In Defense of Bob Chapek

[Jrb1979]

I agree. It's Shrinkflation and everyone is doing it! Did you know Cottonelle toilet paper rolls have shrunk from 340 sheets to 312!! But people are still buying it....

I agree that its happening everywhere. IMO why most are so upset is that Disney has always done things like this, they didn't come right out and say it. Now they are very blunt about it and don't care.

 

[Liquidice]

I agree that its happening everywhere. IMO why most are so upset is that Disney has always done things like this, they didn't come right out and say it. Now they are very blunt about it and don't care.

Disney has always raised prices - thats true. Disney hasn't always cut perks at the same rate they have over the last ~2.5 years.

Cottonelle and Charmin may have cut the number of sheets on their roll and raise prices, but they didn't raise prices, give you less sheets, cut the sheets in half width wise, make the paper half as soft, add a new separate charge to ship it from their warehouse to the store and then charge you $15 per day if you want it to be softer.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I would look to blame someone too if the only park I know is Disney. My family has done 3 different parks this year already and at all 3 we had more fun then Disney right now. A lot of it has to do with the reservation system and how Genie+ works.

I think it has more to do with peoples expectations of Disney then other parks doing a better job.

 

[Jrb1979]

I think it has more to do with peoples expectations of Disney then other parks doing a better job.

Maybe. A lot of the other parks have stepped up their game recently. Dollywood, Cedar Point and Kings Island are just a few.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I think what you've said makes a good deal of sense, however unless Disney was cutting prices, or giving more for the same, no one would approve of Bobs maneuvers. You can argue that if you were getting more and paying more it would be more palatable, but i still think it would draw negative sentiment. Disneys only move, especially with all us Hardos, is to provide more, or the same, for less, otherwise it's considered "nickel and diming"

i mean honestly, i'm ok with them some price increases, i get it, you have too..but i'm not ok with making billions in profits, raising pricing and making cut backs.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I think it has more to do with peoples expectations of Disney then other parks doing a better job.

I mean truthfully with the prices that Disney charges I would have higher expectations and would expect the Disney parks to be better quality/offer more value than parks like Six Flags or King's Dominion.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I mean truthfully with the prices that Disney charges I would have higher expectations and would expect the Disney parks to be better quality/offer more value than parks like Six Flags or King's Dominion.

disney also has set the bar really high for years, people expect more from Disney than any other theme park.

Disney does that with marketing and past experiences.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Disney has always raised prices - thats true. Disney hasn't always cut perks at the same rate they have over the last ~2.5 years.

Cottonelle and Charmin may have cut the number of sheets on their roll and raise prices, but they didn't raise prices, give you less sheets, cut the sheets in half width wise, make the paper half as soft, add a new separate charge to ship it from their warehouse to the store and then charge you $15 per day if you want it to be softer.

i think it's more in line with the manufacture doesn't offer discounts for buying in bulk anymore because demand outweighs supply so there's no need to incentivize customers to buy more

 

[Smugpugmug]

disney also has set the bar really high for years, people expect more from Disney than any other theme park.

Disney does that with marketing and past experiences.

Exactly. Disney has always been a luxury vacation and people were willing to pay the high prices because they knew they were going to get a high quality experience with top tier service.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Maybe. A lot of the other parks have stepped up their game recently. Dollywood, Cedar Point and Kings Island are just a few.

IMO they still aren't on the same level, it may be closer but definitely not the same

 

[luv2cheer92]

It depends on what you're looking for. For my family the more work involved to just get into the park they less likely we are to enjoy it.
I have seen from a few people that the parks themselves still have that magic, which is great. It turns us off all the things you must do to get to that part.

This is totally part of this thread but for our family we find the majority of Disney rides one and done. If they had more rides like Guardians with theming as well as thrill it would more of a draw.

Not much more work at all for me, compared to other parks. Definitely significantly less work for Disney than there used to be.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I mean truthfully with the prices that Disney charges I would have higher expectations and would expect the Disney parks to be better quality/offer more value than parks like Six Flags or King's Dominion.

prices with the parks, or hotels? there's a big difference IMO

 

[Smugpugmug]

prices with the parks, or hotels? there's a big difference IMO

The actual park tickets. If I'm going to be blunt, the hotels themselves are not worth the prices they charge (referring to the cash rates for rooms not DVC). You are paying for the convenience for being in the "bubble" above all else.

 

[TsWade2]

Never mind!

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Exactly. Disney has always been a luxury vacation and people were willing to pay the high prices because they knew they were going to get a high quality experience with top tier service.

I think hotels aside, Disney is not as expensive as people make it out to be. sure, park food is expensive, but you don't have to do themed dining, and the quick serve options are expensive, but not completely nuts

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

The actual park tickets. If I'm going to be blunt, the hotels themselves are not worth the prices they charge (referring to the cash rates for rooms not DVC). You are paying for the convenience for being in the "bubble" above all else.

100% agree about the hotels, but a 7 day park hopper by itself is pretty reasonable when you actually look what you get for it

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think hotels aside, Disney is not as expensive as people make it out to be. sure, park food is expensive, but you don't have to do themed dining, and the quick serve options are expensive, but not completely nuts

Definitely agree. Quick service food prices are on par with pretty much all other parks, and often get much larger portions.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Definitely agree. Quick service food prices are on par with pretty much all other parks, and often get much larger portions.

I think people want it all, and the demand for Disney hotels allows them to charge what they want, in my opinion they are overvalued, but from a business perspective, you have to commend them for it, they know they have a captive market who's willing to pay whatever they ask for, until the tides change Disney is doing the right thing

 

[Smugpugmug]

I think hotels aside, Disney is not as expensive as people make it out to be. sure, park food is expensive, but you don't have to do themed dining, and the quick serve options are expensive, but not completely nuts

I mean sure that's true but I meant more so than with the prices Disney charges compared to other parks in the US (and I would argue globally), there is an inherent expectation that you will be getting more value/a higher quality experience.

Bringing up table service dining is a good example. With how much they charge for those restaurants, you would expect to get better food than mediocre theme park food but a lot of the times that's not the case (thinking of Be our Guest as an example. You are paying for the atmosphere and the food is an afterthought).

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I mean sure that's true but I meant more so than with the prices Disney charges compared to other parks in the US (and I would argue globally), there is an inherent expectation that you will be getting more value/a higher quality experience.

Bringing up table service dining is a good example. With how much they charge for those restaurants, you would expect to get better food than mediocre theme park food but a lot of the times that's not the case (thinking of Be our Guest as an example. You are paying for the atmosphere and the food is an afterthought).

and yet people line up, what was 180 days in advance, (now 60 days) and book it out completely. So i would argue that most people see value in it, otherwise they wouldn't be able to charge the prices they do. Other parks have to provide better food for less because they do not have Disneys demand (Primarily in my mind because of the value Disney offers). The food they offer in my opinion hasn't fallen off at sit down restaurants, the prices have definitely gone up over time. So if the offering is close to the same as they used to offer, (maybe more in some areas, and less in others) and the only thing that's really changed is the price, then what makes it a Luxury vacation. If it is solely the price, maybe Disney was the best "Value vacation" around, and they are now matching the price to the offering more closely