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

[donaldtoo]

“Nobody goes to Walt Disney World anymore, it’s too crowded.”

 

[jimbojones]

not imo. I went 8/29 of this year and crowds were very low. if you go on the trip report forums you'll see my trip report with pictures of the low crowds. MK very very low crowds 1-2 in the afternoon.

the entire week, the only ride that had a 1 hour wait was Flight of passage and Navi I think had a 45 minute wait.

looks like I left 2 days too early!

 

[thomas998]

I agree with this, we stayed at POFQ for part of our honeymoon in 2013 the other half at the Polynesian. We paid somewhere in the range of 150 a night. You can say inflation, prices go up, its a business all of that however to increase DOUBLE in 5 years for the exact same product? We have basically written off Moderates, we strictly are staying value on non DVC trips and then deluxe when we stay on DVC points.

Actually the inflation argument doesn't hold much anymore. When you look at the inflation from 2013 to today you find that your 150 should have only increased to about 165... so that extra 135 isn't for inflation its just to line the pockets of Disney... unless you've noticed an increase in the service or rooms at POFQ... I know we haven't noticed any increase in the service we receive at the resorts and with the exception of staying at a resort that has been remodeled don't see any change in the accommodations that justify the near doubling of prices... they simply raise the prices because they can.

 

[baymenxpac]

i'm not sure there's anything more hilarious than watching consumers fight for a company's right to charge more money for the same/a lesser product. brand loyalty is a hell of a drug.

 

[NickMaio]

Once attendance starts to really pull back - then we will see a hold or even price reduction.
For the first time Canadian's get a WDW discount. Look for the deals some are there. Not much though

 

[GeoffR]

Price increases are ok if thet are in correlation with quality. Hard to argue a price increase when your monorails have no AC and the doors are falling off

 

[erasure fan1]

Hard to argue a price increase when your monorails have no AC and the doors are falling off

I picture Loyd Christmas saying this

 

[Raineman]

Me I stopped going

We need more of this kind of commitment. You wanted to stop visiting WDW for whatever reason, and you did it, unlike some people on here who constantly complain and rant about WDW, and threaten to stop going, yet still continue to visit. Whatever your point of view, whether it is that you still love WDW, or if you feel like WDW has no value anymore, you have to applaud someone who is not a hypocrite, and does what they say they are going to do.

 

[Willmark]

We need more of this kind of commitment. You wanted to stop visiting WDW for whatever reason, and you did it, unlike some people on here who constantly complain and rant about WDW, and threaten to stop going, yet still continue to visit. Whatever your point of view, whether it is that you still love WDW, or if you feel like WDW has no value anymore, you have to applaud someone who is not a hypocrite, and does what they say they are going to do.

As I’ve noted several times over the last few months we’re tapping out after this trip in December.

It’s at the point where I can’t justify the cost to value proposition. I’m all for capitalism, Disney can charge what they want. I’m also able to choose not to go.

 

[baymenxpac]

We need more of this kind of commitment. You wanted to stop visiting WDW for whatever reason, and you did it, unlike some people on here who constantly complain and rant about WDW, and threaten to stop going, yet still continue to visit. Whatever your point of view, whether it is that you still love WDW, or if you feel like WDW has no value anymore, you have to applaud someone who is not a hypocrite, and does what they say they are going to do.

or, and i'm just spitballing here, there could be...dare i say...nuance in life! not out of the realm to think that people can still enjoy something, yet see its flaws, and advocate for it to return to its previous standards, specifically with a capital expenditure that would be commensurate with the company's record profits.

 

[eliza61nyc]

or, and i'm just spitballing here, there could be...dare i say...nuance in life! not out of the realm to think that people can still enjoy something, yet see its flaws, and advocate for it to return to its previous standards, specifically with a capital expenditure that would be commensurate with the company's record profits.

Seeing flaws is one thing but and this is just my opinion. If you drop thousands of dollars on a vacation and the only thing you post about that vacation is all the negatives then some thing is wrong.
I totally admit it is hard for me to understand when a group consistently complain about said flaws and then says "Oh but we had a great time". really?? couldn't tell it by the post. lol.
Again this is just me, but if all you remember about a vacation is the negative, why go?
Folks can advocate until the cows come home. the reason why they are continuing in this particular path that folks hate is because they are getting record profits. It's funny because I've been accused of looking at Disney through rose colored glasses when in fact I think I'm the one who sees more clearly than others. I know exactly what I'm getting while most here keep complaining and keep going on some pipe dream that it's going to return back to previous standards. It is not.
So if I come back and all I post is how dirty the parks are, how broken the rides are, how im getting less for more and then I go back WHY in the name of Thor should Disney change??

 

[Raineman]

or, and i'm just spitballing here, there could be...dare i say...nuance in life! not out of the realm to think that people can still enjoy something, yet see its flaws, and advocate for it to return to its previous standards, specifically with a capital expenditure that would be commensurate with the company's record profits.

Oh, absolutely. I count myself as someone you described, but among the people that have made the decision that they do not see the value in WDW trips anymore, I respect the people who do follow through when they decide WDW is not for them anymore. Too many of the constant complainers never actually stop visiting despite threatening to do so. Hypocrisy in any form, even when it comes to theme park preferences, is ridiculous.

 

[baymenxpac]

Oh, absolutely. I count myself as someone you described, but among the people that have made the decision that they do not see the value in WDW trips anymore, I respect the people who do follow through when they decide WDW is not for them anymore. Too many of the constant complainers never actually stop visiting despite threatening to do so. Hypocrisy in any form, even when it comes to theme park preferences, is ridiculous.

i guess, yeah. i mean, if someone doesn't derive pleasure in something anymore, there's no reason to hate visit it, ya know? i just feel like many long time consumers of the product kind of see their reasons to visits fall off in degrees, and cost is a driving factor.

just personally, i haven't been in five years. some of that is situational, but some of it is also doing a cost/value proposition and saying, "eh....nah." that's what i think a lot of the people who say, "JUST STOP GOING!" miss.

 

[Networth]

I price out vacations and I don’t seem to think WDW is out of line on pricing. I however agree with decline in some quality and variety (food, merchandise, live entertainment) aspects of the Disney’s offerings.

My wife and I our spending about $7000-7500 on a cruise to Alaska next year. We would spend less at WDW for that same 9 night trip. I have been going since I was a baby ~1 year old so I guess they have me hooked due to old and new memories.

 

[Stitch826]

As others have pointed out, prices are based on supply and demand. If Disney kept the price to enter the Magic Kingdom at what it was 15 years ago ($52 in 2003), then the park would be filled up nearly every day of the year with two-plus hour lines for all the big-name rides. It would be absolutely miserable to be there. As long as people are willing to pay the prices Disney sets, Disney will continue to increase them. That's the way business works. Now, whether or not Disney is doing enough to maintain their parks in terms of maintenance, cleanliness, staffing, new attractions, etc...that is an entirely different argument. However, as long as guests continue to fill the parks, Disney will keep doing what they're doing.

 

[phillip9698]

As others have pointed out, prices are based on supply and demand. If Disney kept the price to enter the Magic Kingdom at what it was 15 years ago ($52 in 2003), then the park would be filled up nearly every day of the year with two-plus hour lines for all the big-name rides. It would be absolutely miserable to be there. As long as people are willing to pay the prices Disney sets, Disney will continue to increase them. That's the way business works. Now, whether or not Disney is doing enough to maintain their parks in terms of maintenance, cleanliness, staffing, new attractions, etc...that is an entirely different argument. However, as long as guests continue to fill the parks, Disney will keep doing what they're doing.

The whole price increase to thin crowds and make the park more enjoyable excuse stopped being valid when Disney started cutting staff and capacity on days where the parks arent filled to the gills. They plan on keeping certain wait times on rides no matter how many people are there. The decisions are 100% based on profit.

 

[Stitch826]

The whole price increase to thin crowds and make the park more enjoyable excuse stopped being valid when Disney started cutting staff and capacity on days where the parks arent filled to the gills. They plan on keeping certain wait times on rides no matter how many people are there. The decisions are 100% based on profit.

I agree that Disney is making its decisions based on profit. It's a business. As long as people keep coming to the parks at the ever-increasing prices Disney charges, Disney will continue to raise the prices year after year. This will not stop unless they see a SIGNIFICANT drop in attendance, either due to an economic recession or if people stop coming because they are unhappy. With the amount of construction (new resorts, new rides, gondola system) going on and the fact that the 50th anniversary of MK is just over two years away, I don't see the latter happening anytime soon. So as long as guests continue to put their money in Mickey's big white gloves, Disney has no real incentive to improve in the areas they are lacking (staffing, maintenance, merchandise, some would say food, etc.).

 

[Miss Bella]

I price out vacations and I don’t seem to think WDW is out of line on pricing. I however agree with decline in some quality and variety (food, merchandise, live entertainment) aspects of the Disney’s offerings.

My wife and I our spending about $7000-7500 on a cruise to Alaska next year. We would spend less at WDW for that same 9 night trip. I have been going since I was a baby ~1 year old so I guess they have me hooked due to old and new memories.

Is that a Disney cruise? The same price increases that apply to WDW apply to DCL. I could find an Alaska cruise that is considerably cheaper then 7500. My family did a 10 day Med cruise non-DCL for 3400.
I'm not going to say Disney is out of line with pricing. They are going to charge what people are willing to pay.

 

[Networth]

Is that a Disney cruise? The same price increases that apply to WDW apply to DCL. I could find an Alaska cruise that is considerably cheaper then 7500. My family did a 10 day Med cruise non-DCL for 3400.
I'm not going to say Disney is out of line with pricing. They are going to charge what people are willing to pay.

No not DCL. The cost is flights to Seattle (we used points so no “real” cost ), hotel for 2 nights (~800-900 Seattle is not cheap for a nice hotel on the bay), and sailing on Royal Caribbean in a balcony room ($4650), + excursions, merchandise, food in town ~$1500. At 9 nights we are at $7,250. Mind you we are using CC for the flights so I did not add on what that would cost.

We wont sail DCL because we can’t justify the price point until we have kids (maybe).
For us WDW is not drastically out of line on price for how we travel, but I did wish they would stop cutting quality and variation.

I would be intrested to know how a 10 night med cruise, with a family only cost you $3400 without one heck of a discount. For that price yeah, any other destination will look over priced.

 

[aliceismad]

Is that a Disney cruise? The same price increases that apply to WDW apply to DCL. I could find an Alaska cruise that is considerably cheaper then 7500. My family did a 10 day Med cruise non-DCL for 3400.
I'm not going to say Disney is out of line with pricing. They are going to charge what people are willing to pay.

What line did you sail on? Was airfare or anything else included in that price?

Our last cruise was a 7 night on carnival magic in the Caribbean and the cruise alone was $2500 for a family of three. Airfare was $1200. Add in excursions, hotel before, taxis/bus/Uber, drinks, specialty food/food on-island, etc. (This is neither here nor there but I’ll pay more for a big RCI boat over Carnival every time in the future.)