Disney's $1 billion dollar bet on magical wristband - Wired

[lockedoutlogic]

Everyone agree with Staggs?











Didn't think so.

I agree 100% with what he says...

Except the parts where the words are used in context to hint that their meanings are 180 degrees in the opposite direction of what websters has established for 1000 years as the agreed upon definitions in the English language.

 

[Josh Hendy]

“It lets people’s vacations unfold naturally,” Staggs says. “The ability to plan and personalize has given way to spontaneity.”

That is the kind of illogical non-sequitur that you usually hear in political speeches. It's like he started to say, the ability to plan and personalize LEADS TO or CAUSES more spontaneity. But that's so contradictory he came up with the passive verb "has given way to" as a kind of meaningless, vague expression of nothing in particular. The main purpose is to drop in the happy-sounding but unrelated buzz words "natural", "personal" and "spontaneous".

BTW the best way to get good press that I know of, other than owning the media company, is to buy lots and lots of advertising. Works every time.

 

[cisco911]

The money spent on FP+ and Magic Bands could've been spent on new attractions. IMO, children's eyes light up at WDW when they go on attractions of meet characters. I really don't think kids care about the wonderous new technology. Also, if this article had been fair or balanced, in other words discussing the positives and negatives, i wouldn't have an issue. But this article has no credibility since it is nothing more than Disney promootional material.

Kids don't care about the technology, but they care about the magic that the technology brings. Just look at the advancement in animitronics at disney compared to years back. Things look so much more realistic now! You make it sound like disney did this big magic band expenditure and the parks still look the same as before. They are constantly improving and expanding. Fantasy land was a huge project in recent years. Epcot is getting updated. Hollywood studios is getting updated/expanded. Downtown Disney is getting expanded. Yes we all know that Magic bands help disney control people and help to increase revenue. That is not a bad thing. That is the job of the company at the end of the day. They are not a charity. They are a company with shareholders that want a return on their investment. However, if with this I think disney has done a great job of still keeping the magic and actually caring about their guests. As for them saying that this all adds to being spontaneous....I don't get that either.

 

[Cormoran]

The system was about limiting staff, maximizing out of pocket spending, and automating the traditional guest service process in an attempt to make it mandatory/dumbed down.

Attractions don't lead to any of those goals...limiting them does.

I just don't believe the goals you list are going to be met, because I don't think MDE will ever be dumbed down enough for uninformed first time users. MDE, FP+ and the MB are always going to require a lot of hands on teaching. Perhaps if Disney had remained focused on MB's for only park admission and charging priveleges, they would've been more successful. But IMO, FP+ is always going to require a lot of IT support. I just don't think Disney can dumb it down enough for ignorant park goers.

 

[rteetz]

I just don't believe the goals you list are going to be met, because I don't think MDE will ever be dumbed down enough for uninformed first time users. MDE, FP+ and the MB are always going to require a lot of hands on teaching. Perhaps if Disney had remained focused on MB's for only park admission and charging priveleges, they would've been more successful. But IMO, FP+ is always going to require a lot of IT support. I just don't think Disney can dumb it down enough for ignorant park goers.

Oh Disney will see more spending because of this and they already are, that was their entire goal with this. If they need that IT support why did they just get rid of 200 or so employees not to long ago in that very department.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I just don't believe the goals you list are going to be met, because I don't think MDE will ever be dumbed down enough for uninformed first time users. MDE, FP+ and the MB are always going to require a lot of hands on teaching. Perhaps if Disney had remained focused on MB's for only park admission and charging priveleges, they would've been more successful. But IMO, FP+ is always going to require a lot of IT support. I just don't think Disney can dumb it down enough for ignorant park goers.

I agree 100% and that is the most easily identifiable failure of the system.

They have people standing around attempting to explain it to the "non-wired" types - who aren't going away.

And typically...they give them 4 hours of training and they have no clue what's going on.

The only ones who seem to know how to trouble shoot from what we've experienced are guest services and the help desk...the problem solvers. (Only about 1 in four managers tend to be able to do this)

Which is typical and the same way it was during my time and apparently since 1955

 

[Cormoran]

Kids don't care about the technology, but they care about the magic that the technology brings. Just look at the advancement in animitronics at disney compared to years back. Things look so much more realistic now! .

So you think the animitronics in POTC look old and dated in comparison to what? Because the Pirates animitronics were created when Walt Disney was still alive.

You make it sound like disney did this big magic band expenditure and the parks still look the same as before. They are constantly improving and expanding. Fantasy land was a huge project in recent years..

FL was expanded so that Disney could increase park capacity, by 5,000.

Epcot is getting updated...

All I've seen is Maestrom being repurposed into a Frozen show

Hollywood studios is getting updated/expanded. ...

All I've seen is ride closures and a hat removal, nothing else.

Downtown Disney is getting expanded. Yes we all know that Magic bands help disney control people and help to increase revenue. That is not a bad thing. That is the job of the company at the end of the day. They are not a charity. They are a company with shareholders that want a return on their investment. However, if with this I think disney has done a great job of still keeping the magic and actually caring about their guests. As for them saying that this all adds to being spontaneous....I don't get that either.

I never thought Disney was a charity, but I do believe I am paying more and experiencing less. I think the quality of WDW is eroding. What I also find particularly interesting is that Tony Baxter, the Disney imagineer who created BTMRR, is not very pleased with the MB and FP+ technology. According to him, technology should be used behind the scenes to enhance attractions.
www.wdwradio.com/.../show-372-interview-disney-legend-imagineer-tony- baxter/

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't think the reference was to IT...programmers don't talk to anyone.

It's the relatively "blind" tags leading the "completely blind" customers.

 

[Cormoran]

Oh Disney will see more spending because of this and they already are, that was their entire goal with this. If they need that IT support why did they just get rid of 200 or so employees not to long ago in that very department.

Disney is making more money by raising prices and increasing the amount of hard ticket events they offer. Even at their shareholders meetings, they don't credit MDE with increased theme park revenue.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Kids don't care about the technology, but they care about the magic that the technology brings. Just look at the advancement in animitronics at disney compared to years back. Things look so much more realistic now! You make it sound like disney did this big magic band expenditure and the parks still look the same as before. They are constantly improving and expanding. Fantasy land was a huge project in recent years. Epcot is getting updated. Hollywood studios is getting updated/expanded. Downtown Disney is getting expanded. Yes we all know that Magic bands help disney control people and help to increase revenue. That is not a bad thing. That is the job of the company at the end of the day. They are not a charity. They are a company with shareholders that want a return on their investment. However, if with this I think disney has done a great job of still keeping the magic and actually caring about their guests. As for them saying that this all adds to being spontaneous....I don't get that either.

First, trust only the shovels

Second, I think you've fallen for the PR shell game and the pricetags...

These huge, 9 figure budgets are floated out there...but we never see the tab...
And when you stretch it out over 7 years...what does that represent?

And...this is the kicker...

Based on the revenue, the price, and the ride in attendance...what do those gaudy budgets "unofficially, officially leaked" mean? It's like a car...everyday it's out they from when you pull it off the lot, the less it's worth in the marketplace...

If they had thrown the avatar thing up in 2 years...we would already be approaching year 2 of operation and it could have been big. What's it worth 6-7 years later? That's a legitimate question.

And the "we need to do it right" with Star Wars...
Right... Cause that's an unproven property...
Jesus, the concept looks even more stupido in writing...
Poor excuses.

And before anyone says "you can't build it over night"...

Right...however there are cobstruction schedules and the bonus/penalty provisions in pretty much any construction contract where the owner wanted it done....

And it gets done...including for Disney...including Disneyland, the magic kingdom, EPCOT, and most other things pre 2005...

What happened in 2005?... Should be the next legitimate question...

 

[rteetz]

Disney is making more money by raising prices and increasing the amount of hard ticket events they offer. Even at their shareholders meetings, they don't credit MDE with increased theme park revenue.

But Staggs has said in interviews they have seen increased guest spending due to MM+

 

[mom2rtk]

But Staggs has said in interviews they have seen increased guest spending due to MM+

Increased prices could certainly account for increased guest spending.

 

[rteetz]

Increased prices could certainly account for increased guest spending.

That is very true and I'm sure they do but they have been raising prices since before magicbands. Like I said staggs himself said that mymagic+ has helped increase guest spending.

 

[mom2rtk]

That is very true and I'm sure they do but they have been raising prices since before magicbands. Like I said staggs himself said that mymagic+ has helped increase guest spending.

I'm sure in his mind it really was because of MM+.

It's corporate spin.

 

[Cormoran]

That is very true and I'm sure they do but they have been raising prices since before magicbands. Like I said staggs himself said that mymagic+ has helped increase guest spending.

This might be true, but in Disney's quarterly shareholder report, Disney attributed their increased theme park earnings to increased prices and increased attendance. I don't think they have been able to tell their shareholders that increased profits are directly attributed to MB's.

 

[rteetz]

This might be true, but in Disney's quarterly shareholder report, Disney attributed their increased theme park earnings to increased prices and increased attendance. I don't think they have been able to tell their shareholders that increased profits are directly attributed to MB's.

I don't think they will do that until they have a return from that over 1 billion dollar investment. Once its paid for i think disney will give credit to the system bringing in money.

 

[Cormoran]

I don't think they will do that until they have a return from that over 1 billion dollar investment. Once its paid for i think disney will give credit to the system bringing in money.

Maybe you're right, but right now I think they're trying to spread the expense out by implementation on DCL and DLR. I just hope I have a few more years of DLR vists before FP+ is introduced.

 

[rteetz]

Maybe you're right, but right now I think they're trying to spread the expense out by implementation on DCL and DLR. I just hope I have a few more years of DLR vists before FP+ is introduced.

See now with MM+ coming to other world locations I think it will differ between resort. DLR will be a bit different than WDW probably mostly in FP ways because those parks are so local heavy. WDW will probably be the most sophisticated of the places that will get MM+. Paris is also supposed to get it but again rumored to be different in ways because again different clientele.

 

[Cormoran]

See now with MM+ coming to other world locations I think it will differ between resort. DLR will be a bit different than WDW probably mostly in FP ways because those parks are so local heavy. WDW will probably be the most sophisticated of the places that will get MM+. Paris is also supposed to get it but again rumored to be different in ways because again different clientele.

I'm not being a smart, but does Disney own a controlling interest in DLP? I know they don't control Tokyo, so MDE and FP+ won't go there unless it's by invitation.

 

[rteetz]

I'm not being a smart, but does Disney own a controlling interest in DLP? I know they don't control Tokyo, so MDE and FP+ won't go there unless it's by invitation.

Disney just gained 70% control of DLP through a buyout and a large shareholder leaving. They hadn't been majority owner until the past few months actually. Shanghai and Hong Kong disney is under 50% owners. Tokyo they have 0% ownership.