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

[TheMaxRebo]

I think the rate of sales is a factor too so if sales are slow you see price reduced? First day issue may not be the least expensive if they do.

like I said, we don't know but in my scenario they never would just go down apart from some sort of promotion. So they would start at the "base line" which is like the lowest level of crowds they think will happen for a given date and then go up as tickets get bought

At least I hope it is more like that where at least you know if you buy early you are getting as good a price as you can (most likely) vs like with airlines where it is constantly fluctuating and is cheaper on Tuesdays (supposedly, or used to be) but also tracks how many times you check so then you have to use an incognito browser to not get hit by that, etc.

That would drive me nuts - like negotiating the price of a car, I hate that ... I'd rather pay slightly more but know what the price is and not stress about how to haggle/work the system

 

[Jrb1979]

like I said, we don't know but in my scenario they never would just go down apart from some sort of promotion. So they would start at the "base line" which is like the lowest level of crowds they think will happen for a given date and then go up as tickets get bought

At least I hope it is more like that where at least you know if you buy early you are getting as good a price as you can (most likely) vs like with airlines where it is constantly fluctuating and is cheaper on Tuesdays (supposedly, or used to be) but also tracks how many times you check so then you have to use an incognito browser to not get hit by that, etc.

That would drive me nuts - like negotiating the price of a car, I hate that ... I'd rather pay slightly more but know what the price is and not stress about how to haggle/work the system

From the way it was described it's likely going to be similar to airlines where depending on the day you look the price could be different.

 

[Jrb1979]

This is from the article.

Airline-Style, Adaptive Ticket Pricing Coming to Walt Disney World & Disneyland

First, let’s start with the nuts and bolts of the rumored change. If Walt Disney World and Disneyland choose to activate the highly variable ticket pricing model, the price of a ticket will initially be set by existing seasonality rules. From there, the price of the ticket will be dynamic, adapting to demand for any given day. That means that the price of the ticket could change months in advance, or overnight. The only way to guarantee the price of a ticket is to purchase it.

 

[John park hopper]

IMO dynamic pricing is legalized theft --I am so done with Disney's greed

 

[Jrb1979]

I still find it crazy that their answer to it being too expensive is go to this model for tickets. Instead of adding some perks to bring back the value, their answer is to say, look if you buy your tickets early enough it's not that expensive

 

[osian]

“How much for our burgers, fries, and sodas?”

“All of it”

“I asked how much for our meal”

“How much you got?”

This is Disney's new exit gate mechanism, to make sure you haven't got any money left in your pockets on leaving.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

From the way it was described it's likely going to be similar to airlines where depending on the day you look the price could be different.

maybe I am just trying to manifest it by putting it out there but I really hope it isn't the airline model where you have no idea what will happen - it could go up, it could go down, etc and like playing the lottery

Just think it if it starts low at least it promotes buying early - vs waiting and hoping - and lets them market the cheapest price as a trip is more affordable than you think (you just have to lock in early)

 

[networkpro]

That would drive me nuts - like negotiating the price of a car, I hate that ... I'd rather pay slightly more but know what the price is and not stress about how to haggle/work the system

I agree, perhaps that's what Disney needs to be exposed to more... those consumers that are not planning 6 month out willing to just walk away instead of buying into their inflating prices. Its not a necessity.

 

[Jrb1979]

I agree, perhaps that's what Disney needs to be exposed to more... those consumers that are not planning 6 month out willing to just walk away instead of buying into their inflating prices. Its not a necessity.

As @monothingie posted earlier

Disney doesn't care what actual and perspective guests think about them raising prices, but they are concerned with their public perception in the media (legacy and the new media that they have sway over).

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I still find it crazy that their answer to it being too expensive is go to this model for tickets. Instead of adding some perks to bring back the value, their answer is to say, look if you buy your tickets early enough it's not that expensive

it feels like they are trying to make the lowest possible way to get in as low as possible and then have all the extra costs on top of that if you want to/can afford to pay it

Like the analysis Len had done - vs 2018, adjusted for inflation, the price oft he All Stars is actually lower, the cost of food is actually lower. Like they have said the cheapest ticket hasn't increased in price in several years, etc.

So if you can go on those very few cheapest dates, stay in the All Stars, and eat a specific way, adjusted for inflation the cost is not crazy high .... but want to go on a more popular day, stay at a moderate or deluxe, add in the cost of lightning lane and the cost of transport from the airport, etc. - things that maybe aren't "required" to get in but are if you want to visit like you did 5-10 years ago, the cost is way, way more



vs the model of continual price increases across the board, even the cheapest options, but maintain the value for what you are buying by keeping more included or even including more so you feel more positive about your purchase after the fact even if the pain up front is higher

 

[Laketravis]

If you've ever set price tracking alerts on Google Flights then you know that often an airline will drop the price significantly on a particular flight but only for 12-24 hours. It's like casting a net and pulling it in to see what you caught.

Hopefully if this pans out to be true someone will be able to build an API so there is a WDW version of Google Flights.

They used to do it for dining reservations (obviously no longer needed).

 

[Tha Realest]

That’s where it gets fishy

Those times are not NEARLY as bad as they traditionally have been.

So if all of the sudden prices are jumping…what guarantee does any customer have that it’s not being arbitrarily?

Or to translate: can they resist not committing fraud?

variable pricing also opens the possibility that they suddenly lower ticket prices to cram more people into the park when it’s slower, right? Right?

Hey, why are you laughing?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

This idea is coming, it's just been delayed a little longer to be polished up a little bit so that the people whose opinion's matter to Disney, can be coerced to come on board.

Likely being ran through the PR spin machine as we talk about it.

“In order to reduce overcrowding we are now implementing dynamic pricing that will incrementally raise ticket prices as we approach capacity, this will deter overcrowding while offering everyone the flexibility to come whenever they want. We feel this new ticket model will benefit all of our valued guests.”

If they eliminate the reservation system at the same time I may even believe it, I have no idea how they manage this with APs though.

 

[monothingie]

Likely being ran through the PR spin machine as we talk about it.

“In order to reduce overcrowding we are now implementing dynamic pricing that will incrementally raise ticket prices as we approach capacity, this will deter overcrowding while offering everyone the flexibility to come whenever they want. We feel this new ticket model will benefit all of our valued guests.”

From a PR perspective it's poison right now.

When implemented, the per day rates based on their current demand projections likely won't change.

However, it's more likely that the per day rate goes up rather than down as you get closer to the visit dates. All this does is it forces guests to commit to purchasing the NON-REFUNDABLE tickets earlier, which commits the guests to actually take the trip and not back out.

Remember Disney has a very friendly cancelation/refund policy for their hotels and even DVC, so many people booking only may not actually buy their tickets right away. This is also part of the reason why implementing it at their hotels is more problematic.

Additionally, when FP+ was around, guests had a motivation to lock in early ticket sales because of the 60/30 day window to reserve a FP+. With LL and the likelihood that less people are committing to advance purchases. This solves that problem.

Also by getting more data on who, where, and when guests are going to go, it gives operations a better idea of what staffing is going to be needed.

The only way guests win with this is if they could rebook tickets at lower rates if they materialized. But that's not happening. Most likely case is that when you get to around the 30 day LL booking window the price peaks.

If they eliminate the reservation system at the same time I may even believe it, I have no idea how they manage this with APs though.

APs they just keep increasing the prices. They don't want AP holders in the park, so they will continue to nudge them out and the problem will solve itself.

 

[flynnibus]

Okay, I understand now what is meant, thanks.

But... When Disney offers their usual discount rooms and I grab them immediately, I'm paying less for that than other guests that didn't grab the discount when it was offered.

Yes but that discount is offered to everyone in the same pool. And you can change. It’s not a anxiety event to decide to book today… or next week.

The point being is that there are already lots of cases of people paying different amounts for the same thing.

And currently disney gives you lots of flexibility to get your best price or cancel. That would change.

And just some parallel points of information. Disney does surge pricing for the tickets to their Broadway shows (Disney pretty much invented Broadway surge pricing). And airlines use surge pricing. As do hotels.

And who likes booking airline prices? Why are there massive tools to track and try to tell you when the best time to book is? Who likes expecting one price and find prices are up from whag you expect?

The ‘everybody else is doing it…’ argument does not correct how much it sucks or how unfriendly to customers the model is.

Although, I think it works in Disney's favor to keep raising the base/default price and offering discounts when it behooves them as a sort of reverse-surge tactic. It becomes more palatable when people think they missed out on a limited-time discount than to find an upcharge surge fee as the cause of them paying more.

People don’t like unpredictable prices - period

 

[SamusAranX]

Recently bought a suit online (yes some of us still wear them).

Anyhow I paid 190 and I noticed two days later the same product was on sale. I don’t know if it was an actually sale or I was a victim of dynamic pricing. I emailed in and they refunded me the difference. Great customer service.

I can see a glut of people doing that with Disney if they implement dynamic pricing and there’s specific dates or places they have trouble selling out ; “I bought X ticket two weeks ago but now it’s 15 less can I be refunded the difference?”. Will Disney actually do that? Doubt it. I’ve heard stories of CMs doing that with resort reservations but we’re talking into the thousands in terms of customers affected by daily ticket pricing done dynamically. Feel like they’d have to hold the line.

Exhibit Y on the list of why dynamic pricing would be horrific for Disney from a perception standpoint

 

[Jrb1979]

From a PR perspective it's poison right now.

When implemented, the per day rates based on their current demand projections likely won't change.

However, it's more likely that the per day rate goes up rather than down as you get closer to the visit dates. All this does is it forces guests to commit to purchasing the NON-REFUNDABLE tickets earlier, which commits the guests to actually take the trip and not back out.

Remember Disney has a very friendly cancelation/refund policy for their hotels and even DVC, so many people booking only may not actually buy their tickets right away. This is also part of the reason why implementing it at their hotels is more problematic.

Additionally, when FP+ was around, guests had a motivation to lock in early ticket sales because of the 60/30 day window to reserve a FP+. With LL and the likelihood that less people are committing to advance purchases. This solves that problem.

Also by getting more data on who, where, and when guests are going to go, it gives operations a better idea of what staffing is going to be needed.

The only way guests win with this is if they could rebook tickets at lower rates if they materialized. But that's not happening. Most likely case is that when you get to around the 30 day LL booking window the price peaks.

APs they just keep increasing the prices. They don't want AP holders in the park, so they will continue to nudge them out and the problem will solve itself.

The more I read posts like this, the sadder and angrier I get. For a company that once was the leader in guest satisfaction and cared about how they were looked at, to head to this is mind boggling.

I find it hard to understand why they don't understand their own product this much.

 

[SamusAranX]

The more I read posts like this, the sadder and angrier I get. For a company that once was the leader in guest satisfaction and cared about how they were looked at, to head to this is mind boggling.

I find it hard to understand why they don't understand their own product this much.

Disney finally adopted the “greed is good” philosophy, 30 years later.

 

[Tha Realest]

I can’t wait to buy park specific tickets many, many months before they announce the dates for ever-increasing after hours parties or before the refurbishment schedule.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

IMO dynamic pricing is legalized theft --I am so done with Disney's greed

Except the concept is not limited to WDW. Other businesses are already looking into various models. Grocery stores already use different pricing across different stores, but they want to be able to tailor it even more to individual customers, perhaps via facial recognition and digital pricing.