Why hasn't everybody started fussing about the upcoming ticket price increase?

[JIMINYCR]

:shrug: Price increases. We can complain, scream, cry, stomp our feet, threaten not to go, gripe about it, but it won't change a thing. It will mean that we will just save a bit longer, maybe alter our plans a bit, stay in a more affordable resort, not spend so much on souvenirs and extravagant gifts. But in the end the majority of us will suck it up and return to WDW because theres no other place like it. Theres still no other place where we can get so much for our buck. And lets face it no where else do we get the feeling of magic like we do once we step onto that property. Once we are there we don't think about how much it costs, we enjoy. For me I'll be returning as long as this body can function.

 

[menamechris]

I won't whine about it...just dealing with it in light of a trip in August.

Usually I wait to buy my tickets when I check in at OKW. I've never bought them ahead of time, but I'm considering it now.

Is there anything about buying them ahead of time (not connected to my hotel room on WDW property) that affects my use of the park? I know there are EMH for people staying on property...do I just show them my hotel key?

Well, so far the price increase is just for Disneyland. Though its quite possible WDW will announce their price hike in the next couple weeks before the summer months, they may also wait until closer to the holidays when a substantial amount of Fantasyland is opened...

 

[ewensell3]

Is there anything about buying them ahead of time (not connected to my hotel room on WDW property) that affects my use of the park? I know there are EMH for people staying on property...do I just show them my hotel key?

Having separate room key and tickets does not affect anything. As you said, just show your room key during EMH. However, when you get checked into your resort go to the concierge desk and have the tickets added to your room keys. They'll take the tickets, hand back your Keys to the Kingdom, and you are back to having just one item to carry again.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

Every day things go up in price gas milk etc unfortunatly even though the economy is not good right now thats how places like gas stations markets etc stay open is increase pricing Disney is just going with the flow to be honest if Disney told me they raised their prices to 400.00 a day i would still go and so would many other people. Thats life things change in 1950 you could buy a car for under 6,000 brand new now my car i bought new in 2007 was 22,000 . Like Some one once said Its a great big beautiful tommorow with new more expensive things lol

 

[Oddysey]

Every day things go up in price gas milk etc unfortunatly even though the economy is not good right now thats how places like gas stations markets etc stay open is increase pricing Disney is just going with the flow to be honest if Disney told me they raised their prices to 400.00 a day i would still go and so would many other people. Thats life things change in 1950 you could buy a car for under 6,000 brand new now my car i bought new in 2007 was 22,000 . Like Some one once said Its a great big beautiful tommorow with new more expensive things lol

First I want to say that I agree that Disney, a private company, can raise prices to any level they see fit. I dont like it, but the parks were put in place to maximize shareholder value, and were not put in place soley to make me happy.

Now to your statement. Yes prices of everything go up as inflation rises, but Disney's single day ticket has exceeded the rate of inflation (According to the CPI) dating back to 2004. Heck, even parking prices have went up 75% from 2004 levels. Gasoline is the only thing that has surpassed Disney ticket hikes during the same period, and many would argue that oil is artificially inflated.

Again Disney can raise prices to any level that they feel necessary, and the volatility of energy cost may be a big reason for it, but to just chalk this conversation up to saying that we should just expect things to get more expensive is a poor reason to support Disneys constantly large price hikes.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

To bad that ticket price for the day did not fluctuate with park capacity. That would be fun to watch the mad rush for the gates.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Man, gotta get my Premier Passes before THEY go up.

Yeahh..About that..I just saw this posted on a few sites just in the past few days..

Disney Premier Passport Price Change

Introduced in March 2010, the Disney Premier Passport provides a full year of admission to both Disneyland Resort theme parks in California and the four theme parks and two water parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, with no blockout dates. As of May 20, 2012, the price of the Disney Premier Passport will increase to $849.00, plus applicable sales tax.

Disney Premier Passports are available for purchase only at select Disney Parks locations:
Walt Disney World Resort - Guest Relations windows at theme parks and the Downtown Disney Area
Disneyland Resort - Theme park ticket booths

 

[misterID]

:shrug: Price increases. We can complain, scream, cry, stomp our feet, threaten not to go, gripe about it, but it won't change a thing. It will mean that we will just save a bit longer, maybe alter our plans a bit, stay in a more affordable resort, not spend so much on souvenirs and extravagant gifts. But in the end the majority of us will suck it up and return to WDW because theres no other place like it. Theres still no other place where we can get so much for our buck. And lets face it no where else do we get the feeling of magic like we do once we step onto that property. Once we are there we don't think about how much it costs, we enjoy. For me I'll be returning as long as this body can function.

There are going to be people who can't afford to go anymore, they've just been priced out. There will be even more people who take trips every year who'll start taking trips every few years, or even less. DL does have an excuse for raising their prices. But WDW, eh...

 

[captainkidd]

There are going to be people who can't afford to go anymore, they've just been priced out. There will be even more people who take trips every year who'll start taking trips every few years, or even less. DL does have an excuse for raising their prices. But WDW, eh...

If the ticket price increase prices anyone out of going now that was going before the increase, then they shouldn't have been going. The increase isn't THAT much. The increase we should all be worrying about our resort prices. That and airfare are what will change people's vacation plans.

 

[flynnibus]

What's even more interesting is that all the major theme park players in Orlando pretty much match each other on ticket prices. Universal Orlando is charging the same $85 per day, Sea World Orlando is $82, Busch Gardens is $82, Legoland is the cheapest at $75, etc.

But in Southern California, Disneyland is far and away the most expensive, even when the similar parks in SoCal like Universal Studios or Sea World or Legoland have been around for decades longer and have more rides or shows than their Orlando counterparts. Disneyland at $87 is much higher than the rest of SoCal's established and famous theme parks;

Disneyland or DCA: $87
Universal Studios Hollywood: $62
Knott's Berry Farm: $57 ($39 online advance purchase)
Sea World San Diego: $73 ($53 online advance purchase)
Legoland California: $72
Six Flags Magic Mountain: $62 ($37 online advance purchase)

That's the most interesting thing to me! In Central Florida it almost appears as if there's collusion amongst the major players to keep all ticket prices nearly the same, but in Southern California the same major players are all noticeably cheaper than Disneyland. A very odd thing to ponder!

The other theme parks in the area mostly operate like your regional Six Flags, etc. They struggle to get people to make more than 1-2 trips a year and price their APs near that 2-4 visit mark to try to upsell people into an AP to try to milk a few more visits out of the guest.

DL on the other hand has a generation+ accustomed to hitting DL once a month or more.. and 2 more generations before that who still find reasons to visit the park multiple times a year. DL isn't trying to milk a guest from a 'once a year visitor to 2-3 times a year'.. they are pricing a lifestyle product. That's why they can afford to be so different in pricing.

Orlando on the other hand is still all chasing the tourist dollar. Very different marketing and targeting.

 

[flynnibus]

WDW's price increases should be interesting to time this year.. historically they were more in August, but last few years they did June. This year DLR jumped ahead (presumably) to get before their June 15 DCA rededication and make sure news about price hikes doesn't compete with DCA opening news.

Question is will WDW wait until more FL is ready.. or return to their old ways? I bet a ticket increase in August meets a lot of the criteria. Before the next major wave of FLE openings.. far enough away to not cause bad press for FLE or DCA.. etc.

I bet WDW prices aren't as big a jump as DLRs.. ignoring the $150 price hike in the Premium all the locals are whining about.. the one day prices jumped a good bit. I think most of this has to do with DCA being a full valued park now... a delta that isn't happening in WDW this year.. so I wager WDW's bumps will be more like last years... but in August instead of June.

 

[fractal]

Not quite a complete explanation. First, the "law" is misnamed, since it isn't like a law of physics, which explains how something works, but is instead more of a drastically simplified model, meant to exhibit not how the market really works, but to show how one factor would affect the markets, if only that factor mattered.

Under that model, a decrease in demand causes prices to fall because suppliers are presumed to want to sell everything they have produced. Alternatively, suppliers respond to a decrease in demand by dropping production so that they don't need to drop prices to sell everything produced. But that only holds in a market with completely flexible supply and demand.

With WDW, the supply is not flexible, and Disney does not need to sell everything. Rather, they will set prices so that demand is equal to or less than the available supply (max capacity) in the way that maximizes total revenue. The basic model assumes the markets are looking to sell a particular quantity, but In a business with inelastic supply, letting some go unused can maximize total revenue, if the demand curve is inelastic as well. So, if raising prices by 5% only causes a 3% drop in demand, you come out ahead by raising prices. And if dropping prices by 5% only causes a 3% increase in demand, you come out a loser despite the fact that you sell more.

Mich, thanks for your more detailed explanation. I'm always up for a refresher on the nuances of the dismal science. My comment was a simple response to the OP by JimboJones. Specifically this...

"This is the last straw. And that record attendance cannot possible warrant higher prices. Nor the fact that hours have been expanded like crazy the past year. Especially in the offseasons. Back to pre 2001 levels.

How dare Disney World raise prices again in that kind of prosperous climate of high demand?"

I thought he may have been sarcastic - Record attendance can obviously warrant higher prices, as well as expanding hours like crazy ( which would lead to more cost and a higher valued product ).

And - How dare they not raise prices during a period of high demand? Disney is not a charity, it is a business - and thank God it is being run as a business or it would have went bust years ago.

To JimboJones - my apologizes for my post reading as harsh as it does. You have as much right to complain about Disney increasing its prices as Disney has in raising them. It was your argument against the company that I had issue with.

 

[ADP2]

I don't complain when Disney raises ticket prices....What I complain about is the size of the increases. I expect them to raise prices at and a few percentage points beyond inflation, but looking at it if they continue to raise prices at the high percentage they raise them every year Disney will be unaffordable by many of us in 10 to 15 years. Surely to god every one sees that.

 

[TP2000]

There are going to be people who can't afford to go anymore, they've just been priced out. There will be even more people who take trips every year who'll start taking trips every few years, or even less. DL does have an excuse for raising their prices. But WDW, eh...

The price for a day ticket to Disneyland or DCA just went from 80 bucks to 87 bucks. That's a seven dollar increase, or roughly a 9% rise in the cost of the ticket.

If a person can't afford the seven dollar increase, or even the 28 dollar increase for a family of four, then they have no business wasting money on a trip to Disneyland to begin with.

I'm no fan of increased prices, but let's not pretend that Disney just tripled the cost of a ticket and now requires a credit check before you are let in the gate. It was a 7 dollar increase in the price of a ticket.

 

[G00fyDad]

The price for a day ticket to Disneyland or DCA just went from 80 bucks to 87 bucks. That's a seven dollar increase, or roughly a 9% rise in the cost of the ticket.

If a person can't afford the seven dollar increase, or even the 28 dollar increase for a family of four, then they have no business wasting money on a trip to Disneyland to begin with.

I'm no fan of increased prices, but let's not pretend that Disney just tripled the cost of a ticket and now requires a credit check before you are let in the gate. It was a 7 dollar increase in the price of a ticket.

^^ This.

I have never understood this thought process. It's baffling to see people post "Disney raised prices....again!! Now I almost cannot afford to go!" If it were that close to begin with, then why are you chancing it? Stay home.

 

[WDW1974]

I fully expected an increase for DCA's 2.0 opening. I wrote about it oh about the time of last year's rise. That said, I gotta say Georgie K has a set of big ones when you look at the % increase.

Putting it in simpler terms, a PAP for DLR was $199 not more than 6-7 years ago and now it is $649. The least expensive AP (for years a $99 type deal) is now $269 and more pricey than the PAP was in the early to mid 00s.

For all who puke forth the Al Lutz line that this is designed to cull the giant herd of APers (now in the million range ... yep, that is a HUGE number), that couldn't be further from the truth. TDA would like to sell even more of them. They don't mind losing some and having some drop a level or two because they believe others will step right in and buy the higher priced passes.

As for WDW, I just don't see how they're gonna spin the upcoming increase when the parks are as stale as ever (no, moving Dumbo and taking away the Barnstormer's theming and rebuilding a train station isn't really anything new or exciting). DLR can point to lots of new and pricey additions and immersive theming and added and new entertainment offerings ... and WDW can offer what? ... Phineas and Ferb taking over Kim Possible's Epcot Adventure? That sure will justify a price increase won't it?

Oh well, I guess I just have to 'settle' for my brand new 84 euro DLP AP.

 

[Bob Saget]

People who get so upset over a $7.00 increase should work in the hotel/motel industry for a weekend. I worked at a property in Pigeon Forge, TN for close to 11 years. Sometimes our rate would jump +$30.00 or +$40.00 up from the standard rate (in less than an hour sometimes) just because of a sudden rush, or increased traffic on the parkway, etc.
A family who checked-in at 4:00pm when we were slower might be paying $69.95+ tax a night. While a same-size family in an identical room who checked-in at 7:00pm that evening...during a busy rush...would be paying $109.95 +tax a night.
So keep in mind that Disney's supply & demand policies pale in comparison to some other industries/companies.

 

[fractal]

People who get so upset over a $7.00 increase should work in the hotel/motel industry for a weekend. I worked at a property in Pigeon Forge, TN for close to 11 years. Sometimes our rate would jump +$30.00 or +$40.00 up from the standard rate just because of a sudden rush, or increased traffic on the parkway, etc.
A family who checked-in at 1:00pm when we were slower might be paying $69.95+ tax a night. While a same-size family in an identical room who checked-in at 7:00pm that evening...during a busy rush...would be paying $109.95 +tax a night.
So keep in mind that Disney's supply & demand policies pale in comparison to some other industries/companies.

A long time ago I worked for a motel at the Jersey Shore. They would leave a block of about 10% of their rooms open for a big weekend - like the 4th of July.

So come that Friday night, people would pour in without any reservations. A typical room that would go for $150 a night could easily be sold for $400, or $500 or maybe more. One night an auction broke out between parties looking for a room - it went for $100 a person per night - full occupancy which was 7 people. $700 a night for a crappy motel room with a three night minimum stay and this was in the early 90's.

The only risk was if the weather turned bad - but you could usually still fill the rooms for the regular price. I consider that experience my third business class.

 

[WDW1974]

People who get so upset over a $7.00 increase should work in the hotel/motel industry for a weekend. I worked at a property in Pigeon Forge, TN for close to 11 years. Sometimes our rate would jump +$30.00 or +$40.00 up from the standard rate (in less than an hour sometimes) just because of a sudden rush, or increased traffic on the parkway, etc.
A family who checked-in at 4:00pm when we were slower might be paying $69.95+ tax a night. While a same-size family in an identical room who checked-in at 7:00pm that evening...during a busy rush...would be paying $109.95 +tax a night.
So keep in mind that Disney's supply & demand policies pale in comparison to some other industries/companies.

I get what you are saying ... and it's sorta comparable to sitting on an airline and you paid $245 for your seat, but the guy next to you bought his ticket 48 hours later and paid $439 for the same thing.

Disney tickets are a bit different ... it isn't really supply and demand so much as how much they can squeeze out of their visitors.

DLR really has a high quality product, but I think I'm gonna be relying on comps from friends as I am not really comfortable with the AP pricepoints and I don't ever buy day passes (with one recent exception).

 

[Bob Saget]

I consider that experience my third business class.

Lol yeah I learned a lot from working in the hospitality industry. Hotel/motels have ways of getting your money that other industries couldn't get away with. It certainly was an interesting job, and I learned a lot of tips from working front-desk that help us save when we travel (such as avoiding busy weekends like the plague! Travel when kids are in school. If you walk in to a lobby and there is a long line of people in front of you...come back later, as you'll probably get quoted a higher rate if you try to get a room during an influx. We would have people come in to get a room during the peak rush when tourists were overwhelming the lobby. They would be quoted a high rate due to the influx of demand at the time. They'd leave and come back around 11:30pm when things had cooled down and get a room for much cheaper, due to us wanting to get rid of unsold rooms). It's amazing the types of deals we've gotten while on the road, just by waiting to find a room until real late...after the high demand periods sizzle down.