News Disney CEO Bob Chapek suggests price hikes are coming to the parks thanks to guest demand

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Second to last day of my final trip for several years. I spent ove 10k on this trip BEFORE arriving, expecting it to be my biggest best trip ever. It's supposed to be my farewell trip before I start saving and adulting for the next several years.

Sadly, it's been the most miserable trip I have ever been on. I've never not had at least a Little Bit of a good time at Disney. But man do I wish I had my 10,000 dollars back. I've got Animal Kingdom tomorrow. Sigh.

Bye, Disney. I'll be going to washington dc next year instead. Love that place.

Ouch…I feel like we’re missing some story here??

Feel free to vent…if you need/want to

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I get that its a joke, but I honestly think price hikes are what causes increased violence and decrease of patience.

If you're paying what you think is too much to be there, you'll start to expect/demand much more from the offering, and when what you receive -from quality to quantity- does not feel on par with the money you paid, you start getting increasingly angry and less patient when anything feels below the experience you expected for that high price

You are correct. There is a pretty easy to identify link between price, expectations and incidents.

This will only get worse

 

[Javier Antonio Nisa Avila]

I can't believe it.are these people crazy? I think they are not experts on communication. Middle classes contribute to mantain parks . Rich people will be bored and let it go. Well, this is the idea of some people there. I hope they enjoy very much.

People who used to be to contemporary in 2019 should change to All Stars. Additionally, they must reduce options in the vacation package. The world is really big and people can travel around the world cheaper than few days at Disney.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

To you, obviously many people are finding some value.

Yeah…but it’s hard to push the “it’s worth it to ME…” standard counter line.

They’re touting just how much more they’re raking…still with things closed/reduced…then dr evil in his victory lap suggest more “tariffs on fun”…

I’m not saying boycott the place…but it’s very hard to make a case that “value” hasn’t declined.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I can't believe it.are these people crazy? I think they are not experts on communication. Middle classes contribute to mantain parks . Rich people will be bored and let it go. Well, this is the idea of some people there. I hope they enjoy very much.

People who used to be to contemporary in 2019 should change to All Stars. Additionally, they must reduce options in the vacation package. The world is really big and people can travel around the world cheaper than few days at Disney.

They don’t honestly think “rich people” are gonna flock to an amusement park…

They want to feel special/proud to frequent a place that would attract that type.

We don’t need a consult from Freud here.

A lot of hard Disney fandom has been about wanting to feel special/ego

 

[Javier Antonio Nisa Avila]

They don’t honestly think “rich people” are gonna flock to an amusement park…

They want to feel special/proud to frequent a place that would attract that type.

We don’t need a consult from Freud here.

A lot of hard Disney fandom has been about wanting to feel special/ego

I completely agree with you. However, I have visited Disney more than 15 times from Europe and I can say that I have always felt special. I don't need a special place for me and my family. I think I feel cheated when I see this form of rising prices.

Additionally, I think this is killing the ideas of Walt on the grounds that he believed that parks were places to enjoy all the families together. Nevertheless, the increase in prices is far cry from the original idea.

To be honest, I can visit other parks around the world. For example, Hong Kong Disneyland is cheaper than Disney World or Disneyland and the park is awesome. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to enjoy Hong Kong again.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I completely agree with you. However, I have visited Disney more than 15 times from Europe and I can say that I have always felt special. I don't need a special place for me and my family. I think I feel cheated when I see this form of rising prices.

Additionally, I think this is killing the ideas of Walt on the grounds that he believed that parks were places to enjoy all the families together. Nevertheless, the increase in prices is far cry from the original idea.

To be honest, I can visit other parks around the world. For example, Hong Kong Disneyland is cheaper than Disney World or Disneyland and the park is awesome. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to enjoy Hong Kong again.

Do you feel special because you’re paying exaggerated rates?

I don’t think you do. The old continent is much more practical.

For American diehard Disney fans…that’s a deep “current” in their soul.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

So, admittedly, I don't know anything about Bob Chapek other then he took over for Iger. Until I joined these boards I didn't really pay attention to the behind the scenes stuff. I forked over my money to Walt Disney World. I have noticed decline, but, at least for me, not to the point to stop going. Not saying there isn't a point, but I haven't reached it yet. Yesterday was the first time I really paid attention during the quarterly call. Really just cause I read a lot of you on these boards and alot of it makes sense. This guy just seems like a smarmy, double talking, wall street guy who doesn't care about the families/fans he is raising prices on. Very eye opening. We are already booked for November, so we will see what happens after that.

Go read DisneyWar by James Stewart. It’s all a game to the corporate executives. They don’t think about the actual customers or employees for a split second. Disney means nothing to them…if they ran GM or AT&T, they’d be just as content. It’s all about ego, traveling to Davos or Aspen with other big league CEOs, etc. it’s opening and sickening at the same time but at least you start to understand the reality of the situation.

 

[erasure fan1]

*Shrug*

That has not been my experience.

Again, I'm truly glad you are happy with the place. I wish I was. Personally I can't be happy with the place now. You can't take so many things away, up charge for so many others, let the parks stagnate, lower your service levels, expand almost nothing, lower food and merch quality, stop caring about exceptional theming all while doubling your prices and expect to still be considered the gold standard, so I stand by what I said. Maybe turd sandwich is too much, but compared to where they've been, I give them no better than ground beef. They're no where close to filet anymore.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Go read DisneyWar by James Stewart. It’s all a game to the corporate executives. They don’t think about the actual customers or employees for a split second. Disney means nothing to them…if they ran GM or AT&T, they’d be just as content. It’s all about ego, traveling to Davos or Aspen with other big league CEOs, etc. it’s opening and sickening at the same time but at least you start to understand the reality of the situation.

To be Honest…the dynamics in Disney War were completely different. It had to do with Money…but that was about power. None of the people who wanted the power at that time looked at the customers as targets to be drained then…and that’s what they do now. They don’t even try to hide it.

 

[doctornick]

2024 is when the chickens come home to roost and Disney has to fork over a minimum of 27.4 Billion dollars to Comcast for its share of Hulu.

You’ve said this before and been corrected. But Disney will not pay Comcast that much in 2024. The $27.5B valuation is for all of Hulu. Disney would need to pay Comcast for the latter’s 33% of the company. So Disney will pay a minimum of about $9.17B. Of course the number could be higher if an arbitrator rules that Hulu is worth more that the $27.5B minimum, but it’s unlikely to be vastly more than that. Disney certainly won’t be spending anywhere near $27B.

 

[DisneyHead123]

To be fair, I think Chapek's comments were nothing more than a simple description of market demand. Basically "So if there's more demand we'll charge more, and if there's less demand we'll charge less!" And I think you could even read this as him hedging about price increases, knowing a recession might be on the way - essentially saying "Well, will see how it goes, y'know?"

That said, as has so often been noted, he has a hard time with finesse when it comes to the nicey-nicey type comments. Like he needs to at least make some kind of throwaway comment about how charging more "Gives Disney the resources to improve the customer experience even more!" or "Is exciting because it would give us the revenue to fund new initiatives" or some equally anodyne and noncommittal buzz wordy statement. Like at least pretend it's not just a game of seeing how far you can twist people's pocketbooks before they cry uncle, add the pretense of saying that there's something in it for them in the end.

 

[GimpYancIent]

To be fair, I think Chapek's comments were nothing more than a simple description of market demand. Basically "So if there's more demand we'll charge more, and if there's less demand we'll charge less!" And I think you could even read this as him hedging about price increases, knowing a recession might be on the way - essentially saying "Well, will see how it goes, y'know?"

That said, as has so often been noted, he has a hard time with finesse when it comes to the nicey-nicey type comments. Like he needs to at least make some kind of throwaway comment about how charging more "Gives Disney the resources to improve the customer experience even more!" or "Is exciting because it would give us the revenue to fund new initiatives" or some equally anodyne and noncommittal buzz wordy statement. Like at least pretend it's not just a game of seeing how far you can twist people's pocketbooks before they cry uncle, add the pretense of saying that there's something in it for them in the end.

B.C. is no actor or even good speech maker. When he attempts to all he succeeds in doing is coming off as disingenuous.

 

[Javier Antonio Nisa Avila]

Do you feel special because you’re paying exaggerated rates?

I don’t think you do. The old continent is much more practical.

For American diehard Disney fans…that’s a deep “current” in their soul.

I think you misunderstood. I have never felt special paying extra fees. I only wanted to say that I always felt special in Disney . No matter what hotel I stayed.

Additionally, my wife was working in Hong Kong and we were annual pass there. The park is amazing and it is far cheaper than Disney World. As a matter of fact, I proposed her there and all the staff helped me for free.

On the other hand, Europe offers many opportunities beyond Disney. Disneyland Paris is very nice, for example. Moreover, you can visit Astérix Park in France too. Universal and Ferrari land is in Spain as well as Warner park.

I don't want to pay extra fees in Disney World. I think they're cheating us. Not only is pricing tickets, but also we have lost Fast pass and Magical Express. However, aas you said, there are many people who prefer exclusivity. Personally, I loved seeing Disney crowded and share memories with many people from around the world. I loved the idea of Walt: place where families can enjoy together.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Ouch…I feel like we’re missing some story here??

Feel free to vent…if you need/want to

It's just all the stuff people normally complain about. For instance: Rope dropping flight of passage at the gate at 7:30 am in the morning still makes you wait an hour and a half for flight of passage. Which I am waiting for right now (half an hour in and we haven't made it to the entrance yet)

Meanwhile, at HS, rise of the resistance was practically a walk on at night when it said a 50 minute wait.

It's all these little things that added up all at once on our first day. I think my biggest pet peeves has been how many attractions have been down every time we got in a line.

 

[networkpro]

You’ve said this before and been corrected. But Disney will not pay Comcast that much in 2024. The $27.5B valuation is for all of Hulu. Disney would need to pay Comcast for the latter’s 33% of the company. So Disney will pay a minimum of about $9.17B. Of course the number could be higher if an arbitrator rules that Hulu is worth more that the $27.5B minimum, but it’s unlikely to be vastly more than that. Disney certainly won’t be spending anywhere near $27B.

5.8 billion according to additional codicils (you can find them here
www.cmcsa.com/news-releases/news-release-details/walt-disney-company-and-comcast-announce-agreement-hulus-future )

But that's only 8-10% of Comcast's total debt (according to the last 10-Q which shows it in the ballpark of 80 billion)

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's just all the stuff people normally complain about. For instance: Rope dropping flight of passage at the gate at 7:30 am in the morning still makes you wait an hour and a half for flight of passage.

But you're waiting at a time when there's nothing better to be doing. Waiting outside of park hours maximizes your use of the park hours themselves.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

B.C. is no actor or even good speech maker. When he attempts to all he succeeds in doing is coming off as disingenuous.

He’s got his BS degree and his MBA, but he obviously NEVER took a course in public speaking 101…and of course they don’t teach “think twice BEFORE you speak once”…and we won’t even get into tact. He needs a handler…at this point he could probably use a costume character handler…IF his ego would allow it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But you're waiting at a time when there's nothing better to be doing. Waiting outside of park hours maximizes your use of the park hours themselves.

Stop!!!

It’s still a waste of time. Lines are not “better” than anything else you could be doing on vacation.

And the point - I believe - is that the rope drop scheme is just a hassle. Which it is and has been since it’s portrayed as a way of sidestepping crowds that nobody really liked in the first place.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think you misunderstood. I have never felt special paying extra fees. I only wanted to say that I always felt special in Disney . No matter what hotel I stayed.

Additionally, my wife was working in Hong Kong and we were annual pass there. The park is amazing and it is far cheaper than Disney World. As a matter of fact, I proposed her there and all the staff helped me for free.

On the other hand, Europe offers many opportunities beyond Disney. Disneyland Paris is very nice, for example. Moreover, you can visit Astérix Park in France too. Universal and Ferrari land is in Spain as well as Warner park.

I don't want to pay extra fees in Disney World. I think they're cheating us. Not only is pricing tickets, but also we have lost Fast pass and Magical Express. However, aas you said, there are many people who prefer exclusivity. Personally, I loved seeing Disney crowded and share memories with many people from around the world. I loved the idea of Walt: place where families can enjoy together.

Don’t misunderstand…I was asking you a loaded question to prove a point that wasn’t about you, specifically. I’m pointing out an unfortunate characteristic of US travelers.

I agree with everything you said.