MYW affect on Waterparks, etc.?

[launchpad03]

Today, MiceAge had an article about how the Magic Your Way Tickets might affect waterpark attendance as well as PI, Disney Quest and the other "plus" options.

Will the "plus" attractions have lower attendance? or will people by them seperately or will they be willing to add the plus options?

Any thoughts about how this is (or might be in the busier times) working out would be greatly appreciated.

 

[phichi17]

I for one don't plan trips to the "plus pack" attractions, they just kinda happen on the spur of the moment.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I think the affect in this will be seen in the vacation package tickets. Now that people have to pay to park hop, they aren't going to want to pay more for something else.

If people do buy the option though, it will also keep them from going to a waterpark and theme park in the same day, because that will count against them. There is no more unlimited option where you can do and come as you please.

 

[joel_maxwell]

to be honest, i havent really sat down and looked at all the options on the different ticket info, by the time i go in 06, they will probably change a little anyway......... sorry i couldnt help.

im a little different though....... we will plan on going to a waterpark one of the days, but the exact day usually depends on the weather forecast instead of an planned day. i like them in the middle of the park visitations.

 

[CTXRover]

Just to clear up any misunderstanding on my part, for most multi-day tickets above 4 days, you aren't really paying "more" to park hop or to visit the water parks compared to the previous Park Hopper tickets under the old program that offered similar options. In fact, for 6 or 7 days, the passes are cheaper than the old, but I digress. While true they are now listed as an "add-on", I don't know if its technically right when its said "now they are making me pay to Park hop" when taken out of context. Rather, what would probably be more appropriate to say is now you don't have to pay to park hop or visit the water parks if you never planned on doing it in the first place, which were automatically added under the old program.

That point is kind of moot as with time (in fact not too long), it will be seen as if they are making you pay to park hop and visit the water parks, which is also technically true. This may or may not have an effect on attendance. Where it will come in to play is for those folks who never planned on going to water park in the first place. Under the old program, that option was automatically tagged onto your ticket. This might have created more incentive to visit as you've already paid for it, so why not? During the summer, the water parks in the past can get insanely busy. A few less bodies won't hurt too much, imo. But yes, I can see where it might be possible that water park and other "Plus" locations could see attendance drop with this new pass program....probably not that significant though.

 

[Thrawn]

effect

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Just to clear up any misunderstanding on my part, for most multi-day tickets above 4 days, you aren't really paying "more" to park hop or to visit the water parks compared to the previous Park Hopper tickets under the old program that offered similar options. In fact, for 6 or 7 days, the passes are cheaper than the old, but I digress. While true they are now listed as an "add-on", I don't know if its technically right when its said "now they are making me pay to Park hop" when taken out of context. Rather, what would probably be more appropriate to say is now you don't have to pay to park hop or visit the water parks if you never planned on doing it in the first place, which were automatically added under the old program.

That point is kind of mute as with time (in fact not too long), it will be seen as if they are making you pay to park hop and visit the water parks, which is also technically true. This may or may not have an effect on attendance. Where it will come in to play is for those folks who never planned on going to water park in the first place. Under the old program, that option was automatically tagged onto your ticket. This might have created more incentive to visit as you've already paid for it, so why not? During the summer, the water parks in the past can get insanely busy. A few less bodies won't hurt too much, imo. But yes, I can see where it might be possible that water park and other "Plus" locations could see attendance drop with this new pass program....probably not that significant though.

Although you may not be paying more (and in many cases you are)...it is still a psychological effect. When you have to add that premium to park hop, most people are going to think they are paying more. I think that now since there is no ultimate ticket however the parks will not be as crowded at night. People who went to water parks during the day won't be able to go to the park at night unless they use a whole park day. This should probably thin out the crowds at night in the parks,.

 

[Shaman]

Although you may not be paying more (and in many cases you are)...it is still a psychological effect. When you have to add that premium to park hop, most people are going to think they are paying more. I think that now since there is no ultimate ticket however the parks will not be as crowded at night. People who went to water parks during the day won't be able to go to the park at night unless they use a whole park day. This should probably thin out the crowds at night in the parks,.

I wonder how long this new ticket system will last...personally I think the old way was better...I think attendence in the long run will be a bit hindered by the new system...but nothing big...

 

[AEfx]

effect

Actually, in this case it could have been effect or affect. Both definitions would work in this context, Mr. Smarty-Pants. Go to dictionary.com and check it out. How about next time you click on post you contribute something meaningful, mmmkay?


As to the topic at hand, I do believe that it will reduce attendance at the secondary parks. If I had a dime for every time someone said, "Let's go to DQ/TL/etc." just because they had to use up their "plus" options, I'd have enough for a whole WDW vacation. Now that they expire, it's even worse.

I think this could lead to a reduction in price for these venues. Very few people paid actual admission before because so many people were forced into buying PHP's that they didn't really want. Now, with less people doing Plus options, and presumably still very few people buying stand-alone admissions, they are going to have to do something.

Then again, who knows - the Plus options are a deal if you plan on visiting more than one venue, and maybe lots of people are taking advantage of them. Personally, I don't and am so pleased we can buy longer-admission media without them. I don't do waterparks, and DQ is interesting to me but I rarely have the time - I'm the type that arrives at a park at 8:30am, ends up at whatever park closes the latest that night, and gets back to the resort in time to get just enough sleep to wake up and do it all again the next day.

Anyone have any "hard" data?

AEfx

 

[dixiegirl]

If you go to a waterpark, are you still allowed to go to a park on the same day??? It would really stink if you went to a waterpark for a few hours and then had nothing to do the rest of the day. Any help with this would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[longfamily]

If you go to a waterpark, are you still allowed to go to a park on the same day??? It would really stink if you went to a waterpark for a few hours and then had nothing to do the rest of the day. Any help with this would be appreciated. Thanks.

You can still jump around any way you like as long as you have purchased the hopper option as well as the plus option. The only difference is that now, you are only allowed a certain amount of trips to the "Pls" places during your stay even though you purchased the Plus package. A 7 day trip will allow you 5 visits to a "plus" destination. Meaning, you can only use that particular ticket 5 times period. So on your 7 day vacation, you do not have the option of visiting PI every night and hitting a water park or two during your stay, you have to figure out where you want to spend your 5 passes. The old system allowed for you to go where you pleased, for as many times as you wanted.

As for the subject of this thread...
IMO, i think that attendence will suffer in the long run at the "Plus" places. People will see that they only have a few days to enjoy Disney so I think that they will opt not to purchase the plus package. These same people would have likely attended if the "plus" places were still included (i agree that it is psychological). Most will balk at the extra cost and convince themselves that they only wanted to go to PI once so it would be cheaper to pay the one night entry fee.

I Think the MYW tickets will also effect sales in the parks because on a "psychological" level, those families that would have gone for 4 days in the past have now convinced themselves that they can extend their trip to 6 days since the tickets are cheaper and they have access to a meal plan, but they are spending less on merchandising becuase the monies that they had set aside for that is now being skimpped to extend their vacation. On a psycological level it makes sense to forego a few extra t-shirts and stuffed animals to add on a meal plan and go to Disney for 2 extra days.

My concern, is that if merchandise isn't being sold on a level it once was, it will either go up in price (unlikely) or they will need to change the MYW system. I hope for the latter.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

My guess is that there will definitely be an effect on the purchase of the plus tickets, but not necessarily with water park admission. My guess is that that option will either be dropped, reconfigured or enhanced in some way (say roll it into the meal options (1 day admission = 1 dinner meal or even one full day meal option)

As was said, the cost is probably the same for the previous plans that included water park admission, but looking at this as a add on, it just isn't justified. I believe the vast majority of us if we do a water park, will do it for part of one day of a vacation. Why pay for access for every day? Likewise PI. I love to go, but don't do it every night...or even every other, so why pay a fee that is specifically for that.

I would think twice about doing a water park on the next trip, but if I do, I would probably just pay the regular fee. As for PI, I usually only do AC, so would pay the single admission for that.

JMHO

 

[launchpad03]

Thanks for clearing that up Aefx.... now about that "mute" point...

And thanks to the rest of you for the input.

I think that the "plus" attractions might see a little downturn as well. Now whether or not they decide to lower admission or things like that remains to be seen. The Waterparks definitely could use a break here and there especially in the summer when they almost always fill to capacity ealy in the day.

we'll see how all this pans out in the end....

thanks again for your thoughts....