Cost of going to DW waaaay too high.

[drew81]

I’ve been recommending universal to all my friends and family. I’ve been a life long Disney purist, but recently got an annual pass to universal and am incredibly impressed with not only the parks, but the value of the pass, the affordability of the resorts and the way they treat their guests.

Staying on Uni property this week and the experience has been wonderful!

 

[BillyGr]

I can literally fly my family of 6 to Paris, spend 4 days at Disneyland Paris, plus another week touring France for less than the price of a week vacation at WDW.... but my daughter wants WDW for her graduation trip. Oh well.

Perhaps you should try to convince her that your idea is better? She would still get some time for Disney (and something she probably hasn't seen?), plus gets to spend a longer time travelling and seeing other places that she might not get to otherwise (and may not even know she would be interested in until actually getting there)?

After all, if you are giving this trip, shouldn't you get to say what your gift is?

 

[Disorbust]

That may have applied pre-covid. Now I think forecasting is a crap shoot. With pent up demand and "some" having extra desposible income due to the pandemic. I was stund to find out that the +$100,000 car market has been off the charts due to the rich having no where else to spend their money since they haven't been able to travel across the pond.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Lol, I must have misses the class in business that a company is required to make its product available at a price point everyone is comfortable with.

Entitled mindset
If I can't afford it =company is greedy

Yes its amazing how everyone I do business with are just greedy sob's. No one is charging me what they did back in the 70's. My wage has gone up so I should be able to buy what I want, do what I want without spending a dime more than I used to. They all are just greedy and only interested in lining their pockets... they certainly dont care about their customers needs or how to run their businesses for the good of their customers.
My grocery store. My car dealer. My utility company. My doctor. My realtor. My appliance dealer. My furniture store. On and on and on.....I didnt know I was surrounded by so many greedy people who are taking advantage of me.

Europe has some of the best parks in the world. It's why I'm surprised so many UK people travel to Orlando.

Simply because they arent Disney. People want the characters, the Disney theming, the connection to the films, animation, stories. They have an emotional tie to things Disney which attracts them away from others.

 

[networkpro]

I'm currently feeding the Devil Mouse Beast by the shovel full and it's still hungry!

 

[mkt]

If I can't afford it =company is greedy

Why can't it be both?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

As with other threads that complain about cost, I have argued heavily that increased cost will actually increase crowds.
There are statistical studies on this, but the basic concept is people will buy now, in fear of paying an even higher cost in the future. This is true for Disney, which historically continues to raise cost and reduce value over time, leaving the option to travel now, regardless of how high the cost seem today, in fear that in the future it will cost even more. Only a reduction of attendance, (which is a contradiction to the current environment) will bring any changes the other way.

There is a lot of credence to that theory when it comes to Disney parks

more people would be Inclined to “go now”…what’s different about this new management tactic is I would be those people are less likely to return again

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm currently feeding the Devil Mouse Beast by the shovel full and it's still hungry!View attachment 604925

Is that the poly? Looks awful…

you should drive home or go to a nicer lobby

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Simply because they arent Disney. People want the characters, the Disney theming, the connection to the films, animation, stories. They have an emotional tie to things Disney which attracts them away from others.

It really is this simple. I can find better rides at almost every major amusement park in the world. But they aren’t Disney.

It’s my biggest complaint of Universal, the rides are great and the value is great but I don’t have the same connection to the characters that I do with Disney. I love a Universal day but it doesn’t compare to the return to my childhood I get at Disney.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I wonder if that’s $150 when adjusted for inflation?

About $105 using an inflation calculator.

In 1973 (my birth year) admission was $4.50 ($28 today) and ticket books were $5.75 ($35 today) for a 8 ticket and $6.75 for a 12 ticket ($42 today).

You’d need one of each book to do the 17 rides we did last trip (technically more since we did more than 2 e-tickets but I’m trying to keep it simple).

So about 40% more expensive now that it was 50 years ago, adjusted for inflation. Substantially more but nowhere near the 3000% being tossed around.

 

[SteveAZee]

As with other threads that complain about cost, I have argued heavily that increased cost will actually increase crowds.
There are statistical studies on this, but the basic concept is people will buy now, in fear of paying an even higher cost in the future. This is true for Disney, which historically continues to raise cost and reduce value over time, leaving the option to travel now, regardless of how high the cost seem today, in fear that in the future it will cost even more. Only a reduction of attendance, (which is a contradiction to the current environment) will bring any changes the other way.

I think this is an interesting point, but I wonder if any reasonable percentage of Disney goers actually think this way.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Not when you consider you could buy a house for like $10. ...or something like that.

In 1973 the average home price in the United States was $29,900 ($186,000 in inflation adjusted dollars)

The average home price in the USA today is $374,900.

By home price standards (102% increase) WDWs 40% price increase during the same time is chump change.

 

[networkpro]

Why can't it be both?

Your perspective

Is that the poly? Looks awful…

you should drive home or go to a nicer lobby

No, I hopped over to Shades because the goons hanging out for the Bama game are really loud.

 

[mkt]

Your perspective

I can afford it.

And I know Disney is greedy and disapprove of their nickel/diming and price increases.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I think this is an interesting point, but I wonder if any reasonable percentage of Disney goers actually think this way.

I really don't think the average vacationer thinks that way. I think it really goes as simple as, "hey let's take the kids to Disney ".
One advantage that Disney has is as long as folks have kids they've got fresh blood and one thing I have to give the mouseworld credit for is their marketing. Disney is to the point that its a "must do" at least once in a child's life.
Now the question becomes does Disney need these folks to become return visitors??

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I really don't think the average vacationer thinks that way. I think it really goes as simple as, "hey let's take the kids to Disney ".
One advantage that Disney has is as long as folks have kids they've got fresh blood and one thing I have to give the mouseworld credit for is their marketing. Disney is to the point that its a "must do" at least once in a child's life.
Now the question becomes does Disney need these folks to become return visitors??

As always…I gotta point out that they have made the cost climb to the point that they are eliminating large swaths of the populace who would be game to “let’s take the kids to Disney”…

mom and dad and the 1.5 kids and the two car garage and the dog is what the domestic parks were designed to bring in…but the Bobs are not running it that way. Average wealth to do such things is not increasing as time goes on…not across the spectrum. And if credit is unlimited…then it’s no longer credit.

we’ll see…I think there is the first pricing blowback against parks ever to occur without a formal recession going on concurrently…and I think the street knows it…

and chapek is on water skis and there’s a shark in the water

 

[Lilofan]

Lol, I must have misses the class in business that a company is required to make its product available at a price point everyone is comfortable with.

Entitled mindset
If I can't afford it =company is greedy
If everyone can afford it=company is cheap.

Okay so for the sake of arguments let's say the company is greedy. Is there some business amendment that says a company is not allowed to charge what the market can bare (lol or is it bear)?

I don't care so much about Disney, as a former small business owner and many family members who own businesses I simply reject this attitude that anyone has to make their product affordable for anyone.

If Disney prices itself out of the market, it will know it real quick

Companies are greedy. Their main intent is to maximize shareholder value even at the expense of customers, staff etc. Whenever the orange county property appraiser informs WDW of what they should pay, Disney always sues and wins every time to pay a lower amount. That's less money taking out of profits. When Iger eliminated some pension plans and cast had to resort to 401K instead, that puts the money risk in investing to the staff instead of using company money investing towards the past pension plans. There are many ways to maximize shareholder value besides raising prices at the theme parks and hotels. This is usually music to Wall Street ears.

 

[eliza61nyc]

As always…I gotta point out that they have made the cost climb to the point that they are eliminating large swaths of the populace who would be game to “let’s take the kids to Disney”…

mom and dad and the 1.5 kids and the two car garage and the dog is what the domestic parks were designed to bring in…but the Bobs are not running it that way. Average wealth to do such things is not increasing as time goes on…not across the spectrum. And if credit is unlimited…then it’s no longer credit.

we’ll see…I think there is the first pricing blowback

I don't know Sir, I still think those large swaths are still there. Here's the thing, the family of mom, dad and 1.5 kid has morph. Here again is marketing genius. Now we've got young married adults, no kids. Now we've got grandparents who have disposable income.
Along with the cruise industry ( 30 years ago Cruises were mainly old married and coupled) mouseworld has done great in expanding its base.

Now also another issues is while we talk about Disney greed vs years past , does the average Joe do that? They look at what is available today. Now I love all these comparisons where folks are traveling to Europe for 10 days for the price of a Disney trip. I haven't experienced that. I just made my reservation for the Jersey shore. July 23 for a week, room and board 4k AND I'm still 2 blocks from beach. Lol I went out to dinner in NYC Friday night tab was 95.00 bucks (that did include tip) pp. 1 drink, no dessert and it was Italian not a fancy steakhouse.
The families I know doing Europe are definitely kicking out 10k.
So the mindset is yes Disney is expensive EVERYTHING else is also.. of course the unknown is whether or not the compare theme park vs theme park or do they just lump vacations into one gigantic pot.

The issue here is people feel that based on there wayback experience Disney owes them a inexpensive vacation and when they don't get it we get these rants.

I think the blowback is going to be more from the perception of nickel and diming then overall expense. I really thought genie +/LL would tip the cow but it actually hasn't (Maybe too early to call). So far it's seems guest have simply factored it in.

Sorry for the long read

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't know Sir, I still think those large swaths are still there. Here's the thing, the family of mom, dad and 1.5 kid has morph. Here again is marketing genius. Now we've got young married adults, no kids. Now we've got grandparents who have disposable income.
Along with the cruise industry ( 30 years ago Cruises were mainly old married and coupled) mouseworld has done great in expanding its base.

Now also another issues is while we talk about Disney greed vs years past , does the average Joe do that? They look at what is available today. Now I love all these comparisons where folks are traveling to Europe for 10 days for the price of a Disney trip. I haven't experienced that. I just made my reservation for the Jersey shore. July 23 for a week, room and board 4k AND I'm still 2 blocks from beach. Lol I went out to dinner in NYC Friday night tab was 95.00 bucks (that did include tip) pp. 1 drink, no dessert and it was Italian not a fancy steakhouse.
The families I know doing Europe are definitely kicking out 10k.
So the mindset is yes Disney is expensive EVERYTHING else is also.. of course the unknown is whether or not the compare theme park vs theme park or do they just lump vacations into one gigantic pot.

The issue here is people feel that based on there wayback experience Disney owes them a inexpensive vacation and when they don't get it we get these rants.

I think the blowback is going to be more from the perception of nickel and diming then overall expense. I really thought genie +/LL would tip the cow but it actually hasn't (Maybe too early to call). So far it's seems guest have simply factored it in.

Sorry for the long read

The “middle” class is in full downward spiral…is my point…that’s what the parks were designed for…

not a new issue…but an issue.

and that’s a fact…it’s not an opinion. That was and still is the build. The Bobs slap “luxury” on it…but that’s a smokescreen…it will never hold.

parking fees, a shuttle bus to the airport and $60 breakfast buffets…

…yeah…just like the Mandarin Bora Bora

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Lol, I must have misses the class in business that a company is required to make its product available at a price point everyone is comfortable with.

Entitled mindset
If I can't afford it =company is greedy
If everyone can afford it=company is cheap.

Okay so for the sake of arguments let's say the company is greedy. Is there some business amendment that says a company is not allowed to charge what the market can bare (lol or is it bear)?

I don't care so much about Disney, as a former small business owner and many family members who own businesses I simply reject this attitude that anyone has to make their product affordable for anyone.

If Disney prices itself out of the market, it will know it real quick

You didn’t miss that class hungover…they never had it…

but you did sleep through the ones about reinvesting in a company to sustain business/growth…
Loyal customers are an investment