Has Disney Pricing Increases/Atmosphere Cuts Altered YOUR FAMILIES WDW Attendance?

[John park hopper]

Posted once before ----companies reduce the size of their products and charge the same giving the consumer the illusion prices have not gone up. People are staying at Disney less, doing less and it is costing the same or more ---the illusion nothing has changed.

 

[jloucks]

Crowd levels are mostly unchanged. What’s changed is the staffing levels. The over crowding is purposeful. Create a problem. Monetize a solution.

I dunno, it sure seems more crowded. But I get what you are saying, understaffing can cause lines.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

No effect, but I will never be OK with resort parking fees for resort guests.

 

[VaderTron]

No I wouldn't fall under that choice since it has had an effect.... I go MORE not the same or less.

Ok so I've come to the conclusion that either:

1) You don't understand that "no effect" isn't the same as "I go the same or less". Yes it's very possible your increased attendance is despite the increased costs and reduced atmosphere. However, unless you have some masochistic tendencies I highly doubt the reason you increased your attendance was because they increased prices and reduced atmosphere. It was for other reasons that you went more (again DESPITE the increase in prices and reduced atmosphere). So, you would fall under the first option on this poll. The price increases and reduced atmosphere had no effect on your attendance.

2) You're trying out a new stand-up routine...I think you need new material if that's the case.

 

[VaderTron]

No effect, but I will never be OK with resort parking fees for resort guests.

They have no reason to get rid of them if there is no effect on our spending.

 

[stratman50th]

No effect, but I will never be OK with resort parking fees for resort guests.

The argument in favor of this seems to always be that Disney is behind the curve. Other hotels charge, and have charged for parking for years. In some cases this is true but mostly in cities where parking space is limited. I grew up in the Baltimore Washington area and parking in the city always cost. I argue that the same does not apply to Disney. First, people have been parking at the resorts for free for years. We have driven from Maryland to Disney since the late 80's. Never needed to fly. Second, Disney has nothing but space and I go back to my first point, they've had enough space to allow people to park for years. There's always been available space too. Lots were never full. I call this greed. Sure, Disney is in business to make money but seriously? If you stay for a week like we always did the parking would add up to an extra night in the room. I'll never stay in one of the hotels again. We have a motorcoach. In the event we decide to go again, it'll be in the Fort. Been twice so far and it still works out better for us. You can have one car on site for free.

 

[John park hopper]

The argument in favor of this seems to always be that Disney is behind the curve. Other hotels charge, and have charged for parking for years. In some cases this is true but mostly in cities where parking space is limited. I grew up in the Baltimore Washington area and parking in the city always cost. I argue that the same does not apply to Disney. First, people have been parking at the resorts for free for years. We have driven from Maryland to Disney since the late 80's. Never needed to fly. Second, Disney has nothing but space and I go back to my first point, they've had enough space to allow people to park for years. There's always been available space too. Lots were never full. I call this greed. Sure, Disney is in business to make money but seriously? If you stay for a week like we always did the parking would add up to an extra night in the room. I'll never stay in one of the hotels again. We have a motorcoach. In the event we decide to go again, it'll be in the Fort. Been twice so far and it still works out better for us. You can have one car on site for free.

I love the justification well others do it. I remember my mother saying just because others do it doesn't mean you should. Disney you started charging for parking because other hotels do-- fine --other hotels provide complimentary continental breakfast --some even a cooked breakfast-- so Disney when are you going too provide this benefit -----others do it. Fat chance

 

[EpcotCenter82]

I used to go every year but now go about every three years. I also don't usually stay at the deluxe resorts anymore. If I do stay at a deluxe, I usually do several days at a moderate or value before moving over to the deluxe. I don't make many ADR's anymore, just a few each trip.

 

[matt9112]

I would LOVE to know the median income of this board.

I live here so we go often but hardly do sit downs or anything fancy. Disney is a luxury we sacrifice other things to partake in.

 

[VaderTron]

I would LOVE to know the median income of this board.

I live here so we go often but hardly do sit downs or anything fancy. Disney is a luxury we sacrifice other things to partake in.

That was the point of doing this poll with this group of people. Although a small sample size, you will find the highest concentration of "do what it takes to get my Disney fix" people here. So, the effects on this group so far show an alarming number of people who say recent changes are enough to alter the amount of time and money they spend at WDW. Especially interesting is the number of people who have dropped AP's completely. Hope the number of voters continues to grow so we can get a clearer picture.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

As has been discussed in many other threads its not always about your income but rather about opportunity costs.

 

[Disney.Mike]

No effect yet. The pricing isn't an issue for me but the cuts are.

 

[bUU]

Interesting that all the choices that were offered were neutral or negative. We must not provide a way for people to relay that they're actually planning on visiting more often than before, eh? SMH

 

[SirWillow]

Interesting that all the choices that were offered were neutral or negative. We must not provide a way for people to relay that they're actually planning on visiting more often than before, eh? SMH

Really, so with a price increase you're going to increase your spending and attendance?

 

[Jon81uk]

For me Brexit and its effect on the dollar/pound exchange that affects my trips too and particularly spending on non-essentials such as shopping and souvineers. Back in 2006 we got $1.8 for £1, making goods in the USA very cheap but now its $1.2 everything feels even more expensive.

 

[Chi84]

Honest

Really, so with a price increase you're going to increase your spending and attendance?

We have been increasing our spending and attendance also. DH and I started going to WDW in 1984 and have gone almost every year since then. At first it was just us, then us and our two kids, and now some of our trips include our kids, their spouses, and on the next trip our new grandson. We are DVC members, and since we retired, DH and I go two or three times a year - we do the family trips every two years.

We were blessed with good jobs and (apart from vacations lol) lived frugally and saved our money; now we can spend it as we like. Disney's addition of premium experiences such as dessert parties, polar patios, Highway in the Sky Dine-Around, etc. has actually made the "atmosphere" better for us rather than "reduced" as the OP put it. It's expensive, but it works for us.

The tipping point for us probably will not be related to price increases, but instead to a lessening of the experience we've come to expect from Disney. Sometimes when I read these threads, I think we go to a kinder and gentler Disney, one that is more flexible and far more accommodating than the one described here. We've never had a housekeeper barge into our room without knocking, CMs are friendly and helpful, and the restaurants are pretty good. When that stops, we will stop going. Until then - yes - we are increasing our spending and attendance.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Really, so with a price increase you're going to increase your spending and attendance?

Seems like you haven't been paying much attention because I said I'm going more. Then OP insisted I fall under the first choice even though it is not a choice indicating you go more often.

 

[Chi84]

Seems like you haven't been paying much attention because I said I'm going more. Then OP insisted I fall under the first choice even though it is not a choice indicating you go more often.

I didn't vote in the poll because we sort of did change itineraries to include recently-offered premium experiences, which have actually enhanced the "atmosphere" for us and increased our attendance and spending.

 

[SirWillow]

Honest

We have been increasing our spending and attendance also.

I would certainly say you're the exception. But really in your case the price isn't affecting or influencing your visits at all. You didn't say, "hey, prices are going up, lets go more often and spend more money." Yours is a result of planning done years ago (and well done)

I think that's what you and @Queen of the WDW Screne are missing in that. The price increases didn't cause you to go more or spend more money, and they didn't give you incentive to go more and spend more money. They just have not affected your decisions to do so. Which would put you in the first category.

 

[danyoung56]

Sometimes when I read these threads, I think we go to a kinder and gentler Disney, one that is more flexible and far more accommodating than the one described here. We've never had a housekeeper barge into our room without knocking, CMs are friendly and helpful, and the restaurants are pretty good. When that stops, we will stop going. Until then - yes - we are increasing our spending and attendance.

I've told this story before. Years ago, in the USENET days, I was a frequent reader of the rec.arts.disney group, which would talk a lot about Disneyland. I was living in Idaho at the time, and planning a visit to SoCal. The folks on the web were really talking DL down - trash everywhere, rude employees, lights out, paint peeling - in short, they had me half convinced that DL had turned into a dump. I went anyway, and you know what I found? A beautiful park, with friendly employees, lovely atmosphere, and rides that you couldn't get anywhere else. That's when I learned to take sites like this one with a grain of salt. Some people see only the bad, or inflate their memories to such a high stature that nothing today can compare. But I'll still make up my own mind, thank you.