Are we getting nickle and dimed by Disney?

[DisneyRunner]

For 2011, I think we are. Everything has gone up a few dollars, tickets, room rates and dining plan. Over the past few years, Disney has jumped on board with variable room rates. First it was a different rate for Friday and Saturday. A majority of the industry does this, so it's okay with me. Then last year, Disney added more seasons to the rack room rates. And this year they have even added seasonal dining plan rates. What do you think? Will the increased cost of a trip stop you from going?

 

[Lucky]

Disney was built on its ability to connect with its customers, to make people feel special, to share magic. It's my opinion that over the past 5 years that service has declined at the hands of cost cutting and price increases. The price increases haven't been terrible but above inflationary and ultimately combined with reduced service has made me feel.... I believe the technical term is "icky". *smile*

That connection, or loyalty, or magic - whatever people want to call it - is one of the company's key long-term assets, even if it is hard to quantify the value of it. That's what causes us all to provide WDW with a lot of valuable free advertising (recommendations to friends, wearing overpriced WDW merchandise in public etc.), and to stay at Disney resorts when you could stay at a comparable off-site hotel for much less money.

You have to hope that whoever is making the decisions now still understands this. They could have gotten away with charging higher prices all along, but fortunately they had far-sighted people in charge up until now.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

*phew* I thought I was really starting to become a curmudgeonly old man LOL.

Actually, you are! :lookaroun

Also, Allgar, Tikiman, Lucky, etc., you all couldn't be anymore wrong even if you tried!

 

[Disneykidder]

A post about money and we know there are going to be arguments. It is a fact of life...some make more than others thus being able to afford more. If you still want your vacation and the increases are too steep for you, drop from a moderate to a value or just do not go. Wait another year and save for it if you can. Going to WDW is great, but should not run your life. I'm not saying this to anyone in general, just typing out loud. I love going to Disney but I love my family more. I also go to other places in addition to Disney...the world has wonderful places out there. Disney isn 't the only fabulous place.

For those on this thread wirth such negativity and have been attacking some personally...you should be ashamed. Again, not naming names but you know who you are. Not everyone is rich and not everyone is poor. To say that some are entitled is wrong and to say others aren't deserving is also wrong. This thread needs to end because it is too negative. I joined these boards to receive some great tips and offer some of my own, not to discuss money or how Disney has "wronged" us. I just don't understand some people.

 

[murphysmom]

A post about money and we know there are going to be arguments. It is a fact of life...some make more than others thus being able to afford more. If you still want your vacation and the increases are too steep for you, drop from a moderate to a value or just do not go. Wait another year and save for it if you can. Going to WDW is great, but should not run your life. I'm not saying this to anyone in general, just typing out loud. I love going to Disney but I love my family more. I also go to other places in addition to Disney...the world has wonderful places out there. Disney isn 't the only fabulous place.

For those on this thread wirth such negativity and have been attacking some personally...you should be ashamed. Again, not naming names but you know who you are. Not everyone is rich and not everyone is poor. To say that some are entitled is wrong and to say others aren't deserving is also wrong. This thread needs to end because it is too negative. I joined these boards to receive some great tips and offer some of my own, not to discuss money or how Disney has "wronged" us. I just don't understand some people.

I want to say I agree with all of the above.

You can also put me firmly in the camp of Disney is not a right of passage, it is for those people who can afford to go. People seem to forget that Disney is a business, and as long as they can raise prices and keep the parks full, they are doing what a business does. They have no obligation to make a trip to the parks affordable for anyone. While doing so may sound nice, it has no basis in reality. I would like to drive a BMW, but I don't go in expecting that they will mark one down for me, just to be nice.

And I say all of this as someone who didn't make their first trip to WDW until they were 29 years old. My parents couldn't afford fancy vacations while I was growing up. We were just fine going someplace 4 hours from home. Not going to WDW is not going to ruin a child's life.

 

[marcriss]

I'm a shareholder, not a huge one only about 100 shares, but we don't see real returns from holding the shares.

My husband and I joke about it, we think of the investment in our vacation as part of our retirement return.:ROFLOL:

I agree! As a shareholder for 15 years I have made very little money on Disney. It's a sentimental stock for me. Not a money maker.

 

[allgar]

A post about money and we know there are going to be arguments. ... I also go to other places in addition to Disney...the world has wonderful places out there. Disney isn 't the only fabulous place.

This thread needs to end because it is too negative. I joined these boards to receive some great tips and offer some of my own, not to discuss money or how Disney has "wronged" us.

I agree with your sentiments about respect within these forums and I also agree that there are so many great places to visit, Disney isn't the only game in town.

I do not agree that the thread should end because Disney regularly checks these boards and has an inside look at how some of their most loyal fans and customers think. These boards are a great opportunity to discuss how Disney is "disappointing" us.

Most of all I do not agree that this is a thread about money, or rather it should not be about money. It's about the way that Disney as a business is conducting its business. Do they have a right to profit. Yes. There is no argument from me on that. BUT... they also have a responsibilty to their shareholders and customers to continue behaving in a manner which preserves their greatest asset, i.e. their ability to connect with their customers and create magical experiences.

As I've said in my posts, Disney's profits are sound, they aren't hurting for money or market share. Some would say they have license to just continue upping prices and more importantly cutting services, just because they can and they still fill the parks. That practice clearly hurts their relationship with me the customer. It makes me feel like they are taking advantage of me, simply put, it destroys the bond which they have worked so hard to create over the years. Disney didn't always behave this way, I can assure you. Yes, prices have always gone up and they always will, however, a Company in the relationship business would do well to balance cost cutting and price increases in a way which does not hurt their reputation. The current Disney management is not doing this... they are irrevocably hurting the company for short term profits.

I for one as a very big fan of the Disney product do not want to see them do this. I do not want them to become just another Universal or just another Six Flags. I want them to maintain what they have so painstakingly built. That's what I'm writing about, that's why I'm upset, and that's why I'm letting them know.

 

[allgar]

You can also put me firmly in the camp of Disney is not a right of passage, it is for those people who can afford to go. People seem to forget that Disney is a business, and as long as they can raise prices and keep the parks full, they are doing what a business does. They have no obligation to make a trip to the parks affordable for anyone. While doing so may sound nice, it has no basis in reality. I would like to drive a BMW, but I don't go in expecting that they will mark one down for me, just to be nice.

You are right. Disney is not a guarantee, if you can't afford it, you don't go. It is a simple equation.

Unfortunately your second statement that Disney is a business and can raise prices and keep parks full they are doing their jobs is not entirely correct. Over time what the practice of more pay for less service does is it creates a rift between customer and company. It reduces the emotional touch which is something that Disney relies so heavily upon. Rest assured that this is NOT good business and it should not be defended.

I'm not saying they should give their product away but they should at the very least behave as a company which is focused on long term success and not just short term profit.