$100 a day? Soon. VERY soon.

[lightboy]

Disney inflates the the single day ticket to essentially force visitors to a higher price ticket. So, they get higher revenues even offsetting the single day ticket losses. I've been in business a long time and I get how it works. It's quite interesting to see how the company now merges their attendance figures. It makes sense. They don't care about bodies, they care about revenue. As long as the bottom-line numbers increase for the shareholders and the market, they don't care. It's all typical. HOWEVER, it still does not negate the fact that this is again short-term vision and not too brilliant for long term vacation loyalty. WDW is run by MBA's with spreadsheets and I've encountered many of them in business. The funny thing is that they always think that they have the answers and I've been business long enough to see that they end up on the wrong side time after time. They tend to forget the human element and that is awfully important in business.

I know that we're visiting Orlando and going to Universal Orlando in September. It's our first Universal only trip, ever, and I look forward to visiting Tokyo to get a taste of the quality that WDW used to be known for. I grew up loving the Disney theme parks, but I'm not being an apologist for yet another company in this country where they give you less and charge us more. I don't accept the notion that I should pay $500.00 a night for a hotel room and see peeling paint and burnt out lightbulbs, it's just not acceptable.

I clicked like.

But I wanted to waste a post saying I liked this as well. Very much. And very correct.

 

[alphac2005]

I clicked like.

But I wanted to waste a post saying I liked this as well. Very much. And very correct.

Thanks very much. I see a lot of time that things kind of devolve into arguing and people not expressing exactly what they're thinking, so I hoped to have laid out some of the thoughts that a lot of us have thought around here for quite some time.

 

[menamechris]

Many of these guests that get in with Cast tend to purchase more food and merchandise than guests who have to pay for all three. Disney makes no profit on admission, it only covers the bottom line. Food and merch are where profits are generated and if you are making more revenue per guest because that guest did not have to pay for park admission, you're not going to cut off that revenue stream.

Not only that, but the ability to have access to that free admission for friends and family is one of the few things keeping a lot of Cast Members employed. I can't even count how many people I know who would just up and quit right now if they didn't have access to that, and they would be right to do so. It's one of the few last genuine perks that you get for being a Cast Member and to reduce it or take it away when they've already cut so many benefits would likely be the last straw for many people if they didn't raise pay to compensate for the loss of such a benefit.

I can only give my personal experience that the people I know (family and friends) who I have been able to get in for free through my cast member friends - Want the Disney experience while paying as little as possible. They never buy merchandise, and tend to want counter service. They are usually families on a very limited budget or younger, in school, etc., and just don't have the funds to go crazy in a Disney park. That's why they ask for the comp favor to begin with.

As far as Disney losing cast members because they can't let their family or friends in - I think management would be more than happy to help them clean out their locker and show them the door... Disney is in no way concerned about not having employees. Not saying it's right, just saying the majority of cast members need to keep their jobs - they don't have the options to leave because a generous perk is eliminated. Times are tough in Central Florida...there will be a line of applicants waiting for that position.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yeah, but that didn't last long did it?

I believe (too lazy to check now) that WDW is $89 a day, while UNI is $88. Is that right?

Nope, Universal set their price at $88, Disney followed it up by moving their tickets to $89, Universal upped their price to $89

 

[WDW1974]

Many of these guests that get in with Cast tend to purchase more food and merchandise than guests who have to pay for all three. Disney makes no profit on admission, it only covers the bottom line. Food and merch are where profits are generated and if you are making more revenue per guest because that guest did not have to pay for park admission, you're not going to cut off that revenue stream.

Not only that, but the ability to have access to that free admission for friends and family is one of the few things keeping a lot of Cast Members employed. I can't even count how many people I know who would just up and quit right now if they didn't have access to that, and they would be right to do so. It's one of the few last genuine perks that you get for being a Cast Member and to reduce it or take it away when they've already cut so many benefits would likely be the last straw for many people if they didn't raise pay to compensate for the loss of such a benefit.

Yes, it is a great perk ... and one I have used often for family and friends in o-Town and for myself in Anaheim.
I'm hoping that trend of freeloading on comps continues in Anaheim in September because I REALLY hate to give Disney my money.

 

[WDW1974]

Thanks very much. I see a lot of time that things kind of devolve into arguing and people not expressing exactly what they're thinking, so I hoped to have laid out some of the thoughts that a lot of us have thought around here for quite some time.

Nope. You put it all together quite well ... and made sense doing so!

 

[RKS Taiwan]

Nope, Universal set their price at $88, Disney followed it up by moving their tickets to $89, Universal upped their price to $89

Quoted for truth. At least that is how I read it.​

 

[Monty]

Yes, it is a great perk ... and one I have used often for family and friends in o-Town and for myself in Anaheim.
I'm hoping that trend of freeloading on comps continues in Anaheim in September because I REALLY hate to give Disney my money.

This is why we can't have nice things!

 

[Jane Doe]

. I know of so many people pulling back from visiting. It's all "anecdotal," but when it's one person after another, family after family, you see a trend

.

A problem is that on various forums you do get a response of '...well it means that there'll be more room for me when I go'. Some people make it far too easy for Disney to come up with these types of decisions.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I would love to see a breakdown of what % of the annual visitors actually use a one-day ticket? I imagine that a good amount still do. There are many people (including the 10mil-ish that live within a 2 hr drive) who get enough of a Disney Fix with just a one day visit every now and then, and IMO, $90+ is too much to pay for that fix. I still think it's bad business to not offer a reduced rate 1-day ticket for FL Residents.

An interesting (at least to me) story related to the thread. I was staying at the Dolphin last Thanksgiving and, as always, started chatting with other guests. I ran into a family with a UO bag so I asked them what they thought, what have they seen, what were their plans for the rest of the week, etc? The mentioned that they were buying one-day tickets each day at the gate! I tried to explain to them the pricing but they kept insisting that one-day tickets gave them the most flexibility. I asked them why they were staying at the Dolphin and they said it was cheaper than the WDW resorts. (It was less than the Deluxe and Moderate Resorts that week.) So they wanted to save money on the room but were throwing away money left-and-right on the tickets. You never know ...

 

[maxairmike]

I see that exact scenario a lot around the parks, and it puzzles me to no end. Disney does a pretty good job of explaining/advertising the park hopper and multi-day tickets, but it falls on deaf ears with a lot of tourists.

 

[Duckberg]

Interesting thread!

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Did someone beat me to any Captain Obvious references?


Jimmy Thick- Been away, forgive me...

 

[KC82271]

Having been to WDW 25 times, I have finally come to the conclusion, I just cannot do it anymore. The prices have gone through the roof.

Starting with the park ticket. $100 is insane. This is a sore subject right now because I DO have to buy one day tickets. In order to get the package I needed, I had to do a room only reservation for 1 day. Unfortunately, Disney will not allow me to add an extra day to those tickets because my package starts after my room only ressie. We arrive at 2pm and planned on doing a park since the MK is open until midnight or 1. Looking at paying almost $300 on top of the 6 day package I bought is sickening. If it was an extra day on the end, it would cost me maybe $15! I remember the days I would buy a 10-day no expiration and make two trips in a year with the park ticket costing me $250. Now the "no expiration" fee that is added and the overall price of the tickets doesn't even make that cost effective. If they would put in a $300 10-day no expiration, or even a 2 year expiration, I would be happy.

Next, food. I am trying the dining plan for the first time ever, and I am hoping my mind is changed after this trip, because I am not sure the DP is really worth it. We do mostly counter service typically and when I price it out, it comes out "cheaper" to not do the DP. When I use the word cheaper, I am just comparing the overall prices. Not that the food is cheap in anyway. The fact that it costs $15 for a burger (that tastes like crap), fries and a soda is absolutely nuts. The quality of all of the food has gone down tremendously in the last 5 years as the prices have skyrocketed. When you look at the sit downs, they are no different. Quality of food has gone down as well. The buffets that used to have Prime Rib, now serve a piece of beef that I wouldn't even say is half as good - but yet those prices have gone through the roof as well.

I am beginning to think that Disney is going to become all-inclusive (food, tickets, resort), and you aren't going to have a choice in how much you pay! If so, I am out of there!

I have said I refuse to put this money out anymore, but my trips are now mostly paid for by someone else who doesn't have a issue with the money it costs to go there. Once I have to pay for these trips again, I can see myself going somewhere else for vacation yearly (which has begun to happen!)

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Having been to WDW 25 times, I have finally come to the conclusion, I just cannot do it anymore. The prices have gone through the roof.

Starting with the park ticket. $100 is insane. This is a sore subject right now because I DO have to buy one day tickets. In order to get the package I needed, I had to do a room only reservation for 1 day. Unfortunately, Disney will not allow me to add an extra day to those tickets because my package starts after my room only ressie. We arrive at 2pm and planned on doing a park since the MK is open until midnight or 1. Looking at paying almost $300 on top of the 6 day package I bought is sickening. If it was an extra day on the end, it would cost me maybe $15! I remember the days I would buy a 10-day no expiration and make two trips in a year with the park ticket costing me $250. Now the "no expiration" fee that is added and the overall price of the tickets doesn't even make that cost effective. If they would put in a $300 10-day no expiration, or even a 2 year expiration, I would be happy.

Next, food. I am trying the dining plan for the first time ever, and I am hoping my mind is changed after this trip, because I am not sure the DP is really worth it. We do mostly counter service typically and when I price it out, it comes out "cheaper" to not do the DP. When I use the word cheaper, I am just comparing the overall prices. Not that the food is cheap in anyway. The fact that it costs $15 for a burger (that tastes like crap), fries and a soda is absolutely nuts. The quality of all of the food has gone down tremendously in the last 5 years as the prices have skyrocketed. When you look at the sit downs, they are no different. Quality of food has gone down as well. The buffets that used to have Prime Rib, now serve a piece of beef that I wouldn't even say is half as good - but yet those prices have gone through the roof as well.

I am beginning to think that Disney is going to become all-inclusive (food, tickets, resort), and you aren't going to have a choice in how much you pay! If so, I am out of there!

I have said I refuse to put this money out anymore, but my trips are now mostly paid for by someone else who doesn't have a issue with the money it costs to go there. Once I have to pay for these trips again, I can see myself going somewhere else for vacation yearly (which has begun to happen!)

Have you had a travel agent look at your situation to see if they can get your package rebooked so that it starts that first day?

Also, consider taking that first day to do something outside the parks. A $300 shopping spree at Downtown Disney would probably feel more satisfying than spending $300 on one day tickets. Have a meal at one of the monorail resorts and watch the fireworks from the MK. Hang out at the Boardwalk area and watch Illuminations. I think all of the resorts have nightly movies outside now. Do the Campfire with Chip and Dale at Ft. Wilderness. Don't go to the park when you're already upset about the tickets... you're not going to enjoy yourself.

 

[Susan Savia]

While I wouldn't enjoy paying more, it wouldn't stop me from going to the world. I always have a good time and get an experience I can't find anywhere else

We too, would continue to get an AP despite the increase. We feel we get excellent value for our money spent.

 

[COProgressFan]

I am beginning to think that Disney is going to become all-inclusive (food, tickets, resort), and you aren't going to have a choice in how much you pay! If so, I am out of there!
)

This certainly seems to be what they are going for, based on how things have been going in recent years. Problem is, as discussed previously, moving toward that concept involves chasing away guests who don't fit the model of "family staying in a WDW resort for a week on a dining plan and never leaving property".

 

[rioriz]

We too, would continue to get an AP despite the increase. We feel we get excellent value for our money spent.

This is actually the first year I will purchase a yearly package and have my first trip planned in Nov.

 

[Victor Kelly]

Hershey park, which is 90 miles away, costs about $65, a season pass is $145. Two visits almost equals the price of a season pass. And the passes are good for christmas and halloween park entry plus discounts on food and merchandise.

I play paintball about twice per month. $20 admission each day and $25 in paintballs for each day. I get adrenalin dumps and have a great time for $45 a day.

Our upcoming trip to Ocean city will cost us about $100 per day for 2 people, including food and a place to stay.

Our yearly camping trip costs us $300 for 5 days.

Our 7 day cruise to the Bahamas last year cost us $2000 for 2 people. Plus we had a camping trip, Ocean City trip and a bunch of other small getaways.

A Disney trip will cost us in excess of $5000.


Disney may not realize it, but the competition is out there clamoring for the vacation dollar. Nowadays people see value by NOT GOING to Disney. And you know, they are right. Disney is becoming a wealthy only place, we used to go every year, but now it is every 5 years.

 

[zulemara]

Hershey park, which is 90 miles away, costs about $65, a season pass is $145. Two visits almost equals the price of a season pass. And the passes are good for christmas and halloween park entry plus discounts on food and merchandise.

I play paintball about twice per month. $20 admission each day and $25 in paintballs for each day. I get adrenalin dumps and have a great time for $45 a day.

Our upcoming trip to Ocean city will cost us about $100 per day for 2 people, including food and a place to stay.

Our yearly camping trip costs us $300 for 5 days.

Our 7 day cruise to the Bahamas last year cost us $2000 for 2 people. Plus we had a camping trip, Ocean City trip and a bunch of other small getaways.

A Disney trip will cost us in excess of $5000.


Disney may not realize it, but the competition is out there clamoring for the vacation dollar. Nowadays people see value by NOT GOING to Disney. And you know, they are right. Disney is becoming a wealthy only place, we used to go every year, but now it is every 5 years.

which begs the question, do they care about the domestic visitors anymore? Their constant price increases and cut in benefits seems to me to be based on the idea that there is still a huge untapped international market willing to come to Orlando. They know middle class America can't afford it anymore or can't afford it as often and quite frankly they don't care.