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

Br0ckford

Premium Member
This is relevant. TL;DR - Six Flags has been raising prices to weed out poor people.

Six Flags revealed it has shed nearly 2 million customers during the past year – a drop that came partly because of an initiative to weed out “rowdy teenagers,” according to the company’s CEO.

The Arlington, Texas-based theme park’s shares tumbled 18% to $21.12 on Thursday after it disclosed that attendance at its 27 parks was down 22% from a year ago to 6.7 million in the quarter ended July 3.

The drop came partly because Six Flags has been steadily hiking ticket prices after offering too many discounts this year, Chief executive Selim Bassoul told analysts on a Thursday earnings call.

“So, we only got the discounter or we became a day care center for teenagers,” Bassoul said. “It was a cheap day care center for teenagers during breaks and the summers.”

In response, Six Flags has been hiking prices to reduce the numbers of “rowdy teenagers running around,” he added.



View attachment 659832
I haven't seen a KMart in forever
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
You're drastically underestimating the relative percentage of parents willing to take their kids out of school, especially if there's financial incentive to do so.
Agreed, they can force these folks too. The question is, can they force enough families to the off-peak times. It's so mobbed all of a time, it's hard for me to tell the difference.
 

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
This is waaaay long term thinking but maybe Chapek wants to squeeze every last penny out of the park because long term maintenance is unprofitable? Hotter weather and the accompanying climate events plus the political fray in the good state of Florida may mean that keeping up a big old park in Orlando may not be in a, say, 25-year interest.

Get the money now and start infrastructure elsewhere (or, more likely, start offering boutique experiences that can be "popped up" in different places and don't rely so much on set infrastructure).

Am I crazy? Ok, I am, but am I crazy about this one? 🤣

I'd think that they would consider selling off parts of or the whole Anaheim property. It's much older, has poorer infrastructure, is constrained by pavement 360 degrees, and is in a higher-priced labor market.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
It's so mobbed all of a time...
I'm not sure I'm in agreement with that. I think we perceive it that way as a function of crowded times getting more online hype and attention than slower times combined with pandemic pent-up demand.

However, if Disney is projecting consistent "so mobbed all of the time" demand, then I think it's time for expansion and investment.
 

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
I don't think Disney could or would spin off just DLR. That's insane.

Not to accountants who are only concerned with counting beans (ie the total costs and return on investment). They seek to monetize everything possible and then they can compare which things to let go.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
This is relevant. TL;DR - Six Flags has been raising prices to weed out poor people.

Six Flags revealed it has shed nearly 2 million customers during the past year – a drop that came partly because of an initiative to weed out “rowdy teenagers,” according to the company’s CEO.

The Arlington, Texas-based theme park’s shares tumbled 18% to $21.12 on Thursday after it disclosed that attendance at its 27 parks was down 22% from a year ago to 6.7 million in the quarter ended July 3.

The drop came partly because Six Flags has been steadily hiking ticket prices after offering too many discounts this year, Chief executive Selim Bassoul told analysts on a Thursday earnings call.

“So, we only got the discounter or we became a day care center for teenagers,” Bassoul said. “It was a cheap day care center for teenagers during breaks and the summers.”

In response, Six Flags has been hiking prices to reduce the numbers of “rowdy teenagers running around,” he added.



View attachment 659832

“In response to increased physical violence in our theme parks, we have no choice but to institute price increases. Single day tickets will start at $499/day, with park hopping available for $399/day. Annual passes will start at $9999 for Florida residents, and our Incredi-Pass will now cost $19,999. We need fewer poors in our parks, they make for bad PR.” - “Bearded Bob” Chapek
 

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
I'd think that they would consider selling off parts of or the whole Anaheim property. It's much older, has poorer infrastructure, is constrained by pavement 360 degrees, and is in a higher-priced labor market.
They have plans to drastically expand DLR. Expect an announcement of the re-zoning ... soonish. Would be sooner if not for the corruption scandal at Anaheim City Hall.

 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I'm in agreement with that. I think we perceive it that way as a function of crowded times getting more online hype and attention than slower times combined with pandemic pent-up demand.

However, if Disney is projecting consistent "so mobbed all of the time" demand, then I think it's time for expansion and investment.
Ah, expansion and investment..... wait.... I just want to picture it in my mind.... It's beautiful...
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
“In response to increased physical violence in our theme parks, we have no choice but to institute price increases. Single day tickets will start at $499/day, with park hopping available for $399/day. Annual passes will start at $9999 for Florida residents, and our Incredi-Pass will now cost $19,999. We need fewer poors in our parks, they make for bad PR.” - “Bearded Bob” Chapek
Don't threaten me with a good time.
 

Lirael

Well-Known Member
“In response to increased physical violence in our theme parks, we have no choice but to institute price increases. Single day tickets will start at $499/day, with park hopping available for $399/day. Annual passes will start at $9999 for Florida residents, and our Incredi-Pass will now cost $19,999. We need fewer poors in our parks, they make for bad PR.” - “Bearded Bob” Chapek
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
 

GhostHost1000

Premium Member
I think you guys are missing the key piece here. They don't want fewer people. They want to chop off the peaks and fill in the valleys of demand. They don't want Christmas visitors to cancel their trips, they just want to price some of them out and convince them to come in September instead.
Exactly right. Which is why they have variable ticket and hotel pricing as well as dvc point differences throughout the year
 

GhostHost1000

Premium Member
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
That and they were probably tying to use genie+ all day 👀
 

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
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.
 

Mr Mindcrime

Well-Known Member
Didn’t Walt say

I don’t make movies to make money.
Lot's of people say lots of things that aren't necessarily true. Look around today....how many public figures in all walks of life do you believe? If it's more than zero, then we should talk.

I've already ceded that Walt wasn't just in it for the money. But regardless of what anyone says, I can't believe he didn't care at all about money, after all, a man and his family for generations have to eat :)
 

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