Disney's Price Increases are obscene....

[WDSearcher]

I just did this at lunch and it caused an 8 car pileup.

Last time I listen to you.

Thanks for the morning laugh!

 

[WDSearcher]

We have DVC, so our accommodations are set. Otherwise..$6000. Airfare for 6..around $2400. Now, 7 day hopper passes will run, more than $2200. So, almost $11,000 for a week at WDW, not including food, souvenirs, etc. That's pretty steep for anybody. We can spend 2 weeks in Europe or most anywhere else for less.

Its getting harder to feel the "magic" or see the "value".

And yet, you have two upcoming trips planned -- one to the parks and one on the Fantasy. That's a lot of money to be spending on a company where you're seeing declining value.

You could spend two weeks in Europe or most anywhere for less than what it costs for your WDW vacation. And yet you're still choosing WDW. PLUS you're paying into DVC every year.

I get that it's possible to still enjoy a product even when the value has been reduced from previous years, but it's also hard to get behind this type of argument when the trips just keep comin'.

 

[WDSearcher]

That's my general impression (if I didn't make it clear earlier).

A $.25 per hour raise hardly keeps up with inflation, even at 3 percent a year. But I'm happy if you're happy.

Doesn't matter to me. I'm non-union. But if the union folks are getting a $.25 per hour raise each year, that's based on what the union negotiated with Disney, and it's based on what the union membership voted for. And it's probably part of a much larger package that provides them with other desired perks that help offset that hourly rate. Either way, if the CMs are unhappy with it, they have various methods of recourse to try and push that higher. Not to mention that there are lots of other places to work in Central Florida. No one's forcing them to work at Disney.

That's good to hear -- I was under the impression that CMs were scared to death about guest complaints due to adverse consequences.

Not in any department I've ever worked in (in my 20+ year history). Warnings on your record card? Sure. "Coaching" by your leader? Yes. But there's no place I'm aware of here that has a "one and done" policy, unless that "one" is a doozy (ie: theft, physical harm to another person, harrassment, etc).

Well, not that I'd complain if I thought someone would get fired over it. But I'd say that's one of the "it depends" answers. If the mistake cost a lot of money (either in damage or guest recovery), I'd say zero. If it's relatively minor stuff, and not repetitive (the same mistake over and over), I'd say two or three times.

And that's pretty much what happens here. Disney really isn't all that different from any other business out there. If someone is scared to make a mistake because they've been told they'll get fired ... then it's either someone playing a "seniority" kind of a prank on them, or it's someone who probably got in trouble for doing something wrong and so they've now angrily exaggerated the whole thing in their mind to "warn" other folks that "You make one mistake, and BOOM! you're out!" Funny how those people are almost always still here though ....

But honestly ... if Disney had this huge corporate culture of tossing people to the street after one mistake, don't you think someone (other than on a fan board or a blog) would have done a grand expose about it by now? Orlando Sentinel would have been all over it if there was a story there. They live for stuff like that!

Disney lives and dies by guest comments -- good and bad. And frankly, most guest complaints are light on details and heavy on emotion. It's hard, most of the time, to determine exactly which CM was at fault, and so those complaints are handled as "gentle reminders" to cast to take more care in how they react to certain situations as opposed to being witch hunts to fire CMs. If a guest does mention a CM by name, that CM will always have the opportunity to provide their side of the story before any sort of resolution is made. And the CM is also able to request their union steward in the room when that happens, so it's not like a bunch of evil managers are ganging up on a poor defenseless CM.

But raises, regular or not, have to paid for from somewhere. Admission price increases are one easy source...

Sure they are. Just like they are for Universal and SeaWorld and Six Flags and everyone else. But Disney is more than the theme parks. The joke going around internally after Avengers' opening weekend was, "Oh thank goodness -- we can pay for John Carter AND anything else we need in the next three years." Even the people in the theme parks understand that a good year at the movies helps us, and a bad year in consumer products hurts us. Just like the folks at ABC understand that if the theme parks tank one year, it's going to affect their bottom line too, no matter how good the ratings are. We're one big synergistic disfunctional entertainment conglomerate family!

 

[hawkeyesparks]

As someone who likes to hold onto my money I'm about as excited about the rate increase as a dog is a bath. I understand most of the economic issues, especially the rising cost of goods that Disney provides. I don't know about where you live, but my salary is not increasing to meet the increases I'm seeing in fuel, electricity, groceries, etc..., so I understand that the costs for WDW are ever increasing.

I also understand as some have stated that supply and demand will set the price. I'm going to WDW next summer and I'm not happy about the prices, but I will spend what I have to spend to go. BUT there will come a point(for all of us!) where we will say the cost outweighs the benefit. I don't know what that point is and how far away it is, but it's out there, and if WDW hits it, I'll stay home, or go somewhere else. Not because I want to, but because I'll have to.

 

[North of Mouse]

We have DVC, so our accommodations are set. Otherwise..$6000. Airfare for 6..around $2400. Now, 7 day hopper passes will run, more than $2200. So, almost $11,000 for a week at WDW, not including food, souvenirs, etc. That's pretty steep for anybody. We can spend 2 weeks in Europe or most anywhere else for less.

Its getting harder to feel the "magic" or see the "value".

If you can spend $11,000 for ONE week of vacation there should be no complaining about a few hundred extra in ticket price increases. We could/would never spend that for a week. We go for 10 days (we do drive) and spend about 1/4 that. Spend nothing on souvenirs (not our thing) - except an occasional F&G pin or magnet. Do not get the DDP - can eat much better without it, because we don't always want to take the time for TS. Everyone has their "must haves" to enjoy their vacations, and we enjoy them very much, just don't desire a lot of extras. We always see the value (so much to see/do for one ticket price - not many places like that - in fact none) and the magic.

 

[TLSnell1981]

And yet, you have two upcoming trips planned -- one to the parks and one on the Fantasy. That's a lot of money to be spending on a company where you're seeing declining value.

You could spend two weeks in Europe or most anywhere for less than what it costs for your WDW vacation. And yet you're still choosing WDW. PLUS you're paying into DVC every year.

I get that it's possible to still enjoy a product even when the value has been reduced from previous years, but it's also hard to get behind this type of argument when the trips just keep comin'.

We have DVC and seven DGKs, we still take them once a year (2-3 at a time). Until this year, we visited 2-3 times a year. Now, we choose other destinations, although I'm sure...Disney doesn't care.

Not, that I need to explain, but we've promised the DGK's a cruise. We don't take them all at once (big age difference) Actually, while expensive, DCL is far and above the Parks. The ship is constantly "refreshed" and the staff..... superb. It kind of reminds me of "old" Disney.

Just because I'm unhappy with Iger's reign, doesn't mean I hate Disney. I do feel, we get less for more $$$$. So, we spend less of our vacating $$$$$ with Disney and more elsewhere.

 

[Planogirl]

What exactly is wrong with commenting on the perceived value of a Disney trip? Just because a person might see it as less of a value as it once was doesn't mean that that person won't continue to go. It's just a bit spooky because that previously mentioned tipping point just seems to get closer.

 

[WDSearcher]

We have DVC and seven DGKs, we still take them once a year (2-3 at a time). Until this year, we visited 2-3 times a year. Now, we choose other destinations, although I'm sure...Disney doesn't care.

Not, that I need to explain, but we've promised the DGK's a cruise. We don't take them all at once (big age difference) Actually, while expensive, DCL is far and above the Parks. The ship is constantly "refreshed" and the staff..... superb. It kind of reminds me of "old" Disney.

Just because I'm unhappy with Iger's reign, doesn't mean I hate Disney. I do feel, we get less for more $$$$. So, we spend less of our vacating $$$$$ with Disney and more elsewhere.

I'm sure there are things at your company that customers don't like. Some you change, some you don't. Same here. Disney's a business and they know that every time they change anything -- be it a park ride, a ticket price, a menu, or the bedspreads at a resort -- they're going to be disappointing someone. And they hope that whatever they're adding -- a new Fantasyland, a new resort, more interactive queues, whatever -- will help offset what they took away.

If Disney hadn't raised prices this year, people would still be complaining. In fact, Disney could do every single thing on your personal "to do" list, from ousting Iger on down, and there would still be complaining. You might be happier and start spending more at WDW again, but there would still be people complaining about the stuff they changed for you. It is a never-ending cycle.

 

[Rip]

If you can spend $11,000 for ONE week of vacation there should be no complaining about a few hundred extra in ticket price increases. We could/would never spend that for a week. We go for 10 days (we do drive) and spend about 1/4 that. Spend nothing on souvenirs (not our thing) - except an occasional F&G pin or magnet. Do not get the DDP - can eat much better without it, because we don't always want to take the time for TS. Everyone has their "must haves" to enjoy their vacations, and we enjoy them very much, just don't desire a lot of extras. We always see the value (so much to see/do for one ticket price - not many places like that - in fact none) and the magic.

That's absurd, how much they can afford to spend doesn't negate their right to complain about price increases.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Do you really want to get rid of Iger and bring back Eisner?

 

[shalom]

Do you really want to get rid of Iger and bring back Eisner?

I was wondering that, too. I have my doubts about Iger, but the one thing I do know is that he's sure an improvement on the last guy.

 

[WDSearcher]

Then again, Eisner was responsible (with Wells) for saving the Disney Company from corporate raiders and building some of the parts of the company that are now fan favorites (DHS, DAK, DCL, Disney on Broadway).

Both Eisner and Iger have their good points and their bad points.

 

[larryz]

Do you really want to get rid of Iger and bring back Eisner?

 

[kaligal]

Do you really want to get rid of Iger and bring back Eisner?

I'll take Eisner...without the wand.

The bathrooms were cleaner, the staff was nicer and the food was better.

 

[shalom]

Then again, Eisner was responsible (with Wells) for saving the Disney Company from corporate raiders and building some of the parts of the company that are now fan favorites (DHS, DAK, DCL, Disney on Broadway).

Agree with you on the saving from corporate raiders, less sold on the building part -- I think Joe Rhode is far more to be thanked for DAK than Eisner, for instance.

Both Eisner and Iger have their good points and their bad points.

True, but neither one is Walt, and Eisner seemed to forget that. Walt could be hard to work with, but he also inspired creative people who were able to share his vision and expand on it, including many who were geniuses in their own right. At least in the last half of his reign, Eisner was hard to work with, drove away more people than he inspired, tended to micromanage the ones who were left, and didn't personally have the creative genius to compensate for that.

Iger may not poses the same kind of creative genius Walt did, but he has been called inspirational by creative people in the company, because, although he doesn't endorse everything people offer him, when he likes what he sees he energizes people with his praise and specific critique. He inspires because he appreciates, understands, and guides, very energizing things for a lot of creative people. He's also willing to take a risk on people he believes in -- doesn't always work out (witness John Carter -- although I still think the advertising guys share a big part of the blame for that one) -- but when it doesn't he admits he screwed up rather than blaming those he empowered. Iger is much more loyal to his employees than Eisner ever was.

Since we can't have Walt, I think Iger's more the kind of leader Disney needs, one who can pull in truly creative people. Eisner gave the company focus, which it needed when he first got there, but I'm not convinced he was focused on the right thing and he was not very open to correction on that front. The irony is that Eisner's focus made the company too successful for his controlling tendencies to succeed. Eisner started to crush the very thing he had helped to create rather than allow it to expand beyond his grasp. Iger is more aware of the fact that such disparate "companies within the company" need some breathing room, and is so far from crushing through control that he's already announced the date of his retirement.

I'm not crazy about Iger, but I do think he was a definite improvement on Eisner.

 

[Don Disney]

A little planning and thriftiness will prevent this. We just spent 12 days at WDW for 2900. Granted it's 9 day base tickets, 11 nights at a value resort, and a free dining code. So if you're willing to give in on some of the extras and are flexible with dates so you can get a discount, it can still be affordable.

You are definately of the same mind as I;We have done our trips EXACTLY that way,4 times in fact!!! I really don't think we would have made the trips otherwise-FD,value resort,great planning,and thriftiness is how we roll!!! If we can't keep our cost in the same range(give or take a couple hundred),we'll have to consider taking a break from our much loved"Total Escape from Reality".Probably willing to shell out $200-$300 more...Max.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

...True, but neither one is Walt, and Eisner seemed to forget that...

But of course Walt was no Roy, who made sure that the corporation was actually run as a business and kept profitable for the shareholders so that it could survive his brother's flights of fancy and, therefore, still exist today!

 

[Planogirl]

I just wish that someone could improve the animation department. Thank goodness that they have Pixar now.

 

[ttintagel]

Reinvesting too little back into the company is a problem in many large corporations today.

 

[conandrob240]

So, what are the new prices? Did I miss that somewhere in the middle of all the complaining and insulting?