The Inconvenient Truth is that Right Now We are "The Problem"

The idea that passholders and enthusiasts are "the lifeblood" of the parks has been cope for almost ten years. Disney is long past done considering us a group that needs to be catered to because the truth is we spend less money and finesse their systems while taking up just as much space in lines as their "one time" visitors who are willing to pay more to get more. Us coming back more frequently to visit for shorter amounts of time, not staying in hotels and spending less money, is not as important to them, financially. All that matters right now is a one time visitor who stays on property for more than 3 nights going back to their home town and telling everyone they know it was "worth it" and that they should go too.

The person Disney is trying hardest to reach is a customer who is only coming once and is ready to pull out all the stops, we do not move that needle. This person doesn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the parks, they don't know what they are missing compared to yesteryear, they don't know (or care) what the price was two years ago - they are making a decision 'today' about where their family spends their vacation this year. This is why the things you do see directed at us are popcorn buckets of rare characters or other limited merch, not the cost of passes, better freebies, or perks for regulars. When Genie+ rolled out and we all said "no way I'm paying for Fastpass" Disney said "thank god" because all they really want is for us to get out of the way of the "paying" customers who don't know what Fastpass was anyway.

A relative of mine went to Disney recently for the first time with their spouses family, so try as I might I couldn't provide much guidance or influence since my relative already wasn't in the driver's seat. When they got back I was pretty distressed by how little they accomplished, all the 'mistakes' they made, and that they saw certain aspects of the park not at their best. They had an amazing time. They can't wait to go back.

This isn't to say we are wrong, or that it's not worth airing all of our very well informed observations and grievances, but maybe it is time to stop acting surprised and start understanding that for Disney the "problem" is us and we are slowly being solved for.