Disney giving away photos in a bid to win back guests

GaryPageau , ,

Bloomberg reports Walt Disney Co. is rolling out the first changes at its theme parks since Bob Iger returned as chief executive officer in November, undoing some of the work of his predecessor.

Customers at the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California, will be able to access photos taken at rides for free rather than paying for a photo pass starting Feb. 4. The promotion will last through the company’s 100th anniversary celebration this year. The company is also offering more Disneyland tickets at the lowest rate, which is $104 a day. Guests buying the Disney Genie+ service will also get digital downloads of their attraction photos.

Under former CEO Bob Chapek, Disney raised ticket prices and introduced new reservation systems that angered many longtime visitors. Chapek, who previously ran the parks division, was known for squeezing more money out of fans.

The company said the changes are a response to customer comments.

“While this doesn’t address everyone’s feedback, these changes will increase flexibility and add value to our guests’ experience,” Disney’s parks chief, Josh D’Amaro, said in a blog post.

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Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.