Park Ticket price potentially increasing

[LAKid53]

Who else had to scroll up because they couldn't remember which thread they were in?

Not to get too involved in the discussion but could it be that there's a bit of jealousy at the root of this? I agree that it would be more fair to all if there was a level playing field and all APs were available to everyone. Imo that doesn't necessarily mean they should eliminate tiers, though. DLP used to have a low-tier AP exclusive to residents of Île-de-France but they stepped away from that model years ago and have not gone back. They still have that lowest tier AP with roughly the same limitations but it is now available to all.

Even living in Europe a Gold or even a Silver pass would suit me just fine. I've developed a habit where I'll just book short weekend trips across the pond on a whim if I can get a super cheap flight. I could see myself visiting WDW during those trips but the prohibitive cost of 1-day tickets stops me. A Silver or Gold pass would be ideal for this but they lock me out of those so I spend my money elsewhere.

As for the comments about UK/EU tickets and free dining: there are a couple of things I believe the Americans should take into account.

1. Currency exchange rates have had an enormous influence on the relative cost increase for Europeans over the past 10 years and expecially the past 5-6 years. To you a dollar is still a dollar, but to us that same dollar now costs 30% more and that is without Disney's price increases. I recently compared the cost of the same trip in 2009 to 2019: 8 nights in a standard room at CSR with 7-day hoppers and the DDP in the first week of July and this has roughly doubled in GBP/EUR, even with free dining in 2019 and no free dining in 2009. US inflation over that time was only ~19%. I can assure you that wages in Europe have not doubled over the past decade.

2. The average European has less disposable income than the American middle class. I understand that increasing the minimum wage for CMs to $15/hour is a big deal but for comparison's sake: I know plenty of people here with Master's degrees who barely make that much. And that is before the governments eat up 30-50+% on taxes and social security. That's middle class here.

Yet there are still middle class Europeans, myself included, who love to travel and will save up for a big trip to WDW. Without free dining as it is now we probably wouldn't/couldn't do it, at least not onsite. There are far cheaper ways to visit the area and I'm convinced that even with current UK/EU pricing the line between onsite and offsite is extremely thin. If they take away free dining or increase prices at the same rate of US prices then I believe many many Europeans, again myself included, will jump ship. They'd still visit FL but WDW would miss out on most of their spending. The vast majority of Europeans will not give up their 2- or 3-week vacations for 5 days in the bubble. So Disney can choose: give us an offer in line with what we can afford or lose our long-stay business.

So Disney can choose: give us an offer in line with what we can afford or lose our long-stay business

Which is why Disney gives UK visitors something US visitors can't purchase...14 day tickets. And free dining. Isn't the UK the 2nd largest source of foreign visitors to WDW after Brazil?

 

[Lensman]

Who else had to scroll up because they couldn't remember which thread they were in?

Not to get too involved in the discussion but could it be that there's a bit of jealousy at the root of this? I agree that it would be more fair to all if there was a level playing field and all APs were available to everyone. Imo that doesn't necessarily mean they should eliminate tiers, though. DLP used to have a low-tier AP exclusive to residents of Île-de-France but they stepped away from that model years ago and have not gone back. They still have that lowest tier AP with roughly the same limitations but it is now available to all.

Even living in Europe a Gold or even a Silver pass would suit me just fine. I've developed a habit where I'll just book short weekend trips across the pond on a whim if I can get a super cheap flight. I could see myself visiting WDW during those trips but the prohibitive cost of 1-day tickets stops me. A Silver or Gold pass would be ideal for this but they lock me out of those so I spend my money elsewhere.

As for the comments about UK/EU tickets and free dining: there are a couple of things I believe the Americans should take into account.

1. Currency exchange rates have had an enormous influence on the relative cost increase for Europeans over the past 10 years and expecially the past 5-6 years. To you a dollar is still a dollar, but to us that same dollar now costs 30% more and that is without Disney's price increases. I recently compared the cost of the same trip in 2009 to 2019: 8 nights in a standard room at CSR with 7-day hoppers and the DDP in the first week of July and this has roughly doubled in GBP/EUR, even with free dining in 2019 and no free dining in 2009. US inflation over that time was only ~19%. I can assure you that wages in Europe have not doubled over the past decade.

2. The average European has less disposable income than the American middle class. I understand that increasing the minimum wage for CMs to $15/hour is a big deal but for comparison's sake: I know plenty of people here with Master's degrees who barely make that much. And that is before the governments eat up 30-50+% on taxes and social security. That's middle class here.

Yet there are still middle class Europeans, myself included, who love to travel and will save up for a big trip to WDW. Without free dining as it is now we probably wouldn't/couldn't do it, at least not onsite. There are far cheaper ways to visit the area and I'm convinced that even with current UK/EU pricing the line between onsite and offsite is extremely thin. If they take away free dining or increase prices at the same rate of US prices then I believe many many Europeans, again myself included, will jump ship. They'd still visit FL but WDW would miss out on most of their spending. The vast majority of Europeans will not give up their 2- or 3-week vacations for 5 days in the bubble. So Disney can choose: give us an offer in line with what we can afford or lose our long-stay business.

Don't worry. I don't think anyone actually resents the special offers that UK/EU residents get for WDW. It's just a rhetorical argument that people are using to counter the claim that Florida resident deals are unfair.

As far as I understand the situation, everyone is treated relatively fairly except for guests from New Jersey, and no one cares about that, even the folks from New Jersey.

 

[cosmicgirl]

Which is why Disney gives UK visitors something US visitors can't purchase...14 day tickets. And free dining. Isn't the UK the 2nd largest source of foreign visitors to WDW after Brazil?

I honestly don't know about the rankings.

May I ask what you're trying to say with the 14-day tickets? Do you mean that the plain existence of them should be sufficient and we shouldn't get any other breaks?

My main point is that, if they were to charge Europeans the same as they charge in the US, they would lose more revenue overall than they would gain with the increased margin.

 

[cosmicgirl]

Don't worry. I don't think anyone actually resents the special offers that UK/EU residents get for WDW. It's just a rhetorical argument that people are using to counter the claim that Florida resident deals are unfair.

As far as I understand the situation, everyone is treated relatively fairly except for guests from New Jersey, and no one cares about that, even the folks from New Jersey.

You're forgetting the Canadians.

 

[Lensman]

You're forgetting the Canadians.

You're right! I do get lots of support from Canadians.

They're just so darned nice!

 

[LAKid53]

I honestly don't know about the rankings.

May I ask what you're trying to say with the 14-day tickets? Do you mean that the plain existence of them should be sufficient and we shouldn't get any other breaks?

My main point is that, if they were to charge Europeans the same as they charge in the US, they would lose more revenue overall than they would gain with the increased margin.

No, I'm saying Disney recognizes the contribution and impact of UK visitors and gives them longer multiday tickets. Along with regular free dining.

 

[Lensman]

No, I'm saying Disney recognizes the contribution and impact of UK visitors and gives them longer multiday tickets. Along with regular free dining.

Yeah I agree totally, if there's one thing Disney understands, it is market segmentation and the need to design packages and offerings for specific markets. They also appreciate the seasonality of the different segments and the ability to use it to get the year-round results that they want. They might not be able to manage this perfectly yet, but it is ignorant to think that they are acting naively or mindlessly.

 

[LAKid53]

No don’t lock I’m having so much fun reading!
Someone do a reverse image search (on my iPad not desk top). check dates

Picture No. 1 is a picture of the crowds during Christmas. Which is always wall-to-wall people - called Hell Week for a reason. And when all of those cheap local Florida resident passholders are blocked out.

Picture #2 is a stock picture from the Site That Shall Not Be Named. And based upon the light and shadows, looks like morning, around park opening, so those may be early ADRs or morning EMH.

 

[monothingie]

Perhaps it's time for the moderators to lock this thread before it devolves any further ?

NOT BEFORE I RESPOND TO SOMEONE IN ALL CAPS.



NOW YOU CAN LOCK THIS THREAD.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Don't worry. I don't think anyone actually resents the special offers that UK/EU residents get for WDW. It's just a rhetorical argument that people are using to counter the claim that Florida resident deals are unfair.

As far as I understand the situation, everyone is treated relatively fairly except for guests from New Jersey, and no one cares about that, even the folks from New Jersey.

Well, at least we have a week named for us...I don't recall a UK week.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Anyone else get the feeling that TDO was planning to increase ticket prices right before August 29, and still could be, but after seeing what attendance has been in Anaheim, their feet are getting rather chilly? Several posters around here, myself included, thought it was almost a lock that they'd get a daily ticket price increase in before SW:GE opened.

 

[xdan0920]

I say Disney just stops selling any annual pass or multi day ticket. $150 a day. End of story. No more of these free loaders.

 

[erasure fan1]

Anyone else get the feeling that TDO was planning to increase ticket prices right before August 29, and still could be, but after seeing what attendance has been in Anaheim, their feet are getting rather chilly? Several posters around here, myself included, thought it was almost a lock that they'd get a daily ticket price increase in before SW:GE opened.

I still think the increase is coming. Maybe it won't be as large as they would want. I just don't see Disney not increasing prices. At the least I can see them skip the initial opening and then drop the price increase hammer when rise opens.

 

[monothingie]

I say Disney just stops selling any annual pass or multi day ticket. $150 a day. End of story. No more of these free loaders.

IT MUST BE STATED IN ALL CAPS TO EMPHASIZE YOUR POINT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

 

[cosmicgirl]

You're right! I do get lots of support from Canadians.

They're just so darned nice!

I was mostly aiming at the change in CAD/USD. They got hit very hard, too, and apart from the occasional ticket discount I don't think they get much to compensate for that.

No, I'm saying Disney recognizes the contribution and impact of UK visitors and gives them longer multiday tickets. Along with regular free dining.

Thanks for clarifying that, I agree.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I say Disney just stops selling any annual pass or multi day ticket. $150 a day. End of story. No more of these free loaders.

$150/day? Why so cheap? At least triple that price, and triple it across the board, for all tickets. I mean, if you want prices raised, at least make it so that that poor UK visitor feels like Disney is finally sticking it to all those tens of millions of Florida Resident AP holders that are crowding the parks 365 days a year. (There are tens of millions of Florida Resident AP holders, aren't there?)

 

[monothingie]

There are tens of millions of Florida Resident AP holders, aren't there

ONE HUNDRED BILLION

 

[King Racoon 77]

ONE HUNDRED BILLION

 

[larryz]

I say Disney just stops selling any annual pass or multi day ticket. $150 a day. End of story. No more of these free loaders.

Stay away from Andrew, OK? OK!

 

[larryz]

IT MUST BE STATED IN ALL CAPS TO EMPHASIZE YOUR POINT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

Will a pith helmet be OK?