MK Themed parties...ripping off regular customers?

[palavee]

I think a point worth saying again is that not everyone is a super planner, and not everyone even knows about these parties. I went to MK for one day last June while visiting my sister in Orlando. I didn't know there were special parties. Luckily, I chose a night without a party, but if I had gone on a party night, I would have been mad.

 

[MousDad]

Despite your last post It would seem that your comments are based on the fact that party nights have no impact on you. given your location. Sadly many people who holiday at WDW lack that flexibility, and to be honest the number of "special" nights at the MK has become a joke.But hell your all right jack.

Based on previous visits I am getting fewer park hours than other trips at the same time of year but park tickets continue to rise in costs. E ride nights didnt cost anything like the partys.

This is just greed on Disneys part, and it shouldn't be dressed up in any other way.

Interesting observation.

Does anyone remember in the "pre-party days" if the Christmas festivities, that you have to pay extra for now at MVMCP (parade, fireworks, etc.), were in the normal seasonal offering to regular guests? I've heard this complaint a lot too.

I wonder if the idea has been shot around the boardroom for closing Epcot and DHS early too and charging a separate ticket for Candlelight Processional and Osborne Lights. :lookaroun

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I wonder if the idea has been shot around the boardroom for closing Epcot and DHS early too and charging a separate ticket for Candlelight Processional and Osborne Lights. :lookaroun

Im sure Disney "floats" many ideas some of which are released onto sites like this to gauge reaction.

Your not a Disney Mole are you :drevil:

 

[progroupie]

It does need to be taken into account that when most of these parties are scheduled, park attendance is low and park hours are shorter. Magic Kingdom isn't going to be staying open until midnight every night during September when MNSSHP is running. They'd typically be closing around 7 or 8 anyway. Same with the majority of the MVMCP dates, there's no need for the MK to stay open until midnight on a nightly basis during pre and postThanksgiving November or the first week or so of December before the Christmas rush hits. So what Disney is really doing is cashing in on what they already have available to them. They aren't cutting the hours for the regular guests, they're extending the hours for the guests willing to pay. When the P&P parties started they were scheduled in from Jan-March, also a slow time with earlier park hours. You aren't going to be seeing special events scheduled for 4th of July weekend or anything.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

You aren't going to be seeing special events scheduled for 4th of July weekend or anything.

So where do you draw the line, Id hardly call August off peak.

 

[cinderellafan6]

Me personally I would rather spend my money on the mvmcp. The christmas party is my FAVORITE. When I was a teenager my parents took us to the VERY first one on the very first nite and I have loved it ever since. The other ones I will leave till I have children but It is def worth the money and time!!:xmas:

 

[durangojim]

I don't think Disney is "ripping off" anyone, but I do think that next year due to many things, attendance and revenue will be down. I don't think that as many people will be able to afford the "luxury" of WDW when gas, milk, airfare prices are all increasing. Now that the event ticket prices have increased so much, I think many people will choose to forgo them or WDW and spend vacations closer to home. Just my opinion.

 

[Dwarful]

It does need to be taken into account that when most of these parties are scheduled, park attendance is low and park hours are shorter. Magic Kingdom isn't going to be staying open until midnight every night during September when MNSSHP is running. They'd typically be closing around 7 or 8 anyway. Same with the majority of the MVMCP dates, there's no need for the MK to stay open until midnight on a nightly basis during pre and postThanksgiving November or the first week or so of December before the Christmas rush hits. So what Disney is really doing is cashing in on what they already have available to them. They aren't cutting the hours for the regular guests, they're extending the hours for the guests willing to pay. When the P&P parties started they were scheduled in from Jan-March, also a slow time with earlier park hours. You aren't going to be seeing special events scheduled for 4th of July weekend or anything.

I beg to differ. We went last year the first part of August and that is when we went to the P&P Party. Trust me it was summer crowds and summer heat. It was near impossible to get anything accomplished at Epcot on the party nights at MK because the lines were so long. So while it might have been true these parties used to occur off season, they aren't anymore. Which does intrude on summer vacation families who don't know about these events.

 

[jakeman]

This all boils down to two issues: personal responsibility and a cost benefit ratio.

If you do not plan you vacation to the extent that you are not aware of a multinight party then you should deal with the consequences.

Also, for me as an example, the cost of the parties now outweigh the benefit of going and I will not be attending in the future.

As always, if you feel that this is unfair to guest, communicate your concerns to guest relations and take your money elsewhere. It's pretty simple.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

This all boils down to two issues: personal responsibility and a cost benefit ratio.

If you do not plan you vacation to the extent that you are not aware of a multinight party then you should deal with the consequences.

Also, for me as an example, the cost of the parties now outweigh the benefit of going and I will not be attending in the future.

As always, if you feel that this is unfair to guest, communicate your concerns to guest relations and take your money elsewhere. It's pretty simple.

What if when I booked there were no Party's announced? Is that a failure to plan?

 

[jakeman]

What if when I booked there were no Party's announced? Is that a failure to plan?

By not following up on your plans and making adjustments as necessary? Yes.

 

[donniedisney]

I agree, it does screw the guest by a few hours. Who cares if they open another park later. the problem is you want to be at the MK!

Ive been to MNSSHP and very merry a lot of times and after wards im always mad at myself for spending 40 to stay at the park longer.

They are ripping you guys off and you accept it because you get free candy and hot chocolate. face it.

 

[WildLodgeFan]

I disagree. If party guests would like to, rather than spending the morning and early afternoon at the park, they may enter the park at 4PM and stay all the way until closing (11-12?). That gives one at least 7 hours to spend in the park. For most of those hours, guests can get on rides with minimal queue time, enjoy a less crowded park, and entertainment that is not available to regular guests. For $45-$55, I think that is a great deal.

This is exactly the consideration we took in planning our trip this time. I had researched the cost of MNSSHP from last year and we decided since we were going with the My Way pkg with the water park option - we would purchase a 3 -day vs. 4 day pass, and then spend that money towards the ticket so our plan for the day is to go to Blizzard beach from 10 - 3 and then return to hotel to change to be at Magic Kingdom by 4:30 - 5:00. Seven hours in a park, when it's not as crowded (we have usually gone July & August), we felt we could accomplish a bit.

But that's just our game plan - may not work for everyone.

 

[Dwarful]

By not following up on your plans and making adjustments as necessary? Yes.

Thats a pretty limited view. Many people cannot change their vacation schedules once they have bid on those weeks. Also, those working with Grand Gatherings who plan a year in advance cannot simply reschedule because Disney decided to add a few P&PP. We had 36 in our group working for several different companies. It would have been impossible to reschedule our trip. Lucky for us we knew what was coming and how to plan around it. We went to one P&PP but we were not impressed in the cost/value. Personally I won't go back.

 

[jakeman]

Thats a pretty limited view. Many people cannot change their vacation schedules once they have bid on those weeks. Also, those working with Grand Gatherings who plan a year in advance cannot simply reschedule because Disney decided to add a few P&PP. We had 36 in our group working for several different companies. It would have been impossible to reschedule our trip. Lucky for us we knew what was coming and how to plan around it. We went to one P&PP but we were not impressed in the cost/value. Personally I won't go back.

I've bolded the appropriate sentence here.

A vacation at Disney is similar to any other potientially multi-thousand dollar investment.

If we are talking about any vacation greater than 48 hours then these parties should not be an issue as a vast majority of them do not run on consecutive nights.

This is really a non-issue for anyone who plans their vacation. No compensation should be given to those who missed the online calendar, the online ticketing option, the phone booking, the billboard, the check-in pamphlet, the in-room TV commercial, the bus sign, the monorail sign, and the sandwich board outside the front gate.

 

[MousDad]

Im sure Disney "floats" many ideas some of which are released onto sites like this to gauge reaction.

Your not a Disney Mole are you :drevil:

Heck no. I'm as Joe Blow as can be.

I was presenting an idea that I though was preposterous to draw a gross analogy.

 

[MR. CRAFTSMAN]

I have been to MVMCP and MNSSHP. I feel that the more we go the less Disney gives you. They charge the same and give less. For the people that have scrimpt and saved till it hurts and then go during times of the Hard ticketed events they realy miss out on a lot of time at the parks. Face it Disney is a buisness and we all know that big buisness is only out for themselves. I love Disney but I can say it, Disney only cares about the all mighty $$$$$$$$$$ and this just proves it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Interesting observation.

Does anyone remember in the "pre-party days" if the Christmas festivities, that you have to pay extra for now at MVMCP (parade, fireworks, etc.), were in the normal seasonal offering to regular guests? I've heard this complaint a lot too.

I wonder if the idea has been shot around the boardroom for closing Epcot and DHS early too and charging a separate ticket for Candlelight Processional and Osborne Lights. :lookaroun

Yes, i remember the pre-party days of E-ride nights and MK park rentals.

Remember when McDonalds rented out the MK one day in september? Its when their CEO had a heart attack and died at Y&B back in 2004. People were ed. Same with then Apple rented it out or any of the other countless times its been rented.

I'd gladly pay $45 a person for great fireworks, a parade and a limited attendance.

As for Osborne or Candlelight, it will NEVER happen. First, the candlelight dinner package already sells ridiculously. Osborne just doesnt draw an insane amount of people. They just dont. People wont pay for an additional ticket for that.

 

[LoriMistress]

I have been to MVMCP and MNSSHP. I feel that the more we go the less Disney gives you. They charge the same and give less. For the people that have scrimpt and saved till it hurts and then go during times of the Hard ticketed events they realy miss out on a lot of time at the parks. Face it Disney is a buisness and we all know that big buisness is only out for themselves. I love Disney but I can say it, Disney only cares about the all mighty $$$$$$$$$$ and this just proves it.

I disagree. DH and I have been to 2 MVMCP ticket events. We would arrive at MK during the morning when the park first opens, and leave the park by noon back to our resort to nap. We would leave our resort around 4pm and eat an early dinner, and go to some of the shows, and go on rides.

It really depends on how you PLAN your vacation. If you put little to no effort into planning your vacation, you're more likely not going to get much from your money or your time.

 

[MousDad]

Yes, i remember the pre-party days of E-ride nights and MK park rentals.

Remember when McDonalds rented out the MK one day in september? Its when their CEO had a heart attack and died at Y&B back in 2004. People were ed. Same with then Apple rented it out or any of the other countless times its been rented.

I'd gladly pay $45 a person for great fireworks, a parade and a limited attendance.

As for Osborne or Candlelight, it will NEVER happen. First, the candlelight dinner package already sells ridiculously. Osborne just doesnt draw an insane amount of people. They just dont. People wont pay for an additional ticket for that.

Uh, glad to be a springboard, but you didn't come even remotely close to answering my question.

The Osborne/Candlelight was sarcasm, like I already clarified a few posts back.