News about Fantasmic! viewing areas

[WonkaKid]

I was at the park on Sunday for the first time in a few weeks (had a bad cold the previous Sunday). A longtime CM I know there told me something interesting. He said that much of the work being done in NOS will result in smaller Fantasmic! viewing areas for non-premium guests. What that means is that much of that space is being grabbed for dessert/paid-package viewing. In short, it’s another way to monetize something we used to get as part of our standard park admission. Doesn’t surprise me but it does disappoint me.

 

[Dumbo777]

I was at the park on Sunday for the first time in a few weeks (had a bad cold the previous Sunday). A longtime CM I know there told me something interesting. He said that much of the work being done in NOS will result in smaller Fantasmic! viewing areas for non-premium guests. What that means is that much of that space is being grabbed for dessert/paid-package viewing. In short, it’s another way to monetize something we used to get as part of our standard park admission. Doesn’t surprise me but it does disappoint me.

Thank you for keeping us updated

 

[ironband74]

Feels like Disney Management is swinging the pendulum way too far.

The funny thing is that I really don't mind spending the money if I feel like I have a choice. I bought MaxPass, but I knew that I could still have a great time getting paper Fastpasses. Now I feel like I purchase Genie+ under duress, knowing that if I don't I'm standby only and it is going to be a rough time. I bought F! dining packages, but I knew that I could easily get a fastpass for the regular viewing area and see the show just fine. Now it sounds like I'll have to have that dining package to have a shot at a good view.

It's a little weird, because I would spend the money anyway, right? And I would get the same experience. But somehow it doesn't feel that way.

I happily choose to spend at the resort, but when I feel like my hand is forced to my wallet, my spend becomes less happy. And I feel manipulated. And honestly it is making me not want to go back.

 

[Mseplover]

Please delete my account

 

[ironband74]

I feel the same way! We loved MaxPass but have disdain for Genie+. We have Magic Keys but don’t plan on renewing them due to changes like this one. Why pay for a Magic Key and visit often when almost everything at the park is now behind a paywall? I assume they will do some kind of Virtual Queue option for Fantasmic like with World of Color but it is very stressful compared to the old FASTPASS tickets and you only have seconds to get a boarding group. We have a dining package for Fantasmic so that we can see the show guaranteed but I hate that it has become this way. I guess it is going to take a lot of pushback from guests before anything changes.

Glad to know I'm not alone. I suspect that the intent IS to try and push away folks who don't want to pay extra for everything. They would prefer to have half as many people in the parks spending twice as much, because that is easier to manage. It feels like those of us on a budget are intentionally being made to feel unwelcome.

One thing I used to love about Disneyland was that once you were through the gates (with a few notable exceptions like VIP tours and the like), everyone was on a level playing field. We all waited in the same lines, used the same fastpass system, enjoyed the same attractions, and were treated to world class service wherever we went. The philosophy used to be to treat everyone well and the money would follow. Now it's money up front, and maybe we'll show you a good time.

Maybe it will work for them if they can find a way to actually deliver that world class service to the big spenders. Time will tell.

 

[WonkaKid]

I share all of the bad feelings about this. Oscar Wilder once said (or wrote, really) that "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.” He was referring to men such as Chapek who understand money and little else. I suspect that if Walt were still alive and in charge, he'd fire Chapek for all of his suggestions about gouging/monetizing everything. He's hurting the Disney brand. Is he good at business? Sure. Does he understand brand and vision? I'd say no. I imagine he did well in his MBA program. But greatness and genius cannot be taught. In short, he doesn't "get it" and likely never will.