Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I agree. But.

There are some structural problems to that. How do they turn off the revenue spigot from easy solutions like G+ and ILL? How do they cut back from $159/single day variable to, say, $109 WW h day of the year? How do they cut rack rates at the resorts? Their IT is so funky I have no trust the discount pricing shows consistently, leading to stick shock.

Promotions…in a nutshell. It allows “gradients” to be used over time


But let’s be clear: the reason revenues climb on lower attendance is price increases across the board on the inpark products…
It’s not the ticket upcharges (gobbled by overhead) or really the genie.

The most profitable thing that can remain unchanged? Upselling the park for a second time in a day with vastly diluted overhead. That is and can be GOLD.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Bob doesn't like this talk. Bob demands you hand over your credit cards and banking information to him pronto so he can prop up yet another quarterly financial report, like he's been doing on the backs of parkgoers for the last 15 years.

 

[Lilofan]

Bob doesn't like this talk. Bob demands you hand over your credit cards and banking information to him pronto so he can prop up yet another quarterly financial report, like he's been doing on the backs of parkgoers for the last 15 years.

That's a regular lifestyle for many being slaves to debt.

 

[Splash4eva]

I agree. But.

There are some structural problems to that. How do they turn off the revenue spigot from easy solutions like G+ and ILL? How do they cut back from $159/single day variable to, say, $109 WW h day of the year? How do they cut rack rates at the resorts? Their IT is so funky I have no trust the discount pricing shows consistently, leading to stick shock.

Bake it into other costs ie hotel/food/souvenirs/upsell events that seem to all sell out. Give the illusion of things being free or cheaper but charge for it elsewhere… like im sure they were doing anyway prior

 

[HauntedPirate]

Bake it into other costs ie hotel/food/souvenirs/upsell events that seem to all sell out. Give the illusion of things being free or cheaper but charge for it elsewhere… like im sure they were doing anyway prior

"We've taken the unprecedented step of lowering ticket prices at Walt Disney World Resort!!!" (Food, beverages, and merchandise prices just went up 30%)

 

[123mart123]

And that's really the crux here.

The audience who can afford vacations regularly at current WDW prices can also afford to go to practically any other tourist destination on the planet.

It's kind of absurd to think they were going to keep going back to WDW, when they have so many options. Even if the "magic" was in full force (and it certainly isn't these days) it's doubtful at the current price points people would continue to regularly choose WDW - why come to see World Showcase again when you can actually go to Europe for real?

and for less.

 

[jpeden]

Well I just booked a very last minute trip for tomorrow (hurricane cancelled our beach trip for my wife and I's 10th anniversary). I could have gotten any of the following resorts with a discount at the deluxe level:

Beach Club
Yacht Club
Boardwalk
Wilderness Lodge
Grand Flo
Poly
Contemporary
AKL

I feel like that is not great for WDW on labor day weekend, even accounting for the tropical weather.

 

[JoeCamel]

Curious about DVC, are you assured of any access to parks? I mean if they roll up the park business or operate just a couple of parks is there any obligation to have available?

 

[Marionnette]

Curious about DVC, are you assured of any access to parks? I mean if they roll up the park business or operate just a couple of parks is there any obligation to have available?

No. It's actually specifically mentioned in contract terms. In fact, the DVC resorts opened before the parks re-opened from the COVID shutdown.

 

[JoeCamel]

No. It's actually specifically mentioned in contract terms. In fact, the DVC resorts opened before the parks re-opened from the COVID shutdown.

Thanks I was just musing what might happen if attendance does crash

 

[Lilofan]

Many go on vacation. Many go to travel. Europe is filled with American tourists that seek to enjoy great food and drink, languages and culture. That's travel and that's not Disney.

 

[Splash4eva]

Well I just booked a very last minute trip for tomorrow (hurricane cancelled our beach trip for my wife and I's 10th anniversary). I could have gotten any of the following resorts with a discount at the deluxe level:

Beach Club
Yacht Club
Boardwalk
Wilderness Lodge
Grand Flo
Poly
Contemporary
AKL

I feel like that is not great for WDW on labor day weekend, even accounting for the tropical weather.

FWIW i was there last year during this time and the parks were far from busy. Seemed like back in day when this was the week everyone from NY/NJ would go because school didnt start for us yet…

 

[GhostHost1000]

I have a ton of old Disney park music on a usb drive and decided to listen to some on my way into work this morning.

Shuffling through I found the old Animal Kingdom and MGM (Hollywood) Studios parades as well as Spectromagic. It really hits hearing those again and bringing back so many memories of how different the parks felt then vs today.

Those vacations felt so much more relaxed as well without G+ and park reservations etc

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It’s a valid theory worthy of discussion.

Bob has never lied to him…ever. He had a “magical experiency” trip to port Orleans in 2014…therefore Disney = great…forever. Shut your brain down and kneel before zod

Well I just booked a very last minute trip for tomorrow (hurricane cancelled our beach trip for my wife and I's 10th anniversary). I could have gotten any of the following resorts with a discount at the deluxe level:

Beach Club
Yacht Club
Boardwalk
Wilderness Lodge
Grand Flo
Poly
Contemporary
AKL

I feel like that is not great for WDW on labor day weekend, even accounting for the tropical weather.

The hotels are not Booked. Not close. Things are not “picking up”

Curious about DVC, are you assured of any access to parks? I mean if they roll up the park business or operate just a couple of parks is there any obligation to have available?

Absolutely not.
The stupid part is bob&bob, attorneys at law, specifically have tried to “disassociate” park privileges from dvc contracts in recent years.

Simple flowchart to discover why: they’re trying to charge everyone more money to sustain unsustainable revenues…and figure the dvc are the easiest marks for upsell

But that probably makes too much sense and Bob would deny it…so it CANT be true

 

[The Mom]

Perhaps posters could start an Econ 101 thread in chit chat?

 

[Disstevefan1]

As a guest, I do not understand what is bad about lower attendance and more rooms being available. Enjoy it while it lasts.

And for the ultimate doom and bloomers, enjoying the parks and resorts while they are still owned by TWDC.

None of us are in control. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[Splash4eva]

As a guest, I do not understand what is bad about lower attendance and more rooms being available. Enjoy it while it lasts.

And for the ultimate doom and bloomers, enjoying the parks and resorts while they are still owned by TWDC.

None of us are in control. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

I agree with enjoying it & its why we still go but ultimately if this trend continues parks will become more expensive and less expansion and maintenance as time goes on…

 

[Disstevefan1]

I agree with enjoying it & its why we still go but ultimately if this trend continues parks will become more expensive and less expansion and maintenance as time goes on…

Well in my "Disney rationalization" brain, prices will constantly go up in any event and they never expand the parks enough for me, so that's also the same.

 

[Drdcm]

As a guest, I do not understand what is bad about lower attendance and more rooms being available. Enjoy it while it lasts.

And for the ultimate doom and bloomers, enjoying the parks and resorts while they are still owned by TWDC.

None of us are in control. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

I’m with you. I don’t have anything significant invested financially in Disney, so lower attendance at this point is a win. It’s not like they’re already doing an exceptional
Job at maintenance and upkeep.

What I hope for is that the lower attendance pushes them back towards consumer friendly options. I realize after parties and genie + aren’t ever going away, but they could realistically go back to a “get people keep people” attitude by having parks open longer, reinstating some kind of “free” transportation option, and better pricing for multiple day stays.

 

[LSLS]

As a guest, I do not understand what is bad about lower attendance and more rooms being available. Enjoy it while it lasts.

And for the ultimate doom and bloomers, enjoying the parks and resorts while they are still owned by TWDC.

None of us are in control. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

In a vacuum, nothing. But Disney isn't just having lower attendance and room rentals and just going "Eh, it will pick back up." They will run less vehicles, less staff, and less entertainment. Which is why this idea that "This is what they want" is so laughable.