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

[Andrew C]

Am I to assume that means it was only the first half of the statement I got wrong?

Lol. I grabbed what I felt like responding to at the time.

I’m on record saying my top concerns when it comes to the parks are overall product (for price we are paying) and capacity. I don’t get what Josh was specifically referring to when he said “progress.”

 

[MrPromey]

Lol. I grabbed what I felt like responding to at the time.

I’m on record saying my top concerns when it comes to the parks are overall product (for price we are paying) and capacity. I don’t get what Josh was specifically referring to when he said “progress.”

Sounds like we agree on everything but semantics. I won't lose sleep over that.

 

[Dranth]

Newsflash-many in metro areas already do.

True, but many don’t.

Disney certainly doesn’t need to, they weren’t leasing a parking structure from someone else or dealing with an extremely limited number of spaces. They they just wanted more money and that’s fine, it is their business but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come across as greedy.

Can anyone here really say they enjoy paying for parking? That somehow makes your trip better? That somehow Disney would go bankrupt without that extra parking money to repave the resort lots every decade or so?

Probable not and it is something they managed to cover for decades before it was put in place.

 

[MissingDisney]

The point was, people are acting like charging for all of this nonsense is new. It’s not. It’s just new to Disney.

 

[John park hopper]

The point was, people are acting like charging for all of this nonsense is new. It’s not. It’s just new to Disney.

And that's what made Disney a cut above the rest now they are striving to be like every one else. Then again Disney isn't the magic any more you are

 

[MrPromey]

And that's what made Disney a cut above the rest now they are striving to be like every on else. Then again Disney isn't the magic any more you are

Good thing I can pull my own finger off and then reattach it, I guess.

Look for me in the lobby of the Contemporary on select evenings.

I'll shock, amaze, and confound for as long as I can before security notices me.

Anything falling in the hat on the ground goes toward my parking fund.

 

[RobWDW1971]

The point was, people are acting like charging for all of this nonsense is new. It’s not. It’s just new to Disney.

Exactly. Josh is a revenue management guy. Came up through the sales division and then Consumer Products. His mantra (and why Chapek has continued to promote him) is to squeeze every last dime out of the guest in every way possible. It is about per cap growth - period.

The only difference between him and his mentor Chapek is that one is likable and one isn't.

Josh must sit back and laugh at the rubes who blame Chapek for what he's doing simply because he took a selfie with them. He gets it! He totally gets it!!!

 

[Andrew C]

And that's what made Disney a cut above the rest

The product and service did that. If no parking fees made them a cut above to you, maybe stay at a Hampton.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The product and service did that. If no parking fees made them a cut above to you, maybe stay at a Hampton.

No parking fees was one of hundreds of things that made Disney better... and one by one those hundreds of things are disappearing.

Magical Express is a great example, just because no other hotels arranged to have you picked up at the airport and your luggage transferred to your room didn’t make it any less valuable. It could be argued they were just following the rest of the hotels by eliminating that also but it doesn’t make it sting any less.

 

[Andrew C]

No parking fees was one of hundreds of things that made Disney better... and one by one those hundreds of things are disappearing.

Maybe 100 out of 100. It’s shouldn’t even be a top 10 concern for anyone with some of the crap coming out of there.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Maybe 100 out of 100. It’s shouldn’t even be a top 10 concern for anyone with some of the crap coming out of there.

It all adds up though, parking alone… not a dealbreaker. Magical Express alone… not a dealbreaker. Genie+ alone… not a dealbreaker. Reservations alone… not a dealbreaker. Increased prices alone… not a dealbreaker. Less entertainment alone… not a dealbreaker. Reduced housekeeping alone… not a dealbreaker. Etc, etc, etc.

Put them all together and it’s a diminished experience at a higher price though and you start to wonder when enough is enough.

 

[MissingDisney]

It all adds up though, parking alone… not a dealbreaker. Magical Express alone… not a dealbreaker. Genie+ alone… not a dealbreaker. Reservations alone… not a dealbreaker. Increased prices alone… not a dealbreaker. Less entertainment alone… not a dealbreaker. Reduced housekeeping alone… not a dealbreaker. Etc, etc, etc.

Put them all together and it’s a dismissed experience at a higher price though and you start to wonder when enough is enough.

And all within a relatively short time frame.

If it was done over say, 10 years, it wouldn’t seem as noticeable.

 

[Andrew C]

It all adds up though, parking alone… not a dealbreaker. Magical Express alone… not a dealbreaker. Genie+ alone… not a dealbreaker. Reservations alone… not a dealbreaker. Increased prices alone… not a dealbreaker. Less entertainment alone… not a dealbreaker. Reduced housekeeping alone… not a dealbreaker. Etc, etc, etc.

Put them all together and it’s a dismissed experience at a higher price though and you start to wonder when enough is enough.

Not enough capacity.
No nighttime parade.
Not enough daytime and nighttime entertainment for the number the people.
The nighttime entertainment they do have is crap.
Tomorrowland is a disaster even with tron coming.
AK is missing an entire land.
Star Wars land is missing a ride and a restaurant and the full entertainment roll out they were supposed to get.
The imagination pavilion is a disaster.
Wonders of life pavilion is still closed.
Missing new countries in world showcase.
Missing attractions in world showcase.
Not enough F&B options in most of the parks.
Missing streetmosphere.
Disney quest space is a disaster.
Service has been downgraded due to weird cuts.
And as you mentioned, G+ is horrible.

Parking…peanuts.

 

[ToTBellHop]

 

[RSoxNo1]

Golden Oak homes start at $4M to $25M

That should be 10 minutes of the presentation.

 

[hopemax]

Parking and several other things that have changed are the difference between "a la carte pricing" model and "bundled pricing." Disney used to be more of a bundle. Until they moved to a la carte. But then they sometimes say they want a cruise ship model, which is bundled. And now this Disney Prime+ (what I am calling it) seems like it is another bundle.

Both are fair business models, and it's completely fair for people who prefer and respond to bundled to get upset about a la carte. But Disney needs to make up its mind about which it wants to be.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wish I had nickel (over the year) for everytime I was told that caring for the quality of the Disney parks/expressing reservations was EXACTLY the same as pure hate for anything Disney.

…I’d have enough to buy a ticket to Boo Bash by now

 

[GSP Guy]

I thought their competitors charged for parking because they don't own 40+ square miles of land that they can use to slap down a parking lot or two if they wanted.

Their competitors also aren't charging $800/night for a $200/night room. Of course, they also don't have a bald crap peddler in charge of the company demanding higher and higher profit margins every quarter.

The real question is: How much revenue is Disney actually getting from charging for parking? I'd love to know, as I've heard stories from several people (non-DVC at non-DVC resorts) who parked for the length of their stay and were never charged.

Did a split stay (non-DVC) at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary in '21 and to our surprise were not charged for parking at either resort.

 

[Lilofan]

I wish I had nickel (over the year) for everytime I was told that caring for the quality of the Disney parks/expressing reservations was EXACTLY the same as pure hate for anything Disney.

…I’d have enough to buy a ticket to Boo Bash by now

I heard that the MK event on already select dates in Sept and Oct are sold out. Tough ticket to get.

 

[Lilofan]

Did a split stay (non-DVC) at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary in '21 and to our surprise were not charged for parking at either resort.

Looks like front desk didn't add to your bill when you parked your car at the resort or if you are disabled with the disability tag, it is complimentary.