Snack price increases?

[ford91exploder]

You've hit the nail on the head. Can we afford to pay $6 for pretzels (with cheese that is unnecessarily thrown away and wasted)? Sure. But it's hard to reconcile spending that amount on something that was more than $1 cheaper back in August.

We're passholders, so we're looking at taking one last, long trip next summer before they expire. It's not even just price, but also food quality. The irony is that as prices have gone to ridiculous levels, the quality in many areas has decreased (particularly in counter service meals, as some have mentioned). We had been ordering Garden Grocer for water and breakfast in the past (we've used DDP on some trips and haven't on others). Now that we know Whole Foods Orlando will deliver to our hotel, we will be ordering significantly more food. I don't like to cook on vacation, but the quality of quick, healthy meals from Whole Foods is on par or better than a $15 quick service meal in the parks.

I calculated the difference between the food I'm ordering and doing the quick service dining plan for 3 people...$900.

Just because I can afford to buy their food doesn't mean I'm a fan of throwing my money away. I'd much rather put that money toward a unique tour or something truly special, rather than a magical SuperPretzel or Dove Ice Cream Bar.

I thought I saw somewhere a notion that the prices "aren't that bad" and are "worse elsewhere." Agreed - prices are worse in many sports arenas and amusement parks. Except sports venues, concerts and amusement parks are attended for a few hours to a day (possibly two) at an amusement park. They do gouge you because they can - they know you're less likely to go to the hassle of bringing your own (when allowed) or foregoing altogether because it's "only" a few hours, or "only" a day.

Many WDW vacations are 5 to 7 days. So even approaching the prices of a concert or sports even is ludicrous. The situations may seem similar but they're really not. WDW is in a class of its own.

That $900 will buy you an airboat charter for a day in the 'Glades something I've done a few times now, An amazing experience.

 

[21stamps]

That $900 will buy you an airboat charter for a day in the 'Glades something I've done a few times now, An amazing experience.

Perfect example!!!

I would never spend $900 on an airboat charter. I've done plenty of inexpensive airboat tours and those are sufficient for me.

So, should I say that you're crazy for spending $900 on that? Should I say that the airboat charter company is ripping you off?
Or should I just say, "Cool, glad you enjoyed it!"

 

[Minthorne]

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

 

[jwutony16]

I understand some of the forum members anger but I do not feel that WDW is nickle and diming people. When you buy a ticket for any of the parks you have access to all the rides, shows, etc. What you do and how you spend your money is completely up to each individual guest. If you do not like the price of ice cream, do not buy it. do not like the price of water, do not buy it. Do not want to spend money on a cabana at Mk, do not but it. These extras are not taking away from your experience. If you buy admission into the park it allows you the same opportunities to ride Space Mountain as the person who has the discretionary income to splurge on a cabana or a overpriced ice cream. Admission prices through out the years for sports, concerts, theater have all gone up. Disney is no different when it comes to price increases. I feel that if you did nothing but go to the parks and ride the rides and see the shows and bought nothing else there is still value in a 100 dollar a day admission.

 

[ford91exploder]

Perfect example!!!

I would never spend $900 on an airboat charter. I've done plenty of inexpensive airboat tours and those are sufficient for me.

So, should I say that you're crazy for spending $900 on that? Should I say that the airboat charter company is ripping you off?
Or should I just say, "Cool, glad you enjoyed it!"

For 12 hours and up to 10 people food included, Just because you are not interested in nature does not mean that there of those of us who are?

 

[Virtual Toad]

I understand some of the forum members anger but I do not feel that WDW is nickle and diming people. When you buy a ticket for any of the parks you have access to all the rides, shows, etc. What you do and how you spend your money is completely up to each individual guest. If you do not like the price of ice cream, do not buy it. do not like the price of water, do not buy it. Do not want to spend money on a cabana at Mk, do not but it. These extras are not taking away from your experience. If you buy admission into the park it allows you the same opportunities to ride Space Mountain as the person who has the discretionary income to splurge on a cabana or a overpriced ice cream. Admission prices through out the years for sports, concerts, theater have all gone up. Disney is no different when it comes to price increases. I feel that if you did nothing but go to the parks and ride the rides and see the shows and bought nothing else there is still value in a 100 dollar a day admission.

Try telling that to two hungry kids.

 

[21stamps]

For 12 hours and up to 10 people food included, Just because you are not interested in nature does not mean that there of those of us who are?

This sentence sums up why you can not fathom how or why people make different choices than you do.

You equate not being interested in a 12hour airboat tour to not being interested in nature.

If you can not look outside of your own wants then you will never be satisfied with any decision made be any company, or person, or anything that doesn't exactly and perfectly suit your own wants. Different people make different choices. It's not that difficult to understand- Companies offer different choices to suit those different wants.

 

[networkpro]

By the way. I don't actually care if some random poor can afford a Mickey bar. That said.....

I don't particularly like feeling like a sucker when I am on vacation. Sure, I can afford the ice cream, but I find it hard to reconcile the price of it. Disney food prices have gone absolutely batsit crazy. The last time I was there, 13 months ago. I felt like a MORON every time I got a bill or paid a check. I still havn't shaken that feeling. Now on my next trip, we are going to be packing snacks. Like poors do. I just can't make myself spend car payments on fast food lunches every single day for a week.

Ever been to the Jersey Shore, Nantucket, etc during the Summer ? Its called get the dollars while you can.

 

[networkpro]

Try telling that to two hungry kids.

Season Passes to Seaworld, meal pass for $71 bucks each and get a free meal every day until the end of 2017

 

[Hakunamatata]

Easy to say when you are a 1% er

Please be accurate. .05%er. I dont like being lumped in with the 1%er masses.

 

[jwutony16]

Try telling that to two hungry kids.

I do not have kids, but if I did and I knew going in that feeding kids at the park would be out of my price range then I would pack water and snacks. Remember you can always bring in food that does not need to be heated up.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Try telling that to two hungry kids.

The two hungry kids that paid nothing to enter? If the parents make the choice to buy the park admission instead of food for the kids, thats on the parents, not Disney.

 

[jwutony16]

Ever been to the Jersey Shore, Nantucket, etc during the Summer ? Its called get the dollars while you can.

I knew a man from Nantucket

 

[LuvtheGoof]

That $900 will buy you an airboat charter for a day in the 'Glades something I've done a few times now, An amazing experience.

Hmm, well not something we'd ever spend money on, and you've done it more than once. That, to us, would be throwing our money in the toilet. Different strokes.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

Please be accurate. .05%er. I dont like being lumped in with the 1%er masses.

I have fired my publicist for her mistake

 

[Goofyernmost]

Here is the death spiral of costs as fueled by complacent customers.

Step 1: Business sets price
Step 2: Customer: Sees price, says... its vacation.. who cares what it costs... its vacation right?
Step 3: Business #2 sees what Business #1 is getting away with.. sets their prices similar or higher
Step 4: Customer later says "The prices are similar to the other vacation spots.. so I guess its normal"
Step 5: Now Business #1 says "hey, people are used to these prices, we can demand more because of our premium"
Step 6: Customer sees prices, is already conditioned to the high prices.. doesn't like the new price, but capitulates and writes it off as 'not too bad..'.
Step 7: Business #2 sees new price in the market.. and follows suit

Now the loop just keeps continuing and the complacent customer says "well its vacation.." or "its the same as everywhere else!!!"

Complacent customers feed this process vs pushing back.

Let's be realistic here. Eventually, the loop ends because of that fact that people no longer have the money. Right now and until the end of time, a visit to Disney is a luxury item. It is not required for survival and the prices are what they are. Unless we are willing, as a group, to either not buy or cut back on buying nothing will change that until sales and profits drop off. How much something cost, affordability and so on, is completely objective based on when it is happening. I may be willing to pay the price, and, if I can do it without having to live in the street to do it, I might. If not, I won't or can't. Even back in 1983 when prices were what all you folks would call Disney-like, we had to make choices because we didn't make the amount of money that people do today. Anyone that thinks that earnings haven't, in spite, of everything we have been told, raise faster then basic cost of living, didn't live back then. We, at that time were able to go to Disney, but, not without a lot of planning, budgeting and understanding that we couldn't experience everything. If it had existed back then we wouldn't have been able to stay at the Grand Floridian or eat in it's fine dining locations. So we made a decision and actively chose what we would or could afford to do. Nothing new there. If Mickey bars were just $1.00 back then we had to decide if we wanted to spend that $1.00 on that or something else.

If no one buys Mickey Bars again, one of two things will happen. First, they could just drop the item and not try to sell them or Second, they could lower the prices. However, you don't need to be a scholar to figure out that if people will continue to pay the price, they will continue to raise them. Inflation alone tends to make that happen. Disney is in a very nice spot as long as the economy remains relatively strong. They are, however, in the least enviable spot if it goes the other way. They will be the first expense cut from someones lifestyle. Clothing, food and shelter will become the focus. All that doesn't mean that even at best there will not still be people that can continue to afford it, but, they will be fewer and somethings cost money to operate with or without customers.

I guess my point is that if Disney strictly relied on those of us that go, even regularly, but, don't purchase much, just enjoy the rides and attractions they would not be able to pay the bills just on ticket prices. So they aim their money vacuums at people with a lot of extra or at least enough extra to do some of the extras. It's the extras that give the profit after the bills are paid. I don't blame them for trying to get as much money as they can and they are going to cater to those that are able to, without batting an eyelash, do all the up-charges. We demanded more and more and more from Disney over the years to the point where they need more and more to operate and maintain a safe working level of liquid assets. We complain about what things are costing and then complain that they are ONLY spending billions of dollars on new stuff, new lands, upgrades, etc. As if this all gets paid for by the magic money bush that is hidden behind Cinderella Castle. Just increased ticket prices are not going to be sufficient to support the demands. Yes, when based on our own personal accumulations of assets it seems like the profits are without end. They aren't near the end right now, but, do we really want them to get that way?

 

[Luxe]

@21stamps You're delusional and so far gone it's barely worth the breath anymore.

 

[matt9112]

When it come to a Disney vacation...yeah pretty much. It's none of my business if the guest next to me can't afford an ice cream bar.

You shouldn't be going on vacation if your credit card bills are a worry.

Mr Forbes in the house.....if people genuinely cared maybe....but as is human nature we like to have fun and enjoy ourselves. i dont use CCs however i do save up for my vacation all year....granted thats about to change since uni is so much easier since we moved down here.

 

[matt9112]

Let's be realistic here. Eventually, the loop ends because of that fact that people no longer have the money. Right now and until the end of time, a visit to Disney is a luxury item. It is not required for survival and the prices are what they are. Unless we are willing, as a group, to either not buy or cut back on buying nothing will change that until sales and profits drop off. How much something cost, affordability and so on, is completely objective based on when it is happening. I may be willing to pay the price, and, if I can do it without having to live in the street to do it, I might. If not, I won't or can't. Even back in 1983 when prices were what all you folks would call Disney-like, we had to make choices because we didn't make the amount of money that people do today. Anyone that thinks that earnings haven't, in spite, of everything we have been told, raise faster then basic cost of living, didn't live back then. We, at that time were able to go to Disney, but, not without a lot of planning, budgeting and understanding that we couldn't experience everything. If it had existed back then we wouldn't have been able to stay at the Grand Floridian or eat in it's fine dining locations. So we made a decision and actively chose what we would or could afford to do. Nothing new there. If Mickey bars were just $1.00 back then we had to decide if we wanted to spend that $1.00 on that or something else.

If no one buys Mickey Bars again, one of two things will happen. First, they could just drop the item and not try to sell them or Second, they could lower the prices. However, you don't need to be a scholar to figure out that if people will continue to pay the price, they will continue to raise them. Inflation alone tends to make that happen. Disney is in a very nice spot as long as the economy remains relatively strong. They are, however, in the least enviable spot if it goes the other way. They will be the first expense cut from someones lifestyle. Clothing, food and shelter will become the focus. All that doesn't mean that even at best there will not still be people that can continue to afford it, but, they will be fewer and somethings cost money to operate with or without customers.

I guess my point is that if Disney strictly relied on those of us that go, even regularly, but, don't purchase much, just enjoy the rides and attractions they would not be able to pay the bills just on ticket prices. So they aim their money vacuums at people with a lot of extra or at least enough extra to do some of the extras. It's the extras that give the profit after the bills are paid. I don't blame them for trying to get as much money as they can and they are going to cater to those that are able to, without batting an eyelash, do all the up-charges. We demanded more and more and more from Disney over the years to the point where they need more and more to operate and maintain a safe working level of liquid assets. We complain about what things are costing and then complain that they are ONLY spending billions of dollars on new stuff, new lands, upgrades, etc. As if this all gets paid for by the magic money bush that is hidden behind Cinderella Castle. Just increased ticket prices are not going to be sufficient to support the demands. Yes, when based on our own personal accumulations of assets it seems like the profits are without end. They aren't near the end right now, but, do we really want them to get that way?

Pretty sure Park and resorts could pay all the bills related to park operations ect....they use WDW like an ATM to make up losses else where in the TWDC i think thats most of the issue i have. its not that the price is x its that the price is directly tied to poor performance elsewhere and they use P&R as a crutch.

 

[matt9112]

Everyone assumes they're just doing it to get rid of low-value customers, but the pace and timing of the upcharges, coupled with the snail's pace of actual improvements, doesn't give me much confidence as a shareholder. DIS has had a great run in recent years-- stock-wise-- but how much of that stock value is based on sound management and prudent long-term investment remains to be seen.

Answer.....none of it......its all based on bonus cash.