DISNEY if you don't want the average Joe to stay at the parks just say so...

[kyomagi]

Things got heated. I love me some disney. My apologies to everyone that I might have offended

 

[MilitaryMouse]

$155 typically when we go. dont get me wrong, i love universal, i want to go again, but saying universal is the better value is beyond me. I dont know anyone that can spend multiple days at universal

My family definitely can. I could spend multiple days in just the WWoHP and still feel like I'm missing out on something when I leave. We spent 4 days there this past December, and everyone in my party wanted to cancel the WDW part of our stay for more Universal! We just cancelled the WDW portions of our May and July trips and adding more Universal days.

 

[drp4video]

We used to AP holders. We stopped going 3 years ago and I've never looked back. We started cruising and taking other vacations. We are going to Europe this year for less than the cost of WDW vacation. I would love to take another trip to WDW before my kids get too old, but every time I price it out I'm shocked at how much higher the cost is compared to three years ago. There's also no new attractions that would entice me to spend more money for something I've already done. If your one the people that has become disenchanted with WDW and don't feel it's worth the cost try something new. There's a great big world out there.

Two years ago we did Paris and London for 12 days instead of WDW for close to what I would have paid for the same length of time if I paid for passes, hotel and food. (I now go to WDW when I have enough Disney Visa Rewards to pay for hotel and park tickets so its free except for food...use miles for air fare.)

 

[Hikergirl]

$155 typically when we go. dont get me wrong, i love universal, i want to go again, but saying universal is the better value is beyond me. I dont know anyone that can spend multiple days at universal

Its all subjective so it may be beyond you but that doesn't mean that there aren't people who feel Universal is a better value for them. I love Disney but honestly I am in no hurry to go back because in the last few trips the price has gone way up and the value of being there has gone way down for me. Its just not worth the cost to my family right now, even if it does cost less then someplace else.

As far as spending multiple days at Uni, its still all subjective. I'm planning on gifting a trip to my dd this summer, she picked 1 day for WDW and 4 for Uni.

I forgot what I wanted to say to the OP.
I don't think the people here on the DIS are average joes when it comes to WDW. I just don't see people who go 2 or more times a year or who have 15+ trips under their belt as the average Joe WDW guest. I agree with you about the cost going up, but I think for the true average Joe its a save up for years and go on your once in a lifetime WDW trip. That is how its been for a long time for the average Joe

 

[Jcon]

I love that we have options. With competition, the consumer wins.

 

[MolonLabe]

I don't think the people here on the DIS are average joes when it comes to WDW. I just don't see people who go 2 or more times a year or who have 15+ trips under their belt as the average Joe WDW guest. I agree with you about the cost going up, but I think for the true average Joe its a save up for years and go on your once in a lifetime WDW trip. That is how its been for a long time for the average Joe

That's pretty much it. The average family goes once or maybe twice in a lifetime. With parks so full, Disney is trying to get those once in a lifetimers as they increase in numbers and they figure the frequent guests are already hooked, so who cares? Sort of like the two big parties here in the USA, they think they have you hooked.

Well, sorry, I'm done with that. You have to earn my money (or vote) from here on out. No more legacy emotions and legacy dreams. Earn it and you'll get it, otherwise... I'm out!

 

[lovethattink]

Moving this thread to the community subforum.

 

[Nancyg56]

I see Walt as more of a dreamer/creator, everything I've read or seen portrays Walt as always struggling for cash. If not for Roy, nothing would have been possible from a pure business standpoint. It seems like the more successful Walt became the more money he wanted to pour into his creative visions. Sure he had plenty of money when he passed, so ultimately was very "successful" but I don't think he even thought much about it.

He probably was the dreamer, but he knew he needed a more practical mind to keep the business profitable. I think that we all tend to romanticize Walt, but ther is no denying that he and his brother were a team, and became successful for a reason.

Now I won't pretend that I am happy with all of the recent upcharges that are occuring, and the rumors of more to come. I cannot help but think we are being charged for parks and problems in other areas, and I may decide that I have had enough, but I cannot help but believe that for the most part, Walt realized that in order to keep a company afloat one needed more than a creative mind. You needed a good hard business person to look at numbers and make the difficult financial decision.

 

[pumpkinhead10a]

Moving this thread to the community subforum.

where???

 

[mom2rtk]

where???

Check the forum links above. You're there already.

 

[pumpkinhead10a]

Check the forum links above. You're there already.

sorry don't understand?

 

[pumpkinhead10a]

OK found it ..why the move??

 

[fla4fun]

My personal opinion is two-fold . . .

One, Disney doesn't really care who the guest is any more. They don't care if they are a first timer, or some one who has been visiting for years. Disney's only goal is get them in the door and get them spending. Don't worry about building loyalty. Don't really care if they have a great time or if they come back. Don't really care if that first time visitor has a good enough time to tell their friends about it. The less we have to do, the better. They would be happiest if EVERY visitor was a first time, blow it all on a once in a lifetime vacationer, who spent like there's no tomorrow and didn't have to be coddled, managed or impressed, because they would have zero impact on the company's future. They see us as disposable in the worst way. This is not how the Disney company I grew up with operated, but that's what it has become.

Also, I have a firm stand against any mandatory "fee" related to hotels. If Disney had questioned charging $15 a night to park at their resorts, that is a fee you can avoid by not bringing a car with you (I would just leave my car at home and Uber to Disney for vacation since I'm local). If they had brought up charging $15 for ME, that could be avoided by using alternate transportation if you desired. But when ANY hotel requires you to pay a fee or you can't stay there, then it's no longer a "fee" - it's part of the room rate and should be reflected as such. Could I afford a $15 per night resort fee? Maybe - it would actually work out to between $600 and $700 per year for me, which is not a small amount. It might result in me dropping from a deluxe to a mod for a stay to keep my overall vacation budget in check. But for me, it's the principle of the thing. Call it what it is - you're raising the room night by $15!

Rant over . . .

 

[MolonLabe]

Also, I have a firm stand against any mandatory "fee" related to hotels. If Disney had questioned charging $15 a night to park at their resorts, that is a fee you can avoid by not bringing a car with you (I would just leave my car at home and Uber to Disney for vacation since I'm local). If they had brought up charging $15 for ME, that could be avoided by using alternate transportation if you desired. But when ANY hotel requires you to pay a fee or you can't stay there, then it's no longer a "fee" - it's part of the room rate and should be reflected as such. Could I afford a $15 per night resort fee? Maybe - it would actually work out to between $600 and $700 per year for me, which is not a small amount. It might result in me dropping from a deluxe to a mod for a stay to keep my overall vacation budget in check. But for me, it's the principle of the thing. Call it what it is - you're raising the room night by $15!

Rant over . . .

As do I.

This insane "resort fee" thing is popping up everywhere. I just booked a one night stay in Orlando and was trying to get close to WDW without being on property, no need to pay top dollar for a room I'll be in for maybe 8 hours.

Even the stupid best western that is 1.6 miles from EP has a "resort fee"... really?

So I skipped them and spent $5 more across the street but saved the $15 for the fee coming out ahead $10.

As to the parking fee, I find those preposterous as well. If you are a guest of the hotel, your parking (1 spot) should be included. I understand some hotels are in a "hot area" and they can't have open lots, fine, every single one I've seen in FLA has a unmanned gate you slide into/out of. Like Lowes Royal Pacific (US/USIOA), I want to say I got them to comp my parking for 3 of the 4 nights we were there because it was never disclosed in my booking. I think they fixed that since then though.

If you want to charge X for the room, cool, do it. No surprises though.

Heck that's why I just skipped dollar and booked my rental car with a bigger company. I know I won't get any hidden fees and if I bring the car back with some sand in the floor boards, I won't get charged a "deep cleaning fee" with zero recourse.

As to Disney hotels and "resort fees". They are already built into the price. Does anyone really think POP is worth $170 a night plus tax for April 1st? I certainly don't and I just passed them up for $98 just down the street by DTD. I don't begrudge them for the price per sey because I know when I stay with them, there won't be any hidden fees.

 

[pumpkinhead10a]

Moving this thread to the community subforum.

Still waiting on why the move???

 

[GAN]

My guess would be that the moderator felt the thread would be better served in this new forum ...not that uncommon.

 

[pumpkinhead10a]

Still would like an answer..Disney complain??

 

[Davey Jones II]

My personal opinion is two-fold . . .

One, Disney doesn't really care who the guest is any more. They don't care if they are a first timer, or some one who has been visiting for years. Disney's only goal is get them in the door and get them spending. Don't worry about building loyalty. Don't really care if they have a great time or if they come back. Don't really care if that first time visitor has a good enough time to tell their friends about it. The less we have to do, the better. They would be happiest if EVERY visitor was a first time, blow it all on a once in a lifetime vacationer, who spent like there's no tomorrow and didn't have to be coddled, managed or impressed, because they would have zero impact on the company's future. They see us as disposable in the worst way. This is not how the Disney company I grew up with operated, but that's what it has become.

There seems to be a lot of truth to this, and, if true, it demonstrates jaw dropping levels of arrogance and hubris. Taking your most loyal customers for granted, or even viewing them as expendable?? Any other business would never dream of rolling the dice like that. What happens if the first timers never come back? If they bad mouth the place to others? Meanwhile, you keep losing your most loyal visitors through a steady attrition.

And the tourism industry is more competitive than ever. Every misbegotten corner of the globe is dressing itself up and trying to make itself look like the next dream destination.

Yes the parks are booming right now, but if history is any guide, today's business empire can be tomorrow's rubble. Especially when some of the company's divisions are lagging, and they are leaning more and more on the parks like a crutch. Instead of cutting corners and trying to steal from Peter to pay Paul, they should be reinforcing their core business and letting other divisions sink or swim on their own merits. But that makes too much sense in the long term, of course.

 

[GAN]

Still would like an answer..Disney complain??

Not sure what you are talking about?!? I gave you an answer -but it isn't as if anyone "owed" you an answer.....

 

[Nancyg56]

There seems to be a lot of truth to this, and, if true, it demonstrates jaw dropping levels of arrogance and hubris. Taking your most loyal customers for granted, or even viewing them as expendable?? Any other business would never dream of rolling the dice like that. What happens if the first timers never come back? If they bad mouth the place to others? Meanwhile, you keep losing your most loyal visitors through a steady attrition.

And the tourism industry is more competitive than ever. Every misbegotten corner of the globe is dressing itself up and trying to make itself look like the next dream destination.

Yes the parks are booming right now, but if history is any guide, today's business empire can be tomorrow's rubble. Especially when some of the company's divisions are lagging, and they are leaning more and more on the parks like a crutch. Instead of cutting corners and trying to steal from Peter to pay Paul, they should be reinforcing their core business and letting other divisions sink or swim on their own merits. But that makes too much sense in the long term, of course.

I absolutely agree. I was in the bank the other day making a transaction for my DH. The teller was talking about our vacation plans, and I told her we are going to Disney in December. Holy Complaining!!! She went one time and for her, the experience was expensive, blah blah..... Now we were not alone in that bank and several others chimed in abut how much money a Disney trip cost, and how they felt about it.

Disney has always been expensive, but there were ways to mitigate the costs, and stil have a very nice vacation. But when you hear discussions like the tellers, you begin to understand that for many, Disney has become out of reach, and that for others, the trip they saved for become buyers remorse when they return home. It is not the same place the commercials depict.

I do believe that Disney needs to be very careful about how they navigate these pathways of cutbacks in order to boost other businesses under their umbrella. If first time visitor leave disillusioned, and the frequent flyers feel disenfranchised, they will be in trouble. I agree that if the parks are still going strong, make them the stronger, and stop undercutting the very foundation the rest of the company stands on.