WDW considering implementing a tiered ticket price system

[rteetz]

I agree. Like I said, I think it looks complicated, but so does the DDP. Disney will just try to sell you gold park hoppers no matter when you go so that "everything is taken care of" BUT when they list prices, they can advertise the bronze tickets as the price.

ETA: Or maybe if you buy the tickets as a on-site package, then you get the gold and don't have to worry about it?

It's just a survey I'm sure if this gets implemented it will not be exactly like mentioned in the survey. I also don't think this would be implemented until at least next ticket price increase time.

 

[smiths02]

Folks are bringing up what is clearly the most important point to me..................Is WDW getting to complicated to plan!?????

AKK

It is complicated. We can't go every year, generally, so we are go every few years. Well this summer we are getting APs and then returning next summer. If things keep going like this, it may be our last trip for quite some time. We may do Universal or just take the family to my homeland (Disneyland) and eat the plane cost and rental car costs in exchange for cheaper hotels and less planning (and seeing old friends/family).

 

[ArwenMarie]

Packages is where I think this is headed.

So when you book a package, the first thing you do is enter your dates, pick your hotel. Then the next screen allows you to pick tickets and options. This is where the pricing difference can be invisible. Because you already entered your dates. So you pop the hotel, tickets, dining plan if you want it into your cart and off you go.

Even if you have a change of dates. You call to make the changes. There may be a difference in price, just as there is now for the hotels. You agree to the changes, poof, done.

This doesn't have to be something that is so in-your-face. And think of all of the extra money they can rake in.

The people who will notice this will be offsiters and people who do room-only reservations I guess. But I think this is something that can even be adjusted in MDE. "Ok you would like to use your silver tickets for gold days (as you are booking your FPs let's say) and it can adjust the price right there since your credit card is loaded already in there."

 

[Reddog1134]

Folks are bringing up what is clearly the most important point to me..................Is WDW getting to complicated to plan!?????

AKK

 

[Castle2Castle]

They already use dynamic pricing with their room reservations, and I've wondered before why they wouldn't use it in ticket pricing. Reading up on it in the past suggested the very thing ArwenMarie brings up: visibility. People generally seem open to dynamic pricing if it's largely invisible (airline ticketing) or simple and broadly applicable (movie tickets). The example provided here doesn't seem so simple, but it's possible they could simplify it a bit or hide the differences a bit more with package offerings like ArwenMarie suggested.

 

[ArwenMarie]

They could also make any ticket not bought as part of a package the Gold pricing. That way you are covered, it is good for all dates. And bonus, it would be a bit of a surcharge on offsiters.

For onsite, this would push people towards packages, by making a room-only + tickets more expensive than the same exact thing bought as a package.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Some don't have a choice to go on a bronze time frame. I don't think this will be implemented anytime soon but possibly in the future.

Correct... And they would - again hypothetically - be screwing them because of it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

This was always going to happen at somepoint...

Do you know how long ago they studied this? Think decades.

But the calendar that rteetz glommed and posted is very useful in of itself -
That is an accurate, realtime representation of what their crowd levels are. And they are different in many ways than they used to be. Interesting.

On the sad note... This is - potentially - like fast pass tiering...
Attempting to force people into "cheaper" (ie less crowded) days as opposed to what they should be concentrated on if they had more self respect - making their parks better with more to offer to increasing, higher paying crowds.

Something to watch on the back burner - for sure.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They have done that with the FL resident AP's. I had a weekday only pass for a while. It was significantly cheaper and for the most part, why would I want to go to WDW on a weekend day or a holiday?

I know that many visiting guests want weekends but then again, arrive on a Sunday, have a Bronze pass and spend 5 weekdays in the parks go home on the weekend.

Florida has the "seasonal" pass at a steep discount that has encouraged this type of pattern concentration for years...

But if you'll notice... Look at the calendar in October and November...

That's almost ALL due to Local residents on the weekends.
Few people...even in the lavish times in which we live..."jet" in for a 3 day weekend in the fall.

 

[Scalemaster34]

The question is will they make it cheaper during the slower periods....
Or just make it more expensive during the peak periods.....


I heard that Southwest was working with some Disney software engineers on a new booking system.... Pricing will be fluid and can adjust by the minute to meet the demand or lack of demand.

 

[JoeA]

Years ago we had a FL "3 season salute" pass, which was essentially a season pass but not valid for peak times. So dianey has had a form of tiered pricing before.

And we paid something like $89 for that pass! Ahh, the good ol' days!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The question is will they make it cheaper during the slower periods....
Or just make it more expensive during the peak periods.....


I heard that Southwest was working with some Disney software engineers on a new booking system.... Pricing will be fluid and can adjust by the minute to meet the demand or lack of demand.

On your first question...I'll take the "over"

On the second...that's good for the consumer in multiple ways...

I would just watch the flights and book my travel (as best I could) around the low fare... It work indicate a better atmosphere once I get to wherever it is I'm going. The current "tiered" system isn't as dynamic of a predictor.

 

[Josh Hendy]

They can already cut corners on slow days/weeks with shorter hours, fewer fireworks shows and parades, taking down rides for repairs and so on. And by offering hotel discounts, meal plans, and so on. Why would they feel the need to go "one farther" and put something complicated and off-putting like this right in the face of their customers?

This is about "how can we get more revenue without actually building any more rides and shows."

 

[rteetz]

They can already cut corners on slow days/weeks with shorter hours, fewer fireworks shows and parades, taking down rides for repairs and so on. And by offering hotel discounts, meal plans, and so on. Why would they feel the need to go "one farther" and put something complicated and off-putting like this right in the face of their customers?

This is about "how can we get more revenue without actually building any more rides and shows."

Disney is trying to do as little as possible while charging as much as possible.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Now, now...you two need to start turning those frowns upside down

It's not about money...it's always 100% been about magic.
That's why wdw has always been so underpriced.

 

[tlmadden73]

If the parks are pulling in crowds (some could say overcrowded) .. then why not incentive filling the crowds in "slower" season by essentially raising the price for peak season?

In theory that would average out the crowd levels, right? Peak season may not be AS crowded and slower season would be busier?

Though it would just be confusing .. but let's be honest .. they already have that confusing pricing "seasons" (if not more confusing) for the resorts.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If the parks are pulling in crowds (some could say overcrowded) .. then why not incentive filling the crowds in "slower" season by essentially raising the price for peak season?

In theory that would average out the crowd levels, right? Peak season may not be AS crowded and slower season would be busier?

Though it would just be confusing .. but let's be honest .. they already have that confusing pricing "seasons" (if not more confusing) for the resorts.

While I don't agree with managements current overall "philosophy"....

I can't argue with any of the points you've brought up...

 

[Nancyg56]

Agreed, but I think a seasonal upcharge is less complicated then this weekend thing.

I think that this will morph into a seasonal thing, much like the resorts already have in place. I think it will be in place of the discounts we now see, and as part of an inclusive package. People who travel during the peak and holiday seasons will feel the impact the most. Folks who travel during off times will probably see negligible cost increases, if any, because the discount will be on the package, and not on an individual component.

I think the folks who stay offsite will have the hardest time with this but when this all shakes out, I bet it is just going to be seasonal rates for tickets, and these folks will end up paying the most.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

As you can see..."seasonal" wouldnt address their crowd problems...

This could be two things manifested:
1. Call it "festival" pricing...as the glaring problem is food and wine...
Or specifically F&W, Halloween and Christmas parties

2. MDE...
They have a scheduling system in place that has not too subtlely highlighted that they don't have enough attractions to justify the system...

So what does a global behemoth entertainment conglomerate do?
Thin it out...throw dirt on it...
And make a buck to boot.

 

[Josh Hendy]

If they can afford to lose the offsite visitors and locals, then they should go for it. Offsiters and locals are the least likely to be high on pixie dust and they're the most careful and discriminating about value for money.

On-site guests buying "WDW only" packaged vacations won't even be told about variable theme park admission pricing by their travel agent or Disney rep ... once they give their dates they'll get a choice of class of resort and meal plan option and a bottom line price ... and that's about it.

But is there really that so people who book WDW vacations with the "here's my $8000 gimme something special" attitude, that you can afford to P.O. all the other people who have open eyes and a tight hold on expenses?