Chi84
Premium Member
I’m not sure why you replied to me. My post was limited to attendance levels - the number of people in the parks, resorts and restaurants.
You should have gone to Topolino’s breakfast. It was excellent in every way.
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Prices up…profits down…
- Thread starter Sirwalterraleigh
- Start date
You should have gone to Topolino’s breakfast. It was excellent in every way.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
The one marker that somehow flies counter is that DVC keeps on trucking. Despite worsening value propositions, better public knowledge about said value, they still are selling product near or at historic highs and that’s primarily to new buyers. All in light of an even more active resale market and a much more robust rental market, which really should be holding back their direct developer product more than it is. Maybe discretionary vacation spending trends have just been fortuitous enough to keep pace?
I think DVC is the true canary. If or once that product starts to collapse, not just because of a recession, they’ve gone over the cliff officially.
MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
Topolino's for dinner was one of few meals we felt was worthwhile. At least the first time we went. On a return visit the same limited menu was less appealing. Mind, where for a good while we often ate 1 TS every day, we now most do QS at WDW. Part of it is that time is $, and since we're paying so much to be at WDW, I mostly want to do things that re unique to WDW. (I can get good food outside of WDW.)I’m not sure why you replied to me. My post was limited to attendance levels - the number of people in the parks, resorts and restaurants.
You should have gone to Topolino’s breakfast. It was excellent in every way.
I quoted you because you specifically mentioned dining, and said that less crowded 'restaurants' made the experience 'more enjoyable.' I took uncomfortable - in the context of dining to mean 'crowded.' (Perhaps that is not what you meant?)
Your post: The parks, resorts, restaurants and transportation have finally hit a level where they are comfortable enough to enjoy them. People aren't going to pay these high prices to be uncomfortable. If the company can't make an acceptable profit, they'll just have to keep raising prices and let the chips fall where they may.
For me, I'd say the opposite. Part of the appeal of Disney's character meals, and ALL of WDW, has always been the fun of being surrounded by many other very happy people. Seeing such a large group of people collectively happy together is what made WDW special. And always what has impressed me most about WDW. I have been in WDW when it was (relatively) empty, and I find it a bit creepy. I'd much rather visit over a busy holiday. (or did in the past) If we had to wait a little for a table, that was mostly understandable.
What always set WDW apart was their ability to make a group of thousands collectively happy. Not just happy, but jaw-dropping amazed. Like during the fireworks, especially one of the special holiday fireworks displays, or back when Illuminations was new. People were collectively blown away, night after night. During the holidays, it was crowded, but WDW pulled out all the stops.
There were special activities and displays all over WDW, extra park hours, and it was included with our regular park ticket. (we did pay extra for the hotel.)
Maybe today's upcharges don't bother you, but I find them distasteful, even if I begrudgingly buy some of them. I was at WDW one of the times they - unexpectedly jacked up the price of G+. I expected to pay the (prior) highest price of $29 for it, but instead I woke up to a $39 upcharge. There was no warning.
WDW's surprises used to go in the other direction. They were always giving us something extra, for the INCLUDED price we'd paid. Like finding a box of chocolates in our room upon arrival, or roaming rare characters, or bonus EMH.
That was the WDW addiction.
Chi84
Premium Member
Being surrounded by people isn’t what I was talking about. Clearly, everyone wants a lively and vibrant restaurant.
My post was about not having overcrowding that results in long waits to be seated or served. I wasn’t talking about the quality of food or character interactions.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Finally someone realizes that what we saw years ago isn't a factor when someone is a recent visitor. I understand that and that is why I no longer see the joy that I once did in going to WDW. The attractions now are far and away more technologically advanced then in 1983 when at age 35 I saw it for the first time. And maybe we have become more jaded and bound by nostalgia and are unable to think that those seeing it for the first time probably have the same feelings we had when we first saw the place. My first visit was over 41 years ago and the shows were lame, compared to today. They were basic but it was technology that was brand new at the time.
I feel lucky that I can appreciate the new as well as the old, but that doesn't mean that I can afford to go when at my age it isn't a new experience I'm after and they have taken away so many of the things that created my memories instead of just adding to them. Even I get upset when I hear the constant anger about screens instead of massive numbers of animatronics. They had their time in the sun and their representation of the future. I can really appreciate the way that all the upscale theme parks have found so many clever, mind boggling, ways to use screens to enhance (or plus it, as Walt would say) the experience.
The problem is that my personal attachment and near obsession with WDW is quickly being thrown away. Let's face it, at my age I have very little to latch onto as my "happy place". And everytime I turn around one more of my memories is torn down for something to do with super hero's that I cannot relate to or in some cases even know about. As I have gotten older my income has become a lot smaller and since I don't have an expiration date stamped anywhere on my body, I don't know how long I will need to stretch my retirement money. End result, I have been priced out and nothing about the new WDW draws me strong enough to take a chance on spending that money I might need in the future. Kill my memories they've also killed my incentive.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
I have not been priced out but I no longer see the cost to benefit I used to see. I am satisfied with my memories of what Disney was
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
That has been my point. For many years before I went the first time, living in Vermont made simply just the trip a much bigger financial and logistics problem than seems to be the problem today.
As a kid I used to get into two things on TV. They included, with equal excitement waiting for late afternoon when "The Adventures of Superman" and "The Mickey Mouse Club" would come on the tube. The Mouseketeers would spend time running around Disneyland making me want to go there so badly, but knew that the family couldn't afford it and it wasn't going to happen. The first years of marriage my wife was finishing college, had our first child and shortly after had our second. For quite a few years there just wasn't the money no matter how cheap admission was. Then it was the transportation and three meals a day for four of us that made it impossible.
When we finally got to go, I found the money to do it usually once a year and all of us loved it. Eventually our children grew up and started their own family's with the same startup problems that all of us faced, except now, even though they wanted to go, the degree of desire was a lot less then I had. So many of our first trips were always tight budget trips. Yes, we had a good time, but it was no frills, except for WDW itself. We stayed offsite, ate our major meals offsite (thank god for buffet restaurants, (especially the one that had El Paso by Marty Robbins on repeat) and did it as a road trip. We had a great and memorable adventure and many subsequent ones as well.
In a fit of guilt I decided in 2008 that I wanted to make up for all the "budget" trips and decided to take my immediate family (daughters, Son in laws, and 3 grandchildren on a family trip. I paid for park tickets, airfare from Vermont and back for 9 people, they just had to pay for their own meals. I rented a 6 bedroom beautiful Villa just offsite for a week. We all had a great time and it cost me $10,000.00. ($14700 today.) That is how much I felt the place was worth then.
In their married lives, on their own, between the two of them they have only taken 3 trips to the place. One had another child since then and she turned 13 a few days ago and has never even been once. Since their kids never were as immersed/obsessed with WDW, like I was, what do you think the chances are that their children, my grand kids, will ever even take their families once?
As prices have gone up, desire had dropped a lot. At some point it will not be able to support itself. I don't know when, but I know it will.
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John park hopper
Well-Known Member
Same here My oldest son took his 2 boys age 5 and 4 if they make another trip I would be surprised. My middle son took his 2 girls age 5 and 6 again would be surprised if they go again and my son and daughter in law make big bucks so they could easily afford it.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
50 years after his death, Walt's coattails are wearing terribly thin. We just do not have the weekly shows like "Wonderful World of Disney or Davy Crocker plus the other Disney shows and other than the digital world what they watch and support is a long way from what Disney was like.
I realize and understand that my support is no longer needed. They are now trying to catch up with the younger generations, that have far more spendable income than we ever had. The idea that going to Disneyland or Walt Disney World is a right of passage is fading as fast as the memory of Walt. With the profits in Billions of Dollars Walt would never have let Universal this close to taking over by doing stuff that Disney Management deemed unnecessary.
Walt would have been tossed out by the shareholders in a revolt that similar to the Roy Disney and Stanley Gold led shareholder revolt that forced Eisner to resign. Walt once said he doesn’t make movies to make money. He makes money to make more movies. An action plan like that would spell a CEOs departure. Walt’s idea is complete financial incompetence to run a business .
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Nevermore525
Well-Known Member
It’s possible that Walt could’ve hated what Disney World became even immediately after his passing. The park felt more like a clone footnote to Disneyland the way that he presented it. He seemed more interested in the next thing not rehashing the same thing.
Always kind of thought he viewed the Florida park as a means of subsidizing his EPCOT.
Always kind of thought he viewed the Florida park as a means of subsidizing his EPCOT.
Walt was the ultimate conman using fake names and fake companies to buy acres on the cheap which is now WDW.
Nevermore525
Well-Known Member
He was for sure a visionary and even more so a capitalist. He and the Company did quite a job cultivating his public persona.
Roy also doesn’t get nearly enough credit for being creative financially and moves he made are probably just as significant to the creation of Disneyland.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
ABC got hit with a 15 mill judgement wonder if prices going up to cover this (sarcasm)
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
$15 million is a mere pittance to TWDC.
But, even if it was only a $15 judgement, I’m sure prices would still go up.
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
I remember word got out Walt was going to buy property in the Orlando area my mom and step dad were living in S Florida at the time and bought property. Don't know if they ever made money off of it as I was long gone thanks to Uncle SamAnd I, for one, am glad he did.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
This is us also, we still love all things Disney, we just can’t justify spending as much time and money on the parks as we used to.
We haven’t been to WDW in over 2 years and we could still only justify 3 WDW days on our upcoming trip, we’re far more excited about our DCL cruise than the parks. I think we’re more excited for our stay at POFQ and visiting Disney Springs than visiting the parks, pretty sad that the hassle involved with visiting the parks has now made them our least anticipated part of a FL vacation.
Chi84
Premium Member
The parks really aren't for everyone now. DH and I much prefer DCL cruises if the vacation is just for the two of us. But we just got park from a fabulous week-long vacation with the kids and grandkids. For them, the hassle seemed to be no detriment at all. They loved the parks.
Disneylover69
Active Member
Some of the best Disney has to offer is in the resorts. I believe the magic in the resorts is way higher than the parks. At the resorts everyone is in vacation mode and the same can’t be said at the parks. People are also a lot less stressed at the resorts, I’m not sure why resort only stays are so widely unpopular