A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[MagicHappens1971]

WDW Hotels are already overpriced for the market by a factor of at least 3x, I can see FP being a 'onsite only' perk, only onsite guests could have more than 3 FP's or FP's being 'free' for onsite guests and an upcharge option for 'day' guests and the last one I think is the most likely as it most closely tracks WDW's current mania for upcharge items..

You know I consider putting you on ignore but your posts are so comical. Universal CHARGES for FastPass and gives resort guests it for free, not Cabana Bay though because it's a "value" and they don't deserve the same perks as the "deluxe" hotels. But you keep thinking what you think

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Or go to Bora Bora and actually be able to dive off your bungalow into a real lagoon and still pay about 2/3 of the Disney 'Pizza Hut Villa' price including airfare...

Really? Still trying to go there? That place has zero interest for us. We would go stir crazy inside a day.

 

[BernardandBianca]

No kidding. Last week, I priced a week at the Poly and realized I can go to Europe for less than the overall package price.

I priced one night at the Contempo for the night of the Destination D23 event (November 19), and the Florida Resident, annual passholder price was $1274, down from $14?? A real bargain.

And to Luv, all of Europe is the comparison to WDW. (You might be the only person I know of who thinks going to Europe rates a comparison to going to a theme park.)

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Or go to Bora Bora and actually be able to dive off your bungalow into a real lagoon and still pay about 2/3 of the Disney 'Pizza Hut Villa' price including airfare...

Oh, and I don't know where you live, but from where I live, the absolute cheapest airfare we could get is about $4,800. We haven't spent even half that amount for ANY Disney vacation. Please stop with the nonsense.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I priced one night at the Contempo for the night of the Destination D23 event (November 19), and the Florida Resident, annual passholder price was $1274, down from $14?? A real bargain.

Bit disingenuous, wouldn't you say? That rate is either for a Hospitality Suite or a 1 bedroom DVC villa. Normal hotel rooms there are in the $450-500 range.

And to Luv, all of Europe is the comparison to WDW. (You might be the only person I know of who thinks going to Europe rates a comparison to going to a theme park.)

My comparison is because people are trying to compare the two. WDW has theme parks. Except for Paris, Europe does not. Doesn't matter how you look at it, it is apples and oranges, and 2 completely different kinds of vacations. You might think it's the same, but it simply isn't. When you go to Europe you are pretty much sightseeing. If that is all you are doing in Orlando, then stay off-site and sight see without ever setting foot on Disney property. Much cheaper than Europe.

 

[flyerjab]

Oh, and I don't know where you live, but from where I live, the absolute cheapest airfare we could get is about $4,800. We haven't spent even half that amount for ANY Disney vacation. Please stop with the nonsense.

Well, maybe his airplane is made out of tinfoil, just like the fedora he sports. That might lower the cost of his airfare.

He is a funny man though. Someone that complains this much about WDW, but still has 800 DVC points and frequently visits the parks...is, well...fascinating, on some type of psychological scale.

And even though this post will most likely be deleted, it still felt good typing it.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Well, maybe his airplane is made out of tinfoil, just like the fedora he sports. That might lower the cost of his airfare.

He is a funny man though. Someone that complains this much about WDW, but still has 800 DVC points and frequently visits the parks...is, well...fascinating, on some type of psychological scale.

And even though this post will most likely be deleted, it still felt good typing it.

Why would it be deleted, when it is factual?

 

[pax_65]

Personally I'm relieved reading all the Pixie Dusters on these boards. It gives me hope that I'll be able to sell my DVC membership if things get any worse.

 

[FigmentJedi]

 

[CDavid]

Really? Where, and what theme parks are you visiting there that compare to WDW?

Most people have interests which extend to varied destinations, not just all theme parks, all the time.

WDW has theme parks. Except for Paris, Europe does not.

Never heard of Legoland or Port Aventura I take it? There is a long list of parks across Europe, but again, most tourists are going to have other priorities. A park doesn't have to have the Disney name in front of it to be worthwhile (just ask Universal). Do you travel all the way to Orlando to eat at McDonald's and shop at Wal-Mart? It's the same principle.

When you go to Europe you are pretty much sightseeing. If that is all you are doing in Orlando, then stay off-site and sight see without ever setting foot on Disney property. Much cheaper than Europe.

Are you serious??? Did you actually just compare sightseeing in the city of Orlando to the entire continent of Europe? Can you honestly not think of anything worthwhile to see in all of Europe outside of the Disney Parks? Unbelievable.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

This easily applies to Post Walt WDP and Eisner/Iger btw.
https://steveblank.com/2016/10/24/w...ballmer-and-why-he-still-has-his-job-at-apple

 

[ford91exploder]

You know I consider putting you on ignore but your posts are so comical. Universal CHARGES for FastPass and gives resort guests it for free, not Cabana Bay though because it's a "value" and they don't deserve the same perks as the "deluxe" hotels. But you keep thinking what you think

You do know that UNI AP premium AP holders also get FOTL after 4PM. And the simple fact that Universal charges for FOTL is what makes me think Disney will eventually monetize FP for some classes of guest.

 

[ford91exploder]

This easily applies to Post Walt WDP and Eisner/Iger btw.
https://steveblank.com/2016/10/24/w...ballmer-and-why-he-still-has-his-job-at-apple

Yes exactly the case at Disney - great article!

 

[ford91exploder]

Most people have interests which extend to varied destinations, not just all theme parks, all the time.



Never heard of Legoland or Port Aventura I take it? There is a long list of parks across Europe, but again, most tourists are going to have other priorities. A park doesn't have to have the Disney name in front of it to be worthwhile (just ask Universal). Do you travel all the way to Orlando to eat at McDonald's and shop at Wal-Mart? It's the same principle.



Are you serious??? Did you actually just compare sightseeing in the city of Orlando to the entire continent of Europe? Can you honestly not think of anything worthwhile to see in all of Europe outside of the Disney Parks? Unbelievable.

Gee the wonders of the world are why Eisner created 'Adventures By Disney', Un freaking real, I like theme parks but there is so much to explore outside of theme parks. I'll never get to see 5% of what I want to see.

 

[ford91exploder]

Personally I'm relieved reading all the Pixie Dusters on these boards. It gives me hope that I'll be able to sell my DVC membership if things get any worse.

When I do sell I'll feel a moment of guilt but Barnum's observation holds true so I will not feel bad for long.

 

[Bairstow]

Are you serious??? Did you actually just compare sightseeing in the city of Orlando to the entire continent of Europe? Can you honestly not think of anything worthwhile to see in all of Europe outside of the Disney Parks? Unbelievable.

No, he didn't.
Wasn't his point that comparing a stay at a Disney resort to a trip to Europe is an apples/oranges comparison?

 

[GoofGoof]

Actually they did not make Orlando a 'Blue Ocean', They deluded themselves into Disney is number one and no one can compete and ignored their competition If Disney had CONTINUED to build they could have indeed made WDW 'Blue Ocean' but they did not do so. DCL and DVC were at the time and still are 'Blue Ocean' new innovative and almost impossible to copy.

Letting a classic theme park get stale and strip mining it for cash is not 'Blue Ocean' it's vulture capitalism at it's worst. Now UNI has a 10 year lead on building new attractions and they are putting new E-tickets online at once every 18 months or so what COULD have been 'Blue Ocean' is now as you say redder than ever.

Do you really think that if WDW added a new e-ticket every year during the period in question that Universal and Sea World and LegoLand and all that other "crap" on Intl Drive would never have been built? I'm guessing no. The more popular WDW became the more competition would have been built. It was inevitable. Disney could/did differentiate itself by having a higher level of quality than local competitors for years but IMHO it was really more of the competition upping their game that ended that run than anything Disney could control.

 

[SorcererMC]

Do you really think that if WDW added a new e-ticket every year during the period in question that Universal and Sea World and LegoLand and all that other "crap" on Intl Drive would never have been built? I'm guessing no. The more popular WDW became the more competition would have been built. It was inevitable. Disney could/did differentiate itself by having a higher level of quality than local competitors for years but IMHO it was really more of the competition upping their game that ended that run than anything Disney could control.

Sort of. It was not inevitable and only partially a function of quality/product differentiation. WDW built their monopoly/ market dominance up through the 1990-2000s, which kept out other players via self-selection (ie barrier to entry); only Universal had deep pockets and could spend to up their game (SeaWorld tried and was moderately successful up to a point). UO is still the only theme park in the vicinity with any significant complementarity to WDW; hence the lockstep ticket price increases (a functional oligopoly). UO's attendance started to decline after 2007 as a response to the annual rate hikes, while WDW attendance started growing again (WDW price increases attracted higher income consumers; plus the international tourist market recovered after the 2008 recession).

WDW can't control their competition, but they are the still the dominant player - so they command the pricing structure. All the while they only have to invest the minimum in building new rides and attractions (eg NFL) to maintain their position, while extracting consumer surplus (eg upcharge events). WDW didn't build more because they didn't have to; they could profit max without spending more. (The game is afoot with SW though IMO - it will be interesting to see how the market changes over the next two years and pricing strategy).

 

[BernardandBianca]

No, he didn't.
Wasn't his point that comparing a stay at a Disney resort to a trip to Europe is an apples/oranges comparison?

No, the original poster compared the cost of a WDW stay to a trip to Europe. Luv is the one who tried to compare the trips themselves to theme parks.

And flights from Orlando to Bora Bora in mid-November will run you $3009, per Expedia two minutes ago.

 

[GoofGoof]

Sort of. It was not inevitable and only partially a function of quality/product differentiation. WDW built their monopoly/ market dominance up through the 1990-2000s, which kept out other players via self-selection (ie barrier to entry); only Universal had deep pockets and could spend to up their game (SeaWorld tried and was moderately successful up to a point). UO is still the only theme park in the vicinity with any significant complementarity to WDW; hence the lockstep ticket price increases (a functional oligopoly). UO's attendance started to decline after 2007 as a response to the annual rate hikes, while WDW attendance started growing again (WDW price increases attracted higher income consumers; plus the international tourist market recovered after the 2008 recession).

WDW can't control their competition, but they are the still the dominant player - so they command the pricing structure. All the while they only have to invest the minimum in building new rides and attractions (eg NFL) to maintain their position, while extracting consumer surplus (eg upcharge events). WDW didn't build more because they didn't have to; they could profit max without spending more. (The game is afoot with SW though IMO - it will be interesting to see how the market changes over the next two years and pricing strategy).

I agree with this. It was Universal's decision to up their quality combined with the purchase of the Harry Potter rights which has led to their parks being on par with Disney's parks in the market. There seems to be an idea out there that somehow Disney could have prevented Universal from competing by investing more at WDW. My opinion is that the only thing that could have severely limited Universal's success would have been buying those Harry Potter rights. Universal still would have had the opportunity to raise the bar without Potter but that single decision to buy Potter gave Uni the customer base to feel confident spending heavily on the rest of the parks.