Pay more, get less. When does it end?

[widlan]

I understand Disney needs to do money to satisfy shareholders and executive. And they make a lot of money. The problem is that they begin to charge more for a lot of things and mostly, they remove some small pieces of experience that make WDW to be above par. Paying a premium price for a premium experience is not a problem but it must worth the price.

Sure, I can decide to not go at all, but it seems more interesting to discuss with other people that love Disney and make comments to Disney directly (yes, I'm just not moaning, but really write specific comments about specific issues). Disney has wonderful parks that I hope will still be wonderful parks in 10-20 years. I crossed the fingers that they will take decisions and make adjustments to be sure to keep Disney a good value vacations option.

Here are some examples of things that change and give less value (just a personal opinion and examples):

- The first time I went to Disney (in 2006) they were some mascotts just walking in Magic Kingdom. You can wait to take a picture but if you don't want picture, at least you can see them and it adds to the general ambiance. Now, they're hiding in building with specific hours to see them. It's not really "magic".

- Another example is the food prices. If I compare some of my 2010 invoices compared to 2015, some of the restaurant cost almost double (Garden Grill is one of them). I understand that they charge more for a character dining, but there's a limit.

- Other thing I'm a little bit concerned about is the "theme" in theme park. Some of rides they'll add seems to be just add to bring new things (again, it's a personal taste). For example, I preferred the more-defined old Hollywood theme of Hollywood Studios. In future, this park will be more distinct themed area put together in one park. Probably that it'll still be great, but as a whole, it's not the same thing.

- The fastpass system. Maybe I'm weird, but I loved the old fastpass system when you entered a card in the machine and you received a ticket with a time interval. Not 2 months before, the same day! I can decide what I want to do when I'm in the park, strange isn't? Also, all people (leaving on site or not) have the same chance to use fastpass. Now, onsite has access to make fastpass reservation before. OK, I understand, you pay more to stay onsite, but I like the way that was before because the system give the same chance to people with less money to have the have same kind of experience. It was less "elitist". They don't pay the same price to stay onsite, but they pay the same price for the tickets.

- Sure, I missed the park that close a little bit later with EMH. Not a big deal, but it was cool.

- I hope to see back a night parade at Magic Kingdom. I missed the Spectromagic.

- OK, a really tough one, but they should find a way to decrease waiting time of some rides. When I went in 2010, just an example, I can do the Twilight Zone with about 20 minutes of wait in April high season.

- And as many said, there are a lot of small examples of charge (paying to park on property, more place that we can pay to reserve specific area for a show, etc.)

It's always a work in progress and back and forth, but I still hope that Disney will make adjustments to continue to give premium experience as earlier. It's all the small things that will continue to give high value to expansive Disney vacations.

 

[HansGruber]

Pleasure Island....like nothing I've ever experienced.

Disney Springs....stream-lined generic commerce.

 

[Bpmorley]

Your reply resonated with me. My family has vacationed in Orlando every other year for some time now. Last few times we have only spent 2 days of our week going to parks and only quick service food, just too pricey and too much time standing in line. The general trend of pay more, get less is 100% true, it really shouldn't be up for debate, it just IS.

That said, there are only 2 logical choices if one is disgruntled with this trend: 1) suck it up and deal with it because you can't bear to be away from Disney or 2) go less often. Your family and mine have chose option 2 but it seems many choose option 1 then incessantly complain.

We've purchased a beach condo on the gulf, so I see us there more than DW now. I'll go once in a while, but not more 8 visits a year.

 

[rangerbob]

I've called it quits for the past 4 years now. I used to have an annual pass for over 10 years and it has become too expensive for me. I may still go over there and pay for a very over priced buffet every so often but it is something special occasionally. Can I get the same type of buffet in other places in Orlando, probably but I want to go to Disney to have it. Will I ever get an annual pass again, possibly.

The problem that I can see is if this $15.00 per hour goes through what problems is that going to cause on everything at Disney. I can predict a 5-15% price raise on everything.

 

[CaptainJackNO]

It will end when crowds diminish. Me and DW have already curbed our visits and the amount of money we spend on property. Even 10 years ago we would eat 90% of our meals on property, go to at least 1 park a day. Now we can go for a week and maybe go to a park twice, never eat a meal on property, never buy a drink, etc... Greed has pushed us away. I give it about 10 more years where all I do is rent out my points and never step foot in DW again. Unless something changes with their direction. The only way this stops is if you hit them in their wallet and I don't see that happening, at least not anytime soon.

You're right, but if profits dip for too many consecutive years, they'll either A.) Raise prices on some experiences and create more premium exclusive experiences, all the while pushing the once in a lifetime trip idea, or B.) Seek out a buyer for parks and resorts which they threatened to do about 10 years ago. All of this is driven by corporate big wigs who never had loyalty or a connection to anything but $$$$, and if, in the end, it ends with a major sale of parks and resorts to some other entity, so be it. Once the pay outs and golden parachutes deploy, they'll walk out free and clear.

 

[CaptainJackNO]

Disney parks are crowded, they know it, how do they fix that? Either expand the size of the parks or increase the price so fewer people go. They are expanding, but it's quicker to raise prices than it is to build a ride.

I agree with everything you said; however, I do not think price increases are meant to curb attendance. Like someone posted on the parking thread, I think the continual price increases is Disney testing its limits with its customers.

 

[HansGruber]

Seek out a buyer for parks and resorts which they threatened to do about 10 years ago.

I'm curious, how close were they to executing on this?

This seems like a completely empty threat. $18 billion from it's Parks and Resorts entity....and they are going to sell it?!

 

[CaptainJackNO]

I'm curious, how close were they to executing on this?

This seems like a completely empty threat. $18 billion from it's Parks and Resorts entity....and they are going to sell it?!

Yeah, makes no sense to me, but in the current corporate climate, who could have forseen Fox selling to Disney? Seems the modern corporate world is a game of trades and acquisitions for restructuring of debt and liabilities. Who knows? I know it's and extreme example and will probably not happen, especially with the decline of cinema profits and proliferation of Netflix and services similar. Seems Disney's cash cow is Parks and Resorts, but you never know what a board of directors and pinhead buisiness execs will do to pad the bank account

 

[PTL76]

You think they're pushing up the stock price for the shareholders.

I think they're doing it to pad their executive bonuses.

That’s exactly what I mean the executives All get big stock options and stock bonuses like all the other big companies. And now they have a permanent lowering of the corporate tax to pad it even more with.