A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Goofyernmost]

More likely thay had fewer attractions, and multiple breakdowns since everything was cutting edge technology.

Look at the video again and explain to me how it had fewer attractions It's the same buildings (some with different attractions, some with less (ie. WoL). They were much slower Omni rides though. I don't ever recall a breakdown during those days.

 

[matt9112]

Yeah, I get that - but on the other hand, like I said, I honestly think both AK and the Studio's are half-parks to begin with, LOL - and EPCOT had a lot more back then (just the live entertainment alone was a nice afternoon). I don't feel like WDW has doubled as an experience, let's put it that way.

Regardless, since you can only be in one place at once, it seems an odd way to look at it - you are paying for the same amount of hours. Well, that's a lie...LOL, because the parks used to be open later back then and there were less "closing at 7PM for private/hard ticket event" crap going on, too.

In any case, those numbers are insane, especially when you consider admission isn't the real revenue stream anyway. When you look at how much more visitors rely on Disney for everything these days, people are a heck of a lot more profitable now. Back then, the average person stayed off-site, and ate 1 one meal on property, maybe 2, a day. And that was before stuffed animals cost $50, too.

When you consider that has totally flipped to staying on-site in premium priced accommodations (for what they would be worth anywhere else), buying 3 meals a day, all snacks, drinks, etc. from you, they don't step one foot off of your property for 6 or 7 days straight, and every cent you spend once you board the Magical Express until you are dropped off at the airport goes into Disney's pockets.

Hell, at this point, admission should be complementary when you truly figure how much more Disney is making these days versus back then, when they had just made all these capital investments to boot.



And that's what's so terribly sad. It didn't used to be a "high luxury item". It used to be a middle-class item, and even lower income people could save up for a "once in a lifetime trip" or drive down, stay on the strip, and still get to have pretty much the same day at Disney as anyone else. I think you'll find that was part of the charm - if you could get through those turnstyles, it didn't matter who you were.

Times have certainly changed. A lot of it was a slow creep, but MM+ just put that pedal to the metal and put the whole thing into overdrive. There was at least an approximation of it before, but now it's literally a special club with special magic bracelets and everything, and the new WDW steerage class - who ironically, are probably paying more for admission than anyone else. Cripes, it sounds like the health care system, LOL. Not so magical anymore.

I think the animal kingdom will become a wonderful full day park when all the changes are complete. Besides pandora all the small changes in animal kingdom are defidenly shaping up to add capacity and reason to stay longer.

Epcot really needs some work but honestly I think disney has just decided all its there for is food and drink sales....like why improve the theme park element.

To me the studios is one of the easier fixes because I honestly think if you thro>w money at it with good intent.

 

[Quinnmac000]

Disney was really smart to put that 6 minute ANT-man clip before Jurassic World....who would've thought it would of done this well except Marvel.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Thanks for the info @lentesta . Very interesting.

 

[matt9112]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 20% of US households by income, spend more on vacation each year than the bottom 80% combined. That's what Disney is focusing on.



Those of you with access to Disney's TA marketing material, look for a document titled "Selling Disney Destinations: Seven Market Segments." It lists Disney's 7 "priority" demographics, along with how much those families spend on vacation each year.

Here are those vacation spend levels: $1,860 / $3,100 / $3,820 / $4,170 / $6,970 / $7,650 / $7,890

6 of the 7 "priority" demographics are in the top 20% of US household incomes; two of them spend double what the top 20% does, which probably puts them in the top 5% (or higher).

To put that in perspective, 6 of Disney's 7 "priority" demographics come from households making $100,000/year or more. (Here's a handy tool to figure this out.) The top couple of demographics are probably from households making $140,000 - $180,000+ per year.

That said, I think a lot of this debate, including a lot of what I wrote, is really a proxy for a discussion about income inequality in general. I would care a whole lot less about the cost of a Disney vacation if it was affordable to the top 50% of US households instead of the top 20%. But that's another subject.

Are those numbers all costs? Or just cost for disney itself? I assume to latter? I don't make a ton of money but we really cut back and save to be able to go to disney. (This includes going on off season and being one of those filthy guests who use free dining)

 

[lentesta]

Are those numbers all costs? Or just cost for disney itself? I assume to latter? I don't make a ton of money but we really cut back and save to be able to go to disney. (This includes going on off season and being one of those filthy guests who use free dining)

The BLS numbers exclude transportation to the vacation, b/c that's really variable. The Disney numbers don't say whether they exclude transportation, but likely do; they probably include everything else though.

 

[wdisney9000]

The BLS numbers exclude transportation to the vacation, b/c that's really variable. The Disney numbers don't say whether they exclude transportation, but likely do; they probably include everything else though.

I was talking to a colleague just the other day and he told me that his trip to Dis/Orlando last year cost appx $7000. So the figures are accurate. But they spent only half the trip at Disney, other half on various places. Is that perhaps a reason for all the new DVC? Disney knows people are spending that amount but not all with them?

I would think that even though certain families spend $7000 per trip, they dont visit as often. A "true" Disney family would perhaps visit 5-10X more over the course of a few years if DVC was more affordable and therefore their total cumulative amount spent over a 5-10 year period would far exceed the $7,000 that the higher income households would spend just once in the same amount of time. Just a guess though.

oh ya,... West Sii-ide!

 

[phillip sugarman]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 20% of US households by income, spend more on vacation each year than the bottom 80% combined. That's what Disney is focusing on.

Those of you with access to Disney's TA marketing material, look for a document titled "Selling Disney Destinations: Seven Market Segments." It lists Disney's 7 "priority" demographics, along with how much those families spend on vacation each year.

Here are those vacation spend levels: $1,860 / $3,100 / $3,820 / $4,170 / $6,970 / $7,650 / $7,890

6 of the 7 "priority" demographics are in the top 20% of US household incomes; two of them spend double what the top 20% does, which probably puts them in the top 5% (or higher).

To put that in perspective, 6 of Disney's 7 "priority" demographics come from households making $100,000/year or more. (Here's a handy tool to figure this out.) The top couple of demographics are probably from households making $140,000 - $180,000+ per year.

That said, I think a lot of this debate, including a lot of what I wrote, is really a proxy for a discussion about income inequality in general. I would care a whole lot less about the cost of a Disney vacation if it was affordable to the top 50% of US households instead of the top 20%. But that's another subject.

Robert Niles from Themeparkinsider wrote an article today about income inequality and how Disney is mostly targeting the households that make $100,000/year and more. The article is a good read and relates to what you are saying.
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201506/4612/

 

[seascape]

I think it is important when looking at wealth percentages to understand that the bottom 50 percent have a net worth of 0. Also the medium family income is less than 50,000 and can't afford vacations. Only the to 50% can even think of a vacation and to say Disney goes after the top 40% of them is to be expected. Universal also goes after the top. And what percentage of the population do you think go to Europe and or Asia? This is what the world and and always has been.

 

[PhotoDave219]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 20% of US households by income, spend more on vacation each year than the bottom 80% combined. That's what Disney is focusing on.

Those of you with access to Disney's TA marketing material, look for a document titled "Selling Disney Destinations: Seven Market Segments." It lists Disney's 7 "priority" demographics, along with how much those families spend on vacation each year.

Here are those vacation spend levels: $1,860 / $3,100 / $3,820 / $4,170 / $6,970 / $7,650 / $7,890

6 of the 7 "priority" demographics are in the top 20% of US household incomes; two of them spend double what the top 20% does, which probably puts them in the top 5% (or higher).

To put that in perspective, 6 of Disney's 7 "priority" demographics come from households making $100,000/year or more. (Here's a handy tool to figure this out.) The top couple of demographics are probably from households making $140,000 - $180,000+ per year.

That said, I think a lot of this debate, including a lot of what I wrote, is really a proxy for a discussion about income inequality in general. I would care a whole lot less about the cost of a Disney vacation if it was affordable to the top 50% of US households instead of the top 20%. But that's another subject.

That is just..... I just don't have the words. Perhaps obscene? Mix that with the proposed tiered pricing and holy crap....

 

[flynnibus]

To put that in perspective, 6 of Disney's 7 "priority" demographics come from households making $100,000/year or more. (Here's a handy tool to figure this out.) The top couple of demographics are probably from households making $140,000 - $180,000+ per year.

The 100k+ number doesn't suprise me... we're talking about people who are looking to travel for extended vacations to a resort. But even in their upper ranks... I still don't want to spend the kind of money they are targeting.

 

[wdisney9000]

I think it is important when looking at wealth percentages to understand that the bottom 50 percent have a net worth of 0. Also the medium family income is less than 50,000 and can't afford vacations. Only the to 50% can even think of a vacation and to say Disney goes after the top 40% of them is to be expected. Universal also goes after the top. And what percentage of the population do you think go to Europe and or Asia? This is what the world and and always has been.

Ive helped plenty of friends who make less than $35k per year plan a Disney trip. Its not so much that lower income families cant afford to go, they just cant afford to go the way Disney wants them to visit. When Disney resorts out price an average income family, they will stay off site which opens up the window for them to visit Uni, Sea World or whatever else they find. If Disney was slightly more affordable, that same family would have stayed onsite and been in the bubble thus giving Disney that "bigger share of their wallet" that Rasulo promised.

On the other hand, Ive also helped friends who make over $70-100k plan a trip and while they can afford the higher prices of Disney resorts and tickets, they still chose to stay offsite for the simple fact they felt it was a rip off. They would rather pay $250-300 a night at a true 4-5 star resort than give Disney $500 for the Poly. Wealthy people are way more stingy with their money and they didnt get their wealth by haphazardly spending it on over priced vacations.

I understand that Disney simply wants a bigger payout per vacation but the families that spend $6-7000 per trip are much more scarce and many of them may only visit once every 5-10 years at best. The family that makes $50k or less but loves Disney would visit at least once per year and spend and average $2500 minimum per trip. Over ten years thats a heck of a lot more dough Disney would get from them.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The BLS numbers exclude transportation to the vacation, b/c that's really variable. The Disney numbers don't say whether they exclude transportation, but likely do; they probably include everything else though.

I'd heard the seven thousand dollar figure before and the way it was always told to me was that it included transportation.

Figure you take $1000 off for transportation costs and that's still obscene

 

[PhotoDave219]

The 100k+ number doesn't suprise me... we're talking about people who are looking to travel for extended vacations to a resort. But even in their upper ranks... I still don't want to spend the kind of money they are targeting.

Surprised I don't see more Disney marketing in Loudoun County given the financial demographics around here.

 

[Cesar R M]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 20% of US households by income, spend more on vacation each year than the bottom 80% combined. That's what Disney is focusing on.

Those of you with access to Disney's TA marketing material, look for a document titled "Selling Disney Destinations: Seven Market Segments." It lists Disney's 7 "priority" demographics, along with how much those families spend on vacation each year.

Here are those vacation spend levels: $1,860 / $3,100 / $3,820 / $4,170 / $6,970 / $7,650 / $7,890

6 of the 7 "priority" demographics are in the top 20% of US household incomes; two of them spend double what the top 20% does, which probably puts them in the top 5% (or higher).

To put that in perspective, 6 of Disney's 7 "priority" demographics come from households making $100,000/year or more. (Here's a handy tool to figure this out.) The top couple of demographics are probably from households making $140,000 - $180,000+ per year.

That said, I think a lot of this debate, including a lot of what I wrote, is really a proxy for a discussion about income inequality in general. I would care a whole lot less about the cost of a Disney vacation if it was affordable to the top 50% of US households instead of the top 20%. But that's another subject.

do these 20% ever go to Disney hotels?
Dont these guys go to the Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons?

 

[wdisney9000]

Surprised I don't see more Disney marketing in Loudoun County given the financial demographics around here.

Perhaps Disney knows that specifically targeting a high income area/bracket wouldnt pay off in dividends? I would bet that most very well off families take the obligatory Disney trip for the kiddos when their young and thats all. And Im sure half of those trips are just the Mom taking the kids while Dad works or plays golf.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Perhaps Disney knows that specifically targeting a high income area/bracket wouldnt pay off in dividends? I would bet that most very well off families take the obligatory Disney trip for the kiddos when their young and thats all. And Im sure half of those trips are just the Mom taking the kids while Dad works or plays golf.

I gotta make friends with a travel agent and dig through those materials...

 

[wdisney9000]

I gotta make friends with a travel agent and dig through those materials...

Does the material have specific info in regards to demographics? If so, Id love to hear about it. I wonder how accurate their info is on the more wealthy clients? I would think many of them wouldnt bother to take a survey when leaving the park. Im sure Disney gets the info out of em somehow though.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Does the material have specific info in regards to demographics? If so, Id love to hear about it. I wonder how accurate their info is on the more wealthy clients? I would think many of them wouldnt bother to take a survey when leaving the park. Im sure Disney gets the info out of em somehow though.

No idea. Didn't even know they existed.

But I'd love to find out.

 

[wdisney9000]

No idea. Didn't even know they existed.

But I'd love to find out.

Demographics #pron