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

[ChrisFL]

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.

Did that include free GTL?

 

[misterID]

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.

Since this was stated more than once, I'll just answer here...

It's not about "not being able to afford a seven dollar increase" it's about budgeting your vacation when you're counting your dollars. 87 bucks for a family of 4 isn't just a difference of seven bucks, when you include gas (or airfare) food, hotel, etc., because it does add up.

And spare me with the "they have no business going if they can't afford seven dollars", no one is picking Disney over buying groceries. That's an utterly lame argument. It is a big increase to the average family.

 

[WDW1974]

Since this was stated more than once, I'll just answer here...

It's not about "not being able to afford a seven dollar increase" it's about budgeting your vacation when you're counting your dollars. 87 bucks for a family of 4 isn't just a difference of seven bucks, when you include gas (or airfare) food, hotel, etc., because it does add up.

And spare me with the "they have no business going if they can't afford seven dollars", no one is picking Disney over buying groceries. That's an utterly lame argument. It is a big increase to the average family.

I agree. That's like people saying what's the difference if you pay an extra 70 cents a gallon for gas. It all adds up and it certainly affects people.

Go back 10 years ago ... or even 5-6 and take a look at the increases. They aren't small or insignificant. And Disney isn't exactly hurting either.

I think there's a point where it all just feels like too much. I had a spur of the moment day free in December in Anaheim and wanted to see the Christmas entertainment as I hadn't since 2007 (not that it has changed much). Since it was last minute, I didn't want to put anyone out by asking for a last-minute walk-in and paid $80 for the day (something I don't think I've ever done at DL). I felt it was well worth what I paid ... BUT there is a point where I would have felt uncomfortable ... $87 ... probably would have been fine ... but $90? $95? $100? I dunno ... but there's a point where I wouldn't have done it and not for financial reasons, but for price point reasons.

It's why I'll sit at a movie thirsty before paying $6 for a Coke. It just isn't worth the price.

 

[misterID]

And that's why my girl brings a big purse to the movies.

They're really seeing how far they can actually push people. I still think that's dangerous for DL, unless they really do become the #1 tourist destination spot and they're able to hold that position. I'm not sure Carsland is the thing to do it.

I just have a feeling this is a push to get more tourists and lose some locals. Just a gut feeling.

 

[WDW1974]

And that's why my girl brings a big purse to the movies.

They're really seeing how far they can actually push people. I still think that's dangerous for DL, unless they really do become the #1 tourist destination spot and they're able to hold that position. I'm not sure Carsland is the thing to do it.

I just have a feeling this is a push to get more tourists and lose some locals. Just a gut feeling.

I wonder what kind of summer they'll have. I contemplated going out there next month, but realized I can wait until September to visit. I am not one of the Disney Lifestyle folks who simply must be there on 6/15. I was there on 2/8/01 and that was the one that mattered, for better or worse.

They do want to get more tourists and have been moving in that direction. What was once a 70/30 split with locals is now more like 55/45. I don't think they'll ever get it below a 50/50 deal, though. You have so many folks who live in the Santa Barbara to Mexico area including eastward to the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley (all considered locals to DLR). ... But I also don't think they're looking to lose locals at all, just wanting them to pay more.

 

[TP2000]

And spare me with the "they have no business going if they can't afford seven dollars", no one is picking Disney over buying groceries. That's an utterly lame argument. It is a big increase to the average family.

For a family of four, it's an increase of 28 dollars for a day at Disneyland. 28 bucks.

The volatile price of gasoline, rising by as much as a dollar a gallon in the last six months, factors into the cost of a family vacation as Dad fills up the Family Truckster more than the extra seven bucks per head to get into Wallyworld.

 

[TP2000]

They do want to get more tourists and have been moving in that direction. What was once a 70/30 split with locals is now more like 55/45. I don't think they'll ever get it below a 50/50 deal, though. You have so many folks who live in the Santa Barbara to Mexico area including eastward to the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley (all considered locals to DLR). ... But I also don't think they're looking to lose locals at all, just wanting them to pay more.

There's been a dramatic rise in International tourists to Disneyland in the last few years, but mainly from the affluent Pacific Rim countries from Australia to Korea that the old guard Euro-centric folks on the East Coast or Continent don't realize are the rising powers in this bold new century.

That said, you can't argue with the 30 Million people living between Santa Barbara and Ensenada, Mexico. The fact that a Mexican citizen living 50 miles over the border in Ensenada gets to pay the "Locals" rate for tickets and Annual Passes to Disneyland, while the American citizen living up in San Francisco or out in Pheonix has to pay the higher tourist rates, speaks volumes about Disneyland's "local" market. I'm surprised Rush Limbaugh hasn't latched onto that nice little perk a Mexican gets at the Disneyland ticket booths, a perk not extended to someone from Arizona or Oakland. The great SoCal megalopolis that Disneyland taps into knows no boundaries; cultural or national.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I wonder what kind of summer they'll have. I contemplated going out there next month, but realized I can wait until September to visit. I am not one of the Disney Lifestyle folks who simply must be there on 6/15. I was there on 2/8/01 and that was the one that mattered, for better or worse.

They do want to get more tourists and have been moving in that direction. What was once a 70/30 split with locals is now more like 55/45. I don't think they'll ever get it below a 50/50 deal, though. You have so many folks who live in the Santa Barbara to Mexico area including eastward to the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley (all considered locals to DLR). ... But I also don't think they're looking to lose locals at all, just wanting them to pay more.

I don't see why they would have the need to want more tourists. We (Disneyland locals) support them enough. We have our passes, we buy the food and we buy the souvenirs too. I don't see why the tourist thing would matter, they're still making their money.:shrug:

 

[Admiral01]

Since this was stated more than once, I'll just answer here...

It's not about "not being able to afford a seven dollar increase" it's about budgeting your vacation when you're counting your dollars. 87 bucks for a family of 4 isn't just a difference of seven bucks, when you include gas (or airfare) food, hotel, etc., because it does add up.

And spare me with the "they have no business going if they can't afford seven dollars", no one is picking Disney over buying groceries. That's an utterly lame argument. It is a big increase to the average family.

I agree, the hit on a family of 4 is more important than most would understand.

That said, the one that gets us is the $100 increase in the Premier Passport. The 13.4% increase in the Premier Passport is a bit steep, especially for casual visitors to the other coast's resort. They priced me out of that this year. We (dual incomes with no kids who like to blow money on things like food, drinks, and vacations) spent under 20 hours at Disneyland last year, spent around $500 on food and gifts and other frivilous things (not including the price of the ticket), but did so on a pass I upgraded from our WDW APs. The cost for that upgrade totaled over $500. The extra $100 per person for the Premier Passport for less than 2 full days at Disneyland isn't going to happen again. I will keep vacationing at WDW, but I won't be taking any of my afternoon-after-work trips down to Disneyland when I am on the West Coast in the future. Too bad, because I do enjoy dinner at Disneyland after riding Pirates and Indy...but it isn't worth an additional $700 for the WDW AP upgrade for the two of us. We will just hang at the beach in Santa Monica and eat at Lucques instead of doing a few rides and eating at the Blue Bayou for here on out.

 

[Communicore]

Hah, I'm gonna have a shirt made that says $100 when the WDW tickets reach the century mark in 2014.

 

[Vader2112]

I just renewed my WDW AP and the price went up slightly. They will hit us all once FLE is opened up.

 

[wdwmagic]

Bit more info
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Other/Magic...orld-ticket-pricing-increases-coming-soon.htm

 

[flynnibus]

I don't see why they would have the need to want more tourists. We (Disneyland locals) support them enough. We have our passes, we buy the food and we buy the souvenirs too. I don't see why the tourist thing would matter, they're still making their money.:shrug:

Seriously? You need this spelled out?

So an AP holder comes and eats a meal and hits some rides for a few hours.

Compare this to visiting for a FULL DAY. How many meals and drinks are you going to consume in a few hours vs. a full day?

When you visit in via a car... driving by yourself. How many parking spots does an AP group take up compared to tourists staying onsite or nearby? 1 or 2 people per car vs family per car.

'Opportunist spending' - When you are visiting all the time, there is no pressure to 'buy something now' because you know you can always come back and buy it later. A tourist knows if they don't buy it now, they won't have another opportunity for a long time. That leads to greater close rates on transactions.

Vacation spending vs recreational spending. As a frequent visitor, are you going to 'go all out' with your spending or just keep it mellow? People on vacation spend more than a passer by because they have focused all their savings and efforts for this 'one moment'. They are more loose with their wallets because this won't be a frequent occurrence.. it's vacation.. not simply 'friday night activity'.

Hotel stays. A tourist needs somewhere to stay.. and Disney has lots of nice expensive rooms they want you to stay in. A 'friday night visitor' isn't going to stay in a hotel and spend that money on Disney rooms.

A visitor population that comes and spends big less frequently.. vs someone who visits frequently, but spends small... doesn't need as much 'new and different' in the park to keep enticing them back.. because they don't bore of the same stuff when they see it so frequently. A frequent visitor base requires more change and add-ons to fight the boredom.


etc etc etc

APs love to say how much they spend... yet ignore the cost of their pass is pretty much the cost of only 2-3 nights in a Disney hotel. Then they say how much they spend in the parks... forgetting how often they about where is my AP discount on said items or that it's not enough.

Bottom line is.. people on vacation spend big... people hanging out spend little. Yes you may spend little x many visits - but it takes you a lot of visits and resources to seperate you from that money... and you're buying at a discount all the time. You cost more to appease, you are less profitable because you buy at a discount, you cost more to host over so many visits, and you don't spend like a 'one time visitor'.

It's better for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person in a week.. then it is for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person over a year.

 

[eranwolf]

I blame John Carter :animwink:

 

[Californian Elitist]

Seriously? You need this spelled out?

So an AP holder comes and eats a meal and hits some rides for a few hours.

Compare this to visiting for a FULL DAY. How many meals and drinks are you going to consume in a few hours vs. a full day?

When you visit in via a car... driving by yourself. How many parking spots does an AP group take up compared to tourists staying onsite or nearby? 1 or 2 people per car vs family per car.

'Opportunist spending' - When you are visiting all the time, there is no pressure to 'buy something now' because you know you can always come back and buy it later. A tourist knows if they don't buy it now, they won't have another opportunity for a long time. That leads to greater close rates on transactions.

Vacation spending vs recreational spending. As a frequent visitor, are you going to 'go all out' with your spending or just keep it mellow? People on vacation spend more than a passer by because they have focused all their savings and efforts for this 'one moment'. They are more loose with their wallets because this won't be a frequent occurrence.. it's vacation.. not simply 'friday night activity'.

Hotel stays. A tourist needs somewhere to stay.. and Disney has lots of nice expensive rooms they want you to stay in. A 'friday night visitor' isn't going to stay in a hotel and spend that money on Disney rooms.

A visitor population that comes and spends big less frequently.. vs someone who visits frequently, but spends small... doesn't need as much 'new and different' in the park to keep enticing them back.. because they don't bore of the same stuff when they see it so frequently. A frequent visitor base requires more change and add-ons to fight the boredom.


etc etc etc

APs love to say how much they spend... yet ignore the cost of their pass is pretty much the cost of only 2-3 nights in a Disney hotel. Then they say how much they spend in the parks... forgetting how often they about where is my AP discount on said items or that it's not enough.

Bottom line is.. people on vacation spend big... people hanging out spend little. Yes you may spend little x many visits - but it takes you a lot of visits and resources to seperate you from that money... and you're buying at a discount all the time. You cost more to appease, you are less profitable because you buy at a discount, you cost more to host over so many visits, and you don't spend like a 'one time visitor'.

It's better for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person in a week.. then it is for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person over a year.

No, I don't need it all spelled out. There are plenty of people in SoCal who AREN'T AP's, who AREN'T getting discounts, who ARE spending entire days in the parks, who ARE paying for the food, blah blah blah. Not to mention those who don't live in California and they as well don't have AP's and visit for multiple days in the parks. Plus, even those with AP's still spend entire days in the parks and still fork up extra money for other things. Just because locals are the majority doesn't mean all of us only spend a couple of hours in the park. I'm saying I don't think the need for more and more tourists is really that important for the Disneyland Resort. Disneyland doesn't need to become a huge tourist magnet like WDW. Some people are making it seem like the MAIN REASON for the price hikes is because Disneyland needs more tourists. I'm saying that's not the main reason.

Quick question, are you a SoCal local with a Disneyland AP?

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Disney has and will always raise it's prices. That's the way the business works. But unfortunately, not everyone is getting a raise at work to go along with Disney's price raise. I know once our trip is September is over we may not head back to the world until next fall. It's just getting way too expensive. And people will disagree with me on this and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it seems like Disney is charging more and giving less. Maybe they should consider taking some of the bonus money the CEO's and upper management receive and put it towards fixing the parks up. With FLE and BTMR refurb, they are taking a step in the right direction, but for a family who can only go in the summer to WDW, they're going to be paying peak rates for everything and spend hours waiting in line. I hardly see how its worth it anymore. Crowds are INSANE there somedays. I can see now why some first time visitors come home and decide to never go again.

We bought an AP last year and will have used 20 days by the time it expires. Definitely the best deal for us and saved us a LOT of money but if we hadn't already had a trip planned for this spring, I don't know if we would have taken that extra trip last fall or if we would take the extra trip coming up this fall. We may have chosen to go elsewhere and with the way things are going, I potentially see us doing that in the future instead of Disney. Heading to other places, other parts of the country instead.

 

[flynnibus]

No, I don't need it all spelled out. There are plenty of people in SoCal who AREN'T AP's, who AREN'T getting discounts, who ARE spending entire days in the parks, who ARE paying for the food, blah blah blah. Not to mention those who don't live in California and they as well don't have AP's and visit for multiple days in the parks. Plus, even those with AP's still spend entire days in the parks and still fork up extra money for other things. Just because locals are the majority doesn't mean all of us only spend a couple of hours in the park. I'm saying I don't think the need for more and more tourists is really that important for the Disneyland Resort. Disneyland doesn't need to become a huge tourist magnet like WDW. Some people are making it seem like the MAIN REASON for the price hikes is because Disneyland needs more tourists. I'm saying that's not the main reason.

You completely ignore why they took DL and made it (attempted to) into DLR. To make DL a destination resort.. and not just a day dodge you do while in SoCal. Their entire model is predicated on pulling you in and trying to get you to stay more days. It's why they built DCA, it's why DTD exists, it's why they bought and built hotels.

Disney should have no interest in just being a day dodge for SoCal. That's what pulls you down to just being another local amusement and puts price pressure on you to compete on their levels.

Vacationers are the whales.. and that's who DL tried to land with the resort expansion and failed to do so.. and why they again reinvested in the resort now to try to make it happen.

The guy who thinks he's special because he paid $500 for an AP is nothing compared to an out of town family staying in the DL Hotel for 4 days, paying for onsite meals, buying BBB makeovers, doing all their entertainment onsite, buying all their cherished souvenirs, and getting fat without AP discounts.

Quick question, are you a SoCal local with a Disneyland AP?

No

 

[dcibrando]

Seriously? You need this spelled out?

So an AP holder comes and eats a meal and hits some rides for a few hours.

Compare this to visiting for a FULL DAY. How many meals and drinks are you going to consume in a few hours vs. a full day?

When you visit in via a car... driving by yourself. How many parking spots does an AP group take up compared to tourists staying onsite or nearby? 1 or 2 people per car vs family per car.

'Opportunist spending' - When you are visiting all the time, there is no pressure to 'buy something now' because you know you can always come back and buy it later. A tourist knows if they don't buy it now, they won't have another opportunity for a long time. That leads to greater close rates on transactions.

Vacation spending vs recreational spending. As a frequent visitor, are you going to 'go all out' with your spending or just keep it mellow? People on vacation spend more than a passer by because they have focused all their savings and efforts for this 'one moment'. They are more loose with their wallets because this won't be a frequent occurrence.. it's vacation.. not simply 'friday night activity'.

Hotel stays. A tourist needs somewhere to stay.. and Disney has lots of nice expensive rooms they want you to stay in. A 'friday night visitor' isn't going to stay in a hotel and spend that money on Disney rooms.

A visitor population that comes and spends big less frequently.. vs someone who visits frequently, but spends small... doesn't need as much 'new and different' in the park to keep enticing them back.. because they don't bore of the same stuff when they see it so frequently. A frequent visitor base requires more change and add-ons to fight the boredom.


etc etc etc

APs love to say how much they spend... yet ignore the cost of their pass is pretty much the cost of only 2-3 nights in a Disney hotel. Then they say how much they spend in the parks... forgetting how often they about where is my AP discount on said items or that it's not enough.

Bottom line is.. people on vacation spend big... people hanging out spend little. Yes you may spend little x many visits - but it takes you a lot of visits and resources to seperate you from that money... and you're buying at a discount all the time. You cost more to appease, you are less profitable because you buy at a discount, you cost more to host over so many visits, and you don't spend like a 'one time visitor'.

It's better for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person in a week.. then it is for Disney to get $1,000 out of a person over a year.

I could not disagree with this more. We are DVC members, we do not live a short drive away, yet take 2-3 trips to Disney a year because we are annual passholders (get a small DVC discount on them). I guarantee you I spend a TON more on 3 trips being an annual passholder (even with the discount) than I would if I only came for 1 week on a standard priced package.

 

[flynnibus]

I could not disagree with this more. We are DVC members, we do not live a short drive away, yet take 2-3 trips to Disney a year because we are annual passholders (get a small DVC discount on them). I guarantee you I spend a TON more on 3 trips being an annual passholder (even with the discount) than I would if I only came for 1 week on a standard priced package.

You are mixing apples and oranges here.

You own DVC - you're locked into Disney spending period.

Second, he was talking about local AP holders.. not distant AP holders.

People who buy APs so they can make multiple vacations to DLR are completely different than the 'I goto DLR every week' crowd.

The litmus test is simple...'I goto DLR instead of going to the movies' or 'I goto DLR instead of heading out to the bar' - If either of these things apply to you.. then you are within the scope of the discussion of local Disney lifestyle AP holders.

The locals always say 'well I eat in the parks too!' and stuff.. yet still think their evening after work drop by to see F! a few times a month somehow is equivalent to a vacationer blowing their once a year wad on the park.

 

[dcibrando]

you may also be mixing apples and oranges... DLR tries to appeal more to the locals and repeat visitors.

Just because I own DVC does not mean I am "locked into Disney spending" - I can use my points for non-Disney World locations (as I have before)

you also need to consider... AP holders going more often than those that just vacate once every few years (or a lifetime) at Disney not to mention maybe the most important factor all together...and that is those that have spent ALOT of money for their week-long Disney vacation may not be as open with spending money once they are there (since they have spent so much already) than those AP holders that go more often and doesn't find it as painful to eat table service meals or buy a new souvi this time, etc.

You have to remember... many of the rare vacationers/week-long vistors have blew "a wad" before they got there... so they are more than likely on a budget where-as those AP holders are not as much.

I know a lot of people that go to Disney to vacate, but in order to save money stay off property and bring lunches to the parks