Anyone else think Disney is getting Greedy?

[Pkltm]

We go to WDW or DL once a year, and have on occasion paid for a tour, only once did I feel ripped off and that my experience was not worth the money. Each year a portion of our trip cost goes up, but so does the cost of running a business, raises must be given, fuel goes up, cogs go up. This is life, my property taxes go up every year do I like no, but does that matter ... no.

I find it interesting that people criticize Disney for not having new things and also for raising prices, we cannot have it both ways.

 

[NYDisGuy]

Since I moved here nearly 25 years ago, the price of a single day ticket has gone from $31 to $99 (or $95)....that's over 300% price increase. Prices for annual passes have gone up the same percentage. They've added very little in that time with the exception of Animal Kingdom which is for the most part an overpriced zoo. Hopefully "Avatarland" will change that.

They may be supplying what their customers are demanding today, but I feel they are risking alienating a future generation of customers.

They haven't added anything? Test Track, Soarin, Tower of Terror, RnRC isn't anything? Not to mention the countless refurbs and another gate.

 

[Pkltm]

Since I moved here nearly 25 years ago, the price of a single day ticket has gone from $31 to $99 (or $95)....that's over 300% price increase. Prices for annual passes have gone up the same percentage. They've added very little in that time with the exception of Animal Kingdom which is for the most part an overpriced zoo. Hopefully "Avatarland" will change that.

They may be supplying what their customers are demanding today, but I feel they are risking alienating a future generation of customers.

What have gas gone up, or minimum wage??

 

[siskaren]

Simply not possible if you book an ADR at 180 and they announce a hard ticket event 100 days out like they did with Villains.

This is a problem with the reservation system and scheduling of events. They should never announce a hard ticket event inside of 180 days.

That was an exception. With the MNSSHP and MVMCP, although they didn't officially announce the dates until early May, the calendars for September, October and November were already out and showed which dates the MK was closed at 7.

 

[jon18uk]

It's not a matter of want, it's a matter of ability to buy it. I'm paying $12K already for our WDW vacation. Now I'm supposed to justify another $400 for our party to be part of the privileged?

You don't have to buy anything. If you can pay out for several days park tickets and the accommodation to stay for several days you should be able to experience everything you want to using FP+ included. If you only have 1 day at the parks and want to get the most out of it then $400 on 1 day tickets plus a VIP tour might work out more affordable than 4 days of tickets and accommodation to see everything.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I'm not saying love it or leave it, but if the fact that you don't want to purchase extras makes you that extremely resentful that the extras are even being offered in the first place, then maybe you should leave it, because if you're going to spend the whole time you're there complaining about the fact that you aren't with the people standing in the roped off area, then you won't have fun and what is the point then?

I saw someone's take on how their party did SWW without the Feel the Force package because they didn't want to purchase it for a party of six, yes they had to wait for the parade as usual, but they made plans for that and no extra cost. And in the evening they had drinks and desserts at the Brown Derby lounge (paying much less than they would have for the package) and found a spot for the fireworks. Didn't see them complaining about how they had a second-class experience.

 

[siskaren]

The crowds on other days being busier than party days isn't really true. I've been during many many MNSSHP and MVMCP days and the party days and non-party days even out to about the same with 4-7 on party days being much much worse.

That's strange because the general consensus is that party days are much less crowded because most people don't want to go to the MK on days when it closes earlier and in particular because there's no nighttime entertainment.

 

[PlutoMars]

Oh joy...a thread on complaining about Disney & the evils of Capitalism all in one place. Glad to see this is on the planning board helping people with their trips..

Its not just capitalism...its simple economics. Disney creates a supply for a demand. People want events like this and are willing to pay extra for them. Simple. If these special events dont sell or do not meet financial expectations then Disney will cancel them.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Simply not possible if you book an ADR at 180 and they announce a hard ticket event 100 days out like they did with Villains.

This is a problem with the reservation system and scheduling of events. They should never announce a hard ticket event inside of 180 days.

I was referring to the MK parties and not Villains. I take it you got caught up with Villains and had something cancelled that you had planned on and don't want to attend the event for whatever reason, so now I'm kind of understanding the resentment but that same resentment shouldn't apply to the Frozen event - which is what I thought you were referring to at first.

Maybe it will be the last time they offer that particular event, if they dont' sell it out - I don't think they have yet.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Point 1: The parties are well know far in advance. It is your choice to go on a party day and not book a party ticket. Yes for whatever personal reason you may not like going on another day but Disney isn't saying this is the only day you can come you are. The crowds on other days being busier than party days isn't really true. I've been during many many MNSSHP and MVMP days and the party days and non-party days even out to about the same with 4-7 on party days being much much worse. Even Night of Joy is announced months in advance. Tickets went on sale in March for the August events and the line up was announce at least a month prior. Once again your choice to go during that time of the year.

Point 2: The Anna and Elsa package is actually more akin to a Fantasmic Dinning Package. The price includes a dessert party as well as the fireworks, dance party, and viewing of welcome "parade".

Of course it's my choice if I go when the parties are on, didn't I say that? I even said more power to Disney if they can get away with all of upcharge events.

My point is the MK parties affect nonparty-goers, for the reasons I listed. In contrast, other events don't affect non-event-goers (Harambe Nights, expensive character meals, safaris, princess teas, etc).

I disagree about MK not being more crowded on the non-party days...from my own experience and everything I have read. In fact, one of the "tips" is to do MK in the morning on the party day because you will get more done.

 

[wilkeliza]

That's strange because the general consensus is that party days are much less crowded because most people don't want to go to the MK on days when it closes earlier and in particular because there's no nighttime entertainment.

I'm sure this year will be different because of FP+ but people who thought this would go and use park hoppers to hop somewhere with nighttime entertainment etc.

Last year in particular we went on a party morning and stayed all day. The crowds on party day were actually busier than the crowds were on a non-party day. Of course the party we were at sold out so that may have been part of it.

It could just be me but that is what I have experience. It tends to even out thanks to park hopping and people who have no clue what the party means and find out when it is too late to change their plans.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Without reading every single post, I would have guessed that people who agree and people who disagree with the basic idea of the post would be split about half and half.
Like many things in my life, Disney has gotten more complicated. Some people LOVE change, no matter what it costs. Some people were turned off by the FP+ (and yes, I'm one of them). Some people will make reservations for everything Disney and be tickled that they can.
Yes, there have been tours and special programs, and meet and greets, etc. etc. More and more of these things have a higher price tag than the "average" family going to Disney can afford.
When we were little and went to carnivals you bought tickets for what you wanted to ride. We had a very limited amount to spend. Our kids grew up doing the same thing. The ride all night for $5 (or whatever it would be now) didn't come about til our family was beyond that.
We went to Busch Gardens, to Dutch Wonderland, to Hershey, etc. etc. When we finally could afford to go to Disney it was like the most wonderful thing. And it was only MK then.
We wouldn't have bought DVC even if we felt comfortable spending that money. We were annual passholders for over 5 years and loved that. I agree that Disney is first and foremost a business, but I can't say I like the direction things have gone.
Build a better mousetrap (no pun intended) and the world will beat a path to your door. I preferred the simpler days at Disney.

 

[dae3dae3]

As long as the parks are crowded they will keep raising the price. It is as simple as that. If they didn't have such high prices the parks would be so crowded that you wouldn't be able to make it down the street.

You can't have low prices and low crowd levels in a popular destination. It isn't possible.

 

[asmit4]

No I don't think Disney is getting greedy.

I can spend 5 nights at a value resort, get the free counter DDP, eat breakfast in the room, and lunch/dinner out in the parks, drive to Disney with my family instead of flying and my main costs are disney tickets.

At 5 nights I'm spending maybe 600 on the room for a family of 4, and tickets say 300pp so that's 1200....that's 1800 plus gas and incidentals.

Anytime I can go somewhere with a family of 4 - for 5-7 nights and keep costs at under 3K- I'm HAPPY! That - to me- is very affordable.

Disney can be really magical without spending 12K on a vacation. It's our choice to spend what we want to spend. Some people spend 2K, others spend 12. The fact that DW can be magical for ALL budgets is awesome!

 

[tim123]

No I don't think Disney is getting greedy.

I can spend 5 nights at a value resort, get the free counter DDP, eat breakfast in the room, and lunch/dinner out in the parks, drive to Disney with my family instead of flying and my main costs are disney tickets.

At 5 nights I'm spending maybe 600 on the room for a family of 4, and tickets say 300pp so that's 1200....that's 1800 plus gas and incidentals.

Anytime I can go somewhere with a family of 4 - for 5-7 nights and keep costs at under 3K- I'm HAPPY! That - to me- is very affordable.

Disney can be really magical without spending 12K on a vacation. It's our choice to spend what we want to spend. Some people spend 2K, others spend 12. The fact that DW can be magical for ALL budgets is awesome!

Agreed! But I wouldnt go so far as to say "ALL" budgets.
Many budgets is more realistic…Those of us who can afford a Florida WDW vacation are not representative of "ALL" families in America let alone the world.

 

[Redcon1]

Walt was all for making money- however (and there's always a however in life), he was more interested in reinvesting it in his business, whether it was for Disneyland, his films or his dream project, EPCOT.

To me, I just can't imagine Walt swimming in piles of money in a vault somewhere like Uncle Scrooge, like I can some of those who are in charge of Disney nowadays.

 

[tim123]

Walt was all for making money- however (and there's always a however in life), he was more interested in reinvesting it in his business, whether it was for Disneyland, his films or his dream project, EPCOT.

To me, I just can't imagine Walt swimming in piles of money in a vault somewhere like Uncle Scrooge, like I can some of those who are in charge of Disney nowadays.

OOOhhh you bad!

 

[wilkeliza]

No I don't think Disney is getting greedy.

I can spend 5 nights at a value resort, get the free counter DDP, eat breakfast in the room, and lunch/dinner out in the parks, drive to Disney with my family instead of flying and my main costs are disney tickets.

At 5 nights I'm spending maybe 600 on the room for a family of 4, and tickets say 300pp so that's 1200....that's 1800 plus gas and incidentals.

Anytime I can go somewhere with a family of 4 - for 5-7 nights and keep costs at under 3K- I'm HAPPY! That - to me- is very affordable.

Disney can be really magical without spending 12K on a vacation. It's our choice to spend what we want to spend. Some people spend 2K, others spend 12. The fact that DW can be magical for ALL budgets is awesome!

Isn't perspective wonderful. MY DBF and I think if we can go to Disney for 2 people and spend less the 5K it is a good trip for us. Of course we usually go for 7 nights, stay deluxe, park hopper, eat character meals and premium dinning so it is a different sort of thing. Also we live in NYC so 5K to use is much different than 5K to other families.

 

[jco_direwolf]

Walt was all for making money- however (and there's always a however in life), he was more interested in reinvesting it in his business, whether it was for Disneyland, his films or his dream project, EPCOT.

To me, I just can't imagine Walt swimming in piles of money in a vault somewhere like Uncle Scrooge, like I can some of those who are in charge of Disney nowadays.

I think it was more Roy that was all for making money. Well Roy and Michael Eisner.

Remember Walt almost bankrupted the company at least 2 times, once with Snow White and again with Disneyland.

Walt liked making money, but he also liked spending it.

 

[Redcon1]

Right! And spending it on the company's projects. Roy had to reign him in a few times. A perfect balance between creativity and business. Similar to when Eisner was paired with Frank Wells.

I don't think there's that balance now in place at the top of the company.