Disappointing Price Increase & Takeaway - F&W

[fillerup]

Very disappointing price increases for Wine/Culinary demos at the Festival Center this year.

Last year, advance purchase pricing for AP, DVC and TiW members were $6 and $7 respectively.

This year the discount will be offered only Monday thru Thursday and will be $8 and $9. Friday thru Sunday pricing will be $10 and $11.

The weekday increase therefore is 30% and weekends is 60%.

Worse yet, from the Disney Food Blog:

"Discounted pricing is available for Tables in Wonderland members (no word yet on Annual Passholders or DVC Members) from Monday-Thursday."

So, as of now, Disney is considering yanking this small benefit from arguably its two most loyal customer groups. I'm not a member but I think this is especially egregious in the case of DVC since those people have invested thousands of dollars and literally decades of future vacations with WDW.

Even if they ultimately extend the discount to AP and DVC, the fact they're considering not doing so is pretty appalling.

As a result, after spending hundreds of dollars the last two years on these seminars, we will be slamming the wallet shut and attending no seminars this year. My discretionary spending decisions are based on price to value considerations and this one just crossed my line.

 

[gardenia]

Good, don't go.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Discounts are offered to sell product/fill rooms/fill appointments when demand is lower; for example, Disney offers room discounts when there are times when resort occupancy is less than a certain percentage. If the rooms are full, there is no need to offer discounts. Look at the dates for the free dining offer for October-March and you will see a perfect example of this.

Translating this to the Food and Wine Festival - apparently they have no problems selling tickets to the wine/culinary demos on the weekend - but on Monday-Thursday they do. So they offer the discount to the TiW members first - their most loyal foodies. A TiW member, by definition, must be an AP holder or FL resident. Many DVC members are AP holders too and many would most likely have a TiW card.

 

[puntagordabob]

Very disappointing .

It may just be like the places not being added to the DDP until later than some others... perhaps they intend to but that its just not official.

 

[Texas84]

Supply & demand. They know what they're doing.

 

[boufa]

Great marketing makes people believe that a discount is a benifit and not an incentive. So people tend to see the reduction of discounts as the elimination of benefits, when in reality it is a elimination of the need to provide additional inventives.

Emh is the same thing, it is not a "thank you" for staying on property its a bribe. If they could fill the rooms without it, they would.

I was listening to an old podcast from 2005 (2008?). When Disney jacked up con. Royal table prices, and added the mandatory photo package. At that time, before the increase, they could sell it out in 5 minutes. Today the price is a lot higher and they still sell it out in 5 - 10 minutes most days. There comes a time where the price does become a p.r. problem, but in both these cases they aren't there yet enough to hurt them.

 

[olinecoach61]

Protest by not attending

 

[Brian Noble]

Very disappointing price increases for Wine/Culinary demos at the Festival Center this year.

Then react by not going. That's the only thing that will get anyone's attention. If enough people agree with you, the price will come back down or the service will go back up, or both.

 

[poocher]

Second year of not attending

There are WAY better deals around Orlando. It is a city where every restaurant entrepreneur who wants to try a concept builds a restaurant. The market is SO competitive. I have found such incredible deals for restaurants, wine and beer tastings throughout the town. We had attended F&W for >10 years, but last year was the best yet. No money spent at F&W, though we did eat in some Disney restaurants.

If you're from out of town and don't know where to look, F&W may still offer you something. But with research and planning and a car, you can do much better. Sorry, I can't share all the easy pickings---that would flood the market.

But Disney has stepped over the line for me and for most of my friends. And they just keep moving the line!

 

[boufa]

Heard something interesting in an interview recently. The interview was conducted as the 2 people were wandering the MK. An unplanned observation was made as how there was a sea of strollers everywhere, but very few were Disney strollers. They figured that $20 (ish) for a stroller Disney has finally out priced themselves from the market. Which may or may not have been the what they were trying to do.

Also remember the cost per guest is not related to the price paid by the guest. In English, they make a lot more money if they can charge twice as much even if the only get half as many guests. Every price increase comes with the acceptance than either a) there are more guests than can be accommodated, so there will still be sell outs. or b) the loss of guests will be offset by the new income. It may be our fantasy land, but it is business reality.

 

[MysticOrient]

There are WAY better deals around Orlando. It is a city where every restaurant entrepreneur who wants to try a concept builds a restaurant. The market is SO competitive. I have found such incredible deals for restaurants, wine and beer tastings throughout the town. We had attended F&W for >10 years, but last year was the best yet. No money spent at F&W, though we did eat in some Disney restaurants.

If you're from out of town and don't know where to look, F&W may still offer you something. But with research and planning and a car, you can do much better. Sorry, I can't share all the easy pickings---that would flood the market.

But Disney has stepped over the line for me and for most of my friends. And they just keep moving the line!

Seriously??? :ROFLOL:

 

[worldfanatic]

There are WAY better deals around Orlando.

If you're from out of town and don't know where to look, F&W may still offer you something. But with research and planning and a car, you can do much better. Sorry, I can't share all the easy pickings---that would flood the market.

Better deals around Orlando???? Who cares??

I'll go out on a limb and say that if you did share these so called "easy pickings", nothing would happen.

Because most people on these sites don't give a damn about the rest of "Orlando".
That's not to say it isn't a nice place, I'm sure it is.
I don't care.
I care about Disney World, been coming regularly for 20 years, never had any interest in exploring (or eating) around the rest of Orlando, never will.

You could send a free limo to pick me up and take me to your so called great food deals.
No thanks. I'll only leave property for the Airport or Universal, that's it.

As mentioned, supply and demand sets the prices and scheduling of F&W events.

 

[Tigger1988]

Sounds like these discounts have given some people a sense of entitlement, not a good look.

 

[ChrisFL]

They figured that $20 (ish) for a stroller Disney has finally out priced themselves from the market. Which may or may not have been the what they were trying to do.

Not to derail the thread, but I think that is exactly what Disney was trying to do.

 

[cbrune]

write to wdw.guest communications.. I complained about them not honoring my AP discount at Port Orleans and how customer service has gone down hill.. They called me two days later and honored it..

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Better deals around Orlando???? Who cares??

I'll go out on a limb and say that if you did share these so called "easy pickings", nothing would happen.

Because most people on these sites don't give a damn about the rest of "Orlando".
That's not to say it isn't a nice place, I'm sure it is.
I don't care.
I care about Disney World, been coming regularly for 20 years, never had any interest in exploring (or eating) around the rest of Orlando, never will.

You could send a free limo to pick me up and take me to your so called great food deals.
No thanks. I'll only leave property for the Airport or Universal, that's it.

As mentioned, supply and demand sets the prices and scheduling of F&W events.

:lol:

I find this post funny.

Enjoy your DDP with higher prices and lowered offerings from homoginized menus as you pay 30-60% more for F&W (facts are facts).

What's funny is... You're in the category of people (DVC) that should be MORE bothered and upset by price spikes and cut back offerings, and instead, I'm hearing "thank you sir, may I have another?". :lol:

The OP simply shared facts on the increased prices and lessened offerings of the F&W this year, and I'm seeing multiple "good! Don't go!" posts. Hilarious.

To say you guys are obivously TDO's target market would be an understatement.

The Magic and pixie dust is thick in this thread!

 

[theguitarman]

If you're from out of town and don't know where to look, F&W may still offer you something. But with research and planning and a car, you can do much better. Sorry, I can't share all the easy pickings---that would flood the market.

Instead of sharing all of them, how about sharing one for us?

 

[njDizFan]

:lol:

I find this post funny.

Enjoy your DDP with higher prices and lowered offerings from homoginized menus as you pay 30-60% more for F&W (facts are facts).

What's funny is... You're in the category of people (DVC) that should be MORE bothered and upset by price spikes and cut back offerings, and instead, I'm hearing "thank you sir, may I have another?". :lol:

The OP simply shared facts on the increased prices and lessened offerings of the F&W this year, and I'm seeing multiple "good! Don't go!" posts. Hilarious.

To say you guys are obivously TDO's target market would be an understatement.

The Magic and pixie dust is thick in this thread!

Yeah all the "love it or leave it" attitude is making TWDC drool.

Is it possible to love it and also wish to improve it. Or at least be a little upset that you are paying more for a lesser quality.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Is it possible to love it and also wish to improve it.

If only there were a website dedicated to that... :lookaroun

 

[COProgressFan]

Sounds like these discounts have given some people a sense of entitlement, not a good look.

Not sure its about entitlement, but more about getting less product for more money. This has been happening all over WDW for years now and for many people, it is finally getting to a point where $$ are going to just be spent elsewhere.

While prices for items rose (and often quality diminished), at least the most loyal customers, such as AP's, Tables in Wonderland, DVCers, could count on a discount to make the price points at least a little bit more reasonable, and feel like appreciated customers.

As for those who defend Disney's pricing strategies that are often to the detriment of paying customers, I don't really get it - we all love the Disney park experience or we wouldn't be on message boards like these. Don't you want to get the most for your money as well?:shrug: