Raising prices yet again!!!! enough is enough!

[aliceismad]

Meh. I just got done comparing several trip options for next year (cruise, other destinations with kid-heavy attractions, etc.). Disney is in line with or not that much more expensive than our other options. (Unless the options were camping or visiting family.) We went to an island this year for a wedding and it was pricier than Disney even though the hotel wasn't very nice and neither was the food.

What's the percentage of casual Disney guests vs. regulars? My uneducated guess is that most people don't go to Disney once a year or several times a year like some of the people on this board, so would never notice all these bumps in price (or the apparent loss in quality and quantity).

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

You're not wrong, but considering that most people on this board are conceivably still visiting WDW, a few of those might just be a tad inflammatory.

No doubt. I did it to draw attention to the impact of using charged language. I appreciate that you noticed.

Still, I truly think we all need to pay more attention to the icky loaded language that now surrounds us every day. Lately, I've really been noticing it a great deal.

I think we'd often find more common ground on emotional topics if we all aimed to adopt more neutral language terminology, instead of the loaded terminology bandied about these days.

 

[DisneyNittany]

GREED!! And it appears to have started with the Eisner era. (Reading Disney Wars at present.) But it has had a snowball effect since. They are looking for anything and everything to charge for. I still honestly believe that Disney is no longer interested in bringing in the average family, they want the Trumps of the world, while corprate big whigs are trying to stay amongst the Trumps of the world.

I don't want to get into politics, but I tend to think that one's fiscal beliefs play a huge part in how you see this. In theory, it's just a simple understanding of supply and demand. The demand is obviously there, so the only way to curtail it is to continue to increase prices. WE complain about crowds, but how are you going to control the crowds when anyone and everyone can attend? No, that might not be fair, but that's life.

Also, it still feels like the are marketing to the average family, but they're more interested in bringing in the average family once every 10 or so years, than they are with keeping the "regulars" happy and satisfied. My wife and I (both 28 years old) are annual passholders from Pittsburgh, and are able to visit multiple times a year. They aren't really doing anything to enhance each of our visits, but then again, they aren't concerned about us. So, I agree to an extent that they "don't care about the average family", but only because they don't care if the "average family" comes every year. They just want them to shell out their money every 5-10 years.

I'm not saying this to be rude, as text doesn't convey the tone well, but this is pure capitalism. If you don't like the product/service and/or price point, then you do not have to purchase.

 

[drp4video]

I do agree that almost all of the latest pricing for items other than entry to the parks have the markings of greed, but, the fee to get into the parks, while it does increase, is a bargain if you compare it to the cost of going for example to the theatre or a sporting event. I can get a decent seat at a play/musical or football game for $100-$150, for about 3 hours of entertainment. I can get at least 12 hours of entertainment at a Disney park for $120 or less depending on many ticket days I purchase. More bang for my buck.

 

[TheDuke]

People used to complain that the parks were too crowded and that Disney wasn't raising prices to try and lower the crowds. Now they raise prices and we're complaining about that. I guess we know what the forum's favorite thing to do is.

 

[larryz]

Okay, who wants to go first?

Step up, and spin the wheel of potential comments.

View attachment 320503

If you could somehow combine that with the Wheel of Fish...

Can we at least agree to stop calling WDW's customers by this silly marketing term.

If we're paying over $100 per day to be at WDW, we are not "GUESTS" of WDW!

If c-u-s-t-o-m-e-r is too many letter to type, we could try:
s-u-c-k-e-r
d-u-p-e (nice and short)
s-a-p
r-e-g-u-l-a-r (7 letters)

Cognitive Dissonance is rapidly becoming my new favorite term!

Good point. I don't charge my guests $3.50 for a bottle of water.

To complete the metamorphosis, I recommend we call CMs "corporate minions" rather than "cast members."

 

[DisneyDoctor]

every time you look Disney is raising prices on something. just read that Disney raising prices on soft drinks and snacks etc in the theme parks last week. This week they are raising the cost for the privilege to park your car. So now after you pay the increased theme park entrance costs to get in the park you now have to pay an additional 25.00 to park your car! a few weeks ago Disney announced that they were going to charge you 79.0 pp to get into the parks an hour or so early, that is on top of the 100+ cost for the ticket you already bought., Dear God I know its Disney but the greed is overwhelming. My biggest complaint over the years was how Disney ruined Main Street USA and turned it from a charming land that you could wander through for an hour or two with charming stores , candy shops. arcades etc to one big souvenir shop to buy merchandise you can buy anywhere else in the park, basically making main street just a place to walk through on the way to another part of the park but now with the constant greed of management to bleed you for every last dime... when does it stop.

Is it enough for you to stop visiting,

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

People used to complain that the parks were too crowded and that Disney wasn't raising prices to try and lower the crowds. Now they raise prices and we're complaining about that. I guess we know what the forum's favorite thing to do is.

Huh, I mostly recall folks hoping WDW would add more attractions to keep all the extra visitors busy, or else that they would advertise a little less.

Perhaps we visited different forums.

 

[LeighM]

GREED!! And it appears to have started with the Eisner era. (Reading Disney Wars at present.) But it has had a snowball effect since. They are looking for anything and everything to charge for. I still honestly believe that Disney is no longer interested in bringing in the average family, they want the Trumps of the world, while corprate big whigs are trying to stay amongst the Trumps of the world.

I'm also reading Disney Wars right now!!

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Disney is in line with or not that much more expensive than our other options. (Unless the options were camping or visiting family.) We went to an island this year for a wedding and it was pricier than Disney even though the hotel wasn't very nice and neither was the food.

Over the past 5 years or so, this hasn't quite been our experience. While I agree it is certainly possible- even easy - to spend more money having fun in assorted locations, I've long been a fan of vacationing beyond WDW, and have almost always found great deals elsewhere if I looked.

For a number of years, WDW was priced to incentivize week-long stays. If you went to WDW for 4-5 days, then days 6-8 were VERY inexpensive. (tickets for days 5-7 were $3/day.) Even the dining plan was priced to keep folks eating on-property. In those days, our offsite TS meals cost more than eating on-property.

That got a great many folks to stop pricing offsite options.

For at least the last 5 years, we've found better deals visiting beyond the mouse. Very nice hotels, better food, and many inexpensive+fun things to do all over FLorida.

Just for a start, have you ever been to the Castilla in St Augustine? Walked the nearby shops?Walked the shell-covered shores of Honeymoon Island? Zipped around on an airboat?

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Okay, who wants to go first?

Step up, and spin the wheel of potential comments.

Love it, but you forgot "corporate greed".

Honestly, I'll still go with "stop going".

Disney charges what they charge because we pay it.

If you're fine with paying those prices, that's fine. If you're not, that's fine too.

If you pay those prices while also complaining about them, what do you think is going to happen?

There are a great many things in this world I cannot afford or do not buy because the cost exceeds my assessment of their value. Sometimes, I can't afford to buy something I really really want.

I get it, many of us have an extreme passion for Disney, but it doesn't mean they're going to cater their prices to meet our individual situations.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

If you pay those prices while also complaining about them, what do you think is going to happen?

There are a great many things in this world I cannot afford or do not buy because the cost exceeds my assessment of their value. Sometimes, I can't afford to buy something I really really want.

I get it, many of us have an extreme passion for Disney, but it doesn't mean they're going to cater their prices to meet our individual situations.

Still, we can mourn a little.

There's a quite a bit of room between visiting the way we used to visit, and not going at all.

WDW trips aren't a fixed thing, there are many ways to upgrade and downgrade visits.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

There's a quite a bit of room between visiting the way we used to visit, and not going at all.

This a point people often miss. So often, it's "we've been priced out of Disney forever!".

Not usually. Save a little longer. Buy some groceries off site. Split your stay with a few days at a value resort or at Universal. Go less often.

If one can afford to visit WDW now, they will still be able to afford to visit in the future. It just might require some adjustments to their usual plans or visit schedule.

 

[aliceismad]

Over the past 5 years or so, this hasn't quite been our experience. While I agree it is certainly possible- even easy - to spend more money having fun in assorted locations, I've long been a fan of vacationing beyond WDW, and have almost always found great deals elsewhere if I looked.

For a number of years, WDW was priced to incentivize week-long stays. If you went to WDW for 4-5 days, then days 6-8 were VERY inexpensive. (tickets for days 5-7 were $3/day.) Even the dining plan was priced to keep folks eating on-property. In those days, our offsite TS meals cost more than eating on-property.

That got a great many folks to stop pricing offsite options.

For at least the last 5 years, we've found better deals visiting beyond the mouse. Very nice hotels, better food, and many inexpensive+fun things to do all over Florida.

Just for a start, have you ever been to the Castilla in St Augustine? Walked the nearby shops?Walked the shell-covered shores of Honeymoon Island? Zipped around on an airboat?

I've only been to Disney World once, and I've been to Florida several times and the Caribbean several times, so Disney is not my top choice vacation by any means. Perhaps I should have clarified that "kid-heavy" vacation = including multiple days at a theme park/water park/zoo, etc. Of course there are worthwhile vacations that cost less than Disney, but in my opinion St. Augustine is not comparable to Disney. Yes, I've done those things, but frankly, I wouldn't fly back to Florida just to do them again. (I like the forts in San Juan better.) If I wanted a beach-heavy vacation, or even a nature-heavy or history-heavy vacation, I'd go elsewhere.

Now, I would fly back to Florida to go to Disney, or Kennedy Space Center, or Universal, or Busch Gardens, etc. I think people go to Disney for the combination of the rides, characters, resorts, pools, etc. For me, even going to a nearby Great Wolf Lodge, Six Flags, zoo, etc. means prices only slightly smaller prices than Disney for a lesser experience (other than the lack of airfare, of course).

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I've only been to Disney World once, and I've been to Florida several times and the Caribbean several times, so Disney is not my top choice vacation by any means. Perhaps I should have clarified that "kid-heavy" vacation = including multiple days at a theme park/water park/zoo, etc. Of course there are worthwhile vacations that cost less than Disney, but in my opinion St. Augustine is not comparable to Disney. Yes, I've done those things, but frankly, I wouldn't fly back to Florida just to do them again. (I like the forts in San Juan better.) If I wanted a beach-heavy vacation, or even a nature-heavy or history-heavy vacation, I'd go elsewhere.

Now, I would fly back to Florida to go to Disney, or Kennedy Space Center, or Universal, or Busch Gardens, etc. I think people go to Disney for the combination of the rides, characters, resorts, pools, etc. For me, even going to a nearby Great Wolf Lodge, Six Flags, zoo, etc. means prices only slightly smaller prices than Disney for a lesser experience (other than the lack of airfare, of course).

It is fine if we appreciate different locations differently. There are a number of popular destinations that I'm not personally eager to visit, and I know plenty of folks who have no desire to visit a Disney theme park. Some have never been, other are once/never again-types.


My point was just to mention a few fun places that don't cost an arm and a leg, not so much to claim those particular destinations are ideal for everyone.

 

[aliceismad]

It is fine if we appreciate different locations differently. There are a number of popular destinations that I'm not personally eager to visit, and I know plenty of folks who have no desire to visit a Disney theme park. Some have never been, other are once/never again-types.


My point was just to mention a few fun places that don't cost an arm and a leg, not so much to claim those particular destinations are ideal for everyone.

I gotcha. I guess from an outsider's perspective who is new to this forum and kind of overwhelmed by the negativity of much of it, I just wanted to point out that a casual Disney fan or one who has to save for a long time probably isn't going to care about these kinds of price increases. Until they get priced out of Disney altogether, in which case they'll either be sad or they'll save up longer. It's not Disney, it's just the modern corporate business model.

 

[ppete1975]

I think everyone should boycott, until the prices come down.


I can then enjoy my less crowded beautiful park.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

kind of overwhelmed by the negativity of much of it...

I advise taking it with a grain of salt. You might say, 'talking in hyperbole' has become something of a national pastime these days.

The thing is...there aren't all that many places in the USA/world that are as old as MK, while still retaining much of the same charm, fun and wonder. Ever rarer are places that have combined old traditions with fresh excitement as successfully as WDW has since over the past 40+ years! So folks are constantly torn between the comfort of familiarity/nostalgia and craving new excitement/adventures/discovery.

Further, we're living in an era of dramatic upheaval and change. Worse, a great many things people used to enjoy - say in the 1970's- are now not only out of fashion but absolutely detested.

In the 1970's, Santa Claus often had a pipe in his mouth and a bottle of Coke in his hand. Now smoking=death and full sugar soda is rapidly falling out of favor. People are scared.

In the 1970's, "Nature" was something nearly infinite, and women wore fur coats.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

All of 2019 at my "home" park for 4 for the cost of one day for two at WDW.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Okay, who wants to go first?

Step up, and spin the wheel of potential comments.

View attachment 320503

Post of the year.