Disney Parks are hurting....

[disneegrl4eva]

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-finance/20081106/BUSINESS-US-DISNEY/

 

[Lights_Out]

To be honest, I can't say that I'm surprised...

The cost of park tickets are rising...
Merchandise/food/hotel prices are rising..
But oddly, there's a drop in the quality of service...

 

[DisneyXiao]

To be honest, I can't say that I'm surprised...

The cost of park tickets are rising...
Merchandise/food/hotel prices are rising..
But oddly, there's a drop in the quality of service...

I agree with Lights Out. I noticed the drop in the quality of service too.

 

[NStramler]

To be honest, I can't say that I'm surprised...

The cost of park tickets are rising...
Merchandise/food/hotel prices are rising..
But oddly, there's a drop in the quality of service...

I understand it also. Our passes expired in October and this year we chose not to renew them. Maybe later..........

Hugs,
Susie

 

[kelmac284]

Yeah and then our lovely governor wants to add a tax on the park tickets which is going to make it even worse!

 

[Sherry E]

Yeah and then our lovely governor wants to add a tax on the park tickets which is going to make it even worse!

I was always surprised that the tickets were not taxed, but very relieved! As it is, that 15% tax on the DLR hotels is crazy! Today it was just announced that the job loss rate is the highest it has been in, I think, 14 years (for the whole U.S.). (In California, I think it is the highest unemployment rate in 5 years.) If people are already struggling as much as they are to pay for any trips to DLR/WDW, adding taxes isn't going to help that issue. It may help the State or the economy in a roundabout way overall, but it will not help Disney directly, I don't think.

 

[pixiewings71]

Yeah and then our lovely governor wants to add a tax on the park tickets which is going to make it even worse!

UGH!! I hadn't heard this!!! NO NEW TAXES! Please Guv, we can't afford it..... *said in my best cockney accent*

 

[kelmac284]

Tell me about it. As if we didn't have ENOUGH to deal with! I mean EVERYTHING has gone up and if the parks are hurting as it is then you add these taxes on top forget about it!!

 

[Casey's Mommie]

If people are already struggling as much as they are to pay for any trips to DLR/WDW, adding taxes isn't going to help that issue. It may help the State or the economy in a roundabout way overall, but it will not help Disney directly, I don't think.

If people are struggling they aren't going to go to Disney anyway. I think if people were planning to go to Disney a 5-10% tax isn't going to change that.

 

[Sherry E]

If people are struggling they aren't going to go to Disney anyway. I think if people were planning to go to Disney a 5-10% tax isn't going to change that.

Your daughter is so cute, and that picture in your signature is priceless! Sometimes I wish I had kids when I see little cuties like that, but I am not patient enough!

Oh, and I am struggling financially - big time - but if I waited until all of my financial problems are solved, then I literally would not be going to DLR for probably the next 20 years or more! So I just have to try to get whatever discounts I can or take advantage of any promos I can to keep the cost down!

 

[Casey's Mommie]

Your daughter is so cute, and that picture in your signature is priceless! Sometimes I wish I had kids when I see little cuties like that, but I am not patient enough!

Awww, Thank you SO much! I can't wait to take her again (In January)

 

[Sherry E]

Awww, Thank you SO much! I can't wait to take her again (In January)

Oh my goodness, she is adorable! I love seeing the kids that are around that age - when they are really little and still full of wonder and awe - when they get to meet characters and hug them. It is such a big deal for them, and it makes lasting memories! I know it did for me! Ever since I got to meet Mickey and Donald when I was about 5 years old, there was no turning back for me!!! They got themselves a lifelong fan!

 

[pixiewings71]

Awww, Thank you SO much! I can't wait to take her again (In January)

Oh my, she is precious!!!!! Thank you for sharing her with us.

 

[bdtracey]

If people are struggling they aren't going to go to Disney anyway. I think if people were planning to go to Disney a 5-10% tax isn't going to change that.

5-10% is nothing! Our lovely mayor yesterday announced at 25% tax hike.

 

[Gisele]

Oh my goodness! A 25% tax increase? That sounds like highway robbery! I say all Canadians should protest! Throw something into the ocean! Or someone! Maybe the mayor? he he! Seriously! I am looking forward to seeing that incident on the news, here in America! Make room for the Governor of California, as well!


Sherry, I agree as well, regarding hotel tax in Anaheim. And to further state that a 15 % hotel tax, is quite rather obnoxiously high. In my opinion, 10% should be sufficient.

 

[Sherry E]

Oh my goodness! A 25% tax increase? That sounds like highway robbery! I say all Canadians should protest! Throw something into the ocean! Or someone! Maybe the mayor? he he! Seriously! I am looking forward to seeing that incident on the news, here in America! Make room for the Governor of California, as well!


Sherry, I agree as well, regarding hotel tax in Anaheim. And to further state that a 15 % hotel tax, is quite rather obnoxiously high. In my opinion, 10% should be sufficient.

If there were a 25% tax applied to Los Angeles, it would send half of the residents out of the state, moving into other states. The cost of living is so high here as it is, lots of people are already moving (which is not helping the California economy at all) to other states!

I wonder if it is just the DLR hotels that charge 15% tax on their rooms and resort fees, or if it is all the hotels in Anaheim/Orange County/L.A. County. I know Catalina Island used to charge 12% tax for their hotels back in 2001 (and they are considered part of Los Angeles County), but I suspect they have jumped to 15% tax as well, as they are a tourist destination.

 

[wmp.dll]

5-10% is nothing! Our lovely mayor yesterday announced at 25% tax hike.

25% over three years, its stupid high. They want to spend 25 million on bridges we dont need. (thats a little off topic, Im sorry).

But I cant say Im surprised that Disney is struggling. With the world Economy the way it is I think a lot of people are cutting back. So that trip to WDW or DL that they would normally take wont happen because they want to hold onto that money and use it for something else. That or they have no more credit to go take a trip.

 

[Sherry E]

25% over three years, its stupid high. They want to spend 25 million on bridges we dont need. (thats a little off topic, Im sorry).

But I cant say Im surprised that Disney is struggling. With the world Economy the way it is I think a lot of people are cutting back. So that trip to WDW or DL that they would normally take wont happen because they want to hold onto that money and use it for something else. That or they have no more credit to go take a trip.

Sadly, I think you are right. Either a lot of people are already being affected in some way - they have lost jobs, taken huge pay cuts, gone into debt to pay the mortgage or pay for food, whatever - and cannot afford to go to any Disney park, or they believe they are GOING to be affected by the economic crisis, and therefore, they curtail their spending. I know that this tentaive trip I have planned for December is one I should not be taking from a financial standpoint, but my specific money situation is not going to improve too much in the next couple of years. So I either just go this year and have a kind of grand 'last hurrah' for a while, or I wait until the year 2030, when things may have vastly improved for me financially, but I am 63 years old!!!! I stayed away from DLR for six years before - I can do it again if I have to. But I don't want to!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

If people are struggling they aren't going to go to Disney anyway. I think if people were planning to go to Disney a 5-10% tax isn't going to change that.

Probably not just that, but it does all start to add up. You have increased taxes on the room, higher airline tickets, or gas to drive. Higher food costs.. It goes on and on. I can see why people start to look at their budget and say it's out of reach, or they may even decide it's not worth it. Especially at a time like this.

I was disappointed that our voters here decided to raise the room tax here as well. Yes, it goes to our schools. But people aren't coming here in groves anymore as it is. They find out something else is even costing them more, they may just decide not to.

 

[Sherry E]

Probably not just that, but it does all start to add up. You have increased taxes on the room, higher airline tickets, or gas to drive. Higher food costs.. It goes on and on. I can see why people start to look at their budget and say it's out of reach, or they may even decide it's not worth it. Especially at a time like this.

I was disappointed that our voters here decided to raise the room tax here as well. Yes, it goes to our schools. But people aren't coming here in groves anymore as it is. They find out something else is even costing them more, they may just decide not to.

It sure does add up, especially when you are literally scraping together money to do things anyway, which many folks are. It adds up the opposite way too, in terms of discounts - for example, on my recent trip in October, we ate 7 meals over the course of a 3-night stay at the PPH, with about 1.50 days spent in the parks, and the rest of the time spent in DTD or one of the other hotels. After using my Premium AP (which I got for $191) for seven meals and a couple of very small purchases, I came home with about $40 - $45 extra bucks in my pocket that I wouldn't have had without the discounts. So a few bucks here and there over the course of just a few days can add up, either in terms of saving money when you have a discount or paying out extra when the taxes are raised. Disney's all around prices are so high anyway that the higher taxes will make a bigger dent in everyone's wallets, and those dollars will add up in multi-night trips.

So, perhaps a lot of people will either start looking at the offsite hotels to stay in, or just taking shorter trips, or less frequent trips - like every other year instead of every year!