Current trajectory is that number is going to drop dramatically over the next few decades as well. Whole areas of the country will deflate.
Well then, the question remains does it make sense in the long term for Disney to continue their focus on the middle class if it's shrinking either way? Maybe their focus on higher incomes makes more sense?
The dynamics of the park profit engine require the middle class…volume, repeat business and goodwill word of mouth advertising.
Does that upper class really care about Disney as an annual vacation spot? I'm sure some do. But as an example, my sister falls squarely in the upper class. She loves Disney but they are traveling to Spain, France, England, Germany and they're doing an eastern European trip in a month or so. That's just the last 5yrs or so. They will go to Disney for a day or two if they go to one of their favorite beach spots. But is that enough? 3 days every few years?The dynamics of the park profit engine require the middle class…volume, repeat business and goodwill word of mouth advertising.
It’s not optional…it’s how the model works
About ten years ago…a fool suggested that they have the option of not doing that.
It wasn’t true and it will never be true. Don’t fall for it. You can’t provide the service standards needed for that with low wages and cost accounting driving the operation. That’s what Disney parks do…and they more they do it…the further they go away from “luxury”
Orlando ain’t a “luxury” town. Their clientele certainly isn’t. It’s meant to be predictably middle of the road. And it works.
Now lovely communities like this tend to not portray the reality correctly.
You got a lot of dust and a lot of people who really see a dvc contract and 4 day trips on the Mickey boats as a symbol of life’s accomplishments
…so your question makes it palatable: “why don’t they just go premium…then I can ride the 60 year old teacups and star tours in my sweatshirt unmolested by people who haven’t pledged their wallet to lord Iger…”
See how silly that sounds from the Birds Eye view?
Those with money check it off the list…for sure.
They will not. It will only work if prices rise at a higher rate than attendance decline. If prices rise at the same rate of decline, this will only result in zero growth. While medium class is priced out of attendance, food and merch, upper class will not purchase more merch and food to compensate for the middle class loss of sale.
Classic MBA who actually knows nothing blunder. In an attempt to grow and increase profits - taking advantage of, alienating, and outright abandoning your core customer (and own company ethos and values) in hopes of going after a different demographic.
They don't read the comments. Ralph Breaks the Internet told us so.
Yep, read comments from non-Disney people on reddit when they hear how much people spend to go to WDW. They are quick to note all the other places one could visit and experience with that money.
My family has also become regional theme park pass holders the past two years. With Cedar Fair and Six Flags now merged, a few hundred dollars for a family gets you an All Parks Passport for over 20 parks across the country opening a lot of potentially new vacation destinations.
“At some point a Disney vacation starts competing with ‘Let’s go see Europe’ and I think that’s what a lot of people are doing,” Mr. Testa said. “I’ve had a number of people in the last few years say, ‘We priced it out and we could take our children to eat pizza in the Italy pavilion in Epcot or for the same money we could actually go to Italy for two weeks. We’re going to go to Italy for two weeks.’”
You can do a 14 day cruise to Alaska cheaper than a 4 day Disney cruise to the Bahamas....
