Disney After Hours Event

[Brad Bishop]

Although to be worthwhile to an AP holder I guess it would have to be about a 50% discount?

For me, as an AP (only about 6 months left - not renewing), it really has no value to me other than to sell me a ticket to a park I already have a pass to, which, in my head, I have a hard time getting past. I have a hard enough time with MNSSHP and MVMCP which include extra entertainment but the parades and other festivities are enough to make me look past that.

As an AP, if the park is crazy busy, I just leave and come back as some different time. I've been there enough to where if I don't ride Space Mountain (or whatever) this trip then it's not that big of a deal - I'll just catch it next trip.

 

[raven]

I think offering DVC and AP discounts might come before the plug is pulled.

AP's don't get offered much anymore. So if they were to offer a night to AP's you can bet on thousands of locals showing up.

 

[DisneyJeff]

Anyone else slightly creeped out by how empty the park is (from the pictures of the event)? I'm all for low crowds, but there is is something that strikes me as not quite right about the park being so empty!

I was thinking the same thing; especially with the event being held after dark. To a point, having a crowd adds a little to the park experience, to the park's atmosphere.

Now we are going to start hearing complains along the line "Hey, I paid $300 for this experience and there were not enough people!! I want my money back!!"

 

[MrPromey]

I have zero problem with people criticizing various aspects of the resort. It's a good point that Disney has worked to generate an emotional connection between it's customers and product, which can make these business decisions feel like personal affronts.

Want to criticize this event and what it represents? Go for it. I just think it's ridiculous to call people who pay for an event such as this one, a gullible fool, or rube, or lap dog, or whatever.

Those comments are getting personal, and I don't like that, even if they have nothing to do with me.

One can criticize events or policies without attacking those that enjoy them. Do we want to call everyone who goes to a Halloween party a fool? Do we want to tell someone who posted about their character meal how stupid they were to spend $55 for a buffet? Do we want to tell someone who loved their stay at the Polynesian that they're a Disney lap dog and should never have spent that much on a hotel room?

One can be of the opinion that a $40 Mickey plush toy or $75 sweater is a ripoff, without belittling someone who bought one, and feels otherwise.

*these are just hypothetical, and for the record everyone should totally stay at the Polynesian and go to Princess character meals

Oh, not saying you don't have a right to take it personal - just that you might add a few extra days to your life expectancy if you don't.

Rightly or wrongly, people who choose to take up these offerings that seem to be what many of us would call "money grabs" are viewed a bit as the enemy though a softer term might be TDO enablers.

Many don't want to see these things succeed because when Disney wanted to make more money, the used to do it by building more attractions, offering entertainment or doing something else that took some sort of effort - they earned it.

At a time when much in the parks are being cut back, when construction walls are going up for projects that will be completed in years to come and prices are continuing to increase for the increasingly lower experience of the now - when people are currently paying these higher prices for admission today, while what they are getting with their vacation today is being whittled away, things like this leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many.

Nobody wants to give Disney the idea that they will succeed in continuing to cut back, repackage what used to be included in a regular ticket (in this case, the opportunity to actually have a good time in the Magic Kingdom), and sell it at a higher premium price.

Obviously, you're not the "enemy" because you could afford to spend the money on something like this and made the decision to but again, I was just trying to explain why arguing it is a loosing battle. If you want to keep on with the good fight though, I have no designs to stop you.

 

[asianway]

Ok, I'll wait for the night when they have AP holders get in for free. That will be the only way they will get me there.

WDW hasnt had an AP event since 2007(RnR and TOT open an hour late for TOT 13th) or 2006 Everest 5th(which was the last one I think you can truly call an event), your going to be waiting a long time.

 

[wdwmagic]

WDW hasnt had an AP event since 2007(RnR and TOT open an hour late for TOT 13th) or 2006 Everest 5th(which was the last one I think you can truly call an event), your going to be waiting a long time.

Good memory!

 

[asianway]

Good memory!

but poor math - Everest was 2011, doh

 

[baymenxpac]

AP's don't get offered much anymore. So if they were to offer a night to AP's you can bet on thousands of locals showing up.

this is so true, and it makes no sense, because it's a very quick straight line from, "huh...it's not really worth being an annual pass holder anymore" to "you know, the one day ticket prices are just ridiculous...huh, is it really worth going at all anymore?"

 

[KikoKea]

Anyone else slightly creeped out by how empty the park is (from the pictures of the event)? I'm all for low crowds, but there is is something that strikes me as not quite right about the park being so empty!

One night many years ago, before the influx of tour groups from SA, we found ourselves coming out of The Land and there was not a soul in sight- not even a security guard. It was a weird feeling.

Place was so empty, we walked on TT and they let us stay in the car for a couple of go-rounds. Ah! Those were the days!

 

[Brad Bishop]

this is so true, and it makes no sense, because it's a very quick straight line from, "huh...it's not really worth being an annual pass holder anymore" to "you know, the one day ticket prices are just ridiculous...huh, is it really worth going at all anymore?"

That's where I'm at. I think with that Bloomberg article posted earlier that my Disney days are behind me. It's clear they're not going to make it better and, at best, will only be reactionary to Universal with "meh" offerings.

I will give them credit for making the APs slightly better in the last few years where it used to be that you'd get discounts at select locations (and anywhere you'd ask would tell you to go to the World of Disney) they seem to be more universal on the discounts now throughout the park.

I really think they should just put stickers on the doors/registers telling the customer which discounts/dining plans are available so you know. Show me a red circle with "AP" in the middle of it and I'll know I get a 10% discount there. Show me a Disney Visa logo and I'll know that discount applies. Show me a "TiW" logo so I know that applies. I hate asking at everyplace and I'm not going to commit the lists to memory.

I like how Dollywood handles it: You get a discount everywhere and they ask you for your annual pass at checkout to ensure you get it.

 

[jaklgreen]

I snapped this pic at a recent Washington Nationals game. How about $23.50 for a burger, fries, and soda?

View attachment 138158

The real issue I have with this event is it's yet another instance of WDW charging premium prices for what could be argued is a non-premium product. I suppose some people find the idea of no lines at rides worth $150, but I'm not one of them.

Paying for this event isn't like paying for First class on a airplane. It's more like paying extra to board before everyone else (which some people do). It's still an Economy class seat; you're just paying more to get to it faster.

I'm sorry, but this kind of pricing should be illegal. I know this is a free country and all but come on. How greedy do these stadiums have to be. How many billions of dollars do they need that they have to charge that kind of money for a family event.

 

[marni1971]

I will give them credit for making the APs slightly better in the last few years .

By halving shopping discount?

 

[Brad Bishop]

By halving shopping discount?

Maybe my information is old. I thought it went from 10% discount at select locations (basically nowhere - every time I'd ask I'd be told somewhere else or, eventually, World of Disney) to it being fairly universal.

Is it 5%, now? I really don't know what the current discount rate it. I kind of stopped going.

 

[marni1971]

Maybe my information is old. I thought it went from 10% discount at select locations (basically nowhere - every time I'd ask I'd be told somewhere else or, eventually, World of Disney) to it being fairly universal.

Is it 5%, now? I really don't know what the current discount rate it. I kind of stopped going.

It went from 20 to 10% 3 years ago.

 

[asianway]

It went from 20 to 10% 3 years ago.

In all fairness that was a recession discount they removed. wDW was always 10 while DL was 20

 

[marni1971]

In all fairness that was a recession discount they removed. wDW was always 10 while DL was 20

So think it'll come back again when times are hard for the small people?

 

[asianway]

So think it'll come back again when times are hard for the small people?

I think whenever IT hits the fan, they will go back to what they know to fill the seats - discounts, discounts, discounts,

 

[Brad Bishop]

It went from 20 to 10% 3 years ago.

Wasn't it that when it was 20% it was pretty useless, though, because it basically didn't work anywhere?

The end result: It's always been sort of shady (not a great word, can't think of another, though) the way they play with AP perks.

 

[asianway]

Wasn't it that when it was 20% it was pretty useless, though, because it basically didn't work anywhere?

The end result: It's always been sort of shady (not a great word, can't think of another, though) the way they play with AP perks.

No the 20 was good at just about every disney owned shop, no minimum either, unlike the old $50 days.

Anyone else ever hold their Art of Disney purchases for the Pleasure Island location and walk their stuff next door to DTV to check out? Guess I can give up that secret now...

 

[George]

but the magic is three times more magical, so its all relative.

Who are you? Alfred Einsteins or something?