WDW considering implementing a tiered ticket price system

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm not sure yet if I dislike this idea... even if it costs me.

The parks are STUFFED. I would pay more just to get some people OUT of them.

The skepticism is that the proposed price increases does anything to the crowds at all...

I have to be in that boat...I think the customers will - as always - just go along with it...management will say "we tried"...Burbank will do backstrokes in their money bin...and prices will be risen permenantly in a hyperinflation episode.

 

[Josh Hendy]

The parks are STUFFED. I would pay more just to get some people OUT of them.

I'm getting really bad value here in the parks for the $100 I paid ...

(snaps fingers)

I know!

Charge me more!

(kidding, any sarcasm is not meant to be personal)

The point is, the park is stuffed. Meaning, there isn't nearly enough to occupy the thousands of people who are in it. Not enough high-capacity, highly-entertaining rides and other attractions. But there are a lot of really old or misbegotten AA-driven "experiences" that are very lame and disappointing with no repeatability. At all. And not enough in the other parks to draw away people from this one, nice but really crowded park.

Is the real problem the amount that people have paid to be in the park, or what the park gives them for the amount that they paid?

 

[crb60]

The price increase% chart just blew my mind! I don't see us being able to do this!:

http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/06/03/3-things-like-hate-disneys-tiered-ticket-price-proposal/

I would certainly cancel my vacation if this went into effect before October 2nd.

 

[Castle2Castle]

...there are a lot of really old or misbegotten AA-driven "experiences" that are very lame and disappointing with no repeatability. At all...

Is the real problem the amount that people have paid to be in the park, or what the park gives them for the amount that they paid?

We can all lose sight of the subjectivity of our perspective, and I think that's the case with comments like this, which you're hardly alone in making. People know what they are getting in the parks and they not only continue to go, they go in increasing numbers. One person's trash is another person's treasure, and one person's "very lame and disappointing with no repeatability" experience is another person's classic/nostalgic/quirky/not-to-be-missed attraction.

Guests who feel parks aren't giving them enough for what they paid go elsewhere. Some people will feel that way about Disney parks, but every park will always have individuals who feel that way -- you can't please everyone all the time. On the whole, though, the data supports that more people than not disagree with the above sentiment.

 

[Barnabe]

We can all lose sight of the subjectivity of our perspective, and I think that's the case with comments like this, which you're hardly alone in making. People know what they are getting in the parks and they not only continue to go, they go in increasing numbers. One person's trash is another person's treasure, and one person's "very lame and disappointing with no repeatability" experience is another person's classic/nostalgic/quirky/not-to-be-missed attraction.

Guests who feel parks aren't giving them enough for what they paid go elsewhere. Some people will feel that way about Disney parks, but every park will always have individuals who feel that way -- you can't please everyone all the time. On the whole, though, the data supports that more people than not disagree with the above sentiment.

Yes, attendance is increasing, but I don't think anyone can state the what the park guests want. Because none of use know how many guests are visiting WDW for their first time or their 50th time.

 

[Josh Hendy]

One person's trash is another person's treasure, and one person's "very lame and disappointing with no repeatability" experience is another person's classic/nostalgic/quirky/not-to-be-missed attraction.

Of course it's highly subjective and a matter of some speculation. But I speculate that the really long lines at all of the Mountains, Mine Train, and so on are indications that there are at least 100 people who found attractions such as Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents and Country Bears "very lame and disappointing with no repeatability" ... for every person who experiences them and decides that they are "classic/nostalgic/quirky/not-to-be-missed".

What do you think?

 

[ChrisFL]

I posted this over at wdwmagic but figured I'd post here also

I have a thought about Tiered Pricing...wanted to know what you all think:

I think Disney is going about this the wrong way...a bit.

My idea is to keep the background cost of each theme park admission price separate and do something a bit like what Tokyo Disney does, but modified quite a bit.
At Tokyo, there is no such thing as a 1 day or 2 day park hopper option. Only 3 and 4 day park hoppers, MEANING you can only park hop on those third and fourth days. Also, if you buy a 2 day (or 3 or 4) pass, you have to tell them which park you're visiting on which day.

My thoughts, if I was TDO and I was creating a new ticketing structure like this (let's just call it inevitable for this scenario), make it more of a day planning setup.

For example:
Family plans to visit WDW for 5 days, Sunday through Thursday of whatever month. We know lots of pixie dusters love planning their vacations 6 months ahead (slight sarcasm), so why not give them a few options here. They plan to visit each park and also park-hop

Give them Options:
Option 1: DHS on Sunday- maybe also offer an Extra FP+ to ____ attraction, Epcot Monday, MK Wednesday, AK, then Park Hop on the 5th day...depending on expected crowd levels....total cost $240
Option 2: MK on Sunday, no extra FP available, Epcot Monday, DHS Tuesday, AK Wednesday, then Park Hop.......Total Cost $300
Option 3: Park Hopper available all 5 days...Total Cost $370

Yes, in some ways this might seem complicated, but in some ways, it also gives people the feeling that they will get a better value by choosing their days differently, instead of saying "MK will cost you $130 now, mwahahahaaaaa!!!"

 

[rteetz]

I would certainly cancel my vacation if this went into effect before October 2nd.

Well I would think of you are already booked it wouldn't affect you. But for new bookings it would.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

At Tokyo, there is no such thing as a 1 day or 2 day park hopper option. Only 3 and 4 day park hoppers, MEANING you can only park hop on those third and fourth days. Also, if you buy a 2 day (or 3 or 4) pass, you have to tell them which park you're visiting on which day.

Are you sure about that? I took my family last summer and got the 4 day pass, and I don't remember having to specify which parks we were doing the first two days.

 

[ChrisFL]

Are you sure about that? I took my family last summer and got the 4 day pass, and I don't remember having to specify which parks we were doing the first two days.

Hmm, I'm sure its required on the 2 day pass, perhaps its changed on the 3 and 4 day pass.

 

[Barnabe]

Hmm, I'm sure its required on the 2 day pass, perhaps its changed on the 3 and 4 day pass.

I was told the tickets were less than $50/day. Is this true?

 

[rteetz]

I was told the tickets were less than $50/day. Is this true?

They aren't less than 50 in Japan but they are around $58 if I'm not mistaken for a single day ticket. Their parks are constantly packed and they have two huge expansions coming.

 

[Barnabe]

Well the parks are pretty full at WDW, why are there ticket almost twice as much? Could it be GREED?

 

[ChrisFL]

They aren't less than 50 in Japan but they are around $58 if I'm not mistaken for a single day ticket. Their parks are constantly packed and they have two huge expansions coming.

They just raised prices, but still only about $61 equivalent...realize also that the Yen is VERY bad vs. the Dollar right now.

a 2-day pass at TDR is about the same price as a 1 day pass to MK right now

 

[Castle2Castle]

Yes, attendance is increasing, but I don't think anyone can state the what the park guests want. Because none of use know how many guests are visiting WDW for their first time or their 50th time.

We know that quite a few guests are repeat guests. Of those who may be going for their first time, information about what the parks contain and people's opinions of them are readily available. Whether they have first hand experience or second hand info, people are continuing to make Disney the destination of choice among theme parks.

I speculate that the really long lines at all of the Mountains, Mine Train, and so on are indications that there are at least 100 people who found attractions such as Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents and Country Bears "very lame and disappointing with no repeatability" ... for every person who experiences them and decides that they are "classic/nostalgic/quirky/not-to-be-missed".

What do you think?

Setting aside differences in ride systems*, I think every park has attractions which vary in popularity. It's beside the point of people knowing what the parks contain and continuing to find value for the price. If they believed it to be a bad value as you initially suggested, attendance would be going the other way, and they would instead continue with (or expand) the same kind of price tiers they've effectively been using during non-peak times for years -- sales on hotel and ticket packages, free dining, etc.



*The three mountains and mine train combined last less time than either Carousel of Progress or Hall of Presidents do alone. They also provide far less relief from the summer sun/rain.

 

[Castle2Castle]

Well the parks are pretty full at WDW, why are there ticket almost twice as much? Could it be GREED?

Converting Tokyo prices to USD doesn't tell you a full story of what one park costs compared to another, especially when looking at two countries with numerous economic differences and completely different demographics.

 

[Barnabe]

Converting Tokyo prices to USD doesn't tell you a full story of what one park costs compared to another, especially when looking at two countries with numerous economic differences and completely different demographics.

All I'm comparing is the 1 day ticket price. What I'm seeing is the US pays a lot more than Japan. Is that accurate?

 

[Castle2Castle]

All I'm comparing is the 1 day ticket price. What I'm seeing is the US pays a lot more than Japan. Is that accurate?

Not necessarily, no. I've not looked at this before, but the OECD Better Life Index provides some information for both Japan and the United States, presumably on equal enough footing for the purpose of a superficial comparison. The average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita for each is $26,111 and $41,355.

This is still very surface level -- not looking at any kinds of credits, tax rates, or other nuances that may affect cost of living and ticket pricing -- but it paints a picture of how a $55 USD ticket in Japan may look higher there than it does in the United States.

 

[Barnabe]

Not necessarily, no. I've not looked at this before, but the OECD Better Life Index provides some information for both Japan and the United States, presumably on equal enough footing for the purpose of a superficial comparison. The average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita for each is $26,111 and $41,355.

This is still very surface level -- not looking at any kinds of credits, tax rates, or other nuances that may affect cost of living and ticket pricing -- but it paints a picture of how a $55 USD ticket in Japan may look higher there than it does in the United States.

thanks

 

[oddman]

My comment was about reducing crowds from what they otherwise would be under the current flat pricing plan. People reducing the number of days per trip during peak times would do just that. Adjusting your Orlando trip to include other things during peak WDW times will do that as well. It wasn't necessary to reciprocate, but you have given me a slight chuckle.

The reason Disney are doing this is exactly because my reducing days will not make a difference they run at or close to capacity all year around. once there were shoulder seasons that were somewhat uncrowded , but over the last 10 or 20 years they have faded away.

In my increasing the cost is not going to reduce numbers in a meaningful or noticeable way. I don't think you will see shorter wait times, unless you feel waiting 1hour 48 mins is better than 2 hours... because to my anything over 30 mins I will not even consider. The whole point of Disney increasing prices on busier seasons is to increase profits and do it in such a way as to make the clients think they are buying something.

unless Disney show us actual numbers , and actually limit the crowd , then it will be meaningless and just another way to double dip.