Travisma 1,317 Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 Below is a link to an article from Theme Park Tourist. Admins, if I copied too much delete it if you think it should be. Personally, I think it hits the nail on the head, and echos what a lot of Fiends have been saying. Congratulations to Dakota Gardner for a well thought out/written article. http://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20151226/31146/disney-attempting-price-middle-class-out-walt-disney-world?page=2 There are a lot of good excerpts What Disney is "As much as we may love them, they cannot love us back. “They” are really an “it” – a soulless entity that, officially, is only embodied by a sheet of paper registered in California. “It” has shareholders. “It” is judged not by the smiles that it creates, but by the increased revenue it generates. “It” cannot have friends. Cast Members can be your friend. Bus drivers, mousekeeping, and desk attendants can be your friends. Disney, however, cannot. And so, now, Disney has ticket prices that vastly outstrip those of their competitors. Yet, not only to people still go, but they go in record numbers. Why? Because Disney has successfully positioned itself as an item of luxury – you aren’t just paying for the rides and shows, you’re paying for the specific Disney experience.Ultimately, if Disney loses a few guests in the process, it doesn’t actually care – the company makes enough money off the increased prices that it is still a net gain in the long run. Thus, it can make more money off fewer sales – the very business Apple perfected. Why are these events taking over? Well, they’re a way for Disney to bring in more money while offering up a luxury experience. Sipping champagne, eating a cannoli, and watching Illuminations is as luxurious as it gets – and Disney knows, correctly, that a great many people will pay for that privilege.The problem isn’t that these events exist, of course. They’re actually pretty cool, albeit quite expensive. The problem is that Disney is choosing to spend its time and resources on these types of events, rather than things that everyone can enjoy. And that, ultimately, might be a miscalculation. For Disney to continue to grow with a smaller consumer base, it has to continue to grow, change and differentiate itself from its competition. At a more expensive price point, that competition includes pretty much anywhere else people want to take a vacation. If it continues to operate at the lackadaisical pace it has been operating at when it comes to developing new rides, attractions, hotels, and experiences, that smaller consumer base will move on to something else. If Disney wants to be more like Apple, it needs to give the same level of instant gratification Apple does with its new product launches, which come nearly every year. That means it can’t keep taking most of a decade to build things like Pandora: The World of Avatar. The goal of a vacation should be to escape all of these problems – to turn your mind off and simply relax. And for now, Walt Disney World is still such a place. But as the prices continue to rise, it’s hard not to enjoy it while also having a nagging thought in the back of your head: “Yes, I’m enjoying it – but is it actually worth it?” For some, that answer will always be yes – even if they have to come back less and less often just so they can afford it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BouncingTiggers 98 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Great article. I've actually had that same though run through my mind a few times. Even though I'm enjoying it is it still wortn it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim5055 120 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Great article. I've actually had that same though run through my mind a few times. Even though I'm enjoying it is it still wortn it? I still love visiting WDW and camping at the Fort. But, as a recent retiree with a wife who is hopefully going to decide to retire soon I find we are at a different place in life. Am I never returning, no. Heck, before the non-expiring tickets went away I purchased 2 10 day tickets for each of us from Undercover Tourist. We will be returning! But, as has been pointed out here and other places the numbers don't add up at times. I know I posed here before (but can't find the thread, so I don't have the details at my fingertips) - we can fly to one of several islands in the Caribbean and stay at a Sandals resort where everything is included for less money than we would spend for a similar trip to WDW. I'm talking gourmet meals, SCUBA diving, water skiing and unlimited drinks. I find that I always forget to take the kungaloosh recipe with me though. I really don't know how many families do it today. Just tickets are a killer. And really, everyone wants to eat several times a day, even the kids - what's with that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I thought the article is pretty much spot on. I've thought they were becoming more of a luxury brand for a fairly long time and how the high cost add-ons fit with that scheme. It's a nearsighted business strategy in my mind but then again that is what Wall Street wants as long term outlook these days tend to be more of what is in the next quarterly report as opposed to where will you be in ten years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 No one's said it yet, so I will: Walt must be spinning in his grave....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I know Disney is trying to make as much money as they can. It has gotten really expensive. Disney has already become to expensive for my parents who are on a fixed income. But that said they have to keep the prices higher then the rest. If not they will get overrun with people that make it feel less like a family experience and more like a night club that you will get shot at. Is it fair to everyone no. The price they are charging for some things are crazy. But there is always something you can do at any time of day and I don't know another place you can say that about. I just wish there were less people there. For me the main reason I am thinking about going else where is not the money but the crowds and the planning. I don't want to plan my meals or my rides. It's vacation and I don't like a schedule on vacation. Heck I have more of a schedule at Disney then I do at work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted January 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 No one's said it yet, so I will: Walt must be spinning in his grave....... they have him hooked to a generator and it powers the Matterhorn ride! Avatab.... Steve and arthuruscg 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caveat lector 181 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 If Walt Disney had structured the company as a "not for profit" entity, this would be a different conversation. But it is a margin driven business like any other. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 they have him hooked to a generator and it powers the Matterhorn ride! HA! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 If Walt Disney had structured the company as a "not for profit" entity, this would be a different conversation. But it is a margin driven business like any other. True, they are maximizing their profit in the short term by making multi-uses of existing assets, but at the expense of greater long term profits by not expanding to meet the obvious demand. In other words, how much longer can they put 10 pounds of crap in a five pound bag before it bites them in the ass? I am already thinking of making the next trip all about Universal and Harry Potter rather than Disney..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim5055 120 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 True, they are maximizing their profit in the short term by making multi-uses of existing assets, but at the expense of greater long term profits by not expanding to meet the obvious demand. In other words, how much longer can they put 10 pounds of crap in a five pound bag before it bites them in the ass? I am already thinking of making the next trip all about Universal and Harry Potter rather than Disney..... Unless the stock market continues it's slide I'm afraid they can keep up what they are doing for a long time. The products they are offering are selling at the prices they are setting.. When you make the jump to Universal understand you are not going to save a tank of gas. Using Undercover Tourist pricing, 1 day one park tickets:Magic Kingdom $115Disney other parks $106Universal $108I admit I haven't been to Universal in a long time (I do love Margaritiville & Emeril's, but you don't need a ticket to get to them) but I did not find that their parks gave me more than a days entertainment. People complain about Disney pricing, but in their defense they have a lot of lights to keep on. You can spend a day just visiting Downtown Disney (oops, Disney Springs) or visiting hotels and get a lot of entertainment for little or no money. Avatab.... Steve 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Unless the stock market continues it's slide I'm afraid they can keep up what they are doing for a long time. The products they are offering are selling at the prices they are setting.. When you make the jump to Universal understand you are not going to save a tank of gas. Using Undercover Tourist pricing, 1 day one park tickets:Magic Kingdom $115Disney other parks $106Universal $108I admit I haven't been to Universal in a long time (I do love Margaritiville & Emeril's, but you don't need a ticket to get to them) but I did not find that their parks gave me more than a days entertainment. People complain about Disney pricing, but in their defense they have a lot of lights to keep on. You can spend a day just visiting Downtown Disney (oops, Disney Springs) or visiting hotels and get a lot of entertainment for little or no money. All true, and clearly Disney agrees with you. And, we have done a week long trip where we stayed at the Fort but never bought Park tickets. Had a great time doing everything but parks, but I wouldn't want to do that again anytime soon. I also know we won't save any real money going to Potterville but for me it will be worth the money since they have something new and well done by all accounts, which we haven't seen yet. And hopefully less crowds! We'll probably even stay at FW, assuming we can get a site that is! I know that WDW will always be the standard for FLA destinations, but it is getting old paying more and more for the privilege of trying to get a campsite months in advance, crowds and lines everywhere no matter what time you go andthen seeing the same 4 parks with mostly the same (or fewer now in Epcot and HS) rides and attractions. Even the new ones are mostly replacing others that have closed. You can respond to higher demand by raising prices and/or increasing supply to meet demand. It is nice for Disney to get more money while it can, but it would be even nicer to see them build another Park or two and another campground or two so that us normal people can get a campsite and enter a park without having to mortgage the house and plan it out like it's the D-Day Invasion........ Truthfully, if I was running Disney I would probably be looking for a spot for another DisneyWorld in between CA and FLA. Maybe somewhere on the Texas Coast. That would go a long way to satisfy demand and also bring in another source of revenue in a new market as opposed to the saturated Orlando area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Texas could really use a Disney. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 The thing we found was the bigger difference in price comes with multi-day passes. At that time Disney didn't really discount much when compared to Universal. A current comparison on Undercover Tourist is a 3 day Disney is $291.95 compared to a 2 day+1 for Universal at $200.21. The Universal also includes park hopping where the Disney does not. Something very important to get the full Harry Potter experience. I picked 3 days as it is about the max I would look at for Universal and was the closest 1 to 1 comparison I could find. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lightbikes 73 Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 Brilliant article and it says exactly we we've been finding for the last couple of years. This may very well be our last year for awhile. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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