It seems like more competition in the Orlando theme-park space is bad for the consumer.

The Pho

Well-Known Member
And clearly I’m only considering price in my “schpiel” because it’s the single greatest factor for the wide majority of park visitors
If that were true, the cheapest parks would be the most popular. And yet the $50 Six Flags unrestricted annual pass does not give them more visitors than the most expensive park.
 

bUU

Well-Known Member
What someone sees as Value is subjective.
By definition. However, value, itself, is objectively defined by the marketplace as a whole.

So, Disney is just moderately price gouging due to competition instead of completely price gouging?
There is no price gouging going on. (Coincidentally by definition,) there cannot be price gouging for discretionary items.

You don't like how much things cost. You can just say that.

I'm sorry but once you invoke such a rhetorical nugget with the full intention of applying it to USA you lose credibility no matter what fancy economic term comes after it. What's all this "free markets" stuff you're talking about????
It's where they have an option to offer something for purchase or not, and you have an option to buy something or not.

Your comment is nonsense.

You clearly didn't go to business school.
It shouldn't require a stint in business school for Hans to have learned about which he was mistaken, as you pointed out. What you outlined are things everyone should have learned in high school.

Bottom line... Competition benefits the consumer if it first benefits the company. Look at the theme parks like the airline industry and you'll have an easier time swallowing the price hikes.
I have to stop you there. The airline industry is not a free market. Since theme parks are a free market, airlines are a bad example and a bad analog. Some of the criticisms others are throwing at Disney, above, actually can be applied fairly to the airlines. Airline travel is significantly less of a discretionary purchase and substantially more regulated. The same would apply to basic telecom. Let's be clear: There is competition. Those are just not substantially free markets.

More bottom line, not everything in life is affordable (especially for a family).
That's critical - so many consumers are blinded by their own personal circumstances and by a baseless sense of entitlement - they think that because they cannot afford something or purchasing it stresses their budget too much that that must mean that someone else is doing something wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 

Shouldigo12

Well-Known Member
I don't know that Uni and Disney can directly compete over the same vacationer. I think the person who said both companies compete to keep people from doing a different TYPE of vacation are if not correct, more accurate. Uni and Disney both satisfy two totally different wants from the same theme park visiting guest. Growing up we went to Disney several times a year but once my sister and I were the right age our parents took us to Universal, because what we wanted to do/see wasn't something Disney could reeeeally provide.

For a better example, take a look at their Halloween activities. Disney has MNSSHP, which has some great shows, a parade that's...well it still has a great soundtrack and elements even if some things have been shoved into it...new fireworks, and characters and candy EVERYWHERE. It screams PLEASE TAKE YOUR YOUNG CHILD HERE (or for those of us who don't have/want kids...take your inner child here) Meanwhile at Universal the goal is "we're gonna scare the ever living crap outta you AND YOU'RE GONNA LIKE IT" and for the most part...that represents two completely different types of theme park goers. MNSSHP and HHN aren't competing for the same family. They're each there for the people who don't want to be at the other's event.
Agreed. People can love both, but Universal is clearly going after the thrill seekers and older crowds while Disney is more for families or those wanting to indulge their inner kids. Or the wusses like me who freak out on thrill rides.
 

thomas998

Well-Known Member
If you look at the pricing between Universal and Disney, you notice Disney is most expensive. Why? I think it is really because while the two are both theme parks, the reality is also that Universal is more of a domestic destination while Disney is more of a world draw... that means while Universal is constrained by what the people the US are willing to pay, Disney has the advantage of being able to draw from the entire world which means in the whole of the world you will have more people able to pay a higher price than you will in the US so Disney is able to price higher knowing that while they will get a smaller piece of the domestic visitors they will make up for it with the international visitors they get. As for what happens if one were to vanish, well the other would just raise their prices even higher.

If you want something to bring the prices down it would need to be a global recession or something that impacted travel.
 

HansGruber

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yes, operating profit increased in part because attendance increased in part because investment increased. And Universal prompted that investment.
What investment?! Disney invested minimally in the 2010’s. In spite of this lack of investing, profits soared during that same time period. So, again...what investment?
 

HansGruber

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The cheapest Universal AP is $309.
So for a family of 4 that’s $1236 for 4 APs.

You obviously didn’t do your research and are now creating this false narrative with this thread.
You’re comparing my apples to your oranges and then saying that I have “false narrative”. I’m not talking AP, I never once did. You obviously didn’t read what I wrote.
 

HansGruber

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
There is no price gouging going on. (Coincidentally by definition,) there cannot be price gouging for discretionary items.
Because $4 for a bottle of water in 105 heat index weather isn’t price gouging.
And the $10 I had to pay for children’s acetaminophen to help my sick daughter wasn’t price gouging.

I understand what you’re saying, but defending Disney via technicalities doesn’t exactly progress the discussion.
 

mj2v

Well-Known Member
They are creative companies. They will always figure out new things that guests just have to have...

And many are happy to line up to get the trinket.
 

No Name

Well-Known Member
What investment?! Disney invested minimally in the 2010’s. In spite of this lack of investing, profits soared during that same time period. So, again...what investment?

Pandora wouldn’t have happened if not for
Universal. That’s a pretty direct example for you. Investment’s seen a particular uptick since Universal started pulling in numbers and that’s not exactly a coincidence. I don’t know what you aren’t understanding.
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Bring Me A Shrubbery
Premium Member
What investment?! Disney invested minimally in the 2010’s.

Any idea what MM+ cost? Just because you don't agree with it..........

Look, I'll be the first to knock Disney about things that - well let's just say - weren't thought through well enough. But to say there has been no significant investment is ludicrous. We can debate the merits of whether or not the investment had the desired impact - both for the company, and the guest. That seems a more plausible path.
 

Stripes

Well-Known Member
What investment?! Disney invested minimally in the 2010’s. In spite of this lack of investing, profits soared during that same time period. So, again...what investment?
Uhh...no. Nopers. Nopity. Nope.
giphy.gif


(1) New Fantasyland
(2) Cars Land
(3) Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars
(4) Mystic Manor
(5) Test Track 2.0
(6) Ratatouille
(7) Pandora
(8) Shanghai Disneyland
(9) Ant-Man and the Wasp
(10) Disney Dream
(11) Disney Fantasy
(12) Frozen Ever After
(13) GOTG: MB
(14) Iron Man Experience
(15) World of Color
(16) Galaxy's Edge (Disneyland)
(17) Galaxy's Edge (DHS)
(18) Toy Story Land


Need I go on?

(WDW in bold.)
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Bring Me A Shrubbery
Premium Member
Uhh...no. Nopers. Nopity. Nope.
giphy.gif


(1) New Fantasyland
(2) Cars Land
(3) Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars
(4) Mystic Manor
(5) Test Track 2.0
(6) Ratatouille
(7) Pandora
(8) Shanghai Disneyland
(9) Ant-Man and the Wasp
(10) Disney Dream
(11) Disney Fantasy
(12) Frozen Ever After
(13) GOTG: MB
(14) Iron Man Experience
(15) World of Color
(16) Galaxy's Edge (Disneyland)
(17) Galaxy's Edge (DHS)
(18) Toy Story Land


Need I go on?

(WDW in bold.)

You forgot Disney Springs.
 

Stripes

Well-Known Member
Because $4 for a bottle of water in 105 heat index weather isn’t price gouging.
You're welcome to bring your own. Did you know? They also have these lovely drink refilling fountains now:
Dianoga-Water-Fountain-_-DLR-Galaxys-Edge_-19001-e1559249690193.jpg


And the $10 I had to pay for children’s acetaminophen to help my sick daughter wasn’t price gouging.
You paid $10 for Tylenol? You've got to be kidding me.
 

phillip9698

Well-Known Member
So, Disney is just moderately price gouging due to competition instead of completely price gouging?

We wanted to spend a day or two at Universal on our most recent trip. Our pricing options for a family of 4 were either $700 for a single day pass or $1,100 for a 5 day pass (they were running a 3 for 2 special). Needless to say, we skipped Universal and went to SW for $400. Arrogant pricing model on their part.

Seems to me that you compared the price of tickets for two Universal parks vs. the one park at Sea World. Hardly a fair comparison.
 

bUU

Well-Known Member
Because $4 for a bottle of water in 105 heat index weather isn’t price gouging.
Correct: It isn't.

Learn the definition of terms and more generally how to use words correctly.

I understand what you’re saying, but defending Disney via technicalities doesn’t exactly progress the discussion.
Spewing sensationalistic nonsense just to make your personal opinion sound more important than it really is, as you are, "doesn’t exactly progress the discussion".
 

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
If you're a Florida resident...
Universal's cheapest Florida resident AP for two parks is $269.99 = $134.99 per park.
Disney's cheapest Florida resident AP for four parks is $349.99 = $87.50 per park.

So it is cheaper, but Disney's is a better value.

Value is subjective though, what's valuable to one may not be valuable to another. For example, I find Universal to have more value but that is because I personally enjoy those two parks more than I do WDW's four. I'm also not sure it's fair to compare a weekday only pass to Universal's lowest pass. The seasonal pass doesn't really compare to any of Disneys passes because it's missing basic things like parking.
 

Hank Hill

Well-Known Member
If you're a Florida resident...
Universal's cheapest Florida resident AP for two parks is $269.99 = $134.99 per park.
Disney's cheapest Florida resident AP for four parks is $349.99 = $87.50 per park.

So it is cheaper, but Disney's is a better value.
The structures of each pass does not really allow fair apples to apples comparisons. The first UOAP that includes parking is the preferred pass while all Disney AP's come with parking. That makes a difference for people not planning onto staying the night. Plus UO closes earlier than Disney a lot more days, for me, I can't go to UO after work often, but at Disney, there is always one park open until at least 9. And the per park price goes up adding the 3rd park at Universal, even though Volcano Bay is more a water park. No FP at UO is a big disadvantage.

I haven't had an AP for either for almost 2 years. We just couldn't afford it, and with life and kids activities, we were not going as much to make it worth while. Though we talked last night and will get Disney AP's next month. I am excited as I really do miss it. For us, the FP and hours was the difference, not the price. My son wanted Universal, but we talked and will maybe do it for a year after the Disney passes.
 

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