The Rise and Possible Fall of Magic Bands?

[Travisma 1,317]

Again, credit goes to the Themeparktourist web page

 

For the full article follow this link

 

http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20160112/31182/3-setbacks-disney-has-faced-global-rollout-magicbands?page=1

 

3 Setbacks Disney has Faced With the Global Rollout of MagicBands

 

Quick excerpt

 

Different park trends and needs

 

 

Walt Disney World is a huge resort with four massive parks to explore and more than 100 attractions. Walt Disney World also attracts a huge volume of tourists who visit the park from all around the globe. However, the situation that Walt Disney World is in (that made it perfect for MyMagic+ to begin with) also makes it a little too unique for it to be copied and pasted at other resorts.  

For instance, imagine if MyMagic+ was simply duplicated for Disneyland. While the majority of guests at Walt Disney World are visiting from outside the Central Florida area, the opposite is true for Disneyland Resort, which attracts a much higher proportion of local annual passholders. A system that gives advantages to those travelling from out of town and staying at a Disneyland hotel simply wouldn't work, both because Disneyland doesn't exactly have a bunch of rooms to fill and because a move like this would alienate a huge segment of its guests. 

 

This part doesn't make sense to me since AP's get MagicBands, so why wouldn't the locals like them? 

 

 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Again, credit goes to the Themeparktourist web page

 

For the full article follow this link

 

http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20160112/31182/3-setbacks-disney-has-faced-global-rollout-magicbands?page=1

 

3 Setbacks Disney has Faced With the Global Rollout of MagicBands

 

Quick excerpt

 

Different park trends and needs

 

 

Walt Disney World is a huge resort with four massive parks to explore and more than 100 attractions. Walt Disney World also attracts a huge volume of tourists who visit the park from all around the globe. However, the situation that Walt Disney World is in (that made it perfect for MyMagic+ to begin with) also makes it a little too unique for it to be copied and pasted at other resorts.  

For instance, imagine if MyMagic+ was simply duplicated for Disneyland. While the majority of guests at Walt Disney World are visiting from outside the Central Florida area, the opposite is true for Disneyland Resort, which attracts a much higher proportion of local annual passholders. A system that gives advantages to those travelling from out of town and staying at a Disneyland hotel simply wouldn't work, both because Disneyland doesn't exactly have a bunch of rooms to fill and because a move like this would alienate a huge segment of its guests. 

 

This part doesn't make sense to me since AP's get MagicBands, so why wouldn't the locals like them? 

 

Off the top of my head the onsite 60 day FP vs offsite 30 day may be what they are referring to. 

[keith_h 420]

"While it might sound like a bummer to Walt Disney World fans, it seems that that Hong Kong Disneyland guests are perfectly happy with the system they have now ...."

 

The only reason I would be bummed out is we are still stuck with MB's. I still prefer the previous systems of run to get your FP's or my favorite system where we all share the same line together.

 

 

 

 

This part doesn't make sense to me since AP's get MagicBands, so why wouldn't the locals like them? 

 

 

I think the Disneyland locals have more pull on what Disney does or does not do in the parks. Historically they have been very vocal about not making changes for the sake of change and wanting to keep Disneyland more or less the same. The current system works and is fair to all visitors so I don't see why Disney would want to spend the political capital making a change that isn't really needed. I would go so far as to say contrary to the external story that MB's/MyMagic+ have not been a big success nor very well received. The biggest drawback is it penalizes those visitors who make their reservation after the FP+ date. That would be mostly locals at Disneyland who are the bread and butter customer there. Keep in mind Disneyland, at least when I lived there, was a common date destination or a place to go when you didn't have anything else to do. Much different that the destination that WDW is.   

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Disneyland, at least when I lived there it was place to go when you didn't have anything else to do. Much different that the destination that WDW is.

X-2

[Travisma 1,317]

"While it might sound like a bummer to Walt Disney World fans, it seems that that Hong Kong Disneyland guests are perfectly happy with the system they have now ...."

 

The only reason I would be bummed out is we are still stuck with MB's. I still prefer the previous systems of run to get your FP's or my favorite system where we all share the same line together.

 

 

 

 

I think the Disneyland locals have more pull on what Disney does or does not do in the parks. Historically they have been very vocal about not making changes for the sake of change and wanting to keep Disneyland more or less the same. The current system works and is fair to all visitors so I don't see why Disney would want to spend the political capital making a change that isn't really needed. I would go so far as to say contrary to the external story that MB's/MyMagic+ have not been a big success nor very well received. The biggest drawback is it penalizes those visitors who make their reservation after the FP+ date. That would be mostly locals at Disneyland who are the bread and butter customer there. Keep in mind Disneyland, at least when I lived there, was a common date destination or a place to go when you didn't have anything else to do. Much different that the destination that WDW is.   

Amen.  Everyone be treated the same.

 

But I can kind of understand they needed to try something to alleviate the crowding.  Just not sure if FP and MB are the solution.

[keith_h 420]

Amen.  Everyone be treated the same.

 

But I can kind of understand they needed to try something to alleviate the crowding.  Just not sure if FP and MB are the solution.

 

I agree that they need to do something about the overcrowding. The answer is really pretty simple, inexpensive and low tech. Stop trying to cram more people into a finite space. If they went back to emphasizing the quality of the experience over quantity of visitors I could even justify paying the higher prices that I cannot now with the 1 1/2 and 2 hour waits for rides. 

[CJHokie 43]

I for one love not having to keep up with a ticket or money. So, thanks for that magic band.

 

But FP+ sucks.  Hard.

[Travisma 1,317]

We were at MK New Years weekend.

 

Now I know smartphones have taken over everyone's lives, so seeing people on them while walking and sitting isn't a good indicator that they are just on MDE.

 

But overhearing a lot of conversations there is a very high frustration factor involved in the entire FP process from booking them, to trying to change them, to just being able to access MDE to see your ride times.

 

Lots of wasted time staring at a little screen, instead of being able to appreciate and enjoy being at the "Happiest Place on Earth"!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Is that supposed to be a news article?

 

Seems more like an ill-informed rant.

 

Did Disney ever say that My Magic Plus was going to be applied globally to all of its parks?

 

I don't remember that if they did.

 

WDW is a unique place with unique issues.  The other parks around the world are nowhere near the size of WDW.

 

It has been said that the Magic Band experiment is too big to fail.  I agree.  They will keep throwing money at it, and keep cooking up new ways to use it. 

 

It's not going anywhere.

 

TCD

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

I agree that they need to do something about the overcrowding. The answer is really pretty simple, inexpensive and low tech. Stop trying to cram more people into a finite space. If they went back to emphasizing the quality of the experience over quantity of visitors I could even justify paying the higher prices that I cannot now with the 1 1/2 and 2 hour waits for rides. 

 

Exactly. Or, as I like to say:  Trying to put ten pounds of you-know-what in a five pound bag   

 

FP and MB's are Disney's way of "Managing" Demand w/o having to build any more "Product"

 

Sooner or later they will run out of slack in the system and will either have to build more parks and/or raise prices so much that it cuts down on the crowds.....

[Travisma 1,317]

Exactly. Or, as I like to say:  Trying to put ten pounds of you-know-what in a five pound bag   

 

FP and MB's are Disney's way of "Managing" Demand w/o having to build any more "Product"

 

Sooner or later they will run out of slack in the system and will either have to build more parks and/or raise prices so much that it cuts down on the crowds.....

As it is now, you either have to be there at rope drop or stay until the parks close to even have a slight chance of moving around without being trampled.

 

Or go on a chilly rainy day.

 

I know people will be after me with pitchforks about this comment, but having SUV sized strollers and the electric scooters running all around don't help matters either.  And it seems (to me) that a large amount of scooter users have never used one before and decide to learn how to operate one while they are at the parks on crowded days.  Same thing with stroller users, they have no idea how to fold them up or realize how darn big they are.  They fill up an entire aisle in some of the shops, and the users are just clueless on how they affect the people around them.

 

When we had my first daughter, we looked for the smallest sturdy stroller we could find, one that folded up into a small space and didn't weigh a ton or cost a years salary.

 

Pushing a huge stroller around the parks back in the late 70's would've gotten you the stink eye.

[shoreline99 137]

As it is now, you either have to be there at rope drop or stay until the parks close to even have a slight chance of moving around without being trampled.

 

Or go on a chilly rainy day.

 

I know people will be after me with pitchforks about this comment, but having SUV sized strollers and the electric scooters running all around don't help matters either.  And it seems (to me) that a large amount of scooter users have never used one before and decide to learn how to operate one while they are at the parks on crowded days.  Same thing with stroller users, they have no idea how to fold them up or realize how darn big they are.  They fill up an entire aisle in some of the shops, and the users are just clueless on how they affect the people around them.

 

When we had my first daughter, we looked for the smallest sturdy stroller we could find, one that folded up into a small space and didn't weigh a ton or cost a years salary.

 

Pushing a huge stroller around the parks back in the late 70's would've gotten you the stink eye.

 

^this. My wife got beeped at several times this trip. Really?

 

Count me in the minority. I actually like the magic bands, and think FP+ is really pretty easy to use.

[lightbikes 73]

"I know people will be after me with pitchforks about this comment, but having SUV sized strollers and the electric scooters running all around don't help matters either.  And it seems (to me) that a large amount of scooter users have never used one before and decide to learn how to operate one while they are at the parks on crowded days.  Same thing with stroller users, they have no idea how to fold them up or realize how darn big they are.  They fill up an entire aisle in some of the shops, and the users are just clueless on how they affect the people around them.

 

When we had my first daughter, we looked for the smallest sturdy stroller we could find, one that folded up into a small space and didn't weigh a ton or cost a years salary.

 

Pushing a huge stroller around the parks back in the late 70's would've gotten you the stink eye."

 

Not to mention that they haven't a hot clue about how to get it onto either a bus or the monorail without blocking everyone else.  Somebody needs to give them a lesson on unpacking the stroller and then folding it up!!!! And stop trying to put the whole thing through the bag check at security.  There needs to be an entrance just for the da** strollers!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I know people will be after me with pitchforks about this comment, but having SUV sized strollers and the electric scooters running all around don't help matters either.  And it seems (to me) that a large amount of scooter users have never used one before and decide to learn how to operate one while they are at the parks on crowded days.  

 

 

While I understand your comment about scooters (and have witnessed it myself), please don't forget that there are many of us who can't enjoy the parks without using an ECV.

[Travisma 1,317]

While I understand your comment about scooters (and have witnessed it myself), please don't forget that there are many of us who can't enjoy the parks without using an ECV.

I fully understand that.

But, if you are a new scooter user, or you are renting one and you are not familiar with it, then you need to practice on it somewhere without a huge crowd. Plus the rental company should make sure you are familiar with it and give you lessons before they leave.

And again not knowing circumstances about people and their conditions this may sound crass, but I find it hard to believe that an entire family of 4 or 5 people all need scooters, including 20 or 30 something looking people and their parents. Then they all have kids on their laps, and when they get to a ride or place to eat they all bail out and go scurrying in different directions.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I fully understand that.

 

Thank you!

But, if you are a new scooter user, or you are renting one and you are not familiar with it, then you need to practice on it somewhere without a huge crowd. Plus the rental company should make sure you are familiar with it and give you lessons before they leave.

 

Agreed.  I have my own scooter, but I even practice with it before a trip.

And again not knowing circumstances about people and their conditions this may sound crass, but I find it hard to believe that an entire family of 4 or 5 people all need scooters, including 20 or 30 something looking people and their parents. Then they all have kids on their laps, and when they get to a ride or place to eat they all bail out and go scurrying in different directions.

 

Those are the people who give the rest of us a bad name!

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

And again not knowing circumstances about people and their conditions this may sound crass, but I find it hard to believe that an entire family of 4 or 5 people all need scooters, including 20 or 30 something looking people and their parents. Then they all have kids on their laps, and when they get to a ride or place to eat they all bail out and go scurrying in different directions.

 

I was going to say the same thing.  It's getting to be like the Golf Carts at the Fort. Bad driving, self-centered behaviour and entire families on ECV's and teenagers driving them up to rides, then jumping off and running in....

 

Gwen is right that they are giving the people who actually need them a bad name.

 

And like the GC's, Disney needs to do some sort of enforcement.  But probably won't...

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

...if you are a new scooter user, or you are renting one and you are not familiar with it, then you need to practice on it somewhere without a huge crowd. Plus the rental company should make sure you are familiar with it and give you lessons before they leave.

 

 

Agreed.  MIL is going to be using a scooter for the first time at WDW in a few weeks.  There's no possible way she could do the parks without one, but we've already told her to be sure to practice and stay out of crowds as much as she possibly can. It shouldn't be a super busy time, but she's already nervous about it. We told her that especially at park close and after fireworks and parades, it'll be better for her (and her nerves) to find a spot to pull over and let the crowds clear out rather than try and navigate through them. 

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

Agreed.  MIL is going to be using a scooter for the first time at WDW in a few weeks.  There's no possible way she could do the parks without one, but we've already told her to be sure to practice and stay out of crowds as much as she possibly can. It shouldn't be a super busy time, but she's already nervous about it. We told her that especially at park close and after fireworks and parades, it'll be better for her (and her nerves) to find a spot to pull over and let the crowds clear out rather than try and navigate through them. 

 

Agree Mo.  The night we went to see the Osborn lights was so crowded and with strollers and ECVs and so many people on foot it was scary.  I just held onto DH's belt as he made his way out of that madhouse.

 

And to the strollers.  Had friends in Epcot a couple weeks ago and saw a stroller that held 4, that is  FOUR!!!  kids.  At the time there were only 2 kiddos in the front seats but there were 2 more seats behind them.  The woman trying to drive it was having a struggle.  It was wide and long!  A big square thing on wheels.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

We sometimes take a scooter into the parks for my mother, who has problems with her knee and hip. Riding the scooter helps her enjoy the parks more especially if we are just wondering around with no set plans. But there are times that she needs to walk or she gets to stiff, then one of us will use the scooter while she walks. Then I will ride it or someone else with us, we all practiced and she always makes me ride it on and off of transportation. We mostly drive to the parks other than MK.

At first I always thought people would look at me funny for being on it but then I decided I could care less, if it helps her enjoy the parks more than its worth it. We also park it outside of any attractions, restaurants, shops, or such and just walk those. When I see people who don't look like they need a wheelchair or scooter I try to give them the benefit of the doubt (expect for the entire families riding them). What gets me is the lack of respect/politeness I see from a lot of people who will walk right in front of you and stop, let a door or gat shut, go around to block or get in front of people on scooters or in wheelchairs.

Now my biggest pet peeve is strollers, the huge strollers that they push everywhere a lot of the times empty except for bags and/or with kids to big to be in strollers. Especially when they wait 15+ minutes in line for a boat or buss then scramble to close them and at put out that they have to.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

At first I always thought people would look at me funny for being on it but then I decided I could care less, if it helps her enjoy the parks more than its worth it.

 

Absolutely!! 

 

MIL didn't want to get one, and what other people may have thought was part of why.  We convinced her that it didn't matter what anyone else thinks (seriously!), what was important was that she was able to enjoy her vacation, and the only way that was going to happen was with a scooter. She only has one "ok" knee and the other one is pretty much shot completely. She insisted she could do all the walking (um, no) - until we told her that on an easy day, without even trying, we've walked anywhere from 3-7 miles in the parks. And that doesn't even count the standing in line, which is generally worse for her (and me) than the walking.