Diagon Alley reviews thread

[Timekeeper]

What about the die hard Pirates fans?

The fact that they are forced by WDW to hop between Pirates and Legend in one day, or forego the complete pirate experience, is the modern equivalent of being forced to hop the plank.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Y'all are making a faulty comparison to Little Mermaid and Toy Story. You can ride every Toy Story ride and do every Mermaid attraction without buying a park hopper. You just have to get multiple day single admission tickets and go on different days. No park hopper required. You can't do that for the HP rides. With multi day single admission tickets, you can't ride HE. You have to get the park to park. And that will cost you $40. No issue if you would have bought it anyway. If you wouldn't have, you submit to the money grab or no HE for you.

I'm not sure why this bothers the wand strokers so much. UNI was brilliant with this. They monetized the HE while balancing the crowds in the two parks and providing something of value (a quality attraction). Don't diminish that achievment just because it forces some percentage of the guests to spend an extra $40 per ticket that they wouldn't have otherwise.

It is bothering people because you keep ignoring the situation that existed prior to the attraction.

 

[khale1970]

It is bothering people because you keep ignoring the situation that existed prior to the attraction.

What situation is that? I'm open to changing my opinion, but I'm unaware of any similar prior situation at UNI or WDW where a park hopper type add on was required to ride any ride.

 

[khale1970]

What about the die hard Pirates fans?

The fact that they are forced by WDW to hop between Pirates and Legend in one day, or forego the complete pirate experience, is the modern equivalent of being forced to hop the plank.

Or they could just get multiple day single park tickets and experience both on separate days. Just like you could with HE, right?

 

[Tom Morrow]

It's not fair to call it a cash grab. Its transportation to the other park. It drops you off in the middle of that park. The fee isn't to ride the train, its your admission to the other park. Also, I think we should just wait and see how it goes - the HE lines are averaging at about 10 minutes only, so capacity might not be the concern that they thought it would be. Maybe in the near future they will allow non-park hopper passes to board as long as they know that they have to wait in line again to return.

A cash grab, IMO, is like the hard ticket holiday events at MK: "exit the park and pay again to re-enter/stay in!"

 

[lazyboy97o]

What situation is that? I'm open to changing my opinion, but I'm unaware of any similar prior situation at UNI or WDW where a park hopper type add on was required to ride any ride.

The situation where most people visiting on any given day already had a park-to-park ticket. It is a minority of a minority that are in the position of getting to the Hogwarts Express and being told they do not have valid admission and even fewer who will feel compelled to make the purchase. I leave with this example of how few people will ride a marquee attraction:

I was surprised to hear from a senior operations director that Space Mountain only gets 20 percent of the attendance.

 

[khale1970]

I suppose it's subjective, but maybe it's because I don't view "cash grab" as a pejorative if done by a for profit business. Everything they do is to grab cash from consumers. The only issue is if the consumers see enough value in it to continue paying. Whether it's an extra holiday hard ticket event or a ride that requires a ticket add on, if demand remains strong it's a successful cash grab. If it doesn't, it's a failed cash grab. But in either event, it was conceived as a way to get money out of your pocket into theirs. No shame in that at all.

 

[khale1970]

It is a minority of a minority that are in the position of getting to the Hogwarts Express and being told they do not have valid admission and even fewer who will feel compelled to make the purchase.

So you agree that this is a cash grab for the even fewer of the minority of the minority who feel compelled to spend $40 extra dollars per ticket to ride HE? Or is even that too much?

 

[Timekeeper]

I suppose it's subjective, but maybe it's because I don't view "cash grab" as a pejorative if done by a for profit business. Everything they do is to grab cash from consumers. The only issue is if the consumers see enough value in it to continue paying. Whether it's a extra holiday hard ticket event or a ride that requires a ticket add on, if demand remains strong it's a successful cash grab. If it doesn't, it's a failed cash grab. But in either event, it was conceived as a way to get money out of your pocket into theirs. No shame in that at all.

Well, this post is the one that I find myself agreeing the most with you on. Primarily, because the issue discussed here is inherently subjective, the math is objective, and that every business is - at the end of the day - a business. The Butterbeer treats are a bit pricey, so I suppose that they cash-grabbed-me every time I purchase one. The only thing is, the context in which the terms and issues are being discussed, "cash grab" came off as a bit more derogatory than just for-profit business; suggesting that the benefit derived may not worth the money spent (subjective).

As I've discussed here before, I find that the benefits of a hopper ticket are much more vast than the ability to experience HE as an attraction (albeit a hybrid one), which is why I wouldn't really call it a "cash grab." I've never purchased WDW/OUR tickets/passes that are not hoppers, because I like to hop, even though WDW doesn't have an "upcharge attraction" equivalent. But if we're going to define "cash grab" as anything for which a customer exchanges money for goods or services, then sure, everything is a cash grab. I was already "grabbed" a few times today, and it had nothing to do with any theme parks.

 

[lazyboy97o]

So you agree that this is a cash grab for the even fewer of the minority of the minority who feel compelled to spend $40 extra dollars per ticket to ride HE? Or is even that too much?

No because any person that obsessed with Harry Potter is likely going to want to see Hogsmead.

 

[khale1970]

Well, this post is the one that I find myself agreeing the most with you on. Primarily, because the issue discussed here is inherently subjective, the math is objective, and that every business is - at the end of the day - a business. The Butterbeer treats are a bit pricey, so I suppose that they cash-grabbed-me every time I purchase one. The only thing is, the context in which the terms and issues are being discussed, "cash grab" came off as a bit more derogatory than just for-profit business; suggesting that the benefit derived may not worth the money spent (subjective).

As I've discussed here before, I find that the benefits of a hopper ticket are much more vast than the ability to experience HE as an attraction (albeit a hybrid one), which is why I wouldn't really call it a "cash grab." I've never purchased WDW/OUR tickets/passes that are not hoppers, because I like to hop, even though WDW doesn't have an "upcharge attraction" equivalent. But if we're going to define "cash grab" as anything for which a customer exchanges money for goods or services, then sure, everything is a cash grab. I was already "grabbed" a few times today, and it had nothing to do with any theme parks.

My use of the term cash grab was in response to a post saying it wasn't a cash grab (the term used in the post) and explaining the $40 surcharge as simply a logistical requirement to avoid long lines for HE until demand died down. My opinion is that by charging for it instead of using some more egalitarian means of limiting access counts as a cash grab. Which I don't see as a bad thing at all.

 

[seahawk7]

It's not fair to call it a cash grab. Its transportation to the other park. It drops you off in the middle of that park. The fee isn't to ride the train, its your admission to the other park. Also, I think we should just wait and see how it goes - the HE lines are averaging at about 10 minutes only, so capacity might not be the concern that they thought it would be. Maybe in the near future they will allow non-park hopper passes to board as long as they know that they have to wait in line again to return.

A cash grab, IMO, is like the hard ticket holiday events at MK: "exit the park and pay again to re-enter/stay in!"

I agree with the Disney cash grab for hard ticketed events. It seems at Disney lately anything that generates interest is immediately roped off and made a viewing/dessert party or hard ticketed event. I'm expecting 2015's 24 hour party to be hard ticketed. Makes me sick.

 

[khale1970]

No because any person that obsessed with Harry Potter is likely going to want to see Hogsmead.

So using a customer's obsession with HP to leverage an additional $40 from them isn't a cash grab? Then how is using someone's obsession for pixie dust to get them to buy a ticket to MNSSHP a cash grab? In both cases, the obsessed see value where the non-obsessed might not.

 

[Timekeeper]

I agree with the Disney cash grab for hard ticketed events. It seems at Disney lately anything that generates interest is immediately roped off and made a viewing/dessert party or hard ticketed event. I'm expecting 2015's 24 hour party to be hard ticketed. Makes me sick.

Here's what I'm expecting at Disney in 2015

 

[lazyboy97o]

So using a customer's obsession with HP to leverage an additional $40 from them isn't a cash grab? Then how is using someone's obsession for pixie dust to get them to buy a ticket to MNSSHP a cash grab? In both cases, the obsessed see value where the non-obsessed might not.

A person that obsessed with Harry Potter is getting more than just the Hogwarts Express for that $40 admission upgrade. The parties at the Magic Kingdom are considered a cash grab because their offerings are very little beyond what used to be included as part of admission to the Magic Kingdom and remain included at other Disney parks around the world.

 

[seahawk7]

So using a customer's obsession with HP to leverage an additional $40 from them isn't a cash grab? Then how is using someone's obsession for pixie dust to get them to buy a ticket to MNSSHP a cash grab? In both cases, the obsessed see value where the non-obsessed might not.

I think you are right in that, HE would be a cash grab where I am concerned since I would be essentially paying for a two park ticket to get to ride HE. (yes I really want to ride it.) But for others, who would be buying a two park ticket anyway, then no, it isn't a cash grab.

 

[khale1970]

I've never purchased WDW/OUR tickets/passes that are not hoppers, because I like to hop.

I find great value in the hopper option as well. At WDW, I like to end my day at a park not riding rides but just walking around taking in the atmosphere. I usually go to a park to ride one day and then another park to hang out that evening. I did the same at UNI in June on my first trip. Well worth the money to me and HE would just be a bonus.

 

[Mike S]

I think you are right in that, HE would be a cash grab where I am concerned since I would be essentially paying for a two park ticket to get to ride HE. (yes I really want to ride it.) But for others, who would be buying a two park ticket anyway, then no, it isn't a cash grab.

You are not paying $40 for just the Hogwarts Express. You are paying for that and every other ride in IoA as well as a much more convenient way of travel. I will never walk out of a park to go to the other again. Hogwarts Express has spoiled me.

 

[khale1970]

The parties at the Magic Kingdom are considered a cash grab because their offerings are very little beyond what used to be included as part of admission to the Magic Kingdom and remain included at other Disney parks around the world.

Considered so by some, but most who attend see that it is worth the cost. Otherwise they would go away since they wouldn't make a profit. That's why I don't see "cash grab" as a bad word. It's always subjective to the individual, but the success of a cash grab isn't how an individual views it but instead depends on whether enough people value it to the point it is profitable.

 

[SJN1279]

Hogwarts Express is an obvious cash grab. A two day park ticket non-hopper is a very convenient way to visit both Universal parks with leisure. The Hogwarts Express is a way to get spend the extra 40 for a park hopper. Looking at the wait times for Hogwarts Express, it looks like quite a few guests still do not have Universal parkhoppers, HE or not.