Disney adds a premium package to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

[Whatsthegoodword]

You people are a trip. Disney is a for profit publicly traded corporation. You don't want to spend $100 on dessert - don't go! I hope they sell out the tickets to this event so they can continue to grow as a corporation, and continue to exist. Because you know what happens when corporations stagnate? They get bought and split up.

GO DISNEY!

 

[jtwibih]

You people are a trip. Disney is a for profit publicly traded corporation. You don't want to spend $100 on dessert - don't go! I hope they sell out the tickets to this event so they can continue to grow as a corporation, and continue to exist. Because you know what happens when corporations stagnate? They get bought and split up. GO DISNEY!

So Disney's existence is reliant on overpriced/underwhelming hard ticket ticket events within hard ticket events?

Come on let's be a little realistic here. I think most of the people on here want more effort from Disney before forking over large sums of cash.

You are right that we shouldn't go if we don't want to drop that kind of money but I think it's totally fair to be critical of the effort and the price tag that goes along with it.

 

[wallrock]

You people are a trip. Disney is a for profit publicly traded corporation. You don't want to spend $100 on dessert - don't go! I hope they sell out the tickets to this event so they can continue to grow as a corporation, and continue to exist. Because you know what happens when corporations stagnate? They get bought and split up.

GO DISNEY!

Generally speaking there is some irony in your statement. Not necessarily directed at you or anyone specific, but those that make the statement of 'Disney is a business...if you don't like it, then don't go' are some of the same people that express frustration when Disney doesn't build anything new.

If customers continue to shell out the cash for this repackaging nonsense then Disney won't do - at least from a park perspective - what you claim in your last statement: grow and avoid stagnation.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

So Disney's existence is reliant on overpriced/underwhelming hard ticket ticket events within hard ticket events?

Come on let's be a little realistic here. I think most of the people on here want more effort from Disney before forking over large sums of cash.

You are right that we shouldn't go if we don't want to drop that kind of money but I think it's totally fair to be critical of the effort and the price tag that goes along with it.

The constant struggle that has developed on threads such as this...

Accountants vs idealists...with some grey in the middle.

There used to be something called the "right" way...it was thought out, made sense; and was fair to all parties involved in varying degrees.

There's no reason why the course can't be reversed or at least tacked into the wind a bit...but it requires widespread thought, effort, and principle.

I know...not hard to peg me

 

[ahoyle]

By that same logic...if Disney raised the price of hamburgers to $20 in all park, you would actively want everyone to continue to buy hamburgers for the success of the company? Then they would raise them to 22, and so on. I don't understand the cheering for the success of a company in situations like this.

I have been a Disney person for basically my whole life, I am 37 and we just moved about 2 miles away from Magic Kingdom. Seeing Disney do things like this makes me actively want to avoid spending money there. I've had a series of frustrations over the past 4 months, between magic bands, the continual headache of parking at DTD, and all these premium events.

If Disney would quit trying to find ways to milk every penny out of every guest, and start doing again what made them great, it would be a step in the right direction. The other day we were at the character spot in Epcot, where they hae the wall that shows the history of the park. Its hillarious to see it get to around 2005 and come to a stop. Up until then new attractions were added every year or two.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

The constant struggle that has developed on threads such as this...

Accountants vs idealists...with some grey in the middle.

There used to be something called the "right" way...it was thought out, made sense; and was fair to all parties involved in varying degrees.

There's no reason why the course can't be reversed or at least tacked into the wind a bit...but it requires widespread thought, effort, and principle.

I know...not hard to peg me

I agree with this! ...and I think that for the most part, Disney does that. They're not perfect, but they are constantly working to improve the parks. The big Fanta$yland expan$ion is awesome! They've heard everyone's request for more at DHS & AK - and those mega-expansions are on the way. I don't have a problem with Disney offering a premium product for people who can afford it. It just makes sense! They're not forcing anyone to pay for what some might consider an overpriced ticket. They are offering a premium experience for sale at a premium price.

It's like this: I want a Ferrari! ...but alas, it's a premium car that I cannot afford. I'm not going to get upset at Ferrari for selling cars I can't afford. Likewise, I'm sure that the castle dessert parties will be full of people with lots of disposable income. Why shouldn't Disney try to get a little more of their money? Maybe Disney will use a portion of the profits to improve the parks.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Disney will keep doing this as long as people keep forking out cash.

It's getting a little out of hand, I don't like the direction disney is headed in, pretty soon you're going to have to pay extra for a new attraction.

I understand they are a for profit business and not a charity, but they've done a really good job of sucking every penny they can out of every guest that walks into the parks.

 

[ChipnDale79]

You people are a trip. Disney is a for profit publicly traded corporation. You don't want to spend $100 on dessert - don't go! I hope they sell out the tickets to this event so they can continue to grow as a corporation, and continue to exist. Because you know what happens when corporations stagnate? They get bought and split up.

GO DISNEY!

There's a thin line a corporation must walk, when perceived as greedy, it sometimes turns customer's away.

 

[ChipnDale79]

They're not perfect, but they are constantly working to improve the parks.

I don't think they are actively working to improve WDW, I think they are actively trying to find ways to squeeze every penny they can out of guests at WDW. I havent seen a lot of improvement in the last 5 years. The leadership lacks the one thing that made the Disney brand what it is today, imagination.

The big Fanta$yland expan$ion is awesome!

For the amount of money they spent, I disagree, its a massive let down in my opinion, and from the other reviews I've read, I'm not alone in that.

They've heard everyone's request for more at DHS & AK - and those mega-expansions are on the way.

They never finished AK and have let DHS completely fall apart, its rather annoying that we've had to wait this long, and still have to wait a few more years before the announced and unannounced (if they happen) projects are done.

Keep in mind that Avatar was announced in Sept 2011, almost 3 years ago, honestly, that project should been done by now. The projected opening date is 6 years from the announcement. That's absurd.

Why shouldn't Disney try to get a little more of their money? Maybe Disney will use a portion of the profits to improve the parks.

That's pretty naive of you, we all know that money is going to pad their bottom line. If they cared about putting money back into the parks, they would have been doing a better job of it the past few years. Leadership at the parks and resorts side of the business is severely lacking.

Iger get a massive thumbs up from me for the studio side of the business, but when it comes to the parks and resorts, he gets the complete opposite review from me.

 

[jtwibih]

Disney is putting up record profits right now.

NFL is nice to look at but has little that will keep me in there outside of a long wait at 7DMT. As long as it took to complete that thing, I expected more. Ditto on all the info the previous poster said.

If you can afford to do these premium events and find value for your money, good for you. I am certainly not criticizing those who really think this is worth it. However I don't believe this is the best Disney can do to enhance the experience. It takes almost no effort (cost, long term investment, actual thinking, etc) so this is why they continue to do it. Their target audience is not the guy like myself who comes once a year. They are after first timers and int'l visitor. Sure they want me buying DVC but again I don't consider this a real shot at getting me excited about the future.

 

[gericoronado]

I have to agree with your point about "throw-away money". Disney should just say "For those who feel they are too rich to rub elbows with the riff raff, spend an extra $100 plus dollars, per person, to avoid them!" I don't know any one person who can eat $100+ dollars worth of desserts. I don't know any one person who can eat $100+ dollars worth of any food!!

I would say I am shocked at the blatant money grab, but I'm not!! After reading about the debacle during the Villain's party at DHS I would say Disney is trying to recoup the monies they had to refund guests for this hard ticket event having been an epic fail two years in a row!!

This is a VERY harsh judgment on persons who may want to attend for reasons that have NOTHING to do with a feeling of entitlement. Am I too rich to rub elbows with riff raff??? Please....I work at Walmart....and, yes, I am going.

 

[manning]

I'll spend my $99 at Shula's

A parade is a parade no matter where you're at.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

This is a VERY harsh judgment on persons who may want to attend for reasons that have NOTHING to do with a feeling of entitlement. Am I too rich to rub elbows with riff raff??? Please....I work at Walmart....and, yes, I am going.

I don't think this is about "getting away from the riff raff" at all...

One popular misconception in most discussions about wdw is that any "riff raff" (whatever that means) can get anywhere near the place.

With the amount of money spent in such a concentrated period...all trips to wdw are "premium" in some fashion.

Do I think this party and the wave of them that is pouring upon us is fools gold?

Yes...largely I do. These are not "once in a lifetime magical memories"...buy and large. It is predominantly selling you the same product or slight add ons at a HUGE markup.

I'll get the fire extinguisher on this one...it's an opinion

But i keep referring to the "ultimate day of thrills" your $299 on top of a days worth of tickets...so really $350+ minimum...
For twelve rides, a relatively low cost/value ($40 if they feed you alot) lunch, and undoubtedly some "fun facts" from the your guide that can be read in any one of the 1000 Disney guidebooks.

It could be your only day on the planet... And I'll tell you your getting ripped off.

This recent rash of up sells is distasteful...again... My opinion...and it's only gonna get worse.

Am I being harsh...probably yeah...

But what I'm thinking about Is Disney's jealousy/ coveting of discovery cove...
A small exclusive location with a steep fee... It has been very successful across town.
For years Disney talked about it quietly (I experienced that) and something like frequently popped up in the rumor mill.

Well... Now they have it...cheap repackaging of things long since paid for and selling them at astronomical multipliers.

$75 for desserts...hundreds of dollars for "private safaris" in view of the regular old safaris...$180 bucks for appetizers and a b level celebrity to read a Script while you watch a 15 year old park show that runs 6 times a day...
Now selling hyper expensive desserts inside an already expensive short add on event.

It won't end until SOMEBODY stops getting all geeked up over everything they throw at the wall

 

[BigAlsGal]

I see nothing wrong with offering different experiences to different people. Just because this event holds no value to you doesn't mean it doesn't hold value to someone else. Maybe there are people who have been to multiple Halloween parties and would like to have a different experience. Maybe people don't care for trick or treating. Everybody acts like disney is gonna put out some black lights and balloons, call it a party, and charge $100 bucks. I bet it will be fantastic down-to-the-last-detail disney goodness!

Sign me up!

 

[crostorfer]

They capped Soiree attendance at 75 people per party, and the villains will roam from table to table, just like at meals. I thought about this for about 10 minutes and said, "so, I DON'T have to waste 2-3 hours of party time standing in line at PFH, AND I get to sit and eat dessert in a non-packed CRT. I may actually get to meet Maleficent this time, rather than get pushed, shoved, cut in front of, and eventually cut off in line with 2 people ahead of me after the Mix and Mingle?" Sold.

$209 well spent. If I could pay to get out of having to stand in line for anything, I would. Time and money are inversely proportional at WDW. To spend more of one will cost less of the other.

 

[theotherlostprincess]

After the event please post how it went. I want to know what kind of mini desserts are worth $100+ dollars per person. I hope you have a good time, but personally I would have taken that $210 dollars and had the Chef's Domain package at Cítricos, then went to MNSSHP!

Haha I will if someone else doesn't do it first but I'm interested to see that too. Good part is I can always cancel if its not worth it based on others reviews

 

[patrickpiteo]

They capped Soiree attendance at 75 people per party, and the villains will roam from table to table, just like at meals. I thought about this for about 10 minutes and said, "so, I DON'T have to waste 2-3 hours of party time standing in line at PFH, AND I get to sit and eat dessert in a non-packed CRT. I may actually get to meet Maleficent this time, rather than get pushed, shoved, cut in front of, and eventually cut off in line with 2 people ahead of me after the Mix and Mingle?" Sold. $209 well spent. If I could pay to get out of having to stand in line for anything, I would. Time and money are inversely proportional at WDW. To spend more of one will cost less of the other.

They capped attendance at 75 per party? Where did you hear that?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I see nothing wrong with offering different experiences to different people. Just because this event holds no value to you doesn't mean it doesn't hold value to someone else. Maybe there are people who have been to multiple Halloween parties and would like to have a different experience. Maybe people don't care for trick or treating. Everybody acts like disney is gonna put out some black lights and balloons, call it a party, and charge $100 bucks. I bet it will be fantastic down-to-the-last-detail disney goodness!

Sign me up!

In order to get anything additional for the money we all pay...some of this stuff has to be rejected.

We're feeding the dragon.
This conglomerate is not grandpa at Christmas...it's not gonna be "spread around" without a financial message being sent first.

 

[BigAlsGal]

In order to get anything additional for the money we all pay...some of this stuff has to be rejected.

We're feeding the dragon.
This conglomerate is not grandpa at Christmas...it's not gonna be "spread around" without a financial message being sent first.

I don't mind feeding the dragon. They're providing me with experiences I love. Disney is always providing elaborate experiences to people willing to pay for them. I don't see what the big deal is. Why do people get mad because other people are willing to pay? I don't understand this.

 

[racefanof88]

This is a VERY harsh judgment on persons who may want to attend for reasons that have NOTHING to do with a feeling of entitlement. Am I too rich to rub elbows with riff raff??? Please....I work at Walmart....and, yes, I am going.

VERY harsh judgment? Maybe, maybe not, just my observation. While every one going may not have that feeling of entitlement, I can promise you there are some who do/will. I hope those who go have a wonderful time, but for me, I haven't eaten any dessert at Disney worth $100+ dollars. A mini cupcake, one bite Crème Brulée, and pudding in a cup just isn't where I want to spend my money.
These little mini desserts(picture from the Fireworks Dessert Party)cost Disney about .50 each to make.

I don't mind feeding the dragon. They're providing me with experiences I love. Disney is always providing elaborate experiences to people willing to pay for them. I don't see what the big deal is. Why do people get mad because other people are willing to pay? I don't understand this.

Mad? I don't see that anyone is mad that others are willing to pay. I see it as a difference of value/opinions. If I pay to go to MNSSHP I am going to enjoy the party, not sit down in a restaurant AWAY from the party just to eat dessert. If it were a full meal that may be different, MAY BE. The 20-30 seconds I am going to spend with a CM dressed up as a villain just isn't worth $100+ dollars to me.

Hopefully it is fun for those who go, and I hope they feel they get their money's worth, but paying $70 to get in the gate just to pay another $100 to eat mini cupcakes, isn't what I call value for my dollar.