Mike S
Well-Known Member
Don't forget pendulums.
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Interesting Disney Parks Survey Question I got Today - Tiered Ticket Pricing by Season
- Thread starter MaxsDad
- Start date
Kingoglow
Well-Known Member
Another issue I see with these rapid increase in prices would be for people to jams themselves into MK even more. Vacationers want value for their dollar. With EPCOT's vision lost, and DAK's entertainment value based on a couple of shows and three rides and the absolutely rotten state of HS we already see overcrowding at MK.
The higher Disney raises the prices the more guests will allocate all of their time into the only park with a decent number of attractions.
Everything that they are doing (FastPass, high hotel prices, higher ticket prices) is forcing more and more people to spend their entire vacation in the Magic Kingdom because it is where all of the value is at.
The higher Disney raises the prices the more guests will allocate all of their time into the only park with a decent number of attractions.
Everything that they are doing (FastPass, high hotel prices, higher ticket prices) is forcing more and more people to spend their entire vacation in the Magic Kingdom because it is where all of the value is at.
xdan0920
Think for yourselfer
Good point. I hadn't thought of it like that, but you're right. At MK you get, let's say 8 out of 10 fun points for your $$$. At DHS, 4 fun points. Simple to see where people will go.
Lots of jargon there, but true indeed.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
You clearly have no idea why people love DAK.
Just because Kingoglow perceives value based on ride count doesn't mean everyone does. If I had one day and only one day at Walt Disney World, I'd spend it in Animal Kingdom every single time, and pay gladly for the right to do so. Doesn't matter if I'm going with a CM friend's free passes or if I'm spending $120 for a single day ticket.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility
I have no information about this, and hadn't heard about until this morning. And I hate the prospect of it, for the same reasons I hate the idea of charging for additional fast passes. That being said...
My suspicion is that Disney has concluded that it has about reached the maximum price that the masses are willing to pay on certain days, and that raising prices on those days will cause crowd levels to fall enough that the increased price wouldn't actually generate higher profits. However, Disney believes that on other days, the decrease in crowds from a price increase will not be so great as to make the increase not worth it. So, they're trying to see if they are correct about the second sentence, and explore ways to capture that additional revenue if market research turns out to be correct.
While there aren't really any slow seasons at WDW anymore (except maybe a random Monday at Epcot after MLK day but before President's Day), there are certainly days that are more crowded than other days. Xmas to New Year's, summer, spring break, etc.
My suspicion is that Disney has concluded that it has about reached the maximum price that the masses are willing to pay on certain days, and that raising prices on those days will cause crowd levels to fall enough that the increased price wouldn't actually generate higher profits. However, Disney believes that on other days, the decrease in crowds from a price increase will not be so great as to make the increase not worth it. So, they're trying to see if they are correct about the second sentence, and explore ways to capture that additional revenue if market research turns out to be correct.
While there aren't really any slow seasons at WDW anymore (except maybe a random Monday at Epcot after MLK day but before President's Day), there are certainly days that are more crowded than other days. Xmas to New Year's, summer, spring break, etc.
rael ramone
Well-Known Member
If this 'tiering' gets applied to the annual passes, anything that isn't a 'bronze' day may be lifestyler free...
xdan0920
Think for yourselfer
But, you recognize you're in the minority. MK draws double what AK does. The more expensive tickets get, the bigger that gap will become.
Lucky
Well-Known Member
They're already doing this with resort room pricing - there are many more "seasons" than there used to be, plus weekend premiums - and even at many of the restaurants. I've been wondering for some time when they would extend it to ticket pricing.
wendysue
Well-Known Member
Just another reason that now our "go to" vacation will be UNI and Busch Gardens....
But if I WERE to buy tickets, and that's a BIG if, I would only go during the bronze days, shorten my vaca to WDW to 3 or 4 days and visit somewhere else the rest of the days. Some people just keep saying "It's only 10 bucks or 40 bucks, but it keeps happening over and over...
But if I WERE to buy tickets, and that's a BIG if, I would only go during the bronze days, shorten my vaca to WDW to 3 or 4 days and visit somewhere else the rest of the days. Some people just keep saying "It's only 10 bucks or 40 bucks, but it keeps happening over and over...
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
I agree that this seems to be the strategy, and that it's an unnecessary complication for two reasons. First, variability in crowd levels from "slow" to "busy" times is minimal. Except for those few peak holidays, there's no great reason to try level out crowds much more than they already are. Second, the price difference isn't enough to influence guest behavior even if it was a valid goal. Just raise prices for everyone and manage seasonal crowds through room promotions, CM blockout dates, and AP season dates like they're already doing.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
And people CONTINUE to come in droves. What does that tell you? When you're priced well below market rates, you should absolutely keep raising your prices until the market pushes back (which it hasn't, fanboii outrage on the interwebz aside).
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
My point is that the gap has nothing to do with price. If you love MK best, you'll love MK best whether you go for free or if you're paying hundreds of dollars. If you think MK beats DAK, you're going to think so regardless of how much it costs.
ETA: It's like... I much prefer Coke over Pepsi. If someone offers me a free soda, I'm going to choose Coke. I'm not more likely to choose Coke just because it costs $2.00 all of a sudden.
Lucky
Well-Known Member
See the post above yours. When you combine tiered pricing for tickets with tiered pricing for resort rooms and restaurants, the premiums for going on certain dates can add up.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
Just because it's good for Disney's bottom line, doesn't mean we have to like it.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Understood. I'm not thrilled about it myself. I'm just illustrating that distaste for price increases hasn't resulted in decreased volume as many are speculating. The premise that "Disney is alienating their customers" isn't backed up by the data.
Now I'll sit back and wait for @ParentsOf4 to post a graph telling me how wrong I am.
wendysue
Well-Known Member
Just saying, that for us, it's over. That's 7 people in two families that go twice a year that are not coming back. I am sure we aren't the only families thinking this way. Not saying this to be nasty or judgmental of everyone who WILL pay it, just that many people have reached their price point and it will show in time. (the nasty people can now say "good riddance to ya")
danlb_2000
Premium Member
Yes, but eventually you are going to start aliening customers and once that happens, it's hard to get them back.
Lucky
Well-Known Member
The brand loyalty Disney built up over decades by NOT charging whatever the market would bear is what helps them get away with this sort of thing now - it takes a lot to alienate many of their customers.
The current execs don't seem to care about investing in brand loyalty, because it would only benefit some future execs, not themselves. Their incentive is to cash in on it now.