The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[FigmentFreak]

Shanghai Disney: The Desolation of Smog

Shouldn't that be Shanghai Disney: Inhalation of Smog

 

[CDavid]

The joke's on us. Here is a thought: TWDC likes nobody, nobody in online media better than Spirit. You are doing their work for them.


WDW's parks, especially the deal making MK, are pretty much filled to capacity. Demand exceeds supply. This leaves two courses of action: increase supply, or increase prices. The first is mostly an expense, with little roi: it will not make vacationers increase the length of their stay, nor spend more. So the second course is chosen, to increase prices. This sells the suppy to the highest bidder.
(And two minor course of actions: to spread demand out over the year, and to invest in operational efficiency to increase capacity. Disney spends billions on both)

The extortionate prices drive people away from WDW. But that is precisely what Disney likes. Disney wants their fans to make good on their threats to visit WDW less frequently, wants them to decide to swap a WDW visit for DL and DCL instead. Disney wants the fans to visit WDW at exorbitant prices every other year, instead of at reasonable prices every year.


Now all TWDC needs is a social media advocate who tells its customers to cut back trips to WDW and to try the cruises and DL instead. Everytime somebody in this thread declares that he has listened to 74 and will try the cruise this year instead of WDW Blondie gets to throw a dart on a Spirited wall poster.

Except demand doesn't actually exceed supply, save for a very limited number of peak days per year when the Magic Kingdom reaches even the first phase of a capacity closing. Nearly every other day, thousands more guests could be accommodated - and tens of thousands spread across all four parks and the WDW resort.

The ticket increase has nothing to do with supply and demand, and everything to do with showing revenue increases which can be (falsely) attributed to NGE. Even if the WDW parks really were regularly closing to capacity crowds, the overflow would likely tend to go up the road to Universal and other central Florida destinations - not other Disney destinations.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Frozen now has grossed 980 million worldwide, and is poised to overtake The Lion King has the #2 highest grossing animated film of all time. It should also pass the billion dollar mark within the next few weeks.

What an amazing success for Disney animation. I think Frozen this IP is the one that needs to be fast tracked into the parks ASAP(even before Star Wars).

As long as it stays the hell out of the Norway pavilion, that's fine. Hell, replace Beauty and the Beast live with a Frozen stage show in the Studios. Age and the New Fantasyland representation aside, it's kind of embarassing that the Studios has a show reliant on basic rubberheads when we've seen park shows like Aladdin, Nemo, or that short lived Snow White show Disneyland had do so much more.

 

[Cesar R M]

It depends on your definition of affordable. I have never spent more than 3K for a week at WDW (we have a cast member friend who helps with discounts) . A 7 day cruise on DCL for my family of 4 would run me closer to 8K. I would love to experience it, but it's just not in the budget.

I've seen packages for 5 days, entire family, for like 1.2K ( not in the bubble of course), food included, car included, tickets included.. (except obviously the airfare) for WDW and Disneyland.

dunno about cruises. But I suppose is what kind of place you are willing to get.. of course 8k = varandah.
you could get it lower than 5k if you selected simple window for example..

Smog and other environmental concerns will require a rather significant change not just in laws, but the Chinese system of governance. The Central Government is not all powerful and quite often leaves policy creation and enforcement up to local authorities. The prime incentives for advancement in the Party remain large economic growth. That is why environment concerns get highlighted, because they will require a shift within the Party which has also been rather effective in silencing dissent.

IMHO; The primary concern will always end being corruption.. which caused a string of bad things... not just environmental.

Except demand doesn't actually exceed supply, save for a very limited number of peak days per year when the Magic Kingdom reaches even the first phase of a capacity closing. Nearly every other day, thousands more guests could be accommodated - and tens of thousands spread across all four parks and the WDW resort.

The ticket increase has nothing to do with supply and demand, and everything to do with showing revenue increases which can be (falsely) attributed to NGE. Even if the WDW parks really were regularly closing to capacity crowds, the overflow would likely tend to go up the road to Universal and other central Florida destinations - not other Disney destinations.

I agree, they probably need to suck the costs of the new projects in a way it doesn't hurt their financials or expected growth. So the shares dont fall.
NGE which already overran its budged by a lot.. and now AVATAR probably gave a huge hit in the park division's cash reserves and they want to recoup them as fast they can without actually offering something.

 

[crispy]

I've seen packages for 5 days, entire family, for like 1.2K ( not in the bubble of course), food included, car included, tickets included.. (except obviously the airfare) for WDW and Disneyland.

dunno about cruises. But I suppose is what kind of place you are willing to get.. of course 8k = varandah.
you could get it lower than 5k if you selected simple window for example..

I know that other countries get better deals that the US, but I have never seen food, tickets, lodging, and car for a family of 4 for $1200. I have priced out a trip to Disneyland, and it's a lot more than that. Plus, airfare for the 4 of us would be at least 2K.

Actually, the 8K for the cruise was for an indoor stateroom for a 7-night cruise during the summer. Obviously, it's cheaper in the off-season, but with kids in school that is not always an option. I would love to cruise with Disney, but I can cruise with several other lines for a third of the price. We aren't all faux one-percenters around here!

 

[culturenthrills]

If anyone is interested I shot the final Ziti Sisters show yesterday. We actually did a multi cam shoot but I got up the video from the main camera on YouTube. The ladies went out with a very energetic show.

 

[NearTheEars]

2.5 BILLION

$99.

Magical.

$99, finally a figure that can be confirmed.

 

[Cesar R M]

I know that other countries get better deals that the US, but I have never seen food, tickets, lodging, and car for a family of 4 for $1200. I have priced out a trip to Disneyland, and it's a lot more than that. Plus, airfare for the 4 of us would be at least 2K.

Actually, the 8K for the cruise was for an indoor stateroom for a 7-night cruise during the summer. Obviously, it's cheaper in the off-season, but with kids in school that is not always an option. I would love to cruise with Disney, but I can cruise with several other lines for a third of the price. We aren't all faux one-percenters around here!

(pss, you missed the part of "outside the WDW bubble")
so probably just a cheap 3-4 star hotel with everything included on it.
nothing in the parks.

 

[jme]

They are not. They don't have land in Osaka. And they have no desire or plans to open anything in the Tokyo area. They are looking at other regions of Japan as well as other Asian nations.

I totally misread my information when they said it would "not" be in the Kanto region. My mistake.

 

[Funmeister]

$99, finally a figure that can be confirmed.

Just curious. Can you confirm that it is not $2.5b? Thanks.

 

[aladdin2007]

Spirit, what is this now about they may take out the Maelstrom ride all together and replace it with the meetngreet? This is coming from over in the frozen ride replacing maelstrom thread. Really? More losing rides to meetngreets? I dont know why Im so surprised.

 

[sshindel]

Spirit, what is this now about they may take out the Maelstrom ride all together and replace it with the meetngreet? This is coming from over in the frozen ride replacing maelstrom thread. Really? More losing rides to meetngreets? I dont know why Im so surprised.

Not saying that the poster in question can or cannot be believed (there are pages of an entire thread over here debating that topic).
I'd just take it with the proverbial grain of salt that accompanies most internet forum rumors. Not saying that because I have inside knowledge, just based on years of reading false rumors.
I would guess that there are people in Disney right now putting together a slew of proposals in how to cram encorporate Anna and Elsa into the parks right now. I'd also guess that the decision is probably not yet made as to how to do it.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/24/disney-ticket-prices-jump_n_4844995.html


The article is stupid, but the comments section is priceless. Normally I steer clear of HuffPost comments, but these are spot on.

"Guess where I will never go for the rest of my life."

"An other out of touch corporate executive bean counter decision. How in the world is an average family of four going to afford this. Never mind the travel, food and Hotels.
As an executive you would be better of lowering the prices and selling the experience, which would boost sales in the marketing venue. That is where the money is at anyway."

"Disney wake the heck up... people are not making this kind of money...and never will... American buisness has out priced american citizens...that is sad."

"Apparently there are enough suckers out there who are willing to pay any price. Watch as they continue to raise prices multiple times a year. They are charging what the market will bear."


It's refreshing to hear another point of view from non-hardcore Disney fans who... oh, wait. These comments sound just like ours.

(and for balance, here's a different one:

"Magic Kingdom really is an amazing place. At 33 years old I'm excited like a 6 year old every time I get to go. The other parks are boring but Magic Kingdom really is something special especially at Christmas time. There is nothing like seeing Cinderella's Castle completely adorned in lights. 100 bucks a person is very expensive but it is a place everyone should experience at least once and if at all possible in December. Disney World in Orlando is the king of all the disney properties. (Source: I'm a native Floridian " )

 

[crispy]

(pss, you missed the part of "outside the WDW bubble")
so probably just a cheap 3-4 star hotel with everything included on it.
nothing in the parks.

Actually, I did catch that, but tickets for 5 days for 4 people would still be close to the $1200 you mentioned not to mention food, lodging, and a rental car. As I mentioned, we don't get the deals that are offered to other countries. Plus, the airfare can be cost prohibitive to a family since we aren't frequent flyers.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Just curious. Can you confirm that it is not $2.5b? Thanks.

Really? Can you confirm that I am not Bob Iger?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'll be honest and say this line of reasoning makes no sense to me. If people can't afford WDW prices, they sure as heck can't afford to fly to California or Tokyo or cruise DCL. I know at this point in life, we can't (well, we could, but I have other priorities like funding retirement and college funds). While some customers may be driven to different Disney business lines, most others will be driven to different businesses and vacation destination destinations period.

The value of the entire package changes. So the relative value of the more expensive alternative increases.

For another exampe, consider that WDW increases the price of QS meals.
The surprising result is not that people eat less, but that they eat more at TS. Despite TS meals averaging triple the price. Faced with a price increase of ten percent, people opted to spend three hundred percent more. By selecting the more expensive alternative.

Some F&B business would be lost to those SUV strollers that carry half a Walmart around. And some customers will be lost period. But when the QS are near capacity and there is capacity overflow at the TS, then it pays to increase the price of TS while lowering its quality.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Except demand doesn't actually exceed supply, save for a very limited number of peak days per year when the Magic Kingdom reaches even the first phase of a capacity closing. Nearly every other day, thousands more guests could be accommodated - and tens of thousands spread across all four parks and the WDW resort.

The ticket increase has nothing to do with supply and demand, and everything to do with showing revenue increases which can be (falsely) attributed to NGE. Even if the WDW parks really were regularly closing to capacity crowds, the overflow would likely tend to go up the road to Universal and other central Florida destinations - not other Disney destinations.

I think demand exceeds supply, but not capacity. WDW manages to not hit capacity by bringing demand down with price increases.

UNI's day ticket price is the same as Disney's, or within a few dollars bandwith. The Disney vs UNI war ('tussle and mutual dependence') is not fought with day ticket prices.


WDW has seen massive price increases since day one of Iger. ParentsOf4 posted some informative graphs. The massive ticket price increases precede NGE. They began long before NextGen/MM+ were ever even heard of. This latest price increase is not a panicked reaction against a (alleged) failure of NGE.

Wall Street is the scourge of the earth and the downfall of the West, but it is not stupid. It is not true that the financial experts, unlike us financial wizards, couldn't distinguish revenue increase owing to increased prices from increased revenue from NGE. Although TWDC might argue that MM+ increased he value of a WDW visit, reflected in price increases, which would blur the line, if only in perception.

 

[lobelia]

I wonder if Disney executives have ever played Roller Coaster Tycoon? When I raise admission prices the crowd inflow decreases, but if I add an awesome attraction the attendance increases. When there are not enough places to eat and they are too busy, the attendees get mad and want to leave with unspent money in their pocket.

 

[rudyjr13]

I have zero issue with where money is being spent at the Magic Kingdom. After building the new Fantasy Land it seems to me that they sat back and started looking at how to improve infrastructure. Monorail automation, Casey's seating, Frontierland walkways, major Hub construction. These are not SEXY ways to spend money but in my opinion they are sorely needed. You can blame those of us with strollers or EVCs all you want but my observation is that it was time for these upgrades. It's not 1972 anymore. More people visit. It is CROWDED especially during parades and fireworks.

Where I fault Disney is what the are doing with DHS and Epcot. Those 2 parks are in really poor shape especially for families. We went to both 2 weeks ago and both parks have so many holes in them. Backlot and streets of america are a joke. Most of Future World is a joke. That's where I'd like to see the next influx of spending go once the MM+ fiasco calms down.

Also the cutting of entertainment is sad. I (and my kids) really enjoyed the Dapper Dan's, PUSH, and the Main Street Philharmonic at our recent visit. I would be very upset if the other two were cut though it sounds like the PUSH drama had more to it than just wanting to save money.

Thoughts?

 

[FigmentJedi]

I wonder if Disney executives have ever played Roller Coaster Tycoon? When I raise admission prices the crowd inflow decreases, but if I add an awesome attraction the attendance increases. When there are not enough places to eat and they are too busy, the attendees get mad and want to leave with unspent money in their pocket.

I want to get off TDO's Wild Ride.