The WOO's thoughts on being a Magic Key holder

[DisneylandFan22]

DH and I haven't felt that the Magic Key is a good value because the parks just don't feel the same right now.
Some of our issues are:

• They are still missing a lot of entertainment
• the character meet and greets are still an issue
• you have to wear masks indoors
• they are massively understaffed
• Certain attractions are still not reopened
• There are no trams to and from the Mickey and Friends Structure
• The new buses to and from the Toy Story lot might as well be labeled as not accessible for anything larger than a manual wheelchair
• Food lines are insanely long, even with mobile order

Before the shutdown, we had Flex passes, so we really aren't a stranger to the idea of reservations and kind of figured that was the direction Disney would be headed eventually, COVID just sped it up. But to be charged the same or higher prices than before and still require reservations is where I can't see it being a good value, as with the Flex Pass, we were making a choice to save money in exchange for doing the reservations and that was our choice, now there is no option.

Until a decent amount of these items are resolved, we just can't justify getting a Magic Key, sure if we can get a good deal or are given tickets, we will spend the $25 on parking and go, but can't justify buying a Magic Key at this point in time.

The entertainment is what bothers me the most. I took someone recently for the first time and it is impossible to explain what they were missing out on without Fantasmic!, World of Color, Mickey and the Magical Map, and Aladdin/Frozen. Those just add so much value to the experience. Luckily we went to OBB so there was a parade and we were able to see fireworks and projections. Other than the big shows, it also used to feel like there was entertainment at Disneyland around every corner.

 

[Evita_W]

The entertainment is what bothers me the most. I took someone recently for the first time and it is impossible to explain what they were missing out on without Fantasmic!, World of Color, Mickey and the Magical Map, and Aladdin/Frozen. Those just add so much value to the experience. Luckily we went to OBB so there was a parade and we were able to see fireworks and projections. Other than the big shows, it also used to feel like there was entertainment at Disneyland around every corner.

Yeah and now Knotts has the entertainment around evey corner. No, they don't have the major shows, but a bunch of smaller entertainment that is absolutely incredible and for around $100 for a season pass, heck you can add on food (two meals a day), drinks every 15 minutes and parking for the entire year and still be cheaper than most, if not all of the Magic Keys. Upgrade to Platinum and you can go to any Cedar Fair Park and use these benefits during any regular operating day. Seriously, if you really wanted, you could go every day except Christmas and I think Thanks Giving day and get two meals a day, every day except the two they are closed and unlimited drinks for $368 for an entire year and that includes admission and parking.

And they seriously have tons of entertainment year around, some are even groups that used to.perfprm at Disneyland and/or DCA.

And there are no reservations required, if you are fully vaccinated, you don't have to wear masks indoors, their team members go out of their way to make sure you feel welcomed and to give assistance if needed. Really they are now more what Disney CMs used to be than what they are now.

Add in the fact that Knotts not only kept the promises they made to their season pass holders, they went above and beyond what they promised. Compare that to Disney who constantly.broke their promises to Annual Pass holders every chance they got.

I know this sounds like an ad for.Knotts, but reallymit.is meant.to show the difference in value and why DH and I are struggling to find value in the Magic Key at the moment.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Gosh I haven’t been to Knott’s since I was a kid and now I kind of want to check it out before I commit to a Magic Key.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

Yeah and now Knotts has the entertainment around evey corner. No, they don't have the major shows, but a bunch of smaller entertainment that is absolutely incredible and for around $100 for a season pass, heck you can add on food (two meals a day), drinks every 15 minutes and parking for the entire year and still be cheaper than most, if not all of the Magic Keys. Upgrade to Platinum and you can go to any Cedar Fair Park and use these benefits during any regular operating day. Seriously, if you really wanted, you could go every day except Christmas and I think Thanks Giving day and get two meals a day, every day except the two they are closed and unlimited drinks for $368 for an entire year and that includes admission and parking.

And they seriously have tons of entertainment year around, some are even groups that used to.perfprm at Disneyland and/or DCA.

And there are no reservations required, if you are fully vaccinated, you don't have to wear masks indoors, their team members go out of their way to make sure you feel welcomed and to give assistance if needed. Really they are now more what Disney CMs used to be than what they are now.

Add in the fact that Knotts not only kept the promises they made to their season pass holders, they went above and beyond what they promised. Compare that to Disney who constantly.broke their promises to Annual Pass holders every chance they got.

I know this sounds like an ad for.Knotts, but reallymit.is meant.to show the difference in value and why DH and I are struggling to find value in the Magic Key at the moment.

Well now I want to come to Knotts, I haven't been in YEARS! I totally empathize with the struggle with the reservation system and lack of entertainment.

I am out of state. The other night a friend called and invited me on a whim to meet them at the local amusement park. (We both have season passes that literally cost less than some of the single day tickets at Disneyland.) The food, the entertainment, the Halloween decorations, the lights turned on, everything about it was perfect. We finished the night on the big wooden roller coaster, and laughed and screamed and it was magic in the night air.

We walked out together arm in arm, lifelong friends, laughing the whole way, a totally unplanned and spontaneous evening.

I love Disney, my user name is disneyland_is_magic, but I also believe other experiences are magic too. I went to DL last month, and yes, I loved it, but they aren't the only show in town. (Which is an ironic pun since they have no none.)

 

[sjmac42]

Gosh I haven’t been to Knott’s since I was a kid and now I kind of want to check it out before I commit to a Magic Key.

Oh my gosh, go! Sure it doesnt have the polish or variety of Disney but the staff there have always been terrific and the value is unbeatable. You can get an (albeit basic) onsite hotel and ticket for the price of a day ticket at Disneyland. It’s a fun day for sure

 

[gelatoni fan]

Yeah and now Knotts has the entertainment around evey corner. No, they don't have the major shows, but a bunch of smaller entertainment that is absolutely incredible and for around $100 for a season pass, heck you can add on food (two meals a day), drinks every 15 minutes and parking for the entire year and still be cheaper than most, if not all of the Magic Keys. Upgrade to Platinum and you can go to any Cedar Fair Park and use these benefits during any regular operating day. Seriously, if you really wanted, you could go every day except Christmas and I think Thanks Giving day and get two meals a day, every day except the two they are closed and unlimited drinks for $368 for an entire year and that includes admission and parking.

And they seriously have tons of entertainment year around, some are even groups that used to.perfprm at Disneyland and/or DCA.

And there are no reservations required, if you are fully vaccinated, you don't have to wear masks indoors, their team members go out of their way to make sure you feel welcomed and to give assistance if needed. Really they are now more what Disney CMs used to be than what they are now.

Add in the fact that Knotts not only kept the promises they made to their season pass holders, they went above and beyond what they promised. Compare that to Disney who constantly.broke their promises to Annual Pass holders every chance they got.

I know this sounds like an ad for.Knotts, but reallymit.is meant.to show the difference in value and why DH and I are struggling to find value in the Magic Key at the moment.

My problem is that I have friends and family who want to go to Disneyland. I actually got a zoo membership and was looking at getting a Cedar Fair Platinum pass but people I know got Magic Keys. I have no intention of getting another Key after my current one expires but if a lot of people I know want to make trips, I may end up getting dragged into it again.

 

[bwvBound]

My problem is that I have friends and family who want to go to Disneyland. ... I have no intention of getting another Key after my current one expires but if a lot of people I know want to make trips, I may end up getting dragged into it again.

We consider it a form of tax related to living in SoCal.

 

[ComeToSocialize]

I think the model they've done where you can cancel up to 11:59pm the night before is actually the wrong way to do it. I think they need to either put some tighter restrictions on cancellations or allow same day cancellations and same day bookings.

The problem is Disney has conditioned everyone to book things "just in case", which seems to be what is happening with the recent run on weekend reservations. ADRs have had this problem for a while. Even with Maxpass, I always had something booked whenever I could just in case , knowing I could just cancel later (also the ride might break and I'd get a multiple experiences pass)

If they did something like "you can cancel magic key reservations whenever you want, but only 3 times per month" or something it would allow people whose plans change to cancel without penalty while stopping the "book just in case" behavior. That should hopefully open up more availability for spontaneous trips.

Or they should allow same days cancellations up to a certain time (1pm when park hopping starts?) and if someone cancels, that opens up a spot for a same day booking. Could even create a waiting list system where people can join waiting list at 7am for that day, and as people cancel, they get a notification that they can now go. Neither is perfect, but I think better than the current system.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I agree. The biggest issue is the lack of same-day cancellations. That’s the one thing that makes the Florida system workable.

 

[MonocularVision]

The big downside to a Knott’s Annual Pass is that you have to go to Knott’s.

 

[DLgal]

The big downside to a Knott’s Annual Pass is that you have to go to Knott’s.

LOL. I didn't want to be the one to say it. I'm sorry, but Knotts is pretty much awful.

 

[DonMacGregor]

LOL. I didn't want to be the one to say it. I'm sorry, but Knotts is pretty much awful.

Plus, during the pandemic, there's been a significant uptick in crime at and around Knotts.

 

[DLgal]

Plus, during the pandemic, there's been a significant uptick in crime at and around Knotts.

Oh really? I only go to Buena Park occasionally for Porto's runs.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Oh really? I only go to Buena Park occasionally for Porto's runs.

The drive-by shooting in July, and the shirtless dude who climbed to the top of Extreme Scream caught the headlines, but there has been an increase in fist fights in the park and parking lots of late. It's been a stupid hot summer, so maybe that's the cause.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Knotts is good for one visit a year or every few years. I do think that their funnel cake is pretty good.

I'm still not sure how I feel about the magic key pass, I did get one. I think it's just going to take some getting used to.. i'm just glad I can go multiple times (even if I have to plan it ahead of time)

 

[bwvBound]

So, today we observed in the Magic Key Program thread (see post #1325, page 67) that, for the first time we've seen, one could book a same-day theme park reservation even though the parks had been "sold out" to MK earlier in the same day. Put another way, MK cancellations/reallocations appear to have added reservation opportunity after the day had begun.

Perhaps, just perhaps, Woo's video helped move that needle. Perhaps he helped all of us.

 

[OldDisneyFan]

Maybe I overlooked a previous comment, but Adam’s biggest complaint was the difficulty in canceling reservations. The potential being unused reservations that could have been booked by someone else. Valid point.

 

[Wesley815]

Maybe I overlooked a previous comment, but Adam’s biggest complaint was the difficulty in canceling reservations. The potential being unused reservations that could have been booked by someone else. Valid point.

True, but I assume Disney's point of view is they want some type of advanced forecast of attendance for staffing, etc.... If they allowed same day cancel/rebook they might as well remove reservations all together (since there's no way to know if another guest will actually rebook.) Similar to how hotels have cancellation policies.

I would love to cancel same day and open it for other guests though. Sadly based on quote from Bob Chapek, he's in love with the reservation system.

 

[DonMacGregor]

True, but I assume Disney's point of view is they want some type of advanced forecast of attendance for staffing, etc.... If they allowed same day cancel/rebook they might as well remove reservations all together (since there's no way to know if another guest will actually rebook.) Similar to how hotels have cancellation policies.

True, but under the current system, you can still cancel at 11:59 pm the night before. It’s not like they’re calling cast members at 1 am to cancel shifts.

 

[Wesley815]

True, but under the current system, you can still cancel at 11:59 pm the night before. It’s not like they’re calling cast members at 1 am to cancel shifts.

Cast Members love to 'ER' (early release) which you can submit a request for the moment you log in and start your shift, or same day time off requests/ADO's without points or negative impact on CM's attendance.

Not exactly force cancelling a shift, just taking advantage of CM's who don't want to work anyways. Disney has a huge amount of behind the scenes production schedulers, stage schedulers, managers, leads, etc... all watching attendance levels throughout the day.