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

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Where was this said again?

Quarter 3 earnings call a couple weeks ago.

Disney Expects to Increase Capital Expenditures to $6 Billion, Likely Indicates Many New Theme Park Projects - WDW News Today

Disney expects to increase Capital Expentidure spend to around $6 billion dollars, an ambitious number considering their pre-COVID investments.

dlnewstoday.com

 

[marni1971]

An old work colleague of mine visited a few months ago.

You couldn’t find someone more covered in pixie dust. His parents brought him up on a diet of DVC and DCL. His second homes were Hilton Head and WDW. He made me look like a casual guest.

He messaged me whilst there with a simple message. “The magic is gone“.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Quarter 3 earnings call a couple weeks ago.

Disney Expects to Increase Capital Expenditures to $6 Billion, Likely Indicates Many New Theme Park Projects - WDW News Today

Disney expects to increase Capital Expentidure spend to around $6 billion dollars, an ambitious number considering their pre-COVID investments.

dlnewstoday.com

How much of that is going to one of the parks Disney controls fully (California, Orlando, or Paris), not one in which the government essentially forces them to build or a second company foots the bill? We already know the Paris Studios plans have been severely altered and/ or slashed.

 

[Squishy]

An old work colleague of mine visited a few months ago.

You couldn’t find someone more covered in pixie dust. His parents brought him up on a diet of DVC and DCL. His second homes were Hilton Head and WDW. He made me look like a casual guest.

He messaged me whilst there with a simple message. “The magic is gone“.

Actually the magic is calling up until March 31st.

 

[marni1971]

Actually the magic is calling up until March 31st.

Such a poor promo wasn’t it.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Such a poor promo wasn’t it.

It's both amazing and not at all surprising how wrong they got it.

 

[SoFloMagic]

An old work colleague of mine visited a few months ago.

You couldn’t find someone more covered in pixie dust. His parents brought him up on a diet of DVC and DCL. His second homes were Hilton Head and WDW. He made me look like a casual guest.

He messaged me whilst there with a simple message. “The magic is gone“.

They moved to a BYOM model. Gotta bring your own magic. Enchantment isnt a fireworks show, it's a disclaimer about your duty to bring your own magic now.

 

[GhostHost1000]

The done with Disney is a common tune in these forums. The making more money than ever from the article is what makes the 10 more seem somewhat conservative. Josh's comment may have riled up the critics but the momentum of the parks staying packed,

Post Covid surge. That is what we are seeing. People aren’t flocking because of Enchantment or Genie+ and the higher prices

 

[GhostHost1000]

I think this is a fair argument that will be largely answered in a few weeks at D23, Disney just posted record profits and announced $6 billion in capital expenditures, if they don’t hint at how they’re going to spend that money in the parks we’ll know exactly what Chapeks vision for the parks will be.

With Epic universe in full construction mode there will never be a better time to announce future plans, if they don’t announce something big we’ll have our answer.

The fact there’s been no leaks or rumors doesn’t give me much hope though.

I look for updates on existing projects at wdw and things for other Disney parks around the world.

Maybe a mention of a new project at wdw but then we know how it goes, it’ll either be cut completely or gutted in budget

This is going to be a big D23, to see what direction they are going to take wdw if anywhere

 

[monothingie]

Is housekeeping every other day at an $800 per night “deluxe” resort inevitable progress?

 

[GhostHost1000]

Is housekeeping every other day at an $800 per night “deluxe” resort inevitable progress?

Announcement coming soon at D23 about a redo of the Carousel of Progress.

“Go back in time through the history of the parks from their beginning until now and in the future. See what “progress” has been made to bring higher prices and less experiences than ever before! You’ll never want to leave because special pixie dust will be inserted in the air to breathe in on the final scene to make things continue to appear as magical as before. You won’t want to miss it….because we control your thinking that everything is great no matter what we do and you’ll pay whatever we say”

 

[LSLS]

Yes and the think tank groups dreaming up more ways to extract more money from guests are doing what they are paid to do and doing their jobs well. The sky is the limit when someone dreamed up the sold out 75 guests Parks around the world private jet adventure including other landmarks ( Eiffel Tower, Pyramids , Taj Mahal ) with chef and doctor for $110K per person 24 days.

That doesn't change the statement that attendance is not increasing, so it is very possible a lot of people are stopping going (or at least going less).

In the short term they get more money. But what of the long term? A lot of people who have gone for years are saying they don't want to go back. How many of those people are a go to person for questions from friends looking to plan trips? How many of those will say it's not worth it, do something else (and friends will listen to the advice)? How many kids are not falling in love with the parks like their parents did, meaning they don't have that connection when they grow up? Josh can talk all he wants about progress and guest experience, but I see a lot more stress in faces of pictures I see nowadays, and that could have long term impacts. And FYI, I don't see it in other parks we visit.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think this is a fair argument that will be largely answered in a few weeks at D23, Disney just posted record profits and announced $6 billion in capital expenditures, if they don’t hint at how they’re going to spend that money in the parks we’ll know exactly what Chapeks vision for the parks will be.

With Epic universe in full construction mode there will never be a better time to announce future plans, if they don’t announce something big we’ll have our answer.

The fact there’s been no leaks or rumors doesn’t give me much hope though.

If they're going to spend $6 billion, you already have your answer. Spending $6 billion and announcing projects at D23 isn't more of a commitment to the future of the parks than spending $6 billion and remaining relatively quiet at D23.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

How much of that is going to one of the parks Disney controls fully (California, Orlando, or Paris), not one in which the government essentially forces them to build or a second company foots the bill? We already know the Paris Studios plans have been severely altered and/ or slashed.

My technical accounting is a little rusty, but it either includes zero of Shanghai and Hong Kong, or Disney's ownership percentage worth of Shanghai and Hong Kong. It definitely includes zero Tokyo. The bigger culprit if you want to argue "this isn't stuff I care about" is Cruise Line.

Disney doesn't provide these splits prospectively, but this was Fiscal Year 2021.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But all they really need to do is offer that free dining or 25% discount- and we will all come running back… I’m afraid

That was a bait and switch anyway…the base price increases would shave off a large amount of those that had previously “loved” that anyway

 

[monothingie]

Is there no recognition of the irreparable brand damage this is doing?

Nostalgia only takes you so far.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The done with Disney is a common tune in these forums. The making more money than ever from the article is what makes the 10 more seem somewhat conservative. Josh's comment may have riled up the critics but the momentum of the parks staying packed,

All actual economic data supports exactly the opposite of this. But keep feeling good about yourself. Not everyone - without bluster - will pay to go for one week a month as you will

The campaign to convince others to stop going to parks seem to be falling on deaf ears ( ie read article on first post ).

It’s not a campaign…it’s a empirical truth if that is the desired result. But humans don’t do “intelligent” things…so there’s little chance it happens.

 

[monothingie]

This is the end result of growing your hospitality business by focusing on the cast members with MBAs rather than the guest facing ones.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Is there no recognition of the irreparable brand damage this is doing?

Nostalgia only takes you so far.

…you’re gonna be feisty today…I can tell

But seriously…a certain sect has spent along time “celebrating” paying more and more for those same things…such a “status symbol”…that the general growing sense of disgruntlement looks a tad late to the game.
If you keep feeding this beast…it would eventually eat you. All of us. Nature.

 

[monothingie]

Take your $.03 magnet and be happy plebe!