inexpensive. The lines were in fact longer before the creation of FP, and there was less "economy" options to stay on site. I think people tend to forget this, or ignore it. Again, thank you.

 

[Killnme]

A fast pass line inside the Rose and Crown!