Is Disney getting Greeeeeeeedy?

[chicagoshannon]

I don't think it is about greed. The problem is with them charging more while the consumer gets less, a lot less.

If they were raising prices while providing a superior product (like they used to), it wouldn't be a big deal. Instead they continue to take things away while charging more.

 

[JaxDad]

They will know they are in trouble if the media ever gives them the "Big" adjective, like "Big Oil." I know you can't directly compare necessities to luxuries, but I always think it is funny how people can get so upset when Exxon makes 6-8 percent net profit while companies like FaceBook, Disney, Starbucks, and Apple make double, triple, and even quadruple that!

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think it is about greed. The problem is with them charging more while the consumer gets less, a lot less.

If they were raising prices while providing a superior product (like they used to), it wouldn't be a big deal. Instead they continue to take things away while charging more.

Are you saying they haven't added? Really?????? Or is it just you don't care for the things they have added, because that is totally different.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Disney is no more greedy then any other Company........its supple and demand. UNI, Sea World all of them, charge as much as they can!

AKK

 

[ParrotBill]

We already seeing tiering and seasonality for some time now... in hotel pricing/discounts, DVC points, etc. What's a bit more obnoxious is how the survey shows that weekends would be silver when weekdays are bronze. That means bronze is only for locals, since a family traveling for the week would be required to buy the silver price for all days of their stay. That's a bit of a slap in the face... I am a family traveling and I have to pay a higher price than others the same day? Rude.

 

[Crystal824]

We already seeing tiering and seasonality for some time now... in hotel pricing/discounts, DVC points, etc. What's a bit more obnoxious is how the survey shows that weekends would be silver when weekdays are bronze. That means bronze is only for locals, since a family traveling for the week would be required to buy the silver price for all days of their stay. That's a bit of a slap in the face... I am a family traveling and I have to pay a higher price than others the same day? Rude.

That is the problem with the tiered ticketing. Yes, I pay more for Friday and Saturday night for my hotel, but I get a reduced rate for the rest of my trip. However, with this to get the discount for the multiday option, you have to pay the silver price for the whole week. If Disney does this, there should be some system to give guests a credit if their trip overlaps the different periods. I understand that hotels and even other entertainment venues do this, generally they are one day type places. This is just too difficult to do for a place that you will generally stay for multiple days.

 

[JimmyBean42]

Their prices are based on demand. So as long as people keep visiting the parks, buying the merchandise and eating the food at the parks, they prices will keep rising. Once they hit the point where they aren't as profitable, then the prices will stay stagnant and level for some time. But that isn't happening any time soon with the way people are visiting the parks now.

We go every year and with going off peak season (Oct. - Dec. for free dining or hotel discount) and using our VISA rewards, it's still cheaper than a week at the beach for us.

 

[JimmyBean42]

One other thing that crosses my mind. Yes it's expensive but (outside of Universal which is also very expensive) can you name any other theme park that puts in the amount of detail Disney does and wouldn't charge that much? We've gone to theme parks that have cheaper admission prices and let me tell you - you can absolutely tell the difference in atmosphere, quality and everything that is given with that admission.

 

[tjevans]

Well, no, they're not GETTING greedy. They've been greedy for some time.

 

[Jennytoon]

That is the problem with the tiered ticketing. Yes, I pay more for Friday and Saturday night for my hotel, but I get a reduced rate for the rest of my trip. However, with this to get the discount for the multiday option, you have to pay the silver price for the whole week. If Disney does this, there should be some system to give guests a credit if their trip overlaps the different periods. I understand that hotels and even other entertainment venues do this, generally they are one day type places. This is just too difficult to do for a place that you will generally stay for multiple days.

I agree. I think the thing that might make sense, but that I didn't see a version of the chart that showed it, would be to have a single price for 3+ day tickets, and only apply the tiered pricing to one and two-day tickets. I think that would solve a lot of the problems and would be more in line with what other parks / events that are one day items do.

-- As many have pointed out, tiered pricing isn't really going to move people who are coming for multiple days and can only come one time of year. But tiered pricing on a one and two day ticket, esp. over weekends might well move locals to weekdays (there are already AP tiers that do this, but I bet there are plenty of locals who don't have APs but would still be inclined to take surge pricing into account). It would also be more likely to move quick drop-in trips off weekends or to a quieter time of year. If you're only coming for the weekend anyway then work and school schedules aren't always quite so much of a constraint.

-- For visitors who are staying longer, it would solve the question of having to pick park days in advance or worry about what is going to happen if they go on a weekend day for a last minute change in plans when they had only booked weekdays. It's much more friendly to those who are taking their family vacations at WDW and staying a while.

-- It's pretty simple to figure out what ticket you need if you only have to consider the surge pricing for 1 or 2 day tickets.

 

[ArwenMarie]

One other thing that crosses my mind. Yes it's expensive but (outside of Universal which is also very expensive) can you name any other theme park that puts in the amount of detail Disney does and wouldn't charge that much? We've gone to theme parks that have cheaper admission prices and let me tell you - you can absolutely tell the difference in atmosphere, quality and everything that is given with that admission.

There really isn't a direct competitor. The closest would be Universal, but Universal targets a different type of park-goer. There is some overlap, but it's not direct.

 

[JimmyBean42]

There really isn't a direct competitor. The closest would be Universal, but Universal targets a different type of park-goer. There is some overlap, but it's not direct.

Good point. I guess what I'm trying to say is yes it is expensive but there is also a high quality product that is given back to the consumer. It's not like they are charging you this amount and just giving you some carnival-type rides and shows.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Are you saying they haven't added? Really?????? Or is it just you don't care for the things they have added, because that is totally different.

No, I'm saying they have taken away more than they have added.

 

[Annadesu]

I'm sure there's "greed" in the higher ranks. But this is not a Disney phenomenon. Prices will always go up, as long as people keep paying those prices. Things rarely drop in price, in my experience.

 

[Minniesgal]

I understand Disney is a business. But come on. How much do you have to twist someones wallet just to get a few more dollars? They are starting to price themselves out of the average citizens vacation plans.

Yet footfall is still increasing so people are paying the prices. No business is going to say oh I must reduce to be accessible to all they are going to see increasing footfall and say what I am doing is working. This is the way a successful business is managed.

 

[Spork24]

We already seeing tiering and seasonality for some time now... in hotel pricing/discounts, DVC points, etc. What's a bit more obnoxious is how the survey shows that weekends would be silver when weekdays are bronze. That means bronze is only for locals, since a family traveling for the week would be required to buy the silver price for all days of their stay. That's a bit of a slap in the face... I am a family traveling and I have to pay a higher price than others the same day? Rude.

What's funny is that you've been paying more than the locals your entire life, and apparently didn't know it. Very few floridians buy this type of package. They either get a fl resident annual pass (cheaper than I can get it for) or but one of the fl resident special packages.

Just because Disney is thinking of trying something that may not benefit the way you like to travel doesn't make them rude.

 

[JandD75]

The article I read, stated that multi-day vacations that included both bronze and silver would be priced at the higher silver rate. Since almost all weekends are either silver or gold, and my vacation always includes a weekend, I feel this is a way for Disney to 'cheat'. This doesn't sit well with me at all. I don't think I have seen this issue addressed yet here, and would like to know what others think about it. Thanks!

 

[baler31]

http://jeffmacke1.tumblr.com/post/120529869363/chill-disney-is-not-pulling-an-uber

Disney and Uber

 

[JimmyBean42]

The article I read, stated that multi-day vacations that included both bronze and silver would be priced at the higher silver rate. Since almost all weekends are either silver or gold, and my vacation always includes a weekend, I feel this is a way for Disney to 'cheat'. This doesn't sit well with me at all. I don't think I have seen this issue addressed yet here, and would like to know what others think about it. Thanks!

If it's park tiering only, then they technically could only price you at that level if you used the tickets on those days. I'm sure if you complain enough that you are not using park days on weekends (which they would monitor obviously) then how can they price you at that rate? I think if this tiering does occur what you will end up seeing is very crowded Disney hotel pools on weekends and a overly crowded Downtown Disney on weekends as well.

 

[Huggups]

Then they probably should have stopped closing things at DHS if they weren't ready to actually start construction.

I think a lot of people would be fine with all of it if they didn't move at such a glacial pace with their construction. I'm probably going to have to borrow someone else's kids to take them to enjoy the new things I keep hearing are coming because mine will be too old to care!

Actually Disney hasn't closed down all that much at DHS in the last year. AIE, Backlot Tour and LJS weren't exactly what we used to classify as E ticket rides. The Backlot Tour used to be really good when the park first opened but after the "studio" itself closed down, there really wasn't much point in keeping it. The issue to me is updating the attractions which are way overdue like for instance Muppet Vision 3D. LMA, Indiana Jones, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie set are all way past their relevance and are only kept so there is something in the park to see. DHS has never had a lot of attractions anyway. Some of the best have been gone for awhile like Monster Sound Show and Superstar Television which both embodied the "Studio" concept. Both of those would have better stood the test of time rather than some rides based on movies which tend to become stale.