February 2016 Disney World ticket price increases and new tiered 1 day tickets

[erasure fan1]

In two years I predict it'll be 150 to get a one day ticket. I so hope admission plummets, and soon.

I just said that to my wife after the news played the story last night. I said just wait, once Star Wars, Avatar and Toy story are open, I would bet on 150 a day admission. I wouldn't count on prices plummeting anytime soon. It sure seems the more they raise the prices, the more people show up. It's like it becomes more desirable as a status thing as the prices climb.

We have 3 days at the Poly this summer with no parks as its our off year now. I think we might just wait till star wars is done to do a major trip again.

 

[danv3]

The one-day seasonal pricing will catch all the attention but the real story is the price increases of multiday tickets. 2-7 day Magic Your Way tickets are up about 7.5%, with 7-day tickets up over 10%.

I'll need to crunch some more numbers but these appear to be the highest increases since 2006, Bob Iger's first year as CEO.

Most impressive on their part to both introduce tiered pricing and hide the biggest price increase in a decade while making massive cuts across the parks.

 

[Rachel S1321]

How does this effect current reservations that are being paid off? Will they go up in price?

 

[John]

As we all said, we don't begrudge a company making a profit. If the parks kept the quality and upkeep they used to get, I don't think many people would be too upset. However, since the quality has declined, the price in proportion to experience is not justified. Maybe once Avatar and SWL are, we can say, "that was worth it".

Ummmmm there will be other increases before SWland ever sees the light of day.....Avatar? Who knows. Only time will tell.

Something else I have been thinking about....people say that the average guest will never notice the cuts, but do they? They may notice but not know what they notice. LOL Stay with me. The lines might be 10 minutes longer...they notice but dont know its due to cuts. They might look at a restaurant menu and wonder why the choices are so limited.....why they see the same menu at different locations. All of this is an erosion of experience. It will take time but the cost vs the value of experience will continue to eat away at the "Brand" and goodwill built over the years. The difference in today's world is that there was a time when the CEO was a genius in the eyes of the customer.....now he wants to be the genius in the eyes of investors. The CEO now has a new master. We can hate Iger all we want, but he is a genius as far as what his job is. He let the place erode for ten years, let the experience erode yet the profits have never been higher. Just before his departure he gives the OK for huge park expansions.....opppps reimagination. Make no mistake attendance will continue to rise....until after these new additions come on line. Then the next CEO will be left to deal with the mess he created. The customer is a fickled breed. Once they figure out they have been had, you lose them forever. No matter what side the argument you reside on....D&G er vs Pixie Duster, you cant argue that Mr. Iger has now approached the fine line. Declining experience is one thing, but when you hit the pocketbook it becomes real.

 

[Lirael]

The one-day seasonal pricing will catch all the attention but the real story is the price increases of multiday tickets. 2-7 day Magic Your Way tickets are up about 7.5%, with 7-day tickets up over 10%.

I'll need to crunch some more numbers but these appear to be the highest increases since 2006, Bob Iger's first year as CEO.

I'm sure that's what they wanted: everyone focusing elsewhere. I'm just glad I bought my multiday tickets early

 

[Piebald]

I love Disney (I've been on this forum longer than some members have probably been alive) but man, I can't see myself paying for this moving forward when I have a family and my girlfriend no longer works for the company/we move. The AP is palatable somewhat and being local obviously removes the expenses of accommodation etc but it's brutal otherwise. But people keep piling in. This is the issue now worldwide with destinations capping off how many visitors they can allow (Machu Picchu, Italy, etc.) This is Disneys solution to that and unfortunately makes them look like greedy bastards (although all their cuts point to them being greedy bastards anyway)

 

[bhg469]

I got my ticket last night but it was just one day. I do not see going for multiple days unless the ticket didn't expire. I will not spend multiple days there until it's worth it to me.

 

[seascape]

The one-day seasonal pricing will catch all the attention but the real story is the price increases of multiday tickets. 2-7 day Magic Your Way tickets are up about 7.5%, with 7-day tickets up over 10%.

I'll need to crunch some more numbers but these appear to be the highest increases since 2006, Bob Iger's first year as CEO.

That is outrageous. I was upset at Universal increasing their 2 day park to park ticket 13% but Disney's double digit increase is actually worse since it starts at a higher amount. It is now at the point where a family has to choose one or the other. Who can afford 900 for 2 days at Universal and 1016 for 4 days at Disney without park hopping. I am glad I get a great price on DVC Annual pass renewal but BOTH DISNSEY AND UNIVERSAL ARE PRICING OUT THE MIDDLE CLASS. I hope Sea World is purchased by either Six Flags or Ceader Fair and makes a come back. We need at one theme park company that cares about the average person. It is clear that neither Disney or Universal (Comcast) care.

Now we can just wait and see the next round of annual pass increases and paying both companies over 1000 a year for passes. Universal will keep their's down until they build the 3rd gate. Then expect them to be right around the same price as WDW. Think about this. My wife and I have Six Flags annual tickets with meal plan and paid about 325 for both. That gives us free parking, admission, 2 meals a day each and 1 snack each. I know the food isn't great but salads are fine with us and we even get free drinks all year. That is a deal everyone can afford. Plus we even get admission to every Six Flags park.

PS. After rereading the post above mentioning the 1016 I realize that for 3 so for adjusting it to 4 the actaul cost for 4 would be 1350 for Disney 4 days and 900 for Universals 2 day or 2250 for visiting theme parks for 6 days. Then add water park or Sea World or somewhere else. The average American can't afford a full Orlando Vacation any more.

 

[wdwmagic]

Did the AP price change?

No

 

[FutureCEO]

New multi-day Disney World ticket pricing details

I don't remember but how much were the previous tickets? Say a 5 day basic pass. $30 less maybe or am I imagining that.

Sad but I see Disney even going higher with tickets.

Update: Unless I didn't do my math right. It went up about $50

 

[rudyjr13]

This is all outrageous especially with the current product but I'm taken aback by the amount of people who have said in this thread "I'm glad I got my tickets yesterday" as they are complaining. You are already feeding the machine and have lost.

After going in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014 and with a Dec trip planned with 2 other families this year, this family of 4 will most likely not be returning for a good 3-5 years unless something changes.

 

[rudyjr13]

Is there any indication Disney is hedging against a drop in attendance over the next 3-5 years as people wait for Star Wars in DHS? Between the price increases and the cuts it seems like they expect a decrease in attendance/profit.

 

[lentesta]

I'm told that fewer than 15% of guests purchase 1-day tickets. This really does mask an 8-10% increase in multi-day tickets though.

 

[Mad Stitch]

Here is a visual I made for the tiered pricing at the parks.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I've updated the following to include today's price increase:

One-day tickets factor in the percent of days in each of the 3 tiered pricing categories, assuming a start of March 1. Using this method, a 1-day Magic Kingdom ticket averages out to $113.84 (excluding tax), an increase of 8.4%.

Note that this could slightly underrepresent the average price paid if more Guests buy Peak Period tickets on any one day than buy Value tickets on any one less crowded day. Presumably, Disney will sell more one-day tickets on December 25 than on September 25.

 

[UncleMike101]

Is there any indication Disney is hedging against a drop in attendance over the next 3-5 years as people wait for Star Wars in DHS? Between the price increases and the cuts it seems like they expect a decrease in attendance/profit.

That looks like a viable scenario. The CM and other cuts, coming as they near the peak season, could be a proactive move to keep profits at a "share holder pleasing level" if the attendance is adversely affected by the ticket price increases.
Unfortunately the very act of reducing CM's could have an adverse effect on the quality of the Guest Experience thus making the attendance reduction a self fulfilling prophecy.

 

[Emily Moschel]

Question: so, say I am staying for 5 days and was going to purchase a 4 day park hopper now at the price of 419. Would i not be better off to purchase a 8 day ticket at 404, and use that as a "park hopper"? Ex: leaving MK to go to Epcot, (using two different tickets in one day) is there a rule against this? Can disney tell me I can only go to MK, and cannot go to Epcot even though it's my ticket and I am willingly using two in one day for two different parks?

 

[RR 88]

Question: so, say I am staying for 5 days and was going to purchase a 4 day park hopper now at the price of 419. Would i not be better off to purchase a 8 day ticket at 404, and use that as a "park hopper"? Ex: leaving MK to go to Epcot, (using two different tickets in one day) is there a rule against this? Can disney tell me I can only go to MK, and cannot go to Epcot even though it's my ticket and I am willingly using two in one day for two different parks?

Unless rules have changed, you are not able to do this. Without a park hopper, you are only permitted to use one ticket, in one park, per day. I learned this the hard way in 2006

 

[Emily Moschel]

Thank you!. I wish the rules changed.

To me, if I am willing to purchase a ticket of that length, and am willing to use 2 tickets in 1 day (loosing a full day at a park), i feel I should have that option.

Unless rules have changed, you are not able to do this. Without a park hopper, you are only permitted to use one ticket, in one park, per day. I learned this the hard way in 2006

 

[rudyjr13]

That looks like a viable scenario. The CM and other cuts, coming as they near the peak season, could be a proactive move to keep profits at a "share holder pleasing level" if the attendance is adversely affected by the ticket price increases.
Unfortunately the very act of reducing CM's could have an adverse effect on the quality of the Guest Experience thus making the attendance reduction a self fulfilling prophecy.

I don't think the price increases will cause attendance to drop for the most part. The drop in attendance I was referring to would be due to people waiting for DHS to get fixed specifically Star Wars. I think Star Wars will be bigger than Harry Potter as far as crowds but that's my opinion. Disney is famous for not announcing new things so that people don't postpone trips.