So who is going?

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Basic question. So for a while, we've been saying...
1) Disney is becoming only for the rich
2) Disney no longer has any loyal customers.

So who is going to WDW? Who do you think is a typical visitor?
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Basic question. So for a while, we've been saying...
1) Disney is becoming only for the rich
2) Disney no longer has any loyal customers.

So who is going to WDW? Who do you think is a typical visitor?
It's hard to quantify any of that right now. I still think a lot of the people at Disney are making up for canceled vacations. The next year will be really telling.
 

Raxel7851

Well-Known Member
We’re going this Christmas because we canceled last Christmas due to Covid. Even though we’re AP holders, we’ll be seriously considering cutting back on some of our trips. We’re both retired and can visit WDW 3-4 times a year, however the big reason for us holding back our trips is the elimination of FP+. We always stay on-site don’t spend all day in the parks.
 

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
My wife is retired, but I'm working on my second retirement. Plenty of vacation time each year that we spend about a month at WDW and another at our Texas place.
 

SteveAZee

Well-Known Member
Basic question. So for a while, we've been saying...
1) Disney is becoming only for the rich
2) Disney no longer has any loyal customers.

So who is going to WDW? Who do you think is a typical visitor?

I'll be going in about two years... partly constrained by my adult children and their finances. That said, I don't mind waiting until then given where we are with COVID, Tron/Galaxy/EPCOT construction, and all the Genie/ILL rigmarole going on.

1. Super rich? My plan is for my adult kids to pay their way but also enjoy their time completely. 2019 we rented points for a two bedroom place at OKW. I'm now an owner, so the cost will be that much less. We'll save money on food and lodging, no concerns about parking fees, we don't buy much merch, so we're budgeting about $2500/person for a 10 night stay all in. Worst case, I think, will be about $3000/person, which includes air transport, rental car, park tickets, food, lodging, and 'fun money' for extras. The kids will save between now and then, so most of the costs won't go on CC's... it's about $100/month set aside for them between now and then. Not easy, but not impossible either.

2. I think Disney loyalty has been bent, and for some, broken. I do think the 'visitor pool' is finite, so Disney is damaging their future with the current actions... but it'll be a few years before it's noticeable.

I really haven't a clue as to what a typical visitor, is, was, or will be.
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
What I'm starting to see from a a lot of different places is that the parents still have that emotional attachment to Disney. They are trying to pass it on to their kids buy many like my nieces just are interested. In the case of my nieces they prefer places like Cedar Point as they want thrills over a bunch of dark rides.
 

SteveAZee

Well-Known Member
What I'm starting to see from a a lot of different places is that the parents still have that emotional attachment to Disney. They are trying to pass it on to their kids buy many like my nieces just are interested. In the case of my nieces they prefer places like Cedar Point as they want thrills over a bunch of dark rides.
That makes sense. A lot of the 'storytelling' attractions or the 'infrotainment' of EPCOT doesn't make as much sense with video content showing just about anything (including complete ride-throughs of Disney attractions) so kids/people are more interested in visceral thrills you can't get on your phone or watching TV at home. Disney seems to be trying to shift in that direction by both more thrills and more IP as a reason to show up.
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
It's hard to quantify any of that right now. I still think a lot of the people at Disney are making up for canceled vacations. The next year will be really telling.
Agreed, I think the majority of the Folks going right now are still those taking their revenge vacations, most big Disney park fans going through withdrawal and need theDisney fix.

For any addict, even Disney addicts, money is no object, it’s only about getting the fix..

How long will revenge trips to WDW last? I really cannot guess. The parks were mobbed prior to the pandemic. There’s s lot of folks yet to return post pandemic to get their fix and see for themselves either way; worth it or not worth it.

I see all that’s going on and I want to go to WDW, especially during Christmastime to get that WDW during Christmas feeling.

Will I go? Unless something happens significantly in my life, it’s a hard no for me. This comes from someone that happily renewed 3 platinum WDW passes for 13 years prior to the pandemic.

Even with all TWDC has done, I will still blame it on the pandemic which allowed TWDC to make all the current and future changes at their theme parks.

In my mind, if there was no pandemic, other than the typical price increases, things would have remained the same in the parks, not what we are seeing now.
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Agreed, I think the majority of the Folks going right now are still those taking their revenge vacations, most big Disney park fans going through withdrawal and need theDisney fix.

For any addict, even Disney addicts, money is no object, it’s only about getting the fix..

How long will revenge trips to WDW last? I really cannot guess. The parks were mobbed prior to the pandemic. There’s s lot of folks yet to return post pandemic to get their fix and see for themselves either way; worth it or not worth it.

I see all that’s going on and I want to go to WDW, especially during Christmastime to get that WDW during Christmas feeling.

Will I go? Unless something happens significantly in my life, it’s a hard no for me. This comes from someone that happily renewed 3 platinum WDW passes for 13 years prior to the pandemic.

Even with all TWDC has done, I will still blame it on the pandemic which allowed TWDC to make all the current and future changes at their theme parks.

In my mind, if there was no pandemic, other than the typical price increases, things would have remained the same in the parks, not what we are seeing now.
I agree somewhat with that. I still think some of these changes they have done are what they have always wanted to do. I fully believe Genie+ was going to come at some point and Magic Express is something they wanted to end as well.
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Who's going? I am with my family. Many of my relatives are. Many of my friends are.
No, none of us are rich or have wealthy families or inheritances. We work for a living and do what we can to live within our means, pay our bills on time and manage to enjoy life... which includes a Disney trip when we can do them. Sometimes its every year, sometimes theres a year or more in between, but we will go back.

Typical visitor? Two types...Someone who knows about Disney and grew up watching Disney films. They want to experience a trip to ride attractions, try Disney snacks, see characters once. They want do what theyve heard other Disney trip goers did. Their goal is to give their kids a memorable time and have family moments. They watch the commercials and see themselves there one day. So they save up or extend credit to make it happen at some time. If they plan properly or have a friend or TA whose knowledgable enough to help them plan, they will have a great trip. They will go back for more trips if they had an enjoyable time.
Secondly...Then theres the return visitor who knows how to do Disney properly. Plans properly and enjoys their entire time on return trips. They know the resorts, the parks, the restaurants well. THey can do Disney with their eyes closed. They know how to be happy there.

Dont believe those who say Disney is only for the rich. Its still affordable if you want it. If you want it you will save for it and it will happen. No one says your trip must be only at the deluxe accommodations and eating at signature restaurants. So it is there for the doing.
 

Ricky Spanish

Well-Known Member
Who’s going?
DF8D014D-6527-4920-9850-AC34B62E84E0.jpeg

October 2022.
 

ktg_1

New Member
I guess we will... but it will be for maybe 2 days but stay at an off-site (UO probably) --- instead of the 9 to 14 nights we used to do at onsite WDW resorts annually ... mostly deluxe. We'll now do 2 park days at WDW (and do the Genie + those days ) but we'll stay at UO club level instead and go for day visits at WDW instead. We've never vacationed this way before but really WDW is not what it used to be for us (this is for us only not for everyone so I want to make it clear that I'm not generalizing but it's true for us.)
 

LovePop

Well-Known Member
Who's going to Disney World? Um, everybody. Evidence: I booked a month onsite stay for May 2022, staying at several hotels, mostly moderate. That's booking 6 months in advance during moderate season. Had a heck of a time finding the right rooms, even though the hotels are huge and should have plenty of rooms available, and there are no discounts, and the prices are very high.

So, unless Disney is purposefully holding back rooms for some reason, people are flocking to Disney like there's no tomorrow, despite all the complaints about price increases and benefit cuts.

Personally, I'm going to Disney World no matter how much they charge. Not so much because I'm a loyal customer, I just have nowhere else to be. People talk about Universal -- seriously? There's nothing to do there. I know that, and I've never even been there.

I am puzzled as to why Disney is charging so much more and people are still coming in droves. Does this mean they've been undercharging in the past? That they would have made a ton more money if they had simply asked for it? Has Chapek been saying this whole time, "If I ever become CEO, I will squeeze so much more profit out of the parks!"?

In any case I'm glad that Disney is making a boatload of money. It's important to me that my favorite businesses stay financially healthy.
 

Bastet

Active Member
I will be visiting from the UK next June (hopefully!) Staying value this time rather than moderate as free dining isnt being offered. 14 days at WDW, 2 adults inc flights, transfers and park tickets is £4800. Park tickets are 14 for price of 7 and we get approx $500 towards dining. Am I anticipating issues with genie+ etc? Yes, but I will (mostly) still enjoy myself. Last visited in 2019 and did a split stay with Universal, can honestly say we enjoyed the Disney portion of the trip more
 

Graham9

Well-Known Member
We have cancelled all immediate plans for Disney for the foreseeable future. The primary reason is money, as the price of everything has skyrocketed to ridiculous heights. It's the park tickets, the resorts, the parking and now the cost of this Genie+ which has priced it out of what we considered to be reasonable value for money. WDW has always been expensive for us (being in the UK) and our last visit was Dec '15 and had advanced plans to come back to the world last year before Covid struck. Then this Genie+ thing reared it's ugly head which I totally disagree with and has taken away much of the spontaneity of our visit, as we really don't want to be slave to a cell phone all day just for the chance to get to see our favourite attractions - and pay through the nose for the privilege and without any guarantee that you will still get on the stuff you want. The other reasons are down to the Covid situation, which seems to be worsening just as it seemed to be receding.

We are playing with the idea of coming to Florida maybe in the later part of next year, or maybe later - staying offsite, probably at Universal, and WDW will be very much a lesser part of our trip, probably down to just one or two days in total. That said, we are watching the ongoing Covid situation, park operations and opening hours post-Covid, US Dollar exchange rate, travel restrictions, offers and deals which may be going, not to mention our own home life and situation in general which has the final say on if we come over or not or even if our pixie dust has evaporated once and for all and we have said our last goodbye to the 'World.
 

RoadiJeff

Well-Known Member
My last two visits to WDW in 2020 and 2021 have been solo due to my wife not being able to get enough time off work. While I had fun and it only cost me 1/2 of what I would have spent for a party of two I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have with her by my side.

Thus, I will probably just be visiting WDW via this forum for the next few years until my wife decides that she wants to return. By then, maybe Disney will have all of the bugs worked out with Genie+ and taken action about the huge overcrowding issues in the parks. I doubt it but I enjoy reading all the stories from people who are there.
 

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