Theme Parks & "On Demand" Tickets - What Do You Think?

[SorcererHeidi]

Oh I totally get what you mean and there is something to that. Guess I might still have some Disney colored glasses in that Walt wanted a park everyone could go to and once you were in you had the same rights as everyone else, etc. (which I know isn't even true with VIP tours, etc., but still)

I must go to the same Disney eye Dr. you do, Max!

 

[KatheeME]

If you listened to The Daily Fix earlier (or subsequently The DIS Unplugged later on where it will also be discussed), Pete mentioned that Universal Studios Hollywood is moving towards on demand pricing - higher costs when crowds are large. I have mixed feelings about this in regards to Disney parks. What do you guys think?

No, just no.

 

[hedberg1661]

While I think this is one way to try and combat crowds I really don't think this will ultimately work as well as they may hope given the amount of guests who purchase packages that include tickets, room, etc. I think the discussion of crowds is something Disney needs to seriously look at and at what point in their discussion does the topic of a 5th gate come up? Hopefully sooner than later.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

While I think this is one way to try and combat crowds I really don't think this will ultimately work as well as they may hope given the amount of guests who purchase packages that include tickets, room, etc. I think the discussion of crowds is something Disney needs to seriously look at and at what point in their discussion does the topic of a 5th gate come up? Hopefully sooner than later.

Though I suppose Disney would prefer people buy packages so might be an indirect win for them anyway

But I agree about crowds and a 5th gate has to be coming - this is by far the longest they have gone between openings of parks. Just not sure what else they can do besides lowering the number or people needed before they close the parks for hitting capacity

Well, I guess one other thing would have the parks open longer - or near 24 hours/ 365 days a year ... this way people that are flexible and do other things during the day and the parks lat night/early morning

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Well, I guess one other thing would have the parks open longer - or near 24 hours/ 365 days a year ... this way people that are flexible and do other things during the day and the parks lat night/early morning

I know Pete and the Team speculated on this awhile ago, when they started doing the 24-hour event......he/they surmised it was a test bed.....I think they said for "20 plus hour" parks.....thinking they might have to close down for short periods to thoroughly clean, etc.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I know Pete and the Team speculated on this awhile ago, when they started doing the 24-hour event......he/they surmised it was a test bed.....I think they said for "20 plus hour" parks.....thinking they might have to close down for short periods to thoroughly clean, etc.

[Pete_rant]Well, they are closed a lot more than that now and can't keep the bathrooms clean as it is!!! Have you seen them lately? Disgusting!!!! I mean, great I get to ride Big Thunder at 3 in the morning but have to wade through 2 feet of filth and grime if I want to use the toilet!" [/Pete_rant]

 

[pjweaver]

Summer peak season hours are out now, but they are a joke, and I'm sure they will be extended.
AK needs to stay open later for the Rivers Of Light, and even if the safari is closed there are other rides and events to do there.

If they want DHS to draw people leave it open until 12:00 with 2 hours of extra magic for resort guests. If they do extend park hours though, keep some food and beverage carts open at least an hour before park closing.

Epcot could stay open until midnight as well and be a money making machine. The WS is just a bar with a $95 cover charge, so why close R&C an hour before Illuminations? Make Carl stay until 1:00 am. I need another Boddingtons before I stumble back to my resort.

MK often has extra magic until 2:00 am in the summer. Make people decide and have rope drop at 6:00. Few people could do rope drop and stay for the kiss goodnight without a break in the middle of the day (the busiest time traditionally). There are some of us that would do MK from 10:00 pm to 2:00, go to Trader Sam's for food and some drinks, then return for rope drop at 6:00.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Summer peak season hours are out now, but they are a joke, and I'm sure they will be extended.
AK needs to stay open later for the Rivers Of Light, and even if the safari is closed there are other rides and events to do there.

If they want DHS to draw people leave it open until 12:00 with 2 hours of extra magic for resort guests. If they do extend park hours though, keep some food and beverage carts open at least an hour before park closing.

Epcot could stay open until midnight as well and be a money making machine. The WS is just a bar with a $95 cover charge, so why close R&C an hour before Illuminations? Make Carl stay until 1:00 am. I need another Boddingtons before I stumble back to my resort.

MK often has extra magic until 2:00 am in the summer. Make people decide and have rope drop at 6:00. Few people could do rope drop and stay for the kiss goodnight without a break in the middle of the day (the busiest time traditionally). There are some of us that would do MK from 10:00 pm to 2:00, go to Trader Sam's for food and some drinks, then return for rope drop at 6:00.

Is this now the final hours? On the Disney site it still has AK closing at 5pm - but how can that be with Rivers of Light, etc. supposed to be on then?

I like your thoughts about extending hours for people to tour in different ways (and avoid the heat and crowds of mid-day) And like you said, if you are up at 1am in a park most people would purchase and adult beverage or several. Even if they closed some attractions and started the daily maintenance cleaning there and then did the rest of the park from 2am to 6am they could make it work

 

[Cherinva]

I don't see an easy fix for the crowd problem short of opening a 5th gate...but I don't think I like the idea of tiered pricing either. For me, when I am able to go, I research to find out what is going on and plan from there....I had the unfortunate timing once to go when the parks (and resort) were full of cheerleaders...not that they were bad in anyway, but it was so crowded and there was one day when I wasn't eager to stand in any long lines to get on a ride, so I left and went somewhere else.

 

[pjweaver]

I don't see an easy fix for the crowd problem short of opening a 5th gate...but I don't think I like the idea of tiered pricing either. For me, when I am able to go, I research to find out what is going on and plan from there....I had the unfortunate timing once to go when the parks (and resort) were full of cheerleaders...not that they were bad in anyway, but it was so crowded and there was one day when I wasn't eager to stand in any long lines to get on a ride, so I left and went somewhere else.

I have been to WDW every month of the year, and there are always, cheer groups, soccer teams, HS bands, and let's not forget the South American tour groups. If you stay at a value resort they will make up 25% of the guests there, and god help the next group of 15 year olds chanting in Portuguese when I'm trapped with them on a bus at park closing (the driver even stopped the bus on Victory Way and told the group leader to get them under control). These spoiled self-centered groups are a core of WDW market though, and will never go away.

 

[Accident]

I suspect we are going to see some people jump into legal action to unlock attendance numbers to prove there is higher crowds on days with higher prices. The question is really going to be do the big theme parks really want to give out their numbers to the public. It's not as simple as hotels and airlines to see there are no rooms or seats left.

 

[MikeTaylor]

I have been to WDW every month of the year, and there are always, cheer groups, soccer teams, HS bands, and let's not forget the South American tour groups. If you stay at a value resort they will make up 25% of the guests there, and god help the next group of 15 year olds chanting in Portuguese when I'm trapped with them on a bus at park closing (the driver even stopped the bus on Victory Way and told the group leader to get them under control). These spoiled self-centered groups are a core of WDW market though, and will never go away.

Ft. Wilderness is the answer to get away from all of that. Peace and quiet (other than the fireworks and subtle, Water Pageant music) away from the parks. We were even within walking distance to the big pool and couldn't hear a thing.

 

[wilkeliza]

I suspect we are going to see some people jump into legal action to unlock attendance numbers to prove there is higher crowds on days with higher prices. The question is really going to be do the big theme parks really want to give out their numbers to the public. It's not as simple as hotels and airlines to see there are no rooms or seats left.

Nothing legally requiring them to do that though. It is a private business so they could change the prices every time Bob Iger sneezes and there is nothing anyone can do about it. This isn't milk or grain which is regulated.

 

[disneysteve]

I haven't read every post but I'll weigh in anyway.

There are already places that do this. Six Flags, for example, adjusts pricing by season and day of the week. There is a HUGE difference between them and Disney, though. Six Flags is a 1-day experience, not a 4 or 5 or 7 or 12-day experience. If they start changing prices based on the day, I don't know how that will work. Right now, if I go to Disney for 2 weeks and buy a 5-day pass, I can use those 5 days whenever I want to. What would happen with the new system? Would I have to decide in advance which days I wanted to go into which parks? That would suck. It's easy to say your hotel will be more expensive on Friday and Saturday night. It's much harder to say the Magic Kingdom will cost more on Sunday and less on Thursday.

If it is more of a seasonal variance, that would be a lot more manageable: from this date to that date is one price.

I really don't see how this controls crowds, though. Most people go to Disney when they are able to go based on school vacations, work schedules, and other issues. Our last two trips were one that tacked on days to a convention we were attending in Orlando and one that was while DD was home from college for winter break. Neither one was really adjustable by more than a few days either way. Our next trip in July is for the DIS 10th anniversary which is a fixed date. Rarely are our visits flexible beyond maybe a few days one way or the other. So tiered pricing would have no effect on when we visit. All it will likely do is raise the cost (because I'm sure it won't lower it).

 

[wilkeliza]

I haven't read every post but I'll weigh in anyway.

There are already places that do this. Six Flags, for example, adjusts pricing by season and day of the week. There is a HUGE difference between them and Disney, though. Six Flags is a 1-day experience, not a 4 or 5 or 7 or 12-day experience. If they start changing prices based on the day, I don't know how that will work. Right now, if I go to Disney for 2 weeks and buy a 5-day pass, I can use those 5 days whenever I want to. What would happen with the new system? Would I have to decide in advance which days I wanted to go into which parks? That would suck. It's easy to say your hotel will be more expensive on Friday and Saturday night. It's much harder to say the Magic Kingdom will cost more on Sunday and less on Thursday.

If it is more of a seasonal variance, that would be a lot more manageable: from this date to that date is one price.

I really don't see how this controls crowds, though. Most people go to Disney when they are able to go based on school vacations, work schedules, and other issues. Our last two trips were one that tacked on days to a convention we were attending in Orlando and one that was while DD was home from college for winter break. Neither one was really adjustable by more than a few days either way. Our next trip in July is for the DIS 10th anniversary which is a fixed date. Rarely are our visits flexible beyond maybe a few days one way or the other. So tiered pricing would have no effect on when we visit. All it will likely do is raise the cost (because I'm sure it won't lower it).

It doesn't really control crowds. Universal is using it more as a way to make sure people pre-buy tickets so they can appropriately staff. They are going from a maybe to a must do in the Hollywood area and are being smart in anticipating the crowds of HP fans.

 

[SarahDisney]

Six Flags is a 1-day experience, not a 4 or 5 or 7 or 12-day experience.

This is actually something that also occurred to me with this story.
I'll admit, I haven't been there in 7 years, but ... I'm pretty sure Universal Studios Hollywood is a 1-day experience too. In fact, I just checked, and I don't see anywhere on their site where they sell multi-day tickets (other than annual and season passes).
When they start doing this with Universal Studios Orlando, then I'll worry about it coming to Disney. But to me, this is a pricing structure that makes a lot more sense for single-day tickets than for multi-day tickets, and I'm not worrying about it until I see someone try to implement it for multi-day tickets.

 

[disneysteve]

It doesn't really control crowds.

Pete seems to think it will. I don't often disagree with Pete, but I think this might be an exception.

The only thing it might help with is locals who aren't AP holders. It might deter them from coming during pricier times and that could help some.

 

[pjweaver]

doesn't WDW already tier Florida resident annual passes for specific dates unless you pay to upgrade?

 

[disneysteve]

doesn't WDW already tier Florida resident annual passes for specific dates unless you pay to upgrade?

I believe they sell a pass that has blackout dates and a more costly pass that doesn't.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe they sell a pass that has blackout dates and a more costly pass that doesn't.

I guess they could do something similar with regular tickets - like have silver, gold, platinum tickets and if you had a 5-day gold park hopper and during your stay there was a platinum day you either couldn't go that day to the parks or had to pay an up charge