News Round Up 2016

[skier_pete]

I would really like to know this for sure because I bought tickets for my family last month for a spring 2018 trip so that we wouldn't be trapped by any sort of tiered or money grab scheme once the new lands start opening up. If it expires before then I'm going to have to move some money and vacation days around.

You should be able to call Disney - or even just look at the fine print from when you bought the tickets. I just looked at the fine print on the tickets I just bought yesterday, and I didn't see anything that says they are only good for a certain period of time - so I may well be wrong on this one. (I said I wasn't 100% on it.) However, if I were you, I would call Disney just to be sure.

I'm not even clear yet if it applies to all of them or just the one day tickets.

That would be good if that's the case. Who in their right mind would buy a one-day ticket just to hold onto it for 2+ years.

 

[skier_pete]

See the DVC tickets site is still same prices just no option to buy 1 day. Those prices didn't go up. So either they are keeping the 25 year ticket promotion the same price for DVC members till April or somehow this website hasn't been completely updated.

It is conceivable they won't change those prices and leave them the same for DVC members, but it would be surprising if they did.

 

[Eoghann]

That would be good if that's the case. Who in their right mind would buy a one-day ticket just to hold onto it for 2+ years.

I'm sure there's some scenarios where people get sick or something... but definitely outliers. Most 1 day tickets are probably bought day of.

However, if we expect that eventually the tiered pricing comes to multi-day tickets, I'd say expiration dates likely will too.

 

[Flyerjab]

I am always torn about this raising of ticket prices. As my family loves Disney vacations, we are fortunate that we can afford multiple trips throughout the year and stay on property to boot. I feel bad though for other families that are slowly getting priced out of their once in a lifetime vacation. Our high school marching band had a 5 day trip in December where the band got to march down MSUSA right before the FoF parade. There were some kids that went, only because it was a cheaper ticket for them and their parents and other family members stayed home - meaning they could only afford to send their child. And that is an unfortunate truth.

However, there is that other side of my brain that views things dispassionately and knows that economics of today's world could not care less about those families. There is a reality that is always evolving that slowly grinds out the less financially fortunate. It is just the way it is. At some point, since prices keep going up, there might be a time that my family can travel to WDW and stay in our DVC resort, but not be able to afford park tickets. How ironic would that be - Disney promising 50 years of family fun at the world's vacation destination, except for the fact that we won't be able to afford most of the fun.

But since WDW caters to the entire planet, there are a lot of wealthy families that will always be able to afford trips, no matter the cost. Maybe the current Disney management realizes this and is content to squeeze out the lesser fortunate as time passes.

On the wdwmagic boards, there was a poster in the forums that responded to this by posting a meme of Walt himself with a caption talking about how Walt Disney ran DL and never once raised ticket prices. Now, as sympathetic as I am to the price increases, I laugh at the naivety of that post. It is idyllic at best, as Walt built the first of its kind theme park in California with no real competition. And it wasn't being marketed to the world as it is today, and this was also in post-WWII patriotic/idealistic America. He could afford to sit on his prices because he had to make it work prior to pricing people out. Disney of today is a beast wholly incomparable to what it was in the 1950s.

I pretty much always expect price increases, that is a forgone conclusion (and I know everyone else does, it is their own personal level of acceptance that varies). And who knows, maybe we will see a tipping point in our time. But visitation does nothing but increase annually. Until that changes, expect prices to go up. And for those that argue that as prices go up, quality continues to plummet. Well, a large number of visitors don't notice or don't care as much as the people on these forums. Others' standards of quality differ or are simply content to ignore quality lapses while still managing to have the vacation of a lifetime. I only started going to WDW in 2009, so I have no perspective of the decades when WDW could apparently do no wrong. And there are a lot of "me" out there. We will see. I fully expect the park attendance numbers to go up again after this year. And when all of the park upgrades to DAK (Rivers of Light and Avatar), DHS (especially Star Wars), DS and probably more at MK and Epcot prior to the 50th anniversary, the prices will continue to go up and up. And we will still come in droves.

 

[j2thomason]

Sadly, I think Disney is out-pricing itself for a lot of families. I work with so many people who want to take their families so badly and just can't afford it. Also, the primary time slots that they can go will be when the ticket prices are higher. If anything good comes out of this, maybe the crowds will be more manageable. Although, I doubt it.

 

[umichigan10]

News

Disney Springs Water tower installed

https://twitter.com/magiccitymayhem/status/703680935544365061

So I guess its not the earful tower as we all thought?

 

[jessicag13]

the new tickets expire at the end of the next calendar year, but after they expire they're still worth what you paid, and you can put that towards a new ticket at the new price.
http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/02/27/seasonal-pricing-coming-to-disney-parks-starting-tomorrow/
"Also, Guests will notice a change in the fact that 1 day tickets will now carry an expiration date at Walt Disney World. Prior to February 28, 1 day tickets purchased ahead of time would be good forever. Beginning February 28, any 1 day ticket purchased will expire at the end of the next calendar year. For example, 1 day tickets sold in 2016 will expire onDecember 31, 2017. If you do not use your 1 day park ticket by the expiration date, the amount paid for an unused, expired ticket may be applied towards the purchase of a new ticket at the current price."

 

[Eoghann]

the new tickets expire at the end of the next calendar year, but after they expire they're still worth what you paid, and you can put that towards a new ticket at the new price.
http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/02/27/seasonal-pricing-coming-to-disney-parks-starting-tomorrow/
"Also, Guests will notice a change in the fact that 1 day tickets will now carry an expiration date at Walt Disney World. Prior to February 28, 1 day tickets purchased ahead of time would be good forever. Beginning February 28, any 1 day ticket purchased will expire at the end of the next calendar year. For example, 1 day tickets sold in 2016 will expire onDecember 31, 2017. If you do not use your 1 day park ticket by the expiration date, the amount paid for an unused, expired ticket may be applied towards the purchase of a new ticket at the current price."

So they've closed the loophole of storing tickets and using them in future years. Don't know how common that was.

 

[rteetz]

That would be good if that's the case. Who in their right mind would buy a one-day ticket just to hold onto it for 2+ years.

I saw someone say on another thread that they bought a bunch of them just to hold on to.

 

[rteetz]

So I guess its not the earful tower as we all thought?

Correct

 

[rteetz]

News

Seasonal pricing comes to water parks as well

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ricing-comes-to-disney-worlds-water-parks.htm

 

[rteetz]

Photo

Good photo of the water tower from mousesteps

 

[soniam]

Sadly, I feel the single day ticket tier pricing is just a test and practice to roll it out for all day tickets at some point.

I think so too, that's why I said "when". I just don't think they will do it in the next 6 months.

I would really like to know this for sure because I bought tickets for my family last month for a spring 2018 trip so that we wouldn't be trapped by any sort of tiered or money grab scheme once the new lands start opening up. If it expires before then I'm going to have to move some money and vacation days around.

So they've closed the loophole of storing tickets and using them in future years. Don't know how common that was.

I think the expiration only currently applies to 1 day tickets, but I can assume that once multiday tickets go to seasonal pricing, that there will be an expiration on those. Unless APs go up dramatically next Fall, then they might be a real deal. I just hope they don't start trying to impose seasons on APs more too, but I guess having more blackout dates will be inevitable. I guess we have another 6 months to a year to ponder the potential horrors.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

WDW Magic has a post with all the new ticket prices. One detail that caught my attention:

Tickets expire 14 days from first use. Unused tickets expire on December 31 2017.

The 14 day thing has always been there, but this December 2017 thing, is that new? Are they going to put an expiration date on all tickets now?

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/magic...icket-pricing-and-tier-date-range-details.htm

That is definitely new for WDW (I believe Disneyland tickets had expiration a already)

Guess the thought is to push people to plan a trip before they expire rather than buy now and wait for after Star Wars land, etc open

 

[closetmickey]

If UT still has multi day tickets available today, will they carry an expiration date?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

On the wdwmagic boards, there was a poster in the forums that responded to this by posting a meme of Walt himself with a caption talking about how Walt Disney ran DL and never once raised ticket prices. Now, as sympathetic as I am to the price increases, I laugh at the naivety of that post. It is idyllic at best,

Plus originally there were the ticket books for getting on the rides. So even if the prices stayed the same and most people could afford to get in people that could afford more tickets could go on more attractions than those that couldn't so there was always an aspect that not everyone was exactly equal

 

[pork]

If UT still has multi day tickets available today, will they carry an expiration date?

They shouldn't. If I'm understanding things right only one day passes expire. Multi day tickets still work like normal and only expire 14 days after first use.

 

[MommaBerd]

Regarding pricing families out, I believe there are some families who are truly priced out. But, I imagine they were priced out before this ticket increase, too.

Then there are families who SAY they are priced out. But, I question if it's *really* a priority to them, or if they just like to complain and whine about it. I spend enough time on the budget board to know that there are families who MAKE IT HAPPEN. It may be a "once-in-a-lifetime" trip, but they save, sacrifice, and work the deals. They eat beans; they don't eat out. Some moms take part-time jobs - I have a friend who started working at The Disney Store for this very reason! These families don't stay on-site and they bring their meals. It's work and it takes time to save, but they've made it a priority. And I have so much respect for those people.

In fact, as a kid, I was one of those families! We saved up. We stayed at a hotel - 8 of us in a room (totally not legal now and maybe even back then)! I slept in the floor along with some of my other siblings. We maybe ate one meal in the park the entire length of our stay. My parents only brought cash so we HAD to stick to our budget. But, we did it! And we made some great memories!

And some people who say they're "priced out" have gone to WDW - maybe even more than once! It's tough and disappointing to consider you might not get to go back. But again, you get to make the decision of whether it is worth saving and scrimping, or if it's time to try something new.

I would love to go to Europe! I'd love to take my family to Big Sky and go skiing. But, we haven't made it a financial priority (probably because Disney IS!). However, you never hear people complaining that they are priced out of those experiences, or numerous others. It would be silly of me to say, "Big Sky is too expensive- they have priced out so many families who want to go there. Their management is SO greedy and just want to line their pockets."* So, I just don't get why Disney gets saddled with this expectation.


*I am not necessarily defending the practices and leadership currently at Disney, but rather pointing out general attitude.

 

[Eoghann]

Regarding pricing families out, I believe there are some families who are truly priced out. But, I imagine they were priced out before this ticket increase, too.

Then there are families who SAY they are priced out. But, I question if it's *really* a priority to them, or if they just like to complain and whine about it. I spend enough time on the budget board to know that there are families who MAKE IT HAPPEN. It may be a "once-in-a-lifetime" trip, but they save, sacrifice, and work the deals. They eat beans; they don't eat out. Some moms take part-time jobs - I have a friend who started working at The Disney Store for this very reason! These families don't stay on-site and they bring their meals. It's work and it takes time to save, but they've made it a priority. And I have so much respect for those people.

In fact, as a kid, I was one of those families! We saved up. We stayed at a hotel - 8 of us in a room (totally not legal now and maybe even back then)! I slept in the floor along with some of my other siblings. We maybe ate one meal in the park the entire length of our stay. My parents only brought cash so we HAD to stick to our budget. But, we did it! And we made some great memories!

And some people who say they're "priced out" have gone to WDW - maybe even more than once! It's tough and disappointing to consider you might not get to go back. But again, you get to make the decision of whether it is worth saving and scrimping, or if it's time to try something new.

I would love to go to Europe! I'd love to take my family to Big Sky and go skiing. But, we haven't made it a financial priority (probably because Disney IS!). However, you never hear people complaining that they are priced out of those experiences, or numerous others. It would be silly of me to say, "Big Sky is too expensive- they have priced out so many families who want to go there. Their management is SO greedy and just want to line their pockets."* So, I just don't get why Disney gets saddled with this expectation.


*I am not necessarily defending the practices and leadership currently at Disney, but rather pointing out general attitude.

Priced out does not necessarily mean they couldn't go there if they scrimped and saved and never spent money on anything else. It means either they used to be able to afford it or traditionally they are in a bracket who would have been able to afford it. "Whining" about that is an entirely reasonable response. It's legitimate to question whether Disney really should be something that requires you sacrifice to "MAKE IT HAPPEN" or indeed whether it actually is good enough to justify such behavior.

The difference between Disney and Europe is that Europe isn't a single entity, you can't point it and say "this is why we can't afford to do this". It's a flawed comparison. You can, and I do point to some of the airfares however and complain about the absurdity of them.

Of course so long as people continue to talk about "magic" and "trip of a lifetime" Disney will be able to continue raising prices while lowering quality.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I saw someone say on another thread that they bought a bunch of them just to hold on to.

I bought several tickets from UT this morning. I'm good through 2020!