Josh D'Amaro claims recent positive changes not due to "leadership change"

[BrightMorningStar]

Comments from Josh D'Amaro on the reservations system from an interview with Robert Niles -

"Robert: But you also have to push for capacity, because you just talked about the the reservation issue. I feel, from observing this, that when people talk about or push back against the reservation issue, it's not necessarily [just about] getting the reservation. It's that the [parks'] capacity is not big enough to accommodate all the people who want reservations.

Josh: It's a guest experience issue. This all starts with guest experience, and having been in this business for as long as we have been, we know what constitutes a great guest experience. We know that there are certain attendance thresholds that can potentially deteriorate the experience. So the reservation system change that we've made is completely premised on wanting to deliver [you] the best experience I possibly can. And to do that, I'm asking my guests to make reservations, which is change. Change isn't easy, particularly for Disney, where everybody watches every single move that we make, and if you change something that's tradition, or the way that it's always been, it's hard.

Judging by those comments reservations aren't going away anytime soon.

Clearly he is not focused on guest experience either.

 

[Liquidice]

I got charged for parking when I never entered the resort in a car or went to the guard shack.

Definitely not a perfect system. I suspect its possible a security guard typed in the wrong room number when someone was coming in and it happened to be your room - or there was some kind of issue with billing at some point, because this also happened to me at Pop Century back in 2020 (pre-pandemic) when I was taking the Magical Express.

 

[Liquidice]

agreed. Disney trips are not cheap at all, and any time you put a restriction on a guest, especially one that they didnt have for the 49 years prior, they arent going to be happy.

Plans change, i want flexibity in my vacation. Nothing like being at DHS when MF, Slinkey Dog, and ROR all go down at the same time early in the morning, it pushes wait times out all day long. Been there, done that, and wanted to hop (i paid for park hoping) to another park, but couldnt do it until the afternoon.

Give me flexibility, that increases my guests experience.

+1, pre-pandemic I often park hopped and would rope drop 1 park, then go to my "primary" park with Fastpasses and then after using them, head to a different park for lunch.

But this is also probably why Disney doesn't want to get rid of park reservations and park hopping restrictions as it screws up their staffing plan. What Disney previously did was over-staff and over-supply (for food, etc) each park a bit to help with this. However with staffing shortages, it made sense to use the reservation system. Now Disney has gotten used to being able to operate on less staff and wants to continue to boost profits in this way and is keeping the reservation system.

It is one of the reasons why I take everything Josh has said with a grain of salt.

But, I wonder if they're testing the waters with the 2pm no reservation for APs to see if they can handle things from a staffing and supply perspective.

Park reservations continue to be one of the most unpopular things at Disney parks and they're one of the only ones who have kept that system. So while Josh is saying they're committed to it, I wouldn't be surprised if internally they're trying to figure out how to get rid of it. The one problem I assume they will have is FP+ helped Disney predict which park you would go to. Without FP+ they will have a harder time getting a general idea of how many people will be at each park.

 

[amwhitaker]

If he's REALLY listening to guests, he would get rid of Genie+ (which burns me to no end paying for something that used to be FREE) and bring back Magical Express!

 

[FoxC63]

Genie+ is here to stay and I don't see them changing much with it.

Whatever changes or additions are made to genie+ I doubt highly Iger and the dream team would ever consider getting up at 7am while on vacation to book a ride no matter where they vacation.

People go on vacation for rest, relaxation and fun.
Genie+ is not any of those.
It's nothing short of a f@%!ed up mess!

I would love to sign up with a company who can make our genie+ reservations for us!

 

[persnickity]

Whatever changes or additions are made to genie+ I doubt highly Iger and the dream team would ever consider getting up at 7am while on vacation to book a ride no matter where they vacation.

People go on vacation for rest, relaxation and fun.
Genie+ is not any of those.
It's nothing short of a f@%!ed up mess!

I would love to sign up with a company who can make our genie+ reservations for us!

Surely this is coming, if there aren't 3rd parties and travel agents doing it already!

 

[Brer Chump]

Seems like Nelson Peltz may be the reason for the changes at the parks.


https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/01/12/nelson-peltz-talks-disney-proxy-fight.html

“ The firm also criticized what it believes is Disney's lack of cost discipline and overearning at its theme parks business to subsidize streaming losses.”

 

[FoxC63]

Surely this is coming, if there aren't 3rd parties and travel agents doing it already!

If that's the case feel free to PM., I need names!

 

[FoxC63]

If he's REALLY listening to guests, he would get rid of Genie+ (which burns me to no end paying for something that used to be FREE) and bring back Magical Express!

I can't love your post enough!

Get rid of Genie+!!! ​

 

[B1GxFOOT]

Surely this is coming, if there aren't 3rd parties and travel agents doing it already!

Not sure how a TA could do this without every client giving access to their MDE login. And what if different people in your travel party wanted different LL? What a nightmare that would be.

 

[starlite_]

I'm gonna be the contrarian. I love Genie+, so if they are listening to guests like me then it won't go away. I don't go to Disney Parks to relax and rest. That's what the woods and the beach are for.

That said I wouldn't be opposed to tweaks to it. For example WDW Genie+ needs to stop being sold at 7am and just be sold once you enter a park. That way folks don't feel forced to wake up early to purchase it and book LLs. Would also love to go back to the 1.5 hrs wait between LLs instead of the current 2hrs.

Seems like Nelson Peltz may be the reason for the changes at the parks.


https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/01/12/nelson-peltz-talks-disney-proxy-fight.html

“ The firm also criticized what it believes is Disney's lack of cost discipline and overearning at its theme parks business to subsidize streaming losses.”

I like this article.

 

[BrianL]

I'm gonna be the contrarian. I love Genie+, so if they are listening to guests like me then it won't go away. I don't go to Disney Parks to relax and rest. That's what the woods and the beach are for.

That said I wouldn't be opposed to tweaks to it. For example WDW Genie+ needs to stop being sold at 7am and just be sold once you enter a park. That way folks don't feel forced to wake up early to purchase it and book LLs. Would also love to go back to the 1.5 hrs wait between LLs instead of the current 2hrs.


I like this article.

I agree. I think Genie+ needs some tweaks, but I'm not dead against it. It could definitely be improved.

 

[FoxC63]

Not sure how a TA could do this without every client giving access to their MDE login. And what if different people in your travel party wanted different LL? What a nightmare that would be.

Not everyone can afford the added expense.

For people who want LL's, let them use genie+ but for folks who just want to pre-book 3 rides like we use to do, why can't that come with the ticket? Enter your ticket #, get your ride and move on.

And this thing with TA's, just think about it, we give them access to our Disney gift cards well in advance and those are over a few grand not to mention our credit cards. If you can't trust a TA with that then we've got bigger issues.

 

[Jrb1979]

Not everyone can afford the added expense.

For people who want LL's, let them use genie+ but for folks who just want to pre-book 3 rides like we use to do, why can't that come with the ticket? Enter your ticket #, get your ride and move on.

And this thing with TA's, just think about it, we give them access to our Disney gift cards well in advance and those are over a few grand not to mention our credit cards. If you can't trust a TA with that then we've got bigger issues.

They don't have enough capacity to let anyone pre-book rides. It's a big reason why they got rid of it. Look at how quickly they run out when the parks a packed. They really have to limit how many can purchase it.

 

[New Mouse]

They don't have enough capacity to let anyone pre-book rides. It's a big reason why they got rid of it. Look at how quickly they run out when the parks a packed. They really have to limit how many can purchase it.

Maybe I'm crazy but availability was better when you could pre-book to say they don't have the capacity....they haven't fixed that problem with genie

 

[Jrb1979]

Maybe I'm crazy but availability was better when you could pre-book to say they don't have the capacity....they haven't fixed that problem with genie

A lot of that has to with less guests using FP+ compared to Genie+ and they gave out more FP compared to LL.

 

[Moliphino]

I'm gonna be the contrarian. I love Genie+, so if they are listening to guests like me then it won't go away. I don't go to Disney Parks to relax and rest. That's what the woods and the beach are for.

That said I wouldn't be opposed to tweaks to it. For example WDW Genie+ needs to stop being sold at 7am and just be sold once you enter a park. That way folks don't feel forced to wake up early to purchase it and book LLs. Would also love to go back to the 1.5 hrs wait between LLs instead of the current 2hrs.

But then you'd pretty much have to rope drop, which was the worst part about the original paper fastpasses.

 

[Dcgc28]

I tend to agree with Josh in this. Disney is losing a major major major marketing campaign in April, the park gets a little less desirable for guests who are on the fence about going because the 50th is over. Disney best way to try to get people in is to cut things to make it seem like it’s a value again.

Like another poster said there’s not a lot in terms of new attractions coming, when you look at the scope of the entire property. So where does Disney go to drum up business? It’s going to be the money saving route and advertising that Disney is “more affordable than ever”

Edit to expand that we Disney diehards understand it has been more affordable than ever. But they get people on the fence with “free parking” and “dining credits” and etc. people who don’t eat breathe and sleep Disney don’t know those aren’t great deals. They’re PR moves.

 

[starlite_]

But then you'd pretty much have to rope drop, which was the worst part about the original paper fastpasses.

Then have it be like at DLR, you can purchase Genie+ in advance but not book any LLs until scanning at a park.

 

[Moliphino]

Then have it be like at DLR, you can purchase Genie+ in advance but not book any LLs until scanning at a park.

So you still need to rope drop to get anything good.