Expect more premium events with recent organizational changes

[LAKid53]

I've heard some great things about it. Looking forward to trying it some day.

You must. Yes, it's expensive, but the longer, more studied time on the Savannah is worth it. The animals, especially the giraffes and rhinos, seem to know the difference between the two vehicles and will come right up to the Trek vehicle. It is hard to resist reaching out and touching the male giraffe that is peering in in curiosity or the rhino using the side of the truck to rub their horn. Plus, the view of the Savanahh from the building you eat lunch at is amazing.

 

[Lets Respect]

Oh for the viewing, OK I knew that.. sorry I was thinking this was something more recent that I hadn't heard of.

It's a completely different party, a second party. From when they took the FPs away (which were awesome by the way)

 

[21stamps]

Upcharges in and of themselves, as you say, are not the issue. WDW has always had them - MVMCP, NSSHP, backstage tours, the old late nights in the park. But those were reasonably priced, appeared to provide value, and didn't interfere with the guest experience.

But there is a line. Its different for everyone, but it exists for (almost) everyone. And when you cross that line, you look desperate and greedy. Guests feel like the park is nickle-and-diming them, is focusing more on upcharges then upkeep, is essentially holding them upside down and shaking until every penny is gone. All this is exacerbated by the wild increases in ticket prices and hotel rates. And when you cross that line for enough guests, it hurts the long term health of the company.

Its also an issue on the level of management philosophy - when upcharges become THE point, as they now have, rather then a minor aspect of management, there's a big problem.

Back in the day, extra time in the parks after hours cost what - 35$? And the crowds were tiny. Now - how much are folks paying for desert parties?

If you're ever bored, read a few of the trip reports here. I'm currently following 4 of them, All people who have gone in the past few weeks. I've read several more reports over the last few months.
People (at least those people) are still having a wonderful time at WDW.

I think it's easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom on this site, but there is a ton of positive as well.

 

[Kman101]

If you're ever bored, read a few of the trip reports here. I'm currently following 4 of them, All people who have gone in the past few weeks. I've read several more reports over the last few months.
People (at least those people) are still having a wonderful time at WDW.

I think it's easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom on this site, but there is a ton of positive as well.

This is very true. I love reading a lot of trip reports on here. WDW isn't perfect, they seem to be having some flaws in restaurant service, just what I've noticed in numerous reports, and transportation problems, but the place isn't nearly as bad as some make it out to be. Some do have valid complaints about it (such as management's running of the place, for example, and I have no problems with truly valid criticism, you need to be critical at times to make something better) but others seem to like to throw out how awful things are just to say how awful things are when that's not true. Like someone on the Disneyland board saying the parks were "beat up" (which isn't true at all). They're far better maintained than they once were. I do think they could benefit from having a bathroom attendant ... but while I don't at all expect perfection in a bathroom with as many people as WDW gets, I think it used to be a bit better. Meanwhile, you have three castmembers tripping over each other trying to empty the same trash can ... but if you ask some, the parks are filthy. That's also not true.

Anyway, I think fair and valid criticism is fine. That doesn't make someone a doom and gloomer. There are very few TRUE doom and gloomers on here. We have a couple though who seem to be negative about everything, but the informed, valid critics far outweigh the negative. And I'm not one to think everything should be positive just because, there needs to be healthy criticism.

People get too laser focused on the "doom and gloomers".

 

[Horizons '83]

I don't mind certain things but they act like they're going out of business.

Unfortunately Wall Street dictates businesses more than they should...

 

[asianway]

Unfortunately Wall Street dictates businesses more than they should...

Are there any other Fortune 500 companies so fixated on dessert parties?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Are there any other Fortune 500 companies so fixated on dessert parties?

Procter & Gamble will not stop trying to sell people hundred dollar cupcakes.

 

[LAKid53]

Are there any other Fortune 500 companies so fixated on dessert parties?

Uh, no, because the business model for most Fortune 500 would never include dessert parties.....

 

[MisterPenguin]

Wall Street is the reason there's no phone jacks in iPhones.

 

[21stamps]

Wall Street is the reason there's no phone jacks in iPhones.

And they can get away with it because people love the product and will pay more for accessories. I was so angry when the lightning cord came out..I had to replace chargers and buy adapters.. but guess what- I still bought the phone, and accessories.. along with millions of other people who caused the phones to Once Again sell out immediately.

I think there's a lot of confusion over what a "struggling business" would do. If you're worried about going out of business then you aren't raising prices, you'd be reducing them or including "more" for the consumers money in order to boost sales.

 

[wdwmagic]

Wall Street is the reason there's no phone jacks in iPhones.

I think it was more to do with the fact that the headphone jack took up a huge amount of internal space that could be better used and it was analog. The future is wireless and digital. Like a lot of legacy ports, Apple was the only one brave enough to make the change. And they did include an adaptor in the box of every iPhone sold to support legacy headphones, so it was not primarily a money making move in my opinion.

 

[rael ramone]

This does not sound good....

A new organization (with a former park VP running it suggests the possibility that it is a VP or higher level job with VP or higher powers) designed to add upcharges. Suggesting that they view the upcharges at present as woefully inadequate.

How much can they really add without taking away from the day guest significantly, whether it's elements of show, or actual attractions?

 

[drizgirl]

This does not sound good....

A new organization (with a former park VP running it suggests the possibility that it is a VP or higher level job with VP or higher powers) designed to add upcharges. Suggesting that they view the upcharges at present as woefully inadequate.

How much can they really add without taking away from the day guest significantly, whether it's elements of show, or actual attractions?

Totally agree. Many of us think the upsells were over the top already. This move suggests the management at Disney thinks there weren't enough.

Should definitely be interesting to watch unfold.

 

[Sonconato]

Totally agree. Many of us think the upsells were over the top already. This move suggests the management at Disney thinks there weren't enough.

Should definitely be interesting to watch unfold.

Exactly. I already thought there was someone sitting at a desk whose sole job was to figure out how to add more upcharges and take away more that we were already paying for.

 

[geekza]

I get the reasoning behind the "ticketed events." They're a business. They aren't in this to bring joy and innovate; that was Walt. He's long gone and, honestly, probably wouldn't have thrived in today's business world. He was the right person at the right time to shake things up and take chances.

Still, with that in mind, I do feel that things like closing the MK early for events like the Halloween party definitely detract from the experience that one used to get with general admission. For example, I haven't been able to go to WDW in over a decade. I adore the parks and will gladly go any chance I get. Life and finances always got in the way. As the resort has gotten more and more expensive, I had almost come to terms with the very real possibility that I would never be able to afford to go again. A few months ago, my wife, who has never been to WDW and, to be honest, could care less about ever going, surprised me with a trip that she was planning for us and our boys. She had been saving money and had finally found a time when we could get away and go. To say that I'm excited doesn't begin to describe how I feel. I almost cried when she told me. (Yes, it's silly, but I'm pretty sure that many on this board can relate.) When I looked at the dates of the trip, however, I noticed that the day when we would most likely be able to go to the MK was a MNSSHP day, so the park would close at 6pm. Normally, I wouldn't be upset. The only reason I'm a little perturbed is that, since we're only there for a couple of days, my wife is being understanding enough that we're putting aside some extra money to pay for tickets to the party so that we can maximize the short amount of time we have. As there are four of us, that's not cheap. I get it. My situation isn't universal. I only bring it up as an example of a ticketed event that definitely has a substantial impact on those of us not fortunate enough to be able to go to WDW on a regular basis. The increase in cost for a family of four compared to even the last time I went there in 2004 is enormous, not to mention the cost of my family going to WDW in 1983. (Yes, I know there are more parks there now, but we definitely never ran out of things to do at MK and EPCOT Center in 1983.) We have enough reminders every day of the huge gap in classes in our country. WDW used to be a place where the average family could go and have essentially the same experience as those who were more fortunate.

I know I'm venting. I just wanted to add my two cents.

tl,dr: It used to be, once you were in the parks, the general experience was the same for everyone. That is far from the case any longer.

 

[21stamps]

I get the reasoning behind the "ticketed events." They're a business. They aren't in this to bring joy and innovate; that was Walt. He's long gone and, honestly, probably wouldn't have thrived in today's business world. He was the right person at the right time to shake things up and take chances.

Still, with that in mind, I do feel that things like closing the MK early for events like the Halloween party definitely detract from the experience that one used to get with general admission. For example, I haven't been able to go to WDW in over a decade. I adore the parks and will gladly go any chance I get. Life and finances always got in the way. As the resort has gotten more and more expensive, I had almost come to terms with the very real possibility that I would never be able to afford to go again. A few months ago, my wife, who has never been to WDW and, to be honest, could care less about ever going, surprised me with a trip that she was planning for us and our boys. She had been saving money and had finally found a time when we could get away and go. To say that I'm excited doesn't begin to describe how I feel. I almost cried when she told me. (Yes, it's silly, but I'm pretty sure that many on this board can relate.) When I looked at the dates of the trip, however, I noticed that the day when we would most likely be able to go to the MK was a MNSSHP day, so the park would close at 6pm. Normally, I wouldn't be upset. The only reason I'm a little perturbed is that, since we're only there for a couple of days, my wife is being understanding enough that we're putting aside some extra money to pay for tickets to the party so that we can maximize the short amount of time we have. As there are four of us, that's not cheap. I get it. My situation isn't universal. I only bring it up as an example of a ticketed event that definitely has a substantial impact on those of us not fortunate enough to be able to go to WDW on a regular basis. The increase in cost for a family of four compared to even the last time I went there in 2004 is enormous, not to mention the cost of my family going to WDW in 1983. (Yes, I know there are more parks there now, but we definitely never ran out of things to do at MK and EPCOT Center in 1983.) We have enough reminders every day of the huge gap in classes in our country. WDW used to be a place where the average family could go and have essentially the same experience as those who were more fortunate.

I know I'm venting. I just wanted to add my two cents.

tl,dr: It used to be, once you were in the parks, the general experience was the same for everyone. That is far from the case any longer.

Walt Disney didn't have success from only wanting to "bring joy ". He was a business man.. and he understood capitalism. I'll give him credit and say he would do just fine in today's world.

 

[geekza]

Walt Disney didn't have success from only wanting to "bring joy and innovate". He was a business man.. and he understood capitalism. I'll give him credit and say he would do just fine in today's world.

Certainly, he was a businessman. However, it has been well established that he was more concerned with the creative, artistic, and entertainment aspects of the business. He wasn't the best with money. That was where Roy excelled. They made a good team. What we have now is a focus more on money without the creative genius to balance the equation.

 

[21stamps]

Certainly, he was a businessman. However, it has been well established that he was more concerned with the creative, artistic, and entertainment aspects of the business. He wasn't the best with money. That was where Roy excelled. They made a good team. What we have now is a focus more on money without the creative genius to balance the equation.

That doesn't mean that he did not have a pursuit for profit and self branding, very much of it actually. You can have both profit isn't a dirty word.
Walt Disney is one of the greatest examples of why capitalism is so great. I just hate to read when people make him sound like a Mother Theresa, he wasn't- and that's ok.

As far as creative though.. I think Avatar and Star Wars is pretty creative. I do think that there's so much competition in entertainment these days that it is tough to be entirely unique, but I think the Disney Co is doing a good job of continuing to outshine the rest.

 

[geekza]

I never said that profit was a dirty word. However, there is a tipping point. Once people feel like they aren't getting value and quality for their investment, profits will begin to dip. Again, I'm not saying that the current situation is past that tipping point. However, Disney shouldn't feel like they're invulnerable. What brought people to the Disney parks instead of traditional amusement parks was the attention to detail and the quality of experiences that were so far ahead of anyone else that it was worth traveling from far and wide to come to the parks. They have to keep that level of quality if they plan on continuing to charge ever-increasing prices.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

It was nice knowing you WDW!