WDW considering implementing a tiered ticket price system

[Motherofcats8]

They can already cut corners on slow days/weeks with shorter hours, fewer fireworks shows and parades, taking down rides for repairs and so on. And by offering hotel discounts, meal plans, and so on. Why would they feel the need to go "one farther" and put something complicated and off-putting like this right in the face of their customers?

This is about "how can we get more revenue without actually building any more rides and shows."

So true.... we are living the the "Iger Age" and he is definitely pushing the pay more for less factor. If you get down to it, the reason they might do this is "BECAUSE THEY CAN"!

 

[Motherofcats8]

Heading to the pharmacy for Prozac now!

LOL.......Prozac isn't strong enough for this kind of depression!!!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

LOL.......Prozac isn't strong enough for this kind of depression!!!

Mix it with lithium and jack daniels

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Totally off topic, but Motherof8cats, 8 cats? Wow!!! Any special breeds by chance?

 

[rteetz]

Time magazine has picked up on the pricing survey

http://ti.me/1cnRR2f

 

[nugov2]

I am confused. I see the price tiers, but nothing that mentions no waits over 30 minutes. Where is that info? I get tiers for baseball games, but at WDW it is dumb especially because people stay for long periods of time. I think it would deter people from extra park days if their trip went from low to higher ticket pricing. I'd gladly pay for fp, but this doesn't appear to be that. Sorry if this was asked. I only read the first couple of pages.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I am confused. I see the price tiers, but nothing that mentions no waits over 30 minutes. Where is that info? I get tiers for baseball games, but at WDW it is dumb especially because people stay for long periods of time. I think it would deter people from extra park days if their trip went from low to higher ticket pricing. I'd gladly pay for fp, but this doesn't appear to be that. Sorry if this was asked. I only read the first couple of pages.

I don't think it said anything about specific wait times. Just would you be willing to pay more if the park overall was less crowded.

 

[nugov2]

I don't think it said anything about specific wait times. Just would you be willing to pay more if the park overall was less crowded.

I don't believe it would actually achieve that goal. I don't think that it is impossible for WDW to see large dips in attendance due to poor decision making, I'm just not sure this is enough to keep crowds low. I think they will just see people spending less days and heading to other parks so instead of the average hotel/park stay being 5-7 it may go to 3-5 and them families will move to universal or may just stay off site all together and make it more Orlando vs only disney vacation.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't believe it would actually achieve that goal. I don't think that it is impossible for WDW to see large dips in attendance due to poor decision making, I'm just not sure this is enough to keep crowds low. I think they will just see people spending less days and heading to other parks so instead of the average hotel/park stay being 5-7 it may go to 3-5 and them families will move to universal or may just stay off site all together and make it more Orlando vs only disney vacation.

I don't think it will achieve that goal either. I think it's just a ticket price hike.

 

[jtwibih]

I think I said this in another thread but this is really no different than what most professional sports teams are doing. Especially baseball....

 

[Planogirl]

I think I said this in another thread but this is really no different than what most professional sports teams are doing. Especially baseball....

I can only compare if I choose to go to a baseball game several days in a row.

Seriously, I can usually find a lot of specials for our Texas Rangers. The best I've seen lately is $12. Yes, the seats are high up but I don't know how to compare that to Disney passes.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Time magazine has picked up on the pricing survey

http://ti.me/1cnRR2f

The story also made it on the Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...red-ticket-pricing-20150529-premiumvideo.html

 

[rteetz]

The story also made it on the Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...red-ticket-pricing-20150529-premiumvideo.html

That's more likely to happen than time tho. It seems more and more national media outlets are picking up the story.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't think it will achieve that goal either. I think it's just a ticket price hike.

It goes something like this:

"In order to provide more value to our guests... We have Introduced Dynamic pricing to provide options and the best possible structure to meet the needs of our guests... Which we testify that they have asked for, specifically - based on our research"

Dreams, magic, wishes, wonder

What does that mean? Nothing... So what would happen is that they increase the price on Christmas...by and large people are undeterred for the surcharge that represents what amounts to almost nothing compared to the huge, always increasing cost to vacation at walts dream...

But we can claim "we tried" to get more people to the "cheaper", less crowded days...

But nobody bit...so it just ends up as a price increase.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

What's interesting about the time article is:

1. It's in Time
2. It says that the survey was issued to annual passholders - which it technically wouldn't matter to unless they really just crap on everyone...
3. That it mentions a potential for a 25% increase for peak times.


Wait...I couldn't have read that 3rd one right...

 

[I M Fearless]

Once the system is in place and people accept it, adjusting the prices up is fairly routine, that in itself is expected.

If they decided to significantly increase the cost at Christmas and other peak times they then could.

I can't understand why they would do this, if it would hurt hotel occupancy. This makes me think they may just decide to target offsite guests.

The parks can handle the crowds generated by onsite guests alone, even if the hotels were at 100% capacity all year.

It would seem obvious they would want to keep people staying at the hotels onsite, but decrease (or at least limit) the crowds in the parks (specifically MK), so it would kind of be logical that they would target the offsite crowd with this.

Epcot is the dark horse in all this. The infrastructure of the park is huge, it is well appointed to handle a far bigger crowd, they have sufficient restrooms, restaurants, transport infrastructure, plenty of walkways. They could absorb a lot more guests. All they need is some more attractions!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

This makes perfect sense and was bound to come eventually. There aren't a bunch of threads here going, "I can't believe they are charging different prices at hotels at different times of year!!!!" Everybody is familiar with tiered pricing in many areas of life. It will most likely be an even change, unless you like Christmas. Look at the graph on Touringplans that shows the difference between 1 through 10 rating crowds. The crowds are so unbelievable at the few peak times of the year, Disney could easily up prices for those weeks by 25% with no appreciable impact to profits or hotel occupancy. In fact, the price might actually improve the experience for those willing to pay the price! If crowds are going to keep increasing as they seem to be, then it just made business sense to raise prices.

Every business is trying to sell you the least for the most. That is the point. Before Disneyland opened Walt was making all kinds of plans to sell you the least for the most with tie-ins, products, food & drink. It is part of his genius. We were happy to pay. The phrase is just worded in the most negative way. Supply and demand, yada, yada, but it is all true. Do you want a pay cut so whatever business you work for can reduce their prices, or would you like a raise? There is a reasonable balance, which is usually set by the market. I LOATH the price of popcorn at movie theaters! But I don't blame the theater, I blame all the idiots that pay that ridiculous price! But then I'm not really mad. We have a bunch of nice theaters were I live now and I don't have to buy the popcorn. It may end up the same way with Disney. Would I like $50 a day tickets? Sure, but I also want Disney to be strong and profitable. So far, I don't have a problem with the prices. The experience seems worth it to me. I'll bet they can demand a pretty high price at Christmas. If it is worth it to people, why shouldn't they?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Officially...I don't think I'm against spiked pricing for holiday weeks...

Everybody tries for the same idea...they should have to pay for it.

I'm more intrigued by "food and wine festival" weekends in October and novemeber...

And influx of crowds on fall weekends has actually bombed the whole period - as 2-4 days of solid bookings on the weekends makes longer stays impossible due to logjams... And the crowds - while not "maximum" on the whole scale...are unevenly distributed.

Here's a doozy...do you pay a premium for a "prime day" when they shut the magic kingdom down 2-3 hours early for an exclusive ticket event?

 

[North of Mouse]

People want their vacation to be uncomplicated, hence things like DDP

Folks are bringing up what is clearly the most important point to me..................Is WDW getting to complicated to plan!?????
AKK

Disney is trying to do as little as possible while charging as much as possible.

Yes, showing my age, but we have been going to MK since it was the only park in '72, and everything has been relatively great, uncomplicated, and relaxing until about the last 10 - 15 years. More crowds (same space - basically). No more walking up to a kiosk on same day making a dining ressie, FP+ advance ressie snafu, etc. etc.

The last several years - skipping a year or two between - we have purchased AP's and gone 2-3 trips of 10-14 nights each. NO more - we have one more trip on our current AP, then have no future Disney plans - so many other places that we have been going also that are much more relaxing with minimal advance planning.

Vacations to us mean 'relaxation' - NOT planning each part of the day 2-3 months in advance - and paying through the nose to do so! Or, risking disappointments on arrival, with possible little to choose from in FP's and dining without 'playing their game'!!

JMO - some people love scheduling, will pay any increases - tiered, or otherwise, just save more and pay the extra ~ to each their own.

We really love Disney, but enough is getting to be enough - tired of them sneaking in $$ increases in subtle/not so subtle ways, all the while not being able to deliver on what is promised with each ticket - 'availability' of rides.

 

[jtwibih]

I can only compare if I choose to go to a baseball game several days in a row.

Seriously, I can usually find a lot of specials for our Texas Rangers. The best I've seen lately is $12. Yes, the seats are high up but I don't know how to compare that to Disney passes.

Well if you want to see the Rangers vs Yankees it will probably cost a bit more than seeing them play the Indians. These teams are capitalizing on high demand games by significantly increasing the price.