BREAKING: Walt Disney World Introduces Date-Based Variable Pricing for Genie+ Service

[MillauFr]

The middle class will soon be priced out if they are not already. Credit card debt is at an all time high as people fight to maintain the life style they enjoyed just a few years ago. WDW will soon be only for the rich or they'll pivot and lower prices. The economy will determine a lot.

I don't think DIsney is dependent on middle class visitors. They are doing fine attracting upper income visitors who pack the parks and think nothing of spending $1,000 per night on a standard hotel room.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You can go and find dozens upon dozens of quotes cheering on the price increases in threads talking about the price of Genie+ and the crowd levels in the parks. It's not that those with more money enjoy paying more, it's that the ability to price out your competition (those less wealthy than you) is a very enticing proposition. It's why there is the allure of "exclusivity" and Golden Oak and the Club 33, etc. I believe what the PP meant was that maybe these people wouldn't be so quick to ask for price increases that result in shutting less wealthy people out if the price of the cost increases was proportionate to their wealth. In other words, a wealthy person can laugh at Genie+ going up $6 a day, but they wouldn't be so keen if it went up 6% of their income. There's always someone wealthier than you, and eventually you too will be shut out.

Some of the comments from particular people over the various threads who bemoan Genie+ and this increase as well some of them fall into the category of when they go to Disney they only stay Deluxe and usually they go more than once in a year. Even the ability to go multiple times a year means you're in a different position than others. In a sense if you are going several times a year, especially staying on site, if you own DVC for example, etc you are your own little club, your own exclusivity as you put it.

If you're staying on property spending hundreds of dollars per night sometimes more than 1,000 (I swear I typed that before MillauFr commented lol). If you've bought into a timeshare system, if you're going several times a year, etc do we really want to make the conversation about in proportion to one's income? Because those very people (at least some of them) who are bemoaning Genie+ and are spending copious amounts of their income at Disney and the cost of Genie+ is nowhere near proportional or the same level of impact than people who are in a way different position. It's not that you should have to like the change but you don't really want to get into the conversation of would people feel the same if it was proportional to one's income especially on this Board when we're talking about the Genie+ product.

 

[MillauFr]

If you're staying on property spending hundreds of dollars per night sometimes more than 1,000 (I swear I typed that before MillauFr commented lol).

LOL Even with the friends and family 40% discount (my daughter works at Hollywood Studio) I would never consider staying onsite. Last time I stayed onsite was back in 2014 with the magical travel agent special at Poly for $189 per night. Last year we stayed at the Hilton Home 2 suites last year for $79 a night with the college program discount code. This year I can't use that and am outraged I have to pay $200 to stay the Springhill Suites. Well at least I get free breakfast. I am cheap but not as cheap as TV Guy

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

LOL Even with the friends and family 40% discount (my daughter works at Hollywood Studio) I would never consider staying onsite. Last time I stayed onsite was back in 2014 with the magical travel agent special at Poly for $189 per night. Last year we stayed at the Hilton Home 2 suites last year for $79 a night with the college program discount code. This year I can't use that and am outraged I have to pay $200 to stay the Springhill Suites. Well at least I get free breakfast. I am cheap but not as cheap as TV Guy

It was a pipe dream of mine to do so and we were able to in 2017 but at All-Star Sports (which I was content with) and we didn't pay near the same pricing as the All-Stars is now. But any subsequent trips it's unlikely we would (we didn't in May). I'd stay at Universal onsite again but for Disney we're better off staying offsite or at least Disney Springs. Hilton is one of my fav brands so Hilton, Hampton, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, etc all work for me for a Disney trip. At least with those we either can use points we've earned (which we did in May cashing in 5 nights worth of points) or earn the points by staying.

As for that free breakfast I chuckle at that because that was something my husband was quite keen on reminding me is a perk when we stay at places that have it. Obviously his priorities run towards that

 

[DavidNYC]

Well - my current Disney AP is my last. My last trip was the least enjoyable in literally decades. Waking up at 6:55 am every day. Paying hundreds of dollars more to get less flexibility and convenience. A 4 day tip for 4 easily adds $1000 just with Genie+ and a few ILL. So “don’t use it” the Disney defenders say. Fine - so now for only a slightly increased cost I get to stand in lines 4-5 more hours per day than I have for years. Disney once again has shown it has thrown away any last remnant of what used to be a somewhat socially conscious company and is now just meant to squeeze every last dollar. I just can’t anymore. The “magic” was probably half gone last time - surviving only because of good cast members and decent rides - but the cost and Disneys obsession with putting up massive roadblocks to enjoying your vacation have made me give up. Lots of other places to go. But sad though that Disney has decided that record profits weren’t enough. There were still some middle class families who had a few dollars left in their pocket which they fell entitled to.

 

[DavidNYC]

I have no doubt and I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Christmas Week it doesn't creep up to $50. They'll use "it's still less than Universal" as justification.

Except it’s not really less than universal - you’re getting an immeasurably inferior product with Disney. You can’t begin to compare the products.

 

[lowlight]

People complain when it's only out of THEIR price range. But they don't stop to think about the people, 10 years ago, who couldn't afford it then while they were enjoying Disney.

I'm not sure if you're ironically unaware, but that's the exact point being made.

 

[set88]

Disney has always been a luxury vacation. There have always been people priced out of Disney and now the issue is that the people at the bottom of the threshold are beginning to find themselves in that group that can't afford Disney, now.

People complain when it's only out of THEIR price range. But they don't stop to think about the people, 10 years ago, who couldn't afford it then while they were enjoying Disney.

This is an incredibly excellent point.

 

[MEC004]

I just hope this lightens some of the LL lines. My son has DAS and we aren’t getting Genie + (mainly because it gives me a headache thinking about yet another thing) and the LL lines have been so long.

 

[HopperFan]

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Except it’s not really less than universal - you’re getting an immeasurably inferior product with Disney. You can’t begin to compare the products.

I don't know, maybe you can.

My son was just at Disney and Universal a couple weeks ago. He did Genie+ at Disney and the top tier Express Pass at Universal. He was very disappointed in the Universal pass especially compared to the outrageous price. He felt he more than got his monies worth at Disney and said he really didn't work it that hard because he was alone and just enjoying the parks. He also purchased one ILL. He said Disney was underpriced and Universal was overpriced.

 

[DCLMP]

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I don't know, maybe you can.

My son was just at Disney and Universal a couple weeks ago. He did Genie+ at Disney and the top tier Express Pass at Universal. He was very disappointed in the Universal pass especially compared to the outrageous price. He felt he more than got his monies worth at Disney and said he really didn't work it that hard because he was alone and just enjoying the parks. He also purchased one ILL. He said Disney was underpriced and Universal was overpriced.

At Universal you can stay at a Deluxe resort and get the express pass. It's a win-win better resorts plus express pass. Rooms accommodate a family of 4 or 5.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

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I don't know, maybe you can.

My son was just at Disney and Universal a couple weeks ago. He did Genie+ at Disney and the top tier Express Pass at Universal. He was very disappointed in the Universal pass especially compared to the outrageous price. He felt he more than got his monies worth at Disney and said he really didn't work it that hard because he was alone and just enjoying the parks. He also purchased one ILL. He said Disney was underpriced and Universal was overpriced.

There are def. days where paying the high price at whatever park you are at at the various theme parks out there ends up not being fully necessary. Our day at SDC with ours wasn't fully necessary. It saved us the most for Mystic River Falls (which you're limited to once through even with the unlimited but it's the only attraction to have that) but other rides it was just nice with our group to be able to bypass the line plus it was 105-110 heat index so yeah. Even people feel like that with Genie+. But the products do work differently.

Did your son ride to his hearts content on the rides that have EP since he got the Unlimited? Did he go through a ride, get off it and go right back on it through the EP line? Because that isn't possible at Disney. Part of the enjoyment many have with EP is that they don't plan, they just walk up to a ride and get in line. With Disney while your son may not have had to work hard he still had to choose and be limited in what was available when he wanted to ride. You pay for Genie+ but you don't know how many attractions you'll even get. With EP you know it's good for virtually all their rides and you'll be able to ride the ride. With Disney you purchase a product but don't know if you'll get to ride the rides that are available through it. This is of course excluding rides going down.

I do think EP is more advantageous at IOA compared to Studios overall.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

At Universal you can stay at a Deluxe resort and get the express pass. It's a win-win better resorts plus express pass. Rooms accommodate a family of 4 or 5.

While it pays off relative to the pass cost, those rooms are still quite expensive.

 

[DCLMP]

While it pays off relative to the pass cost, those rooms are still quite expensive.

About the cost of Disney moderate.

 

[DCLMP]

It was a pipe dream of mine to do so and we were able to in 2017 but at All-Star Sports (which I was content with) and we didn't pay near the same pricing as the All-Stars is now. But any subsequent trips it's unlikely we would (we didn't in May). I'd stay at Universal onsite again but for Disney we're better off staying offsite or at least Disney Springs. Hilton is one of my fav brands so Hilton, Hampton, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, etc all work for me for a Disney trip. At least with those we either can use points we've earned (which we did in May cashing in 5 nights worth of points) or earn the points by staying.

As for that free breakfast I chuckle at that because that was something my husband was quite keen on reminding me is a perk when we stay at places that have it. Obviously his priorities run towards that

I'm doing a split stay 3 nights dolphin free with points and 4 nights at Saratoga studio preferred renting points. In total I'm paying 1200 for 7 nights at some form of a deluxe resort. You have to be creative these days.

 

[andy_dangg]

Welp, Genie+ is up to $20 today. Not entirely sure why this is more of a peak day—I’m guessing no MNSSHP means bigger expected crowds in MK? Today was literally my first time ever buying Genie+, I’m a CM, but my SO is visiting for the day and DHS seems a little awful without G+

 

[HopperFan]

Welp, Genie+ is up to $20 today. Not entirely sure why this is more of a peak day—I’m guessing no MNSSHP means bigger expected crowds in MK? Today was literally my first time ever buying Genie+, I’m a CM, but my SO is visiting for the day and DHS seems a little awful without G+

We may never see $15 again. They said October would be $15-$22 … our Oct $15 may have passed. Can’t wait for November!

 

[baozi]

Made a dummy reservation -- today is $20 (a Wednesday...)

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

There are plenty of wealthy people who are not “priced out” by these changes, but who don’t like being treated like marks. Just because you can afford something doesn’t mean you’ll be happy or willing to pay it. At this point, our money is sunk into our trip in two weeks, but we’re done after this. Vacations are investments in family happiness and memories, and WDW has gotten to the point where the ROI isn’t there. If my kids didn’t already know about our upcoming trip and I could recoup all my costs, I would happily cancel it.

 

[PaladinButters]

People complain when it's only out of THEIR price range. But they don't stop to think about the people, 10 years ago, who couldn't afford it then while they were enjoying Disney.

I bring this up every price increase or perk change because people are very emotional about their Disney trips (and it is especially unpopular when it's something where if you spend more you get more)- If you are on these boards even talking about affording a vacation of any kind at all - please take a moment to look behind you and realize you have been enjoying the "wealthy privilege" you're complaining about this whole time. Yes, this is a place to vent because nobody likes prices going up on anything but a little perspective wouldn't hurt.