Tour firms ready to sue Disney for losses, Yahoo HK News/SCMP - 2/3/06

[HongKongDisneyland]

Travel agencies have warned of legal action against Hong Kong Disneyland for losses and damage to their reputation caused by a ticketing system they say is flawed.

They spoke out as the Lantau theme park came in for withering criticism yesterday from the Consumer Council chief

Details : Yahoo HK News/SCMP

[tloolgb]

No where does it say you are guarenteed to get in. End of story. Now still heading over and trying to get in when it's been sold out 8 days in a row? Again, your problem.

These people just have no theme park sense. I mean this isn't even funny anymore it's just "oh well". You can't throw your kids over the fence. You can't sue.

Yikes, like just do HKDL a favor...go home.

[Speedway]

Its great to see HKDL so popular. I just think DLP deserves the crowds more. Pity its on a different continent.

[sediment]

It's apparently going to be popular for seven or so days each February (check your New Moon calendar).

[DLRP_bopazot]

Originally Posted by Speedway

Its great to see HKDL so popular. I just think DLP deserves the crowds more. Pity its on a different continent.

i'd love to see that success for DIsneyland Paris . I hope that will be the same Success for TOT in 2007 because WDS Capacity are very low .

[pennysbay]

It is just an unfair deal: Disney sold you a one-time (NOT an annual pass) ticket in advance and received 100% of the ticket price. You paid the full price, with a valid ticket on hand, but Disney has no responsibility to give you priority to get into the park – then what’s the point to pay Disney in advance? Why don’t just ask people to buy tickets at the gate?

[tloolgb]

I don't know, but you buy the ticket ahead if time knowing (or Disney assumes you read the terms) there is no guarentee to get in. I mean we can do that in America too (or used to be able to)...we could go to our local Disney store and buy our 3 day park hopper...knowing that the day we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom it could be closed. That's the way it goes.
I mean if I try to go to Disney Easter week I better know it's gonna be crowded and reach capacity. The Chinese need to understand when all 1 billion of them try to go to the park it's gonna be busy and reach capacity. The ticket system isn't a problem.

[pennysbay]

Originally Posted by tloolgb

I mean if I try to go to Disney Easter week I better know it's gonna be crowded and reach capacity. The Chinese need to understand when all 1 billion of them try to go to the park it's gonna be busy and reach capacity. The ticket system isn't a problem.

Yes you should stop admission when the park is full because there are safety / guest experience concerns behind. However, you should avoid a situation that selling unlimited numbers of tickets in advance for a busy period – the result is just predictable. The mainland Chinese guests planned the park visit long time ago. They have spent half of their annual income (park visit is still considered as luxury to most mainland Chinese visitors) on airfare / accommodation / park tickets but finally being rejected in front of the park gate. So, that is the way how the “Happiest Place on the Earth” treat its guests?

If your “theme park sense” applies to the whole resort, should a Disney Hotel sell its rooms in the same way? Allowing you to book a room in advance but keep selling rooms to walk-in guests. Finally when the hotel is full, it is “your problem” and there will be no room for you today... End of the story, or is it?

In fact, HKDL did restrict park admission to dated ticket holders on the first 3 days of Chinese New Year (Jan 29 – 31). However, the Chinese New Year holiday in mainland China ends on Feb 5! What HKDL management should do is to:

1. Extent the restriction period to Feb 5
2. Ask the guests to purchase a dated ticket for park admission during Chinese New Year Holiday
3. Stop selling a particular date’s ticket (within the holiday) when the maximum capacity has achieved

It helps both park management and guests know which day the park is going to be full in advance.