Will these prices ever cap out?

THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disney’s a very special place for many people and many will do almost anything to get there and the Disney company taking advantage of it. I’d rather them hold out on the fancy gadgets in these rides and attractions we have lived so long without and still enjoyed the parks just as much maybe even more. I’m going to Epcot, the crowds at the Magic Kingdom aren’t worth it to me but it’s a shame that others have to give up on something they have loved for so long not to mention sold itself. it would be a shame if the parks turned into a getaway for the rich and rich only. For what I see it the board is milking the parks and stock until they bail leaving Disney bankrupt. Educate me if I’m wrong that’s how I see it I know nothing about the market but I really should.
 
Tom P.

Tom P.

Well-Known Member
This debate has been had on these boards over and over again. I suspect we are going to see much of the same in this thread. But you asked, so I'll provide my perspective.

And from my perspective, there is no incentive for Disney to drop prices or even cap them right now. Attendance numbers show that the market is able to bear the prices that they are putting in place. Magic Kingdom, for example, is still the most visited theme park in the world. And it is not just the rich who are attending. In 2019, there were over 20 million visitors to that park. That is not all made up of wealthy people. The bulk of people attending are still firmly planted in the middle class.

The only way that Disney will stop increasing prices is if people stop paying them. And, really, the only way I see that happening is if there is a downturn in the economy. When that happens, you still see price increases stop for a period of time and steep discounts offered.

Bottom line: As long as people are willing to pay the prices, Disney is going to keep raising them.
 
eliza61nyc

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Lands of Wonder said:
Disney’s a very special place for many people and many will do almost anything to get there and the Disney company taking advantage of it. I’d rather them hold out on the fancy gadgets in these rides and attractions we have lived so long without and still enjoyed the parks just as much maybe even more. I’m going to Epcot, the crowds at the Magic Kingdom aren’t worth it to me but it’s a shame that others have to give up on something they have loved for so long not to mention sold itself. it would be a shame if the parks turned into a getaway for the rich and rich only. For what I see it the board is milking the parks and stock until they bail leaving Disney bankrupt. Educate me if I’m wrong that’s how I see it I know nothing about the market but I really should.
Click to expand...


So one thing to learn is that a for profit company's goal is to make a profit. In Disney's case as a public company it's job is to first and foremost give the people who own the company a return on the money they gave the company. Every body swears that this strategy is doomed to fail, well so far it has not.
Now as to whether or not it's a shame, that's a matter of opinion. I never had the opinion that every thing has to be made available to me at a price I can afford. some places I can afford, other places I cannot. I only went once as a child and I remember quite well the sacrifices that my parents made to get us there so I don't remember this time when everyone in the country could afford it. and I have definitely canceled trips because of money being needed somewhere else.
Worth is also very subjective. I agree, I hate the crowds so I have to make a decision whether or not I think it's worth the asking price knowing in all probability its going to be crowded Some folks find Disney to be worth every cent they give it, others do not. The company is not taking advantage of any thing. it's all about perspective. If someone decides to go into debt to go on vacation, that is totally on them.
Now there are tons of arguments as to why the parks are crowded. some swear it's because Disney is not staffing at appropriate levels, some say it's simply a popular place with no downturn. could be a combination of both.

what do you think would happen if Disney did drop the price? I would think that would make the crowds worst.
 
Last edited:
disneyflush

disneyflush

Well-Known Member
The mentality I see in a lot of posts has gone from 'no way will i ever pay xx per day to get in the parks' to 'i feel bad for the families and people that can't afford it now'. Disney called everyone on their 'won't go back at this price' bluffs and the new normal is paying whatever it takes to get there and get in but salvaging some of that outrage by feeling bad for people not willing or able to pay it. Most on these boards have no price limit to keep them from going back. For some of the same people that mentality isn't tied to a corresponding economic reality. The days of waiting for WDW to finally hit the point where they get punished for raising prices so quickly are over. The next recession will do it but not because they ever hit some magical price cap where reality sets in for most people. Still too many people willing to be miserable for 51 weeks per year in order to spend 1 week at WDW for Facebook/Instagram likes.
 
Tom P.

Tom P.

Well-Known Member
disneyflush said:
The mentality I see in a lot of posts has gone from 'no way will i ever pay xx per day to get in the parks' to 'i feel bad for the families and people that can't afford it now'. Disney called everyone on their 'won't go back at this price' bluffs and the new normal is paying whatever it takes to get there and get in but salvaging some of that outrage by feeling bad for people not willing or able to pay it. Most on these boards have no price limit to keep them from going back. For some of the same people that mentality isn't tied to a corresponding economic reality. The days of waiting for WDW to finally hit the point where they get punished for raising prices so quickly are over. The next recession will do it but not because they ever hit some magical price cap where reality sets in for most people. Still too many people willing to be miserable for 51 weeks per year in order to spend 1 week at WDW for Facebook/Instagram likes.
Click to expand...
We like to vacation at Walt Disney World. It is expensive. We do make sacrifices throughout the year and give up things we might otherwise enjoy to afford it. Oh, and we also do not have Facebook accounts or share any details of our vacations on social media.
 
ELG13

ELG13

Well-Known Member
We are firmly middle class and we go every year for a week. We live in a beach town that is an extremely popular tourist destination and the crowds are getting higher every year. When we were younger we would vacation for a week on the beach, in a house with my aunt's uncles and cousins. When we had kids we started wanting to do family vacations so I naturally priced a house. The price for the house alone for a week is more than the cost of our week long vacation at Disney, and thats including meals! If we were to include groceries, meals, and everything else, the beach vacation would run us $7500-$8500 . I deal shop for the best room rates for the cabins, we purchased annual passes because they were cheaper than regular tickets. With meals for the week we usually get out around $3500. We stay at the cabins at Ft Wilderness so the room runs around $320 a night. Could we have a cheaper beach vacation? Yes. But when we go on vacation we want to have fun and be comfortable and there's really not many affordable options on our beach and peak season down her now runs april-october. Is Disney expensive? Yes. Are vacations expensive? Yes. Vacations are splurges and I wish I had the money to do more of them lol however we do one maybe two a year. We save and pay for Disney over the course of 8-12 months usually so it's affordable for us.
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Holding out on fancy gadgets and improved attractions to hold down prices doesnt help anyone. Disney needs to improve, move forward, and keep ahead of the competitors in the industry. To continue attracting new generations as well as existing park goers they need to attract attention and desire to stay with Disney. Yes prices have gone up but Disney needs to cover costs of building on, paying staff, developing new technology, improving attractions and infrastructure. Its not all about greed or keeping the little guy out, nor is it giving only the rich a playground thats exclusive to them.
 
RustySpork

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
JIMINYCR said:
Holding out on fancy gadgets and improved attractions to hold down prices doesnt help anyone. Disney needs to improve, move forward, and keep ahead of the competitors in the industry. To continue attracting new generations as well as existing park goers they need to attract attention and desire to stay with Disney. Yes prices have gone up but Disney needs to cover costs of building on, paying staff, developing new technology, improving attractions and infrastructure. Its not all about greed or keeping the little guy out, nor is it giving only the rich a playground thats exclusive to them.
Click to expand...

All that and also show an increase in their balance sheet to please shareholders.
 
bryanfze55

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
disneyflush said:
The mentality I see in a lot of posts has gone from 'no way will i ever pay xx per day to get in the parks' to 'i feel bad for the families and people that can't afford it now'. Disney called everyone on their 'won't go back at this price' bluffs and the new normal is paying whatever it takes to get there and get in but salvaging some of that outrage by feeling bad for people not willing or able to pay it. Most on these boards have no price limit to keep them from going back. For some of the same people that mentality isn't tied to a corresponding economic reality. The days of waiting for WDW to finally hit the point where they get punished for raising prices so quickly are over. The next recession will do it but not because they ever hit some magical price cap where reality sets in for most people. Still too many people willing to be miserable for 51 weeks per year in order to spend 1 week at WDW for Facebook/Instagram likes.
Click to expand...

Why do you assume people are miserable for 51 weeks out of the year?
 
ELG13

ELG13

Well-Known Member
bryanfze55 said:
Why do you assume people are miserable for 51 weeks out of the year?
Click to expand...
Right? Saving and setting aside for a vacation doesn't make us miserable. I just see it as reallocation of funds. The money we would spend on a dinner out goes towards it. I'm a freelancer so I'll pick up extra jobs here and there to throw money at it. Doesn't make us miserable. It makes us have something to look forward to. The kids enjoy the countdown, picking out their skins for their magic bands...we enjoy preparing for our trips. It also helps our kids learn the value of saving. "Would you rather this or save for that?".
 
Model3 McQueen

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
What do they call it in on Incredicoaster.. "Synergy"? You and I pay more, and they continue to violate originality for IP-ification.
 
bryanfze55

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
ELG13 said:
Right? Saving and setting aside for a vacation doesn't make us miserable. I just see it as reallocation of funds. The money we would spend on a dinner out goes towards it. I'm a freelancer so I'll pick up extra jobs here and there to throw money at it. Doesn't make us miserable. It makes us have something to look forward to. The kids enjoy the countdown, picking out their skins for their magic bands...we enjoy preparing for our trips. It also helps our kids learn the value of saving. "Would you rather this or save for that?".
Click to expand...

Denying myself materialistic junk like designer clothes and 80-inch TVs, or $5 lattes and $20 take out meals at overrated restaurants, and reallocating those funds to make lasting memories with my family, doesn’t make me miserable in the least. Makes me quite happy, in fact. But to each their own.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom