Rumor Pre-Arrival Survey - AP Discounts, Lightning Lane Pre-Booking Discounts, Hotel Upgrades

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have both an AP and Magic Key. Reservations are a non issue at WDW. They are an issue at DL. So maybe there is some confusion there?

My biggest complaint at WDW is… if there are reservations available and I’m at the park, why can’t I just scan in? Why do I need to get on my phone to “make a reservation” and then be given the privilege to scan in? Makes no sense.

 

[Splash4eva]

No.

My Takeaway is that their early numbers for the rest of 2026 are abysmal. I think one of their main strategies is going to be bringing back the annual passholders through steep discounts in passes.

The one part of the survey that was unusual, and I don’t know why it didn’t capture all of the questions, was regarding upgrades for booked hotel rooms.

I have a distinct feeling that when they further segmented the different hotel room categories, it threw a lot of people off, especially considering what you were paying versus what you were getting. This upgrade concept seems like a way to overcome that.

What was unclear was whether it would work like an airline upgrade where it’s a complementary upgrade to a “better” accommodation, or it would be additional notifications to guests about available paid upgraded options.

Do you or anyone think the “upgrade” is to potentially fill hotels to capacity and possibly i dont want to day close but limit expenses at other resorts? Moving value to other “upgraded” value or moderate hotels?

 

[larryz]

So what do we blame for this projected revenue dip...?

1) Construction in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom
2) Uncertainty over the status of DHS -- the government department, not the theme park
3) Exceptionally high resort, park ticket, food and beverage pricing
4) All of the above

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

So what do we blame for this projected revenue dip...?

1) Construction in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom
2) Uncertainty over the status of DHS -- the government department, not the theme park
3) Exceptionally high resort, park ticket, food and beverage pricing
4) All of the above

5. Absolute collapse of international travel to Orlando;
6. Macro-economic conditions;

 

[monothingie]

Do you or anyone think the “upgrade” is to potentially fill hotels to capacity and possibly i dont want to day close but limit expenses at other resorts? Moving value to other “upgraded” value or moderate hotels?

I think this has to do when Disney Resort Hotels further segmented the resort room categories and changed a large number of "regular" resort view rooms into a mid level category at a higher price.

Most guests don't care about views, but do care when the only rooms available are the more expensive "water view" or "theme park view" rooms. I have a feeling that the higher category rooms started underperforming and that guests either decided to go to a lower tier resort or an off-property resort instead of paying more.

An "Upgrade" program allows them to plug holes as they go in their bookings by moving people better room categories to ensure availability on the bottom. I think this is furthered by what I didn't get a screen cap of, which was the repeated asking of "when" would you like to receive the upgrade offer/option. (at booking, immediately after booking, a couple of days before arrival, at arrival, after checkin)

The question that wasn't asked, was "How Much" and was very ambiguous about it being complimentary or for an additional fee.

 

[HauntedPirate]

So what do we blame for this projected revenue dip...?

1) Construction in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom
2) Uncertainty over the status of DHS -- the government department, not the theme park
3) Exceptionally high resort, park ticket, food and beverage pricing
4) All of the above

Our family has an acquaintance, a business owner. Definitely in the upper-middle/lower-upper income class. 2 parents, 2 kids, 2 incomes. Told me, out of nowhere, that "I told the kids a Disney World trip is probably once-in-a-lifetime because it's so expensive". Anecdotal but telling.

 

[monothingie]

So what do we blame for this projected revenue dip...?

1) Construction in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom
2) Uncertainty over the status of DHS -- the government department, not the theme park
3) Exceptionally high resort, park ticket, food and beverage pricing
4) All of the above

#3 - Last year they tried "free dining" and it didn't work. This year they're doing heavy discounts for tickets and rooms and it may not be working. The families are just not coming in numbers that the Disney Adults can offset.

5. Absolute collapse of international travel to Orlando;
6. Macro-economic conditions;

Not really anymore. People are traveling more than ever before and still spending money on leisure travel. That includes international visitors.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Not really anymore. People are traveling more than ever before and still spending money on leisure travel. That includes international visitors.

Any source for this? Not doubting - just seems surprising

 

[Tha Realest]

#3 - Last year they tried "free dining" and it didn't work. This year they're doing heavy discounts for tickets and rooms and it may not be working. The families are just not coming in numbers that the Disney Adults can offset.

So you’re telling me the fickle D.I.N.K.s that abhor basic attachments like mortgages and car ownership are not proving to be the loyal customers that decades of multigenerational families have been historically?

 

[Touchdown]

Those prices are expensive even for childless adult couples too. If a hotel room costs $850 a six night stay is $5100, before park tickets, before flights, before food. Two flights are going to cost $750, tickets $1900, food/merch let’s say $1400. You’re talking close to $10,000. That’s a lot of money, not too many people can afford to do that often.

 

[brettf22]

As an out of state passholder, that discount would definitely encourage me to renew on a year I was considering not renewing.

But just to be clear, this appears to be a survey question to somebody who does not have an AP, but has a trip planned with a regular ticket, asking whether they’d be interested in upgrading to an AP if it were cheaper. This does not seem to be suggesting a discount for all new APs and APs renewals, but only as an incentive to upgrade from a regular ticket.

 

[Jrb1979]

Any source for this? Not doubting - just seems surprising

This all could find. It does pertain to Florida.
IMO Disney and Universal to an extent should be very concerned. Florida is seeing record visitation yet Disney and Universal are seeing flat and lower attendance.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

This all could find. It does pertain to Florida.
IMO Disney and Universal to an extent should be very concerned. Florida is seeing record visitation yet Disney and Universal are seeing flat and lower attendance.

Cruise ships are hitting records aren’t they? Is that where they are going?

 

[Jrb1979]

Cruise ships are hitting records aren’t they? Is that where they are going?

Probably but it's still not a good sign for the theme parks.

 

[monothingie]

This all could find. It does pertain to Florida.
IMO Disney and Universal to an extent should be very concerned. Florida is seeing record visitation yet Disney and Universal are seeing flat and lower attendance.

$$$$$$$$$$$$

No one cares about the latest rude or expansion if the place is too expensive to visit.

Despite the effort of the influencers trying to tell you the opposite while living in their parent’s basement .

 

[flyerjab]

$$$$$$$$$$$$

No one cares about the latest rude or expansion if the place is too expensive to visit.

Despite the effort of the influencers trying to tell you the opposite while living in their parent’s basement .

Wait…Tim Tracker lives in his mom’s basement??

Seriously though, I believe that cost has definitely become a barrier for people. And to combat that, Disney up to this time has out paced inflation with its pricing, for many products on a park’s ‘menu’. And yes, I realize that this company is not some strange outlier. I feel price increases everywhere. Look at the movie industry. The number of big time money makers has dropped. People are more selective where they spend their money. So what does Disney do? Continue to increase cost while also creating new revenue streams.

It’s unfortunate how controlling of an entity Wall Street has become. But the Mouse might finally be hitting some sort of ‘guest spend’ wall.

And I do agree with you that they could build the most incredible ride ever made. But they will never get the number of guests they could when single day tickets could cost $200 and to not have to wait in a 2 hour standby you pay an added fee of $35 on top of that (these are of course cost per individual).

We got lucky in our house. Our 3 kids sort of grew out of Disney now that they are adults (from an age perspective) so we dropped their APs. Going to the parks actually became more affordable for me and my wife now that it’s just the 2 of us.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Wait…Tim Tracker lives in his mom’s basement??

not to mention that it’s a really weird insult to say “you live with family”

 

[tpoly88]

$$$$$$$$$$$$

No one cares about the latest rude or expansion if the place is too expensive to visit.

Despite the effort of the influencers trying to tell you the opposite while living in their parent’s basement .

it’s all about money. I’m FL resident AP but when I try to get a couple of our friends to come they frown on it because it’s a $200 ticket for the day. Crazy. Not to mention Disney just has not figured out lately that people want nice wholesome entertainment without being hammered with their social messaging and stay away from politics. Just watched the last documentary on DL. You can see in that film the care Walt had and the people building DL had for the people that were going to be attending. Look it’s not 1955 anymore but certain things still apply like listen to the customer and give them a well priced product.
I’m not one of these people to say I’m done with Disney because I’ll never be and always try to see the good things but times have changed and it’s is now an expensive, stressful and exhausting experience for a family to come to Disney.

 

[monothingie]

not to mention that it’s a really weird insult to say “you live with family”

You should checkout the sewer that is Distwitter or the “influencers” on YouTube, Facebook, Ticktock, and the Instagram .

 

[Splash4eva]

I think this has to do when Disney Resort Hotels further segmented the resort room categories and changed a large number of "regular" resort view rooms into a mid level category at a higher price.

Most guests don't care about views, but do care when the only rooms available are the more expensive "water view" or "theme park view" rooms. I have a feeling that the higher category rooms started underperforming and that guests either decided to go to a lower tier resort or an off-property resort instead of paying more.

An "Upgrade" program allows them to plug holes as they go in their bookings by moving people better room categories to ensure availability on the bottom. I think this is furthered by what I didn't get a screen cap of, which was the repeated asking of "when" would you like to receive the upgrade offer/option. (at booking, immediately after booking, a couple of days before arrival, at arrival, after checkin)

The question that wasn't asked, was "How Much" and was very ambiguous about it being complimentary or for an additional fee.

If they ask about an upgrade i would assume it should be free no? Granted that can be a reach for Disney lol. Any upgrade upon arrival really can only be same hotel imo. Who wants to get to check in then have to head to another hotel. It have to be a major upgrade. Moving someone from a value/moderate regular room to a “preferred” room is nice but imo a whatever. Good PR on their part if the rooms are available tho. But honestly. Upon check in. You could always ask and if lucky get that anyway. I think telling someone say at booking or acouple days after would be a true surprise and upgrade it they moved you to a real upgrade but can you them bumping you from amoderate to a deluxe? I cant.