Demand pricing. WSJ article any thoughts

[MakiraMarlena]

My problem with it is it penalizes people that can only travel during those times; teachers and school-aged children in particular.

But that is the whole point. Want to go at the same time everyone else does, you would need to pay to play. Or so that is what Disney's current management would like. No price breaks because you are family with school age kids.

Decrease pricing on major holidays and you have even more jammed parks and even more disappointed guests who weren't able to get on rides or see shows.

 

[njmousefest]

I figured they would go to something like this. If we have a trip planned next summer, how would this work? Would our pre-purchased (now) tickets no longer be valid?

 

[5kidsmommy]

I figured they would go to something like this. If we have a trip planned next summer, how would this work? Would our pre-purchased (now) tickets no longer be valid?

Your tickets would still be honored.

 

[Masonmj84]

I figured they would go to something like this. If we have a trip planned next summer, how would this work? Would our pre-purchased (now) tickets no longer be valid?

Related question: with pre-purchased tickets, if you traveled during a peak season, would they make you pay the difference between what you paid for the tickets and the current gate price?

What if you bought discounted tickets (e.g., from Undercover Tourist)? The last time I tried to price-bridge these, it was a complete nightmare.

I can envision a lot of messy scenarios.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I prebought 6 1 day MK tickets yesterday to save until this disastrous pricing (which I see coming very soon) gets settled. I figured I'd burn all my Disney visa rewards card money now and switch to a different credit card reward structure since I see a trip to see the new stuff coming in a few years and then another LONG wait for the next one (I'll still be in Florida for family once a year, just not at Disney)...never thought Disney would also lose my CC bennies, but they have lost a lot of my business over the years and this is one of my last threads to giving Disney any of my money (after 15 prior trips)...

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Pre purchased tickets and active APs are usually "grandfathered." Meaning they can be used under the previous rules/pricing, but any new purchases would be under the new rules. Which would include upgrades on existing tickets.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I have no problem with demand pricing. It is completely in line with other aspects of the travel industry. The resorts already have demand pricing (not just Disney resorts) as do the airlines. We all know it costs more to travel ANYWHERE during holidays and other peak seasons. Most people cannot travel during low seasons (that's why they are low seasons) because of family or job responsibilities. Not sure why Disney is expected to cut us a break because of the profession we chose or the children we had. Disney isn't a charity. If you want more flexibility in life, then there are other life choices to be had. We already make our vacation choices based on time of year and costs, so demand pricing isn't going to change that for us.

 

[AquaDame]

'Distribute the crowds'? Hardly. They'll be just as packed after as they are now I bet, their profits will see a nice bump though! As is you have to reeeeeeally want to go to pay extra for the hotels, higher plane fares and deal with huge crowds during the most popular times. Those who can afford to and want to go during those times will have to either put up or shut up, and the people who go during those times in the first place tend to be able to afford the higher costs associated.

My husband and I do travel during the holiday season and pay the higher prices to do it (we both have mandatory vacation time then anyway so why not). No way I would pay more AND be stuck in huge crowds at Disney though - we go find somewhere to relax and unwind.

 

[JOE DELL]

I just don't see it as off peak days anymore unless Disney is counting any day other than holidays as off peak because Sept is supposed to be a slow time and it wasn't.
I dont think schools being in or out of session has anything to do with crowds any more or much of a factor, there were just as many kids at Epcot last weekend as there was during the summer.

 

[Bellamouse]

Some of us get no personal days. As in zero. Not even unpaid.

I can't get a day off to save hundreds in airfare by flying out the Friday before a break, let alone a week or several days off for vacation. Hell, I need to get my son's oncology appt days approved

Exactly. (Except for oncology appts. I don't have that. And I am truly sorry you do. ) But I do wonder why those that have TONS of time off ALL YEAR LONG still complain when they don't get even MORE benefits! So ironic that they consider Disney greedy, but don't see their own greed. And many of them get paid a lot more than I do to boot (and I pay their salaries through my taxes). Poor, poor teachers....

 

[Jennasis]

THe pricing changes are in no way a measure meant to help with crowd control. Disney would be perfectly happy if the parks ran at capacity every day of the years. This is about paying for the $2billion boondoggle that was MDE/FP+ and the upcoming expansions to AK and DHS and whatever other crazy things they've got in the hopper.

 

[Madame]

Exactly. (Except for oncology appts. I don't have that. And I am truly sorry you do. ) But I do wonder why those that have TONS of time off ALL YEAR LONG still complain when they don't get even MORE benefits! So ironic that they consider Disney greedy, but don't see their own greed. And many of them get paid a lot more than I do to boot (and I pay their salaries through my taxes). Poor, poor teachers....

I actually am a teacher. I still get your point though. I make a good salary & can only go on vacation at peak times. I don't moan or complain b/c it is what it is. I actually didn't know teachers elsewhere did get personal time until I started frequenting this board. It seems weird to me that they do.

 

[NewRVLady]

so hOW will this work if you buy your tickets months in advance?
If you use them on a weekend they add some $$????

 

[AquaDame]

so hOW will this work if you buy your tickets months in advance?
If you use them on a weekend they add some $$????

They DO have you tie a CC to the MagicBand... maybe it just dings your card if you go through on a more expensive day?

 

[Praying Colonel]

That would be fine, as long as they charge Deluxe hotel guests $150 per day to enter the parks, moderates $125, and values $100.

That will be part of the "Double Tiered Dream Magic Fantasy Special Happy Funtime" ticket package to be rolled out next year.

 

[GaryDis]

Universal is already tiering according to stay level. The new value hotel at Universal, Cabana Bay Beach Resort does not get the Priority Line Pass that the three higher end hotels do. Guests at Cabana Bay can purchase the pass just like off site guests. They do get the one hour early access the same as the other three resorts.

In addition, when you buy the Universal Express passes a la carte, they use demand pricing. You need to select the day or days, and the price varies depending on day of week and time of year.

 

[phillymummer]

THIS! I can't go to my principal and ask for a week off during a "non-peak" time because Disney doesn't want to "burst at the seams" anymore during summers and holidays. Ridiculous.

Really? My principal was really excited for me and signed my leave request before the school year even started. My kids' schools gave us no problems either. They just asked that I send in written documentation of the absence before we left.

I actually am a teacher. I still get your point though. I make a good salary & can only go on vacation at peak times. I don't moan or complain b/c it is what it is. I actually didn't know teachers elsewhere did get personal time until I started frequenting this board. It seems weird to me that they do.

In my district we get personal days, but using those days comes with restrictions. We cannot use any personal days before/after a holiday. Two personal days in a row can be used without question or explanation (as long as they are not connected to a holiday weekend). If you want to take 3 personal days in a row, you have to explain the reason and even then they can be denied. I would never be approved to take 5 days off from school for any personal vacation.

Honestly, I have to apologize for my original post. It is misleading. I have not been to Disney during the summer or peak times simply due the the crowds. I made that statement really just to make a point about how the times of year people travel is sometimes out of their control. I use my personal days to take short trips in the fall. I was considering doing August one year so that I can have a longer trip, but I won't if it is more expensive.

 

[GreatLakes]

They spent $2 billion to roll out a data gathering product so it makes sense that they are starting to use that data to implement a more complex pricing strategy that better monetizes every category of guest. I do enjoy the notion that $2 billion was spent on FP+ and MDE despite those two items being a small part of a much bigger project.

In reality Disney has always had tiered pricing, this isn't anything new. Sure, it might not have been on the tickets before but it was always on the resorts and reflected in the pricing of meals during busier times. Unfortunately that means that if you come at peak times, don't stay in one of their resorts, and don't eat at their restaurants they aren't realizing any increased revenue from you. That is not really acceptable if they can help it so they are moving the demand pricing to the entrance tickets to recover the losses they are currently seeing from those categories of guest.

 

[MolonLabe]

Prior to FP+ I always liked the fact that "everyone was equal in the parks". I thought it was awesome compared to the other systems, like Universal, that has a "pay to skip the lines" type of deal going. Which I've used BTW, it's fantastic.

Since WDW went to FP+ and they already had a tiered system based on a "stay on property and pay us to play early" deal, I have changed my mind.

I say let's remove the false pretenses at this point. Make it what it is.

I want to see a system where I can buy extra FP+'s or have a Universal style unlimited skip system.

Considering what's happening, it's no longer what it was. Let's remove the facade and just do it.

 

[GaryDis]

I say let's remove the false pretenses at this point. Make it what it is.

I want to see a system where I can buy extra FP+'s or have a Universal style unlimited skip system.

Universal's system only works because the lines are short enough that many people choose to wait rather than spend the extra money. If everyone bought the Universal Express Pass, then the Express Pass lines would be just as bad as the standby lines.

But at WDW, the demand, at least for certain attractions, is so high that I could perceive an FP$ quickly becoming a necessity. Just consider the number of people who say that the only reason they eat breakfast at BOG is to get onto the 7DMT before opening. So they'd either have to price FP$ so high as to be unaffordable, or else there would be so many people buying it as to become worthless.