LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Not really. Why would one have to have planned their park itinerary before purchasing park tickets? I don’t.
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Is attendance really down at WDW this or…
- Thread starter coachb
- Start date
Seeing as how your odds of having to select your day to use said tickets/reserve a date is much more common in the past; I would say that is another example of how Disney has caused that to be more common than not.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Haven’t they scrapped park reservations? And even when reservations were a thing, it wasn’t necessary to have detailed plans in place before going ahead with ticket purchases.
The cost is still a factor that changes things. People have often comitted to a date.
You seem to conflate someone's harsh reality with pessimism.
Someone comes to you that they are going to Disneyland in a few weeks and are super excited to eat at Blue Bayou they heard about. (what reservations?)
Or a family is going to be going to be at Magic Kingdom during August and has no idea about Not so Scary changing the hours of MK. But they are willing to buy it when they get there to have a full day still and check it out. (it is likely going to sell out)
Same can be said for many other kinds of events against Daytime operation hours and dining locations.
You have people reserving dining with no admission media required.
People still just go in, but Disney has not made it the same experience anymore.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
A poster told us that they wear Disney clothes precisely to lure people into asking them about Disney so that they can rail against it! I’m not sure how else to characterise that.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
That's just passive aggressive, lot of that around here
Why are you even entertaining that? At some point that is on you. Focus on actual discussions to get to reality.
It is not the same experience anymore and there is much more planning from the company itself required to have even a similar experience is a fact of the matter.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I am responding to a sequence of posts that included the information I just referred to. It’s part of the conversation that you subsequently saw fit to join. Why would I not mention it, especially when it’s pertinent to my point?
I said nothing to contradict this.
Which is what? You responded as if people buying their tickets are not putting a cart before the horse.
It totally is these days. As shown by others to you.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
The point about pessimism. But it seems we’re going around in circles, and I don’t think I have anything productive to add at this point.
Chi84
Premium Member
It’s been this way for a very long time. How far back are you going?
Well that is why it seems Pessimistic doesn't it? There are plenty of people that have grown disappointed as these things have changed more and more. The ticket one is just one and before you even get there.
And there was a time quite recently where you could still buy any day tickets with much more ease.
Bob Iger's executive leadership was also the one that changed the admission pricing structure to what it is now.
October 2018 is when it went from being seasonal, which at the time was fairly recent, to date specific. Less than a decade ago.
Chi84
Premium Member
Sorry, I thought you were talking about giving tips to people planning their visits. Yes, the prices are high.
They are about on par honestly; the disappointment comes from the product/service people are getting after going.
Chi84
Premium Member
I don’t have an issue with the product or service, but the prices are definitely getting out of hand.
Vacationeer
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I think Disney Parks benefitted greatly from the advent of smart phones. 2 ways. People could study, plan and post anywhere, not just tied to desk tops. Doctor’s office, work break, checkout line, going to bed, etc. Started changing earlier but this last decade exploded. Look at how many new parkfan sites were created… and with such high demand, survived. 2nd is photography. Computational power attached to a camera was a game changer. Literally point and shoot. Relieved about 97% of the public from taking crappy fireworks/live action pics, because that’s all they were getting before. Together these elevated the preparation, potential and lip service of the park experience. It coincided with the advent of MB and FP+ which also elevated the park experience. Disney stock took off.
Demographics have also changed in this time. The ratio of childless visits went way up. Double income no kids and people post-parenting - those numbers make up a much larger slice of attendance today. There’s a big difference in per person budget when not paying the way for 2 or 3 kids. Yes families with kids still flock to the parks, it’s the ratio that has changed. The favorable mix is families who don’t question spending when it comes to their kids, and people who don’t question spending because they can afford it.
My brain understands it, my heart not so much. Every year it feels like surely price is nearing breaking point. Each trip brings new ways to feel price gouged. This trip is 12% more expensive than last time, after a string of the same over several trips. How far can we tolerate the expense/magic. An algorithm knows us better than we do. The sad truth is there are customers lined up behind me as populations grow and efficiencies fill wallets. Better deals drop like last week’s UK free dining and DVC’s 40% room rates. We cling to hope that maybe this is it! But next year will come and the parks are still crowded and you just budgeted another 12%
Demographics have also changed in this time. The ratio of childless visits went way up. Double income no kids and people post-parenting - those numbers make up a much larger slice of attendance today. There’s a big difference in per person budget when not paying the way for 2 or 3 kids. Yes families with kids still flock to the parks, it’s the ratio that has changed. The favorable mix is families who don’t question spending when it comes to their kids, and people who don’t question spending because they can afford it.
My brain understands it, my heart not so much. Every year it feels like surely price is nearing breaking point. Each trip brings new ways to feel price gouged. This trip is 12% more expensive than last time, after a string of the same over several trips. How far can we tolerate the expense/magic. An algorithm knows us better than we do. The sad truth is there are customers lined up behind me as populations grow and efficiencies fill wallets. Better deals drop like last week’s UK free dining and DVC’s 40% room rates. We cling to hope that maybe this is it! But next year will come and the parks are still crowded and you just budgeted another 12%
I don't see how they are any higher than the competition? Did I miss something?
What I do see is that people are not liking the nickel and diming of the experience once in or the hassle.
Pre Gates / Zuck
It is
Chi84
Premium Member
What competition are you talking about? We don’t go to Universal or any place comparable to WDW for our theme park vacations.
The nickel and diming is an issue but it’s related directly to costs. I thought we were talking about giving tips to new people or buying tickets before planning.
Whether you go there or not, that is the competition in the market, so Disney is not going to go below that. Market speaking, their cost of admission is right on the money. Operationally once there, it is not.
So their admission prices are not egregious for their market, it is what people are seeing the value in after going.
Yes, giving tips to people who people who have never been, or not have not been in a while. 2018 to now is a very different world at Walt Disney World. 2010 to now is vastly different in planning.