Surge Pricing Holding Up (Semi) Annual Increase ...

[ford91exploder]

What are the discounts for South American guests? can't find any discounted prices here in Brazil!

Interesting, There used to be a huge discount for S. America that's now gone very very interesting indeed.

 

[BernardandBianca]

Isn't that what they are doing?

I'm still not against surge pricing walk-ups. I realize that is probably sacrilegious to the 40 year WDW vets, but the parks are so crowded that I really don't have a problem making walk-ups pay more during Spring Break than in mid January.

Talk about "encouraging" planning your vacation months out!

From what I remember reading about Kodak: Yes, they did all of the research on digital cameras but some bean counter saw how much money they'd be losing by eliminating the selling of rolls of film, the processing, the prints, etc. (imagine all of the expensive equipment that they sell to do all of the back-end printing). I think the idea was that it'd be absolutely foolish to cannibalize that huge section of the company so the "smart" move was to let the digital side languish.

That is my understanding too. They patented the concept but never followed through on product since they were fearful of devastating the company.

 

[asianway]

Interesting, There used to be a huge discount for S. America that's now gone very very interesting indeed.

Brazil's currency is in free fall. Even after discounting the fx more than eats up any savings

 

[WildcatDen]

are just beginning to fill that hole in.

Tell me the truth. . . did you chuckle to yourself a little bit when you added that last part?

 

[Jon81uk]

I'm surprised they haven't added an upcharge for FastPasses.

Maybe even a Platinum Level admission, They can charge $200-$400 a day and allow you to use the fastpass lane for all rides. Think how much they could make with that. Plenty of of people would spend the money to avoid the line.

You can already use the fastpass lane all day for rides, but its $400-$600 per hour, with a seven hour minimum for up to 10 guests for a VIP guide. So if you want no waits for a seven hour day it will be $280-420 per guest, on top of park admission. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/vip-tour-services/

 

[SYRIK2000]

You can already use the fastpass lane all day for rides, but its $400-$600 per hour, with a seven hour minimum for up to 10 guests for a VIP guide. So if you want no waits for a seven hour day it will be $280-420 per guest, on top of park admission. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/vip-tour-services/

I'm still surprised they don't upcharge all fast passes. If they are looking for every penny they can squeeze out, why give those away?

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm still surprised they don't upcharge all fast passes. If they are looking for every penny they can squeeze out, why give those away?

Remember TSMM being fast pass only last spring, I was labelled a 'Conspiracy Theorist' for suggesting that that was a test for chargeable fastpasses but from @Lee 's bombshell it looks like that's exactly what Disney is planning.

 

[Mike S]

An oldie but a goodie.

"You want to ride a second time? Give us $XX. You want to use FastPass as well? Give us $XXX. Oh, and have a MAGICAL day."

 

[ford91exploder]

An oldie but a goodie.
View attachment 131262
"You want to ride a second time? Give us $XX. You want to use FastPass as well? Give us $XXX. Oh, and have a MAGICAL day."

Xzibit Rules in Memedom.

 

[hopemax]

The example of the Floridian is a good example of not using quantitative inventory analysis in their resort shops. To me that shows that it has not made it throughout the entire organization. I'd feel though that they likely wouldn't start with something as "small" as this. The first bits would likely start at some of the areas most likely to have the greatest impact. If inventory management is going to be attempted, I'd imagine it would start at places like The Emporium and World of Disney, be improved and perfected, then make it's way down to the smaller shops.

WDW merchandise actually runs two ways. 90+% of the items stocked are ordered by a separate team. Clothing, souvenirs, etc. This group, I assume is using inventory analysis. At each resort, and several in the park, is a position called Data Maintenance (and the job my Mom did). Their job is to receive the orders that were placed by this outside team, handle any items that were recalled, discontinued, etc.

However, the last 10% are items ordered by the Data Maintenance person, and this includes food stuffs within the resort shops, and certain other vendor or items unique to the resort (ex. the dolls included at the tea party at the Grand). In theory, the DM would know about the specific needs of their location. But in reality, no one has ever provided any training or direction other than how to physically enter the order into the system. There is no data provided as to decide how to go about deciding quantity. And it's highly dependent on the type of guests that are staying at the resort at the time. Conventions really mess things up because some conventions the people obviously aren't on expensive accounts and others it might as well be a fraternity organized, spring break party.

My Mom started keeping a notebook where she could note the preferences of the different groups that would come through. She also tried to talk with DMs at other resorts, but mostly the answers are "We just guess." The more involved and committed to doing an excellent job the DM, the better the chance of getting the order right, but there is fairly high turnover within the position, so the odds are the DM is in over their head anyway.

 

[ChrisFL]

So my question is, are we trusting the numbers that are published annually now? I thought they were considered "hopeful" by most experts except for maybe MK.

The problem with a lot of WDW fans is that they can't separate MK from the other 3 parks as far as overall impressions.

MK is huge and crowded and always the most popular....the other parks are not, and Disney's 5 to 7 year expansion plans aren't going to help them in the short-term, especially when they keep closing attractions in the meantime.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Interesting, There used to be a huge discount for S. America that's now gone very very interesting indeed.

I would have expected large discounts too. Most companies in decline usually discount their product in order to spur sales.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I'm still surprised they don't upcharge all fast passes. If they are looking for every penny they can squeeze out, why give those away?

Honestly I'm surprised they didn't do this when they went to FP+ for offsite guests (onsite guests it would be included as a perk and offsite guests pay per day or something to that affect).

 

[UpAllNight]

Coming from the UK as a one off every year or maybe 2 years the price isn't an issue to an extent, because we expect to have to save a large amount anyway for the overall trip, when you consider flights, hotel, insurance, visa etc. I understand UK guests get an overall good deal on 14 and 21 day multitickets?

However there is a point not a million miles from where we are at where we don't see Disney World as actually worth the money. Regardless of quality of attractions most people don't go to a theme park expecting to see just 5 rides and have to queue 90 minutes for the privilege to ride a few of them. Or go to DHS and see shows that were there 15 years ago. Or Epcot, that may have been modern and relevant 15 years ago.

I'll take the price rise if they're seen to keep their parks fresh and vibrant - I got that feeling at Universal.

Even though I am obsessed and love Disney, I felt more 'well this could be improved' moments there than at Universal, and that bothered me greatly.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Honestly I'm surprised they didn't do this when they went to FP+ for offsite guests (onsite guests it would be included as a perk and offsite guests pay per day or something to that affect).

Aren't there still more offsite guests then onsite at this point? If so, wouldn't that sort of make it less desirable to go there then before? If 50% or more of the guests decide that it is no longer worth it I'm kinda thinking that would put a huge hole in the bottom line. I love Disney, but, I know that I would no longer go there if I felt that in order to visit the place I had to be hostage to the old stay onsite razzle dazzle. If they did that, I would instantly know that I was not wanted there unless I was willing to mortgage my property and sell my first born to be welcome. All the "Kool Aid drinking" believers would then have the place all to yourselves (well, at least until it folded).

 

[sshindel]

WDW merchandise actually runs two ways. 90+% of the items stocked are ordered by a separate team. Clothing, souvenirs, etc. This group, I assume is using inventory analysis. At each resort, and several in the park, is a position called Data Maintenance (and the job my Mom did). Their job is to receive the orders that were placed by this outside team, handle any items that were recalled, discontinued, etc.

However, the last 10% are items ordered by the Data Maintenance person, and this includes food stuffs within the resort shops, and certain other vendor or items unique to the resort (ex. the dolls included at the tea party at the Grand). In theory, the DM would know about the specific needs of their location. But in reality, no one has ever provided any training or direction other than how to physically enter the order into the system. There is no data provided as to decide how to go about deciding quantity. And it's highly dependent on the type of guests that are staying at the resort at the time. Conventions really mess things up because some conventions the people obviously aren't on expensive accounts and others it might as well be a fraternity organized, spring break party.

My Mom started keeping a notebook where she could note the preferences of the different groups that would come through. She also tried to talk with DMs at other resorts, but mostly the answers are "We just guess." The more involved and committed to doing an excellent job the DM, the better the chance of getting the order right, but there is fairly high turnover within the position, so the odds are the DM is in over their head anyway.

I wish I could like this post more than once. Thank you for the detailed view into this process, and it makes sense from a logistical standpoint. One would hope that at some point here they will get to the point where they could aid the Data Maintenance people in preparing for hidden trends and such.

 

[Jon81uk]

Honestly I'm surprised they didn't do this when they went to FP+ for offsite guests (onsite guests it would be included as a perk and offsite guests pay per day or something to that affect).

Well if Universal can charge off-site guests for Express......

 

[GhostHost1000]

Aren't there still more offsite guests then onsite at this point? If so, wouldn't that sort of make it less desirable to go there then before? If 50% or more of the guests decide that it is no longer worth it I'm kinda thinking that would put a huge hole in the bottom line. I love Disney, but, I know that I would no longer go there if I felt that in order to visit the place I had to be hostage to the old stay onsite razzle dazzle. If they did that, I would instantly know that I was not wanted there unless I was willing to mortgage my property and sell my first born to be welcome. All the "Kool Aid drinking" believers would then have the place all to yourselves (well, at least until it folded).

Yeah I understand. I'm not saying I agree with it just saying I'm surprised they haven't

 

[Goofyernmost]

Yeah I understand. I'm not saying I agree with it just saying I'm surprised they haven't

I know, I was just expressing my opinion concerning why that isn't in the cards. Universal can do it because they have a small number of people that stay onsite, at least to this point. I don't know exactly what they will do as they expand their hotel options. Should be interesting. I guess until they pull the numbers that WDW does, they really don't have to worry about it.

 

[drew81]

Somehow, I feel Chappie is not a fan of WDWMagic and this thread.

And neither is Zenia for that matter.