Bounceback Offers Return to Walt Disney World

[monothingie]

I just checked online and there’s still tons of rooms available over the next few days across the resorts with the exception of Poly and GF. Fireworks spots, perhaps?

The entire summer is slow. Probably the worst it’s been in a while. Keep in mind they were proactive with the “discounts” too.

Ask any travel agent and they will tell you Disney is suffering badly compared to last year and even prepandemic.

At this point, I don’t think the “discounts” will give them the result they anticipate. Disney has managed to alienate so many different segments of guests that some of them, have just given up on Disney. (Pick your reason). That percentage 5-15% are what make the difference between packed parks and full hotels vs sub-optimal attendance and bookings.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The entire summer is slow. Probably the worst it’s been in a while. Keep in mind they were proactive with the “discounts” too.

Ask any travel agent and they will tell you Disney is suffering badly compared to last year and even prepandemic.

At this point, I don’t think the “discounts” will give them the result they anticipate. Disney has managed to alienate so many different segments of guests that some of them, have just given up on Disney. (Pick your reason). That percentage 5-15% are what make the difference between packed parks and full hotels vs sub-optimal attendance and bookings.

I feel like summers were starting to get slower already (not this slow, but ...) so in some ways the bigger canary in the coalmine is that they so early put out discounts for the holiday season

and with nothing big planned coming in the near term it likely will get worse before it gets better

 

[Tha Realest]

and with nothing big planned coming in the near term it likely will get worse before it gets better

A combination of expiring SW credit and losing two companion passes at the end of the year has us taking a trip in a month. We have “make good” passes to use within the next four years but, honestly, what new is coming on board in that time? As demonstrated, it takes that long to build anything. We’ve never experienced DAK, so that’s our priority on this trip (I have a feeling large swaths of it will soon look like the EPCOT center spine).

They’re in a tough spot because they have nothing primed to go now, and their recent builds may not have juiced attendance as hoped.

 

[dreday3]

A combination of expiring SW credit and losing two companion passes at the end of the year has us taking a trip in a month. We have “make good” passes to use within the next four years but, honestly, what new is coming on board in that time? As demonstrated, it takes that long to build anything. We’ve never experienced DAK, so that’s our priority on this trip (I have a feeling large swaths of it will soon look like the EPCOT center spine).

They’re in a tough spot because they have nothing primed to go now, and their recent builds may not have juiced attendance as hoped.

You've never been to Animal Kingdom? You're in for a treat!!! Best food, best "street" entertainment, best everything. Take time to look around and really check out the details!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The entire summer is slow. Probably the worst it’s been in a while. Keep in mind they were proactive with the “discounts” too.

Ask any travel agent and they will tell you Disney is suffering badly compared to last year and even prepandemic.

At this point, I don’t think the “discounts” will give them the result they anticipate. Disney has managed to alienate so many different segments of guests that some of them, have just given up on Disney. (Pick your reason). That percentage 5-15% are what make the difference between packed parks and full hotels vs sub-optimal attendance and bookings.

I’ve said this…for I don’t know?…12 years?

The problem with bobs blue ocean is the base price has to be within reason.

So in the housing crash it was still - close to - Eisner prices tied to economy…

So the 30% discounts more than worked…even as they jacked the base prices under the discounts.

It’s not gonna do it now…they’d need 50-60% to make a dent and they cannot sell that to Wall Street. Bobs @SS is quite literally on the line here.

So they are screwed.

But I’m gonna get flak…so let’s do an experiment (again), shall we?

Watch this from 2008:



Now…that same package…it’s about $6,000 now.

And that’s without 200% dining…$30 a day fastpass…Halloween and Christmas parties at FIVE TIMES the price…
Oh and shorted hours


Remember everyone: don’t hate the player…hate the game…

…and Bob Iger

 

[monothingie]

I feel like summers were starting to get slower already (not this slow, but ...) so in some ways the bigger canary in the coalmine is that they so early put out discounts for the holiday season

and with nothing big planned coming in the near term it likely will get worse before it gets better

They have TRON, ROTR, GOTG which are all new or newish headliner attractions. Yet still lackluster attendance.

Ironically I think it’s the removal of an attraction, specifically Splash, and its apparent mediocre replacement, and the sociopolitical considerations that were made to appease a tiny but loud group of online extremists, that did far more damage to repeat guest’s perception of Disney.

Of course no one would say that publicly.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I feel like summers were starting to get slower already (not this slow, but ...) so in some ways the bigger canary in the coalmine is that they so early put out discounts for the holiday season

and with nothing big planned coming in the near term it likely will get worse before it gets better

Calendars have shifted for decades…

We’re not talking “drift”

This just in: Disney ACTUALLY makes mistakes…

A lot…daily…

…this one is pretty bad.

So’s the box office one…WOOF

 

[JD80]

There have always been periods of bounceback offers, 15-25% discounts or higher for AP/Locals. There have been ticket deals before tied to a pack of 4 for each park. Nothing is new here.

What I feel that is new is that the discounts are already being offered for the holiday season when I expected them to be offering stuff for the fall. But it's all still within a 6 month check in time frame so it's not crazy.

I don't see WDW desperate yet in their discounts even if they should be and by all accounts they are soft in their occupancy rates. We'll know they are desperate when they offer things like free dining, free G+, buy X tickets get Y free type of deals. Heavily discounted package deals (hotel + tickets + G+/Dining) etc.

Once they get out of the summer season, account for how slow it is, and get ready for a new fiscal year we would have to start seeing these offers in Oct/Nov for the spring time maybe?

The only counter is that the extra ticketed events are selling out. So maybe they're just turning WDW into a locals park

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There have always been periods of bounceback offers, 15-25% discounts or higher for AP/Locals. There have been ticket deals before tied to a pack of 4 for each park. Nothing is new here.

What I feel that is new is that the discounts are already being offered for the holiday season when I expected them to be offering stuff for the fall. But it's all still within a 6 month check in time frame so it's not crazy.

I don't see WDW desperate yet in their discounts even if they should be and by all accounts they are soft in their occupancy rates. We'll know they are desperate when they offer things like free dining, free G+, buy X tickets get Y free type of deals. Heavily discounted package deals (hotel + tickets + G+/Dining) etc.

Once they get out of the summer season, account for how slow it is, and get ready for a new fiscal year we would have to start seeing these offers in Oct/Nov for the spring time maybe?

The management decreed…internally…in 2017-18 that discounts were not needed.

Ask a travel agent. And I’m talking the big dog online ones.

What’s different is not the discounts…it’s that they’re scrambling to do them at all.

The one day rushes to buy annual passes…or Halloween tickets…no one the next day.

You’re being screwed…honestly.

Disney sells to us…we don’t submit to them.
Capitalism

Here Endeth it

 

[wendysue]

Giving me 25 or 30% off makes no difference now since they raised the base price by more than the discount is worth. Even with the discount I am still paying more than last year.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It’s risible, especially considering all of the anti-CM and anti-labor things the company has done, and continues to do.

Let’s not forget they were fired en masse, and how long the company refused to budge on raises.

Who's the 'they' here? Front line CMs were not fired en masse. They are not part of the 7,000 lay-offs.

Disney was ahead of the game in companies raising minimum wage to $15 and higher. Tho, mostly due to unions.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Disney was ahead of the game in companies raising minimum wage to $15 and higher. Tho, mostly due to unions.

And Universal and SeaWorld followed, inpart due to peer pressure.

 

[JD80]

The management decreed…internally…in 2017-18 that discounts were not needed.

Ask a travel agent. And I’m talking the big dog online ones.

What’s different is not the discounts…it’s that they’re scrambling to do them at all.

The one day rushes to buy annual passes…or Halloween tickets…no one the next day.

You’re being screwed…honestly.

Disney sells to us…we don’t submit to them.
Capitalism

Here Endeth it

They are not scrambling yet, that's my point. They were still offering all the discounts all the way up to the pandemic.

 

[JD80]

Giving me 25 or 30% off makes no difference now since they raised the base price by more than the discount is worth. Even with the discount I am still paying more than last year.

Len did the math on his show last week. With all the BIGGEST discounts offered - it drops the price right back to 2019 rack rates but in 2023 dollars. I hope your salary has matched inflation.

 

[Tha Realest]

Who's the 'they' here? Front line CMs were not fired en masse.

You’re gaslighting.

Disney to lay off 28,000 employees as coronavirus slams its theme park business

Prolonged closures of Disney's California theme parks and limited attendance at its open parks have led the company to lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products segment.

www.cnbc.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

You’re gaslighting.

Disney to lay off 28,000 employees as coronavirus slams its theme park business

Prolonged closures of Disney's California theme parks and limited attendance at its open parks have led the company to lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products segment.

www.cnbc.com

Oh. You're reaching back 3 years. Ok.

 

[JD80]

You’re gaslighting.

Disney to lay off 28,000 employees as coronavirus slams its theme park business

Prolonged closures of Disney's California theme parks and limited attendance at its open parks have led the company to lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products segment.

www.cnbc.com

You're using that word wrong.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They have TRON, ROTR, GOTG which are all new or newish headliner attractions. Yet still lackluster attendance.

Ironically I think it’s the removal of an attraction, specifically Splash, and its apparent mediocre replacement, and the sociopolitical considerations that were made to appease a tiny but loud group of online extremists, that did far more damage to repeat guest’s perception of Disney.

Of course no one would say that publicly.

I know that’s you’re thing

And removing splash was stupid…it’s top 5 Disney rides ever created…but it’s minor IMHO…

It’s the price. I think I mentioned the college debt thing on one of the movie/D+ yesterday?

Holy crap…that is a gigantic economic timebomb about to go off. Trillions.
I thought it was the interest paused? It was ALL of it?!?
3 years without servicing?

Holy crap.

That will send shockwaves out through an already maxed credit system.

Again…trickle up. To really overpriced, frivolous vacations.

 

[Tha Realest]

I know that’s you’re thing

And removing splash was stupid…it’s too 5 Disney rides ever created…but it’s minor IMHO…

It’s the price. I think I mentioned the college debt thing on one of the movie/D+ yesterday?

Holy crap…that is a gigantic economic timebomb about to go off. Trillions.
I thought it was the interest paused? It was ALL of it?!?
3 years without servicing?

Holy crap.

That will send shockwaves out through an already maxed credit system.

Again…trickle up. To really overpriced, frivolous vacations.

Couple the resumption of student loan payments with what’s happened to the average household budget over the last 2+ years (since the ”pause”) thanks to inflation and, yeah, discretionary spending is about to take a huge hit.

But I’m sure D+ will be operationally profitable next year.

 

[dreday3]

I know that’s you’re thing

And removing splash was stupid…it’s too 5 Disney rides ever created…but it’s minor IMHO…

It’s the price. I think I mentioned the college debt thing on one of the movie/D+ yesterday?

Holy crap…that is a gigantic economic timebomb about to go off. Trillions.
I thought it was the interest paused? It was ALL of it?!?
3 years without servicing?

Holy crap.

That will send shockwaves out through an already maxed credit system.

Again…trickle up. To really overpriced, frivolous vacations.

It's going to be bad.