Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Oh, yeah...fast past is unique and a whole other story. I would just prefer all standby or maybe a Universal type system. But we don't need to get into all that again.
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Josh D'Amaro comments on rising prices and "additional" or removed services: "An inevitable result of progress"
- Thread starter tanc
- Start date
Which works great until the government says "That's enough."
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Every resort in the area charges. Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt. It is a necessity IMO. They need to be able to compete.
“That” is what’s tipped the balance for us.
What a unique use of the word "compete."
Usually, it means offering something unique that adds more value to your product than what your competitors offer. For example, if your competitors charge for parking, you don't which makes your product more appealing.
el_super
Well-Known Member
This seems to be the dilemma they are facing. Should the parks be cheap and overcrowded or expensive but manageable. I'm firmly on the side of expensive but manageable. I would rather have a more laid back and pleasant experience, even if i have to wait 3 or 4 years between trips, instead of planning one every single year. I'd rather pay more for private parties where the attendance is capped, but I can get through all the rides in just a few hours, than pay for a whole day with fewer things done.
I'm sure some people would rather just keep things the status quo, pack the parks full of people and make planning a day an exercise in patience and frustration.
It's up to Disney really to decide which way is better and we can all see which path they are choosing.
No trick really. Even if they decided to maintain the status quo, the prices are going to have to go up. If they want to keep the parks full of people, they are going to have to continue raising prices here and there and cutting services.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of external factors that are going to make it continually more expensive to operate their theme parks for the foreseeable future. At a certain point, where attendance coming through the MK is basically capped (at 20 million maybe?) they will have to keep pace with global supply chain issues, increases in labor costs, shifting demographics and even down to the environment (climate change).
Things can't stay the same forever.
Paid Fastpass is brilliant. It's so much easier than trying to figure everything out, six months in advance.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
The Signia by Hilton at Bonnet Creek has a $45 resort fee and a $32 self-parking charge. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has a $40 resort fee and a $27 self parking fee. They DoubleTree next to Disney Spring has a $23 resort fee and a $22 self parking fee.
Over the last 20 years, the hotels in the area to continue to improve despite these fees. So yes, some of these fees are about competing appropriately within the market.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
That would be the tequila and mezcal.. or tap water... I love a good tequila but I definitely prefer a higher end sipping spirit as opposed to shooting it like a bunch of sorority girls
So "competing" with outside hotels means ... do exactly what they do and thus charge for parking? Here I thought competing meant doing something different from your competitors that made your offering standout.
Charging for parking was a money-grab by the Bob's. Period. And Joshie boy is a more PR-adept version of $lappie.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Both, depending on the context/situation.
As I said, hotels in the area have stepped up their game despite these fees. It isn't 1980 anymore...
I shouldn't expect Disney hotels to offer me free parking just because "its Disney." That isn't a good reason in this particular market.
Javier Antonio Nisa Avila
Active Member
I have a question: why if the park is cheap, it has to be overcrowded? This summer I have traveled to Costa del Sol in Spain. I have included all inclusive plan for 10 days and the prices has been 1.600 dollar. To my mind, this is really cheap. However, the resort has been well organized and I have not taken notice of people.
In addition to this, if you think about status quo, I will recommend reading more about Walt. He wanted people to be able to enjoy together. Moreover, they are cheating us. The prices for Contemporary Resort two years ago were similar to Pop Century right now. Furthermore, there are other parks to discover such as Universal.
On the other hand, if we think about external factors, I think this a excuse. Firstly, taking into account climate change, why has magical express disappeared? Public transport contribute to take care of the planet.
Additional, I work for the government of Spain as a lawyer expertise in laboral law and I can say that the labor cost is relative. Having analyzed the process in Europe and the USA, I can say that these are excuses. However, we are living an inflation, but this is different.
What a fascinating thread I got pulled into -- thanks @CaptainAmerica.
Paid parking doesn't bother me all that much. At least in that situation they aren't simply adding a fee that applies to everybody -- like the stupid "resort fees" that other hotels charge. The parking fee is only paid by those who park. To be clear, I don't think Disney needed to add a parking fee for competitive or any other reasons -- it's simply an opportunity to make more money. But I live with that.
I Hate (with a capital H, as you can see) paid fastpass/genie+/LL, because it takes the core offering of the parks and says "you get a better experience the more you pay". I liked the fact that, until this crap, your access to rides and attractions in the park was roughly the same no matter how much you were willing to pay. You could improve your access by planning in advance, but not simply by handing over more money during your visit. Even the on-site benefits related to fastpass were fairly small. To be clear, I understand why doing the "pay for faster access" route might be better for the bottom line, and why it might be a good way to stratify the population at different price points. I preferred, significantly, however, when the premium priced stuff did not affect the core offerings at the parks -- the dessert and after hour parties, for example, didn't significantly detract from the daily experience of regular guests (although the 7pm closings come close to that on MVMCP and MNSSHP nights).
The fact that most other parks have a paid express pass set up as well (and charge more for it) doesn't impress me as a reason Disney needs to do it, much like the fact that other hotels charge for parking and add stupid "resort" fees doesn't impress me as a reason Disney needs to do it.
Paid parking doesn't bother me all that much. At least in that situation they aren't simply adding a fee that applies to everybody -- like the stupid "resort fees" that other hotels charge. The parking fee is only paid by those who park. To be clear, I don't think Disney needed to add a parking fee for competitive or any other reasons -- it's simply an opportunity to make more money. But I live with that.
I Hate (with a capital H, as you can see) paid fastpass/genie+/LL, because it takes the core offering of the parks and says "you get a better experience the more you pay". I liked the fact that, until this crap, your access to rides and attractions in the park was roughly the same no matter how much you were willing to pay. You could improve your access by planning in advance, but not simply by handing over more money during your visit. Even the on-site benefits related to fastpass were fairly small. To be clear, I understand why doing the "pay for faster access" route might be better for the bottom line, and why it might be a good way to stratify the population at different price points. I preferred, significantly, however, when the premium priced stuff did not affect the core offerings at the parks -- the dessert and after hour parties, for example, didn't significantly detract from the daily experience of regular guests (although the 7pm closings come close to that on MVMCP and MNSSHP nights).
The fact that most other parks have a paid express pass set up as well (and charge more for it) doesn't impress me as a reason Disney needs to do it, much like the fact that other hotels charge for parking and add stupid "resort" fees doesn't impress me as a reason Disney needs to do it.
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Well, once again, competition is about providing a better product at a price people are willing to pay. Having to pay an additional parking fee doesn't meet my definition of a place I want to spend my money in.
There's no requirement to slam the tequila sampler.That would be the tequila and mezcal.. or tap water... I love a good tequila but I definitely prefer a higher end sipping spirit as opposed to shooting it like a bunch of sorority girls
el_super
Well-Known Member
If the alternative was to raise hotel rates for everyone, doesn't it make some sense to target the prices increases to only those that drive vehicles onto the property?
Is it really fair to pass on price increases for things like road maintenance projects, vehicle services and emergency support to ALL guests rather than those that are actually using those services?
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
That is how you see it. In the hotel industry, the term has a much wider meaning. Not charging for parking puts them at an unnecessary disadvantage. Reason being...not having a parking fee isn't going to bring them so many more guests where they make up for the loss of not doing so.
Does it matter that the equivalent rack rate of a "deluxe" WDW resort room is at minium 2-4 times as much?
I can also say that the while other hotels have improved, Disney "Deluxe" category resorts can barely tread water.
But hey that every other day housekeeping is something unique.
Based on your posts, I surmise it means to "fleece our customers just like everyone else is doing."
Yes. Because you aren't teleporting into the parks. I don't know what emergency services has to do with charging for parking, though. "Nah, I'll opt out of paying my tiny cut for 911 service, I'll never need it..."