I totally agree with this take on the new tier pricing plan.

[csgsu]

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dishap...-episode-17-2016-at-disneys-hollywood-studios

This is a good take on the new tier pricing plan and I totally agree with him

 

[mom2rtk]

What was their take on it?

 

[EricInPA]

To answer his question on "What Would Walt Think?":

Walt would probably wonder why there aren't ride tickets anymore, so that families that don't want to or can't ride the big attractions don't have to pay for them. However, that is an option that some folks here have stated would absolutely end their trips to WDW.

ETA: to be clear, I don't think they should or will do that, but that's what Walt might ask.

 

[brunette8706]

Walt would never want to price out most families either. It will now cost en extra $100.00 for a family of 4 to go to the Magic Kingdom during peak season.

 

[DebbieB]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

 

[brunette8706]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

I have read tons of books about Walt Disney. He wanted to create a place where every day people can take their children. Disney is getting beyond greedy and they are nickel and diming their guest at the same time quality is being diminished. Oh, lol and Disney is not losing any money profits grew 7 percent to 1.6 Billion last year.

 

[BigFatPickle]

Most corporations take advantage of high demand by testing their pricing elasticity. Disney is no different.

 

[visi]

What Walt would or would not say aside (which I think is a valid point for a company that still showcasing his name everywhere you look), Disney has branded themselves as an accessible and family friendly company. They had made themselves bigger than their theme parks and shows, effectively pushed to ingrain themselves as part of everyday American life and culture. I think that's why you're seeing the backlash here where Universal didn't really get it. Middle class people feel betrayed by Disney. And yes, they are a company and free to do whatever they'd like in our society. But it sort of feels like a great aunt who wont kiss you anymore because you lost your cute little baby cheeks.

 

[Jennasis]

Who cares what Walt would think?? I only care about what I think...and i think we're getting close to the breaking point. YMMV.

 

[amg35]

Who cares what Walt would think?? I only care about what I think...and i think we're getting close to the breaking point. YMMV.

I agree with this. It's my vacation, I don't worry about what anyone would think and who can or can't afford to go. We never could afford yearly WDW trips unless we were to go for shorter trips and stay at mods or values, which just isn't my type of vacation, not that it's bad, just not for me.
For now we can still afford to do Disney the way we like to every few years, not near our breaking point.
When I book a trip anywhere, it never crosses my mind if the average family is being priced out, why would it bother me with Disney? And if I do want to go back sooner than we can afford, I probably will try a moderate....

 

[maryj11]

I have read tons of books about Walt Disney. He wanted to create a place where every day people can take their children. Disney is getting beyond greedy and they are nickel and diming their guest at the same time quality is being diminished. Oh, lol and Disney is not losing any money profits grew 7 percent to 1.6 Billion last year.

I do think about what Walt Disney would think about how things are going today. How can you say who cares , I mean there would be no Walt Disney World if it wasn't for this man. I know he is dead now but I still think about him and love walking through One Man's Dream.

 

[amg35]

I can say who cares because Disney isn't a constant concern for me. I like to vacation there. I only think about it when I'm planning a vacation. Otherwise nothing that happens at Disney concerns me, especially not what a man who is long deceased would think about today.....

 

[maryj11]

It is not a constant concern for me either but I do think about it. Just hard to not think about who created the place and how successful it has become.

 

[pens4821]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

Couldn't agree more. IMO, he would be doing the same thing that's being done now which is making as much money as possible. I know people hate it, but it's the way of life.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

I would buy that argument if they weren't doing well financially or were on the cusp of not doing well, but they are clearly not. Their earnings reports, etc indicate they are doing very well. That's what bothers me. And not that they're increasing prices because they do do that consistently but the combination of significant cuts in service, increase in prices, and very good earnings is ... Unseemly. At some point there will be backlash or falling attendance. Maybe Disney is just trying to figure out where that point is, but it looks a little like unvarnished corporate greed. Especially with a customer facing company like Disney, I think lots of people are more used to seeing (and would prefer) the varnished variety.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Does everyone forget that Walt was still a businessman? Not the greatest, and I know Roy handled the vast majority of those aspects, but seriously, going to Disney isn't a right for everyone. People get priced out. It sucks, but it happens and until Disney starts really hurting it isn't going to stop. Disney is still a business before everything else.

So yes, Walt may have wanted equal Disney opportunity for all, but Roy would have probably swiftly stepped in and hit him over the head with a little financial reality check. If they can make more money, they are going to.

 

[Angel Ariel]

They're making plenty of money. Their parks and resorts had 1 billion dollars in operating income, just in quarter 1 on FY 2016! All the cuts and price increases that they are doing, in the face of such (in their own words) record breaking income is what makes it all difficult to swallow.

I have no problems with a business being a business and wanting to make money. I have a problem with them when they start to take advantage of their customer base in order to do it. Offering less and less and less, while charging more and more and more...it's going to drive customers away. And that may not affect them now, or even in the next 5-10 years, but I think it's shortsighted for them to think it won't affect them long-term.

 

[maxiesmom]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

I do too. I don't care how many books someone had read. People change, and I think Walt would be a bit different now than he was when he died.

Maybe Disney has seen all the comments on the fact that the parks are now so busy, and this is there way of countering that.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with those who say that it doesn't matter what others think and that includes Walt Disney if he could offer his opinion. It's my time and my money and how all of this affects us matters the most. Plus this makes Disney look kind of ugly which isn't a good thing.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

They're making plenty of money. Their parks and resorts had 1 billion dollars in operating income, just in quarter 1 on FY 2016! All the cuts and price increases that they are doing, in the face of such (in their own words) record breaking income is what makes it all difficult to swallow.

I have no problems with a business being a business and wanting to make money. I have a problem with them when they start to take advantage of their customer base in order to do it. Offering less and less and less, while charging more and more and more...it's going to drive customers away. And that may not affect them now, or even in the next 5-10 years, but I think it's shortsighted for them to think it won't affect them long-term.

When it starts driving customers away in numbers that are significant enough to bottom line, this stuff will stop happening. Until then, I expect to keep seeing stuff periodically go. They don't want to make "plenty of money" they want to make as much money as possible. I don't like that they keep taking stuff away either, but I can't really blame them for doing it.