I’m waiting to see if they do the “buy X days get Y days free” ticket deal, or offer up a discounted AP to DVC blue card members. If those appear, you know things are dire.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Is attendance really down at WDW this or…
- Thread starter coachb
- Start date
JD80
Well-Known Member
Buy X get Y is something they don't typically do, so that will be a sign. Discounted APs is a step after that.
That the parks will only profit $4B instead of $5B?
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
Expanded EMH seems like a smart idea. The benefit of staying onsite feels like it has diminished a lot.
Resort bookings would certainly generate more revenue than cheap annual passes.
I wonder if the average guest has any idea that annual passes impact crowds? It's more of a long time debate at Disneyland, but impacts every park.
As an "in the know" guest, I'm well aware crowds at wait times during my multi-thousand dollar vacation are impacted by people visiting the parks for dollars a day.
I wonder if focusing on the tourist demographic, and making their experience better, would be the best long term approach.
Instead, Disney sees any gap in max attendance as a way to make a few more dollars by selling passes that are very cheap relative to regular admission.
Resort bookings would certainly generate more revenue than cheap annual passes.
I wonder if the average guest has any idea that annual passes impact crowds? It's more of a long time debate at Disneyland, but impacts every park.
As an "in the know" guest, I'm well aware crowds at wait times during my multi-thousand dollar vacation are impacted by people visiting the parks for dollars a day.
I wonder if focusing on the tourist demographic, and making their experience better, would be the best long term approach.
Instead, Disney sees any gap in max attendance as a way to make a few more dollars by selling passes that are very cheap relative to regular admission.
The parks and resorts are having issues staffing their operations with regular operating hours and one wants extended hours? Who is going to work them?
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
If they can staff Halloween and Christmas parties, surely they could staff additional or expanded EMH hours in "off season" months.
Gotta think long term. Spend money to improve the product and people on the fence today might be more likely to consider a future trip.
I for one appreciated extras like Magical Express. Heck, that one isn't even a staffing issue since it is outsourced. It was something that made a WDW vacation feel special, and for me the loyalty it generated provided a good return on investment.
There's a reason my last trip was split between Disney and Universal, for the first time ever.
Iger mentioned to Wall Street he wants to run a leaner more efficient company. Expanded/additional EMH in the off season would not follow his directive.
JD80
Well-Known Member
This is such a small thing compared to the size of the TWDC that it's barely a rounding error.
True. Think of the shareholder revolt if that happened.
I think profits in DPEP are likely spread out a bit more this year, not that the domestic parks are losing money. DCL should provide a healthy profit given what seems to be high occupancy rates on most cruises. International parks are doing well from all accounts. But the optics of lower attendance and profits, specifically at the cash cow also known as WDW, would not be good.When the exec in the food chain you report to gives you a directive, you follow it.
JD80
Well-Known Member
Not sure what this means. Iger just announced they are doubling investment into the division.
Words are words then lets see if words become action. Additional EMH especially in off season needs to get the buy off from the bean counter division.
JD80
Well-Known Member
What off season.
I don't think EMH would fill hotels anyway. Getting people to WDW is as simple as lower costs and new attractions.
Lowering costs is fantasy land thinking in regards to parks and resorts.
JD80
Well-Known Member
I'm just talking about discounts not actually lower prices.
JusticeDisney
Well-Known Member
You are spot on. There is no practical difference between starting with a lower price, or applying a discount to a higher price which gets you to that same lower price. You have to understand that some people just want to complain for the sake of complaining. If Disney does nothing to bring down prices, the complainers say “look at those outrageous prices!” If Disney offers discounts on the prices, the complainers say “look, Disney sucks so bad that they have to reduce prices or else they will go bankrupt!” Never mind the fact that Disney is simply doing what every other business in the world does - which is set prices as high as people will accept.
Airlines raise prices all the time especially during peak season and people will pay. I priced out round trip with a connecting flight from the East coast to Dubai roundtrip coach $800 and business class at $6K. In that flight most of the business class seats were already sold. Price it high and people will buy it.
Basil of Baker Street
Well-Known Member
Things that increase staffing like EMH will be last resorts IMO. Discounts, free DDP, free Genie+, etc is what we will see when needed.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
This refers to positions that are not frontline employees that actually impact the guest experience. His target is cutting any white-collar jobs that they find redundant/unnecessary as well as divisions/groups in the company not necessary or losing cash... parks is not one of them. If they find EMH necessary to bring back customers in, they'll do it.
Genie + being free or included would be the last resort imo. Free days on tickets and free dining are people getting a deal on a product that has been premium priced for a decade. Free Genie + would be making a paid product that was free 5 years ago free again. They won’t do it. Maybe they introduce a new alternate queue service that is priced high before giving people free reservations.