WSJ: Even Disney Is Worried About The High Cost Of A Disney Vacation (gift link)

[Jrb1979]

I’m shook by the price I could get at universal for a week June…

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IMO both Universal and Disney have major issues in regards to their Orlando parks. The worst part is while many guests see the issues, that the companies don't.

I know many dismiss most regional parks but the fact that Cedar Point, Dollywood and Hershey have the highest hotel rates I've seen for this summer. And Disney and Universal are having their lowest rates since COVID says a lot.

 

[Agent H]

Have they? They continue to do it and look at this summer. It's the lowest hotel rates since COVID. This is with a major new theme park opening. People are staying away.

Yeah that’s my point you said they hadn’t learned how to do that yet they do it all the time see the pay to skip the line system

 

[Agent H]

"Regarding Epic, we did model that into our expectations for the Experiences outlook. As mentioned earlier, the early bookings that we have next summer are actually positive, so that’s certainly a positive indicator. We also looked at the history of other attractions and other parks opening up in Florida, and it’s been beneficial for us. That is very much captured in the guide we provided." - Hugh Johnston, Disney CFO, December 2024

What they didn’t say was that was because of epic universe they simply said bookings were positive

 

[Tha Realest]

Shocker that they are going to raise prices on that too. At this point it's hilarious seeing their thinking. They are having issues filling rooms for the summer and looking like a slower summer than normal. The only answer they have is raise prices.

They’ve realized there’s only so much they can do to convince people to visit this year. Now, they shift to extracting the most money they can from those who’ve already made up their mind to do so.

 

[Jrb1979]

What they didn’t say was that was because of epic universe they simply said bookings were positive

That is obviously a lie. If the bookings were as positive as they claim, the rates wouldn't be this low.

 

[Agent H]

That is obviously a lie. If the bookings were as positive as they claim, the rates wouldn't be this low.

Forgive me if I’m wrong but by rates you mean the posted price online right? If that’s what you mean then isn’t at least possible there is another reason?

 

[Agent H]

I hope that this boycott lasts awhile. Maybe then they will get the message that nickel and diming and pricing people out is the answer.

Okay did you mean it isn’t the answer? Because if you did we are mostly on the same side when it comes to this

 

[HauntedPirate]

What they didn’t say was that was because of epic universe they simply said bookings were positive

I mean this in the nicest possible way - Since you don't comprehend the comment from the CFO, why bother commenting on what he said?

 

[HauntedPirate]

"Less than a month later, Johnston said that Disney had “some negative” built in for the opening of Epic Universe. While that comment was a departure from the rising tide lifts all ships sentiment from November, it’s exactly what Disney is forecasting today.

Johnston said that bookings still look strong for Summer 2025 at Walt Disney World, and that there has been no change in the previously offered guidance."

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

IMO both Universal and Disney have major issues in regards to their Orlando parks. The worst part is while many guests see the issues, that the companies don't.

I know many dismiss most regional parks but the fact that Cedar Point, Dollywood and Hershey have the highest hotel rates I've seen for this summer. And Disney and Universal are having their lowest rates since COVID says a lot.

I wonder how much flight prices factor into this. What used to be a $300 round trip flight for us to MCO is now closer to $500 a person, that’s a substantial increase over 5 years ago.

We have been pricing out a Dollywood trip and rt flights are $284 a person, not sure why Orlando is nearly double, especially if visitation is down as reported.

We have a few trips already planned for this year and all but one of them are within driving distance, flying has become prohibitively expensive to many places.

 

[HauntedPirate]

And color me shocked... SHOCKED!!!... that Disney will be increasing ticket prices in mid-to-late February.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I wonder how much flight prices factor into this. What used to be a $300 round trip flight for us to MCO is now closer to $500 a person, that’s a substantial increase over 5 years ago.

We have been pricing out a Dollywood trip and rt flights are $284 a person, not sure why Orlando is nearly double, especially if visitation is down as reported.

We have a few trips already planned for this year and all but one of them are within driving distance, flying has become prohibitively expensive to many places.

Flight costs are definitely a big factor to us with a family of 5 - we usually try to go away for this week but the flight costs have gotten crazy

We did manage to find some cheap midweek flights ($200/person round-trip to MCO) so we are going but just for a few days to escape the cold vs a full week

Our main family trip this year will be to Cape Cod and partly as we can drive vs needing to fly

 

[Agent H]

"Less than a month later, Johnston said that Disney had “some negative” built in for the opening of Epic Universe. While that comment was a departure from the rising tide lifts all ships sentiment from November, it’s exactly what Disney is forecasting today.

Johnston said that bookings still look strong for Summer 2025 at Walt Disney World, and that there has been no change in the previously offered guidance."

2 things can be true at the same time bookings can be overall good and they can lose some to universal

 

[Chi84]

2 things can be true at the same time bookings can be overall good and they can lose some to universal

That’s also the way I understood his comments.

 

[monothingie]

"Regarding Epic, we did model that into our expectations for the Experiences outlook. As mentioned earlier, the early bookings that we have next summer are actually positive, so that’s certainly a positive indicator. We also looked at the history of other attractions and other parks opening up in Florida, and it’s been beneficial for us. That is very much captured in the guide we provided." - Hugh Johnston, Disney CFO, December 2024

More of the typical Disney sleight of hand.

Early booking numbers (Prior to the November Earnings call) are irrelevant because that number makes up a tiny portion of the total number of guests visiting.

It does not account for off-property guests and on-property guests booking as part of a promotional package.

The date of the statement for Hugh G. Johnson was the November Earnings call. So I guess between then and December 30th, when they announced a Free Dining trial balloon offer things had changed.

And Also when they announced up to 35% General Discounts for the summer.
And Also when they announced 40% AP Discounts for the first half of the summer.

 

[Chi84]

I mean this in the nicest possible way - Since you don't comprehend the comment from the CFO, why bother commenting on what he said?

Seems like he has a pretty decent comprehension of what was said - certainly enough to comment on it. Maybe go after the posters who comment on posts they clearly didn’t even read.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Some weeks they are higher but for the most part it's similar prices to last summer.

Regardless of that, it's obvious that Epic isn't rising all boats like Disney thought it would.

The 40% hotel discounts were basically a giant flashing advertisement to that fact

 

[JoeCamel]

More of the typical Disney sleight of hand.

Early booking numbers (Prior to the November Earnings call) are irrelevant because that number makes up a tiny portion of the total number of guests visiting.

It does not account for off-property guests and on-property guests booking as part of a promotional package.

The date of the statement for Hugh G. Johnson was the November Earnings call. So I guess between then and December 30th, when they announced a Free Dining trial balloon offer things had changed.

And Also when they announced up to 35% General Discounts for the summer.
And Also when they announced 40% AP Discounts for the first half of the summer.

I doubt you will ever hear old Hugh say "we are in a bit of a downturn but we expect to turn it around". That would tank the bonus -- oh stock price......

 

[monothingie]

I doubt you will ever hear old Hugh say "we are in a bit of a downturn but we expect to turn it around". That would tank the bonus -- oh stock price......

But that's why the stock is just meandering along not really doing anything, except underperforming the market averages.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I doubt you will ever hear old Hugh say "we are in a bit of a downturn but we expect to turn it around". That would tank the bonus -- oh stock price......

"Why give them the truth when 3 minutes of saying lots of words without any actual meaning is better at making the rounds?"