Same experience here. Even on Thanksgiving week I found it easy to use. We would usually do one park in the morning and then plan another in the evening. It was really easy to line things up and I felt like there was good value. I was skeptical of the change but it worked for us and was less stressful/time consuming than Genie+. My only complaint is Epcot. I hope tiers go away when Test Track re-opens.
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Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Same experience here. Even on Thanksgiving week I found it easy to use. We would usually do one park in the morning and then plan another in the evening. It was really easy to line things up and I felt like there was good value. I was skeptical of the change but it worked for us and was less stressful/time consuming than Genie+. My only complaint is Epcot. I hope tiers go away when Test Track re-opens.
Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
www.wdwmagic.com
bwr827
Well-Known Member
Ridiculous price but I’m assuming it’s only for that Xmas/NY week. We were first at the rope one day this week, and Mine Train was down.Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
Magic Kingdom's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Sees 35 Percent Lightning Lane Price Increase
Even with the disappointment of missing that zero-line experience, there was no way we’d shell out for the Lightning Lane.
There is probably no way to accurately capture this data but,...
I would love to know what people think of the "entire" cost of their Disney trip "after" it was over. (transportation, parking, tickets, food, hotel and app purchases and merchandise)
In other words, they spend a ton of money and then they get home and add it all up. When they see their credit card bill a month later, they say:
1.) "Yes, it wasn't too expensive and to me, it was completely worth every penny and I'm going back SOON."
2.) "Yeah, it was expensive and some of it was not worth it but "maybe" I'll do it again in a few years"
3.) "It was terribly expensive and looking back now?...it wasn't worth it and I'll never do that again"
I tend to think this is common: When you are at Disney, you get "high" in the moment and you spend money on stuff that you might not otherwise do. So, "in the moment" you are happy. But then you get home and back to the real world and see how much you spent, you might begin to question your spending choices.
Again, this might be hard to capture, but if high numbers of guests fall into point #1? Yep, Disney is in excellent shape and they can move forward with no worry or concern. However, if high numbers of guests fall into point #3? Then Disney is in deep doo doo. This means they are gaining profit "today" but turning people off form ever doing it again "tomorrow" and damaging Disney's brand in the long term.
Ever buy something and then wind up regretting that you did? It's called "buyer's remorse" and I'd guess that we ALL have done that before. I wonder how much of Disney's high prices today will fall into the "buyer's remorse" category for too many people when the party is over.
I dunno.....maybe nobody does? Maybe only time will tell in maybe 3-5 years?
I would love to know what people think of the "entire" cost of their Disney trip "after" it was over. (transportation, parking, tickets, food, hotel and app purchases and merchandise)
In other words, they spend a ton of money and then they get home and add it all up. When they see their credit card bill a month later, they say:
1.) "Yes, it wasn't too expensive and to me, it was completely worth every penny and I'm going back SOON."
2.) "Yeah, it was expensive and some of it was not worth it but "maybe" I'll do it again in a few years"
3.) "It was terribly expensive and looking back now?...it wasn't worth it and I'll never do that again"
I tend to think this is common: When you are at Disney, you get "high" in the moment and you spend money on stuff that you might not otherwise do. So, "in the moment" you are happy. But then you get home and back to the real world and see how much you spent, you might begin to question your spending choices.
Again, this might be hard to capture, but if high numbers of guests fall into point #1? Yep, Disney is in excellent shape and they can move forward with no worry or concern. However, if high numbers of guests fall into point #3? Then Disney is in deep doo doo. This means they are gaining profit "today" but turning people off form ever doing it again "tomorrow" and damaging Disney's brand in the long term.
Ever buy something and then wind up regretting that you did? It's called "buyer's remorse" and I'd guess that we ALL have done that before. I wonder how much of Disney's high prices today will fall into the "buyer's remorse" category for too many people when the party is over.
I dunno.....maybe nobody does? Maybe only time will tell in maybe 3-5 years?
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HoustonHorn
Premium Member
It is fascinating that you asked this, because my post-trip survey was 100% about value. Disney even had a question where you input your trip costs, broken down by hotel, tickets, LL, food, merch, etc. Then they asked value for the individual components. Looking back, I should have screenshotted and shared it here, because in all of my trips, this was the most unique and specific survey I'd received. It was also interesting that there were not narrative questions - just the one fill-in-the-blank on costs, then rating questions for value.
Based on the conversations here, that survey (and the other survey I received about EPCOT, which is the only park-specific survey I received), and the anecdotal observations/conversations I overheard, I really do think they are seeing people spending their vacation dollars in different ways - less merch, fewer TS rezzies, more LL. Which is great for Disney and bad for the customers, assuming that the margins on LL are higher than merch (likely) and MUCH higher than on restaurants (also likely, even at their prices).
For me and the way I like to Disney, this new paradigm just costs me more money. Especially when it's just my daughter and me (like this trip), we do not spend much on merch (other than an obscene amount on pressed pennies), and we really just snack with very few TS meals. But I want to experience as many attractions as I can, and I'm willing to pay for that, so I do. I'm curious (and I think Disney is curious) whether people who buy tons of merch or eat TS every day will shift those spending priorities to LL.
Very, very interesting!
I think that Disney getting people to pay higher and higher....and HIGHER prices,...is not really "that" hard to do! Disney has room to go WAY up there and people WILL be inclined to pay it..."one-time"
I think that as prices climb higher and higher, the chances of people accepting that a "second" or "third" time?... falls VERY quickly. People who would travel once every year or two now switch to once every three to five years....or even less.
"If" people buy something and they feel they got their money's worth?...they will keep buying it again.
"If" people buy something and then feel "ripped-off"...they will NOT buy it again!
I'm not saying Disney is ripping anybody off. No! I'm only saying that getting people to pay very high prices on everything is NOT a "victory" for them...if people that did it "once" are so turned off buy it,...that they never do it again?? That's NOT a "victory" at all.
I don't know,..I really don't. But, this is a possible win for Disney "today" that turns into a "brand-damage" loss two to five years down the road. Perhaps so?
It's impossible to see today, it's still too early to know what the long-term effects will be. Even "if" Disney Research can capture a future problem in surveys...I seriously doubt that Burbank would listen to Disney Research and change course.
To me, Burbank seems to be only deeply concerned with TEMPORARY, quarter-over-quarter revenue generation and NOT worried about long-term brand damage.
I think that Disney getting people to pay higher and higher....and HIGHER prices,...is not really "that" hard to do! Disney has room to go WAY up there and people WILL be inclined to pay it..."one-time"
I think that as prices climb higher and higher, the chances of people accepting that a "second" or "third" time?... falls VERY quickly. People who would travel once every year or two now switch to once every three to five years....or even less.
"If" people buy something and they feel they got their money's worth?...they will keep buying it again.
"If" people buy something and then feel "ripped-off"...they will NOT buy it again!
I'm not saying Disney is ripping anybody off. No! I'm only saying that getting people to pay very high prices on everything is NOT a "victory" for them...if people that did it "once" are so turned off buy it,...that they never do it again?? That's NOT a "victory" at all.
I don't know,..I really don't. But, this is a possible win for Disney "today" that turns into a "brand-damage" loss two to five years down the road. Perhaps so?
It's impossible to see today, it's still too early to know what the long-term effects will be. Even "if" Disney Research can capture a future problem in surveys...I seriously doubt that Burbank would listen to Disney Research and change course.
To me, Burbank seems to be only deeply concerned with TEMPORARY, quarter-over-quarter revenue generation and NOT worried about long-term brand damage.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
This has been the case since Chapek first introduced Genie+ in 2021.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
They always have been about quarter over quarter revenue generation but they were better at hiding it. Another thing at least IMO is Iger and Burbank don't understand the parks.
I would say that in past decades, linear (cable TV) and the studios were FAR more successful at bringing in revenue. So many Disney moves were automatic 1 billion+ box office draws and cable affiliate checks and ad-sales dollars were flowing like Niagara falls into Disney.
The studios in the past 5 years are failing terribly and cable contracts are dying. Disney dumped an estimated 15 billion into Disney Plus and is only "now" beginning to make it's very first dollar in profit!! How many years will Disney need to recover and dig out of that initial 15 billion dollar hole? Then you have another 9+ billion spent to buy the remainder of HULU? Add that to the 15 billion of Disney +. Let's also not forget that 70+ billion spent (lost) on Fox And,...Disney took out billions on "survival" loans during the pandemic that they are servicing everyday to pay down?
Yes,...parks attendance is dropping. This is not "fan-hate-talk-rumors" this is "Burbank" admitting this several times publicly to investors and it's SEC filings! This is 100% FACT verified publicly by Burbank HQ. (No, Disney is not lying to us. Disney HATES admitting this)
If park guests are dropping, this means that Disney MUST raise ARPU (average revenue per user) on the guests that DO go. It's the ONLY way to recover the lost money from the people that are not going this year.
So far, the last quarterly says that Burbank's plan is working. Parks revenue with higher prices ARE keeping overall profit flat and holding.....FOR NOW.
Let's see how many quarters this continues to work. I suspect that in 2025, this business tactic will cave in. I think it will get them through the holidays this year but next spring and summer, these inflated prices will back-fire on Burbank.
1.) Attendance drops
2.) Raise prices to compensate.
3.) Attendance drops more.
4.) Raise prices even more to compensate.
5.) Wash, rinse and repeat.
I don't think this business model is sustainable. It's like the proverbial snake that is swallowing it's own tail. Sure, it can swallow itself for a little while,..but eventually it comes to an end where it just can't keep going.
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networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
We just returned from two weeks at WDW and never did any LLs. Hit all the headliners with minimal waits multiple times, VQ'd those that had them during the morning drops and generally had a wonderful time. Different, quieter, and generally more refined crowd that Spring Break and late September.
How were "official" posted wait times versus actual wait times? We are hearing lots of talk about Disney "inflating" posted wait times to scare people into buying into the app.
I have two CM friends that told me that if a guest asks them what the "real" wait time is, they are MANDATED to repeat only the "official" posted time. They are NOT allowed to look at a que that they know is only 15 min and tell that to a guest. If the official time says 65min,..they must say that and NOT the "real" 15min.
I'm sorry folks,...that does not bother the strong Burbank defenders here on this forum...but that bothers me. It's a dishonest way to get people to pay for something they might not need. They prey on guests that don't know better.
Also,...do you know how to make lines LONGER at Pirates if they are not long enough? You deliberately take boats OUT of the water and keep less boats moving in circulation. Etc..
Keep that app money on your phone flowing!
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Ayla
Well-Known Member
To be fair, very few people can take a leisurely, two week vacation. The average length is 5-7 days.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Life isnt fair. Play the game, make your choices, live with the consequences.
DisDude33
Well-Known Member
Easily spoken by someone that the game (which is equal parts chance and skill) has treated well.
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
Can we bop back a page here and look at LL pricing again?
I’m trying to figure out pricing for our trip, which extends through New Years and into the first couple days of Jan. The page hosted by WDW Magic doesn’t list prices past 12/31. (It had been listing prices out a week further than I could see on MDE). And the price they had listed for the 28th at Epcot/MGM didn’t match what MDE eventually showed. It does now list the higher expected price. (Example: it had said $29 for MGM on 12/29. Now it says $35. But I can only see out through the 28th on MDE and now I don’t know what’s what.
Just feeling frustrated with the whole system.
I’m trying to figure out pricing for our trip, which extends through New Years and into the first couple days of Jan. The page hosted by WDW Magic doesn’t list prices past 12/31. (It had been listing prices out a week further than I could see on MDE). And the price they had listed for the 28th at Epcot/MGM didn’t match what MDE eventually showed. It does now list the higher expected price. (Example: it had said $29 for MGM on 12/29. Now it says $35. But I can only see out through the 28th on MDE and now I don’t know what’s what.
Just feeling frustrated with the whole system.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
Yeah, so @wdwmagic’s numbers were wrong. I made my purchases today. It was up to $39 for basically all of Christmas week for MK. It did go up from last year.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
The numbers were wrong. Also, WDW clearly didn’t have access to numbers past the 21 day mark, the data they were publishing past that point was wrong. Nobody knows what the price will be past the 28th since that’s 21 days from now.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I won't pontificate drawing attention away from Lightning Lane. Currently LL works well for both standby and those who choose to purchase expedited entry. LL lanes are not overflowing and the standby lines move thanks to the removal of unplanned capacity consumption by DAS parties. Value of LL is the primary focus now and personal justification of it's cost based on crowd levels. Rides have a fixed maximum capacity per hour and planned consumption works well right now.
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the confirmation.
I’ve taken over a half dozen trips since this got implemented and was able to do it with 5.5 days in the park. Needed Early Entry to do it, but otherwise had no issues.