News Round Up 2017

[koala1966]

I personally don't think Disney is expensive.

A broadway play is about the same cost as a one day ticket but meanwhile you only get 3 hours of entertainment at a Broadway play. Food prices are on-par with any type of tourist attraction / sporting event in the country. A day pass at Disney can get me 12+ hours of entertainment.

Disney World is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. I don't know what people expect. ~$100 a day (plus the cost of food) is a pretty good deal.

This is how we feel. Prices are up everywhere. Concert venues and sporting events have higher prices for worse food, and you don't even have the option to bring in your own like Disney allows. Photo packages at Merlin Entertainment venues are almost as much as a one day photo pass for only 3 different poses plus a book. Parking is easily $20+ at city attractions (pick a city any city), and it's getting harder to find hotels with free parking. We just stayed at a state park and we had to reserve our cabin 11 months in advance (to the minute) - as comparison to having to make reservations and fast pass selections in advance. If you want to be entertained you have to pay money and stand in line.

 

[amberpi]

And here...we are in near agreement.

I would say some aspects of more upscale places like Hilton head, mackinac island, Martha's Vineyard, Newport...compare to the on property wdw in SOME ways...

...and the universal Orlando is getting there...but none encompass all of what they built in LBV...As in the way it was constructed from the ground up for 50 years just makes it a unique proposition...

It is what it is...that doesn't mean we can't question pricing or be better consumers...nothing precludes that.

Since we're discussing USO vs. WDW. I love both. But, why do they do such a better job with their hotels? Is because they are Loews properties? The service and accommodations really surpass WDW.

 

[umichigan10]

I was at both Studios and Epcot on Saturday (8/5) for my last rides on GMR & UOE and merchandise for both rides is already on sale. They were selling both at end of ride and in the main stores.I saw hats, shirts, cups, and picture frames for GMR. I was tempted by the shirt but didn't buy it.

Yeah I saw a lot of people wearing GMR shirts yesterday. I was poorly informed by studios merchandising

 

[Tigger's ally]

Since we're discussing USO vs. WDW. I love both. But, why do they do such a better job with their hotels? Is because they are Loews properties? The service and accommodations really surpass WDW.

Sheer numbers maybe? I would like to think that if (that's a big if) the three hotels on the seven seas lagoon were the only ones there, they might be really, really good (and even more expensive).

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Since we're discussing USO vs. WDW. I love both. But, why do they do such a better job with their hotels? Is because they are Loews properties? The service and accommodations really surpass WDW.

I only stayed at Portofino once for a night...so I really can't compare/comment on the two...

But, wdw hotel operations do run with different priorities/structures. They are part of a profit engine for a gigantic company...one of the biggest cogs...so in experience they tend to line item nickle and dime/cut corners of small things that add up and don't really cause much of a profit benefit. Sometimes it's better just to make things "normal" and not overanalyze them...

Disney has been VERY guilty of that at times.

 

[amberpi]

I only stayed at Portofino once for a night...so I really can't compare/comment on the two...

But, wdw hotel operations do run with different priorities/structures. They are part of a profit engine for a gigantic company...one of the biggest cogs...so in experience they tend to line item nickle and dime/cut corners of small things that add up and don't really cause much of a profit benefit. Sometimes it's better just to make things "normal" and not overanalyze them...

Disney has been VERY guilty of that at times.

I will never understand the lack of minibars in deluxes. Its mind-boggling to me. Which is one weird nickel and dime thing that seems in reverse.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I will never understand the lack of minibars in deluxes. Its mind-boggling to me. Which is one weird nickel and dime thing that seems in reverse.

I'm gonna oversimplify but it's mostly true:

Think of it this way...Labor is their big nightmare cost. They employ in many cases more people than most other business would to try and serve their "world class service" mantra that they really don't invest too much into...

One of those things is trying to maximize every nickel paid to a rank and file.

So you could have people stocking minibars as a separate job...or you could Have people to buy from the snack bars/restaurants/bars that they have to staff ANYWAY...

So in a way...you leaving your room to buy the overpriced stuff makes the management sleep better. Kinda bizarro but a certain angle makes it jive...

 

[skier_pete]

It's not the single sticker shock they need to be careful of...it's the slow burn.

We can make excuses for them...and they can choose to pass the breaking point...

Can you admit though - you've been talking about Disney going past the breaking point for 10 years, yet it never seems to get there. Maybe they are smarter then we give them credit, as they manage to stay on the line of "bend don't break".

Also, people can say "it's not that expensive" (and I'm one of them) but joe average and his family can find the money to drop $400 on a day at the fair/six flags, but $4000 for a week at Disney doesn't come so easy. Many people just don't go on ski trips / golf trips / NYC / Hawaii, and the Disney trip can seem like a backbreaker, especially when the whole family gets involved.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I don't go in for the 'Disney is the most expensive vacation' argument. I definitely think what most people are feeling with Disney's prices is the 'ten years ago this was a fourth of the price it is now'. I don't know of anything that I purchase in my life where the costs have risen anywhere near as dramatically as Disney's.

Which is sad for me, as I love Disney. But I can't afford it as well as I could when I was going to law school and working a part time job.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Can you admit though - you've been talking about Disney going past the breaking point for 10 years, yet it never seems to get there. Maybe they are smarter then we give them credit, as they manage to stay on the line of "bend don't break".

Also, people can say "it's not that expensive" (and I'm one of them) but joe average and his family can find the money to drop $400 on a day at the fair/six flags, but $4000 for a week at Disney doesn't come so easy. Many people just don't go on ski trips / golf trips / NYC / Hawaii, and the Disney trip can seem like a backbreaker, especially when the whole family gets involved.

I don't know where that breaking point is...but most would agree it does exist.

Disney is certainly scared/aware of the concept. The problem is they have to guess what's too far too...

And that used to be guarded against by the "long haul" management approach. The disney/old men weren't going anywhere...Michael Eisner wasn't going anywhere. Iger is at the end of his run but the difference is that after the last 20 years of purges they have NO ONE with a creative bone left coming up.

That's why the "breaking point" is more of a concern...their decisions don't imply anyone is thinknt beyond the quarter.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't go in for the 'Disney is the most expensive vacation' argument. I definitely think what most people are feeling with Disney's prices is the 'ten years ago this was a fourth of the price it is now'. I don't know of anything that I purchase in my life where the costs have risen anywhere near as dramatically as Disney's.

Which is sad for me, as I love Disney. But I can't afford it as well as I could when I was going to law school and working a part time job.

And that's the real difference here. You nailed it. The price increases they've done - especially during the housing crash - are hyper relative to other prices.

This is not normal.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Can you admit though - you've been talking about Disney going past the breaking point for 10 years, yet it never seems to get there. Maybe they are smarter then we give them credit, as they manage to stay on the line of "bend don't break".

Also, people can say "it's not that expensive" (and I'm one of them) but joe average and his family can find the money to drop $400 on a day at the fair/six flags, but $4000 for a week at Disney doesn't come so easy. Many people just don't go on ski trips / golf trips / NYC / Hawaii, and the Disney trip can seem like a backbreaker, especially when the whole family gets involved.

I'm not sure if you're disagreeing with me or making my point - by the way - seems to be a tad of both there...

 

[Tigger's ally]

I don't go in for the 'Disney is the most expensive vacation' argument. I definitely think what most people are feeling with Disney's prices is the 'ten years ago this was a fourth of the price it is now'. I don't know of anything that I purchase in my life where the costs have risen anywhere near as dramatically as Disney's.

Which is sad for me, as I love Disney. But I can't afford it as well as I could when I was going to law school and working a part time job.

Have you seen the price of Beef lately? If I didn't have a cow in the freezer, I might become a porkandchickenterian!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Have you seen the price of Beef lately? If I didn't have a cow in the freezer, I might become a porkandchickenterian!

All living creatures must eat...so there's a tad more of an excuse there...

Chicken away though!

 

[Tigger's ally]

All living creatures must eat...so there's a tad more of an excuse there...

Chicken away though!

Living in Illinois, beef, pork and Chicken rule the nest. Seafood around here is frozen clams and a minute piece of shrimp with not so minute breading attached (We get the scallops that a good chef throws out). We do have one restaurant around 40 minutes away that flies in fresh seafood (I personally own at least one wheel of that plane already).

 

[rteetz]

If we could get off the is Disney expensive argument that would be great. Thanks!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Living in Illinois, beef, pork and Chicken rule the nest. Seafood around here is frozen clams and a minute piece of shrimp with not so minute breading attached (We get the scallops that a good chef throws out). We do have one restaurant around 40 minutes away that flies in fresh seafood (I personally own at least one wheel of that plane already).

Remind me not to look for seafood in Chicago...

 

[Tigger's ally]

Remind me not to look for seafood in Chicago...

Go to Gibson's. Eat steak.

There are 4 McCormick and Schmicks though that do fly in seafood.

My job used to find me in Maine about six times a year so I got spoiled up there and even Florida seafood is not what I would consider the best by any means.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Have you seen the price of Beef lately? If I didn't have a cow in the freezer, I might become a porkandchickenterian!

No, sadly, we mostly eat chicken since I am on a perpetual weight loss journey. I was pretty excited a few years ago when my dad went buffalo hunting. We got to eat buffalo meat for free for about 2 years.

If we could get off the is Disney expensive argument that would be great. Thanks!

But most of us are at work and bored Haha...hmm...different topic...

Anyone hear any rumors about new things/characters for the Halloween or Christmas parties?

 

[rteetz]

No, sadly, we mostly eat chicken since I am on a perpetual weight loss journey. I was pretty excited a few years ago when my dad went buffalo hunting. We got to eat buffalo meat for free for about 2 years.



But most of us are at work and bored Haha...hmm...different topic...

Anyone hear any rumors about new things/characters for the Halloween or Christmas parties?

Moana is supposed to be meeting at the Halloween party.