Disney Prices, Are They High Enough?

[disneyflush]

Trying to take a look at all sides to the pricing discussion fairly and in more of a philosophical way. The threads discussing price hikes usually devolve into:

1.) the increases are what they are, don't like it don't go
or
2.) this is insanity

Should Disney be more aggressive with their upward pricing adjustments? Crowds are huge and detract from the experience of visiting. Buses are packed and waits of 30 minutes to an hour for a ride back to the resort are not uncommon. Fast Passes are often 'No Longer Available" shortly after availability to book them goes live at the 60 day mark. Dining reservations at many locations must be made at 6 months out which is not ideal for most people. The current pricing is not doing much to keep attendance from uncomfortable crowding so is the best option to increase it more frequently and more aggressively until resistance is hit?

So what do you think? Is the trajectory of price increases at a reasonable level to keep the parks an enjoyable experience or would guests benefit from increasing it more aggressively to deal with the continuing challenges Disney is experiencing?

 

[kong1802]

We've gone more times than I can count up until 2014. Life circumstances changed and we took a 3 year break. We went all in this year with AP's. Value started sticking out like a sore thumb at every turn. I never really used to analyze everything until this year. Everything has gotten so much more expensive. Property wide almost everything you buy or touch as gone up an average of about 30%, would be my guess. When the price escalates like that, you have no choice but to start questioning the value, or at least reassessing. This obviously works anywhere, with almost anything. I love steak. For $10, a steak can be great, relatively speaking. Once that steak costs $30, you start having different expectations on how it should taste. You no longer would accept a "slightly overcooked" one at that cost. But at $10, most likely you eat it and move on. To me, WDW has approached this territory. A 20 min bus wait didn't bother me in 2014. But at $200/night at POR, after 10 mins I'm perturbed. Seeing one side of BTMRR not running at rope drop wouldn't have bothered me in 2014, but 2 weekends ago I sent a email to guest relations about it. If they are going to continue with this price assault, they are going to have to ramp up operations to meet the new expectations.

So to stop the rambling and get to the point, it's tricky territory. The easy answer would be for them to actually have built out the parks in anticipation of the growth. They didn't do that, but are seemingly limping towards that goal (EPCOT has a long, long, long, way to go). Increased pricing may help reduce crowds (although I'd argue that they don't want that), but if they don't up their operations game, they risk tarnishing the brand, IMO....

 

[Walt Disney1955]

It really is just the MK that has crowds that can be unbearable. The rest of the parks are manageable.

 

[westie]

Here is my take on the Disney vacation. I notice most if not all merch is 30% higher in cost than I would pay. I see a shirt that I would easily pay $50. for, its $75. Art, pins, steak, it's all that much higher in cost than I feel comfortable paying. Even with an AP discount. Even the AP so we let that go too. The Mrs. and I have actually been going to other destinations like Las Vegas. But there are other factors like crowds and constant construction that have affected this decision.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

To answer the original question.... NO.

WDW is a limited resource. Hence, basic supply and demand should kick in....
Too little supply? Too much demand? Raise prices .
Too much supply? Too little demand? LOWER prices.

Look, no one likes this - until everyone complains about crowds (indicating a stressed resource). EVERY company struggles with this .

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[JohnD]

"Ain't no prices high enough". Sung to the tune of Ain't no Mountain High Enough.

 

[LUVofDIS]

We were in WDW from September 26 to October 2 this year and I noticed a difference in crowds from the same time last year. Wait times were less, we did two MNSSHP and we were on many rides with almost no waits. Maybe pricing is keeping crowds down. They are still not as low as they were five years ago but they are less than the last few years. So either pricing is keeping it low or many are waiting for 2019 (Star Wars) or 2021 for the fiftieth.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Its been said many times before: Disney does not want to price people put of going. That doesn't make any sense from a business point of view. They want parks to be packed and profit to be at a maximum. Disney is not making the parks unaffordable for so many people out of the goodness of their hearts because they want people to have a better experience.

 

[AndyS2992]

The pricing has got to the point now that it is now out of my budget. I’ve been five times in the last 14 years already which is way more than a lot of people have in a life time so I grateful for that. The standard hotel and park tickets package is fine but when you add in return UK to Orlando flights as well as the daily resort parking charge it just tips the price right over the scales. So I’ve been frequenting Disneyland Paris lately as they have some good deals.

I do think WDW is now over priced but I think it is necessary to keep the crowds down which is fine. I just can’t go any more unless I get a significant raise Hoping to go for the 50th but looking at the ridiculous prices for this year, which only increase year on year, it will be very unlikely to happen.

 

[yaksplat]

That's also why I just bought DVC. The potential room rates in the future are insane. I'm sure a standard polynesian room will be $1000 per night.

 

[NelsonRD]

The place is packed. I guarantee you that it'll be packed if they raise prices. I'm amazed at the wealth in this country and the wealth from other countries. Take NYC for instance. Take San Francisco. Though I love those places, though I live in NYC, let me just say.... if you raise the prices, and crowds do diminish, boy... are you going to get a real influx of even more cocky Upper and Middle Class twits. I grew up in Connecticut, don't come for me. Oh, and credit card millionaires who will do anything to keep up with the lifestyle they can't afford.

There were folks on Disney boards 18 years ago who said they were going to stop going. Guess what, they're still going.

I would much rather share my park experience with Upper and Middle Class twits, than low class trouble makers who think they are entitled to more than the next guest because they paid so much for this vacation.

 

[larryz]

If people are still paying them, then I'd say "no."

 

[eliza61nyc]

High enough for what? lol,
too make folks stop visiting?? nope
too make folks grumble about it. Yes

 

[LittleBuford]

I would much rather share my park experience with Upper and Middle Class twits, than low class trouble makers who think they are entitled to more than the next guest because they paid so much for this vacation.

You remind me of someone:

 

[LittleBuford]

The crowds really don’t bother me, which makes me very unusual in these parts. Yes, it’s a sea of people on many (perhaps most) days, but that’s just the nature of the beast, and I don’t see what Disney could realistically do to change things (and why would they even want to?). Complaining about it is like complaining that Times Square is busy.

 

[NelsonRD]

Wow, I don’t know where to begin, except to say that it doesn’t matter how much money you have when it comes to entitlement. But I’ll go back to steerage.

You can begin with dropping the narrative that the more you make, somehow the worse of a person you are, i.e. cocky twits.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Can we please not get into an argumemt about which social class is better? This isn't going to lead to anything good.

 

[Disstevefan1]

To answer the original question.... NO.

WDW is a limited resource. Hence, basic supply and demand should kick in....
Too little supply? Too much demand? Raise prices .
Too much supply? Too little demand? LOWER prices.

Look, no one likes this - until everyone complains about crowds (indicating a stressed resource). EVERY company struggles with this .

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

We all agree Disney will continue to raise prices on everything no matter what we say, but when they continue to raise prices AND open only one side of BTMRR at rope drop, this gets me MAD! You see this all over the parks, the rides are not run to capacity to save money not having to pay the few cast members needed to run the rides at full capacity.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

As long as my butler and chauffeur can still afford it then no it isn't expensive enough.

 

[wendysue]

We've gone more times than I can count up until 2014. Life circumstances changed and we took a 3 year break. We went all in this year with AP's. Value started sticking out like a sore thumb at every turn. I never really used to analyze everything until this year. Everything has gotten so much more expensive. Property wide almost everything you buy or touch as gone up an average of about 30%, would be my guess. When the price escalates like that, you have no choice but to start questioning the value, or at least reassessing. This obviously works anywhere, with almost anything. I love steak. For $10, a steak can be great, relatively speaking. Once that steak costs $30, you start having different expectations on how it should taste. You no longer would accept a "slightly overcooked" one at that cost. But at $10, most likely you eat it and move on. To me, WDW has approached this territory. A 20 min bus wait didn't bother me in 2014. But at $200/night at POR, after 10 mins I'm perturbed. Seeing one side of BTMRR not running at rope drop wouldn't have bothered me in 2014, but 2 weekends ago I sent a email to guest relations about it. If they are going to continue with this price assault, they are going to have to ramp up operations to meet the new expectations.

So to stop the rambling and get to the point, it's tricky territory. The easy answer would be for them to actually have built out the parks in anticipation of the growth. They didn't do that, but are seemingly limping towards that goal (EPCOT has a long, long, long, way to go). Increased pricing may help reduce crowds (although I'd argue that they don't want that), but if they don't up their operations game, they risk tarnishing the brand, IMO....

Well said.