Public Reaction To Increased Costs & Decreased Value At WDW

[DisneyDaver]

I think many people on this forum, and in general, realize that, to some degree, there has been an ongoing trend at WDW of escalating prices, but at the same time, a decrease in the value and quality of things at WDW. People are paying more to come to parks with empty buildings, parks that are not as clean as they once were, parks where new attractions do not have the same quality as the classic attractions-yet attendance continues to set records, and the $ keep rolling in to the pockets of Disney shareholders. What would be the clearest way to send a message to Mr. Iger and his cronies? Less money in their pockets. How is this accomplished? Less people at the parks. For regular visitors who notice the problems at WDW, it is easy to get fed up and stop going to WDW. For the occasional visitor, it would be harder to do this, as they have not had their "fill" of WDW yet. My question is to the occasional visitors & dyed in the wool pixie- dusters - would you stop coming to WDW for 5-10 years to try to force Disney into improvements?

Until recently, I would spend 4 nights at WDW and 1 night at Universal Orlando. Two trips ago, I spent 3 nights at WDW and 2 nights at Universal, and for my last trip, I spent 4 nights at Universal and 1 night at WDW. I was planning to stay longer at WDW when I return in November, but have now decided to spend 5 nights at Universal and just go MK for a day.

 

[NelleBelle]

To me cutting back on the crowds would increase the value. It's been said time and time again the AP holders don't buy enough of the 'Disney' stuff or food so let's clear out some of the crowd and make the trip more enjoyable for those that do. Maybe then we wouldn't have price increases as often.

One of the problems with WDW and DL is the AP holders come in to the parks and act like they are entitled to some kind of special treatment which isn't true. Ask most CM's when not on duty and let them tell you about some of the AP holder stories.

I have modified my items to include all AP's and since I have a Premier Passport ( https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/premier-passport/) so it would hurt me also.

So if you bought an AP because you're visiting the park for a long trip you wouldn't be able to park hop, visit in the AM, not visit on consecutive days? I know many people who will visit for 14 days and then visit the park again just before the pass expires. But this plan would essentially "punish" the same people who ARE visiting and aren't "locals", but are trying to save $$ by having the sense to buy an AP. Disney needs to add more space not increase prices to keep people out. Pretty soon it will be only the 1% elite who can visit. Ridiculous!!

 

[ran6110]

So if you bought an AP because you're visiting the park for a long trip you wouldn't be able to park hop, visit in the AM, not visit on consecutive days? I know many people who will visit for 14 days and then visit the park again just before the pass expires. But this plan would essentially "punish" the same people who ARE visiting and aren't "locals", but are trying to save $$ by having the sense to buy an AP. Disney needs to add more space not increase prices to keep people out. Pretty soon it will be only the 1% elite who can visit. Ridiculous!!

Thanks for the catch, I forgot long duration visitors do the!
Obvious flaw in my thinking, so trash my idea.

 

[3WaltFans]

Good points. We have been Ohio State football season-ticket holders for 17-18 years. In the past 4 years alone, prices went up 32% (compared to a 9-10% salary increase). This year prices went up another 8.5% and that was our threshold and we didn't renew. We've debated that past couple years as the experience has declined (longer games due to more timeouts, less "college atmosphere" and more in-stadium advertising, etc.). This put us over the edge.

But, like Disney, as long as someone else buys the seats we left behind it won't change. (@OSU, I think they might be near the end, however. The last couple years even during "standing room only" games like Michigan State, there were a few thousand empty seats.)

In regard to OSU, you are wrong. The MSU game might of had a few empty seats because of the downpour of rain and it was cold! My brother in law was one of them for the reason I gave. The seats are sold, people just don't come due to weather or other reasons.

 

[kayti2k]

We took an extended family trip to WDW in January. We go every 2-3 years, but this time, with a group of 12 (ages 0-60). For the first time ever, we had a disappointing experience. I will say that I think WDW is still an amazing value for the money (compared to, for example, a trip we took to NYC when we spent more money and didn't get as much entertainment). However, it's really devastating to our family to feel like the magic was gone. Our two biggest concerns were that overall, CMs were not stellar. Not awful for the most part, but not stellar. They seemed bored and unhappy. A motivated and engaging CM was actually a rarity. Also, also for the first time, all of the parks (with the exception of New Fantasyland) seemed old, run-down, and kind of empty! It's true that a few things were closed for refurbishment (Soarin' & Kali River Rapids) but some of the old standbys just did not seem all that great. Take Splash Mountain--it was dirty and stinky. All of Epcot seemed empty. HS has always been a small park, but again, the lack of CM engagement just made it seem kind of pathetic. The Animal Kingdom was in the best overall condition and I think the new attractions there will be great. I know there is a lot more coming--Frozen, Star Wars, etc... but who knows when this stuff will actually be done?

Why was Disney so behind on updating attractions? New Fantasyland really was awesome for us and our little kids. My five-year-old is STILL talking about Enchanted Tales with Belle. I know that they can't do everything at once, but it seems like a ball was really dropped compared to all of the improvements Universal has been making. The teens in our group really were bored most of the time.

This is all on my mind today as I called my dad to talk about the free dining promotion and he said he's not really interested in going back. I was shocked--my dad LOVES WDW--but then I really thought about what he was saying. Honestly, we had just as good of an experience going to Dollywood or Busch Gardens in the last couple of years and didn't have to travel as far. Again, I know WDW is updating but unless the CMs start bringing in the magic there really won't be a huge difference in traveling to WDW vs. a closer amusement park (except that our kids are obsessed with Disney characters...)

I was there the week before marathon weekend and noticed that a lot of new CMs were coming on (the college program). Was it just a bad week, or are other people noticing this too? In the past we never felt like just one family in the crowd but this time the whole experience was so impersonal...

 

[Roakor]

its not the price increases that bother me as much as the Extra Cost items. The one thing I always liked about Disney was once you got in the park everyone was treated equally. That just isn't the case any more. Preventing people from getting the best viewing areas unless you can cough up more money, or charging people extra to stay later when in the past it was free. that to me is where i start to feel Disney has gone too far. I don't really fault Disney for these practices, its good business sense. If people are willing to pay for it, sell it. Yet at the same time it its sad to see this. You really start to feel that Disney only cares about getting money out of you, not about creating a place where you can have fun with your family. Some of the magic is lost. In look at the Disney of the past compared to the Disney of today, no you do not get the same value for your money. To some that really won't matter very much, to others it could make or break going. If Disney today doubled the price for every thing for many it would be the equivalent of a weeks pay, to some months. To others it would just be a few extra dollars, no big deal. The only question Disney of today seems to care about is if those others are enough to still fill the parks. All this has not yet changed my view on visiting the park but it has caused me to move going to Disney down the priority list a bit. I only go once every three years, I have for a long time. My next trip is this December and I can't wait to go. We are usually planing the next trip before we even leave for the current one. But for the first time going back 3 years from now is not a given. Its more a definite possibility, We really want to but we are going to wait and see what its like 3 years from now.

 

[Goofyernmost]

This is all on my mind today as I called my dad to talk about the free dining promotion and he said he's not really interested in going back. I was shocked--my dad LOVES WDW--but then I really thought about what he was saying. Honestly, we had just as good of an experience going to Dollywood or Busch Gardens in the last couple of years and didn't have to travel as far.

I understand your concern, but, and I don't mean this as an insult, I have no idea how anyone can think that WDW, even in it's current state, isn't arms and legs above the Dollywood experience. Dollywood is an OK park, but, if you want an example of a place that looks old and, in many ways cheap, Dollywood would be a good example. I went for the first time about a year ago and was terribly disappointed. For the money, it was OK, but, it left me wanting. I found the attractions to be nasty dirty, the entertainment to be mostly one thing (Country Music). I found the terrain to be hard to negotiate with my bad knee and didn't really find much that was for someone that wasn't for children, thrill seekers or the very elderly with ECV's. I found that the town outside of Dollywood had more interesting and fun things to do the the park did. Busch Gardens is a place that I haven't been to in many years. When I did go, I felt, again that it was mostly for the thrill seekers. OK, but, not for me.

As a positive for Dollywood... I was there just before Christmas and I will admit that they were uber decorated and quite pretty after dark.