Fountain & Bottled Drink, Popcorn, Pretzel, and Other Snack Item Prices Exponentially

[Disneyhead'71]

My AP expires on Oct. 8th. I won't be renewing.

But to be honest, while price is part of that decision, most of it is I just don't enjoy the product anymore.

 

[surfsupdon]

I don’t buy these products. Maybe 1 Mickey ice cream but that’s it.

 

[erasure fan1]

Let's also recognize that Star Wars land will cost over a billion per park, GotG, Remy, and Mickey's new ride won't be free either. Gondolas, new resort, New hotel towers ?


I'll see your snide remarks and raise you our APs

True, but what about the years of letting the parks stagnate by doing close to nothing all while raising prices. The way I look at it is that Disney already paid for these expansions with the money from all the increases they had and did nothing.

 

[beertiki]

On my first trip to the Bahamas, I almost went broke because beer was so expensive. My 2nd trip to the Bahamas, I checked a 2nd bag, for $25. It was an old one, a throw away, but it had 2 cases of beer sealed in heavy garbage bags. $8 beer at the resort bar x The 48 in that case. Worth it.

We still go Disney and have a great time, I will do whatever it takes to make sure that I never spend $3.50 for a bottle of water.

 

[MickeyCB]

Nothing at all, we love Publix. BUT, we always do DME though. Then I don't have to rent a car or LYFT which woud cost that going back and forth.

We don't rent a car and for several years we have used Garden Grocer. You shop online, pay by credit card and they will deliver all the groceries, snacks etc you like to your hotel for $14 for a minimum order of $40, and only $2 if you spend $200. (This was the fee last time we used them in April). You can even order cold and frozen items if you are staying in a room with a fridge/freezer. You don't have to be there to receive them as they deliver to bell services at your hotel.
In all of the years we have used them have not had one missing or incorrect item.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

You guys have been criticizing Disney this whole thread but as soon someone comes in with a dissenting opinion ya'll try to gang up on them and shout them
down. Like I said a lot of posters can be hypocrites when attempting to call someone out.

A hypocrite is someone who acts contrary to previous statements. How is that poster a hypocrite? All I got was “He’s mean to a giant corporation that I like and tries to have a discussion with people who have a different opinion than him on a discussion board!”[/QUOTE]

 

[tirian]

I don’t know what’s more disturbing: the outrageous price increases or the people who blindly defend a gigantic corporation.

I love the parks, but I also worked for them for years and recognize it is a product meant to extract money from people. Nobody cares about “the Magic, the Memories, or You.”

Disney can charge over $6 for 10¢ worth of fried dough because people will pay it, but it contributes to the public’s growing dissatisfaction with Parks and Resorts.

At the same time restaurants and lifestyle brands try to cater to customers and make them feel valued, Disney has implemented business practices that bulk-process guests like faceless pocketbooks. This will catch up to the company, and hundreds of thousands of people who feel vaguely used and pickpocketed will outweigh a handful of enthusiastic Lifestylers on message boards.

 

[eddie104]

View attachment 318450
A hypocrite is someone who acts contrary to previous statements. How is that poster a hypocrite? All I got was “He’s mean to a giant corporation that I like and tries to have a discussion with people who have a different opinion than him on a discussion board!”

Reading comprehension is essential because I wasn't even referring to that poster specifically but people in general commenting on the subject matter. My point still stands because it is true when it comes to certain things on this board when the masses don't follow in order like sheep.

 

[Chomama]

I don’t know what’s more disturbing: the outrageous price increases or the people who blindly defend a gigantic corporation.

I love the parks, but I also worked for them for years and recognize it is a product meant to extract money from people. Nobody cares about “the Magic, the Memories, or You.”

Disney can charge over $6 for 10¢ worth of fried dough because people will pay it, but it contributes to the public’s growing dissatisfaction with Parks and Resorts.

At the same time restaurants and lifestyle brands try to cater to customers and make them feel valued, Disney has implemented business practices that bulk-process guests like faceless pocketbooks. This will catch up to the company.

I completely agree. We are a family that has completely “bought in” and we are already beginning to regret that decision. I would not have been able to say that 5 years ago. This recent round of price hikes is disappointing and just another reason not to visit as often. Disney was very good at making each trip feel special and each family unique. This seems to be fading away and now I feel like I am paying $700 a night to be herded like cattle. I can do other things with that money and I will. However, I am sad it’s come to that

 

[DisneyCane]

If the difference was something like a 14% differential, instead of 50-100% differential at WDW, we would be having a far different discussion.

I get it - you are part of the "Disney can do whatever it wants so shut-up about it" crowd. While they can do whatever they want, we also can talk about it, judge it, and share our own experiences around it, as well.

I didn't say you can't talk about it. You can also vote with your wallet and cease being a customer. I simply stated that resort/entertainment destinations charge significantly higher prices vs. food service establishments that serve people on an everyday basis. It is to be expected. If you think the prices are too high and don't want to be forced to pay them on a week vacation then vacation somewhere that is a good value to you.

Same as the constant complaints about the crazy concession prices at movie theatres. Nobody is forced to buy anything and, in the case of movie theatres, you can survive without eating or drinking for 2.5 hours. Yet people complain and write articles about it every time there is a down year at the box office.

 

[tirian]

I completely agree. We are a family that has completely “bought in” and we are already beginning to regret that decision. I would not have been able to say that 5 years ago. This recent round of price hikes is disappointing and just another reason not to visit as often. Disney was very good at making each trip feel special and each family unique. This seems to be fading away and now I feel like I am paying $700 a night to be herded like cattle. I can do other things with that money and I will. However, I am sad it’s come to that

Even after leaving the company, I continued visiting the parks multiple times annually because I still felt the price was worthwhile. My last trips to WDW and DL both felt like a waste of money because attractions and restaurants were obviously understaffed to manufacture long queues, and maintenance was clearly cut. When Pecos Bill is operating two registers and a couple of kiosks on a Saturday afternoon, nobody cares about the Guest experience.

EDIT: “Herded Like Cattle” is a good analogy. I hope they listen to Guests and fix this by the time SWGE opens, but recent business actions — from increasing the Dining Plan prices while cutting food to artificially creating long lines — worry me that we’re heading into another dark period despite the new rides. Back in 2005–2007, Disney opened multiple attractions and simultaneously cut maintenance.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Reading comprehension is essential because I wasn't even referring to that poster specifically but people in general commenting on the subject matter. My point still stands because it is true when it comes to certain things on this board when the masses don't follow in order like sheep.

THAT IS NOT WHAT A HYPOCRITE IS! IT’S CALLED BEING ON A BANDWAGON! And I don’t know why couldn’t he have come to his own opinion on the matter? Why don’t you.. I don’t know.. disprove his point instead of just using an ad hominem?

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I didn't say you can't talk about it. You can also vote with your wallet and cease being a customer. I simply stated that resort/entertainment destinations charge significantly higher prices vs. food service establishments that serve people on an everyday basis. It is to be expected. If you think the prices are too high and don't want to be forced to pay them on a week vacation then vacation somewhere that is a good value to you.

Same as the constant complaints about the crazy concession prices at movie theatres. Nobody is forced to buy anything and, in the case of movie theatres, you can survive without eating or drinking for 2.5 hours. Yet people complain and write articles about it every time there is a down year at the box office.

It seems like many folks have taken your advice and are not going. That is why these price increases are happening. They are a financial band-aid because they are bleeding guests like a stuck pig.

September's numbers were down 30% from already depressed projections.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I don’t know what’s more disturbing: the outrageous price increases or the people who blindly defend a gigantic corporation.

I love the parks, but I also worked for them for years and recognize it is a product meant to extract money from people. Nobody cares about “the Magic, the Memories, or You.”

Disney can charge over $6 for 10¢ worth of fried dough because people will pay it, but it contributes to the public’s growing dissatisfaction with Parks and Resorts.

At the same time restaurants and lifestyle brands try to cater to customers and make them feel valued, Disney has implemented business practices that bulk-process guests like faceless pocketbooks. This will catch up to the company, and hundreds of thousands of people who feel vaguely used and pickpocketed will outweigh a handful of enthusiastic Lifestylers on message boards.

doubt it. who's "blindly" defending a corporation? there is nothing blind about it, people go to disney and make a conscious decision whether or not it is worth it to go and spend whatever money it cost.

I was there twice this year and both times I had marvelous vacations. fairly low crowds, absolutely no wait or issues getting whatever food we wanted.

You guys act like in 5 years or so Disney is going to be out of business and having a fire sale. Seriously?? all these dire warnings of their practices coming back to haunt them. AT most, they will suffer a few quarters of dropped attendance and then the company will hand out discounts to lure folks back, ala 9/11

 

[eddie104]

THAT IS NOT WHAT A HYPOCRITE IS! IT’S CALLED BEING ON A BANDWAGON! And I don’t know why couldn’t he have come to his own opinion on the matter? Why don’t you.. I don’t know.. disprove his point instead of just using an ad hominem?

IF I CARED ABOUT THE PRICE INCREASES I WOULD HAVE GAVE MY THOUGHTS. I HAVE A RIGHT TO DISAGREE WITH THE MAJORITY IF I WANT TO AND SAY HOW I FEEL JUST AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ON HERE.

 

[tirian]

doubt it. who's "blindly" defending a corporation? there is nothing blind about it, people go to disney and make a conscious decision whether or not it is worth it to go and spend whatever money it cost.

You guys act like in 5 years or so Disney is going to be out of business and having a fire sale. Seriously?? all these dire warnings of their practices coming back to haunt them. AT most, they will suffer a few quarters of dropped attendance and then the company will hand out discounts to lure folks back, ala 9/11

Nobody expects Disney to go out of business. A few of us here — very few, TBH — know the inner workings and are disappointed to see the company itself behave as if it isn’t making money and must nickel and dime Guests to eke out a profit.

To use the movie theater example, concessions are overpriced because the theaters don’t profit from ticket sales. Disney doesn’t have that issue.

Compared to previous years, Guests are now paying more than ever before for less live entertainment, fewer attractions per day, and smaller food portions.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

doubt it. who's "blindly" defending a corporation? there is nothing blind about it, people go to disney and make a conscious decision whether or not it is worth it to go and spend whatever money it cost.

You guys act like in 5 years or so Disney is going to be out of business and having a fire sale. Seriously?? all these dire warnings of their practices coming back to haunt them. AT most, they will suffer a few quarters of dropped attendance and then the company will hand out discounts to lure folks back, ala 9/11

During the aftermath of 9/11, the travel downturn wasn't because of Disney creating a miserable and overpriced experience. It was external forces. What we see now is vacationing at an all time high while WDW's numbers tanking by 30%. And the exact opposite of offering discounts. They jacked up prices in THE MIDDLE of the F&W Fest.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

IF I CARED ABOUT THE PRICE INCREASES I WOULD HAVE GAVE MY THOUGHTS. I HAVE A RIGHT TO DISAGREE WITH THE MAJORITY IF I WANT TO AND SAY HOW I FEEL JUST AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ON HERE.

You were complaining about a guy replying to someone who has a different opinion than them and trying to have a discussion and you called them part of the hypocritical sheeple, and yes you have the right to express how mean those Disney haters are, but I also have the right to say you added nothing valuable to the conversation, other than ECHO CHAMBER!!!1!!!

 

[tirian]

During the aftermath of 9/11, the travel downturn wasn't because of Disney creating a miserable and overpriced experience. It was external forces. What we see now is vacationing at an all time high while WDW's numbers tanking by 30%. And the exact opposite of offering discounts. They jacked up prices in THE MIDDLE of the F&W Fest.

One more thing: why do people who weren’t quoted suddenly appear out of nowhere to defend poor business decisions?

The increased food prices aren’t typical “Doom-and-Gloom, Woe-Is-Me” complaints. This is pure greed at a time when attendance and guest satisfaction scores are falling.

I love the parks. I visit them worldwide. I can’t ignore greedy price increases and hard ticket add-ons when there are no night parades, smaller food menus and portions, reduced staffing, and poor maintenance.

 

[eliza61nyc]

During the aftermath of 9/11, the travel downturn wasn't because of Disney creating a miserable and overpriced experience. It was external forces. What we see now is vacationing at an all time high while WDW's numbers tanking by 30%. And the exact opposite of offering discounts. They jacked up prices in THE MIDDLE of the F&W Fest.

you missed my point entirely. Whatever the reason, the company is not going to allow numbers to tank tank tank. they've tanked before and company rebound.
first, how long have the attendance numbers been down? (that's a question) what one two quarters.? price hikes are usually (just from my experience working for mega corp) decided a bit more than one quarter in advance. Next they know they have a major launch coming extremely close that will bring a whole crap load of bodies into the mix.