FastPass to Inequality
Disney’s transformation is not just about parks. Daniel Currell’s extensively researched New York Times essay shows how precision data, apps, and premium tiers now guide guests with money to the front while budget families plan for years and still wait. The leadership lesson is clear. Institutions increasingly maximize margins by segmenting customers and selling status. The motto everyone is a VIP has become nostalgic branding while the real product is scarcity management. Leaders can chase top tier dollars or protect the shared middle. Few achieve both. Disney reminds us what is lost when the middle is abandoned. What would Walt think?
Disney World’s Economy Now Caters to the Rich-->
(Epcot fireworks from Boardwalk Villas. June 2023. Public domain via Imgur.)