New Pricing to Effect Winter Campers

[kimluvswdw]

I don't calculate the cost of the rv into any trip to Disney. I already have the payment whether I go or not. I do look at the cost for gas (around 700.00 to and from the fort). I could stay at a resort maybe cheaper, but the boredom is enough to drive me crazy. The fort has so much more to do. I would gladly pay whatever I had to to stay there.

 

[des1954]

A family going down for a week will spend more overall money at Disney than the average snowbirds do in a month.

You've got that right, Jason! We knew it was just a matter of time before some (not all) snowbirds forced Disney's hand into making these decisions. I only hope they don't go back to a maximum length of stay time frame. Once upon a time, in a Fort that had a train... you could only stay a max of 2 weeks, leave for 10 days, and then you could come back in for 2 more weeks. Then again, if they reinstituted that policy, maybe we could get the ressies we all want!

 

[rumrunnergirl]

Do you really think that some people will cancel their ressies for January 2008? I am hoping to get a tent spot for the first week in January, and they are full up. Only cabins are available and they are $255 per night - ouch!

 

[des1954]

Do you really think that some people will cancel their ressies for January 2008? I am hoping to get a tent spot for the first week in January, and they are full up. Only cabins are available and they are $255 per night - ouch!

DON'T GIVE UP!!! Yes, I do think people will cancel as the date nears...so, keep calling. Put the number on speed dial & keep calling!!! You might have to take a full hook-up site, but, keep calling!!!

 

[LarryJ]

You've got that right, Jason! We knew it was just a matter of time before some (not all) snowbirds forced Disney's hand into making these decisions. I only hope they don't go back to a maximum length of stay time frame. Once upon a time, in a Fort that had a train... you could only stay a max of 2 weeks, leave for 10 days, and then you could come back in for 2 more weeks. Then again, if they reinstituted that policy, maybe we could get the ressies we all want!

I agree that some limit needs to be placed to prevent snowbirding for months on end. We usually go for 30 days every couple of years since we get APs and like to do a lot of resort stuff especially in the Dec time frame. This year we made ressies for almost a total of 45 days except for a 3 day bread at NYE (which was booked even back in Feb) when we will have to go to a KOA for now. That was only because both our sons and families want to try and join us and both in the Navy and their upcoming deployments when we made ressies back in Feb of this year were still up in the air so we planned a longer stay to try and cover when they might both be able to be there at the same time. Both are Naval Aviators and it used to be fairly certain when a carrier was to deploy and return, but that is now not the case with the new "flex" carrier deployment practices. When the youngest left on his mid-east deployment back in May he didn't know when he would be returning and just the past week he got an idea of which month. It makes planning very hard at times, but over 2005/06 Xmas season we were able to get both and their families together with us at WDW for almost 10 days and that's the last time we've seen them.

Larry

 

[rumrunnergirl]

DON'T GIVE UP!!! Yes, I do think people will cancel as the date nears...so, keep calling. Put the number on speed dial & keep calling!!! You might have to take a full hook-up site, but, keep calling!!!

Ok, thanks - although after looking at all the "post your campsite" pictures we are feeling out of our league. We just have a little tent and drive a Honda CR-V, LOL. No big rigs or MH's or golf carts or scooters . . .

I do have a Disney antenna topper though!

 

[LarryJ]

Ok, thanks - although after looking at all the "post your campsite" pictures we are feeling out of our league. We just have a little tent and drive a Honda CR-V, LOL. No big rigs or MH's or golf carts or scooters . . .

I do have a Disney antenna topper though!

Then you would LOVE the 1500 loop ... As BOB always said "COME ON DOWN"

Larry

 

[rumrunnergirl]

Yes, I marked the 1500 loop down after reading the FAQ thread and we looked at the map and DH says "ooh, fishing in the backyard", cool!

 

[Gatordad]

They've raised the rates quite a bit.... I think they are forcing all people to fish or cut bait.

 

[Colson39]

Nah, rates were only raised a few dollars on average (as is the norm in both Disney and most campgrounds), I think that's a bit less than "quite a bit"

 

[Gatordad]

4th of July and Memorial day are near or topping $80 a night for the entire week. The cabins are now over $300 a night. That's almost 10% for the cabins, and I can't remember what we paid for our campsite.

 

[Colson39]

Yes, and prices were $75 last year, so a $5 change in price to this year (slightly above average, but nothing crazy, and mainly because of the new pricing structure). The campsites normally go on average around 3 bucks a year. Also, demand now is much greater than supply, so Disney is going to reflect that in the new pricing (and hopefully new campsites )

The main difference is the change in the pricing structure, but overall prices have not jumped dramatically.

Cabins went up $10 bucks, once again, above average, but not a dramatic jump.

No one likes to see rising prices, but Disney has to raise their prices just like every other hotel does. I don't know of very many hotels that don't go up in price yearly, like I said, the rises are above average for the normal increase we see year to year, but not crazy. Yes, when you think of the price as a whole, it does seem like it's ridiculous that prices are so high, but it's also not really fair to compare today's prices to prices 10-15 years ago.

I know I've stayed at a lot of other hotels/resorts for the same price as Disney one's that didn't offer nearly as much. And as far as campgrounds go, it's actually cheaper than some in the area and offers way more than any other in the area.

Wait, haven't we had this thread already? lol

 

[Gatordad]

The cabins were $289 this year, now they are $315.

As for the campsites, what increased costs did they accumulate to justify the rate jumps?

 

[Colson39]

Hmm, don't see the $315 in the pricing chart, but it must not be included in the one I'm looking at. I guess because it's a specific holiday. Sorry about the mixup on that one.

Disney is doing what other hotels do, increasing prices for high demand holidays, I don't like it either but it's nothing new. I'm just like everyone else, I WANT Disney to keep prices the same, to not increase prices, to give me the best rate available. But I also have to realize Disney is a business first and foremost, and their first responsibility is to their shareholders. As much as we all want to believe that Disney puts us above everything, they are a business. Walt Disney knew this, fortunately he was able to create a superior product to help justify our concerns, at least a bit.

You don't have to justify costs to justify rate jumps. Right now I think it's just supply and demand. They have a lot more people wanting to get into the Fort than they have spots available, so they can raise the price because they know people will pay it. It's a business, the most basic rule of supply and demand, the more people want what you have the more they are willing to pay for it.

I don't have their spreadsheets, so I don't know how much their operating costs were this year or last year. I also don't know what their plans are in the future to expand, maybe this is a way for them to fund expansions to the Fort. There are a hundred reasons that can justify the rate jumps, other than just increased costs.

 

[Escape Artist]

...Disney has to raise their prices just like every other hotel does...

Well, I don't think Disney *has* to raise their prices. I don't think there's any fear that rising costs at the campground are forcing them into an unprofitable state that will take the company down with it.

Disney is a business and can charge what the market will bear. Most of us seem to be bearing it quite well, and coming back for more, my family included. I do feel for the snowbirds and for the families for whom FW is a bit of a financial stretch, because this is a change from what they're used to, but I think the new pricing model is a good idea.

IMO, I think Disney should still offer a "settlers" rate for the slow early Jan thru mid-Feb time period, but having those crazy low rates carry over during peak holiday periods based on check in date was, from a customer perspective, fabulous, but from a business perspective, crazy. They were leaving a lot of money on the table.

Disney isn't a state or national park, and doesn't have to operate it's campground to be "fair" to everyone. They run it to make money. For that reason, I don't think they should have a maximum length of stay, unless their business models--or customer satisfaction models--dictate it. They can fill up the campground at the holidays with shorter term campers who will spend even more money in the parks/shops/restaurants, and still offer the longer-term campers good deals for the slow times when they want to fill up what would otherwise have been empty sites.

I think the new rates will work better for Disney, and also for the rest of us who want a chance to check in and are willing to pay for it. I like to save money as much as anybody else, but my first priority is to have the opportunity to do the things I really want to do. Saving money while doing it is a fringe benefit.

Sue in Texas
...bet you can tell I used to be a pricing analyst...

 

[Colson39]

Well yes, they don't have to raise their prices, they just normally do as do most hotels.

Also, I agree with the entire rest of your post. As I mentioned, it's great to think that each and every one of us is somehow the most "special" person in the world to Disney, and they DO attempt to make you feel that way. However, it IS a business, it is there to make money, which unfortunately it seems is sometimes forgotten.

Just imagine if the Fort was only $30 bucks a night to stay in. You think it's hard finding a reservation now? Try finding one then You just can't always make everyone happy, wish you could though

 

[disney6family]

To put my 2 cents in, I think the new structure is much more fair, yet still very reasonable compared to other campgrounds.
We had planned to take a break this summer (2007) and go to VA beach - the campground there was more than the Fort for the same time period, so 3 weeks before we were to go, DH said, lets just go to Disney (Yeah!) Even if we hadn't gone to the parks, it would still have been a great value and a great time.
For next summer's stay, only 3 nights (the Fri/Sats) are more than the previous year, and then only $2.64 more including tax. I think that is a great deal. I checked the Thanksgiving and Christmas prices and they aren't that much more either over previous stays during the same time frame.

 

[drafthorsecrazy]

Ok.. so Disney is operating on supply and demand pricing. It's gonna burn my butt if "demand" is low at the value resorts and Disney offers some great $69 night deal and I'm paying $96 for a campsite. No, I wouldnt switch out of the fort. I've got the dreaded camping bug.

 

[Colson39]

Welcome to the Fort Nuts club!!

P.S. You get a lot more at the Fort than you get at the All Star, in my opinion at least, so I wouldn't even paying a bit more. Although the All Star (Pop Century being the best of them, once again IMO) is always a great fallback if everything else is booked.

 

[Gatordad]

what "more" do you get at the fort? The pools are nicer in the other resorts, and you don't have to lay out thousands potentially for a mh/trailer/etc.