How much $ is to much $ to charge for stuff.

[hsisthebest]

We stayed offsite last year after 12+ trips onsite. Saved us $4000+ (we are a group of 7 now). Spent most of that savings on Potter souvenirs, but also some on Disney. Still finished the trip under budget.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Disney will be hammered come a recessesion.

No, they’ll just lower their prices slightly and do fine, just like in 2008.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

It depends on what it is. I actually wait to buy sunglasses at WDW because they run about $20 and they're decent quality. With my AP discount, it brings it to about $16, which is about what I would spend at Target. I usually buy a shirt or two while I'm there. I find the ones in my size are about $30, and they last for years. Sweats and jackets too. I know people have a heart attack over the prices, but I have ones that I bought five or six years ago that I still wear. And yes, there is some stuff that I see the price on and think, no way. I compare Disney prices to the prices of the MLB official gear, and really, they're about the same. It's partially just that life in general is expensive nowadays.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No, they’ll just lower their prices slightly and do fine, just like in 2008.

Actually they raised the prices and the WDW consumer lost the price war - ultimately. Fell for gimmicks and the costs now are truly amazing. Good for Disney.

I will say that it’s been so long - too long - since a travel recession that the reality of what it will mean is much different than the perception.

There are poster here and on other threads that aren’t frankly old enough to have really seen a recession...or admittedly have stated they didn’t start going to WDW until after the last one...the 01-03 one was the real gutpunch recent example.

The show will be interesting the next time...as it always is.

 

[YorkshireT]

No, they’ll just lower their prices slightly and do fine, just like in 2008.

In 2009 profits had fallen 50% at parks and resorts. They kept attendance numbers up with heavy discounting, but profits at the parks were hit massively.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In 2009 profits had fallen 50% at parks and resorts. They kept attendance numbers up with heavy discounting, but profits at the parks were hit massively.

But that doesn’t matter at all...

The engineered a strategy that brought that back 5 fold after the bounce.

I do have to say...it was brilliant. Jacking base prices in a trough and masking it with coupons...permanently moving the revenues upward far more quickly that would be tolerated otherwise. Completely winning the psychological war against its customers.

I have to say...it was something that eluded “them” in the early 2000s. Well played

 

[disneyfireman]

We dont buy much souvenirs...I'll buy an Epcot shirt every other visit or so but really...50.00 for each of us 4 is pretty much it for souvenirs. Thats a huge way to save money...and drinking free water instead of buying the bottle.

 

[MAGICFLOP]

I poke fun at Disney for charging high prices, but in reality I feel they should charge what people will pay.. if someone will pay $75 for a T shirt, then charge it... they can shift gears during a recession if things fall off, and maybe during a recession, people will only pay $30 and that will be all they could get away with (or as Disney would do, buy one @ $75 and get one free).. its a business first and foremost...

To the people that would pay $75 for a tee shirt, I say: If it makes you happy and you have the money, then do it...

 

[Chef Mickey]

In 2009 profits had fallen 50% at parks and resorts. They kept attendance numbers up with heavy discounting, but profits at the parks were hit massively.

Check your numbers. I didn't say they did amazingly well. I said they did fine.

Parks and resorts posted the following numbers for operating income:

2007: $1.7B
2008: $1.9B
2009: 1.4B
2010: 1.32B

The worst y/y drop was about a 26% decrease, not 50%.

 

[eliza61nyc]

In 2009 profits had fallen 50% at parks and resorts. They kept attendance numbers up with heavy discounting, but profits at the parks were hit massively.

that happens sometimes in a recession.
2008 folks saw their net worth drop about 1/3, some folks by 50%. If one did not panic and pull your money out you recovered nicely. Disney recovered very well in the ensuing years.

Wash, rinse and repeat
No waycan they not expect a dip in attendance when recession hit