News Disney CEO Bob Chapek reiterates his belief that park reservations are now an essential part of Disney's theme parks business

[flynnibus]

My 6 and 5 year old actually prefer Legoland over Disney theme parks and Great Wolf Lodge over Disney water parks

Yeah I don't know what to make of that guy's response... the vast majority of the country DOESN'T goto Disney for 'high end' vacations and they are all very happy.

Be it camping... beaches... amusement parks... activities.. Multiple generations spend year after year at places and actually enjoy themselves. WDW isn't the only place.

Heck, my kids even prefer the cruises over WDW. Disney has premium theme park attractions - but I wouldn't really call it a 'high end vacation' -- It's just an expensive one.

High end has my kids snorkeling in unique places in the world.. with amazing environments.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Their revenue comes from customer satisfaction though, and certainly I have to believe they know that.

I have stated numerous times in this thread though, that this plan to revalue their product could ultimately fail, if the customers reject the value/pricing being offered. If the customers tell Disney they prioritize lower prices over customer satisfaction, then keeping prices low and cutting services *IS* an example of prioritizing customer satisfaction. Just not in the rather two dimensional way that a lot of people here have maintained.

So as I look at it, Disney has been in a low prices/fill the parks mode for far longer than they should have been after the last recession. They need to turn that around and convince their audience they need to pay more before those services come back.

Disney low prices? Not in this dimension. Convince the audience they need to pay more? Hah! The marketing department can't do what they do now right.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm not sure what you're alluding to. Park Pass didn't exist prior to the pandemic.

Park Pass is a new tool to implement an old strategy. Trying to flatten out demand is not new. The standard program model on which the parks were designed anticipated peaks and valleys of visitation and moving away from that causes problems and the need for “solutions” like Park Pass. The whole overall strategy causes a variety of irritations beyond just having to make a reservation.

Disney was willing to strain capacity before the pandemic. They’re willing to strain capacity now with Park Pass. Why should we assume that they will lose this willingness to strain capacity at some future point?

 

[GimpYancIent]

I don't think the customer is nearly as dissatisfied as you think.

Some things are objectively "bad." Magical Express being eliminated, bad. Resort parking fees, bad. We can agree or disagree on how severe each of those are, but I don't think anyone will make the case that they're somehow in the guests' interest, even theoretically. They're profitability measures at the expense of the guest experience, full stop.

But other things, some people like. I much prefer the new 30 minute early entry plus Deluxe evening hours over the old EMH. I don't hate Genie+, but I absolutely hate ILL. Lots of people like having a virtual queue for the hottest attraction, while I'm not personally a fan. And then there's the ongoing "COVID made everything suck and it's going to take time to recover," which people have various levels of patience with.

Don't blame COVID. The stumbling and cheapening plus increased charges downward spiral started well before 2019. COVID did exacerbate everything and provide management cover. It's current management's business style, planning and pricing models that suck.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Where could they move IASW to?

EPCOT, my latest suggestion was part of a World's Fair Pavilion emanating from the old Wonders of Life Pavilion. The motivator here would be that the removal of it's a small world would open up Fantasyland for a 2012 Fantasyland level expansion.

The better option would be a path between Haunted Mansion and ROA, move haunted queue to the west side of the building and there’d be enough room for a path around ROA.

The bigger problem would be trying to add more bodies to the Fantasyland paths that are already gridlocked many times of the year.

Permanently docking the River Boat and connecting Thunder and Mansion to the Tom Sawyer Island land gives them a ridiculous amount of expansion space. Considering the current mindset of removing any potentially controversial offerings in the park, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been on banned book lists for decades. Opinions on that not withstanding, it would absolutely be on the table for replacement.

 

[LittleBuford]

I noticed you left out cruises, which sirWalter mentioned. Obviously Royal Caribbean specifically is marketing 5-7 day vacations to families with kids.

Plenty of “regional areas” do exist of course, kinda depends on what your kids enjoy. The idea that Disney is the only place that can provide a certain level of happiness for children is just crazy.

Taking kids out of the equation, I do think it’s true that only a Disney holiday is a Disney holiday. I’m happy for those who view Universal as a viable alternative and even a superior replacement, but for me and others like me, a Disney theme park is its own special category of experience that can’t be found elsewhere.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Taking kids out of the equation, I do think it’s true that only a Disney holiday is a Disney holiday. I’m happy for those who view Universal as a viable alternative and even a superior replacement, but for me and others like me, a Disney theme park is its own special category of experience that can’t be found elsewhere.

I think that’s a personal thing though. If Disney has become basically a sacred place for you, that’s fine. But I think a family can enjoy a visit to Dollywood or even the Henry Ford Greenfield Village just as much or more as a trip to Disney.

 

[Chi84]

I think that’s a personal thing though. If Disney has become basically a sacred place for you, that’s fine. But I think a family can enjoy a visit to Dollywood or even the Henry Ford Greenfield Village just as much or more as a trip to Disney.

Different families enjoy different things. There are countless reasons people may choose one vacation destination over others. Disney doesn’t have to be a sacred place to be the best choice.

Making suggestions as to other places is helpful. But I would bet very few people choose Disney because they don’t know about other places. They go because they enjoy it (or at least anticipate enjoying it) or think it’s the best fit. If they go and don’t have a good time they won’t be back.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think that’s a personal thing though. If Disney has become basically a sacred place for you, that’s fine. But I think a family can enjoy a visit to Dollywood or even the Henry Ford Greenfield Village just as much or more as a trip to Disney.

Oh, absolutely. Disney isn’t for everyone. My point was only that some of us aren’t (as others here often suggest or outright state) missing out by sticking with what we know works for us. It’s irrelevant to me whether Universal is objectively speaking a better value, because it doesn’t offer me what I’m looking for. I’m better off spending even twice the amount at Disney.

 

[Lilofan]

Different families enjoy different things. There are countless reasons people may choose one vacation destination over others. Disney doesn’t have to be a sacred place to be the best choice.

Making suggestions as to other places is helpful. But I would bet very few people choose Disney because they don’t know about other places. They go because they enjoy it (or at least anticipate enjoying it) or think it’s the best fit. If they go and don’t have a good time they won’t be back.

I would think some choose to go to Disney again and again, because they choose not to know about other places. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Chi84]

I would think some choose to go to Disney again and again, because they choose not to know about other places. Different strokes for different folks.

Their choice. I’m in no position to judge them.

 

[Lilofan]

Their choice. I’m in no position to judge them.

Disney has their ways to draw them in as repeat customers and will take anyones money to keep feeding the Mouse. No judge, I like to go learn and then explore Disney and other non Disney locations. Some of my neighbors that I'm friends with choose not to and only go to WDW.

 

[Chi84]

Disney has their ways to draw them in as repeat customers and will take anyones money to keep feeding the Mouse. No judge, I like to go learn and then explore Disney and other non Disney locations. Some of my neighbors that I'm friends with choose not to and only go to WDW.

They took my money in exchange for a great vacation. I guess that’s just their way of drawing me in.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I would think some choose to go to Disney again and again, because they choose not to know about other places. Different strokes for different folks.

I think ease is a big factor, we’ve been all over Europe, Hawaii, etc and as amazing as those trips are they are also stressful and require a ton of planning. We talk a lot about the planning aspect of Disney here but it’s still a relatively easy vacation to plan compared to most trips.

I also think the sense of safety is a big factor, when we went to Chicago I was always looking over my shoulder, same with Seattle LA, or any other big American city we’ve gone too, (in Europe I’m much less concerned about violence), I live in Vegas and feel like I’m always on guard if I go near the Strip. One of the big draws of Disney is while I’m aware of my surroundings I never feel like I’m looking over my shoulder.

 

[Chi84]

I think ease is a big factor, we’ve been all over Europe, Hawaii, etc and as amazing as those trips are they are also stressful and require a ton of planning. We talk a lot about the planning aspect of Disney here but it’s still a relatively easy vacation to plan compared to most trips.

I also think the sense of safety is a big factor, when we went to Chicago I was always looking over my shoulder, same with Seattle LA, or any other big American city we’ve gone too, (in Europe I’m much less concerned about violence), I live in Vegas and feel like I’m always on guard if I go near the Strip. One of the big draws of Disney is while I’m aware of my surroundings I never feel like I’m looking over my shoulder.

I agree it’s a comfortable vacation. Sometimes that’s what people need to relax.

 

[Lilofan]

I think ease is a big factor, we’ve been all over Europe, Hawaii, etc and as amazing as those trips are they are also stressful and require a ton of planning. We talk a lot about the planning aspect of Disney here but it’s still a relatively easy vacation to plan compared to most trips.

I also think the sense of safety is a big factor, when we went to Chicago I was always looking over my shoulder, same with Seattle LA, or any other big American city we’ve gone too, (in Europe I’m much less concerned about violence), I live in Vegas and feel like I’m always on guard if I go near the Strip. One of the big draws of Disney is while I’m aware of my surroundings I never feel like I’m looking over my shoulder.

The ease will be easier once the light rail train from MCO to WDW is up and running. Stay in WDW and spend all your money there.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The ease will be easier once the light rail train from MCO to WDW is up and running. Stay in WDW and spend all your money there.

There is no light rail planned between Walt Disney World and Orlando International Airport. Brightline is a heavy rail intercity service and Disney pulled out of having a station on property when they got involved with SunRail, the local commuter rail service. They plan to still have a stop nearby but it won’t be at Walt Disney World.

 

[montyz81]

It’s so sad to witness the potential downfall of Disney where we see Bob Cheapek try to monetize every square inch of the park while Universal pours money into their existing parks at the same time they are building a new park. I wonder how long it will be before we all start saying that Disney’s experiences should be more like Universal’s. Are you listening Bob? Build better emersion and stop building hotels and finding ways to charge people more!

 

[Lilofan]

There is no light rail planned between Walt Disney World and Orlando International Airport. Brightline is a heavy rail intercity service and Disney pulled out of having a station on property when they got involved with SunRail, the local commuter rail service. They plan to still have a stop nearby but it won’t be at Walt Disney World.

That's incorrect. The planned stop is near Disney Springs which is part of WDW.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's incorrect. The planned stop is near Disney Springs which is part of WDW.

Then surely you can provide some evidence of this light rail service.