danlb_2000
Premium Member
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Express Transportation starting Dec 7th
- Thread starter imkrazy182
- Start date
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
This is an excellent point.
matt9112
Well-Known Member
As a stock holder your the driving force behind it all....to overinflate your share price is why they do things like this.
I disagree it doesn't take from others. Maybe not initially but will they be diverting busses from the regular routes for this? At first they wont but 3, or 6 months later? Also when they are tightening budgets and need to cut labor or transportation costs, they will cut from the "free" service.
I realize no one is forcing anyone to buy. But I can spend $15.00 extra to park closer, $15.00 for quicker bus service. Already paying a hefty jump in AP's or other park tickets, and you cant swing a dead cat without hitting a dessert party being staged somewhere. Rumor has it they will have one on I-95 at the first rest area from Georgia so you celebrate almost being at Disney.
Add that to the higher cost TIW, increase in food and drink prices and merchandise and it really is annoying. From the early entry for an hour with breakfast for $65 (?) or whatever they charge to the bust of the late night fee'd experience. The stupid $650 tents don't bother me as much as all the other low cost options.
The increased marketing of alcohol at DHS to offset reduced revenue streams with beer vendors roaming the crowds like at a ballpark (early this year) is just a bit much to me. I'm not against drinking (I'm having one now) but all of these things to get every last penny is just too much. I'm sure there are a bunch of other costs I'm forgetting (rumored "resort fee" for hotels). While some of these are disguised as enhancing guest experience I call BS. Its just another money grab, they have the right to, doesn't mean I have to like it. With the new "Art" show at Epcot and the expansion of dates for Food and Wine next year I'm surprised that they will invest any money into EPCOT. Maybe just level future World and make it a Food Bazaar year round where we can pay 5 to 8 bucks for a nibble or 8 bucks for a 3 oz pour of some wine. Ok that's enough of vent, time for another Jack and Coke. Hmmm, I wonder if I should start charging guests who visit my house 5 or 10 bucks to have parking in the driveway. I could give them an Annual Parking Pass for $75.00 or $100 bucks, it will come with an umbrella for rainy days ($20 refundable deposit when returned). I might need to give Iger a call.
matt9112
Well-Known Member
He talks nonsense 99% of the time.....
matt9112
Well-Known Member
Its just an example of generating new revenu instead of possibly fixing the current regular transport issues. In effect transport/security has gotten so bad that they can now make money if you want to avoid it....but who again made security theater and transportation so bad in the first place? Bingo...its not that it affects us however it is an awful sighn of how the company prioritizes and "thinks"
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
Maybe it's just the company becoming more and more curious about what the upper limit of their price increases and upcharge options actually is.
This doesn't seem desperate so much as it seems curious. What IS the maximum Disney can charge for park admittance before their fans balk?
I thought it was $100 a day, and people would be offended.
I was clearly wrong.
We're just going to see more and more of this until the company senses a breaking point, but so far the Disney faithful have proofed dutifully willing to keep coughing it up.
I bet this isn't what you all were thinking when you heard of the 12 days of christmasSomebody has GOT to do that paraody
This is 2016 Disney's idea of a countdown to christmas. Each week we see all the great new 'options' they have for us
On the twelfth day of Disney
my upcharge gave to me:
12 dolphins swimming
11 characters dining
10 parks a-hopping
9 preferred parkings
8 Christmas Parties
7 sleighs a-riding
6 corporate lounges
5 early hours
4 touring guides
3 club villains
2 cabanas
and a soda cart in a parking lot
imthewalrus79
Active Member
I don't have an issue with them doing things like dessert parties and the cabanas (although I don't like the execution and price point). But when they want to start charging you for a service they're already supposed to be providing you with when you stay at their resorts, that I have a problem with. I've seen the bus transportation get worse and worse over the last few years. Heck, I'm at Disney World right now and tonight we waited for almost half an hour between buses from Epcot back to our resort. And this was at park closing! And yes, I know they're not forcing me to pay for the enhanced bus service. But don't think you're not paying for the regular bus service as part of your hotel price. My question is, if they refuse to fix the regular bus service putting me in the position of renting a car or getting an Uber or taxi to save time at the parks, then why am I even paying the extra money to stay at a Disney resort? I can stay at an offsite hotel and use that extra money towards the rental car or Uber.
The other issue I have with this is none of this would be anything Walt would have approved of. He wanted all of his guests to feel equal and not have to spend a bunch of extra money on top of what you already paid for your vacation to feel special.
The other issue I have with this is none of this would be anything Walt would have approved of. He wanted all of his guests to feel equal and not have to spend a bunch of extra money on top of what you already paid for your vacation to feel special.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
I was on a Universal bus on my last trip. Very nice indeed.
Some edits to work better with the tune
rreading
Well-Known Member
While this theory is blown somewhat by the Epcot Resorts' use of the Epcot entrance by World Showcase, I actually did't enjoy my stay at Beach Club due to that fact: that I didn't get the experience of entering Epcot via Spaceship Earth. So you're right - but that ship has sailed.
rreading
Well-Known Member
You're right, and this is a sad statement.
The entry to Epcot via monorail is a classic WDW experience. So well conceived and executed. Then they created that egress ramp from the station which goes on forever. Ultimately, the trip from Tomorrowland down Main Street to the Monorail to TnTC up and down its ramps then wait for the Epcot monorail then down the super-long ramp then into the park is a pretty long walk (independent of the time spent). For my aging parents or for a three-year old, cutting out that traverse would be worth the money. But that's why we no longer park hop. Enjoy each park for each day.
But if I wanted to do MK in the morning and had to rush for a World Showcase reservation at Epcot, I'd do this in a heartbeat if they can work out the logistics.
Lensman
Well-Known Member
A couple of thoughts:
1. How many people actually park hop? I think I've park hopped on only maybe 20% of my trips. Maybe this is because we usually go for 4-7 days so we allocate a whole day to a given park. This may even be overstating because I think on half of those we went back to the room to rest during the afternoon and went back to MK at night.
2. The $15/$24 pricing seems to imply that Disney believes the use case for this is for ultra-short visits where people want to hit 4 parks in 2-3 days or 2 parks on a single visit. Under those circumstances it seems worthwhile to pay the $15 to get the most out of your extraordinarily expensive 1-2 day hopper pass.
The real economics of this is that Disney makes real money on guests who are in the parks eating and shopping. They want them doing that and not waiting in security lines or trudging out to the entrance where interpark transport is. So assuming someone has already decided to park hop, it behooves Disney to make that hop as quick as possible to maximize the guests "spend eligible time". The $15 pricing is probably just there to discourage park hopping entirely because park hopping is intrinsically less profitable. OTOH, if the point is to get people from an early closing park to a late closing park, they probably want to encourage that because that means more add-on spend.
I think the general state of resort-to-park transport is an important issue but is irrelevant to this service. We need to complain to our resort managers about the resort transportation. They are the ones who are paying for the subpar bus service and who can advocate for better. Complainers should emphasize delays in getting to the park since that directly reduces the amount of time you can spend money in the parks.
1. How many people actually park hop? I think I've park hopped on only maybe 20% of my trips. Maybe this is because we usually go for 4-7 days so we allocate a whole day to a given park. This may even be overstating because I think on half of those we went back to the room to rest during the afternoon and went back to MK at night.
2. The $15/$24 pricing seems to imply that Disney believes the use case for this is for ultra-short visits where people want to hit 4 parks in 2-3 days or 2 parks on a single visit. Under those circumstances it seems worthwhile to pay the $15 to get the most out of your extraordinarily expensive 1-2 day hopper pass.
The real economics of this is that Disney makes real money on guests who are in the parks eating and shopping. They want them doing that and not waiting in security lines or trudging out to the entrance where interpark transport is. So assuming someone has already decided to park hop, it behooves Disney to make that hop as quick as possible to maximize the guests "spend eligible time". The $15 pricing is probably just there to discourage park hopping entirely because park hopping is intrinsically less profitable. OTOH, if the point is to get people from an early closing park to a late closing park, they probably want to encourage that because that means more add-on spend.
I think the general state of resort-to-park transport is an important issue but is irrelevant to this service. We need to complain to our resort managers about the resort transportation. They are the ones who are paying for the subpar bus service and who can advocate for better. Complainers should emphasize delays in getting to the park since that directly reduces the amount of time you can spend money in the parks.
I really dislike this idea. Every time one of these little money making schemes comes out it makes me less and less excited for my next trip. Having a two-tier transportation system just doesn't feel right. If it works, they will reallocate more buses and drivers to the paid system from the complementary system (or rather, the system that we are already paying for in our tickets and room rates). If it doesn't work, then they'll probably do the same to make the paid system look more attractive. Or at least, that's what the perception will be when you're waiting in long lines for the complementary buses - it will make people feel like they were losing out because Disney thought they were being too cheap, even after paying thousands of dollars for their vacations.
Also, guests shouldn't routinely go backstage (unless on a backstage tour). Whatever happened to Disney's focus on 'show'?
I pay enough for a Disney vacation. Transatlantic flights, hotels, tickets, food, drinks, events, merchandise, tips. I don't like the idea of paying all that cash and then constantly feeling like I'm losing out and having a second-tier experience unless I pay twice for everything. All of Disney's latest "initiatives" just make the experience a little less magical for me. Others disagree, of course, but that's how I feel.
I mentioned this to my family and their first reaction wasn't "oh we'll pay for that" but rather "maybe we should just rent a car next time then". And if we're renting a car, then you can bet we're going to check out WWOHP.
Also, guests shouldn't routinely go backstage (unless on a backstage tour). Whatever happened to Disney's focus on 'show'?
I pay enough for a Disney vacation. Transatlantic flights, hotels, tickets, food, drinks, events, merchandise, tips. I don't like the idea of paying all that cash and then constantly feeling like I'm losing out and having a second-tier experience unless I pay twice for everything. All of Disney's latest "initiatives" just make the experience a little less magical for me. Others disagree, of course, but that's how I feel.
I mentioned this to my family and their first reaction wasn't "oh we'll pay for that" but rather "maybe we should just rent a car next time then". And if we're renting a car, then you can bet we're going to check out WWOHP.
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
Maybe they'll start decreasing most services that are included today so they can charge more if we want acceptable services?
Creathir
Well-Known Member
I think this analysis is spot on.
Disney wants folks shopping and dining, NOT standing in lines.
If this was free, it intrinsically encourages park hopping, time spent away from shopping and dining.
This is an attempt to provide a service, resort hopping, while cutting down on the logistics of changing parks.
Why on earth is everyone so irritated over this? worst case: don't buy it, and change parks via the bus outside security.
The sense of entitlement here really is astounding sometimes.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
That is exactly what is happening with the implementation of this. So we have to ask ourselves what's next?
Maybe one car on each Monorail train can be changed to First Class with recliners and no standing. Someone suggested an upcharge for the "quiet pools". Call them something like "The Concierge Pool" and have "free" citrus ice water and warmed towels.
I know they are building "Club 33" style places where you wait on a list for years and pay a lot for a lifetime membership. But what about new "Club Lounges" that for a ridiculous price, you get length of stay access to the "Club". Something like $1000/day, but you have to buy "length of stay". It comes with Continental Breakfast/Coffee in the morning and in the afternoon/evening there would be soft drinks, and finger foods. A full bar would be available with morning Mimosa and Bloody Mary Bars, hand crafted cocktails and craft beer (alcohol not included in the "membership").
We are the opposite we park hop most days that we are there, especially on HS or AK days.
Maybe attendance is down at the non MK parks and research tells them people say hopping takes too long. Maybe this is a way of trying to increase attendance at the 3 parks without the name of "Magic Kingdom".
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
More likely these will be very popular between 3-5pm when people leave DAK and DHS headed to Epcot for dinner or the MK for the evening.