Disney's NextGen Initiative

[Vyrus]

I don't know where you got that crap but Disney has never brought down an attraction because the queue was too long. Having worked in attractions at Disney, I know first hand how the "system" works. Disney would only shut down an attraction ONLY if it effects the safety of the guests. Crowd control and any other "Big Brother" type thoughts you might have on the subject have nothing to do with it.

--- Update ---



The NextGen initiative is Bob Iger's thing. If you have a problem with the Monorails and the Yeti send an email to Meg Croftin. Also while we're on the topic of the Yeti, it's not going to be fixed for a long time. In order to fix the problem they would have to bring the ride down for an extended period of time which Animal Kingdom cannot afford.

Firstly, tone down the harshness of your post because mine was meant as a joke, secondly, since you want to be cynical, I can be back. We know the Yeti can't be fixed without bringing down the attraction, we are not a bunch of idiots have NO idea how theme parks works, we DO know a thing or two regardless if we've worked there or not.

Next time you want to ride in here on your white horse like a know it all, think first and know this is a discussion forum and we are here to have fun and discuss theme park topics, not be Mr/Mrs Know it all.

Now in the words of Apu, Thank you have a nice day, rant over :focus:

--- Update ---

So Disney has rolled out its first use of the NextGen tech to enhance the guest experience.

At All Star Sports they have installed RFID Chip readers in the soda fountians. And every cup will have to have an activated chip for the soda fountain to work. Every cup that you buy will have an RFID Chip that is activated for 90 mins. After that the fountian will not work. If you buy one of the refillable souvineer mugs, it will be activated for the number of days that you pay for.

So Disney can't fix the monorails or the Yeti, but they can spend $1.5 BILLION to stop people from getting too much soda and spam your phone with high pressure sales of on ride photos. Yeah, I'm really loving how this NextGen thing is kicking up the vacation experience.

Wow just wow, so they focus their energy on limiting a product that they mark up 200%.....I'm in shock

 

[ChristopherSE]

What was wrong with the stickers?

 

[jtsalien]

You can't act like ALL of the NextGen money went to the soda fountain idea. And the other program has even started yet and you're assuming how it will work. That's just ridiculous. And you know just as well that the Yeti has nothing to do with the money, but them not wanting to shut down the ride for such a long period of time. Maybe if people didn't use their hotel mugs all over the resort, they wouldn't have to do this or charge so much for drinks. It's the same argument as at a movie theater. Like it or not, Disney loses some money when people steal soda.

 

[Brian G.]

You can't act like ALL of the NextGen money went to the soda fountain idea. And the other program has even started yet and you're assuming how it will work. That's just ridiculous. And you know just as well that the Yeti has nothing to do with the money, but them not wanting to shut down the ride for such a long period of time. Maybe if people didn't use their hotel mugs all over the resort, they wouldn't have to do this or charge so much for drinks. It's the same argument as at a movie theater. Like it or not, Disney loses some money when people steal soda.

I think the point behind their posts are that they focused on fixing the soda issue first, over other necessities.

 

[jtsalien]

I think the point behind their posts are that they focused on fixing the soda issue first, over other necessities.

Couldn't it be that this was the easiest way to implement the RFID chip technology? It's such a simple idea, that this could be how they are testing reliability in the field. Rather then trying using the chips in this Xpass thing for the first time when it rolls out.

 

[TheDecemberists]

I think the point behind their posts are that they focused on fixing the soda issue first, over other necessities.

It's also a tiny, easy fix and not billions of dollars. . . . I don't like RFID chips, but I don't see anything wrong with them being in a cup. Dollywood's water park uses them for a specific mug that allows free refills for the entire season, and I like it a lot.

I'm mostly concerned about them being in credit cards. Here's the thing about Mythbusters:
[video=youtube;-St_ltH90Oc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-St_ltH90Oc[/video]

 

[Splatter]

While they can't track every bill, it should be pointed out that cash is indeed and has indeed been traceable as well. You know those numbers on every bill you have? They track what numbers go in whose accounts and out of whose accounts when they can ever since bills had serial numbers on them.


However, when it comes to a computer chip in the arm for such a thing, no thanks. I will never do that.

 

[Sideshow Mike]

First of all, hey guys! It has been a while since I was last here but I have been reading everything that is going on. I have been in school for the past month but I am off now! It is great to be back and having discussions with you guys again.

Now, I absolutely hate this idea. Going to a theme park shouldn't be planned out this way. The only thing you should plan for a vacation is what hotel you are gonna stay at, which parks you are gonna to on which day, and where you are going to eat. You shouldn't plan out what time you are going to ride a certain ride. This whole Xpass thing will, as Disneyhead said, make stand by lines stand still lines. I can only imagine how bad the lines for Soarin', Peter Pan, and TSMM would be if they get this. I love Disney. I have been going to WDW forever but I have to say this is just a terrible idea.

 

[TSSD]

:doh: :bang: This is honestly just completely stupid.

 

[Teebin]

I am surprised that no one has stated why they are doing all of this nextgen stuff. It is the same reason that Universal did away with free fast passes. Both are trying to incentivise (spell check is telling me it isn't a word) the hell out of staying on-site/on-property. That is where the big bucks come from if they can fill the resorts.

Hotels are a GRAVY business if you keep them filled... at any price. This Disney nextgen idea, among many, is to fill their resort hotels by giving people a "controlled" version of Universal's resort express pass privileges. Not sure how Uni profits from the hotels as they are run by franchises, but I am sure they do profit from it a great deal. Disney owns virtually all the hotels on property but a few so it is a perk to Disney's bottom line to incentivise staying on property at a Disney hotel, pricey or cheap. A hotel project was half cancelled after 9/11. NextGen, XPass and just now, they are finishing that cancelled hotel in the middle of a massive recession. hmmmmm.

 

[Disneyhead]

My only hope for the XPass is that they keep the #/hr the same as the current FastPass load level. That way it wouldn't make the stand-by line any longer. But they would get rid of FastPasses because all the slots would be prebooked. So us APers and day guests would only be able to use the stand-by lines. That or they split the time slots between XPass and FastPass but that would be pretty useless for the XPass since there aren't that many slots available.

 

[Teebin]

My only hope for the XPass is that they keep the #/hr the same as the current FastPass load level. That way it wouldn't make the stand-by line any longer. But they would get rid of FastPasses because all the slots would be prebooked. So us APers and day guests would only be able to use the stand-by lines. That or they split the time slots between XPass and FastPass but that would be pretty useless for the XPass since there aren't that many slots available.

Exactly, but there will be only 50 free Disney fastpasses per attraction per day (exaggeration hopefully) as I believe they will keep the number the same. So, basically, fastpasses aren't free any longer. It is just a less glaring way of doing it than was Universals. Do they still do the potter breakfast for resort guests?

 

[jtsalien]

They can't possibly expect to have the current fastpass level AND Xpass going. They would have to switch the fastpass and standby lines because the fastpass would be the longest one at that point.

 

[Scarletwebslingr]

I'll hold my tongue until the details are dropped.

 

[justinrocks58]

I'll hold my tongue until the details are dropped.

Some information about the new system is finally out! Disney had a private web event today it seems like an intresting system. http://dizfanatic.com/DizTech012.aspx

 

[jtsalien]

Wow, aside from XPass, that actually sounded really cool.

 

[justinrocks58]

Wow, aside from XPass, that actually sounded really cool.

I'm hopping they don't name it Xpass I think that's just a temporary name!!

 

[jtsalien]

I'm hopping they don't name it Xpass I think that's just a temporary name!!

If I had my way, it would be a temporary program that never saw the light of day

 

[ChristopherSE]

I think this could be the new "thing". This has some real potential as long as they don't fudge up the fastpass system :smiley: And the custom wristbands actually look really cool, not gonna lie.

 

[TheDecemberists]

I'm going to remain hopeful that this won't have a negative impact on the stand-by line.