Good article on MB's and FP+

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I can sum up MBs and MDE thusly:

It sucks more than a Kardashian......................

 

Umm.... :popo:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Now that they supposedly have the comfort stations fixed, I actually like the Magic Bands...

 

It works for our touring style...

 

Although it's not what Disney probably had in mind.

 

On our big vacation, I made our dining reservations, then picked a park around our dining reservation, and made some FP+ choices around our dining times.

 

On one key attraction (Seven Dwarfs), I started searching for the FP+ time first, then once I got it, made a dining reservation around that.

 

We did our three attractions, did some wandering, had our meal and left the park.

 

It allowed us to do some of the attractions we wouldn't normally do because of the lines.... Peter Pan and character meets, for example.

 

On my recent work trip, we didn't know sometimes until that day if I would be able to go to a park, but when we did know, got online, poked around FP+, if there was something available we wanted to do, I hit the button to select it, if not, we just wandered and rode something that didn't have a line.

 

Now, I do understand, for those that really want to get the most out of their day, (meaning get as many attractions in as possible) the FP+ system really messes that up

[The Troll 67]

Clearly the Magic Bands are here to stay...we just have to come to accept it. The "three ride rule" has got to go, though. And it's getting more and more interesting what they're classifying as an "attraction" nowadays. Leslie told me last week as she was making Fast Pass reservations for our trip in May, "I can get us Fast Passes to the fireworks and the parade." Um, what?

 

Fast Pass to fireworks?

 

What's next? Fast Passes to the piano guy at Casey's? Fast Passes to watch the girl make candy apples at the confectionery?

[oft013 23]

This whole thread has been an interesting read.  I have always thought the MBs were more a way to get more of my cash out of my pocket without me feeling the pain until it was too late.  So to combat that, while I do keep a credit card associated with my MB, we use cash as much as possible while we are in the parks.  If I use a credit/debit card I take it out of my pocket.  I don't think I have ever used my MB for a purchase.

 

What I now take away after reading all these great posts is going to the old saying "Knowledge is power"  Disney is gathering information on all of us, our ride habits, our walking habits, right down to what parks we spend most of our time.  That knowledge can be used for good or evil.  Somehow I think it will be a little of both.  When we make a reservation for our "usual" vacation, Disney can present us with a pre-packaged touring plan based on our past habits.  This way they can try to control our habits (evil) or they can use the data to help predict where the crowds travel and replace the least visited attractions as needed (good).

 

To have invested such a large amount of money there has to be more long term goal than what we see today, or what we can even imagine today  But the bottom line is, the whole MB/MDE investment has one long term purpose and that is to raise the bottom line and make Disney a lot more than the investment cost.  Which I am OK with as long as they don't mess with my experience too much.

[arthuruscg 34]

There are a few things i see going on with MB/FP+.

Your reservations made 6m before you go to the park, would help WDW spread the crowds out thru all the parks and keep you with your reservation/park even with bad weather/ect.

 

With disney gathering crowd/person movements, it would let them adjust the parks to work better. Better flow at bottle necks, or maybe just place a CM/ souvenir stand before the bottel neck to slow the crowds down before the bottel neck and to get more $ out of your pocket.

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

A very knowledgeable person said the tracking "all movement at every location" is not accurate at least not right now. That is only happening in certain areas. Also if you are concerned ask for a card in lieu of a MB as that very knowledgeable person does. No MB for him.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

They may not be able to track actual movement right now through MBs (not yet anyway), but they can track every MB transaction you make from park entrances, to unlocking your resort room, to FPs to dining to purchases.  That alone gives them a VERY detailed picture of how you spend your day and who's doing what.

 

And while it's true that you don't have to use a MB, I would venture a guess that most people who are booking packages and/or staying on property are as pretty much your entire trip gets funneled through MDE these days.  As more of the kinks get worked out (and I expect they will) and Disney makes it less and less painless to use them, I think they're just going to become part of the normal Disney Guest experience. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

A very knowledgeable person said the tracking "all movement at every location" is not accurate at least not right now. That is only happening in certain areas. Also if you are concerned ask for a card in lieu of a MB as that very knowledgeable person does. No MB for him.

 

Considering that none of the components of this billion dollar boondoggle work as intended, I don't think there is any reason to be concerned that Disney is actually going to be able to track people via MagicBands.   Remember, it has taken them over a year to figure out how to make a MB chip unlock a door, when those doors operated fine with the old KTTW cards for years.

 

Tell your knowledgeable friend that he's missed around here.

 

TCD

[arthuruscg 34]

MB worked just fine to unlock the laundry areas at AoA. I think the restrooms and vehicle entrance are a FW debacle.

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

MB worked just fine to unlock the laundry areas at AoA. I think the restrooms and vehicle entrance are a FW debacle.

They are working "great" at the FORT when you get to the gate most of the time you don't even touch the scanner, just get close and the gate opens, CS are working fine too.

[The Troll 67]

Considering that none of the components of this billion dollar boondoggle work as intended, I don't think there is any reason to be concerned that Disney is actually going to be able to track people via MagicBands.  

 

And supposing they get all the bugs fixed and do manage track my every move, I am not convinced there is any practical way for them to monetize that information any more than systems they had in place before the Band.

 

Think about it:

 

With the Magic Band, they know exactly when I enter and leave my room. They already knew that with the old system.

 

With the Magic Band, they know exactly what I bought, when, and where. They already knew that with the old system.

 

With the Magic Band, park managers can better identify bottlenecks. Well, OK, I'll give you that one. But how is that monetized directly to justify a $1 billion investment? Moreover, I have a sense that park managers (or their frustrated customers) were doing a fine job identifying the very well known bottlenecks in Disney parks without the MB. Can anyone say, "Fantasyland stroller parking lot?"

 

With the Magic Band, park managers know who you are and who you're with. OK...fine...and?

 

With the Magic Band, Disney knows that Norm and Leslie left site 901 at Fort Wilderness, rode to the FW dock, rode the boat to MK, entered through the "no bags" line, entered through turnstile #13, walked through the confectionery on Main Street, hooked a left and walked past Casey's and Crystal Palace, walked through Adventureland, entered Frontierland, and then paused in apparent frustration as they learned that their FPs for Splash Mountain are worthless because Splash Mountain is broken.

 

As a business, what does that get you?

 

I harken back to my "Steer guests toward merchandise-moving attractions" theory.

 

So what do I like about the MB? Nothing, really. Not that I hate it, but to me it's no better than the "old fashioned" plastic card key and paper ticket system. And as far as FP issuance goes, it's worse.

[The Troll 67]

Ahhhh...sorry for the double post...but an epiphany.

 

It's a ploy to keep the parks near capacity throughout the day. I understand it now.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

It's a ploy to keep the parks near capacity throughout the day. I understand it now.

 

I think that can be one part of it. The ability to manipulate traffic patterns and how people move through the park throughout the day could help keep the parks more full, without them actually seeming more full ...if it's done well.

 

 

With the Magic Band, park managers know who you are and who you're with. OK...fine...and?

 

Marketing.  Since you plan your trip months in advance, this information gives Disney the ability to market specifically to your party's interests and demographics - a super powerful marketing tool. That marketing could be anything from suggesting dining, tours, etc., to upselling you on rooms, dining... you name it.

[The Troll 67]

This clinches it in my mind:

 

"And quite often the amount of capacity we can let into the park is highly driven by pinch points and particular areas of the park that we don't want to get too overcrowded. So when guests are better distributed around the park, we can let more in." - Disney CFO Jay Rasulo

 

That alone, in my mind, justifies a $1 billion investment. Everything else MB "delivers" is just window dressing.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

This clinches it in my mind:

 

"And quite often the amount of capacity we can let into the park is highly driven by pinch points and particular areas of the park that we don't want to get too overcrowded. So when guests are better distributed around the park, we can let more in." - Disney CFO Jay Rasulo

 

That alone, in my mind, justifies a $1 billion investment. Everything else MB "delivers" is just window dressing.

 

Good point.

 

And that explains all the BS that's been going on with the posted wait times at the attractions, which are being intentionally exaggerated at certain times- they are experimenting with what kind of lies they need to tell to influence guests to go elsewhere.

 

The problem for guests it that Disney has crafted all these lies to try to make us think that the technology is somehow designed to enhance our experiences, when the truth all along was that it is intended to be a way to increase attendance without spending money on new attractions.

 

TCD

[The Troll 67]

 

The problem for guests it that Disney has crafted all these lies to try to make us think that the technology is somehow designed to enhance our experiences, when the truth all along was that it is intended to be a way to increase attendance without spending money on new attractions.

 

TCD

 

That is my thought exactly. Not that I blame them for this strategy, as it makes sense from a profit perspective, but the hoohah over "enhancing my experience" is just that.

 

The point you made a while back about the 30 minute standby wait for Spaceship Earth is, I think, critical. Is the new system unintentionally forcing people back into standby lines for less popular attractions, thereby keeping them out of shops and eateries?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Your theories make sense when you consider the work in the Hub....which is meant to increase the capacity of that area during the fireworks....presumably the cause of the worst bottlenecks in any of the parks.  

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

The problem for guests it that Disney has crafted all these lies to try to make us think that the technology is somehow designed to enhance our experiences, when the truth all along was that it is intended to be a way to increase attendance without spending money on new attractions.

 

Well it could potentially enhance experiences down the road - but it's clearly not there yet.

 

Of course "enhance" is open to interpretation and individual expectations, and I'm sure even if this was the most whizbang thing since Betty White, we wouldn't all be convinced.  Particularly not those of us used to and comfortable with the previous systems. For new visitors or those that haven't been often enough to remember, this is all being packaged and heavily promoted as a way to enhance the bejinkies out of their trip - and they aren't likely to know any different or better.

 

I will admit, it has enhanced mine in that I no longer need to get up for rope drop to ride TSM and can actually ride it several times if I want to. 

 

But it makes sense that at least part of this is being able to increase park capacity with as little chaos as possible.  What's the point of updating or adding new attractions, if it's not, in part, to attract more visitors?  You can only get people to spend so much once they're there - the tricky part is getting them there in the first place. 

 

They've already expanded the capacity of MK with New Fantasyland, and will do so at AK with Avatarland.  Those are huge, time-consuming, expensive projects.  The ability to manipulate crowds and traffic patterns, as just one part of MDE, can be a much less onerous and much more effective way to increase park capacity without having to actually build anything.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great post, Mo.

 

I have to ask about this:

 

 

I will admit, it has enhanced mine in that I no longer need to get up for rope drop to ride TSM and can actually ride it several times if I want to. 

 

How are you able to ride TSM several times if you want to?

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Great post, Mo.

 

I have to ask about this:

 

 

How are you able to ride TSM several times if you want to?

 

TCD

 

 

You forget?  She's nuckin futs.

 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

How are you able to ride TSM several times if you want to?

 

TCD

 

Well not on the same day, but during the same trip.

 

Before, since rope drop was pretty much the only way I was going to ride it without a crazy wait, we'd maybe ride it once in a whole 3 week trip.

 

In November I booked several FP+ on different days.

[arthuruscg 34]

This clinches it in my mind:

 

"And quite often the amount of capacity we can let into the park is highly driven by pinch points and particular areas of the park that we don't want to get too overcrowded. So when guests are better distributed around the park, we can let more in." - Disney CFO Jay Rasulo

 

That alone, in my mind, justifies a $1 billion investment. Everything else MB "delivers" is just window dressing.

bingo.

 

Now, also add in that you already have some one coming to WDW and now they can steer them to the less occupied parks.

Example, WDW knows 2 adults with no kids are coming, they could adjust the FP and dinning reservations to increase the chances that they pick EPOCT or HS over MK or AK. Thus your total park capasity is better utilized. Or  if you are coming with 2 girls, and linking to your Movie rewards program, they know you bought Frozen, and Frozen sing along, then yhey could use the app/MB to get you to HS for Frozen stuff there and to EP for the meet and greet.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

You forget?  She's nuckin futs.

 

 

And don't you forget it!  :smug:

[ftwildernessrick 10]

Fast pass+ still has some glitches and I called tech support and they could not fix it. What happened is this. My daughter, her husband and two grandchildren decided to come with us on our Easter week trip, so I was adding them to our fast pass+. I knew that some rides and times would not be available, especially being Easter week and this late. Anyway, if none of you have added guests to your Fastpass+ itinerary it works this. You select your own itinerary as what you want it copied from, then select everyone else on the next screen that you want to add to this. Also, my spouse was selected, even though she has the same as mine already, just in case it has to find a different time for everyone, so we can all stay together.

For all the dates it worked fine, except for two different rides on different days and it did the same on both. On the 7 Dwarfs, it put everyone in the morning, where it was originally, but threw my time to late afternoon. The same thing happened to Toy Story. I called tech support, she looked at it and did not how it occurred, but she could not add me back to my original time, nor could she add me to their time.

OK, they don't have some sort of overide to be able to add just one person? Really?

[Travisma 1,317]

We spent an hour in the MK at the Main St theater trying to get everyone in our party linked together just so we could see each other's selections. Still doesn't work half the time.

Disney started going down hill when they came out with the original Fast Pass system. That's when they started having two classes of customers.

Previously everyone took their turn waiting in line and it was fair and even.

Now like everyone has stated , you wait in line for ever for second class rides and forget about an E ticket standby line.