Disney alienates 90% of their guests......What is going on?

[drizgirl]

I've never stayed off property before, so please forgive my ignorance, so if the MK is supposed to open at 9:00 isn't this as easy as:

1. Deluxe resort transportation options start at 8:00am allowing for an 8:30 entry
2. All other resort transportation starts at 8:45am for 9:00am park entry. (i assume its no more than 15 min from a resort to park)
3. Parking Lot and T&T Center transport starts at 8:50am for 9:00am park entry (feel like they should be able to time it so off site guests don't arrive at front entrance until 9:00)

So Deluxe gets the after hours time. And now you want to give them exclusive early entry? Not even Universal does that. They pull in all their value resorts for early entry.

And starting parking lot transport 10 minutes before park open would be a disaster!

Plus, they will eventually get early ADRs, tours and BBB going again. How would those people get there?

 

[OG Runner]

We pay big dollars to stay at a deluxe resort. Twice as much as much as a value resort, so before you wine about it, you know that extra time in the park is not worth it for you. It is to me, and I pay through the nose for it.

Thank you Disney for giving us people who pay for everything in the park, finally giving us something. Anytime you want to join us rooms are there!

"people who pay for everything in the park," Please take time to compare the number of units in the value and moderate resorts on property, then count the number of people in the parks. The majority of people are not staying in the deluxe resorts and if you compare
the receipts from those resorts combined, you really are not paying for much of it. You do have a healthy ego there, though.

 

[graphite1326]

It unfortunately can and does.

A business has much more incentive to provide additional perks for a higher profit margin service in an attempt to steer more customers to the higher profit margin service.

It sucks, but that is capitalism.

No that's Social Stratification.

I can't affored to stay at a deluxe. How do you think it makes me feel when people with money can give me the finger, laugh, as the walk into somewhere I am not allowed simply because I am poor? I save for a long time to go to WDW because it was magical for us. Think it's magical any more?

 

[lunchbox1175]

So Deluxe gets the after hours time. And now you want to give them exclusive early entry? Not even Universal does that. They pull in all their value resorts for early entry.

And starting parking lot transport 10 minutes before park open would be a disaster!

Plus, they will eventually get early ADRs, tours and BBB going again. How would those people get there?

I'm not giving them anything, i was under the impression that the new changes were that the early entry and after hours were already slated for the deluxe resorts only....if that's not the case then I misunderstood.

The main point i was trying to make was that there really shouldn't be an issue of different "levels of entry" intermingling or causing issues at the gate. Its as simple as if the parks don't want you to be somewhere until a certain time, then you remove their ability to get there.

As for ADR's and BBB...if park opens at 9, you don't schedule the first availability until 9:15. Problem solved.

 

[carnini]

This is definitely a weekly topic. I use to love staying on site, starting a good 20 years ago when All Star was $59 a night and then a few years later that came with Magical Express talk about a no brainer. I loved being in the bubble and being able to start my vacation right away.

That being said the last few trips we have not stayed on property but instead nearby. The room costs where just too much for us to be able to justify it with the perks of staying on site disappearing (ME, extended night hours, etc). I miss staying on property but we make the most of it.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm not giving them anything, i was under the impression that the new changes were that the early entry and after hours were already slated for the deluxe resorts only....if that's not the case then I misunderstood.

The main point i was trying to make was that there really shouldn't be an issue of different "levels of entry" intermingling or causing issues at the gate. Its as simple as if the parks don't want you to be somewhere until a certain time, then you remove their ability to get there.

As for ADR's and BBB...if park opens at 9, you don't schedule the first availability until 9:15. Problem solved.

OK, I see. Yes, you misunderstood. Early entry is still going to be for all resort levels (also good neighbor hotels).

And once Disney can staff pre park open ADRs and BBB and the like, they're going to be all over it. It's a revenue stream that they won't give up easily.

 

[Cesar R M]

The perk of staying on site is that you’re staying on site. A lot of these things you’re talking about were added over the years for different reasons and now Covid gave them a chance to restart. The first time I stayed at All Star Movies there was:

No magical express
No extra magic hours
No magic bands
No fastpass
No poolside activity team
No outdoor movies

The park of being at a Disney resort was the included resort to park transportation, being close to everything, and knowing that you had a safe clean resort to return to each night. It feels like a lot of of people feel Disney “owes” them for staying at one of their resorts, but people need to look at what’s included in the reservation and see if they thinks it’s worth it or not. If you don’t think it’s worth it then there’s lots of other hotels to stay at off property. If you book it knowing what’s included you can’t spend the whole trip thinking you’re owed anything more than what was listed as included in the reservation you agreed to.

Its funny that back then.. when occupation dipped.. they gave more incentives to stay.
Now the ChapekWay(tm) is actually "search every single thing we can cut while charging the same" )

 

[Cesar R M]

Airlines used to give you free food and now they don’t. Things won’t stay the same forever. So you can choose to stay on site knowing what is now included or you can go elsewhere. One enough people choose elsewhere Disney might change their stance.

Airlines flights were much more expensive value per value back then. It was considered a luxury.

 

[Cesar R M]

Yes, but they are off site. That's the point. No matter how good an off site property is, it's still off site.

We want to stay on-site. That one ingredient seems to be the one that always gets missed in this discussion. "You can get better amenities for a lower price offsite!" Yes, but the amenities are not the deciding factor for us. It's being on-site.

I still wonder.. what is the definition of "onsite " for most folks here? It is just because its a Disney Umbrella?
Or is it because it has the Disney transportation system?

 

[OG Runner]

Well with 90% of the guests alienated, at least now I can get on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

 

[Master Yoda]

No that's Social Stratification.

I can't affored to stay at a deluxe. How do you think it makes me feel when people with money can give me the finger, laugh, as the walk into somewhere I am not allowed simply because I am poor? I save for a long time to go to WDW because it was magical for us. Think it's magical any more?

That is a stretch, but sure...call it social stratification if that makes you feel better or worse.

The reality is Disney is a luxury item and not essential to survival. It has always been pay more get more. They are merely adding more levels to the equation to get more money out of those that fell below the financial means of being able to afford a VIP tour guide.

If you don't like it, stop giving them your money. Odds are that is what I will do after our next trip.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

No that's Social Stratification.

I can't affored to stay at a deluxe. How do you think it makes me feel when people with money can give me the finger, laugh, as the walk into somewhere I am not allowed simply because I am poor? I save for a long time to go to WDW because it was magical for us. Think it's magical any more?

Social Stratification is capitalism...kinda the point of those who make more can do more.

I know its not ideal for some, but all businesses are moving to a model like this, different levels for different payments. Heck the cruise and resort industry has been working this way for years with very little complaint, I'd argue Disney is playing catch up in this regard even to the Universal properties and other theme park style resorts.

Not saying I'm necessarily a fan of all things done this way, but I don't think its 'unfair'.

If we want to make the argument that its not the way it was 50 years ago then yes that's true, but I'm not sure of anything else that has endured for this long as a cultural staple that approaches its business model the same way it did 50 years ago. There are certainly things to complain about with the nickel-and-dime philosophy, but I'm not sure the idea you get more if you stay at a higher tier hotel qualifies as that.

 

[drizgirl]

Its funny that back then.. when occupation dipped.. they gave more incentives to stay.
Now the ChapekWay(tm) is actually "search every single thing we can cut while charging the same more." )

Fixed it for you.

 

[dovetail65]

With the news of the new hours for deluxe resort guests only, what is the incentive to stay on property in a value or moderate resort? It seems to me that Disney just alienated 90%+ of their guests with the newest moves they have made to the parks.

1) No more Magical Express
2) no more Extra Magic Hours
3) no more free Magic Bands
4) no more free parking at resorts
5) transportation is mostly busses which are very inefficient
6) Likely no more advanced FP booking with new paid FP coming*

What is the incentive to stay in a moderate or value resort going forward? You lost all those perks, including not being able to stay late in the parks now that its only for deluxe resort guests and the only one you get is to get in the parks 30 minutes early in the morning.......Is that even a benefit for most guests?

Plus Disney alienated all AP holders and day pass guests by banning them from rope drop and losing that advantage as well as banning them from staying late in the parks.......

*I would bet this is their next announcement

I think that is the point. They have found or feel they simply don't need to give a perks for people to stay at the moderate or value hotels because they are going to fill them anyhow. I mean they will.

So to entice people to go to a higher tier and pay in many case 2 to 3 times more even 10 times more for certain rooms they are giving the perks to those hotel guests.

If a person is paying 995 a night at the Poly and gets a perk why should someone paying 120 or even 300 a night get that same perk? What then is the point to the per at the higher tiers?

I am not saying it is right or wrong, I am saying this must be Disney's view on it.

 

[Hockey89]

Whoa, stop the clock!! Just because we're not staying in a deluxe, doesn't mean our benefits of staying on property should be any different.

I don't know what world you live in but it does and should....

 

[dovetail65]

Makes no sense to me.....You're willing to pay more for less......what if they took the water away in the room because water is too expensive for a value resort? Obviously trying to make a point and the point is, where is your line where you say they took too much away for not only what i pay, but for what i can get offsite for a cheaper price and higher quality

But people are not willing to pay more for less, they don't know that if they never stayed before.

I just booked a hotel for my daughter's wedding, it a whopping 1500 for 2 nights, I did not go to see what they charged last year at that time or check to see if last year parking was free.

It makes no sense to us because we have been there, most of us many times, even hundreds of times, but even though many here just will not believe it, most people go to WDW for a once in a lifetime trip . People will say oh your number are not right there are not enough people in America for that to be right, well it does not matter becasue that is the premise Chapek is operating under. Repeat guests dont spend as much and that is from their research. If his premise is wrong Chapek will be gone in a few years. We will see.

 

[Tom P.]

No that's Social Stratification.

I can't affored to stay at a deluxe. How do you think it makes me feel when people with money can give me the finger, laugh, as the walk into somewhere I am not allowed simply because I am poor? I save for a long time to go to WDW because it was magical for us. Think it's magical any more?

How do you think people feel who can't afford a Disney vacation when they see you go to Walt Disney World? You know that there are a large number of people for whom ever visiting WDW is a seemingly unattainable dream, right? I mean, you could make the same argument about people who have to dine at a quick service restaurant vs. those who are able to go to a nice table service dinner. Or those who are able to take the VIP tours while others can't. Every single thing at WDW is stratified based on what you can or cannot afford.

And where are you running into these people who are giving you the finger and laughing because you are "too poor" to do the things that you are doing? I have been to Disney numerous times. The last two times, we stayed at Art of Animation. The most expensive resort we've ever stayed at is Port Orleans. I've dreamt since I was a kid of staying at the Contemporary, but we can't afford it. So what? No one has ever made me feel like I was looked down upon or laughed at because I couldn't afford something at Disney.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I don't know what world you live in but it does and should....

The world I live in uses the same shade of green cash...yours AND mine. So what you're saying to a "blue collar" guest is since you can't afford to stay at a luxury resort, but did make the conscious decision to stay in one of our values as opposed to the Holiday Inn off property, you're SOL?? Is that what you're sayin'?? If it is, me thinks you've been hit one too many times with the hockey puck, Hockey89..

 

[Club Cooloholic]

So Deluxe gets the after hours time. And now you want to give them exclusive early entry? Not even Universal does that. They pull in all their value resorts for early entry.

And starting parking lot transport 10 minutes before park open would be a disaster!

Plus, they will eventually get early ADRs, tours and BBB going again. How would those people get there?

Yeah, I don't know why they bothered with this half hour for certain guests thing. Should be extra hours for all guests of resorts, maybe even have 2 parks do it exch day(my goodness can you imagine) and if they want more perks for deluxe, let them have an extra top tier fast pass.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The world I live in uses the same shade of green cash...yours AND mine. So what you're saying to a "blue collar" guest is since you can't afford to stay at a luxury resort, but did make the conscious decision to stay in one of our values as opposed to the Holiday Inn off property, you're SOL?? Is that what you're sayin'?? If it is, me thinks you've been hit one too many times with the hockey puck, Hockey89..

Completely disagree.

Its not about blue or white collar its about what you're willing to spend for what perks. None of us here in America are entitled to the same thing for the most part. I'd expect different amenities at the Waldorf Astoria than I would at the Holiday Inn here in NYC, why is a Disney resort area any different?