Price increase for lockers, wheelchair and ECV rentals

[trr1]

Yes it is the second increase this year. It was put up earlier in the year because it went up before I went in June and now it's going up before I go in December.

that's it!, you are causing the rate increases you need to stop going!!!!

 

[mightynine]

Somebody run up to the ivory tower where WDW have their command centre - knock very loudly and inform them there's a worldwide recession going on.

If you're at the point where you're about to put money in the lockers, I think you've already set your spending priorities in this recession.

 

[PhantomX]

:ROFLOL:

WDW could build one new E ticket ride a year if that happened! In all seriousness, I don't recall EVER seeing anyone that I could describe as a "healthy weight" that was driving a scooter. It's either people who hit age 50 and said "That's it, I'm not walking anymore" or people that are wider than they are tall and "have bad knees". :animwink:

Sure there are legitimate ailments that require someone to use a scooter. A friend of mine is going and his wife's back is so bad she is going on permanent disability. But it would seem 90% of the people in scooters are overweight. And I'm not talking a heavy, I mean obsese. It's a shame really.

Yea thast the thing.

The difference is the folks with legitimate ailments would like nothing more than a cure or treatment to be developed that would allow them to walk around freely pain free. But then there are the...lets call them the "WallE crowd" who think walking is obsolete or abuses themselves and wants to make everyone else's life misreable by congesting walkways.

 

[archangel2790]

Yea thast the thing.

The difference is the folks with legitimate ailments would like nothing more than a cure or treatment to be developed that would allow them to walk around freely pain free. But then there are the...lets call them the "WallE crowd" who think walking is obsolete or abuses themselves and wants to make everyone else's life misreable by congesting walkways.

threadwin.

 

[Gucci65]

December is usually when I go for my week long trip.

Warm during the day and chilly at night. So I always bring light jackets or sweatshirts for all 3 of us. I do not want to carry that around all day long, so I DO rent lockers. Makes more sense to me than running and buying a new $50.00 sweatshirt every night I'm there.

Price increase on the lockers is beyond ridiculous.:fork: There is really no maintenance in them.

I can see price increase in the scooters since there is probably a lot of maintenance involved to keep them in top running condition, but the lockers??????

 

[Figment632]

Yea thast the thing.

The difference is the folks with legitimate ailments would like nothing more than a cure or treatment to be developed that would allow them to walk around freely pain free. But then there are the...lets call them the "WallE crowd" who think walking is obsolete or abuses themselves and wants to make everyone else's life misreable by congesting walkways.[/QUOTE]

 

[MichWolv]

Yes, I am obese and to look at me, you would never know the reason why I use an ECV. I had a nasty infection in my left leg about 2 years ago that almost killed me. I have a slightly darkened are on that leg, but other than a usually only slightly larger than the right leg appearance, you would look at me on a scooter and tell yourself that "the fat chick should be walkin'!" Oh how I wish that I could.

I have a bunch of scar tissue in the leg that causes me major circulation problems when I am on my feet for too long. An hour on my feet at Walmart and I am miserable, so just imagine how bad I would feel just getting into a park from the busses.

Not every fat person is on a scooter because of their weight. Consider the fact that there are lots of people out there with hidden medical issues, like MS, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and other illnesses that need those devices too.

And finally, if you are at WDW, you are there to have a good time. Quit being petty and just focus on your day. At least your view is going to be better than mine. I get quite tired of looking at butts all day.

Quoted for truth.

 

[PirateFrank]

I'm a perfectly healthy person who just happens to have stress fractures in her leg and therefore is stuck wearing a cast on her leg. Does that mean I should be stuck walking around on it?

Im sure that's not what was meant by the original poster...but you can not deny the fact that there are alot of perfectly healthy people that rent these things and then cut every line in the parks, feining existence as a 'person of handicap'

It's a serious problem that Disney is too afraid to face (for political reasons) but needs to desperately....

 

[unkadug]

Where's the little popcorn guy when ya need him? LOL

Why does it cost more to get a locker at a water park than a locker at one of the main parks?

 

[Figment82]

Why does it cost more to get a locker at a water park than a locker at one of the main parks?

Because it's more necessary - you're usually leaving your things unattended for long periods of time. I guess they assume they can get more bang for their buck, so to speak, because people are normally more easily swayed into renting a locker at a water park than theme park - it's a surer sale.

I rent one now when I go because I've had things stolen from my backpack (which was hidden out of plain sight) and the cost of a locker offsets the cost of having to replace my personal items.

 

[HersheyBearsDan]

The price increase is not really all that bad when you consider other parks for example Hersheypark charges 15.00 and you dont even get any money back

 

[unkadug]

Because it's more necessary - you're usually leaving your things unattended for long periods of time. I guess they assume they can get more bang for their buck, so to speak, because people are normally more easily swayed into renting a locker at a water park than theme park - it's a surer sale.

I rent one now when I go because I've had things stolen from my backpack (which was hidden out of plain sight) and the cost of a locker offsets the cost of having to replace my personal items.

OK...I'll buy that. I was thinking along the lines of most people spend a longer time at the Major Theme Parks than at the water parks, so there would be more of a turnover at the water park's lockers. :shrug:


Even though I've probably lost more stuff on my own at a major park than I've had stolen at a water park.

 

[captainkidd]

I can see using a locker at the water parks. But at the theme parks? Always struck me as odd. Actually, one year we went in December, were wearing jackets and it got hot. We decided to rent a locker to hold them instead of carrying them. So, I guess they can serve some purpose.

 

[magic2me]

The only place I have ever rented a locker is a water park. We never carry into a park more then we can carry around. We have a backpack and that is where our jackets would be. Anything more than a backpack is too much stuff in the parks.

I feel sorry for people who really need a wheelchair or ECV. I would recommend a person like that to rent from an outside source.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

So if you wanted to you could just rent a ECV to use it like a dream Fast Pass to all the rides?

 

[Phonedave]

So if you wanted to you could just rent a ECV to use it like a dream Fast Pass to all the rides?

No

In rides that have ADA complaint queues, you wait in the line just like anyone else.

In rides that do not have such queues, there are different situations for each ride. Very often you do have to wait. Other times you have to wait for a sprcific ride vehicle to come by, such as in It's a Small World

-dave

 

[Uncle Lupe]

No

In rides that have ADA complaint queues, you wait in the line just like anyone else.

In rides that do not have such queues, there are different situations for each ride. Very often you do have to wait. Other times you have to wait for a sprcific ride vehicle to come by, such as in It's a Small World

-dave

I never expected such a serious response.

You failed me Dave.

 

[s8film40]

I do not want to comment on the wheelchairs, but, in regard to the locker and the parking increases, a pretty basic rule of econ/tax policy applies. Subsidize behaviors you want to encourage, tax behaviors you want to discourage.

Disney runs buses, monorails, and boats to their parks. They would prefer customers use these expensive modes of transit rather than drive their cars. There is no reason for them to waste money on public and private transit infrastructure. They are not a municipality. Also, the high parking fee brings the price of staying off-site and on-site closer to equilibrium. Without seeing any numbers, it seems reasonable to intuit that a certain population on the margin will choose to move to staying on property. As long as the value of those who choose to stay on-site because of extra costs is greater than the value lost from people who are dissuaded, it is a good business decision. Plus, it jives with their environmental initiative.

On lockers, Disney likely faces very little overhead for the lockers. They are cheap to maintain/replace and generate large returns when used. Someone's joke about Windex, however, is not far off. What is not seen is the added cost of having lockers to things like security. If people need space to store their stuff they bring in the park, they are likely bringing too much stuff. Excess stuff slows down security checks and makes it easier for weapons, liquor, etc to slip through. In the very busiest times, even a two second delay for each person moving through security could cripple service flow for the entire day (see queing models).

While some see this as nickel and diming, I can see the business prospective. If people freak out about reductions in service (ie ripping out the lockers) then another approach is to price them out of a behavior. Have the customer ask if it is worth $9 to them to be able to bring extra coats, ubrellas, etc rather than the company take away the storage option. Some people will decide to pay because money is no object or they see the value while others will say let's risk it and if we get too cold I will run to the car or just buy a new sweatshirt.

You make these types of decisions all the time in the world. Whether you buy off brand poptarts or brand name catchup, you decided if a service was worth the price. Making these choices in the World are no different.... And if you are honest with yourself, the "losing the magic" arguement does not work here either, unless the lockers at DHS actually led to Narnia or Fraggle Rock or something.

A very nice explanation, I think a lot of people don't often realize the rationale that goes into business decisions. I have no doubt that this is what the executives were thinking about. Does a $2 parking rate increase really make them that much money, no but if a fair amount of people change from off property to on property hotels it does. The risk of this that I think Disney hasn't weighed heavily enough is the third option that guests have. The options are pay the higher fee or do what Disney wants (stay at their hotels, etc.) The third option of course is just don't go to Disney at all. The logic behind it is if it's only a few dollars then people won't make that drastic of a decision over a few dollars, the problem is as they do this more and more they develop a perception of nickel and dimming and people start to add things up in their head. People right now are trying to get more out of their vacations and spend less money and there are plenty of vacation destinations that are more than willing to cut their prices essentially raising Disney's comparative rates even higher. In the end the guest may look at everything as a whole and perceive that Disney is "taxing" the behavior of visiting WDW.

 

[kimmychad]

No

In rides that have ADA complaint queues, you wait in the line just like anyone else.

In rides that do not have such queues, there are different situations for each ride. Very often you do have to wait. Other times you have to wait for a sprcific ride vehicle to come by, such as in It's a Small World

-dave

small world was the example I was going to use dave, the ride was walk on when we went with my mother-in-law in sept, we actually waited longer than the people that were in the regular line, and that was fine. what gets me are the people that think you can use them as "dream fastpass".

 

[NX2I85]

I guess until I "walk a mile in someone else's shoes" I'll never understand, but I just can't figure out why anyone would WANT to tour a theme park on an ECV. :shrug: Like a PP said, it pretty much would be a full day of looking peoples' butts. Do even "Wall-E people" think that's a great way to see WDW? If you're sick/injured I understand and applaud the motivation; if you're lazy I just don't get the point at all.

Of course I know the real deal. To paraphrase a great quote: No one ever went broke underestimating America's laziness.