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Complimentary Transportation Bus ever discontinued?
- Thread starter LadyBlue
- Start date
KaliSplash
Well-Known Member
They have already cut bus service. The Epcot resorts no longer have busses to the Studios unless they have been forced to halt the boat service because of the weather. Bus service also reduced t places along the Skyliner.
Patcheslee
Well-Known Member
That's what I thought as well. DVC annual dues include transportation as part of the costs. I'm not sure many DVC members would enjoy paying lower dues to have transportation cut. Then when you look at the value of one's with no options except bus to the parks, it would decrease their value tremendously IMO.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
One of my biggest gripes with a lot of 'corporate think' is that every single item becomes a "cost center" that has to justify its existence. Sooner or later transportation will need to justify all the expenses so they'll have to show some type of 'income' so there will be a fight between the parks and the resorts as to who should pay and they will eventually decide on just charging the guest. In order to not get a black eye they will, as others have said, paint it as a move to reduce their carbon blah blah blah. It is really sad, I've been to wdw easily over 125 times but in the last three years I just stopped. They finally went too far with their chiseling me every chance, reducing perks (I guess sort of the same), and converting everything to a PC/Woke/Won't offend anyone experience. As if that wasn't enough, now every show has devolved into a bunch of Disney merchandising without the inconvenience of a story. It is actually depressing, is it too late for the Bass brothers to take it over?
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
Or... Hear Bob out: Why not raise the resort costs AND cancel DME?
The resort costs went up anyway.
I think DME was axed because Bob couldn't think of a way to sell it to you AND make money. It was obviously subsidized. If they were to continue it, even with charging you, it would still have been subsidized. If they charged you enough to make a profit on it then the cost to you would have been so high that you wouldn't have paid it (per person). Bob didn't see a way to make money off DME (directly) and, thus, it was axed.
Again, I think this is just how Bob thinks. It's a very straight-forward way of thinking, "If I can sell it and make money, then yes! Let's sell it! If I can't sell it and make money then take it off the shelf."
While we may joke about it, I think Bob is practical in that he won't charge for:
- straws
- cups for your drinks
- napkins
Realistically, Bob gets it that when you buy a drink you get a cup and a straw and when you buy a sandwich you get a napkin. As such, he's not going to charge for toilets, though we make joke about it.
Everything else that you'd normally pay for in everyday life (such as transportation) is on the table. In his straight-forward way of thinking about this: Why are you getting that for free? Why are they giving that away??
At the same time, I think he's actively searching for the "market price" of the parks and rooms. That "market price" for those of you who never took any sort of business class is the price where the supply equals the demand. That price for the parks (and rooms) is still higher than what they're charging. He could raise the price to $200/head/day and still have Disney fans screaming at the gate, "TAKE MY MONEY!!" Yes, maybe you'd be cut out from that but that's how the market works.
I think that the long term strategy here is: keep raising park prices until there's a noticeable dip in attendance (not caused by outside factors such as war or disease) and then the price increase for the next year will be greatly reduced (or possibly skipped - that's when he's found he's gone too far) and then you'll get more moderate price increases which reflect:
- inflation
- population growth (more Disney fans every day!)
That's where this is going (well, that's how I read it). There'll be a lot of screaming along the way and a lot of people who say, "Well.. I USED to go to WDW!" The end result: People will still be going to WDW - it just won't be those who can't pay OR you'll have to save much longer to go which will:
- thin out the crowds
- help achieve market price
To Bob, this is just business and, he's looking for the max profit, not legions of "happy fans".
Also, I think the "fans" will eventually deal with, "Ok - I don't get to go every year. I get to go every 5 or 10 years," and they'll tell themselves, "...to be fair, that's how it used to be back in the 1970s and 1980s..."
drew81
Well-Known Member
And it will be booked through Genie+
World_Showcase_Lover007
Well-Known Member
The current regime will try something with the buses. They will leave no dime on the table. It’s all about the next fiscal quarter. Nothing else matters.
mattpeto
Well-Known Member
I would never say never, but I'd have to belief that Disney resorts will find a way to get their guests to the parks.
Besides chopping DME, there is no evidence that Disney would consider this. They have brought both monorail lines back, friendship boats, run all Skyliner stations.
I think bus transportation is safe is forever unless it's replaced with more skyliners.
Besides chopping DME, there is no evidence that Disney would consider this. They have brought both monorail lines back, friendship boats, run all Skyliner stations.
I think bus transportation is safe is forever unless it's replaced with more skyliners.
LovePop
Well-Known Member
I expect Disney to charge for resort transportation sooner or later. In fact, I expect there to be tiers of transportation prices:
Tier 1: buses only. $20-$35 a day per room, same as resort parking
Tier 2: buses and boats. $45 a day per room
Teir 3: buses, boats, Skyliner and Monorail. $70 a day per room.
What are people going to do, not pay it?
HM Spectre
Well-Known Member
I don’t give these suits a lot of credit but there’s no way they’re this dumb.
They’ve already stripped out a lot of the advantages of staying on property away already but to make it so that people have to figure out transportation to the parks? When off-site properties will be happy to shuttle people over? That would be borderline nuts and would crush their occupancy numbers.
If we ever get to the point where that’s on the table, all hope is lost.
They’ve already stripped out a lot of the advantages of staying on property away already but to make it so that people have to figure out transportation to the parks? When off-site properties will be happy to shuttle people over? That would be borderline nuts and would crush their occupancy numbers.
If we ever get to the point where that’s on the table, all hope is lost.
The suits had a big wake up a few days ago. The projected "gate" numbers were down over 30 percent for the first week of the 50th. The next day about 20 things were announced coming back. We will not see anything cut or additional charges for a few months. After November 8th when Europe can come again they may start feeling a bit safer. Bookings are way down on property but rooms are way overpriced. They were hoping for off property attendance that didn't happen.
With Parks and Resorts having a new Chairman and WDW having a new President hopefully the moves they make with improve the numbers or else restructuring may happen again.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's a matter of them being dumb.
I don't think there's going to be anything to "figure out" with regards to transportation other than: You have to pay to use it.
I'm curious why so many people think THIS is the sacred cow of WDW. Of all the things that they'd charge for, THIS (Transportation) is the one thing that crosses some line.
My guess: they'll wait until rooms start filling back up / things getting back to normal (post COVID / international guests coming back). People are already used to resort fees and less on EMH (unless you're in Deluxe, of course - I bet that goes away, too, long term). Once people are back, I think it's probably likely you'll see transportation fees.
Maybe there'll be a gas price spike and that'll be enough to say, "Because of the current fuel crisis... More money!" They'll play it some way. Either green or fuel prices. ...and people will pay it.
The way people are acting with regards to paying for transportation is as if THIS is the hill everyone will die on becuase, finally, Disney has gone too far! I don't think that'll be the case. Disney fans will grumble and then they'll line back up at the gates because "magical".
flynnibus
Premium Member
Eliminate? Never...
Reduced? Sure - would be a lot easier for Disney to simply reduce the frequency and hours of buses if they had to trim their expenses. Plus they can always roll cost increases to the resorts.
Simple solution is just cut capacity and make guests wait longer. Then offer some sort of paid premium offer for those who don't want to tolerate the new standard.
Reduced? Sure - would be a lot easier for Disney to simply reduce the frequency and hours of buses if they had to trim their expenses. Plus they can always roll cost increases to the resorts.
Simple solution is just cut capacity and make guests wait longer. Then offer some sort of paid premium offer for those who don't want to tolerate the new standard.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I didn't even think of that. Your'e thinking like Bob!
They could roll Magical Gold Buses. These swing by every 15mins and you can track them on your app! It's an Enchanted Upcharge Celebration, of course.
Or, if you prefer, you can ride the regular light-blue buses. These are scheduled every hour. No guarantees but if you complain we'll track one down.
Magical Gold Buses - Just one of the many ways the WDW Resort is adding value and convenience for it's guests!
mikeanabean
Active Member
I am sure during some discussion @ Disney they threw this on the table but realized that alcohol sales would probably drop if they too, away the DD. . If this was to happen then it would be IMO the begining of the end for WDW. I would no longer stay on property and could not drive since all of the roads would be too congested And I would lose my DD.
There are many good ideas and options for Disney discussed here already. I don’t have very much to add but…..
1. The Disney bus service sucks already! I would very angry to have to PAY for service that is already terrible.
2. I would be willing to pay for the service if the service was improved over what it is now. But I doubt Disney can sustain that level of service. It would eventually fall apart, such as it has already done. When Disney first started bus service it was really good, but now sucks! Eventually, you would be paying for a service and still be left holding the bag at your resort, which is probably Disney’s way of crowd control, right?
It has been proven, by great actuaries, that over time price increases and service drops equal business grind and later bankruptcy and then restructuring…. And then they completely run the Disney concepts and ideas into the ground. Disney has already lost that idea. We spend a lot of time saying, “you remember back in the day when Disney……”
3. If Disney doesn’t offer an effective mean of transportation to the parks, parking will be…. Well you get the point. Disney has upgraded all the parks but not their parking issues they currently have and have had for decades. The best thing ever happened at EPCOT is multiple entrances and hotels/resorts WALKING DISTANCE to it!!
Why hasn’t some REAL brainiac figured that out at Disney for other parks. IE. new walkway to MK! Thanks Disney for finally figuring that one out! It took how long? Literally, almost 50 years.
So if you think Disney’s going to figure out the transportation problem that quickly… keep Dreaming! LOL.
For people who aspire to visit WDW, they’ll never know. But Disney’s bread and butter customers, DVC, APH, etc, Disney’s will try to see how long they can rape you of your money and smack us around until we leave. (I know… my grammar.)
4. Disney’s new concept, keep raising prices until they stop coming. People are suckers , they’ll pay it. People will max out 3 credit cards to come.
(I think an actuary job at Disney would probably be easy. But that’s just me.)
5. If Disney begins charging for bus service they have to consider that many will opt to drive, then how much do you raise the parking fee at the park? That’s the real big question. Disney inflation/ Mickeyflation is on the rampage!
Be ready.
1. The Disney bus service sucks already! I would very angry to have to PAY for service that is already terrible.
2. I would be willing to pay for the service if the service was improved over what it is now. But I doubt Disney can sustain that level of service. It would eventually fall apart, such as it has already done. When Disney first started bus service it was really good, but now sucks! Eventually, you would be paying for a service and still be left holding the bag at your resort, which is probably Disney’s way of crowd control, right?
It has been proven, by great actuaries, that over time price increases and service drops equal business grind and later bankruptcy and then restructuring…. And then they completely run the Disney concepts and ideas into the ground. Disney has already lost that idea. We spend a lot of time saying, “you remember back in the day when Disney……”
3. If Disney doesn’t offer an effective mean of transportation to the parks, parking will be…. Well you get the point. Disney has upgraded all the parks but not their parking issues they currently have and have had for decades. The best thing ever happened at EPCOT is multiple entrances and hotels/resorts WALKING DISTANCE to it!!
Why hasn’t some REAL brainiac figured that out at Disney for other parks. IE. new walkway to MK! Thanks Disney for finally figuring that one out! It took how long? Literally, almost 50 years.
So if you think Disney’s going to figure out the transportation problem that quickly… keep Dreaming! LOL.
For people who aspire to visit WDW, they’ll never know. But Disney’s bread and butter customers, DVC, APH, etc, Disney’s will try to see how long they can rape you of your money and smack us around until we leave. (I know… my grammar.)
4. Disney’s new concept, keep raising prices until they stop coming. People are suckers , they’ll pay it. People will max out 3 credit cards to come.
(I think an actuary job at Disney would probably be easy. But that’s just me.)
5. If Disney begins charging for bus service they have to consider that many will opt to drive, then how much do you raise the parking fee at the park? That’s the real big question. Disney inflation/ Mickeyflation is on the rampage!
Be ready.
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Yes exactly. I already drive my own car from most resorts and the busses are free. I waste so much time sitting at the bus stop. I rarely ride them. I’d never PAY to ride the bus! But some would.
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