It's not poorly written, but I'm reading nothing new there. Seems Rick is just another forum follower. Coming from an analyst, I'd hope for some more info or at least a different viewpoint than just what we and other forums hash over.
Before long, they will want you to pay extra to have sheets on your bed. Trash pick up, extra, towels, more money, more money , more money.
Some have noted that airlines and hotels have seasonal pricing, so why not Disney?
The fallacy of this comparison is that those industries have hard limits. There are only so many seats on a plane, so many hotel rooms. Adding aircraft or hotels for a few peak periods is highly inefficient, costs that are passed onto consumers.
WDW is different. Except for a select few days of the year, Disney's theme parks rarely reach capacity. Disney continues to sell admission tickets even when the parks become insufferably overcrowded. Disney does not face the same limits many other industries face. Yet those who recently have visited WDW know that long lines await even during "Value" days. WDW's ride capacity is now woefully inadequate throughout the year. Adding ride capacity makes the experience more pleasurable for all WDW Guests, a vital consideration for a vacation destination. It's time for Disney to seriously invest in WDW.
Furthermore, when consumers pay higher prices in other industries, they typically don't share their purchase. When they pay more to travel, they don't share their airline seat or hotel room.
At WDW, the opposite happens. Nearly all experiences are shared. Higher prices mean larger crowds, longer waits, and more frustration.
It would be one thing if Disney raised peak period ticket prices and simultaneously reduced the maximum number of Guests per day in order to "control crowds". (In part, Disney is presenting this as a crowd control measure.) Instead, Disney effectively has announced that Guests will pay for more for a less pleasurable experience.
This is not supply-and-demand. This is paying more for less.
Pack even more guest in the parks?.For the next couple of years profits are going to be staggering ( Iger setting up his golden parachute ) while actual operating cost will be significantly lower. Cm hours being cut, menu's being homogenized, attractions closing, streetmosphere, entertainment. Would anyone like to argue that there is less to do today then there was a year ago? New things? sure there is. But is it an addition or a replacement? The cost to run the parks are dropping......as the price increases go up.
It's a given that the general price of tickets will rise. However, the comment was concerning the "Tiered" system which will not really affect most of us that go for more then one day. Disney raising prices can, at this point, be compared to breathing. It's gonna happen regularly. Getting upset about that is just a waste of time. We pay it or we don't, we control that. We don't control what Disney does until what they do really cuts into their income and profit. I certainly wouldn't want to attempt to figure that out when you consider how those words have been spoken after every price increase in the last 20 years. Attendance has never declined due to that. In fact... if anything it has increased. Standard economic "rules" do not apply to a place like Disney. This is an expense that is always weighed against demand. As long as demand remains where it is, there is no limit known or guideline other then the oldest of all economic laws, the one called supply and demand. The demand is very high and the supply is, well there is only one Disney. I would think that the math would be easy on this one.Also those companies which you mentioned have a much more competitive market in which to operate. The rumor now is that TDO wants to build more hotel rooms
@Goofyernmost you commented on why everyone was getting upset? That this wouldnt impact most of us here. I think its safe to say that multi-day tickets are going up as well ( really what would be the point of increasing tickets if only less then 15% of guest would be included? as reported by @lentesta No, everyone will be impacted by these increases). Would you care to comment further?
