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

[cjparker0110]

Crazy how some people handle adulthood and responsibility differently. Huh....

Not sure what you're trying to say here. I simply chose not to go to WDW when I had bills to pay and responsibilities in my life. Not that I didn't want to go, by I prioritize my spending and saving. I take one vacation a year and that is generally spend with my parents and sister since I only ever see them at that time.

Its simple economics, there is a "bottom" price WDW can charge to stay in the black. The sword cuts both ways, the more people that come can justify price increases but if enough people don't come, they have to raise prices as well to keep the lights on.

Yes...there is that pesky overhead and the "bottom" price as you call it, but clearly they aren't increasing prices for a lack of visitors. And at the same time, you are not subsidizing anything by going. Believe me when I say that their overhead is covered by what they get on the slow days.

Why wouldn't you want to better yourself? It sounds like it's more about Mommy Daddy issues than anything else.

What on earth are you talking about now? Mommy and Daddy issues? Seriously? Why not better myself? You don't know me. You don't know where I've been or what I've been through. I've made MUCH more than I make now. I've done it living in the city I grew up in only to find that it's absurdly expensive. I chose to live in this great little town in MN which has virtually no crime (a daily worry back home) and very little cost to live in. As a result of that, I also had to choose between commuting an hour or more to a job that pays more of choosing one that I can literally walk to in 6 minutes, allowing me to come home and see my family during lunch, and also to be home every night on time for dinner and the evening spent with family and friends. Had I chose the commuting option I would probably spend half of winter in a hotel to avoid being stuck during a blizzard. It's no lack of wanting to better myself. I've done it. I found that I have more money with this lifestyle than I ever had working a higher paying job. The best thing about it: I LOVE my job...something I've never been able to honestly say before.

Mommy and Daddy issues? No. My mom and dad live in a ridiculously overpriced house close to the ocean where I grew up. They pay more in property tax every year than I did for my mortgage the one year that I had one before paying my house off entirely. I wouldn't trade what I have for them. They are miserable, unhappy people even though they have the money to buy whatever they want, whenever they want. Money doesn't buy happiness. My brother, who lives about 10 miles from them, also has a ridiculously overpriced house. He has his boat, truck, car and house paid for thanks to his awesome cushy job at NASA where he works 70-80 hours/week most of the time because of one project after another that he oversees. His uses his boat once a year despite being surrounded by ocean and rivers. He is 10 years older, never married, no kids, and a workaholic that has no time for joy. I wouldn't trade what I have for him. My sister-in-law and her husband live in the DC area. They combined make more than I do in 4-5 years of work. They are tight on money because of where they live. And when they take "vacation" come out here and visit, they bring their work computers with and work 70% of the time because they can't afford not to. No thanks. I'll stick with not "bettering" myself. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. No...I'll stick with my low paying job that I am happy in and where I can actually enjoy my family, my marriage and my life.

 

[EveDallas]

I'm not reading 18 pages of comments, so I'll just say - Universal is awesome! I spent less money for more experience may never go back to Disney.

 

[gorkt]

Obviously Disney is not focusing on the "average joe" and hasn't for a long time. They don't need to. They have high demand, so why not cater towards people with more money? The most obvious sign of that is the building of extreme high end DVC rooms like the Bungalows. If they can only squeeze so many guests in the park, let them be ones that have more money to spend on food, souvenirs etc... Trust me, if/when demand drops, prices will drop. Until then, you are going to be stuck with high prices and no improvements in product.

 

[kyomagi]

Obviously Disney is not focusing on the "average joe" and hasn't for a long time. They don't need to. They have high demand, so why not cater towards people with more money? The most obvious sign of that is the building of extreme high end DVC rooms like the Bungalows. If they can only squeeze so many guests in the park, let them be ones that have more money to spend on food, souvenirs etc... Trust me, if/when demand drops, prices will drop. Until then, you are going to be stuck with high prices and no improvements in product.

Im and "average joe" and i go twice a year, once for 6 days once for 3/4. Its about saving and planning ahead. People complaining about a small increase like this dont realize that they can literally cut eating out once or twice in a month and they will have the money. Its not that hard to save an extra $30/40 bucks

I'm not reading 18 pages of comments, so I'll just say - Universal is awesome! I spent less money for more experience may never go back to Disney.

Cool, so you're ok with paying $155 bucks to visit Universal and finish in a day? Just saying. I love universal too, but come on, for an extra $50 you can visit two disney parks that take a day each.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I'm curious, which CS cost $80 for two entrees and two drinks? None of them are that expensive. In fact for $80 two people can eat at most TS restaurants.

I was wondering the same thing. When I priced out lunch for three it came to about $45-$50 and that was including tax.

 

[Livvie]

Im and "average joe" and i go twice a year, once for 6 days once for 3/4. Its about saving and planning ahead. People complaining about a small increase like this dont realize that they can literally cut eating out once or twice in a month and they will have the money. Its not that hard to save an extra $30/40 bucks



Cool, so you're ok with paying $155 bucks to visit Universal and finish in a day? Just saying. I love universal too, but come on, for an extra $50 you can visit two disney parks that take a day each.

I think what people are discussing is at what point does that extra $30/$40/$80/$100+ become too much?

 

[MammaMoe48]

I hope that you're not a travel agent, or at the very least, you're not telling people this is what a typical European vacation costs. We just spent three weeks in Europe - Paris, Normandy, Rome, Florence, Antwerp, Brussels, and Amsterdam. TOTAL trip cost was $3500 for two people, including airfare, lodging, train tickets, fine dining, souvenirs etc, half of what we spent for our December WDW vacation. We could've easily spent less if we cut out a few tours and dinners. Granted, we stayed at beautiful airbnb apartments and not luxury hotels.

Just saying that just b/c you're quoting on the riculously high end of travel costs doesn't mean the pp was exaggerating.

The OP stated that they stayed in Deluxe hotels. If you do that it will cost $$$$ so renting someone's apartment might be less expensive but that's not where OP said they stayed.

 

[gorkt]

I think the price increases are more abrupt and noticeable for me because I go less often, every 3-4 years. I also notice the other ways that WDW has made WDW a baseline experience with a lot of "premium add ons". Expensive character meals, holiday separate ticket parties etc... I think what has happened is not that they are deliberately excluding middle class folks from WDW, but that as park attendance has climbed, they decided not to expand the parks a la the Eisner era, and instead to optimize and tailor more to the premium market to increase revenues. They decided to expand overseas instead.

 

[UncleMike101]

I'm not reading 18 pages of comments, so I'll just say - Universal is awesome! I spent less money for more experience may never go back to Disney.

Thanks...
You won't be missed.

 

[Ellwood970]

Thanks...
You won't be missed.

I will miss you.

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks...
You won't be missed.

Everyone is so quick to say that.

But honestly, only time can tell if that's the case.

 

[UncleMike101]

Everyone is so quick to say that.

But honestly, only time can tell if that's the case.

If we don't vacation at WDW next year because of the ridiculous price gouging no one at WDW will miss us.
There will, at least for the foreseeable future, be enough people who will visit there, even if it's a "Once and done" trip, to keep Iger and his friends awash in cash.
However, as you noted, time will tell if enough people remove Disney from their vacation destination list to cause the Disney stockholders, and consequently the Management, to make some needed changes in their attitude towards their formerly long term visitors.

 

[GAN]

If we don't vacation at WDW next year because of the ridiculous price gouging no one at WDW will miss us.
There will, at least for the foreseeable future, be enough people who will visit there, even if it's a "Once and done" trip, to keep Iger and his friends awash in cash.
However, as you noted, time will tell if enough people remove Disney from their vacation destination list to cause the Disney stockholders, and consequently the Management, to make some needed changes in their attitude towards their formerly long term visitors.

I understand the frustration. I've been going since the 70's, more so in the 90's and 00's; we're DVC members, stockholders, D23 members, everything. One thing I've come to understand is that Disney isn't the least bit concerned with us -they're always good to us and I can't remember ever not getting a room request or any request for that matter ...whether being a long time guest has had anything to do with that, who knows. But you(not you specifically, generally speaking) need to understand that there are new cycles of guests coming through all the time -20 somethings have kids, get hooked, the rest is history ...they're the new you. Experiencing the same feeling you first had -now, we all know it's not as good now as it it used to be( )but to them it's one of the best experiences they may have ever had ...their frame of reference is different. You could call it the circle of life. Disney knows this. So, we can accept what is handed to(or taken from) us or we can move on ...leaving space for all these new Disney fans.

 

[mom2rtk]

So, we can accept what is handed to(or taken from) us or we can move on ...leaving space for all these new Disney fans.

But there has always been space for all those new Disney fans. Nothing is keeping them from going now. Unless they are visiting on one of the few days a year the parks close to capacity, nothing is stopping them.

 

[GAN]

But there has always been space for all those new Disney fans. Nothing is keeping them from going now. Unless they are visiting on one of the few days a year the parks close to capacity, nothing is stopping them.

...and there always will be. That is the point. Disney wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[MolonLabe]

They are miserable, unhappy people

Exactly my point, you might want to spend some time reflecting on the disdain you have for your family members, it does come through in your writings.

That aside, it's awesome you enjoy your new job and life. It truly is. As someone who also enjoys their job (although maybe not quite love it), I make some sacrifices as well, like an hour long commute 3 days a week to live on a farm in the middle of no where in a house where, like people you know, my taxes would be 5 times higher an hour away. Low crime, my wife stays home and raises our children and homeschools them. Other than the drive time, it's quite ideal.

You didn't seem to understand my point about "handling things differently". We're within a year or so of each other, both married with children, both had parents of a decent middle class, both parents lived on the ocean at some point (which I just find out now)... it's actually quite bizarre how close the parallel is. The difference is, I don't begrudge anyone for the choices they make, where they live, the jobs they work or how they choose to spend their money and I certainly don't harbor any ill will towards them.

 

[MolonLabe]

Then you didn't pay for the privilege, or else you would be a consumer.

Ahhhh, it's semantics.

Not really, words have meanings. The difference between a Right and privilege is about as far apart from each other as anything could be.

For example, swimming in your own pool is you right, because you own it.

Using your neighbors pool for free is a privilege your neighbor extends to you.

Paying to enter WDW makes you a customer and a consumer.

Huge differences.

 

[MilitaryMouse]

The OP stated that they stayed in Deluxe hotels. If you do that it will cost $$$$ so renting someone's apartment might be less expensive but that's not where OP said they stayed.

yes...hence why, in my original post, I said "Granted, we stayed at beautiful airbnb apartments and not luxury hotels."

But since we're on this topic, I consider modern, spacious apartments located in city centers much more luxurious than any hotel room.

 

[GAN]

yes...hence why, in my original post, I said "Granted, we stayed at beautiful airbnb apartments and not luxury hotels."

But since we're on this topic, I consider modern, spacious apartments located in city centers much more luxurious than any hotel room.

You've got that right!

 

[EveDallas]

Thanks...
You won't be missed.

And I care what you think because?