Josh D'Amaro comments on rising prices and "additional" or removed services: "An inevitable result of progress"

[Andrew C]

No do not agree. It is so generic and unspecific it says nothing except more money was made. As far as truth about more money was made, now that is true.

So you think attendance over the time period she is referring to is actually up domestically? Why would she go into detail about it being close (talking about some days are surpassing it and outpacing expectations), but coming up just short? What is the motivation there? Makes no sense.

 

[Andrew C]

but it has the chance of takeing to much buisness from both land and world.

That is the point! Or my point.

 

[Tha Realest]

A fifth gate I suspect will come. I'm unsure the format, but I suspect it's being considered and is a long way off. However at some point you're just not meeting demand - and competition will move in on your turf, Disney or not.

Metaverse is the "fifth gate"

 

[Indy_UK]

We should all hope for Epic Universe to be a success - competition may be the only thing to improve the offering and reduce the price of Disney.

Competition is always great but I don’t think Disney are bothered while each quarter is bringing in more $$$ than the last

Just wait for Epic Universe to open and then see the prices creep up to recoup the investment

 

[el_super]

The whole raising prices to lower crowd levels is ludicrous. The first thing they do when crowd levels are light is stop running rides at full capacity and reduce staffing and reduce staffing and close restaurants. The benefit to the guest of a light crowd day is negligible.

They reduce staffing and attraction capacity because there are fewer people in the park. They still gauge guest satisfaction by rides per capita. Fewer people in the park mean more rides completed per hour, and ergo, shorter park hours. There's no point staying open 15 hours a day if no one is going.

They will never build another park. Certainly not in Orlando. They’d just be spreading the same customers and money around at higher costs.

Park cannibalization. Learned it with DAK.

Which is precisely why the "they need more capacity" argument is bunk.

 

[Andrew C]

Which is precisely why the "they need more capacity" argument is bunk.

It is not bunk. They really need to do it to make the experience more enjoyable. But will they? eh...probably not.

 

[Kirby86]

That is the point! Or my point.

I know that but while it would be good for capacity the bean counters at each resort wouldn't be happy that they would be losing money even if it's to themselves haha

 

[Andrew C]

I know that but while it would be good for capacity the bean counters at each resort wouldn't be happy that they would be losing money even if it's to themselves haha

Maybe not. The middle of america people could turn those once every 3 year trips to WDW into a once every year trip to Middle America Disney aka MAD. One can dream.

 

[Lilofan]

Jokes aside assuming they would build another US park where could they put it? Unless it's a fully indoor park it's going to have to be down south since Disney would have no intrest in running a seasonal park up north. Texas seems like it could work but it has the chance of takeing to much buisness from both land and world.

100 plus degrees for 3 months straight in TX for another Disney park? Won't happen. I was in Houston one July. Made Orlando weather feel like springtime.

 

[el_super]

It is not bunk. They really need to do it to make the experience more enjoyable. But will they? eh...probably not.

Building more parks really only makes sense if you are chasing a volume based business, and trying to capture new visitors that otherwise would not have gone (international visits). Spending billions on a new US based resort, with the goal of cannibalizing your two other US resorts isn't really a sound business plan... especially if you can just increase prices to reduce overcrowding.

If it's true at the macro level (building more resorts) it's also true at the smaller levels: building more parks at WDW or more rides in MK. It doesn't really make sense as a way of controlling demand/reducing the crowd levels.

 

[Andrew C]

Building more parks really only makes sense if you are chasing a volume based business, and trying to capture new visitors that otherwise would not have gone (international visits). Spending billions on a new US based resort, with the goal of cannibalizing your two other US resorts isn't really a sound business plan... especially if you can just increase prices to reduce overcrowding.

If it's true at the macro level (building more resorts) it's also true at the smaller levels: building more parks at WDW or more rides in MK. It doesn't really make sense as a way of controlling demand/reducing the crowd levels.

I’m only commenting from a guest perspective. Not commenting on whether it’s a good business decision.

I hate the crowds.

 

[Lilofan]

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.

Just make it authentic pay toilets like in UK and France in Epcot just like in some locations across the pond.

 

[Kirby86]

100 plus degrees for 3 months straight in TX for another Disney park? Won't happen. I was in Houston one July. Made Orlando weather feel like springtime.

It's just as likley as them makeing a park in The North East then sub freezing weather for 3 to 4 months plus the chance for multiple feet of snow. Unless they decide to go into the seasonal park buisness. Honestly that would be great for maintaining the attractions.

 

[FutureCEO]

Isn't he supposedly Disney's saving grace to a lot of people?

 

[Andrew C]

Isn't he supposedly Disney's saving grace to a lot of people?

By the accounts around here, he was very well liked when he ran DL.

 

[el_super]

I’m only commenting from a guest perspective. Not commenting on whether it’s a good business decision.

I hate the crowds.

Oh in that case then absolutely... they definitely need a few more resorts around the globe.

 

[Lilofan]

It's just as likley as them makeing a park in The North East then sub freezing weather for 3 to 4 months plus the chance for multiple feet of snow. Unless they decide to go into the seasonal park buisness. Honestly that would be great for maintaining the attractions.

Disney tried under Eisner. Plane were set to build Disney America in Northern VA. The locals fought and won. Disney backed down, park never built.

 

[HauntedPirate]

They reduce staffing and attraction capacity because there are fewer people in the park. They still gauge guest satisfaction by rides per capita. Fewer people in the park mean more rides completed per hour, and ergo, shorter park hours. There's no point staying open 15 hours a day if no one is going.




Which is precisely why the "they need more capacity" argument is bunk.

IF all other things were equal, yes. But we all know that if they reduce attendance via pricing, they will reduce staffing at a commensurate rate. They aren’t going to keep everything the same with fewer people in the parks. “The lines were so short, we didn’t wait more than 20-30 minutes for anything!”= Winning to Bob

Capacity is needed at the existing parks. They need 4 full-day parks, not 1 full-day and 3 half-day parks. A 5th gate is utterly ludicrous for anyone to even suggest.

 

[el_super]

IF all other things were equal, yes. But we all know that if they reduce attendance via pricing, they will reduce staffing at a commensurate rate. They aren’t going to keep everything the same with fewer people in the parks.

Capacity is needed at the existing parks. They need 4 full-day parks, not 1 full-day and 3 half-day parks. A 5th gate is utterly ludicrous for anyone to even suggest.

By what metric do you think they need additional capacity? If the argument is that capacity is too low for the crowds that are attending (at the current price point) why hasn't that had a negative impact on attendance anyway? If the place is a bad experience because of long lines, why wouldn't fewer people go resulting in .... appropriate wait times?

If the wait times are at a point where they are not negatively impacting the desire to return, then the capacity is appropriate.

 

[Touchdown]

Texas seems too expensive, ideally they would want a place they could control the local govt. like New Mexico but that’s too dry, maybe Kansas (but that would need either a giant roof or plenty of indoor places for the cold months.