Does anyone else expect a "rant" in this coming weeks show?

Will there be a rant on the 10/06 DisUnplugged show

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 37.5%
  • No

    Votes: 10 62.5%

  • Total voters
    16
  • Poll closed .
aving large numbers of guests is the best problem to have and WDW has been advertising like crazy in the last decade or so to get here.
Disney has definitely become a victim of their own success. They have done an exceedingly good job at selling themselves, coming up with various promotions like "free" dining to pack guests in during previously slow seasons. What passes as off-season now is probably busier than peak-season used to be 15 or 20 years ago. The problem now is that they are coming up against the capacity of the resort to absorb the crowds and there's no easy way to fix that.
 
Yes but Mercedes does not to my knowledge sell themselves to Families Disney does. Whether Disney is a value or affordable is a personal opinion.

I seem to recall that a few years ago, Disney had a marketing campaign that stated that it was affordable if you were on a tighter budget. I haven't seen that campaign in quite a while

Jes, I think the difference is that Disney is not marketed or perceived as a luxury product. If you ask the average guy on the street to name a luxury vacation destination, you're probably going to get answers like Paris or Rome or Fiji. I highly doubt anyone will say Disney World. At least here in the US, going to Disney is no more exclusive than going to the beach. This is a place where our high school kids go for their senior class trip, even from 1,000+ miles away. It's the quintessential American family vacation.

There is a lot of chatter in the US about the disappearance of the middle class. A lot of that is political mumbo jumbo but when people see things they used to be able to afford start to become unaffordable, it gets them upset. Wages have been stagnant for many years while the cost of goods and services has steadily increased.

I totally get that Disney is a publicly owned company and has to keep the shareholders happy. Heck, I'm one of those shareholders. Still, to see prices jump 15% overnight is a little hard to swallow. My income didn't go up 15%. It didn't go up at all. So going to Disney just got a little less affordable for us. Will we stop going? No, because we still have enough wiggle room in our budget to absorb the increase, but I have no doubt that for others that won't be the case and a trip may need to be cancelled or postponed.

Interestingly, Pete alluded to the price hike as being a way to curb the crowds in Disneyland but didn't make the same mention regarding Disney World. I was hoping he would address that. I still believe that at least in part, they are trying to address the overcrowding issue.
Ok, a better example: owning your own home?
It's the American Dream isn't it? To get married, own your house, have your 2.whatever children.
What about those who can't afford that?

My point is, life is what it is.
It's sad that some can't afford it, but that's life.
I've gone without a lot in my time so that I can have something else.
One of my girlfriends said to me just 2 days ago that she is jealous that I'm going on holiday "again"
She earns the same as me. Her boyfriend earns more than my husband.
Their house repayments would be a bit more than mine, but only marginally.
So of course if she wanted to go overseas, she could, I can.
But I pointed out to her what I sacrifice to go.
We still, after 7 years of home ownership, don't have air conditioning. (And in Melbourne during summer, it's not unheard of to have temps well over 35 and up to 45 for days on end... Do the math on the Fahrenheit conversion) but, that money goes towards trips.

Anyway, I don't feel that passionately about a price rise, it costs me a fortune to get there anyway! I'm not there enough for it to affect me
 
Jes, I think the difference is that Disney is not marketed or perceived as a luxury product. If you ask the average guy on the street to name a luxury vacation destination, you're probably going to get answers like Paris or Rome or Fiji. I highly doubt anyone will say Disney World. At least here in the US, going to Disney is no more exclusive than going to the beach. This is a place where our high school kids go for their senior class trip, even from 1,000+ miles away. It's the quintessential American family vacation.

There is a lot of chatter in the US about the disappearance of the middle class. A lot of that is political mumbo jumbo but when people see things they used to be able to afford start to become unaffordable, it gets them upset. Wages have been stagnant for many years while the cost of goods and services has steadily increased.

Disney is not marketed as a luxury product, but it's certainly priced like one. Perception is everything and Disney is HUGE on perception. "Perceived value" is a standard Disney buzzword and they are famous for it. The addition of the photo pass is "perceived value".

Disney certainly uses all of the images and prerequisites of luxury in their advertising, but their marketing is aimed at families. This is misleading at best. Remember the advertisement where the family threw open their Disney hotel room's french doors and the spires of the castle were close enough to touch? That room doesn't exist and Disney knows that. Disney advertising is not exactly based in total honesty. There is a reason they advertise a very low starting price and then you find that the pricing is per person and available six non-consecutive days a year.

Jes used the example of a Mercedes. I drove by a lot the other day and a Jeep Wrangler was marked $39,000.00. Jeep is not marketed as a luxury product, but for many that price puts it in that category. Luxury is based on your circumstances

Whatever Disney's reason for these price hikes.....the only real way to make yourself heard is by using your wallet.

Unless Disney feels a financial backlash, they will continue (unrealistic???)) advertising to families, they will continue to make little girls think everyone grows up to be a princess and they will thrive on guests that either have the financial means or are willing to scrimp and save to make their dreams come true.

The bottom line is that only you can decide whether to buy another pass or to make a line in the sand and say enough is enough



 

Jes used the example of a Mercedes. I drove by a lot the other day and a Jeep Wrangler was marked $39,000.00. Jeep is not marketed as a luxury product, but for many that price puts it in that category. Luxury is based on your circumstances
In Australia where the average annual wage is around $50,000 a Hyundai Santa Fe is right around the $40,000 mark as a base model. I own a Hyundai, and while I love it, it's not a luxury car. It's a family car.
A golden commodore (I don't think you have Commodores there but Holden is a part of GM, so a lot of Holden's here get a chev bagde on it of the person is a real tosser) anyway, it's a family sedan, those start at $37,000 I think, base range.
So while it's not outrageous, it's an experience purchase for something that is a family car.

How about an iPhone? They hit $1,530 for the 128GB iPhone 6s+ in Australia.
Luxury pricing? Oh yes.
Luxury item? Arguably not. Everyone has one! Kids have them!
 


Disney has definitely become a victim of their own success. They have done an exceedingly good job at selling themselves, coming up with various promotions like "free" dining to pack guests in during previously slow seasons. What passes as off-season now is probably busier than peak-season used to be 15 or 20 years ago. The problem now is that they are coming up against the capacity of the resort to absorb the crowds and there's no easy way to fix that.

Sure they can fix it, build another park!!! If you are at capacity, then you need to expand to accommodate. Texas would be a great central location that is far enough from the other two US parks. South of San Antonio is a lot of open space and land and nothing but scrub brush and cattle and open range with warm sunny weather year 'round similar to the FL weather.
 
Disney also intentionally omitted Duffy from all of its advertising, so you'd show up at Epcot not realizing that Snuggle the Fabric Softener Bear's creepy cousin was going to be showing up every 30 feet around World Showcase.
 
Sure they can fix it, build another park!!! If you are at capacity, then you need to expand to accommodate. Texas would be a great central location that is far enough from the other two US parks. South of San Antonio is a lot of open space and land and nothing but scrub brush and cattle and open range with warm sunny weather year 'round similar to the FL weather.
There's no way they'll build another park/resort in another area of the USA.
Why would they when they have ample space and the total infrastructure that they have in Florida?
The cost differences would be astronomical. They could plonk a 5th gate in WDW and 2-3 deluxe resorts and that would alleviate a lot of the issues in one fell swoop. And think of the extra revenue they'd bring in.
As Pete said about the cruise: they're at capacity at WDW, they're bringing in MORE guests every year, why change that formula until you absolutely HAVE to? They'll also never bring the price of tickets down while their hotels are running at the capacity they are and the parks with consistent wait times, why would they? People are STILL pouring in.
I agree with Pete, the AP and DVC holders are not their bread and butter at WDW like they are at DLR, they don't give a rats that the AP holders are cracking up over it, they'll still get the once every few years families, the once in a lifetime, the international guests who stay longer because well, we've paid a lot to get there, might as well enjoy it!
 


Disney also intentionally omitted Duffy from all of its advertising, so you'd show up at Epcot not realizing that Snuggle the Fabric Softener Bear's creepy cousin was going to be showing up every 30 feet around World Showcase.
I wish I could like this more than once!
We don't get Disney advertising here, so we knew NOTHING about Duffy. But we hated him!
If I say Duffy to my non-Disney fan husband, he gets all angry and says he hates that weird bear that was everywhere at Epcot! Lol. It was a fun game for us and a great memory
 
There's no way they'll build another park/resort in another area of the USA.
Why would they when they have ample space and the total infrastructure that they have in Florida?
The cost differences would be astronomical. They could plonk a 5th gate in WDW and 2-3 deluxe resorts and that would alleviate a lot of the issues in one fell swoop. And think of the extra revenue they'd bring in.
As Pete said about the cruise: they're at capacity at WDW, they're bringing in MORE guests every year, why change that formula until you absolutely HAVE to? They'll also never bring the price of tickets down while their hotels are running at the capacity they are and the parks with consistent wait times, why would they? People are STILL pouring in.
I agree with Pete, the AP and DVC holders are not their bread and butter at WDW like they are at DLR, they don't give a rats that the AP holders are cracking up over it, they'll still get the once every few years families, the once in a lifetime, the international guests who stay longer because well, we've paid a lot to get there, might as well enjoy it!

And if they keep raising prices perhaps it wil hit them as well. I have and I took my business straight to the competition. The idea that Disney is an uber expensive place that few can afford is already out there and more and more people already think that Disney is unaffordable. Disney's business is not bottomless no one's is.

And DL is not treating their passholders any better. $1,000 dollars for an annual pass. OUCH.

Football tickets are expensive so I don't buy. Movie tickets are expensive I stay home and wait for a cheap rental. I don't buy expensive purses. I make choice everyday. Last year my choice was when the rubber met the road. I dropped Disney and went over to Universal where I get more bang for my buck. And felt more appreciated there. That's capitalism too.

Everyone has their line in sand. You just haven't hit it yet. It does not mean it does not exist.

I'm just respectably disagreeing on some of thoughts.
 
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And if they keep raising prices perhaps it wil hit them as well. I have and I took my business straight to the competition. The idea that Disney is an uber expensive place that few can afford is already out there and more and more people already think that Disney is unaffordable. Disney's business is not bottomless no one's is.

And DL is not treating their passholders any better. $1,000 dollars for an annual pass. OUCH.

Football tickets are expensive so I don't buy. Movie tickets are expensive I stay home and wait for a cheap rental. I don't buy expensive purses. I make choice everyday. Last year my choice was when the rubber met the road. I dropped Disney and went over to Universal where I get more bang for my buck. And felt more appreciated there. That's capitalism too.

Everyone has their line in sand. You just haven't hit it yet. It does not mean it does not exist.

I'm just respectably disagreeing on some of thoughts.

And all the while they are steadily increasing pricing while cutting cost left and right. You see more and more of it every year. The food quality has gone down, the staff training is going down, the rides break down, lets not do towel animals, etc. Some are big things, some are little things. But it slowly starts to add up where the Disney experience from years ago is not the same as it is now. All the while the prices are going up and up. Disney is probably trying to find their tipping point. To where they can cram the most amount of people paying the most amount of money for the least amount of cost. The problem with that is when you try to find that tipping point you might just fall over.
 
And if they keep raising prices perhaps it wil hit them as well. I have and I took my business straight to the competition. The idea that Disney is an uber expensive place that few can afford is already out there and more and more people already think that Disney is unaffordable. Disney's business is not bottomless no one's is.

And DL is not treating their passholders any better. $1,000 dollars for an annual pass. OUCH.

Football tickets are expensive so I don't buy. Movie tickets are expensive I stay home and wait for a cheap rental. I don't buy expensive purses. I make choice everyday. Last year my choice was when the rubber met the road. I dropped Disney and went over to Universal where I get more bang for my buck. And felt more appreciated there. That's capitalism too.

Everyone has their line in sand. You just haven't hit it yet. It does not mean it does not exist.

I'm just respectably disagreeing on some of thoughts.
I'm not disagreeing with you.
Yes it is expensive, but that's not the point I was making, I'm not about to feel bad for someone who cant afford a vacation.
My dad was a single father of 3. he didn't have a vacation for a decade because it wasn't a priority, other things come first and I know in my books, a vacation is the first luxury to go (whether it's an overseas trip to Disney or a camping trip on a long weekend). so yes, it may be marketed to families, but aren't all vacations? even a cheap vacation might not be attainable for some.

and on the Disney raising their prices because they can:
And all the while they are steadily increasing pricing while cutting cost left and right. You see more and more of it every year. The food quality has gone down, the staff training is going down, the rides break down, lets not do towel animals, etc. Some are big things, some are little things. But it slowly starts to add up where the Disney experience from years ago is not the same as it is now. All the while the prices are going up and up. Disney is probably trying to find their tipping point. To where they can cram the most amount of people paying the most amount of money for the least amount of cost. The problem with that is when you try to find that tipping point you might just fall over.
you're right, more people will vote with their wallets, that is the only way this will change. but again, the people who want to come will save just a bit longer and then come and I cant see attendance dropping any time soon (wasn't one year on year increase something like 11%? that's huge numbers), so while you may go to universal instead, there are probably 3 other families to take your place.
I'm not trying to be harsh, its quite literally the situation. the numbers speak to that.
I think the tipping point is still a fair way off in terms of the numbers speaking and making Disney crap their pants. and by then, Star wars land and toy story land will probably we well and truly up and running and they MAY look at a 5th gate. but we're talking years and years from now. 10 at best I would say.
 
Ok, a better example: owning your own home?
It's the American Dream isn't it? To get married, own your house, have your 2.whatever children.
What about those who can't afford that?
Absolutely. As Pete said on the show, everybody can't afford everything. We all have things we'd love to have but just can't afford.

I do appreciate that there's a difference, though, when things you used to be able to afford suddenly become unaffordable. I could never afford a Rolls Royce, but I could afford a couple of weeks in Disney World with some nice meals and a bunch of souvenirs and some other perks along the way. Now, not so much. Now we may still go for 2 weeks but we stay at a cheap offsite timeshare, cook meals there, eat most meals offsite, drive down, and only spend 4 or 5 days in the parks. At some point, if prices continue to rise 10-15%/year, we won't be able to do that anymore. For some families, that point has already arrived.

Sure they can fix it, build another park!!!
I didn't say they can't fix it. I said it isn't easy for them to fix it. Building another park could take 10 years at this point.
There's no way they'll build another park/resort in another area of the USA.
Why would they when they have ample space and the total infrastructure that they have in Florida?
The cost differences would be astronomical. They could plonk a 5th gate in WDW and 2-3 deluxe resorts and that would alleviate a lot of the issues in one fell swoop.
I really wonder how much a 5th gate would affect the crowds. Wouldn't that potentially bring even more guests to the area? Yes there would be one more place for them to go but that could be offset by there being more guests overall.
we knew NOTHING about Duffy. But we hated him!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quote! Trust me. Lots of us knew all about Duffy and still hated him.
 
Remember the advertisement where the family threw open their Disney hotel room's french doors and the spires of the castle were close enough to touch? That room doesn't exist and Disney knows that. Disney advertising is not exactly based in total honesty.
I DO remember that ad, and if memory serves it was also quoting a value package rate involving the All-Star Resorts (shudder) at the time.

That was beyond the usual Disney "weasely-ness", that was downright false advertising.

And as for building another theme park in the U.S.... In spite of the fact that the Florida location has more than enough room to expand, I'm inclined to agree with Pete that it's definitely going to happen sooner rather than later. Perhaps "deep in the heart of Texas", if I had to guess, relatively adjacent to major airports such as Dallas International.

Just my two cents.
 
And as for building another theme park in the U.S.... In spite of the fact that the Florida location has more than enough room to expand, I'm inclined to agree with Pete that it's definitely going to happen sooner rather than later. Perhaps "deep in the heart of Texas", if I had to guess, relatively adjacent to major airports such as Dallas International.
I'm fairly sure Pete said a 5th gate, not a new park. two vastly different things.
 
Texas would be a great central location
Certainly Disney would do their homework before making a decision like that. I wonder how feasible that is. Florida, at this point, has a guaranteed audience and a huge infrastructure far beyond Disney. To start fresh somewhere new - would that pull in the people? Sure we'd probably get there once to see the new park but that would probably be it. Keep in mind that a significant percentage of WDW traffic comes from the northeast corridor. I don't see those people switching over and going to Texas instead, especially if it is for just one park and maybe a water park and a shopping district.

Personally, we drive to Florida every trip. San Antonio is over 1,700 miles from here. We're not driving there. That alone would pretty much put it out of the running as anything but a rare destination for us. Also, we have a growing list of friends and family who have relocated to Florida, concentrated in the Disney area, to the point where we can't possibly visit all of them in a single trip unless visiting was the sole purpose of our stay. We have zero connections to Texas.
 
I'm fairly sure Pete said a 5th gate, not a new park. two vastly different things.
Oops, my bad. I could have sworn he mentioned something about a new park. :listen:

Still, I stand by my prediction of a park in Texas some day soon.

"If you build it, they will come." :)
 
Oops, my bad. I could have sworn he mentioned something about a new park. :listen:

Still, I stand by my prediction of a park in Texas some day soon.

"If you build it, they will come." :)
All good!
like I said, he did mention a 5th gate (which could just be a terminology thing... a 5th gate could be considered a new park) but not a whole new resort
 

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