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☆ I spent an extra $44 on Disney World's new Lightning Lane system. I don't know how you can visit without it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Twenty-five years and multiple incarnations later, Disney introduced the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass in July 2024. What is Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, and how much does it cost? A Lightning Lane Multi-Pass allows you to choose three Disney rides that you want to prioritize. Well, some rides have been deemed even more exclusive than those rides, and you can only purchase a Lightning Lane for those separately. Those are the best attractions in the park, and you could waste hours trying to get on them without a Lightning Lane.

Persons: —, FlashPass, Gabbi Shaw, Lightcycle, I'm, FastPass, Leonard Ortiz, I'd Organizations: Service, Disney, Lightning, Business, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal, Media, Register Locations: Orlando, Animal Kingdom, Orange

☆ I traveled from New York City to Disney World and back in 24 hours. It was exhausting, but I saved hundreds of dollars.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

But FastPass has been a thing of the past since 2014, and visitors can instead buy a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, which I decided to opt for. After tax, my $232 park-hopper ticket was $247 (yes, that means the park ticket cost more than my airfare). But after adding the $24 Lightning Lane Multi-Pass in Hollywood Studios and the $20 Single Lane Pass for the TRON ride, the final cost was $291. A single park ticket would have been cheaper, but since I was there for just one day, I wanted to see as much of Disney as possible. At first, I was pretty confused by the way the Lightning Lane passes work.

Persons: Gabbi Shaw, FastPass, — Organizations: Business, Hollywood Studios, Disney, Magic Kingdom Locations: Magic

☆ It’s never been more expensive to be a Disney fan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Not only have theme park visits gotten more expensive, but so have Disney’s cruise vacations, souvenirs and the company’s streaming services. Over the summer, Disney quietly raised the prices at two of the adult-exclusive restaurants on board its cruise ships to $135 per person for dinner, a nudge up of $10, according to the Disney Cruise Line Blog. But one thing is certain: being a Disney fan has never been more expensive. Passengers stand on the deck of Disney Dream, a Disney Cruise Lines' ship, as it sails to the Bahamas on August 9, 2021. Joe Skipper/ReutersBrittany Huizinga, an Arizona-based travel agent at Smart Moms Travel, took a two-part trip with her husband and two children during the holiday season: The first four nights were spent at Walt Disney World and the last five nights on a Disney Cruise ship.

Persons: Walt, Gina Lee, ”, “, Disney, Ron DeSantis, Don Munsil, —, That’s, Minnie, Joseph Prezioso, Genie, we’ve, ” Munsil, Joe Skipper, Brittany Huizinga, Bob Iger, Mouse’s, Doug Arthur, “ It’s, Disney’s, Lee Organizations: CNN, Walt Disney World, Disney, Disney Vacation, Magic, Walt Disney, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images Parks, Disney Cruise Lines, Smart, Huber Research Partners, Disney’s ESPN, Fox Corporation, Warner Bros ., . Disney, Wayback Locations: Orlando , Florida, New York, —, Florida, Disneyland, California, Orange County , Florida, Bahamas, Arizona

☆ Restaurants are prioritizing tables for big spenders and return customers through premium programs with SevenRooms and Resy Global Access
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Certain credit cardholders and frequent bookers are now the top of lists when it comes to booking restaurant reservations. SevenRooms says it shares data with restaurant clients to identify big spenders and offer premium reservations. Members of Resy's Global Access Dining program have access to exclusive reservations at popular restaurants around the world. Through partnerships with both SevenRooms and Resy's Global Dining Access program, Amex holders have special tables set aside for them. Whether that fish is a walk-in or from the Global Dining Access program," he said.

☆ Restaurants embrace premium reservations to target big spenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

When cities and states rolled back lockdown rules, many implemented new orders for restaurants to help with contact tracing, such as requiring customers to book tables in advance. As a result of those pandemic-fueled changes, restaurants and the companies that help them book their tables are targeting big spenders with premium reservation options to drive higher sales. About two-thirds of SevenRooms' restaurant clients use its software to promote special experiences or sell upgrades when customers book reservations. Page said the move toward premium restaurant reservations can partially explain why it feels like it's so much more competitive to book a table in advance these days. "I kind of don't like the whole 'Disney FastPass line' of restaurant reservations," he said.

☆ Disney's Bob Iger is going nuclear on Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's Bob Iger escalated the conflict between the company and Florida's Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. It's the latest move in a feud that began last year over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. Buckle up for a roller coaster ride, because the feud between Disney's CEO Bob Iger and Florida's Ron DeSantis just got bumpier. This is the latest — and most drastic — move in the clash between DeSantis and Iger, who inherited the battle with Disney from his predecessor Bob Chapek. Spokespeople for both Disney and DeSantis declined to give any additional comment.

☆ Why fans say trips to Disney World are now 'incredibly complicated' to pull off
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

But some travelers aren't thrilled about what it takes to pull off a trip to Walt Disney World these days. He said he goes to Disney World about "once a month." They will leave thinking food at Disney World is a "cheeseburger and a hot dog … which could not be farther from the truth," he said. Walt Disney World comprises four theme parks, two water parks and dozens of themed hotels, plus a shopping and entertainment area called Disney Springs. He called Disney World an "amazing spa destination" and said Disney Springs, formerly known as Downtown Disney, has shopping, live music and fantastic restaurants.

☆ I asked ChatGPT to help me plan a vacation. Here’s what happened next
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

So the idea that artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Bing, can research travel destinations and create itineraries is intriguing. I went to the developer's website, clicked on the word "ChatGPT," registered for an account — and started chatting. "All of the places I recommended have great online reviews," ChatGPT replied, providing ratings from Tripadvisor, Booking.com and Google for each hotel. But ChatGPT couldn't show photographs of the hotels or help book them — although it did provide ample instructions on how to do both. Every city I asked ChatGPT about resulted in the bot praising the local food scene.

☆ Reinstated Disney CEO Bob Iger spent months undermining his now-ousted successor Bob Chapek by keeping an office and criticizing his leadership, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Disney CEO Bob Iger spent months undermining his successor Bob Chapek, the Wall Street Journal reported. Disney's board dramatically reinstated Iger as CEO last month amid broader dissatisfaction with Chapek's leadership. Other execs were considering leaving if Chapek stayed in the CEO role, a senior figure at Disney told Insider, expressing frustration with his leadership and decision-making. He was criticized internally and by industry figures for making decisions without enough information, the Disney insider told Insider last month. Disney and Iger were not immediately available to respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of US working hours.

☆ Here's what Bob Iger's return as Disney CEO means for the company's theme parks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bob Chapek's tenure as Disney CEO abruptly ended, and Bob Iger will resume the role. A former Parks exec, Chapek angered many theme park fans by jacking up prices and axing free services. Chapek's time at Disney was marked by criticism of his handling of Disney's theme parks and park employees, and many Disney fans took to social media to celebrate Iger's return. He expanded the company's theme park offerings – opening an Avatar world, Toy Story Land, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and Shanghai Disneyland – all while keeping many services comparatively low-cost or free. Not all Disney watchers believe Iger will radically change the direction Chapek had led Disney's theme parks, though.

☆ I worked at Disney World and Disneyland. The wildest things always happened at Magic Kingdom — here's what it was like.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Jamie Killin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Magic Kingdom guests are often there for the first time, so that's where the wild stuff happens. I started at Disney World in the fall of 2014 as part of the Disney College Program, where I worked in attractions at Epcot. That December I graduated, so I applied for the Disneyland college program and got to check out the other coast. Magic Kingdom was the only place where I saw crazy things happen. Eva KellerI think it's because Magic Kingdom is the main park.

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