Tuke 16 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 The last few months have not exactly been stellar in the world of PR for Disney IMO. First there was the new pricing structure/increases for park tickets and dining plans. Now news of visitor surveys regarding additional per person daily Disney resort fees, magic band fees, and preferred parking fees. As one of the articles below points out, the ability to get away from the endless attempts of upselling is of itself a major attraction and part of the unique Disney experience my family has enjoyed. Just curious how others feel about this? I'm also a little concerned that the Fort is a major target for future resort fees or mandatory park ticket purchases. FWIW, the wife and I are planning our 20th anniversary and have always assumed we would return to Disney World where we Honeymooned but this is the small stuff that continues to make me take a second look even for a "once in a lifetime" trip to such a sentimental destination. http://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/feeling-nickel-and-dimed-a-new-era-of-disney-vacations/ Unfortunately, the era of Disney not nickel and diming might be coming to an end. There are a number of upcoming changes including recent rumors of Walt Disney World adding a preferred parking lot to the Magic Kingdom, official Disney surveys are asking if guests would pay an additional $15 dollars daily for resort fees, and even small changes like Be Our Guest Restaurant no longer including the choice of beverage for free at breakfast feels like Disney is going beyond increasing prices due to inflation. Again this is not about price increases, it is about Disney finding new ways to make you pay for things that were previously free, optional, or first-come, first-serve. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201603/4985/ Disney might not be done with this round of price increases, either. Apparently, the resort has been surveying visitors about the addition of a resort fee for stays at Disney World hotels. The proposed $15 a night fee would "cover" the costs of MagicBands, resort transportation, parking, WiFi, and Extra Magic Hours, amenities that are now covered in the base price of Disney hotel rooms. Resort fees have become standard at many U.S. hotels, even facilities that defy the use of the description "resort." They provide an easy way for hotels to increase their revenue from a room night without having to advertise a higher rate for that room, as resort fees are rarely included in price searches. Many visitors don't find out about resort fees until they get their bill at check-out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Sad but true. However, I think your thread title should be Armed and legged.,,,,,nickels and dimes have no value at Disney. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caveat lector 181 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Instead of increasing their share of pie, it feels like Disney is just trying to extract more money from their current slice. It's like corporate geniuses who who try to cut costs to profitability. It's short sighted and unsustainable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 1 hour ago, caveat lector said: Instead of increasing their share of pie, it feels like Disney is just trying to extract more money from their current slice. It's like corporate geniuses who who try to cut costs to profitability. It's short sighted and unsustainable. Someone mentioned in another post, that maybe they are using these add on charges to try to cut down on the amount of visitors, instead of expanding their capacity. I know other parks can plan and build rides a lot faster because they don't have the storyline and animatronics to go with them, but it seems like Avatar Land has been under construction forever, and I think my grade school granddaughters will be graduating high school before Star Wars and Toy Story are open! As it is, the parks keep getting more and more crowded each year, the new "slow" times are the few years back busy/crowded times. They could double the size of the MK, and I bet they would fill it to capacity in a couple of years of the expansion. If they don't do something to decrease the crowding, I foresee in the future, you will have to purchase park admission tickets for specific dates just like resort/dining reservations. They have created an out of control monster with their advertising and I think they are scrambling to figure out a short term solution to a long term problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tuke 16 Posted March 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 I don't think there is any doubt that such prices have the intent of offering a more exclusive premium product and I certainly don't fault Disney in that decision. However, a surcharge for this and a surcharge for that is the opposite of essentially pricing visitors out of the market and the tactics of many of the off-site resorts luring customers away from Disney. Obviously, many businesses do this at varying levels within their business models and some even hide such extra costs until check-out. Nevertheless, I'm surprised that Disney is even testing this idea and especially on the heels of other price increases. In support of lector's comments, Jim Hill recently described a presentation by Disney Travel Company to travel agents classifying their target audience in 1 of 7 categories. Alas, 6 of the 7 broad categories they recommended travel agents to target were households with incomes greater that $100K. Maybe I'm wrong but I can't see that as a good sign for FWC, which the powers that be have always struggled with the fact that they created a place that, more than others, doesn't push visitors to the parks. Certainly, I'm not foolishly announcing the end to FW here, but I can't foresee it making the list as a long-term priority vs other improvements. Avatab.... Steve 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starbuc71 162 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 I hope we never see the day that you will need park tickets to camp at FW. I can't see it happening, but with the flux of changes just in the past year, anything can happen. I almost fell out of my truck a few days ago when checking in and the CM telling me my balance after paying one night deposit would be around $1150.00 for 8 nights on a premium site. WTF........ We have never pad that much and I guess I didn't pay that close attention when I booked it last summer. Totally rediculous Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 21 minutes ago, Starbuc71 said: I hope we never see the day that you will need park tickets to camp at FW. I can't see it happening, but with the flux of changes just in the past year, anything can happen. I almost fell out of my truck a few days ago when checking in and the CM telling me my balance after paying one night deposit would be around $1150.00 for 8 nights on a premium site. WTF........ We have never pad that much and I guess I didn't pay that close attention when I booked it last summer. Totally rediculous But if you cancelled, the site would be rebooked in a few hours or less, and they know it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Hold onto your memories folks.... I think more of us, will be making fewer of them in the future Avatab.... Steve 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 I hate to sound like a broken record, but until Disney decides to build another park in the US, we will see more of this type of thing at WDW. There is just too much demand and not enough product. Disney also seems reluctant to expand very much in FLA since they got hurt by the sudden fall in tourism after 9-11. If I were Disney, I would be looking at 2 new parks to take the load off of FLA. One in Texas and one in Brazil. Until then, they will be looking for new ways to manage the current mismatch between crowds and park capacity. Unfortunately, that means higher prices and pursuing a higher-income customer. Where does that leave the Fort? Probably, right where it is now. Higher prices and a preference towards longer stays. And probably also no expansion anytime soon. Let's just hope they don't decide to build another BLT DVC where the Fort is now..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starbuc71 162 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 2 hours ago, Avatab.... Steve said: I hate to sound like a broken record, but until Disney decides to build another park in the US, we will see more of this type of thing at WDW. There is just too much demand and not enough product. Disney also seems reluctant to expand very much in FLA since they got hurt by the sudden fall in tourism after 9-11. If I were Disney, I would be looking at 2 new parks to take the load off of FLA. One in Texas and one in Brazil. Until then, they will be looking for new ways to manage the current mismatch between crowds and park capacity. Unfortunately, that means higher prices and pursuing a higher-income customer. Where does that leave the Fort? Probably, right where it is now. Higher prices and a preference towards longer stays. And probably also no expansion anytime soon. Let's just hope they don't decide to build another BLT DVC where the Fort is now..... Who did the research for Shanghai? Did they base population numbers vs medium income thinking it was a win? TCD told me they are are struggling financially at Shanghai . I agree. Brazil would be a win but would take away attendance from FL. What would we do without all the groups with the flags? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 22 minutes ago, Starbuc71 said: What would we do without all the groups with the flags? Ha! This is where TCD would be saying "En Fuego!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 8 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said: Hold onto your memories folks.... I think more of us, will be making fewer of them in the future So true, NaCole. I'm afraid our fall trip will be our last one for a long while. And we will be truly God-blessed to make that trip. Partly because of Disney prices, but mostly because my mother will be turning 90 and, although she still drives, doesn't have too long to be fully independent. It will be difficult to be away from home for too long. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 2 hours ago, Avatab.... Steve said: Ha! This is where TCD would be saying "En Fuego!" Where is TCD when we need him? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FEARtheEERS 18 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 We just checked out on March 15 and yesterday or the day before, I got a survey in email about Fort Wilderness specifically. We had unfortunately had a bad experience at the pool with lifeguards telling my girls (7 and 9) to get out of the splash area very publicly. They were playing in there with their little brother and were humiliated. They will never set foot back in there even to watch him, I am certain. Why not come over to the adults and explain that if they are a certain height, they can't play in there....? I wish that there was a rule posted, I honestly had no idea and it wasn't like the were being rough. I noted that on the survey because it was more than one behaving strangely, even at the big pool. It seems typically when they are getting ready to make some sort of change, they send out the survey so that they can say we have the data to back this decision.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 My granddaughters then 6 and 10 have played in the splash pool and never had anything said to them, except by us telling them to be mindful of the little ones. And some of the little kids play rougher than the big kids. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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