News from the New York Times today: "Is a Disney Theme Park Vacation Still Worth the Price?"

[zombiebbq]

New York Times - "Is a Disney Theme Park Vacation Still Worth the Price?"

The article itself covers a lot, has thoughts from Len. Many discussion points that we've discussed here at length.

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts, it's the New York Times so not some click baity site. (There are ways to get around the paywall to read if necessary.)

Comments on that article are at almost 700 and counting in the six or so hours it's been live. Very telling in my opinion and I wonder what the next year or so will bring as there seems to be a strong negative sentiment growing for the theme parks amongst the general public.

 

[wdwmagic]

We have similar threads on this topic, so please try to keep this thread specific to the related article from NYT. Thanks.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Hard to comment on a paywalled article. And no, I'm not bothering to take the time to "figure out how to get around the paywall". If it's not working in Firefox with NoScript blocking everything, I'm not reading it.

 

[TalkingHead]

The quotes supplied by the Disney spokesperson are so deluded. The gold mine is the 857 reader comments lambasting the current parks experience. Someone in management might want to address that.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

No.

 

[lentesta]

Gift link to the NYT article.

Also the Wall Street Journal today: "Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer."

 

[christine7257]

Thanks, Len. Great article. To see prices have gone up 25% is one thing but to see 70% of that is due to now charging for things that used to be free is another. Wow.

And this is so true:

“I’ve had a number of people in the last few years say, ‘We priced it out and we could take our children to eat pizza in the Italy pavilion in Epcot or for the same money we could actually go to Italy for two weeks. We’re going to go to Italy for two weeks.’”​

​

I keep going because I'm local and have deep nostalgia for the parks but certainly couldn't blame anyone for "doing the math" and saying no thanks.

 

[lentesta]

Thanks, Len. Great article. To see prices have gone up 25% is one thing but to see 70% of that is due to now charging for things that used to be free is another. Wow.

And this is so true:

“I’ve had a number of people in the last few years say, ‘We priced it out and we could take our children to eat pizza in the Italy pavilion in Epcot or for the same money we could actually go to Italy for two weeks. We’re going to go to Italy for two weeks.’”​

​

I keep going because I'm local and have deep nostalgia for the parks but certainly couldn't blame anyone for "doing the math" and saying no thanks.

I talk a lot on background, and this is one of the things I said a couple of months ago. Then on the earnings call this week, Disney mentioned Europe as one of the places people were going instead of WDW. I got a bunch of texts along the lines of "Uh, can you say that again on the record?"

 

[Jrb1979]

Gift link to the NYT article.

Also the Wall Street Journal today: "Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer."

From many people I know at different parks across the country attendance is down for the majority of them. It's definitely not about pricing for regional parks as you can get pretty cheap tickets.

IMO I think they are losing their popularity now especially when you compare how they are viewed on Europe.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Thanks, Len. Great article. To see prices have gone up 25% is one thing but to see 70% of that is due to now charging for things that used to be free is another. Wow.

Exactly! We all expect prices at Disney to go up - it’s the lack of value that is the issue for many.

 

[dtolman]

Yeah - the value proposition for Disney continues to decline. You can’t keep raising prices while prices at premiere overseas destinations decline or stay level, and be shocked at the result…

It also doesn’t help Disney that they continue to cross psychological barriers for hotel prices - 200, 300, etc even at the “value” or “moderate” ranges.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

It is about the experience. You could give me a 50% off discount for the entire trip and that will not fix the issues with capacity, attraction maintenance, closed/obsolete pavilions, reduced entertainment options, constant app refreshing, needlessly overly complicated queuing options, quality/appearance of the cast members, quality of the food, etc, etc, etc.

Having to experience all of that AND pay a premium is just the extra kick in the pants.

That is what they do not understand, continuing to erode the brand equity among consumers has decades long impact and cannot be undone by a discount.

It's exactly why you do not hear the same level of price complaints about the Disney Cruise - because they continue to provide a quality, consistent experience even at a higher price than competitors.

 

[DHSfanatic]

Gift link to the NYT article.

Also the Wall Street Journal today: "Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer."

OT but did you ever hear back from the WSJ about the column they ran by the guy who claimed a CM asked him to tip the CM playing Mickey at the Four Seasons character breakfast? I knew when I read that article that the guy was describing something that was very, very unlikely to have happened. The article is still up on their site with no correction or editor's note.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

New York Times - "Is a Disney Theme Park Vacation Still Worth the Price?"

The article itself covers a lot, has thoughts from Len. Many discussion points that we've discussed here at length.

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts, it's the New York Times so not some click baity site. (There are ways to get around the paywall to read if necessary.)

Comments on that article are at almost 700 and counting in the six or so hours it's been live. Very telling in my opinion and I wonder what the next year or so will bring as there seems to be a strong negative sentiment growing for the theme parks amongst the general public.

That’s why Len is the best. His plaque is on the wall at the hall.

I say this not just to acknowledge it…but to shhhh those that have taken to disputing his commentary on the OBVIOUS attendance drops in threads.

Hush, children

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

From many people I know at different parks across the country attendance is down for the majority of them. It's definitely not about pricing for regional parks as you can get pretty cheap tickets.

IMO I think they are losing their popularity now especially when you compare how they are viewed on Europe.

Attendance is down because of the rent and the grocery store

The middle class - which is always what amusement parks/family travel are designed for - are thoroughly crunched from the Covid price gouging. Huge economic hubris/developing failure. Whoever thought paying people $2 more an hour and then charging them 50% more for everything they buy was “offsetting math” must have study supply side at the university of Warsaw.

The problem for Disney is they are the poster child for this downturn…cause they always would be…and they are the most egregious abusers.

 

[Tha Realest]

Attendance is down because of the rent and the grocery store

The middle class - which is always what amusement parks/family travel are designed for - are thoroughly crunched from the Covid price gouging. Huge economic hubris/developing failure. Whoever thought paying people $2 more an hour and then charging them 50% more for everything they buy was “offsetting math” must have study supply side at the university of Warsaw.

The problem for Disney is they are the poster child for this downturn…cause they always would be…and they are the most egregious abusers.

That.

And, as I canvas others who aren’t necessarily as affected, those who have traveled there in recent years, they look at the value proposition with what it’s going to cost relative to what that got you in recent memory and they’re passing.

Our family, who went 2-3 times a year between 2017 and 2022, are now Universal and a regional theme park’s seasonal pass holders.

 

[lentesta]

OT but did you ever hear back from the WSJ about the column they ran by the guy who claimed a CM asked him to tip the CM playing Mickey at the Four Seasons character breakfast? I knew when I read that article that the guy was describing something that was very, very unlikely to have happened. The article is still up on their site with no correction or editor's note.

Nope. Nothing. I contacted the author and four WSJ people.

 

[zombiebbq]

Hard to comment on a paywalled article. And no, I'm not bothering to take the time to "figure out how to get around the paywall". If it's not working in Firefox with NoScript blocking everything, I'm not reading it.

My apologies, I know of ways to do so but it's sort of a grey area so I'll leave that to googling

 

[zombiebbq]

Gift link to the NYT article.

Also the Wall Street Journal today: "Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer."

Thank you, unfortunately I share my account with my dad so those are his gift articles to hand out haha. Appreciate it!

 

[larryz]

Gift link to the NYT article.

Also the Wall Street Journal today: "Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer."

Thanks, Len. The comments are scathing...