New survey .. proposal .. Tiered Ticket Prices

[mj512]

I got the survey but they weren't interested in my local opinion. At least I assume not, since I had been in the last 30 days and will be back again within the next 30 days.

 

[Nancyg56]

I got a headache just looking at the chart. Personally, I think this is a work in progress, and will not end up as complicated as the chart indicates. I believe it will morph into seasons, somewhat like the resorts. These color changes all over each month are crazy!

 

[tjevans]

There is little need to worry. Disney will do what they think is in their best interest (read, "more money"). They know that if they do this it will cost them some visitors. However, if they think the higher cost will make up for lower ticket sales, they'll do it. It seems that "guest satisfaction" is seldom a decision that corporate takes into account anymore.

I heard recently on some podcast that some "leaked documents" from Disney (so take that with a grain--make that a whole shaker--of salt) stated that their target market was households with incomes of at least $96,000 per year. My wife and I make very good money for our jobs and our area, but we don't have a household income in that amount, or if we do, it's just slightly over. It pains me because I grew up in a single income house, and we still were able to afford WDW vacations almost every year (granted, 30 years ago so their were fewer parks and we stayed offsite).

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever ran the numbers comparing the increase in ticket prices to inflation, consumer price index, or other similar metrics?

 

[kay1864]

I could see this being the "straw that breaks the camels back" for a lot of people. Planning a Disney vacay is getting harder and harder and way too detailed. I'm an accountant and even I can see this pricing structure causing lots of confusion and miscalculations.

I got a headache just looking at the chart. Personally, I think this is a work in progress, and will not end up as complicated as the chart indicates. I believe it will morph into seasons, somewhat like the resorts. These color changes all over each month are crazy!

Agreed, the chart is crazy. If I were doing the survey I would have just shown the three-tier pricing, not the calendar.

That said, I doubt you will be shown this chart when buying tickets online. More likely they will have "select a start and end date for your vacation", along with number of adults/children (as they do now), and then you'll see your itemized total as they do now.

The chart might be available for those wondering why their vacation is $80 higher than their neighbor's (or to those who will change their days to get the cheapest days possible), but I don't think it will be front and center.

 

[jbish]

So, basically, the majority of visitors will likely have at least part of their vacation hitting a higher level (i.e. my upcoming vacation starts on Silver - since it's the weekend - and ends in bronze). So I'll have to pay the silver rate for my 6-day pass, which is more than what it would cost now. I don't get it. We make pretty good money, live in a nice area of the country and are not poor, by any means. But I really don't know how much longer I can afford to go to Disney. Certainly not nearly as often as I had originally hoped when we bought into DVC. Maybe it really will be a once-in-10-years type thing like it was for me when I was growing up (and definitely not nearly as financially sound as we are today).

 

[Nancyg56]

Agreed, the chart is crazy. If I were doing the survey I would have just shown the three-tier pricing, not the calendar.

That said, I doubt you will be shown this chart when buying tickets online. More likely they will have "select a start and end date for your vacation", along with number of adults/children (as they do now), and then you'll see your itemized total as they do now.

The chart might be available for those wondering why their vacation is $80 higher than their neighbor's (or to those who will change their days to get the cheapest days possible), but I don't think it will be front and center.

I agree, but just letting us see it makes me nuts! To be honest, as long as I am okay with the end price, I probably will not think about how it got there, but I do have a bottom line on my vacation spending, as do most people. If I spend more on the front end, that is resort, transportation and tickets, I will spend less on the back end. Souvenirs, food, alcohol and extras will be reduced. Maybe they don't care, maybe they do.

Perhaps more people will stay off site, eat in the room, or in area restaurants. The headliners probably will nto see a decline, but those outlying TS restaurants may see a decline.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Do you think this may be being pursued in order to do away with "Free Dining"? Using lower ticket prices and resort rates to fill vacancies instead of free food seems more sensible.

Good point, The lower hotel prices because it's value season plus a lowered ticket price could help fill those rooms without the FD promo.

Agreed, the chart is crazy. If I were doing the survey I would have just shown the three-tier pricing, not the calendar.

That said, I doubt you will be shown this chart when buying tickets online. More likely they will have "select a start and end date for your vacation", along with number of adults/children (as they do now), and then you'll see your itemized total as they do now.

The chart might be available for those wondering why their vacation is $80 higher than their neighbor's (or to those who will change their days to get the cheapest days possible), but I don't think it will be front and center.

I agree, this won't be easily figured out. Actually, if they do this, I think they will have to make all separately-purchased tickets (whether through Disney or a third party) Gold tickets, so you are covered and can use them any day. The tickets attached to packages could be subject to this "discount" easily though.

 

[amandals2007]

I wonder what Walt would think of all this...from these tiered tickets to the FP+ and taking away the spurr of the moment to Disney that I used to love...

 

[kay1864]

Actually, if they do this, I think they will have to make all separately-purchased tickets (whether through Disney or a third party) Gold tickets, so you are covered and can use them any day.

Yikes, I hadn't thought of that. Undercover Tourist's table of prices is hard enough to read now, so yes, it would likely be all Gold tickets.

Maybe this is also a way for Disney to undercut UT, by selling Silver and Bronze?

 

[TXTransplant]

I do see this as a way to treat on-site "package vacation holders" differently. Basically, an on-site vacation becomes all inclusive - you pay a seasonally-adjusted price for everything (room, tickets, dining plan, etc) depending on what resort you choose. You only see a "final" price and nothing is itemized...much like when you book a cruise or ABD trip. Maybe there are a few options for upgrades (like the deluxe dining plan, or water parks and more option), but the bulk of the total cost is tied to when you visit and what hotel you select.

Then, there will be the a la carte prices for people who want to stay off-site or only visit for the day. Food prices are already adjusted seasonally and have increased significantly over the past few years. The dining plan isn't offered to off-site guests.

I can see something similar with tickets. Don't do the all-inclusive package deal and you are subject to some sort of tiered pricing on tickets. Since in the above scenario you never know really what the itemized cost of tickets is in a package deal, you don't know if you are getting a good deal or not. You're just paying for the "convenience" of trying to control the details of your OWN vacation and not be locked in to non-refundable expenses.

 

[larryz]

Let's hope whatever rocket scientist dreamed this mess up doesn't ever visit eBay.

If they do, we might end up having to bid for our requested vacation times, resorts and tickets...!!!

 

[DonaldDuck77]

Not that Disney would do this, but they could make these the tiered prices for those not staying at a Disney resort. With a resort stay, you already are paying a premium to Disney based on time of week or year. Disney resort guests could then get gold (or "anytime") tickets at bronze price.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I sort of think this has probably been posted (have not skimmed the entire thread), but if not..............

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/magic...ng-prices-based-on-season-survey-says-yes.htm

 

[midnightlouise]

I tried that with FP+ and see where it got me.

A girl can dream!

 

[Angel Ariel]

I know many people (for whom I've helped plan vacations) who would take a look at that chart and just walk away from a disney vacation completely.

 

[MataHari22]

I guess I just don't understand their thinking because to me, it's not encouraging longer stays if through the week it's bronze when you usually go, and then on the weekends it's silver and you would have to pay the higher amount for the length of your stay. Would this make people shorten their stay? Because then, WDW is not just losing out on the minimal ticket money, but also the greater sum of the room for the extra two or three days, not to mention the food and souvenir sales on those extra days, too. Maybe I am am not looking at this correctly. Or maybe they are just thinking people won't care and pay the higher price for the week and that will be the end of that. I think I must be dense, because I'm not understanding their objective if they implement this if they think this will help revenue. I'm feeling kind of stupid that I'm not getting this. If it's to raise revenue, they should just go with another price increase instead of this mess.

 

[amylevan]

What this does for my family is the opposite of the whole more days = cheaper/day. We go early February. So we would do park days Sun-Fri and then go home (or Universal) with a 6 day bronze ticket as opposed to our usual Sun-Sat, 7 day ticket that would have to be silver to include Saturday. So, for my family of 4, it would be an extra $120 bucks to add that 7th day (a Saturday). Um, nope, we'll head to US or home. They've just killed their "cheaper to add extra days" mantra that they've always relied on.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

The survey I just filled out had a section asking if I agreed with a list of statements-
One of the statements was
"Disneyworld Resort is too greedy"
Another statement was " disneyworld resort is too expensive"

I don't think they are greedy, I do think they are expensive and my DH says they will price us out one day. Which means one day we will have to drive, stay off site, visit less frequently, which all chips away at my magical experience
I also think I should have finished they survey I got last month to see what questions they would have asked me.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Things will have to change big time...

You will be purchasing tickets for specific days. If you change your dates you will have to change your tickets. And what if you can't go? What happens to the ticket you bought?

Do you get refunded if your dates change to cheaper dates?

What about annual passes?

Could there be a "base price" and then you are automatically charged the relevant difference to your account as soon as you use your ticket to enter a park on a particular day?

Here are some of the answers:

• Multi-day tickets crossing two or more seasons must be purchased at the highest season’s price.

• Guests visiting on a day that is currently blocked out on their ticket can upgrade to a higher-season ticket.

does that mean that if you buy a week-long ticket you would be charged as if all your days were weekends? Unless it's July.

I don't know how much greed enters into it, They will get the money only if the guests agree to pay it.

 

[larryz]

They've just killed their "cheaper to add extra days" mantra that we've always relied on.

FIFY

Remember, someone in the suit farm is convinced they're leaving money on the table with their current admission prices...