Is Disney World becoming a shell of its former self?

[mom2rtk]

I have not been to Universal, so I don't know how they operate, but I can guarantee that Disney knows if you have been to the parks (at least now-a-days). Registering your name with your bio-metrics to get into the park is a start of "Knowing."
It would be nothing for a company to require registration for the "First Timer" to get the discount, if you tried to come a second time and obtain the discount, then you would have "Register" again (as if you were a "FIRST timer") and then a flag would be raised that you are trying to get it a second time. Simple, right? (at least it is in my mind).

Every time we go to WDW we have the same conversation.... Is it worth the money to go to Universal. Every time, we do the math (less days at WDW also means price per day for WDW is also more, added that the couple of days at Universal at a lot of $$$$) it just doesn't add up for us. Maybe it does for others, just not us.

That's just how it works at theme parks. The longer you stay, the lower your price per day. It's designed to get you to not step out and try out the other guy down the street. If you were planning a non-Disney trip and wanted to pop into Disney for one day, the price would be at least as hard to justify (says the person who made a one day Disney stop last summer ).

 

[zebsterama]

Universal doesn't need to give discounts to get people through the gates. Stay with Disney if that's what you prefer - I (and many, many like me) will stick with Universal. Disney hasn't appealed to my son or my nieces/nephews since they hit puberty.

As you can see below --- my family doesn't (unfortunately) discriminate ... ... all the parks are getting a piece of the action in the next couple of months.

 

[EveDallas]

If Universal is good with the amount of customers they have, then you are absolutely right, they don't need to give discounts. It's not that I don't like Universal or that I DO like Disney. The problem here is, that I don't know if I like Universal or not AND it's a lot of money just to see. MANY MANY MANY businesses have a business model that has a "Try before you buy" or Deep discounts to allow you to try. That's how they "Hook" you. If the product is good/great, then they will make their money back in no time.

If your son, nieces, and nephews don't find appeal in WDW now that puberty has hit, then it seems you have made the right choice for you and your family. My DD18, her BF21, DD11, DW40+ and myself (also 40+) enjoy WDW for many reasons and not all of us like all the same things. Of the 5 of us only my DW has been to Universal years ago and she is not really interested in going again, because most of the rides tend to be more "Thrill" rides which she is not into. (At least that's what she has said. Again, I don't know as I have not been there).

All that being said, my whole point is that I'd love to go to Universal. I might even end up as a Universal Fanatic (or not), but it's just too expensive for the average Joe to spend that kind of money to possibly find out that it's not for us or maybe it is, we just don't know. A (descent) discount could make the venture to try, easier. That's all.

By that logic, Disney should offer discounts to people who have never been. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Planogirl]

As you can see below --- my family doesn't (unfortunately) discriminate ... ... all the parks are getting a piece of the action in the next couple of months.

We don't either or haven't so far. We try to go to both even though we are leaning more and more towards the "dark side". There is just more to do for us.

I don't necessarily agree with a previous post that says Universal will follow the same pattern as Disney. For one thing I think that Universal will be playing catch up for quite a while yet. Plus they are so far all about quality and decent pricing. You can't beat just over $120 a night for a place like Cabana Bay for example. No express but I can buy that if needed. Disney doesn't seem to go for value pricing nowadays no matter what the circumstances unless you count the Allstars. I don't.

 

[peg110]

By that logic, Disney should offer discounts to people who have never been. It just doesn't make sense.

I didn't say that they shouldn't. I have been to Disney, I know what it is and what to expect and I consider that in my decisions of when and where to go on vacation.

I think if they want to pull in more business, then YES, Disney could and should have a plan like that. Discount first timers to spark their interest and "Hook" them.

 

[Kona65]

Disney has changed over the years, and not for the better.

 

[Gari14]

Disney has changed over the years, and not for the better.

It was always going to happen though. Different management owning it now compared to the 90's for example. The 90's was brilliant as they wanted the experience to be the main priority and the rest after that. Now they seem more interested in the bottom line and nothing else. Still, Ill always love WDW but yes, it has changed.

 

[ParkHoppers]

I will say that I believe Disney World has already reached its lowest point and is already on the upswing. My prediction is for the next 10 years we will see a constant improvement in all the areas of DW. The dark days are over and a bright future is in the wings. OK let me have it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I will say that I believe Disney World has already reached its lowest point and is already on the upswing. My prediction is for the next 10 years we will see a constant improvement in all the areas of DW. The dark days are over and a bright future is in the wings. OK let me have it.

I think 99 was its peak - so far...

And 2009 or so was the low point. Let's hope with this stuff - and the more it will take beyond what's under construction - that they get closer to the former than the latter.

I'll sign for that

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It was always going to happen though. Different management owning it now compared to the 90's for example. The 90's was brilliant as they wanted the experience to be the main priority and the rest after that. Now they seem more interested in the bottom line and nothing else. Still, Ill always love WDW but yes, it has changed.

I hate to sound all D23...but the reality since 2004 is that there has been no Disney with board influence to pull the strings...while that wouldn't yield day to day results - it certainly preserved parameters that would bend but not break.

These guys don't know anything but what their analysts tell them. Good for shareholders...until it's not anymore.

 

[asamklove]

I think the thing a lot of people on these boards overlook is that there are millions of babies born each year, whose families will plan one or two WDW trips during their childhood. I would bet that the DIS-type folks who go back year after year are by far the minority of WDW-goers and have much higher expectations than your average family looking to take the kids a couple of times before college. If you think about it, ANY park - like Universal, Sea World, whatever - gets old after you immerse yourself in it and travel once/multiple times per year. You just get jaded. There will always be fresh legs & wide-eyed children at WDW.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think the thing a lot of people on these boards overlook is that there are millions of babies born each year, whose families will plan one or two WDW trips during their childhood. I would bet that the DIS-type folks who go back year after year are by far the minority of WDW-goers and have much higher expectations than your average family looking to take the kids a couple of times before college. If you think about it, ANY park - like Universal, Sea World, whatever - gets old after you immerse yourself in it and travel once/multiple times per year. You just get jaded. There will always be fresh legs & wide-eyed children at WDW.

Probably 40-50% of visitors on any given day at WDW are repeat visitors...

And the more they increase pricing, the less will be able to go to WDW of new generations. The core demographic is shrinking and we are in the second generation of people who wil do worse than their predecessors...that's gonna continue/accelerate.

 

[DrunkJam]

The thing is, when I was a kid, the only kids movies in the cinema (with v few exceptions) were the Disney Classics.
A holiday in Disney World was THE childhood dream.
I never went. It was insanely beyond the reach of my parents.
Now, I got married there (because I had a then 5yr old and wanted him to have a magical time, as, it would have been special anywhere for his parents) and now we have another child, who will be about the same age when we go again, I can give BOTH my children that childhood dream.
Thus I show them Disney things to get them excited, and because they were a big part of my childhood, although we do also watch some of the new stuff too.
I think a LOT of middle aged people have this?
I think Disney will struggle a hell of a lot more against Universal as the population ages and the nostalgia value will be less.

Which is not to say that we didn't have a wonderful time, we did. And the staff were AMAZING with my autistic son, which is a BRILLIANT way to get repeat business from me.

 

[Gari14]

The thing is, when I was a kid, the only kids movies in the cinema (with v few exceptions) were the Disney Classics.
A holiday in Disney World was THE childhood dream.
I never went. It was insanely beyond the reach of my parents.
Now, I got married there (because I had a then 5yr old and wanted him to have a magical time, as, it would have been special anywhere for his parents) and now we have another child, who will be about the same age when we go again, I can give BOTH my children that childhood dream.
Thus I show them Disney things to get them excited, and because they were a big part of my childhood, although we do also watch some of the new stuff too.
I think a LOT of middle aged people have this?
I think Disney will struggle a hell of a lot more against Universal as the population ages and the nostalgia value will be less.

Which is not to say that we didn't have a wonderful time, we did. And the staff were AMAZING with my autistic son, which is a BRILLIANT way to get repeat business from me.

While I see what you're saying, the age thing I sort of disagree with. Disney have the ridiculously popular Pixar (which kids care more about than the classics) and Star Wars in their portfolio now. Having those two properties for Disney is massive and as long as they use them in the parks in the right way alongside the more classic focused stuff, they'll be absolutely fine. Look at Cars Land at DL for example, the kids adore it and it will be the same with Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land when they open in the future as well. While us older generation love the classics more than the new-generation coming through, the kids now love Pixar and Star Wars.

 

[DrunkJam]

While I see what you're saying, the age thing I sort of disagree with. Disney have the ridiculously popular Pixar (which kids care more about than the classics) and Star Wars in their portfolio now. Having those two properties for Disney is massive and as long as they use them in the parks in the right way alongside the more classic focused stuff, they'll be absolutely fine. Look at Cars Land at DL for example, the kids adore it and it will be the same with Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land when they open in the future as well. While us older generation love the classics more than the new-generation coming through, the kids now love Pixar and Star Wars.

Oh, you may be absolutely right. I know my son loves Pixar. It was just a thought really.

 

[old lady]

I agree. What wrong with the company?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I agree. What wrong with the company?

What's "the company"?

 

[zebsterama]

I agree. What wrong with the company?

Don't get me wrong - my family is shelling out big bucks in about a month ... but if I tried to put my finger on it, it would include the following:

1. Value: Disney parks, Disney customer service, Disney Quality, Disney attention to detail - these were the gold standards that everyone else apired to, people, industries; these were the things patrons were willing to pay a little extra for and felt good paying for it, because they got it - this of all things I think the Disney corporation has destroyed. This concept is now running on fumes - and less people are buying it without reservation.

I'm still buying it because of what I'd like to call "the promise" - see point two.

2. The Promise: Rightly or wrongly perception is reality ... but after a while that only gets you so far. I think (and others I believe would agree) that Disney World and Disneyland were built by Walt Disney to uphold an ideal, most of which revolves around point number 1, and now feels to me like pure greed, unabashed. I'm still forking out big bucks on our upcoming trip, less so because I believe in the Disney corporation, but more so because I want to share that ideal, Walt's ideal (or at least, perceived ideal), that promise, that hope, that nostalgia, with my children. I'm the 5 year old kid in 1975 looking out the window of the monorail as it passes through the Conttemporary thinking Wow!! I want to share that feeling with my children.

Sadly today's Disney is killing that ideal for me. So why am I still forking out thousands for our upcoming trip?

Pure and simple, it's hope. Hope that that promise, Walt's promise, that ideal, is still out there. Unfortunately, I'm hoping, but I'm not counting on it anymore. Many of us might be the last of a generation to hold that same ideal.

It's hard to express the emotion, and in truth - disappointment, I feel in words, but that pretty much sums it up for me. I'm thinking others would agree.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Don't get me wrong - my family is shelling out big bucks in about a month ... but if I tried to put my finger on it, it would include the following:

1. Value: Disney parks, Disney customer service, Disney Quality, Disney attention to detail - these were the gold standards that everyone else apired to, people, industries; these were the things patrons were willing to pay a little extra for and felt good paying for it, because they got it - this of all things I think the Disney corporation has destroyed. This concept is now running on fumes - and less people are buying it without reservation.

I'm still buying it because of what I'd like to call "the promise" - see point two.

2. The Promise: Rightly or wrongly perception is reality ... but after a while that only gets you so far. I think (and others I believe would agree) that Disney World and Disneyland were built by Walt Disney to uphold an ideal, most of which revolves around point number 1, and now feels to me like pure greed, unabashed. I'm still forking out big bucks on our upcoming trip, less so because I believe in the Disney corporation, but more so because I want to share that ideal, Walt's ideal (or at least, perceived ideal), that promise, that hope, that nostalgia, with my children. I'm the 5 year old kid in 1975 looking out the window of the monorail as it passes through the Conttemporary thinking Wow!! I want to share that feeling with my children.

Sadly today's Disney is killing that ideal for me. So why am I still forking out thousands for our upcoming trip?

Pure and simple, it's hope. Hope that that promise, Walt's promise, that ideal, is still out there. Unfortunately, I'm hoping, but I'm not counting on it anymore. Many of us might be the last of a generation to hold that same ideal.

It's hard to express the emotion, and in truth - disappointment, I feel in words, but that pretty much sums it up for me. I'm thinking others would agree.

I think you "summed it up" near perfectly

 

[EveDallas]

I think the thing a lot of people on these boards overlook is that there are millions of babies born each year, whose families will plan one or two WDW trips during their childhood. I would bet that the DIS-type folks who go back year after year are by far the minority of WDW-goers and have much higher expectations than your average family looking to take the kids a couple of times before college. If you think about it, ANY park - like Universal, Sea World, whatever - gets old after you immerse yourself in it and travel once/multiple times per year. You just get jaded. There will always be fresh legs & wide-eyed children at WDW.

It really doesn't. That's just your personal opinion.