wogwog
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Disney Survey on implementing a $15 resort fee
- Thread starter icc2515
- Start date
Spikerdink
Well-Known Member
Many people seem to be of the mindset - I'm ed over these fees, but I want to go to Disney, so I'll complain about it, but cough up the cash. And for many people, this will be true. But for many families, they are going to start looking at the extra costs that have been appearing and delaying, or even picking another destination altogether.
For me, I bought into DVC because I loved all things Disney and had a great time whenever I traveled there. It was an oasis of peace when my life was a battlefield of a crap storm.
But......even for me, the trips are getting shorter and I am starting to contemplate renting my points and doing other things. The costs have started to impact my trips.
I stopped using the DDP because the prices escalated, the choices decreased (when I first used it the plan included an appetizer and a dessert) and I never saved the 40% they advertised.
I moved to Tables in Wonderland 4 years ago. It seemed a better deal - especially when I was travelling with a group and we would have wine with dinner. At $75 it was easy to recoup the cost. I renewed the TIW two weeks ago and the cost had doubled to $150. I now have to start thinking - will I recoup this investment during the year?
I stopped buying multiday passes when I realized I could travel down to WDW a few times a year and an AP would give me greater value. But now the AP has increased over $100 and I again have to think before I renew.
When I first bought DVC, I thought nothing of having a QS breakfast. But the price of food has increased to the point where I question do I really want to spend $10 on breakfast when I can bring a box of muffins or get a dozen eggs and bread that will last me the week for under $10? Now, either I have a small something in the room or I push through to lunch. I can't justify paying that much for breakfast. The $11 burger for lunch is already making my fiscally conservative head spin.
This is just me - a single guy who travels with friends and family. I have a friend who has three young sons. We used to take his oldest boy for a short trip every year (autistic and the trip was a father - son bonding time) but we had to cancel when he couldn't justify the cost for the few days. He is going on a Disney cruise with all three boys in a few weeks, and when he looked at the cost of park tickets for the two days they will have on property, he questioned whether he should just make them resort days because he was looking at another $1000 just in park tickets.
Sure, people will continue to flock to Disney. But the point may be arriving where people can't justify the costs. I read an article the other day that said Disney was dismissing the middle class and concentrating on the 1%....I wanted to say that the author was another person looking to wedge income issues where it did not belong. But, the article made sense, and I can see the point.
If these resort fees are applied to the DVC bookings, I can state flat out that my trips would be curtailed. There comes a point where Disney will price too many people out.
For me, I bought into DVC because I loved all things Disney and had a great time whenever I traveled there. It was an oasis of peace when my life was a battlefield of a crap storm.
But......even for me, the trips are getting shorter and I am starting to contemplate renting my points and doing other things. The costs have started to impact my trips.
I stopped using the DDP because the prices escalated, the choices decreased (when I first used it the plan included an appetizer and a dessert) and I never saved the 40% they advertised.
I moved to Tables in Wonderland 4 years ago. It seemed a better deal - especially when I was travelling with a group and we would have wine with dinner. At $75 it was easy to recoup the cost. I renewed the TIW two weeks ago and the cost had doubled to $150. I now have to start thinking - will I recoup this investment during the year?
I stopped buying multiday passes when I realized I could travel down to WDW a few times a year and an AP would give me greater value. But now the AP has increased over $100 and I again have to think before I renew.
When I first bought DVC, I thought nothing of having a QS breakfast. But the price of food has increased to the point where I question do I really want to spend $10 on breakfast when I can bring a box of muffins or get a dozen eggs and bread that will last me the week for under $10? Now, either I have a small something in the room or I push through to lunch. I can't justify paying that much for breakfast. The $11 burger for lunch is already making my fiscally conservative head spin.
This is just me - a single guy who travels with friends and family. I have a friend who has three young sons. We used to take his oldest boy for a short trip every year (autistic and the trip was a father - son bonding time) but we had to cancel when he couldn't justify the cost for the few days. He is going on a Disney cruise with all three boys in a few weeks, and when he looked at the cost of park tickets for the two days they will have on property, he questioned whether he should just make them resort days because he was looking at another $1000 just in park tickets.
Sure, people will continue to flock to Disney. But the point may be arriving where people can't justify the costs. I read an article the other day that said Disney was dismissing the middle class and concentrating on the 1%....I wanted to say that the author was another person looking to wedge income issues where it did not belong. But, the article made sense, and I can see the point.
If these resort fees are applied to the DVC bookings, I can state flat out that my trips would be curtailed. There comes a point where Disney will price too many people out.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I think it's the same thing that has already happened with sports. 40 years back nearly every guy/father was into sports. Father's would take their kids to the games and buy them jerseys and other memorabilia. Then, over the years, the price of going to games kept escalating, fathers took their kids less and less and you can see it reflected in today's men: There are a lot of them who just aren't into going to see game. A lot of them don't watch it on TV. You don't see kids wearing jerseys like they used to.
Sporting events have kind of become an elite enterprise especially when they play the black-out game so even if dad wants to watch the game at home with the kids he can't because the expensive game didn't sell out. I think they (the teams/owners) miss out on cultivating those fans into future game-goers or even future merchandise buyers.
I think the same sort of thing is happening at WDW.
With regards to fees: I remember when the bank I used to use decided to nickel and dime me for fees for everything. I remember them implementing the fee to speak to a teller. I also remember closing my accounts and telling them, after they asked why I was leaving, "With your fees you've made it clear that you'd rather not deal with me. You don't want me to bother you on the phone or in person or just about in anyway possible. So I've found a bank that does want to do business with me."
I'm starting to feel the same way with WDW. It's not a particular fee that's the problem, it's all of it (fees, up-charges, cuts, numerous special-ticketed events, etc.).
Sporting events have kind of become an elite enterprise especially when they play the black-out game so even if dad wants to watch the game at home with the kids he can't because the expensive game didn't sell out. I think they (the teams/owners) miss out on cultivating those fans into future game-goers or even future merchandise buyers.
I think the same sort of thing is happening at WDW.
With regards to fees: I remember when the bank I used to use decided to nickel and dime me for fees for everything. I remember them implementing the fee to speak to a teller. I also remember closing my accounts and telling them, after they asked why I was leaving, "With your fees you've made it clear that you'd rather not deal with me. You don't want me to bother you on the phone or in person or just about in anyway possible. So I've found a bank that does want to do business with me."
I'm starting to feel the same way with WDW. It's not a particular fee that's the problem, it's all of it (fees, up-charges, cuts, numerous special-ticketed events, etc.).
ColdSarsaparilla
Well-Known Member
I've been moved to join this forum in large part by what's going on in WDW right now. We, as loyal patrons, are not only taken for granted, but actually taken advantage of in order to prop up other lagging aspects of Parks & Resorts. Thank you sir, may I have another?
That said, count me in the camp that would prefer a $15 increase in the room rate than an additional line item.
That said, count me in the camp that would prefer a $15 increase in the room rate than an additional line item.
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Rescue Ranger
Well-Known Member
More of a reason why renting DVC points keeps getting better and better and as of late, the only way I travel to WDW.
ColdSarsaparilla
Well-Known Member
That's a good point, this move would potentially be a boon to third-party point rental businesses.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Well, that seems to be the consensus of opinion around here, plus when you compare it to others it is astronomical. I'm not talking about park admission prices, although high, it can be justified that the amount of entertainment garnered by that expense is something that is within reason. Hotels, food, etc. are plain and simple highway robbery. The method that they employ to convince people that they must be a captive audience is misleading and many are unable to break away from the mind control that Disney has dished out for such things. I am aware that many people love it, but, the times that I spent captive, on-site, felt like prison with rides. For others it is fine, but, to my knowledge, no one was held at gunpoint and forced to stay there... yet!
The one example, off the top of my head are those cabins that are sitting on pegs over the top of stagnant and algae laden water of the lagoon. I have never personally looked it up, but, it has been mentioned it was $1500 to $2000 per night, if true.
Actually if it was anything over $200. per night it is a ripoff in my mind. I stand by my original statement. The prices aren't unbelievable, in that they would charge them, but, the idea that people would so happily pay them is something that is unbelievable to me that I just cannot wrap my brain around.
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DVCOwner
A Long Time DVC Member
As for Disney Vacation Club, part of the annual maintenance fees are already going to pay for the items listed in the resort fee. Under State law if they started charging the resort fee it would have to remove all of these items from the annual cost and dues would have to go down.
I always have a problem when people say this. My parents were solidly in the middle class, and we could never afford to go to WDW in the early 70's much less to DL. I only got to start going there in 1978 when we moved to Orlando. Even then, I went to MK many times, but frequently could only afford the park admission, and not the ride tickets. Saying that Disney is pricing out the middle class is bunk. It was ALWAYS expensive to go there, even in the 70's.
wannabeBelle
Well-Known Member
I was looking for a one night stay for a bunch of different resorts the other night for a client and for early May the Bungalows were in the mid two thousand dollar range for a single night's stay. MarieThe one example, off the top of my head are those cabins that are sitting on pegs over the top of stagnant and algae laden water of the lagoon. I have never personally looked it up, but, it has been mentioned it was $1500 to $2000 per night, if true.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Don't worry you will get BOTH a room price increase AND a 'resort fee'
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
And here lies the problem, Disney is now making people THINK about renewing these things before they were cheap enough that renewals of these things was reflexive. I recall a year where I renewed my AP and I had only been to WDW 4 days the whole year.
Seabasealpha1
Well-Known Member
IF all these nickel & dime and admission price hike schemes keep coming at us, we're going to need a Jurassic Park style "coupon day" just to be able to attend...
"...Donald Gennaro: And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise...
John Hammond: Donald, Donald... This park was not built to cater only for the super-rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.
Donald Gennaro: Sure, they will. Well, we'll have a, a coupon day or something..."
Sometimes I wish the people who make these decisions and think this crap up would just:
"...Donald Gennaro: And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise...
John Hammond: Donald, Donald... This park was not built to cater only for the super-rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.
Donald Gennaro: Sure, they will. Well, we'll have a, a coupon day or something..."
Sometimes I wish the people who make these decisions and think this crap up would just:
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
IF all these nickel & dime and admission price hike schemes keep coming at us, we're going to need a Jurassic Park style "coupon day" just to be able to attend...
"...Donald Gennaro: And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise...
John Hammond: Donald, Donald... This park was not built to cater only for the super-rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.
Donald Gennaro: Sure, they will. Well, we'll have a, a coupon day or something..."
Sometimes I wish the people who make these decisions and think this crap up would just:
What admission price hike scheme? They increase prices every year. You know it is coming. Never a surprise.
Now, if you're talking about the resort fee, you may have an argument there.
Seabasealpha1
Well-Known Member
I don't see a need to hike the price up every year...I just don't. Up every two...sure...up every three...even better...every friggin' year? eh...that means (in a sense) that two hundred bucks a day each is in the future sometime...
I understand they're building new stuff...and fine...but there's still a whole lot of half-patootied efforts still in the parks and I could write you a book on how 2 and 1/2 of their theme parks seriously need help a lot more than we need an expanded Disney Springs, Mymagic+, Frozen at Epcot, or for one's birthday announcement to be on a sign at the end of small world.
But hey, just an opinion...
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
They could raise prices every day if they wanted to. What difference does it make if they increase it 5% per year or 10% every two years or 0.1% every week?
njDizFan
Well-Known Member
Maybe this has something to do with the dwindling revenue steam coming from DVC contracts. This was a cash cow for decades and Disney was flush with money coming out of that segment. Now with only a few modest add-ons since BLT ('09) maybe they are serching for a way to bridge that revenue until they finalize plans for a major prokect(not sure if Fort wilderness is still in the plans)
But in the hey day of '02-'09 they added over 3000 villas in 7 years, that is a ton of points. In the last 7 years they added only about 500(excluding Aulini, which would bring the total to 987).
As @ParentsOf4 noted 110 million could really help a balance sheet
But in the hey day of '02-'09 they added over 3000 villas in 7 years, that is a ton of points. In the last 7 years they added only about 500(excluding Aulini, which would bring the total to 987).
As @ParentsOf4 noted 110 million could really help a balance sheet
Seabasealpha1
Well-Known Member
I just see an alarming trend where Disney parks are going to be affordable for less and less people. Somehow, in my mind, I don't see the benefit of such price hikes when they're already making record profits...I understand it is a business...but in many respects, it isn't ALL about money either. Charging another fifteen bucks is a minuscule amount when you've already blown a couple grand on a family of four to just attend the parks and buy meals. That's not to even speak of airfare, transportation, or hotel expenses...but I feel like they know they can keep on raising the price of everything and folks will pay it...and I don't foresee it as being something good...
raven
Well-Known Member
Love that this movie and even Jurassic World pokes fun at Disney. But it's true! Fees and hikes don't really seem to "cover costs" anymore so much as "see what people will pay."IF all these nickel & dime and admission price hike schemes keep coming at us, we're going to need a Jurassic Park style "coupon day" just to be able to attend...
"...Donald Gennaro: And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise...
John Hammond: Donald, Donald... This park was not built to cater only for the super-rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.
Donald Gennaro: Sure, they will. Well, we'll have a, a coupon day or something..."
Sometimes I wish the people who make these decisions and think this crap up would just: