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

[disneysteve]

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

I guess. Just imagine the chaos at the gate, though, with people showing up only to be told that their tickets weren't good that day. That would be a disaster.

 

[Princess Jes]

You're forgetting about the people who CAN go when they like... Couples (young and old) with no children, or adult children who aren't joining them. Families with children too young for school. Families with children that they home school.
All of those are less likely to have such strict times to go, and that could sway crowds.
Or if pricing becomes prohibitive for families to go during summer and other peak times, those families may begin to be more open to take children out of school for a trip.
It may not be a significant impact on crowds, but an impact nonetheless.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

Ryan, I think Swan and Dolphin gives room discounts to teachers. It's good to know about NEA discounts. As for groups visiting Disney I did the YES Program way back but we had group (mostly schools) that came. We never had days without a group coming. The internship ran January to June since that is when most schools came. I also know Magic Music Days bring a lot of school bands to the park and that happens all the time.

 

[wilkeliza]

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.

There is no way it is going to make the true busy season any less busy. All this will do is drive locals and people who have more flexible work schedules to try and avoid peak season. We already try to avoid peak season since we are childless adults so it would be nice to get a ticket cut on top of the room discounts they already give . I still think it is all about managing guest to employee ratio, operating hours, and possibly special events. So say MK has already presold 75% at 100 days out then they aren't going to do a special event but if there is a day where a park is only preselling at 50% at the same time then hey lets throw this event that will cost us nothing but draw the locals in. Disney is already doing this kind of stuff based on hotel sells ans I imagine they even use FP+ as a way to guage employee needs.

 

[Hawaii2Dis]

I think people will still go to Disney.

 

[disneysteve]

There is no way it is going to make the true busy season any less busy.

I think people will still go to Disney.

I think this is really the bottom line. Disney might spin this as a way to manage crowds but I think all it will actually do is put more money in Disney's pocket. The folks going at busy times will pay even more than they do now. The folks going at less busy times will pay just as much as always. And the crowds will still be the same.

The only thing that would actually reduce crowding is putting a cap on the number of guests allowed through the front gate each day.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Ryan, I think Swan and Dolphin gives room discounts to teachers. It's good to know about NEA discounts. As for groups visiting Disney I did the YES Program way back but we had group (mostly schools) that came. We never had days without a group coming. The internship ran January to June since that is when most schools came. I also know Magic Music Days bring a lot of school bands to the park and that happens all the time.

Swolphin is great for teachers, law enforcement, nurses, and public employee discounts - at least the last time I looked.

 

[jpeka65844]

The only thing that would actually reduce crowding is putting a cap on the number of guests allowed through the front gate each day.

I agree with this.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I wonder if an unexpected side effect would be people that now have to pay the "higher" rate will feel even more entitled to things

"What do you mean I can't get an ADR at Cinderella's Castle?!?!?! I am paying a premium to travel when we do!!!"

 

[zetachi]

speaking as a parent of school age children and living in NY. We are tied into school vacations for trips which are always peak season. We already get raked over the coals by the airlines,hotels and rental companies. Only dependable level pricing was tickets. This just adds insult to injury and is one more block to family vacations at Disney. (theoretically for now)

Reminds me of the cruise vacation we took a few years ago. I figured if we cruised out of NY Port it would cut out the price of airfare. What a surprise to find that the cruise raised their price out of New York and removed the savings that the we saved on the flights.

 

[EricInPA]

I'll just echo what some others have said: I don't think prices really do much to push a majority of people from one season to the next. Most people go on Vacation when they can and then make the prices work from there (again, if they can).

No kids in our household, but if they suddenly flipped the prices/dvc point charts of Summer and Fall, we would still travel in the Fall. Vacationing in the summer from here (Pittsburgh area) isn't much of a vacation since we have lots of weekend getaway type things to do!

Edit: Just read through the dated ticket description for SDL. Will your 5 day ticket last a week if you have park hoppers? Will there be no more park hoppers? Just too many variables at the moment to predict. Seems straightforward for a 1 or 2 day ticket plan with 1 park.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

speaking as a parent of school age children and living in NY. We are tied into school vacations for trips which are always peak season. We already get raked over the coals by the airlines,hotels and rental companies. Only dependable level pricing was tickets. This just adds insult to injury and is one more block to family vacations at Disney. (theoretically for now)

Reminds me of the cruise vacation we took a few years ago. I figured if we cruised out of NY Port it would cut out the price of airfare. What a surprise to find that the cruise raised their price out of New York and removed the savings that the we saved on the flights.

Just a side note - we live in NY as well and NY schools go back in the fall later than the rest of the country so if you can go down to Disney that last week in August the crowds are a bit better and they sometimes start the fall hotel deals by then, etc. Just a thought

 

[DisneyKevin]

Shanghai DL has announced that it will have a yielded ticket structure when it opens.

 

[zetachi]

Just a side note - we live in NY as well and NY schools go back in the fall later than the rest of the country so if you can go down to Disney that last week in August the crowds are a bit better and they sometimes start the fall hotel deals by then, etc. Just a thought

LOL the thought of Disney in August sends sweat down my back That's usually our Mountain Creek/Action Park/Cammelback or Jersey shore week

 

[maroney495]

I have not read all of responses yet but what I don't like about this idea is this. I have hear lots of people say that they buy tickets ahead and save them for a future trip. They do not know when they plan to go only that they do. They get extra money, say an unexpected bonus, and buy a ticket. Then later are given money for a gift and buy another ticket, etc. It seems that this would eliminate the possibility of doing this as you would have to know when you are planning to go to get the right ticket???

 

[disneysteve]

It seems that this would eliminate the possibility of doing this as you would have to know when you are planning to go to get the right ticket???

Or you might be able to buy a ticket for the lowest price option and then pay the difference if you end up going during a higher priced time.