News 2018 ticket price increases

[skyphotographer]

Disney is not increasing capacity. They are merely replacing old rides with new ones. In fact, while the new attractions are being constructed, capacity is actually reduced. To raise prices at this time, with the parks and grounds in the condition they are in, is absurd!

 

[beachlover4444]

Instead of raising ticket prices to encourage people not to come to the parks due to overcrowding, why not put more rides in the other 3 parks? And I mean rides, not lands with 2 rides and more restaurants and shops. The reason MK is so popular is because there is so much to do, so many rides in each land and it has the longest hours. Or don’t sell MK as a one day ticket, just part of the multi day passes. If you are building more hotels that isn’t going to help the overcrowded parks. Clearly with all the new DVC lodging being built they are reaching for the higher income clientele.

 

[larryz]

Disney is not increasing capacity. They are merely replacing old rides with new ones. In fact, while the new attractions are being constructed, capacity is actually reduced. To raise prices at this time, with the parks and grounds in the condition they are in, is absurd!

Except that people keep paying.

Seems like we're in a loop here cycling between the crowd that says price raises are ridiculous, and the crowd that says it doesn't seem to matter. Bottom line: both groups are correct, as is that contingent castigating TDO for not keeping up on maintenance and new construction, both in the parks and in the hotels.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Tickets to Six Flags over Georgia are listed at $69.99 to buy in park. Last time we went it was extremely disappointing with lackluster employees and not a fun atmosphere. One park tickets to Dollywood are $69.00 with a combo pass for the park and water park at $79.00. My opinion is that I feel much more immersed at Disney than I do at the other parks I have listed. Whenever we go to Disney we aren't paying for an amusement park as much as we are paying for an experience AT an amusement park, which to me is worth the little extra money, especially when you know that they are going to raise prices every year.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Prices increase, and the number of guests doesn't decrease. What is Disney's incentive to change one iota of their strategy? They need C/D level people-eaters at MK, and D/E "highlighters", and a lot of them, at all of the other parks to draw people away from MK. GotG and Rat and Mary Poppins at Epcot isn't going to cut it. Two rides at SW:GE isn't going to cut it. But this is what we get to enjoy after Iger ignored WDW for the first 6-7 years as CEO, and then underbuilt the Fantasyland expansion while blowing a ton of cash on guest tracking devices so they could reduce staffing. Maybe that'll ultimately be his legacy, underbuilding and replacing existing rides with lower-capacity ones.

Instead of raising ticket prices to encourage people not to come to the parks due to overcrowding, why not put more rides in the other 3 parks? And I mean rides, not lands with 2 rides and more restaurants and shops. The reason MK is so popular is because there is so much to do, so many rides in each land and it has the longest hours. Or don’t sell MK as a one day ticket, just part of the multi day passes. If you are building more hotels that isn’t going to help the overcrowded parks. Clearly with all the new DVC lodging being built they are reaching for the higher income clientele.

Just curious - Other than Riviera, what other DVC lodging is being built currently? VGF was a rather small addition, and the Poly DVC was a modest number of villas added.

 

[21stamps]

Tickets to Six Flags over Georgia are listed at $69.99 to buy in park. Last time we went it was extremely disappointing with lackluster employees and not a fun atmosphere. One park tickets to Dollywood are $69.00 with a combo pass for the park and water park at $79.00. My opinion is that I feel much more immersed at Disney than I do at the other parks I have listed. Whenever we go to Disney we aren't paying for an amusement park as much as we are paying for an experience AT an amusement park, which to me is worth the little extra money, especially when you know that they are going to raise prices every year.

I’ve said the following many times, in many threads-

Sometimes understanding prices has less to do with being a ‘Disney Apologist’, and more to do with personal experiences.
For those of who live within driving distance to major amusement parks, we understand why Disney is priced higher.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Instead of raising ticket prices to encourage people not to come to the parks due to overcrowding, why not put more rides in the other 3 parks? And I mean rides, not lands with 2 rides and more restaurants and shops. The reason MK is so popular is because there is so much to do, so many rides in each land and it has the longest hours.

It is surprising how many people think that MK IS THE ONLY PARK - and they call IT Disney World.

In other words, even if you put more rides in the other 3 parks, IMO it would barely make a dent in the crowding at MK.

 

[skyphotographer]

There are only 2 things that I believe could cause Disney to change the current course they are on.

1. A major economic recession (people stop coming)

2. More quality competition in the Orlando area (people go somewhere else)

 

[Chef Mickey]

McDonalds the corporation is very different than McDonalds the local fast food place

What if I told you... having people pay you to resell your goods and operate your concepts is very profitable

Can we contrast even more different ideas?

I just threw out one example to show people there are all kinds of ways to make money and many businesses make even more than Disney on a per dollar basis. The goal wasn't to contrast a similar business. If we do that, we'll see similar margins at competing theme parks.

Disney makes money, but they are making a reasonable return. You ask the "average" person and they think Disney makes money hand over fist, pays no taxes, and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[flynnibus]

Disney makes money, but they are making a reasonable return. You ask the "average" person and they think Disney makes money hand over fist, pays no taxes, and laugh all the way to the bank.

Let's just be clear... customers are idiots when it comes to assuming the constraints of a business But people also selectively pick and choose perspectives based on what position they want... aka division vs BU vs parent/subsidiary/etc. So without full context, statements are correct, but also incorrect.

In case in point... I think your meme... and fitting for a meme.. is based in truth, but improperly uses it to project another claim.

But Disney is a very unique beast... and profit and margins change wildly depending on how micro vs macro level you look.

PnR as a whole generates huge revenues and profits... but it is also a very 'expensive' business to run.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Let's just be clear... customers are idiots when it comes to assuming the constraints of a business But people also selectively pick and choose perspectives based on what position they want... aka division vs BU vs parent/subsidiary/etc. So without full context, statements are correct, but also incorrect.

In case in point... I think your meme... and fitting for a meme.. is based in truth, but improperly uses it to project another claim.

But Disney is a very unique beast... and profit and margins change wildly depending on how micro vs macro level you look.

PnR as a whole generates huge revenues and profits... but it is also a very 'expensive' business to run.

No question...it was just designed to show people that businesses can be smart in how they make money and that not everything is as it seems. As you said, parks are a very expensive business to run.

I realized why I chose MCD. Someone earlier referenced McDonald's selling $0.89 hamburgers like they are doing a service to society, but I pointed out McDonald's is essentially making money in other ways. I haven't studied MCD in detail, but I bet they make decent money on the food too.

PnR is the only growing business at the moment, unfortunately...which I think is why we are seeing even more pricing power being leveraged. They know they've got us.

 

[wdisney9000]

Disney is not increasing capacity. They are merely replacing old rides with new ones. In fact, while the new attractions are being constructed, capacity is actually reduced. To raise prices at this time, with the parks and grounds in the condition they are in, is absurd!

I believe that is the difference between the Eisner era vs Iger era. I grew up going to WDW in the Eisner era.

**The Eisner years saw entire theme parks built. MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon. Also ADDED attractions to Epcot, MK and MGM over the years

** Iger has very, very slowly added a few attractions and reskinned a few others.

**Eisner completely changed the landscape of the WDW resorts by building the value, moderates, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge and adding the entire Boardwalk area along with the resorts that reside there.

**Iger added AoA but mostly added DVC to existing resorts.

My entire family was pass holders pretty much every year throughout the 90's and early 2000's. We visited several times a year and I remember that there was always construction going on but it did not interfere with the flow of the parks because most of the construction was not inside existing parks, it was new parks being constructed. Even with new parks being added, the ticket prices never saw dramatic price hikes and our middle class family was able to afford AP's for 6 people every year. My dad even took several years off work to complete getting his law degree and it was only my mom working (Registered Nurse) and we could still afford it. I dont recall crowd levels being nearly as insane as they can get today. Customer service and food portions were much better as well. Now, we see lower food portions, less CM's on staff and most are not as enthusiastic as in the past. I recall nearly every time we rode Haunted Mansion, the CM's played the part well when you entered the mansion and then into the portrait room. Nowadays youre lucky if they arent chatting amongst themselves about what they did night before as they wave you past.

I am not hailing Eisner as the best person ever, but his era sure did seem different to what we currently have. I am still an AP holder, still visit often and love WDW. Iger has done some good things as well. I really like Pandora and am looking forward to SWL. But I am not a fan of the current execs decisions to force planning months out.

 

[flynnibus]

No question...it was just designed to show people that businesses can be smart in how they make money and that not everything is as it seems. As you said, parks are a very expensive business to run.

Yeah, everyone hates paying inflated prices for food... or a T-shirt.. but we all love to forget someone is paying for the guy powerwashing the parking lot... paying for the guy cutting those acres and acres and acres of grass along the road.. etc.

PnR is the only growing business at the moment, unfortunately...which I think is why we are seeing even more pricing power being leveraged. They know they've got us.

It's an area where variable pricing has been introduced and now accepted... so its a lot easier to keep adjusting without creating huge ripples. Customers don't like the spend... but they haven't shut off yet.

Unlike a lot of other businesses that do that... PnR is so capital intensive its gonna be really ugly when it comes time to contract because saturation is hit and the downslide starts.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

 

[plkkak]

What people fail to realize is that crowding levels are determined by guest experience and tolerance. Guests show they are satisfied with the current crowd levels given the current attractions/capacity. If they weren't satisfied, attendance would drop. If Disney builds more attractions resulting in a higher capacity, the parks will crowd at the same relative levels as now, unless Disney limits crowds by raising prices substantially higher. If they build more things, it will not feel as if they've increased capacity.

 

[GhostHost1000]

in my opinion, there are A LOT of issues with the crowds right now.. they have done this to themselves by being so stagnant in expansion over the last 10 years while more people are coming. It's time to EXPAND... not just replace existing attractions (they can do that as well). Each park needs expansion of some kind - more attractions also means more people in those attractions and therefore more room to maneuver etc. Once that occurs then a 5th gate of some kind would definitely spread out crowds more. I know this will not happen and is crazy to even think about... but they need to EXPAND and disperse crowds into the future

... and oh yeah...one other thing that would help - .quit taking 3 years to finish a project

 

[plkkak]

in my opinion, there are A LOT of issues with the crowds right now.. they have done this to themselves by being so stagnant in expansion over the last 10 years while more people are coming. It's time to EXPAND... not just replace existing attractions (they can do that as well). Each park needs expansion of some kind - more attractions also means more people in those attractions and therefore more room to maneuver etc. Once that occurs then a 5th gate of some kind would definitely spread out crowds more. I know this will not happen and is crazy to even think about... but they need to EXPAND and disperse crowds into the future

... and oh yeah...one other thing that would help - .quit taking 3 years to finish a project

People are happy with the current crowd levels, otherwise attendance would drop. If and when Disney adds capacity, it will just get filled with more visitors so it's basically at the same level as now.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Prices increase, and the number of guests doesn't decrease

Which is fine for Disney because of where the increase in number of guests have occurred.

We don't have a situation where the crowded summer months are now super-crowded. Just the opposite, summer crowds abated a bit. Which is good news for people who go in the summer.

It's the off-peak months which are now crowded... although I don't want to say 'crowded' in the sense you can't move, but, there are no more slow days. We saw this a few years ago with a really crowded fall, but the winter post-holiday was still light. (So, they laid off workers and people cried #ThanksShanghai.)

But now, the post-holiday winter is as crowded as fall which is as crowded as summer.

Prices went up, but discounts remained for off-peak times. And special events during the traditional off-peak times grew (Halloween, Arts).

The pricing structure and the black out dates and the discounts and the special events did exactly what WDW wanted: keep the parks filled every week of the year.

 

[plkkak]

Which is fine for Disney because of where the increase in number of guests have occurred.

We don't have a situation where the crowded summer months are now super-crowded. Just the opposite, summer crowds abated a bit. Which is good news for people who go in the summer.

It's the off-peak months which are now crowded... although I don't want to say 'crowded' in the sense you can't move, but, there are no more slow days. We saw this a few years ago with a really crowded fall, but the winter post-holiday was still light. (So, they laid off workers and people cried #ThanksShanghai.)

But now, the post-holiday winter is as crowded as full as crowded as summer.

Prices went up, but discounts remained for off-peak times. And special events during the traditional off-peak times grew (Halloween, Arts).

The pricing structure and the black out dates and the discounts and the special events did exactly what WDW wanted: keep the parks filled every week of the year.

Exactly. Disney has capacity utilization down to a science.

 

[HauntedPirate]

What people fail to realize is that crowding levels are determined by guest experience and tolerance. Guests show they are satisfied with the current crowd levels given the current attractions/capacity. If they weren't satisfied, attendance would drop. If Disney builds more attractions resulting in a higher capacity, the parks will crowd at the same relative levels as now, unless Disney limits crowds by raising prices substantially higher. If they build more things, it will not feel as if they've increased capacity.

For every guest that takes a survey or complains about crowd levels, wait times, etc., how many just leave? I think there's more dissatisfaction around crowd levels and wait times but since it doesn't show up in the bottom lines numbers right now, Disney is continuing to go full steam ahead with their current strategy. Remember the old Michael Eisner saying - "Fool them into thinking they are having a good time". (I wish I could remember where I saw that originally...). They continue to fool people into thinking they are having a good time. There will be a point where attendance decreases, I just fear what it will take for that to happen.

This is why MK needs people eaters while the other parks need showcase attractions.