New 2013 WDW Ticket Prices

[71jason]

I love how Disney, TODAY in both Orlando and Anaheim, is basically refusing to sell Premier APs or issue renewals because of the mega "screw you!" price increase coming tomorrow.

In Disney's defense, the vast majority of guests who would (1) be interested in such a pass, and (2) have the money to fly cross-country enough to make it worth while are no doubt so ... let's say, addicted to Pixie Dust ... that I don't think any price increase will deter them. That is not something your average family needs for vacation, it's a small, well-off market segment that are truly dedicated to the brand. Almost make it a lifestyle.

 

[Mr Bill]

It's happened to me a couple times. Some sort of scanning system wouldn't surprise me in the near future. The old paper passes had an expiration date printed on them (that was usually never looked at), but the new plastic RFID passes don't. A CM at Odyssey wrote my expiration date on my pass but going in and out of my wallet has left nothing but a grey smudge there.

There's nothing on the pass now to show whether or not it's actually valid and that's probably a problem.

 

[tissandtully]

Yeah, luckily my trip isn't until Nov so I will be able to make it last for almost all of 2014. Hoping DVC has a deal like that again.

I really missing getting free passes from DVC. We got 10 years of them when we signed up in 1993. I'm sure someone got fired for that deal lol.

Our guide actually told us that someone did indeed get fired for that deal!

 

[tissandtully]

Its not. Its happened to several people I know.

Yup, happened to me today as well, for the first time.

 

[luv]

The prices are meaningless, tho. Like the rack room rate next to the fire escape plan inside your hotel room door. Very, very few people walk up and plunk down $95 a day for MK. The idea is to make the rubes feel like they're not rubes by offering them a discount on a rate no one pays. The Bealls/Macys model, essentially. Just like "free" dining or "free" transportation from OIA, this is just smoke and mirrors--something a lot of guests (even those who spend a ton of time on WDW boards and should know better) fall for.

I honestly did not know you could do better on one-day tickets than the Disney price and have often allowed friends and family to buy the tickets at Disney.

Where do you get the discount?

 

[PhotoDave219]

It's happened to me a couple times. Some sort of scanning system wouldn't surprise me in the near future. The old paper passes had an expiration date printed on them (that was usually never looked at), but the new plastic RFID passes don't. A CM at Odyssey wrote my expiration date on my pass but going in and out of my wallet has left nothing but a grey smudge there.

There's nothing on the pass now to show whether or not it's actually valid and that's probably a problem.

Thats exactly the rational the CM gave me as to why they are swiping the APs for parking.

 

[Next Big Thing]

That's probably the most interesting part of this...even with these increases, only one of the WDW parks is now more expensive than the Uni parks. Never thought I would see the day when it would cost more to go to Uni than Epcot!

World class rides and high quality, detailed expansions will do that.

 

[captainkidd]

World class rides and high quality, detailed expansions will do that.

I assume this is sarcasm, correct?

 

[Next Big Thing]

I assume this is sarcasm, correct?

I was referring to Universal. In case you've been living under a rock, Transformers and the Fast Food Boulevard section of Springfield both soft opened this week. Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Diagon Alley next year. Jurrasic Park and possibly IOA nighttime show in 2015. Universal has additions coming pretty much on a yearly basis through the end of the decade.

 

[captainkidd]

I was referring to Universal. In case you've been living under a rock, Transformers and the Fast Food Boulevard section of Springfield both soft opened this week. Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Diagon Alley next year. Jurrasic Park and possibly IOA nighttime show in 2015. Universal has additions coming pretty much on a yearly basis through the end of the decade.

In that case, I agree with you. I thought you were referring to the Fantasyland Expansion.

And I don't live under a rock. There's a troll that lives under my house though.

 

[Next Big Thing]

They can stick a gate around Potter if they so desire. Kinda like Hogwarts Express.
------
I think that $1 price increase is rather indicative that they no longer have confidence in their other 3 parks.

When you dn't add anything to those parks or promote them in national ads, what do they really expect?

 

[ddbowdoin]

This is simple... They have a product, the market has X demand. They price what the market allows them to charge for their product.

If you can't afford, tough luck. That's a free and open market at work.

I get the notion around that some fans feel they are entitled to a Disney experience.

 

[wdwmagic]

Is there any word on the price for FL Resident Epcot after 4pm or Weekday Select passes?

Here you go
http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/florida-resident-epcot-after-4pm-annual-pass.htm

 

[ddbowdoin]

Complaining about a price increase is like sitting at the pump saying "damn oil companies, I remember when gas was 1.25 a gallon" and not factoring the myriad of conditions and factors that go into gasoline pricing.

Like someone said before, Disney charges a price for their product but each and every year the cost of gasoline increases, insurance as a business, liability coverage, employee benefits etc etc etc

Since none of us are a member of the Disney teams responsible for tracking budget issues it's just a little pointless to sit here and complain about a price increase and pull the old social class warfare lines out "Oh Iger will make another 50 million, ugh"

 

[pheneix]

In Disney's defense, the vast majority of guests who would (1) be interested in such a pass, and (2) have the money to fly cross-country enough to make it worth while are no doubt so ... let's say, addicted to Pixie Dust ... that I don't think any price increase will deter them. That is not something your average family needs for vacation, it's a small, well-off market segment that are truly dedicated to the brand. Almost make it a lifestyle.

Indeed that was the intended audience for this pass, but things turned out quite differently because odd economics in the So Cal market. DLR has dramatically raised its AP prices at a faster rate than WDW since the introduction of the premier pass. For a Southern Californian, if you have a Disney AP and plan on visiting Orlando even once while you have the pass, under the old pricing it was more than worth your while to go ahead and upgrade. A lot of people did, and in So Cal's "upwardly mobile" culture in and around Orange County they a sold a lot of these passes as well as a lot of Club 33 memberships when that program was overhauled.

Whether I straddle an upper income bracket or not, $130 is $130 and it is worth avoiding such a premium if you can. Of course I could really run this off on a tangent about how 1 percenters and wealthy elites RARELY pay full price for anything, especially in tourism and hospitality, but that is really @WDW1974's area of expertise.

 

[captainkidd]

Complaining about a price increase is like sitting at the pump saying "damn oil companies, I remember when gas was 1.25 a gallon" and not factoring the myriad of conditions and factors that go into gasoline pricing.

Like someone said before, Disney charges a price for their product but each and every year the cost of gasoline increases, insurance as a business, liability coverage, employee benefits etc etc etc

Since none of us are a member of the Disney teams responsible for tracking budget issues it's just a little pointless to sit here and complain about a price increase and pull the old social class warfare lines out "Oh Iger will make another 50 million, ugh"

The problem is, profit reports are made public.
We've known for years that the oil companies are screwing us over. And we know the same about Disney.

And why shouldn't it be discussed? It's a Disney topic and this is a Disney message board.

 

[ddbowdoin]

The problem is, profit reports are made public.
We've known for years that the oil companies are screwing us over. And we know the same about Disney.

And why shouldn't it be discussed? It's a Disney topic and this is a Disney message board.

"Screwing us over" please...

It's a good, we place value on it, we pay for it... Not forced on us. If we do not value the product then we can simple choose to not participate

 

[topher]

Disney will raise prices until they see a slight decrease in demand or consistent demand and then and only then will we see stable ticket prices... Or prices that parallel inflation rates.

There are two major types of marketing strategies: low cost and differentiation.
Disney is obviously not following a low cost strategy.
Unfortunatey, they may not be differentiating enough from Uni.


Disney is expensive to love today, but then again, it was expensive to fall in love with it in the first place.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

This is simple... They have a product, the market has X demand. They price what the market allows them to charge for their product.

If you can't afford, tough luck. That's a free and open market at work.

I get the notion around that some fans feel they are entitled to a Disney experience.

You can still afford to pay something and think it's overpriced. Movie tickets are a good example.

I'm also pretty sure nobody has said they deserve a Disney vacation in this thread.

Also, what Fantasyland do you live in where people don't need to pay for gas/oil?

 

[TRONorail10]

My be a later response but that is not true. We do get annual raises because of the union contract. It's a percentage of what you make with a minimum of 25 cents. I know it's not huge, but it is a raise.

Cast members only get a raise if there is a provision within the contract from the labor union. Disney does not willingly give raises on its own like most companies.