My school used to take the band to disney once every few years and got priced out a long time ago. I have no idea how a some of these schools do it these days. They pretty much cancelled all the group discounts anyone used to get. I think a lot of them stay and go to universal but I imagine their discounts are increasingly drying up too.
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Park Attendance goes down, so Prices go up?
- Thread starter AVeryDifferentDisneyDad
- Start date
Laketravis
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I wouldn't use Halloween and Christmas party attendance as a measuring stick for the parks overall. Or a single week, really.
Most around here probably don't truly know what "low attendance" is.For me, rope dropping Space Mountain in early-to-mid December and riding, getting off, and running back around 18 times in a row, in the morning, is what I would consider "low attendance".
That had always been my experience as well but sadly I'm here now and the crowds are higher than I've ever seen for the first week of December. Not sure what's going on but I think it even caught TP by surprise, they had MK at a 3 yesterday when it was actually a 7 or 8. HS looks to be an 8 all week. Epcot was packed yesterday and last night.
I've noticed what I believe is a change in demographics. Definitely a more mature crowd and many more without children. Chats with several different CM's confirmed this observation. We would joke it's because it took 25 years to save up for a trip
November and December have become two of the busiest months. You can find pockets of slower but generally they’re bad. This week could be especially busy with the wall removal ceremonies at Epcot… I mean, new stuff debuting.That had always been my experience as well but sadly I'm here now and the crowds are higher than I've ever seen for the first week of December. Not sure what's going on but I think it even caught TP by surprise, they had MK at a 3 yesterday when it was actually a 7 or 8. HS looks to be an 8 all week. Epcot was packed yesterday and last night.
I've noticed what I believe is a change in demographics. Definitely a more mature crowd and many more without children. Chats with several different CM's confirmed this observation. We would joke it's because it took 25 years to save up for a trip
But if wait times aren’t huge (an hour+ for E’s across the board most of the day, and no downtime)… then why does it feel crowded?
jloucks
Well-Known Member
Like you kinda/maybe said, folks have more money without kids.I've noticed what I believe is a change in demographics. Definitely a more mature crowd and many more without children. Chats with several different CM's confirmed this observation. We would joke it's because it took 25 years to save up for a trip
Kid can be very expensive. Trips to WDW are one of the ways to maximize costs.
Laketravis
Well-Known Member
I'm talking 60's, 70's, even 80's.
Back in the day in my time as a teenager there was more fiscal responsibility with families like my own where my father and mother saved scrimped etc so we could go to WDW. Nowadays for some its easy to put on the credit card , make minimum payments a neighbor even taking out a bank loan to finance a WDW trip.That had always been my experience as well but sadly I'm here now and the crowds are higher than I've ever seen for the first week of December. Not sure what's going on but I think it even caught TP by surprise, they had MK at a 3 yesterday when it was actually a 7 or 8. HS looks to be an 8 all week. Epcot was packed yesterday and last night.
I've noticed what I believe is a change in demographics. Definitely a more mature crowd and many more without children. Chats with several different CM's confirmed this observation. We would joke it's because it took 25 years to save up for a trip
Ayla
Well-Known Member
Of course Epcot was packed yesterday. Everyone knew it would be.That had always been my experience as well but sadly I'm here now and the crowds are higher than I've ever seen for the first week of December. Not sure what's going on but I think it even caught TP by surprise, they had MK at a 3 yesterday when it was actually a 7 or 8. HS looks to be an 8 all week. Epcot was packed yesterday and last night.
I've noticed what I believe is a change in demographics. Definitely a more mature crowd and many more without children. Chats with several different CM's confirmed this observation. We would joke it's because it took 25 years to save up for a trip
Laketravis
Well-Known Member
I think the artificially inflated posted standby wait times have a lot to do with it. Just got off RnRC - posted standby was 45 minutes. We were on in 15.
Of course. As was MK and HS. I didn't go to AK yesterday so don't have an actual observation.
People are nuts about Disney, I liked Disney as much as the next guy, but some people are somehow addicted to the fact that they will literally melt down if something interferes with there trip, you see them in the airports if there flight is delayed / cancelled. Addicted Disney people will go no matter what, there is no price point that they wont pay, so Disney is capitalizing on them, heck anyone who would pay 10K for a Disney trip this year, would certainly pay 15k next year... they can always sell their car..
KeithVH
Well-Known Member
I bet you believe in the Laffer curve too . . .
Um... don't know what that is, and too tired to go look it up, but thanks!
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Disney only raises prices. It happens every year, sometimes multiple times a year. As a guest the best to hope is for a price to reman the same, that’s very rare.
I don’t think attendance is in any way connected to the annual price increases on everything. Prices will always go up on their own schedule.
In my opinion, promotions may be tied to the onsite resort occupancy, not park attendance. Even at that, the offers are a discount on, what we all know, are overpriced room rates and for “free” dining you must pay rack price for rooms.
I don’t think attendance is in any way connected to the annual price increases on everything. Prices will always go up on their own schedule.
In my opinion, promotions may be tied to the onsite resort occupancy, not park attendance. Even at that, the offers are a discount on, what we all know, are overpriced room rates and for “free” dining you must pay rack price for rooms.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Just to add to the discussion our economy is now and always has been based on supply and demand. The problem, when it comes to Disney, is that there is only one Disney. That is the supply and the demand is for that specific item which is available only through Disney. Yes, they have competition but, the competition takes advantage of Disney's price increases to raise their prices as well, so the cost never becomes the catalysts in attendance.
It boils down to the fact that there is a demand for the product the Disney produces and therefore since all the price structures are basically the same people will continue to pay the higher rate for a perceived quality product. What will create a problem is when people start to realize that the competition has stepped up their quality to equal and in many cases exceed that of Disney. That is what will take Disney out of the top spot before to long. And if we have an economic downfall then the prices will be a thing that will lead all of them into trouble.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
I think discounts motivate guests to book a visit. "Free" dining sounds GREAT! and I think it motivates folks to book.
There are always folks who will book a visit no matter what.
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Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Same with our school. The band kids used to do WDW every other year: now they do Busch Gardens instead, for a small fraction of what even a "bare bones" (e.g., value hotel, limited tickets, food from offsite) trip to WDW would cost for the group now. They sent a questionnaire to parents last year laying out the cost of each one, and only 10% of families said they could afford to send their kid if the destination was WDW. (This is in a rural area, with an average household dual-income of about $53K/year.)
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jloucks
Well-Known Member
Our very first trip back since the 80's had a generous free meal plan incentive. Breakfast, lunch, & dinner all included. It was really great. That was in 2012, or thereabout. It definitely played a part in our decision to go.
jloucks
Well-Known Member
This is true. I suppose amusement parks obey the economics of oligopolies. One could argue the only limit to prices is what people are willing to pay.
Of course, I am stating the obvious.
We should be thankful. Can you imagine how crowded an underpriced park would be?
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Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
After having been a regular "guest" over 40 years, it always has been crowded but not much less then it is now when it was reasonably priced and more family friendly, cost wise. It is now out of control and had already lost me as a "guest" at all because of the dramatically increased cost and lessoned value. Don't kid yourself, the reason for unreasonably long lines now is because of the two new incarnations of Fastpass, and even the old original ones. Each one managed to limit someone's opportunity to see all attractions within a reasonable time and opened up the way for Disney to raise admission prices to an almost sinful amount and now charge extra beyond the entry to actually see attractions.
They took my place, the place that I could go to and release my inner child or let my adult person enjoy getting away from the rat race and turned it into a place that requires to much planning, to much money, a whole lot of frustration and a gigantic amount of lessened entertainment and made going there the same degree of stress as working for a living. At least when you are working they are paying you for it. With Disney, you are paying them. They lost one of their most loyal fans. Don't get me wrong, I know they don't care a Donald Duck fart about whether or not I go there, but it sure soured me on something I used to look forward to visiting at least once every year.
SouthDakotaTink
New Member
I agree with you but it isn't just Fastpass that did this. It is also the lower staffing and running rides at reduced capacity that has contributed. Add to that the decrease in other entertainment (ie; nighttime parade, etc) and the reduced hours that lead to trying to cram more people into less time and resources. All of this is on Disney and I'm curious to see how far they can push this before it all collapses.
I never went all that often and I won't in the future but I have little urge to go back right now with all this nonsense. I will go spend my money in other places that are in my opinion a better value. I just hope with the reduction in people at WDW and EPIC Universe coming that Disney will wake up.