Chapek: Nearly 1/3rd of Disney World Guests are Purchasing Genie+

[Grasshopper2016]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/11/nearly-1-3-of-disney-world-guests-purchase-disney-genie/
An interesting data point. Since the total percentage is 1/3rd across the whole resort, I suspect that the percentage is even higher at MK and probably DHS (and lower than 1/3rd at AK and EPCOT, where the value is less obvious).

I further suspect that the percentage will keep going up as more people learn about Genie+, and as the crowds pick up around the holidays.

From Disney's per$pective, this is great news. But from the guest's perspective, not so much. The more people who buy it, the less valuable it is. Perhaps that will lead to a natural equilibrium, where fewer additional people will be willing to buy it. (Would it really be worth $15 if the best rides were filling up for the entire day in seconds, and it was not possible to grab more than a couple of good LL slots in a day?) But perhaps the opposite will be true. When you have already invested hundreds of dollars in your ticket, do you really want to be one of the only people who doesn't get to use the LL at all and has to stand in the long lines for everything, just to save a measly $15? Maybe $15 won't actually get you much of advantage, but it will save you from a brutal disadvantage. More money for Disney.

 

[HopperFan]

Yeah .... I was in the parks last week and I think he's just throwing that out there to convince people it's a great service that they should buy too.

NO ONE was using in the AK

NO ONE was using in Epcot

In both these parks we were usually one of the only ones the length of the line and walked right on to the attractions.


MK you likely are picking up the most people but I would say usage was much lower than FP+, we had very few lines that we had more than a few in line with us, and most we walked right on to the ride. Only place we waited was Jingle Cruise. PP had lines off and on but not when we went. I think we were spread out because there are more attractions.

DHS was where we saw the most people in line with us, but it has more "E" tickets for adults (although much less rides than MK), longer wait times and you could get a value from it.

But there is NO WAY 1/3 of the people in the parks were using it when you looked at the Standby lines vs the Genie+ lines.

And given the comment came from Chapek, patting himself on the back for a super service.

 

[VAlegacy]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/11/nearly-1-3-of-disney-world-guests-purchase-disney-genie/
An interesting data point. Since the total percentage is 1/3rd across the whole resort, I suspect that the percentage is even higher at MK and probably DHS (and lower than 1/3rd at AK and EPCOT, where the value is less obvious).

I further suspect that the percentage will keep going up as more people learn about Genie+, and as the crowds pick up around the holidays.

From Disney's per$pective, this is great news. But from the guest's perspective, not so much. The more people who buy it, the less valuable it is. Perhaps that will lead to a natural equilibrium, where fewer additional people will be willing to buy it. (Would it really be worth $15 if the best rides were filling up for the entire day in seconds, and it was not possible to grab more than a couple of good LL slots in a day?) But perhaps the opposite will be true. When you have already invested hundreds of dollars in your ticket, do you really want to be one of the only people who doesn't get to use the LL at all and has to stand in the long lines for everything, just to save a measly $15? Maybe $15 won't actually get you much of advantage, but it will save you from a brutal disadvantage. More money for Disney.

They will raise prices until they've reached a pre-determined percentage of visitors using Genie+. Genie+ is just stretching its legs.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I think he's just throwing that out there to convince people it's a great service that they should buy too.

It would be quite the bold move, with potential legal consequences, to lie about something like that in an investor call . . . .

 

[tseitel]

I don’t really think this is a true representation, it’s not a complete picture. One third of guests bought it for their whole stay? Tried it for one day, two days? No mention of the individual lightning lane purchases.
I think many of those who bought it were just checking it out. It’s new, right? Many will not buy it again, some will. Run those figures again after a certain time has passed and the newness wears off, then we’ll see.

 

[HopperFan]

It would be quite the bold move, with potential legal consequences, to lie about something like that in an investor call . . . .

Disney doesn't even release their attendance numbers ... and there are lots of ways to state that with creative math and only telling a white lie. I was there for five days in the parks, I believe he is using funny math to impress some folks who are not going to challenge something like that.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Disney doesn't even release their attendance numbers ... and there are lots of ways to state that with creative math and only telling a white lie. I was there for five days in the parks, I believe he is using funny math to impress some folks who are not going to challenge something like that.

You’re right that there is some ambiguity, and thus probably wiggle room, in his statement.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Actually, I might kind of take that back. Here, apparently, are his exact words:

“I’m not sure if everyone appropriates the gravity the Genie+ success. One third of the guests at Walt Disney World are buying the Genie+ upgrade. That’s per guest, per day $15. That’s a marginal increase in per cap and margin.”

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Actually, I might kind of take that back. Here, apparently, are his exact words:

“I’m not sure if everyone appropriates the gravity the Genie+ success. One third of the guests at Walt Disney World are buying the Genie+ upgrade. That’s per guest, per day $15. That’s a marginal increase in per cap and margin.”

I find this highly incredulous.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

When you have already invested hundreds of dollars in your ticket, do you really want to be one of the only people who doesn't get to use the LL at all and has to stand in the long lines for everything, just to save a measly $15? Maybe $15 won't actually get you much of advantage, but it will save you from a brutal disadvantage. More money for Disney.

So, for $15 extra, you can wait in the "new" standby line (aka Lightning Lane) or you can save the $15 and wait in the "space available" line where they let in a few people now and then as capacity will allow.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Actually, I might kind of take that back. Here, apparently, are his exact words:

“I’m not sure if everyone appropriates the gravity the Genie+ success. One third of the guests at Walt Disney World are buying the Genie+ upgrade. That’s per guest, per day $15. That’s a marginal increase in per cap and margin.”

I suppose that there might still be room to square those words with, "One third of guests have bought Genie+ for at least one day. And FYI Genie+ costs $15 per guest per day." But that would sure be misleading.

 

[Brian Noble]

If he used the "per guest per day" wording, it doesn't really leave that wiggle room. (I haven't listened to the call, nor have I found a transcript.)

There is no obvious reason for him to lie about something so minor in the overall earnings call, given the consequences of such a lie. I know the Disneyana community likes to think of him as Public Enemy Number One, but this doesn't seem likely.

 

[persnickity]

I think that wording is squishy enough that it could go either way, and overall I'm just not sure I believe that 1 out of every three visitors to the parks purchase G+ on a given day. Might 1 of every 3 purchase it at some point in their stay? Sure.

(And did he really say "appropriates"??)

 

[Grasshopper2016]

(And did he really say "appropriates"??)

Ha! I was just cutting and pasting from BlogMickey. I’m sure that was a typo on their part.

 

[HopperFan]

If he used the "per guest per day" wording, it doesn't really leave that wiggle room. (I haven't listened to the call, nor have I found a transcript.)

There is no obvious reason for him to lie about something so minor in the overall earnings call, given the consequences of such a lie. I know the Disneyana community likes to think of him as Public Enemy Number One, but this doesn't seem likely.

It's not minor, to take an amenity that was free and present it as a HUGE HUGE profit maker (no additional cost was taken on to create this program) that is being bought by 30% of the guests could be the brightest moment he's had. I was there last week, I simply don't believe it as is being presented here.

As I've started looking for the video/audio to hear him myself but I have found most are consistently reporting .... UPGRADING from Genie.

"... reportedly 1/3 of all guests using Disney Genie have upgraded to Disney Genie+. "

"Disney mentioned nearly one-third of all park guests are upgrading to use Disney Genie+ "

"Nearly 1/3 of Park Guests [are] upgrading to Genie+"

"nearly one-third of park guests have been upgrading to Disney Genie+ when visiting Walt Disney World."

I did not engage the Genie, I know I've seen many on social media say they are not going give the Genie information because they don't want all the push notifications or being constantly given ideas of where Disney wants you to go. Many who tested it and reported they would suggest to not use it. So it is ONE THIRD of GUESTS who ENGAGED with the GENIE planning portion of the app. That is likely no where near 1/3 of the guests at Disney World and likely is only 1/3 of those MDE holders that used the Genie. So for a family of 5 it could truthfully be just Mom who gave the Genie all the info it wanted from her.

It is very easy to manipulate information you give on an earnings call especially since they'll likely never report usage numbers only profit margins next October.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Interesting. Does one upgrade from Genie to Genie+? Or does one upgrade one’s park tickets to tickets with the Genie+ add-on?

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Inside the Magic purports to quote Chapek: “Nearly 1/3 of Park Guests [are] upgrading to Genie+”. If that quote is accurate, and he meant to say that 1/3 of Genie users have upgraded—rather than 1/3 of all park guests—he really should issue a correction.

 

[TreAntDeu]

I find this highly incredulous.

I'm not sure how you can take this other than a straight up lie(which has legal ramifications), or he is telling the truth.

Its not an ambiguous statement.

He would be really being tricky if the theories here are right. Which is a risk on his part.

 

[Brian Noble]

It's not minor

Minor in the overall company revenue.

 

[gharter]

There is no obvious reason for him to lie about something so minor in the overall earnings call,

I would not call it minor (especially for such a minimal expense to install it). 2018, WDW had about 58 million visitors, so 1/3 is about 20 million, at $15 per person that is $300 million a year. When the parks have been struggling financially since being closed, that s a good increase.