I really have enjoyed this thread because I love business, and love to see what businesses do to keep, attract and nurture their clientele. Your inputs have gleaned a lot of interesting thoughts about that process, and what TTR did with the renovation to "improve" upon what they had. Many will laugh at this comparison, but what I read above fits the stereotypical statement, "the church is the people, not the building". TTR is the people, the fun, the games, the comradery. Granted by the comments, some structural and mechanical improvements were needed (EXCEPT THE SEXY POOL THAT IS NOW TOO DEEP!) It sounds though that they tweaked the atmosphere along with the building which maybe was too much. Wifey and I have gone to TTR only once in 2019. LOVED IT! But, we did scratch our heads about a couple of things, which forced us into this forum to read more about what makes TTR tic. Thus this thread that I wanted to post for months, only to finally do so now because I keep on hearing the same thing over and over again. I am going to phrase it the way we saw it, which feels like the things you are saying. FIRST of all, why fix what ain't broke? As newbies, wifey and I had a great time, but noticed immediately a disconnect - all day long we are in the sexy pool SURROUNDED by boobs! Fun games led by the playmakers (which loosened things up momentarily). What we couldn't, and still can't figure out is why the wagging "no" fingers at sexy fun? As mentioned in this post by others, why do they choke down the sexy vibe, especially at bash, down to PG-13 when all day long it is a roaring rated "R" with all the boobs, and other little sexy shenanigans in the pool during the day? OK, I could say that maybe they want TTR to be JUST topless, that's it, and let their sister "Desire" no clothes at all resort. I guess that could make some sense, but PG-13 just doesn't fit at all. The last comment, I 'hear' it in the forum all the time, is that maybe they are trying to attract the younger crowd. OK, that REALLY doesn't make sense. The younger crowd doesn't spend the money, or travel, like the not-so-younger crowd does. AND, done the right way, you can 'pull' the younger crowd (who have a hard time taking their tops off) into the sexy fun, convert them, and bring them into the TTR "Family", and boy, do I mean "Family" so that they are repeat clients over, and over, and over, and over again like so many of you folks I read about. I personally think that if they didn't take their tops off and party, they won't be back. They can go anywhere, for less, and do that. Let the TTR Family indoctrinate the younger crowd to bring them into the fold for lots of sexy fun! Lastly, if I didn't communicate this right, Ms Macky, my high school writing teacher will be disappointed in me (again). Wifey and I absolutely will be back. We had a lot of fun. Hopefully management will read this and re-evaluate some of what you guys have been saying about having a blast, because wifey and I want to experience an absolute blast like you guys described - and not just "a lot" of fun. And, as far as the pool that is too deep, a couple of yards of concrete can fix that! LOL!!!!
I’m thinking clear plastic interlocking blocks. Easily removed for maintenance, if they ever need to get to the drain. Fantasy I know, but dang that pool depth is a bitch.
Perhaps like now just encouraging "the younger set" they could put a restriction on guests of a "restricted" height LOL..... problem solved Only invite the Dutch !!
Repeaters only matter to other repeaters, sad but true. And repeaters stop repeating eventually, sad but true again. Bottom line for the hotel is are the rooms as full as possible, at the maximum price possible? The answer is yes, even during these difficult times with travel restrictions, no Canadians, no Brits, few South Americans, few Europeans the hotel is consistently sold out at 100% on weekends and pretty full during the week as well in recent and future weeks. Imagine how it will be when the rest of the World returns to normal? The resort doesn't care if you've been a dozen times before or if it's your first time and will never go back. Of course, they will welcome you back like an old friend - but your $2-3K is as good as anyone else's on the balance sheet. I learned many years ago that 'repeaters' have a limited 'shelf life' of about 5-8 years on average. A constant influx of newbies is needed as repeaters fall off. The forum demonstrates this perfectly, and I see it on the Boobs Cruise too. Thinking back to when I first started going almost 20 years ago (Jamie and John C being exceptions) I don't think there is anyone else I know who still goes regularly - I knew hundreds in 2004. I think back 10 years and there are very few of those too now. I think back 5 years and there are more, but 80% have drifted away and will continue to do so. Almost everyone I meet these days (and I meet a lot of people) is either a repeater of a few years or totally new. In 5-8 years time most of those will be gone too and new blood will take their place. They have finally realised they don't need to anymore.
I definitely agree with your assessment of the business model. I also kind of wonder sometimes when people say they wish TTR was like the old TTR, are they really wishing that they were still that way as well?
Great perspective and assessment. We are falling into the slowly dying-off repeaters category after 5-6 years of TTR loyalty. We split with DRM this last trip in March. We loved the vibe/atmosphere of TTR pre-reno and early post-reno. Maybe it's just us getting older, maybe its the atmosphere/vibe and changes. Who knows! We have always enjoyed our times at TTR though.
Unpopular opinion on here: I like the new Temptation better, basically on the main fact that the property isn't completely falling apart and doesn't feel like I am paying money to go back to 1992, and also smell sewage everywhere. Yes the people and the "fun" things you could get away with were better at the old Temptation, but if you look closely for the right people, you can get it pretty close at the new Temptation too. Everyone always loves their old glory days, but I'm not a "back in the day was better" type person with most things in life. To this day, I don't see a bunch of 45-55+ year old people going back to relive and love their old college days (drinking shit warm beer in a crappy, dirty and stinky basement). Getting crazy, with no rules, and finger-banging coeds in the corner was nice, but not nice enough to make me make want to get in a time machine and go back to party in that environment again. The only thing that is going to stop me from repeating at this point, is if the douche-bag, no manners and no respect crowd increases. (And one way you can get around that is making sure you pick dates that lots of repeaters will be there. Then it doesn't feel that different from before.) P.S. Yes the pool depth does suck now.
The old TTR was small and the party felt big!! If that makes any sense. But the place really needed the renovation the rooms were not that great and the air condition sucked the place was just showing its age. The new TTR is BIG the pools huge so the party feels more like 5 or 6 individual party's. Overall I like the new TTR better then the old just because we all spend good money to go on vacation and deserve a great facility. The food got better I think too with the renovation. Either way it still the best party place in Cancun.
