Is Anyone Else Mortified?

[skilesare]

What is the big deal here? The premium went up $250. You have to go 5 days during the year to make it worth it. It used to be that you had to go 3.5 days to make it worth it. If anything it was underpriced before. I'm actually shocked at how cheap it is. I don't live in the area so I'm not in the market for it, but if I had young kids that loved Disney it seem like a great thing to go do.

It is certainly a luxury item for a family of modest means, but if that is your thing it doesn't seem outrageous.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Luckily at least at WDW they have affordable hotels like Pop Century so you can cut cost. But eventually you will have a lot of people who come once and never come back. Or you will have people limiting their visits. Or limiting what they purchase via bringing food in the park to limiting what they buy in souvenirs. It's already happening.

This is already the case. They say at WDW 70% of the people there are first time visitors, whereas at DL it is the opposite, 30% are first time visitors. And really what does Disney want? I'm very sure first timers spend alot more money in the parks than AP holders who can pop in whenever they want. I just don't think Disney cares all that much frequent visitors right now. I think it's very short sighted of Disney, but sadly I think the attitude is that the first timers keep coming, so lets price out some AP holders, who needs 'em?

 

[BigGreen73]

What is the big deal here? The premium went up $250. You have to go 5 days during the year to make it worth it. It used to be that you had to go 3.5 days to make it worth it. If anything it was underpriced before. I'm actually shocked at how cheap it is. I don't live in the area so I'm not in the market for it, but if I had young kids that loved Disney it seem like a great thing to go do.

It is certainly a luxury item for a family of modest means, but if that is your thing it doesn't seem outrageous.

Have to agree here. Even w/ the increase, it's still a pretty good deal. If I lived in CA or FL or could get to WDW or DL more than maybe once every 1-2 years, I would definitely get an AP. Don't be surprised when it hits $1,000 or more either. With a single day entry to a park closing in on $100, $1,000 in Disney's eyes would be a steal.

 

[donalduck]

As long as people keep on paying the high prices then disney is going to keep on going up on the prices. If people stop going to disney then disney will lower the prices. So with that being said most people will complain and complain and complain about the prices but they will keep on going. If you are going to complain about the prices and keep on going then you have no one to blame but your self. Here is a thought. STOP GOING TO DISNEY IF YOU THINK THE PRICES ARE TO HIGH IF YOU DON'T STOP GOING TO DISNEY THEN STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PRICES GOING UP EVERY YEAR.

 

[Disney_Mousketeers]

I'm sad to say this will be our first year not going to a Disney Park since 2005. They have priced us out of the game. I understand that they have some big things going in this year with all the improvements to DCL, but it's just not worth it anymore.

Our youngest just turned three so that would be 5 annual passes at $3245. We live in Phoenix so Saturdays are a must for us. Even a 2 day no hopper pass would cost us $814 for JUST 2 days! When I can pay $78/ticket for entrace to Universal for the rest of the year and and $83/ticket (adult) and $65/ticket (child) for entrance to SeaWorld the rest of year for a total of $731, why would I pay $814 for 2 days??

Trust me I'm a huge, dorky, geeky Disney fan and would love nothing other than jumping from park, to cruise, to ABD for the rest of my life. At some point common sense wins out and this year we are going to experience everything else SoCal has to offer. We have never been to a non-Disney park, but because of this increase it has opened the door for us to spend money with them instead of Disney.

Oh, and the $20 discount they offer to DVC members (which we are) is a slap in the face compared to the $100 discount for 4 parks in Florida!

 

[WaltD4Me]

As long as people keep on paying the high prices then disney is going to keep on going up on the prices. If people stop going to disney then disney will lower the prices. So with that being said most people will complain and complain and complain about the prices but they will keep on going. If you are going to complain about the prices and keep on going then you have no one to blame but your self. Here is a thought. STOP GOING TO DISNEY IF YOU THINK THE PRICES ARE TO HIGH IF YOU DON'T STOP GOING TO DISNEY THEN STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PRICES GOING UP EVERY YEAR.

I guess I am allowed to complain because I have stopped going to Disney. I cancelled last year's trip and the trip I had planned for May of this year. Thing is, I don't think Disney really cares. I do not believe the STOP GOING IF YOU THINK IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE is going to work like some people think it will. In fact, in the case of the DL ticket increases, I really think this is part of the goal.

 

[donalduck]

If know one goes then they don't make anymore so they would have to lower prices.

I guess I am allowed to complain because I have stopped going to Disney. I cancelled last year's trip and the trip I had planned for May of this year. Thing is, I don't think Disney really cares. I do not believe the STOP GOING IF YOU THINK IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE is going to work like some people think it will. In fact, in the case of the DL ticket increases, I really think this is part of the goal.

 

[LilyWDW]

If know one goes then they don't make anymore so they would have to lower prices.

I think it would take a lot more for the vast majority of people to stop going. Or at least enough for there to be a significant cut in profits due to it that would cause Disney to think about it.

 

[kbelle8995]

I think it would take a lot more for the vast majority of people to stop going. Or at least enough for there to be a significant cut in profits due to it that would cause Disney to think about it.

I agree with you

I think that it will take not only the AP holders to drop but the once in a lifetime visitors would have to drop as well.I don't think the AP holders are the only part of the price issue nor are we the only ones fueling it.

I can tell you this when my time came close to renew my AP at WDW I received a letter or an email nearly every month. from the midsummer to November when I received serveral emails telling me not to forget to renew my AP. So I don't know if that is a mixed message or what.

All I can is that it is NOT JUST THE AP PASSHOLDERS causing the ticket price issue.

 

[derekburgan]

I'm surprised there is any sort of significant number of people who want to just "screw around" (for lack of a better term) and are willing to pay $200-$300 a year for the right to do it. I was just listening to Rickey Brigante on the ITM podcast and he mentioned the same thing, Disneyland's problem with people having an annual pass, going all the time, but spending no money.

Clearly this is a big issue, but I just can't wrap my head around it. I have an annual pass to Orlando, but one of the things I love about it is the discounts for mercy and food. When I go, or take people there, I'm always eating at the parks or restaurants at CityWalk and buying stuff in the park. I must be in the small minority, but I can't picture going to Universal, Disney, or even Sea World multiple times per year and not buying anything.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I'm surprised there is any sort of significant number of people who want to just "screw around" (for lack of a better term) and are willing to pay $200-$300 a year for the right to do it. I was just listening to Rickey Brigante on the ITM podcast and he mentioned the same thing, Disneyland's problem with people having an annual pass, going all the time, but spending no money.

Clearly this is a big issue, but I just can't wrap my head around it. I have an annual pass to Orlando, but one of the things I love about it is the discounts for mercy and food. When I go, or take people there, I'm always eating at the parks or restaurants at CityWalk and buying stuff in the park. I must be in the small minority, but I can't picture going to Universal, Disney, or even Sea World multiple times per year and not buying anything.

I totally agree, I can't imagine going to WDW and not buying anything, but I suppose if I lived in Orlando and went, let's say a couple times a month, yeah, eventually I'd stop buying, how much stuff can you have? I think at DL the majority of AP holders are local, local, close by and they probably do stop by for a few hours and leave without spending anything. I used to have an season pass to Cedar Point and there were times I went and didn't spend a dime.

 

[jeanigor]

I am fortunate enough to have purchased the Premium Passport for both coasts this year. Due to runDisney's schedule, it was a better move financially than to buy multiday park hoppers multiple times during the year for each coast.
Unless I have a financial windfall, I do not foresee myself renewing my Premium Passport. I may even let my WDW AP lapse. The overall cost increases for traveling to Disney far outweigh the increases in my salary and discretionary travel budget.
When I took my sister-in-law and her boyfriend this month, their jaws hit the floor when I told them how much their tickets would cost. But she wanted to go and was willing to pony up the money, so even though it is outrageous, it is still a 'once in a lifetime dream' as she put it.
I admit, I am an AP holder who doesn't spend much in the parks. If I eat, its usually a counter service meal. I already have a bazillion Disney knick-knacks (but always seem to find room for more Vinylmation). Nothing screams--"Buy me! Buy me! Buy me!"
But that didn't change from when I was a trip to trip ticket holder. I'm extraordinarily cheap. If I do buy something I most certainly enjoy the discount on merchandise though.

 

[donalduck]

You should boycott Disney. I think everyone on this board should boycott disney buy not going unless they lower there prices. If less and less people show up they will lower the prices. Look at the hotel rates. You never have to pay rack room prices anymore because they don't have enough people to fill the rooms so they had to cut the hotel rooms. Sometimes they are cut 40 percent. So I say lets BOYCOTT DISNEY.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Fortunately, we were able to buy our DLR APs the day before the price went up. It was a surprising increase but still not enough to make us not go even if we didn't get the old price. It is still a good deal to us. We live 8 hours away so we don't get to pop in for an afternoon after work like many locals. But it is still a good deal for a vacation.

We buy APs in the summer, go once more during the year like Novemeber, then go again the next summer just before the APs expire. We then let them lapse until the following summer. So we get two summer vacations out of one AP. We have never stayed onsite so we can stay a whole week and be just an 8 min walk to the gates for the cost of a few nights at a Disney hotel. And we drive. So, for us DLR is much cheaper than say, a trip to Hawaii or WDW.

If they can charge more and still have people pay it, they will. That's just business. I don't like to pay more, but I understand it.

 

[LilyWDW]

You should boycott Disney. I think everyone on this board should boycott disney buy not going unless they lower there prices. If less and less people show up they will lower the prices. Look at the hotel rates. You never have to pay rack room prices anymore because they don't have enough people to fill the rooms so they had to cut the hotel rooms. Sometimes they are cut 40 percent. So I say lets BOYCOTT DISNEY.

No... I will not boycott Disney.

Honestly, they have not out priced me as of yet.

You would have to have a LOT of people stop showing up for them to feel it. More then those who post here. If YOU don't want to go, that is fine.

 

[donalduck]

Go read my post from before. I was telling people if they are going to complain about the prices going up and up and up then stop going then you have a right to complain. If your not going to stop going then shut your mouth and pay the price to go and be happy with what your paying for. That's what I was saying

No... I will not boycott Disney.

Honestly, they have not out priced me as of yet.

You would have to have a LOT of people stop showing up for them to feel it. More then those who post here. If YOU don't want to go, that is fine.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Go read my post from before. I was telling people if they are going to complain about the prices going up and up and up then stop going then you have a right to complain. If your not going to stop going then shut your mouth and pay the price to go and be happy with what your paying for. That's what I was saying

Donald...nothing wrong with complaining and still going. I love Miracle Whip, I used to be able to get it for $2.50, now it's almost $4.50. I still love it. I still buy it (but not as much) and I complain about how much it's gone up. You can love something and complain about it. This way maybe with the next price hike if everyone does stop going Disney can't say..."What? You didn't like the ticket increases? Why didn't you say something? We had no idea!"

 

[kbelle8995]

Donald...nothing wrong with complaining and still going. I love Miracle Whip, I used to be able to get it for $2.50, now it's almost $4.50. I still love it. I still buy it (but not as much) and I complain about how much it's gone up. You can love something and complain about it. This way maybe with the next price hike if everyone does stop going Disney can't say..."What? You didn't like the ticket increases? Why didn't you say something? We had no idea!"

Nicely put.

 

[BriarRosie]

I don't have a problem with the AP increases at Disneyland if it makes the parks less congested. I keep hearing that's it's a real problem out there. It's not as big a problem at WDW, because there are more parks to eat crowds. And the 70/30 ratio I keep hearing between locals and tourists makes it tougher to control crowd levels.

I think the tipping point may have been the One More Disney Day. If you listened to the Disneyland podcast, it was a logistical nightmare if you hadn't gotten to Disneyland early in the day. At WDW, it was much easier for the Magic Kingdom to hold the people. Not only is WDW's park bigger, fewer people probably wanted to do it compared to DLR.

 

[donalduck]

yes you are

I guess I am allowed to complain because I have stopped going to Disney. I cancelled last year's trip and the trip I had planned for May of this year. Thing is, I don't think Disney really cares. I do not believe the STOP GOING IF YOU THINK IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE is going to work like some people think it will. In fact, in the case of the DL ticket increases, I really think this is part of the goal.