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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
JMcMahonEsq
Well-Known Member
Why should it? Bonnett Creek rooms are right up there with any on property room cost (especially if you factor in your buying tickets separately there, and not getting transportation services) and you are paying for parking there. Same geographic location, same services.
Disney is at its base a destination vacation business. It charges what the market bears, and what is standard for that industry. Just because they elected not to so in the past, is not a reason they shouldn't expand their revenue streams now. Moving to industry standards is NOT nickel and diming. Now the question of whether not charging for these services is a better business model to attract guests to stay on property, as opposed to staying off property is a separate issue. However, as most of the higher end resort style accommodations in Orlando already charge for parking I don't think you are going to see this being what is a decision data point. Its more likely people are looking at larger price savings such as staying at flamingo crossing (or equivalent) vs a deluxe resort.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Well, yeah. Those are all limited/focused service hotels that offer free breakfast across all of their hotels. That is one way they compete with one another (breakfast usually isn't that great though). But those hotels aren't Disney's competitors.
Oh, I forgot that Diznee iz a bizness. Well then, we need to let Prezident Baldness do whatever he wants, because Diznee iz a bizness, and that's all that matters! 
I mean, how did this bizness survive for nearly 100 years without such astute bizness people at the helm (and armchair bizness geniuzez cheerleading them constantly), like Prezident Baldness and his sidekick, Skinny Jeans Boy? Since they took over, Diznee was barely hanging on, but now is making money hand over fist by charging for things that were never charged before.
I mean, how did this bizness survive for nearly 100 years without such astute bizness people at the helm (and armchair bizness geniuzez cheerleading them constantly), like Prezident Baldness and his sidekick, Skinny Jeans Boy? Since they took over, Diznee was barely hanging on, but now is making money hand over fist by charging for things that were never charged before.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
Why not go all the way and have only pay toilets in the park- look at the cost of toilets water, toilet paper, soap, staff to clean and upkeep Disney can justify by saying most European tourist ares have pay toilets.
JMcMahonEsq
Well-Known Member
Ah i always look forward to Posts from people taking about things they claim to not have experienced in a long time, and have no plans on going back to. It’s a lot like talking to my 4yr old nephew about Disney, except he at least has been there in the past year and is going again in December, so he actually has first hand knowledge. But keep posting on a message board about a place your not going to, and things you haven’t and won’t experience. You can call back to the Olden days of E-ticket rides and paper tickets, pre internet sales as if they have any bearing on the real world or present day.Oh, I forgot that Diznee iz a bizness. Well then, we need to let Prezident Baldness do whatever he wants, because Diznee iz a bizness, and that's all that matters!
I mean, how did this bizness survive for nearly 100 years without such astute bizness people at the helm (and armchair bizness geniuzez cheerleading them constantly), like Prezident Baldness and his sidekick, Skinny Jeans Boy? Since they took over, Diznee was barely hanging on, but now is making money hand over fist by charging for things that were never charged before.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
This talk about parking/resort fees is stupid…
Because the “defender” is proving the counter point.
The concept that Disney would be driving loyalists away would more likely to be true if they dump those fees on customers and say “in keeping with our competitors”
Because the idea is you aren’t delivering the expected experience and it would alienate because you’re going with the competition. Sometimes it’s strategic not to charge the fee. As it was when they didn’t charge for the fastpasses - by design - when implemented.
Because the “defender” is proving the counter point.
The concept that Disney would be driving loyalists away would more likely to be true if they dump those fees on customers and say “in keeping with our competitors”
Because the idea is you aren’t delivering the expected experience and it would alienate because you’re going with the competition. Sometimes it’s strategic not to charge the fee. As it was when they didn’t charge for the fastpasses - by design - when implemented.
el_super
Well-Known Member
Demand mostly. Demand and customer retention.
Walt operated a park that, at it's busiest, saw half as many guests as the Disneyland of today. A lot of what Walt said about operating a park, just doesn't apply. And even in Walt's time people complained about the prices being high, the crowds being too high, and the general quality of the place.
It isn't a straight one-for-one comparison. Climate change, for instance, can drive up the costs of some goods (like paper products) while also reducing the demand of international visits (thru air travel). Cutting a free service like the Magical Express, would make financial sense if those funds were being diverted to other projects, like building a solar farm, that would have a greater positive impact on the resort as a whole.
It isn't really a matter of whether they buses are still running or not, because they are. It's just that Disney isn't paying for it any longer. At it's core, it's just a price increase.
A lot of these companies went under because they insisted on continuing to do business as they always had, and steadfastly holding to their old business models. Companies need to adapt and change to survive, and sometimes, that means abandoning the past.
Dranth
Well-Known Member
This is what the spreadsheet warriors out there don't seem to get. What made these record profits even possible today is the work they did building the fan base in the past.
Right now, they have plenty of people to fill the gaps. That will not always be the case if they keep going the way they are. Long term, where are they really going to get this endless supply of new people?
Look at their recent efforts:
- Guest satisfaction has been sinking in both WDW and DL.
- They are ing off many AP and DVC.
- Genie+ has been a PR mess.
- Marvel movies, while still making tons of money, are getting worse.
- They have pretty well killed Star Wars movies and the recent shows have been mixed.
- D+ is going to face the same problems as every other streaming service eventually. The need to dump endless amounts of cash into content is going to be a problem.
- Live sports is getting increasingly expensive to carry and they already lost the rights to more than one major sport/conference/region.
In the past, when things turned bad, they could always fall back on the loyalty/fandom they had built to hold them through the dark times while they worked through whatever problems were going on. The people like the ones on this forum would still show up in the parks, go to the movies and buy the merchandise. That was the group keeping the lights on in downturns. Who are they going to turn to during the next one?
Maybe there are still enough of us out there that they would be fine but that margin of error has to be getting smaller and smaller as people walk away. That is why many of us feel that despite record profits they are going down a dangerous and short-sighted path.
Now, just to be fair:
- Animation has been a bright spot overall but has certainly had some misses
- The cruise line is still great
In the end, who knows, maybe they can keep pushing this longer and further than any of us think but there is a wall somewhere out there and they seem bent on sprinting head long into it.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Exactly.
And i would add it’s technically impossible to get to the point of “expensive, but comfortable” because the price level would have to go to the level where Disney would have to add overhead costs beyond the level of comfort to provide the quality that would be expected.
I'd prefer a WDW nuclear power plant, myself.
el_super
Well-Known Member
It is going to take a long time to change how the audience experiences the parks. Disney isn't going to just change overnight. They could, but they would spurn too much of their audience, and it seems they still want to keep a large portion of them engaged.
And the weird pricing schemes seem to be doing just that for the time being. Making the parks just as accessible, while still providing a better experience for those willing to pay more.
They just need to keep at it, and actually follow through. If they do the parks will be a different place to visit entirely in 10 to 20 years.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
If I recall…they only fairly recently gave up that authorization with the NRC…ironically
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
And another reminder: hotels started charging for parking in cities/resort areas because of limited real estate and super high cost/demand.
That will never be the case in Orlando (it was a 40,000 person swamp county in 1965) and it never will be on wdw property.
I’m glad this isn’t a business negotiation or court proceeding…because many of these “arguments” would be laughed out of the room.
That will never be the case in Orlando (it was a 40,000 person swamp county in 1965) and it never will be on wdw property.
I’m glad this isn’t a business negotiation or court proceeding…because many of these “arguments” would be laughed out of the room.
el_super
Well-Known Member
So most of the Disney hotels must be ghost towns right?
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
They’re not attempting to limit attendance. They cannot, will not, nor will ever be truthful about it.
It’s gonna take more years for you to accept this, Yoda, but we’ll be further down the road waiting patiently for you.
el_super
Well-Known Member
"Unfavorable attendance mix."
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Or not fully open…the term is “Low Occ” and it’s possible to be strategically used as in the past for a variety of reasons.
Not saying that’s definitely going on…but highly possible.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
That’s complaining about “leaving money on the table” with some…
So they kill annual passes and block out main gates.
That is NOT actively attempting to drive away attendance…for the 50th
…they want it on their non-negotiable terms.Don’t cross the streams