News Disney Villains After Hours coming to the Magic Kingdom

[MisterPenguin]

The stars may as not already be there. To stay one night at an all-star hotel is almost as much to stay at a "moderate" priced resort.
The phasing out is already in progress.

Do you know it's actually cheaper to fly to Hawaii and stay at a hotel on Oahu for a week than it is to go to Disney for a week and stay in a Disney Hotel with a park hopper?

Aloha, Felicia!

 

[larryz]

That sounds to cheap. Can get at least 149 a person.

Maybe so... I guess I'd never cut it as a Disney suit...

 

[eliza61nyc]

And you giving up your money for that is your problem, but the rest of the regular people who aren't willing to make that sacrifice don't need to suffer for the sake of the DVC and the others who like to throw their hard earned money at Disney.
When a "value" resort is no longer a value and a simple five day stay is a mortgage payment (not including the additional parking fee)...then Disney is starting to price out the regular people.

EVERY new hotel is a DVC hotel and that's why Disney is pushing that so hard because they know people will be gullible enough to purchase a time share, and a very expensive one at that.

Clearly Disney is in it to make money...that's all they care about under Iger. Customer service, cleanliness, housekeeping quality, food quality have all fallen by the wayside in their quest for turning a profit.

And when their latest financial report shows that their movies and movie merchandising are actually losing them money and are only offset by the money they get from the parks....that's all you need to know as to why they keep raising the prices and taking money from the gullible who will continually pay it.

OK, a bit dramatic but I hear the frustration..

No one is suffering. It's a choice. You either believe the product is worth the money or you don't, no one is "owed" an affordable Disney vacation. Now I understand that when Walt was alive, he wanted all the poor and everybody to be able to come to the parks. I don't know about that, way before my time.
The prices are transparent and you know what you are getting when you book. so please stop with the "woe is me" those bad people at Disney are opening more luxury hotels. Obviously the "regular" people are not being priced out. they are still going. The star wars hotel is not a DVC resort. Who are these "regular" people, because seems like everyone here can agree the parks are pact all the time.
Now whether or not someone is "gullible" when they purchase their dvc? I would say that is your opinion. LOL, actually most dvc'ers will tell you that they are not the gullible ones. they purchased their accommodations at earlier rates while according to you current rates are unattainable.

If all these "regular" people are not willing to make the sacrifice and don't want to "suffer" in order to go to Disney, that is a good thing, then the market will correct itself.

Obviously that is not the case, with the new openings coming on board and every prediction known to man seem to point to the next couple of years being a zoo, I'm going to bet some how "real" people are still gullible.

I like the product and the service that I am getting from the mouseworld but I don't have entitlement issues, if I don't like the product a business gives me I don't give that business my money. easy peasy. so is Disney some how " tricking" me into believing I am having awesome family vacations? lol, maybe? maybe the pixie dust is deceiving me and my room is not really clean. who knows?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

...when their latest financial report shows that their movies and movie merchandising are actually losing them money and are only offset by the money they get from the parks....that's all you need to know as to why they keep raising the prices and taking money

I think this is a very important discussion point...as consumers it’s not talked about nearly enough

Sorry for the cherry pick

 

[Brad Bishop]

On the one hand, I love that the Villains are getting some love. On the other hand, $140 and they're not even doing M&Gs? I'll pass.

Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll announce M&Gs with the villains as a special upgrade package ($50/head). Maybe they'll throw in a cupcake for good measure.

(thinking back to MNSSHP where they did this.. "OH, want to meet some villains? That's not included with your MNSSHP special event ticket - it's extra!)

 

[Brad Bishop]

I also expect that the 'limited numbers' will be higher and because it's villains will be more likely to sell out. Magical! Or villainous, perhaps.

"...and by, "limited numbers," we specifically mean limited to how many tickets we can sell."
- WDW

 

[xdan0920]

EVERY new hotel is a DVC hotel and that's why Disney is pushing that so hard because they know people will be gullible enough to purchase a time share, and a very expensive one at that.

I actually can’t believe there’s anyone out there purchasing direct DVC at these price points, but there are. You can’t make it up.

 

[Brad Bishop]

A while ago I posted somewhere to expect more upcharge events and less EMH. I can’t call a direct correlation but it does make you wonder.

The reality is: They've figured out how to sell the park 3 times a day.

That's all this is. While one can talk about the merits of this party or that or this experience or that experience. They're literally just reselling the park to you and if you think, "...but I'm going at night." That's fine. Someone else has already taken your place for the morning "event" and the mid-day normal hours.

Right now, they can do this because they can charge whatever, however many times a day that they'd like and people are still lining up at the gate. I really do think it's short-sighted.

They may as well charge by the minute. No, I'm not kidding. Everything is there to do it so why not? As soon as you scan your Magic Band the clock is running and when you leave the clock would stop. While some may fret over, "...but I don't want to think about the on-going costs...," this actually would work in your favor:

• If you go back to the hotel during the middle of the day for a nap, you're not paying.
• If you go back to the hotel at 7PM because you're not really a late-night person, you cost stops.
• If you want to do an all day thing then you just pay throughout the day and you don't have to be bothered paying for the morning deal, plus the mid-day deal, plus the nightly special experience. You just pay for as long as you stay.

I think it'd also automatically control crowds. If it's so busy that it's not worth staying then you just leave and stop paying for that day. It's one of the things I liked about the AP years back - I'd walk in and think, "Nope. Too busy!," and then just leave.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I actually can’t believe there’s anyone out there purchasing direct DVC at these price points, but there are. You can’t make it up.

It does make me wonder how WDW sees the future:

• Is it made up of mostly Time Share guests?
• Are regular guests just extras?

Maybe it works out because you've offloaded the capex and opex onto Time Share owners, for the most part and, thus, all the need to do is possibly facilitate the renting of rooms for the owners. The owners "own" the room for however many weeks it amounts to and pay on-going fees for the property but they can rent out the rooms at market prices and that seems like a win for Disney. They make their money making the reservations and maintaining the property at the timeshare owner's expense AND if the market tanks it hurts the timeshare owners, not Disney.

Am I not seeing this correctly?

 

[Nmoody1]

Why no meet and greets?

Cause the college program kids need to get to happy hour!

 

[MisterPenguin]

And when their latest financial report shows that their movies and movie merchandising are actually losing them money and are only offset by the money they get from the parks....that's all you need to know as to why they keep raising the prices and taking money from the gullible who will continually pay it.

Where do you see that in their latest financial report?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

"...and by, "limited numbers," we specifically mean limited to how many tickets we can sell."
- WDW

Yep

I actually can’t believe there’s anyone out there purchasing direct DVC at these price points, but there are. You can’t make it up.

Yep x1000....you should see the direct “resell” prices....

3x upfront cost for 50-70% of the product. Yoi

The reality is: They've figured out how to sell the park 3 times a day.

That's all this is. While one can talk about the merits of this party or that or this experience or that experience. They're literally just reselling the park to you and if you think, "...but I'm going at night." That's fine. Someone else has already taken your place for the morning "event" and the mid-day normal hours.

Right now, they can do this because they can charge whatever, however many times a day that they'd like and people are still lining up at the gate. I really do think it's short-sighted.

They may as well charge by the minute. No, I'm not kidding. Everything is there to do it so why not? As soon as you scan your Magic Band the clock is running and when you leave the clock would stop. While some may fret over, "...but I don't want to think about the on-going costs...," this actually would work in your favor:

• If you go back to the hotel during the middle of the day for a nap, you're not paying.
• If you go back to the hotel at 7PM because you're not really a late-night person, you cost stops.
• If you want to do an all day thing then you just pay throughout the day and you don't have to be bothered paying for the morning deal, plus the mid-day deal, plus the nightly special experience. You just pay for as long as you stay.

I think it'd also automatically control crowds. If it's so busy that it's not worth staying then you just leave and stop paying for that day. It's one of the things I liked about the AP years back - I'd walk in and think, "Nope. Too busy!," and then just leave.

I heard some people predicting this the day the bands were announced...can’t remember where??

 

[Brad Bishop]

I heard some people predicting this the day the bands were announced...can’t remember where??

For me, I've stopped going. There are always those who say, "Well, you don't have to pay for it!" They're right. I don't and I haven't I stopped a few years back.

If they went to "by the minute" and got rid of the ridiculous up-charges, I'd actually consider it again. I'm not saying I'd be 100% in, but if I could stay in Orlando, spend $1.75 / 5 minutes walking into the park and back out deciding, "it's too busy," then I'd gladly do that and find another Disney or Universal park to go to that day.

At the same time if I was having the time of my life and wanted to close the park I'd still have that option.

 

[eliza61nyc]

You know and I know that people will sacrifice as much as they can to make their children happy and give them what their parents never had growing up. So people who want to go to Disney will go into debt to take their families to Disney World. At the same time there are adults who just have to have Disney. They go no matter what the cost, but then they have to deal with that decision for quite some time.

The difference is they are not getting "luxury" hotels at the All-Star resorts. Even the "moderately" priced resorts are not really luxury hotels. The only luxury hotels are the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian and for $600/night they better be luxury.
The "affordable" all-star resorts and pop century are just glorified motels dressed up to look nicer. Staying at those hotels is like putting lipstick on a pig.

And yes, regular people are being priced out. You wouldn't know this because you are one of the DVC members who spends a ridiculous amount for a time share.

But by all means please continue to not even consider my overall point and dismiss it as "woe is me"...

It's very easy for you to look down on the city and marvel at its beauty without walking on the streets where all of the flaws exist.

I'm really not trying to dismiss your point but I really don't get this "attitude" for lack of a better word that everyone is entitled to a vacation any vacation at a price they are comfortable with. I simply don't agree with your overall point. The parks are packed with "real every day" people. Magic kingdom averages (from a quick google search) 40,000 people a day. let's say that's 10K families of 4, they are not all rich, nor are they all in hock.

I have walked those streets, the difference is my children are very familiar with the word NO. Guess what, when we could not afford to go to Disney, we did not get online and whine that the company owed me a price point which we could afford. We sat down and made a budget and we told our kids, "mom and dad" can't afford a big trip. then we looked around and took vacations we could afford or we got on line, priced out a trip and then saved for that trip.

It's the same concept I follow today even with dvc. I am an adult who is a Disney fiend, but I am also a responsible adult who lives in the real world. when my roof had to be replaced, I stayed home. Sorry but when does personal responsibility come into play. Disney is supposed to lower their prices because a couple/person can't sit down and figure out not to charge a non essential item????

Yes they have to deal with the decision, that also is called personal responsibility. So basically you are saying that companies instead of customers have to determine if something can be afforded. Seriously??

Ok I paid a ridiculous amount for my timeshare THE DIFFERENCE is I did not expect Disney to make it affordable to me. Now I did purchase mine almost 20 years ago so the prices were a lot different but all the same, We saw the price, we discussed if we could afford it without a loan, we discussed the ramifications of purchasing the item. If said item was going to be worth that decision.

Now whether or not an item is worth the price, that is purely an individual choice. I love Disney, I have no desire to go to Hawaii so any money I spent on a trip there would be wasted. I also believe that at some point if they keep raising prices I will get to the point where I say it's not worth the money. right now with all the new stuff that's coming I don't think it will be too soon.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I could go tit-for-tat with you for days on this, but I would rather sum is up with your last statement.....

" I also believe that at some point if they keep raising prices I will get to the point where I say it's not worth the money."

Disney will continue to raise prices, they already said they are going to raise ticket prices for the parks once Star Wars Land opens...even though they didn't lower the ticket prices when Hollywood Studios was a virtual ghost town for 2 years.
Prices will continue to go up. Disney will continue to charge for more things that have been free (watching fireworks in certain locations, etc.) So it is inevitable that for some it is already not worth the money.

When quality of customer service has dropped precipitously, food quality has declined, park cleanlinesss has declined and housekeeping quality has even decreased...yet they still raise prices.....it is already just not worth it in the long run.

you forgot "for me". on the end.

And I agree, if you feel the customer service has dropped, food quality has gone down and etc etc. You absolutely should not go. Me and a few others have said that consistently. Never ever waste your hard earned money on any thing one feels they are not getting the value for.

I ( millions of other folks) have had nothing but great vacations. I posted trip reports with spic and span parks, gorgeous rooms and fantastic cm's. haven't had any problem where I would even need the front desk.

So I totally agree and usually when folks say "don't go" people here get really upset. I definitely don't mean in to be snarky, If Disney is too expensive and some one feels that the product they receive is not worth the asking price by all means those people should no longer support that particular company.

That is what makes a company change. Effect the bottom line.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

you forgot "for me". on the end. And I agree, if you feel the customer service has dropped, food quality has gone down and etc etc. You absolutely should not go. I've had nothing but great vacations. I posted trip reports with spic and span parks, gorgeous rooms and fantastic cm's. haven't had any problem where I would even need the front desk.

So I totally agree and usually when folks say "don't go" people here get really upset. IF disney is too expensive and some one feels that the product they receive is not worth the asking price by all means those people should no longer support that particular company.

No offense, Liz...and I certainly respect your perspective as the “half full” type (we do need them here)...

But the quality and attention to standards/detail have dropped for going on 20 years. That’s because the funding for ensuring those things and the dedication to train and care for people who care about those things have been line item slashed (I’ve been behind oz’s curtain). That’s a cause and effect with a sure result.

And the value of the product is much lower. That again can’t really be disputed when you look at raw price increase versus net gain/loss in offerings...

These are not really debatable. But the opinion to each whether it’s “worth it” is still largely subjective.

I see people say “I think it’s better than ever!!!”

...it is not. However they may feel its worth It on their economic values.

But “for me” doesn’t excuse all complaints. That would make everyone “equal” and there a thousand reasons in a pragmatic world why that doesn’t work.

 

[eliza61nyc]

No offense, Liz...and I certainly respect your perspective as the “half full” type (we do need them here)...

But the quality and attention to standards/detail have dropped for going on 20 years. That’s because the funding for those things and the dedication to train and care for people who care about those things have been line item slashed (I’ve been behind oz’s curtain). That’s a cause and effect with a sure result.

And the value of the product is much lower. That again can’t really be disputed when you look at raw price increase versus net gain/loss in offerings...

These are not really debatable. But the opinion to each whether it’s “worth it” is still largely suspect.

I see people say “I think it’s better than ever!!!”

...it is not. However they may feel its worth It on their economic values.

But “for me” doesn’t excuse all complaints. That would make everyone “equal” and there a thousand reasons in a pragmatic world why that doesn’t work.

Oh believe me Sir I'm not excusing any of the complaints, I totally believe that folks feel that way, what I object to is the natural inclination to force those of us who still love the world to feel that way.

for example the trash complaint, totally understand it, but when we went, took pictures of a clean park, all day in almost every park. I got the dismissive "oh well you went during a slow period". lol, so it's not only that standards have dropped for you, it's that those who still go and don't see those things are not agreeing.

and truthfully all I can do is measure it against my "economic values". it is after all my sweat that gets my money.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not excusing any of the complaints, I totally believe that folks feel that way, what I object to is the natural inclination to force those of us who still love the world to feel that way.

But the net result of your clarification is the same...

For Me...means you won’t alter your spending/traveling patterns. Disney sees this in their analytics and data mining and pushes the pricing envelope further. The wolf moves in if uncontested. Social Darwinism

 

[eliza61nyc]

But the net result of your clarification is the same...

For Me...means you won’t alter your spending/traveling patterns. Disney sees this in their analytics and data mining and pushes the pricing envelope further. The wolf moves in if uncontested. Social Darwinism

but I will and I have many other places. when they stop being of value I stop going. are you kidding me? I've told many a stories of specific places I haven't stepped into or given a dime of my money.

Heck, I don't return to restaurants if I get two bad meals. I refuse to give Jamaica a dollar of my money because of lousy trips.
Sorry I'm the queen of altering my spending patterns. can't pull that on me.

 

[LuvWDW2]

Genuinely curious: for everyone complaining/musing that it’s not worth it, it’s too expensive, poor quality etc. when was your last trip? When is your next trip?