News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[ford91exploder]

My son has asked for Seaworld next year. He likes Disney but I'm going with him on this. It's cheaper and has rides and nostalgia.

One of my colleagues is taking his kids to Universal this week, He gave them the choice of Disney or Universal and they are staying in a suite at Portofino Bay. His kids are 6 and 9 They are going 1 day to AK, Hmm, Disney seems to be losing mindshare where it matters most.

 

[disneygeek90]

I find this topic extremely interesting and have spent a lot of time reading most of it. Every time I get close to catching up the next day a lot more pages pop up and I never catch up. I had already decided to cut the amount of stays to Disney. When we did go, we stayed off Disney because of the pricing. Stayed twice previously at value resorts and to pay that much for a motel 6 was not worth it. The main perk they advertised was EMH and free parking in the parks. Staying off Disney and paying the parking fees saved a lot of money and yes, we ate many meals off Disney and after our last stay where we ate at two Quick Service meals, we will probably eat more off property. It was horrible and even threw one of them away. I find it interesting that those that say this is ok because others do it are usually (I am not saying everyone) the same ones that say free parking in the parks saves all this money. Though their ad someone showed had free parking in the parks, it no longer saves me the money it did. I actually now save more money staying off parks, cause we are all paying for parking now. Thanks Disney for making that an easier choice to stay off property.

Interested as to where you went for bad QS meals? Almost every one I have is pretty solid.

 

[21stamps]

Interested as to where you went for bad QS meals? Almost every one I have is pretty solid.

Maybe All Stars Sports?lol Once was enough for me there! Between crowds, noise, food....Never Again.

 

[disneygeek90]

Maybe All Stars Sports?lol Once was enough for me there! Between crowds, noise, food....Never Again.

lol could be. I don't venture to the resorts for food much, and surely not for QS so I was just thinking parks.

I did get to Hop-Dee-Doo for the first time last weekend. Awesome experience.

 

[21stamps]

lol could be. I don't venture to the resorts for food much, and surely not for QS so I was just thinking parks.

I did get to Hop-Dee-Doo for the first time last weekend. Awesome experience.

I haven't been yo Hoop Dee Doo since I was maybe 10 or 11.... It looks fun, and I think I remember it being fun...but the menu is not appealing to me at all. That's not Disney's fault though...just my taste buds. I think the food at Disney is good, in general. I don't have any complaints other than that one specific experience...and the screaming obnoxious kids could have had an impact on how I thought the food tasted...maybe...

 

[UncleMike101]

One of my colleagues is taking his kids to Universal this week, He gave them the choice of Disney or Universal and they are staying in a suite at Portofino Bay. His kids are 6 and 9 They are going 1 day to AK, Hmm, Disney seems to be losing mindshare where it matters most.

Yup.....
It's telling when the children don't pick Disney as the number one place to go.
Losing children of today and their children, and children's children will mean the end of the Disney mystique for America.
Walt used to say "It all began with a mouse."
If Disney goes down the tubes because of greed, people will say "It all began with the rats."

 

[disneygeek90]

I haven't been yo Hoop Dee Doo since I was maybe 10 or 11.... It looks fun, and I think I remember it being fun...but the menu is not appealing to me at all. That's not Disney's fault though...just my taste buds. I think the food at Disney is good, in general. I don't have any complaints other than that one specific experience...and the screaming obnoxious kids could have had an impact on how I thought the food tasted...maybe...

I'm vegetarian so the vegetable stack I got was okay. I really enjoyed the sides though... and the endless beer...

Overall, the Disney restaurants to me are very good, whether it be QS or TS. A few TS have a bar to sit at (rainforest and the like) so I opt there to stay away from as many screaming kids as possible.

 

[21stamps]

One of my colleagues is taking his kids to Universal this week, He gave them the choice of Disney or Universal and they are staying in a suite at Portofino Bay. His kids are 6 and 9 They are going 1 day to AK, Hmm, Disney seems to be losing mindshare where it matters most.

Yup.....
It's telling when the children don't pick Disney as the number one place to go.
Losing children of today and their children, and children's children will mean the end of the Disney mystique for America.
Walt used to say "It all began with a mouse."
If Disney goes down the tubes because of greed, people will say "It all began with the rats."

As a parent of a theme park/amusement park loving child....I choose our destinations based on the amount of attractions that he can do. Disney has Universal beat in that department, hands down.

 

[disneygeek90]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need. The demand for Disney is clearly surpassing the supply. Maybe the parking changes will be just enough to make a bit more manageable crowds.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need. The demand for Disney is clearly surpassing the supply. Maybe the parking changes will be just enough to make a bit more manageable crowds.

There are a finite number of first time guests at any given time. If Disney loses "mind-share" in more and more those who will be generating new first time guests in the future, what does Disney's future look like? That's the question that is never asked in Burbank, and thus never answered, because quarterly financials are all that matter. Little, or even no, long-term thinking seems to go into anything these days, because quarterly financials are all that matter. Tear down the old, stale stuff that we don't want to maintain. Strike while the iron is hot, milk the hot property for all its worth. Lather, rinse, repeat. Wait, repeating costs too much money. What do we do now???

Braving the crowds at WDW is becoming a status symbol, along with being able to give Johnny and Susie their "magical Disney World vacation".

 

[njDizFan]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need. The demand for Disney is clearly surpassing the supply. Maybe the parking changes will be just enough to make a bit more manageable crowds.

So are you okay with an upcharge or an increase in rates for a better and less crowded experience? Unfortunately I don't think the extra $150 a week for these select customers will result in attendance attrition.

Some may be willing to pay $250 (or more) a day to keep out the masses. That would be outside of my threshold for sure but you would have people espousing the virtues of the more expensive ticket.

 

[willtravel]

One of my colleagues is taking his kids to Universal this week, He gave them the choice of Disney or Universal and they are staying in a suite at Portofino Bay. His kids are 6 and 9 They are going 1 day to AK, Hmm, Disney seems to be losing mindshare where it matters most.

Curious, why did the kids 6 and 9 year old pick Universal?

 

[nickys]

Curious, why did the kids 6 and 9 year old pick Universal?

Well as someone who works with primary school age kids, Minions, Spider-Man and Harry Potter are all very popular with that age group. Especially boys. Many girls love their Disney Princesses, but others don't. So I can see the attraction.

 

[MisterPenguin]

One of my colleagues is taking his kids to Universal this week, He gave them the choice of Disney or Universal and they are staying in a suite at Portofino Bay. His kids are 6 and 9 They are going 1 day to AK, Hmm, Disney seems to be losing mindshare where it matters most.

People go to Universal now? Because that never happened in the good old days when Disney was perfect.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need. The demand for Disney is clearly surpassing the supply. Maybe the parking changes will be just enough to make a bit more manageable crowds.

Disney is not looking to reduce crowding. Lower attendance is just met with other strategies to help maintain crowding.

 

[larryz]

People go to Universal now? Because that never happened in the good old days when Disney was perfect.

Poke, poke, poke...

 

[LSLS]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need. The demand for Disney is clearly surpassing the supply. Maybe the parking changes will be just enough to make a bit more manageable crowds.

Well, I'll start with again saying that Disney appears to be artificially making the parks appear busier than they are, so the complaints of crowds and claims of losing business are not mutually exclusive. But I disagree with the rest of your argument here. First, what is the threshold for number of people Disney "needs"? I doubt Disney thinks they don't need more people (unless it's less people but lots more money). Second, even if super busy, you can't say the demand has clearly passed the supply. That only happens if they sell out/reach capacity.

 

[jakeman]

I'm finding it interesting that so many complain about the crowds at Disney, and then claim Disney is losing business that they apparently need.

No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Well, I'll start with again saying that Disney appears to be artificially making the parks appear busier than they are, so the complaints of crowds and claims of losing business are not mutually exclusive. But I disagree with the rest of your argument here. First, what is the threshold for number of people Disney "needs"? I doubt Disney thinks they don't need more people (unless it's less people but lots more money). Second, even if super busy, you can't say the demand has clearly passed the supply. That only happens if they sell out/reach capacity.

For WDW, closing a park because it has hit capacity happens long after there's an hour wait just to use the restrooms. Their idea of "at capacity" is much, much, much higher than an average guest would think is capacity.

Also, there's a difference between understaffing at traditional off-peak times which leads to a feeling of extra crowding and a notorious plot and conspiracy on the part of Disney and each and every employee to purposefully stymie all the guests' attempts to enjoy the attractions in a timely manner every single day of the year. The first is an unfortunate oversight or incompetency or stinginess on the part of WDW. The second is bat-guano crazy thinking.

 

[LSLS]

For WDW, closing a park because it has hit capacity happens long after there's an hour wait just to use the restrooms. Their idea of "at capacity" is much, much, much higher than an average guest would think is capacity.

Also, there's a difference between understaffing at traditional off-peak times which leads to a feeling of extra crowding and a notorious plot and conspiracy on the part of Disney and each and every employee to purposefully stymie all the guests' attempts to enjoy the attractions in a timely manner every single day of the year. The first is an unfortunate oversight or incompetency or stinginess on the part of WDW. The second is bat-guano crazy thinking.

You really don't disprove what I said. Sure the average guest hates well before capacity. But you can't say demand exceeds supply if they can still bring people in. And it doesn't matter if the reason is they are intentionally trying to justify price increases/push people to shop/etc. or that they are just being super cheap and horribly understaffing, they are still making the parks appear much more crowded than they are. I would be interested in how it looks with more peak time people coming through now, but that's a whole different discussion.