Article in the Orlando Sentinel today that contrasts Universal's investments (actual attractions) with Disney (MyMagic+). Both are spending about the same amount of cash, but Disney is hoping that forcing (yes, let's be honest here) guests to plan their entire vacation months in advance is going to generate them more bucks over building actual attractions. They figure the less time you spend figuring out what fastpass to get and that your wristband magically gets you stuff without ever seeing cash or a credit card, you'll spend a heap ton more money.
Disney is boasting a huge positive reaction to the tests so far. They have still failed to address guests who don't stay on property and locals. The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia's Facebook page mentioned earlier this week that supposedly annual passholders will "get 9 fastpass+ a month." I can't remember if it was 7 or 9. So, what does that mean and how will it work? Let's say I decide to go to EPCOT next Saturday and it's like, Tuesday. Do I have to hurry online and book my fastpasses right away? I'd have no chance at Soar'n in that case, I'm sure. What if I decide to go tomorrow? No fastpasses available? Then maybe I won't go. What will Disney think then?
To be frank, I don't use fastpass all that often. Maybe for 1 or 2 rides a visit, depending on how much I want to ride. It's too early yet to tell if this new system will make stand-by lines even longer. While it's absolutely ridiculous that all attractions (even the interactive games) will now have fastpass, maybe by forcing out-of-town guests to visit these low-attendance attractions will help alleviate the more popular ones as far as lines. That's the optimist in me speaking. Or, it could now cause more crowds even at the attractions I go to for refuge from them all--making the casual visit more frustrating than fun.
It's funny too that with all the hubbub about privacy and technology, no one seems to be raging about how Disney will use this system to track your habits, too. It's like how the ads on your email client match what kind of Emails you get, or how other ads match other websites you've visited lately.
All of this just seems like a huge mess to me that cost Disney money they could have used to drastically improve their parks in more logical ways (updating attractions, fixing attractions, new attractions). But just like how the original concept of fastpass was--which was the idea that you'd spend more time spending money than in line--it's all about you spending more money at Disney rather than anywhere else.
The simple and local-loving Disneyland becomes better every day compared to its monster "younger" sister resort.
