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Media Spotlight on Disenchanted Disney Fans
- Thread starter larryz
- Start date
The article hits the nail on the head in many areas. Prices are up while quality is down. Things that used to be free now come at a price and are nowhere near as good as they were when they came at no charge. Navigating all of the systems now necessary just to go to WDW has made it more like work than ever before.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
And despite all that the parks are absolutely packed and I can’t get a park reservation for the weekend I want at the end of April. 2 months out and the weekends are already sold out, clearly the bad press isn’t keeping people away.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
The article is accurate but we have been saying this for decades and folks still show up.
I am watching the YouTube videos and I have not seen it this crowded, this early in the year ever before.
EPCOT is mobbed; let me check the calendar, oh yes, the Flower and Garden food festival. Folks in line for their $7 samples.
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Chi84
Premium Member
Where can you see a weekend sold out at the end of April? I must be doing something wrong (not unusual).
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Could be sold out for APs but not for other tickets?
Chi84
Premium Member
Maybe but I’m not seeing that either. I heard that certain APs now block out weekends, but that’s different than being sold out.
I’ve been checking because we’re going at the end of April and I hope we won’t have problems switching our reservations if we decide to do so.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
The no blackout APs (for those who still have them) can run out of reservations before resort guest tickets and/or folks who walk up to the ticket booth and buy a single day ticket on day of..
cgersic
Well-Known Member
I was trying for April until I realized that the cheer and dance competitions are all month long.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Ah, WDW is indeed back to normal
By and large true. But until attendance and/or spending drops to the point that there is untapped potential, Disney doesn't have enough incentive to reduce prices, spend money on additional capacity, include freebies, etc.
My guess is that they know they'll hit that point eventually, and they'll respond when they do.
My guess is that they know they'll hit that point eventually, and they'll respond when they do.
- First with discounts (hotel, more dining discounts for APs (and TiW), bringing back new AP sales),
- then with freebies ("free" dining, extra months on APs, extra days on multi-day tix, discounted water park add-ons),
- then with temporary events (new Encanto parade!, Pixar music at night in the BatB theater, special appearance of MSEP for a few months, Star Wars nights, new (or returned) entertainment, an Epcot festival in the 6 weeks that doesn't have one),
- the with refurbs/upgrades (Spaceship Earth, CoP, Disney characters in IaSW, new movie in China)
- and finally, if that doesn't work, with a smattering of smaller new attractions beyond the limited amount they already had planned.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
Disneyland resort Dream key holder, unless you can go midweek (or live close enough to go last minute if dates reopen) it’s basically worthless at this point.
eliza61nyc
Well-Known Member
Could it be that people are "gasp" still having a good time??
Grant it Im new to Central Florida but it sure seems Disney is doing a ton of advertising locally. Has that always been the case? Is it just for the 50th?
I have always seen a fair amount of it in North Florida. Nothing that I would consider obnoxious or in your face, but I would say that I see around 1 or 2 a day.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
I am sure it helped that it finally feels safe to leave home now, but you prove my point, folks keep showing up regardless of prices or or offerings, so yes, I guess so.
eliza61nyc
Well-Known Member
I guess I asked because people here seem so annoyed and shocked that Disney is still quite popular, it's almost as if they are mad that there are folks who still feel it has value . Lol I especially love how we always imply that folks who stay onsite are too stupid to figure out that it's less expensive to stay offsite.
Anyhoo. Imo it's really not a right/wrong type of thing. The Washington post article makes excellent points and yet there obviously is a great number of folks who seem to still enjoy wdw
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Agreed, I have said it a thousand times and will say it again, for everyone who are returning guests to the theme parks who no longer see value, there are many many more who have the money and still see value. There are even more folks that are first time visitors who have nothing to compare it to.
Even a global pandemic did not hurt the theme parks, I actually think it helped the theme parks to make drastic cuts in costs while at the same time, raise prices on everything, all in the name of the pandemic. Brilliant!
TWDC and its theme parks are invincible.