In Case You Think The WDW Slump Isn't Real

[digskat]

We just returned from a drive home up I75, and were pleasantly surprised with the prices for gas. The best we saw was $1.79/gal in Kentucky, and the worst was $2.21 in Georgia. We put over 3100 miles in, and spent $300 for fuel. Unfortunately we returned home and have to pay $3.60/gal here (better than the $4.36 before we left).
Yes WDW will feel a pinch by the down turn in the economy, every form of entertainment will. However WDW is a destination that some people already save up for years to go to, and they are fortunate to get visitors from every level of economical society, and from several countries....they will be fine.

We are from an area devastated by the auto industry, where they state that every 1 job lost in an auto plant causes 10 spin-off jobs to disappear. Hopefully the economy will turn around.......and hopefully the big 3 will realize that while they save money on wages by moving plants from Canada/USA, they are destroying the economy, and eliminating the assets of the people they are hoping to sell their cars to.

 

[Purseval]

I think standing up for anyone who calls anyone osama obama is racist in itself.

It's people like you who water dumb down the meaning of racism to the point where somebody is racist because they put margarine on your toast instead of butter. I also read your juvenile rant in PMs on fascism, you are as right on that as you've been on anything else so far. Perhaps you might find this Wikipedia article on the dumbing down of the meaning of fascist interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascist_(epithet)

The definition of racism is grouping stereotyping someone because of what they look like, doing it because their name sounds similar is no different, this isn't the place for it, dateline reported various KKK forums in existence, check them out for like thinking individuals.

Umm, actually what you are describing is a bigot, not a racist. Like I said before, I'm sure you think you sound righteously indignant but you are still clueless and living proof of the old saying that it's better to be silent and have people think you're a fool than to speak out and prove it.

 

[Laura_Lewis]

OPEC reported back in October that they would be cutting production by 1,000,000/barrels a day. We will probably see a price increase just in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday. Of course right about the time we are leaving.

 

[BeckWhy]

Must be nice....my boyfriends parents live in EHT and its still 2.18....I'm from upstate new york and I got it for 2.24 as a club member at BJ's but its still only 2.35 elsewhere around me....and I must add..

southwest out of buffalo was $480 p/p for Nov 26th-30th until about 3 weeks ago and its dropped to $270 so we got a large amount back so at least for now things are looking up for us

Eeyore... a few weeks ago I got an email stating that Southwest was slashing their BUF airfares half price for a few days... $93 roundtrip for my dates...

 

[CanadianGuy]

Bob Iger, ceo of Disney sent a message to all employees last week talking about the most recent quarter results (they weren't that bad..) but then going on to talk about the upcoming year and more or less referred to the downturn in business that Disney experienced following 9-11 in how Disney should / would respond as a business in the coming year.

It's real alright and they are making plans to deal with it.

Knox

 

[SuperTink]

EnnEss,

It's good you stood up. Others did as well. But now you are wasting your time arguing with the Quacker Factory. Seriously.

Ignore, and Have a great day!

 

[GoofyBaby]

Was it a mistake or a joke, the b is nowhere near the s on the keyboard? I find it extremely racist and out of place if thats a "joke" (im not even american, but i find it vile so many of your citizens think these jokes are OK). Im sure there are lots of other places more appropriate for expressing these views.

If you would have read the entire thread, you would have seen that she made a mistake and meant to type 'Obama,' as evidenced by her post: Yeah, I did [make a mistake]. Not that anybody would elect "Osama" to office.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

How can anyone deny that the slump is real? WDW as a business would not offer this 7 for 4 promo if there wasn't. When they offered it in 2003, we took advantage of it and if I remember correctly, it was for the summer season. Now it is for 6 months!!! With a few blackout dates. If there wasn't a slump, this would have never been offered.

 

[Clotho]

Yes, but let's remember that this is IN ANTICIPATION OF A POSSIBLE SLUMP. We're not technically "in it" yet. Don't confuse the housing crisis and the bad loans deals with a "depression" (something the media is eager to bandy about). The housing crisis is a foreshadowing of what may happen, and affects of course what is happening, elsewhere in our economy, as a result of the downturn in the stock market, loss of jobs, etc. But we're not there ("depression") yet! So don't run for the hills right now!

What we are seeing at Disney is conservative steps to insure that they keep people coming to the parks regardless of which way the boom swings. Most all travel industries are seeing a downturn in plans for future travel. Current travel, as they reported at Disney, is only down by a small percentage--at Disney only 1% this quarter. When you remember that each year they GROW their percentage, dropping a few points is not a tremendous setback--think revenue streams dropping back to 2006 figures, not necessarily 2001, ya dig? ANd remember that Disney is not just the parks. There will be fluctuations all over their portfolio--some will dip, some will grow, some will stay steady. It's difficult to say what the downturn in the parks and resorts will do to the overall bottom line at Disney Corp.

If we keep our heads about us, a lot of us are going to be just fine, and won't have to change much about what we do, how we spend our money, etc. The media would like us to panic now and start making even more story fodder with our premature freak-outs. Just take it a day at a time!

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Wow. People have hurt post-election feelings, huh?

Personally, I am thinking that Disney World will become more aggressive in providing incentives for visitors and guests. As a matter of fact, I'm surfing the Net now, looking to see if I can find a good deal. If we get another quarter like the last two, it will be a foregone conclusion that Disney will offer additional incentives.

As far as the Presidential Election is concerned, there has been this big deal about offering another stimulus package. If the stimulus package comes in the form of a rebate, that would be good news for WDW. People would take that money and head to Florida. (And also good for retailers, as well.)

But stimulus packages doesn't necessarily mean tax rebates. And a tax rebate is a temporary relief option.

 

[bytheblood]

I usually keep my mouth shut, but not this time.
EnnEss - Wow - there is a a lot of whining and acting like children here over a simple mistake. Obama and Osama are close, I typo'd. Don't be so quick to call somebody a racist, especially when you have no idea what nationality they are.

Editing my post to make the moderators happy!!

 

[SuperTink]

Obama and Osama are close, I typo'd.

Only in your mind. They are not close on the keyboard.

And what did you mean by the statement that prices would go up, anyway?

 

[KEHCharleston]

EnnEss,

It's good you stood up. Others did as well. But now you are wasting your time arguing with the Quacker Factory Seriously.

Ignore, and Have a great day!

What's a Quacker Factory? - Now I am worried that I might be a member - Yikes!
(I trust Quacker Factory is not a derogatory name - Double Yikes!)

I use diesel and am paying $1.60 LESS than I was two months ago. (Charleston, SC)

 

[dalstitch45]

And the best part is you don't have to pump it yourself

Amen! I always forget how to pump gas when I go to other states, but I never get wet pumping gas in Jersey. The one nice thing about our state. I paid $1.89 today in South Jersey. I never thought we would see it under $3 again, let alone under $2.

Let's hope and pray the economy at least stabilizes soon. We are seeing the dominoe effect on everything. So many people have lost their jobs, homes, investments, etc.

 

[eeyoresnr]

Gas here is $1.85

1.99 here

 

[nickspace]

I paid $1.87 in Ohio today.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

I'm wondering if the same feathers would have been fluffed if someone had said McLame rather than McCain. (per the bumper stickers)

The Obama - Osama thing you see and hear are a DIRECT REFERENCE to the spellcheck error. If you typed Obama on the computer and you had spellcheck, it asked if you meant Osama... Hence the "Obama = Osama in spellcheck" bumper stickers that were on ebay. It was a JOKE!

My goodness... do you have ANY idea how many Bush jokes and slanders are online? There are dozens of anti bush games on the net where you kill bush, or punch bush in the face, or electrically shock bush, and so on. I haven't heard anyone complaining about all of them. I for one am SICK of every little anti Obama reference being considered RACIST. Its OK for the nation to criticize every move and every word Bush says... but THATS OK... as long as we dont mention precious Obama.

Come on people.. the election is over. Lets move on with our lives.

Now back to the topic...

Everyone is talking about gas, its price dropping... but your missing the bigger picture here. Just because you are paying $1.85 for unleaded... EVERYTHING you buy at the grocery store... ALL of it... EVERY PIECE is delivered by Diesel. And diesel hasn't dropped much. Its still $3.00 a gallon in my town. DIESEL has a MUCH bigger trickle down effect on the economy than unleaded, because it controls the prices of groceries and most everything you buy.

 

[NMW]

We just took advantage of the buy 4 get 3 free thing for a trip to the POLY in May 09. Some of my friends, friends that regularly spend big $$$$ on vacations, asked me if I was sure that we should go with the economy the way it is. I was really surprised to hear this. We thought it was a great deal and jumped on it.

 

[onelilspark]

We just took advantage of the buy 4 get 3 free thing for a trip to the POLY in May 09. Some of my friends, friends that regularly spend big $$$$ on vacations, asked me if I was sure that we should go with the economy the way it is. I was really surprised to hear this. We thought it was a great deal and jumped on it.

Really, as long as your finances are stable, the best thing to do for the economy is spend your money, it'll help stimulate it. So way to go And besides, HELLO! 3 nights free at the Poly?!

Anyways, someone said back on the first page Western NY has the highest gas in the continental US, I'd believe it! I paid $2.65 on Friday and thought I was living high! Then I just read all of these posts where it's below $2?! What's going on NY!?

Oh anyways...the thing is, people will still go to Disney, it's the one destination that families will decide to still go to. Where as the Caribbean they might decide, oh, well let's stay domestic instead. (Think the Outerbanks instead of the Bahamas...) I think what Disney is doing is smart. I think many families may shorten vacations this year, so instead of that week, they're only doing long weekends to save money. So, to capitalize on that, they're saying, hey, you're already here, spend 3 nights on us. Meanwhile, you're still spending on souvenirs and dining. Not to mention, their rooms are still filled when other places are hurting. So when you have the choice to spend 4 days elsewhere or a week at Disney because of the deal, you'll choose Disney. And really...why would you want to choose anywhere else

 

[Purseval]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081110/mcdonald_s_sales.html?.v=1

McDonald's same-store sales rise 8.2 percent in October as consumers seek value

Those sales are due to people skipping Applebees, Longhorn steakhouse, etc., and heading over for a value meal. The same thing is happening with things like fancy leather handbags, $5 lattes, SUVs, jewelry, memorabilia, anything considered to be an extravagance. I realize that to the average DIS reader going to WDW is as natural as breathing but there are a lot of people out there who now see a multi-thousand dollar vacation as something that can be put off until another day, or going from onsite to offsite (remember, if bookings are down in WDW they are as bad or worse in Kissimmee. Those operators also have to give incentives like when we stayed in DTD for $25/night in October 2001). You may not hear anything from corporate but if you start seeing promotions on ticket prices like we are seeing for rooms you will know that they are fighting for the offsites and daytrippers.