WDW ticket price increases coming June 3rd

[John]

Yoda, I think I did mention the fact that there has to be consideration as to were it is and the constraints on space. I have really really tried to not mention this fact but I think it needs some light shed on it as you may already know Richard. Unions< if unions are involved as we probably know that they are this could significantly prolong the process. WHY? I would rather not go in to it. As I am sure there are some union brothers here. It isnt that it is a bad thing, its just a fact that when unions are involved there are a lot of issues that come into play versus a nonunion job. Is one better then the other? PLEASE that isnt the question. It is a question of lenth of time it takes to get the job done.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I didn't call anyone any names.
You really can't see the hypocrisy of your post?

Wow.

You threw out the pixie dust snorter comment.....

Now back to my regularly scheduled Disneyland vacation.......Note to self, get volume numbers for SSE to make sure I get an ample supply of dust.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yoda, I think I did mention the fact that there has to be consideration as to were it is and the constraints on space. I have really really tried to not mention this fact but I think it needs some light shed on it as you may already know Richard. Unions< if unions are involved as we probably know that they are this could significantly prolong the process. WHY? I would rather not go in to it. As I am sure there are some union brothers here. It isnt that it is a bad thing, its just a fact that when unions are involved there are a lot of issues that come into play versus a nonunion job. Is one better then the other? PLEASE that isnt the question. It is a question of lenth of time it takes to get the job done.

I do not think there is any question that unions could be an issue as well. Unions are a necessary evil, but the do tend to gum up the works.

 

[Glasgow]

*just walked in and looks around*

Am I in the right thread?? I was expecting to be able to moan about prices .. haha

 

[MichWolv]

Well, what other option is there?

Either they:

A.Put the scrim up and haven't started the work.
B.Put the scrim up and are working slow as molasses.

Yeah, I'm rushing to judgement, questioning why a scrim has been up outside of the Bakery now for 6 months.

Look, we all know you've snorted enough pixie dust to fill up Spaceship Earth, but newsflash - We ALL have a right to question anything we want to question in this country. And as someone who spends A LOT of money every year at WDW, I feel I'm well within my right to ask questions. I might not get an answer, but this is a message board, in which people are free to discuss both the good AND bad of WDW. Deal with it. I love WDW as much as anyone, but I don't wear the blinders that you do. I call it like I see it.

OK - Maybe that's the case. Maybe that was the case with the Ice Cream Plaza and Town Hall as well. I just find it odd that 20 years ago, work like this was done so much faster than today. Could all the buildings on Main Street truly be in that bad a shape?

I don't hate TDO, and I'm not denying that's it a possibility. My point was basically this: None of us know EXACTLY what is going on. We're all just taking guesses. The only difference is in how we see things. I'm the first to admit, I'm a pessimist when it comes to this type of work. I'm glad it's being done, but it's taken far too long, which is I'll admit, a good possibility as to why it's taking so long to complete.

Cap, see the above 4 quotes from your recent posts in this thread. You start out insinuating that there is no logical read of the situation that says Disney really needs to take as long as they are taking to do the work.

By the fourth quote, you are admitting that it is possible that Disney is taking so long to complete the work because it turns out that it needs to take that long.

I applaud the moderation in your view over these recent posts.

 

[John]

I do not think there is any question that unions could be an issue as well. Unions are a necessary evil, but the do tend to gum up the works.

Just remember you called them evil....not me....LMAO!!!!!!!!:ROFLOL:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

It's really not that far fetched. TDO from the early 2000s has a track record of neglecting basic maintenance on most areas of the parks. Because of this neglect, things have been allowed to rot/rust/deteriorate beyond being able to simply, sand, refinish, reseal, power wash, or whatever basic maintenance is normally needed. So by the time these refurbs were finally greenlit, basic clean and touch up jobs have turned into complete restore jobs.

See??? You can still hate TDO for it.

:lookaroun

:lol:

And that is what's really important. As long as we are on the thread drift, you should see construction projects in a place like New York City or even in my former town in NJ. You think Disney is bad? It took over 2 years for them to rebuild a 20 ft bridge over 4 feet of water in my old suburban neighborhood. In NYC some buildings continually have scaffolding up because of how long projects take. By the time they finally finish they are just restarting since it has taken so long. Labor laws and such allow these projects to go on for as long as they can. In order to make it faster now Disney would likely have to bring everything I house again and get people to work around the clock. Then we would really be living the good life with 200 dollar admissions.

 

[John]

And that is what's really important. As long as we are on the thread drift, you should see construction projects in a place like New York City or even in my former town in NJ. You think Disney is bad? It took over 2 years for them to rebuild a 20 ft bridge over 4 feet of water in my old suburban neighborhood. In NYC some buildings continually have scaffolding up because of how long projects take. By the time they finally finish they are just restarting since it has taken so long. Labor laws and such allow these projects to go on for as long as they can. In order to make it faster now Disney would likely have to bring everything I house again and get people to work around the clock. Then we would really be living the good life with 200 dollar admissions.

How they get anything done at in these two states is beyond me. I have had the unpleasent experience a couple of times working there and it is absolutely the worst when it comes to getting things done. You cant do anything without a Union or paying off someone. corruption is alive and well in America. If you work in a highrise, you have to handsomely tip the UNION elevator operator to get your materials up to the floor you are workng on. If you dont tip, your materials will sit on the dock.....job be damm


So sorry about the Hyjacking of the thread....I really have no right posting here anyway. Truth be told, I get in free.

 

[flynnibus]

So Disney should just maintain the status quo and increase prices while the product deteriorates, that's your argument?

No, it's that simply 'increase attendance' is not always the answer. Attendance is not 'free' - it requires infrastructure (parking situation in DL anyone??, buses in WDW??), overhead (staffing), etc. Increased attendance alone isn't a worthwhile metric. Stuffing the gates with comp'd passes for instance.. maybe useful for short term marketing, but isn't an effective replacement for paid guests long term.

You said Disney should focus on increasing attendance.. that is a limited length road. The hotels was an example of that. It really doesn't do you any good to create significantly more demand than you accommodate. And adding capacity isn't always practical in a stepwise fashion.. often you need to make BIG jumps (DCA at DLR for instance..).

Your post came across as the typical 'just build more attractions and bring more people in' instead. That isn't a simple growth strategy as many people make it out to be. WDW is not just about gate clicks.. it takes a lot to support those admissions. Nevermind everytime you expand, you increase your operating costs.

If the answer was only 'keep adding attractions' - it would be a no brainer and every park would pursue that. But it's not that simple.

That's rumor and conjecture. No basis in fact. I can't imagine Disney being upset at a packed park. I don't know of any theme park operator who complains that they have too many guests.

Then you should go and study why the price increases were not uniform and ask yourself some questions.

 

[GoofGoof]

This is an interesting point. I often wondered if by living local and going frequently to the parks I would get sick of WDW. Only going 1 time a year I am happy with the classics even if there is nothing new. I think there is a fundamental difference between the local perspective and the "tourist" perspective and we are seeing it on this thread.

 

[GoofGoof]

just saying they consider it because of attendance and the money they put in. Obviously its not in the league of Disney, Universal, Busch, Seaworld, or even cedar fair parks when it comes layout, ambiance etc. but those are the 2 parks they see as their "flagships". Sorry for the thread drift.

Back on topic. I dont get why some people cant accept when others have reached their limit on the value they get. Mine was reached a few years ago when I moved down to the orlando area and couldn't for the life me figure out why I would want to go to disney. I used to go 2-3 weeks a year since '87 and am just bored with what Disney currently offers. I still love to go when I can get in for free. But to me, and to those who visit sooo many times i suspect, without anything new its just no longer worth it.

sorry marni 1971 IMHO

Sorry, my last post was referring back to this one.

 

[ScoutN]

- Sea World & Busch Gardens in FL: $169 or $85 per park (parking included, no blackout dates)

Do not for get that buying a two year Platinum through SWSD would make it $145 a year for those, plus the water parks there, AND every other SWP&E in the country.

 

[Sharkreef11]

:lol:

Disney can't win.

If they put up scrims to hide the work they're doing to make the place look great, they get grief because the scrims look ugly. If they don't do the work or only work in off-hours, the paint-chip whining and moaning crew get on their case because the parks look run down. :shrug:

I wasn't trying to come across as complaining. I was just saying I agree that it is confusing how long some of the scrims stay up. I love WDW more than anything (non-human that is) and will go every year regardless. I was agreeing that it is a bit of a puzzler why it take so long for these scrims to go down. I literally won't give it a second thought and just move on. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[captainkidd]

I wasn't trying to come across as complaining. I was just saying I agree that it is confusing how long some of the scrims stay up. I love WDW more than anything (non-human that is) and will go every year regardless. I was agreeing that it is a bit of a puzzler why it take so long for these scrims to go down. I literally won't give it a second thought and just move on. Sorry for the confusion.

Don't be sorry.

There are some folks here that simply will not allow any negative talk of WDW. I like reading (and posting) both the good and the bad. Oddly, I still think WDW is the greatest place on Earth. I also happen to believe they have begun to rest on their laurels. See what I did there? I paid it a huge compliment and insulted it at the same time.

 

[Sharkreef11]

Don't be sorry.

There are some folks here that simply will not allow any negative talk of WDW. I like reading (and posting) both the good and the bad. Oddly, I still think WDW is the greatest place on Earth. I also happen to believe they have begun to rest on their laurels. See what I did there? I paid it a huge compliment and insulted it at the same time.

Thanks man.

:lol: I did notice. :animwink:

I think like you said people should be able to state their opinions freely on here. Just because an opinion is negative doesn't necessarily mean it is trashing Disney. It's kind of like if a loved one says or does something frustrating. You can be frustrated or confused but it doesn't mean you don't love them. Disney has an unconditional love for me and a lot of us for that matter. It would take something catastrophic for me to no longer love it.

You wouldn't continue to go twice a year and for two weeks at a time if it wasn't a passion of yours.

 

[Master Yoda]

Thanks man.

:lol: I did notice. :animwink:

I think like you said people should be able to state their opinions freely on here. Just because an opinion is negative doesn't necessarily mean it is trashing Disney. It's kind of like if a loved one says or does something frustrating. You can be frustrated or confused but it doesn't mean you don't love them. Disney has an unconditional love for me and a lot of us for that matter. It would take something catastrophic for me to no longer love it.

You wouldn't continue to go twice a year and for two weeks at a time if it wasn't a passion of yours.

While this is true, your right to have an opinion does not supersede or preclude people challenging that opinion. This is a discussion forum and part of a discussion is challenging others opinions.

 

[Sharkreef11]

While this is true, your right to have an opinion does not supersede or preclude people challenging that opinion. This is a discussion forum and part of a discussion is challenging others opinions.

Oh I agree. Don't get me wrong I feel the same way.

 

[Epcotian]

I know Jim Hill can be out there, but I do recall a few months back on a podcast that he argued Disney's focus has shifted away from wanting to attract NUMBERS of guests and toward wanting to attract deep-pocketed guests. Attract wealthier people, and control overall numbers through price hikes to create a better park experience for those wealthier people.

It seems to me that the RATE of ticket price inflation at Disney appears targeted to accomplish exactly that.

It does make some sense to me, given that since the last recession began we have seen attendance hold strong, but at the same time 'per guest spending' has fallen, or at least it did fall during the height of the recession from what I remember reading. How to fix it? Focus on the deep wallets rather than those who are there for the rides but not the Main Street USA shopping.

 

[Lucky]

I know Jim Hill can be out there, but I do recall a few months back on a podcast that he argued Disney's focus has shifted away from wanting to attract NUMBERS of guests and toward wanting to attract deep-pocketed guests. Attract wealthier people, and control overall numbers through price hikes to create a better park experience for those wealthier people.

It seems to me that the RATE of ticket price inflation at Disney appears targeted to accomplish exactly that.

It does make some sense to me, given that since the last recession began we have seen attendance hold strong, but at the same time 'per guest spending' has fallen, or at least it did fall during the height of the recession from what I remember reading. How to fix it? Focus on the deep wallets rather than those who are there for the rides but not the Main Street USA shopping.

Sure, they want to get more money from guests who are able and willing to pay higher prices - not just the wealthy but anyone who comes during peak times of the year. But I think there's a second part to the strategy - continue offering discounts as needed during other times of the year for more price-conscious guests.

They're trying to have it both ways, like with airline pricing - fill all the seats, but charge higher prices if you can to passengers who are willing and able to pay more.

 

[hazeleyes]

Having just read "Disney War", it explains corporate Disney's behavior regarding the theme parks. Some random thoughts I took away from the book:

- Disney's top executives spend very little time thinking about the theme parks. Their focus is on movies and tv.

- What little time they spend thinking about the theme parks is mostly negative. Eisner thought of the theme park executives as "monkeys" (quoted from the book), meaning that running a theme park was so easy a monkey could do it.

- Eisner cut corners on theme park maintenance, trying to squeeze every penny of profit out of them. This despite acknowledging that theme parks were one of the few divisions that consistently made money. For a multi-millionaire, Eisner was amazingly cheap.

- One of the first things Eisner did when he took control in 1984 was raise ticket prices. For example, an Annual Pass went from $100 in 1983 to $155 in 1986, a 55% increase in 3 years!

- Roy Disney constantly complained that Eisner kept trying to do the theme parks "on the cheap". The exception being Euro Disney near Paris. Eisner had spent some of his early years in Paris and wanted to impress the locals. He insisted on opening it near Paris despite warnings about the weather and the different vacation habits of Europeans. Euro Disney was a financial disaster and should have gotten Eisner fired but he successfully blamed others for his bad decisions.

- Disney's current CEO, Robert Iger, was loyal to Eisner and inherited many of Eisner's business opinions, including his views of the theme park business.

- Disney's senior executives are among the elite rich, the top 0.1% in the country. They see the prices of WDW and DL vacations as bargins. It makes sense when you attend million dollar fundraisers on weekends and fly on private jets to Aspen to stay in your second (or third or fourth) mansion for Christmas.

Fundamentally, corporate Disney sees the theme parks as a way to pad their substantial annual bonuses. They've completely lost site of Walt Disney's original vision (cited many times) of creating the theme parks so all parents would have a nice place to take their children and share an experience together.

Unfortunately, I don't see this corporate culture changing in the foreseeable future. I so wish Walt Disney were alive today.

Well said and so true!! Wish Walt could see what has happened to his Dream. :veryconfu