Next big "upsell" - 7 Hour Star Wars Guided Tour

[yulilin3]

That's the perceived 'value', or the price? I would have to imagine they would charge north of $500 for this.

that's the price

 

[eeyoreandtink]

7 hours???? We are huge fans and we couldn't spent 7 hours on what they are offering.

 

[hiroMYhero]

that's the price

Which seems reasonable when you factor in the CM's pay for 7 hours.

The SWW VIP packages were $399 but there was a little more to do during a very crowded day.

 

[yulilin3]

7 hours???? We are huge fans and we couldn't spent 7 hours on what they are offering.

I think that they are just rounding up the amount of time you will have the CM with you and not a continuous 7 hours
1 hour for JT
1 hour for lunch
1 hour for Launch Bay and characters
30 minutes fr Path of the Jedi
2 hours for dessert party and show
30 minutes for ST
Not sure about the last hour

 

[hiroMYhero]

I think that they are just rounding up the amount of time you will have the CM with you and not a continuous 7 hours
1 hour for JT
1 hour for lunch
1 hour for Launch Bay and characters
30 minutes fr Path of the Jedi
2 hours for dessert party and show
30 minutes for ST
Not sure about the last hour

Perhaps they are including TSMM and RnRC and just not listing them. They were part of the SWW packages.

 

[yulilin3]

Booking for this tour opens Dec 16th. Any other updates I'll post on the SW thread

 

[yulilin3]

Perhaps they are including TSMM and RnRC and just not listing them. They were part of the SWW packages.

that would make this package tons better. If you are planning on doing the dessert party and are sw fans I think this package is priced reasonably

 

[tlmadden73]

The problem I have with the tours is it still costs you admission to the park. So you pay for admission into the park and don't potentially get to enjoy the regular park offerings because you are busy and spend 7 hours of it doing the tour for extra. Ouch.

But .. it sounds like this is more of an afternoon/evening tour. (maybe like 2 pm to 9 pm).

Between things like this and the Early Morning Magic, they basically are monetizing ways to cut the line now and just mask it under a "tour" or "package" that includes food or dessert.

This is $129 for line cuts for Star Tours, Jedi Training, and two M&Gs. With good seating (I guess) for a fireworks show.
They throw in food and dessert to make you feel like you are getting a "value" and mask the fact you are basically paying for fast passes.

I feel it would be worth it if:
1) The meal was a Star Wars Character meal (and not Quick Service)
2) Unlimited Fast Passes for Star Tours for the day.

The thing I wonder is .. how many jedi Training spots will this eliminate from the general public? I wouldn't think this tour group would be that large.

 

[yulilin3]

The problem I have with the tours is it still costs you admission to the park. So you pay for admission into the park and don't potentially get to enjoy the regular park offerings because you are busy and spend 7 hours of it doing the tour for extra. Ouch.

But .. it sounds like this is more of an afternoon/evening tour. (maybe like 2 pm to 9 pm).

Between things like this and the Early Morning Magic, they basically are monetizing ways to cut the line now and just mask it under a "tour" or "package" that includes food or dessert.

This is $129 for line cuts for Star Tours, Jedi Training, and two M&Gs. With good seating (I guess) for a fireworks show.
They throw in food and dessert to make you feel like you are getting a "value" and mask the fact you are basically paying for fast passes.

I feel it would be worth it if:
1) The meal was a Star Wars Character meal (and not Quick Service)
2) Unlimited Fast Passes for Star Tours for the day.

The thing I wonder is .. how many jedi Training spots will this eliminate from the general public? I wouldn't think this tour group would be that large.

it is geared to the sw fan for sure. They included some other stuff

 

[HopperFan]

The problem I have with the tours is it still costs you admission to the park.

This is $129 for line cuts for Star Tours, Jedi Training, and two M&Gs. With good seating (I guess) for a fireworks show.
They throw in food and dessert to make you feel like you are getting a "value" and mask the fact you are basically paying for fast passes.

This is nothing new -

Fantasmic Dining Package, Wishes Dessert Party, Illuminations Dessert Party, SW Dessert Party, SWW Packages, Candlelight Processional Dining Package, Tony's Dining Package, Early Morning Magic at MK and DHS .......

It is your choice if you wish to give up 7 hours of your time. I imagine that isn't an issue for AP holders or those with multi day tickets where the ticket value may be minimal. OR Star Wars fans!

 

[AngiTN]

that would make this package tons better. If you are planning on doing the dessert party and are sw fans I think this package is priced reasonably

That's what I thought, if you are planning the dessert party this seems like a very good value. Will be interesting to see what all takes up those 7 hours though.

 

[Skywise]

The reserved jedi training spot is the real seller of this and the rest is just cover for that. (The dessert parties are already paid for and Star Tours/character visit priorities aren't that high of demand)

It can't be too much longer before they unveil a paid for FP system. (which they technically already have as people staying onsite get more perks)

 

[AngiTN]

The reserved jedi training spot is the real seller of this and the rest is just cover for that. (The dessert parties are already paid for and Star Tours/character visit priorities aren't that high of demand)

It can't be too much longer before they unveil a paid for FP system. (which they technically already have as people staying onsite get more perks)

I see the main reason to buy as the dessert party. JTA isn't hard to sign up for at all. And they now give you a FP for all but TSMM just for signing up. I'm not even sure you'd save having to get to the park early since I bet the tour starts just as early as you'd have to get there to sign up for JTA. But if you are already going to eat somewhere and already planning to do the dessert party then you aren't spending much more at all for this package.

I'll be honest, I prefer the for a fee FP system that Universal uses so I wouldn't be heart sick if Disney switched to it. I don't believe they ever will though. They sort of pride themselves on NOT charging for it, for now.

 

[yulilin3]

if you are already going to eat somewhere and already planning to do the dessert party then you aren't spending much more at all for this package

I agree. And I would add, if you are planning on doing everything SW

 

[tlmadden73]

This is nothing new -

Fantasmic Dining Package, Wishes Dessert Party, Illuminations Dessert Party, SW Dessert Party, SWW Packages, Candlelight Processional Dining Package, Tony's Dining Package, Early Morning Magic at MK and DHS .......

It is your choice if you wish to give up 7 hours of your time. I imagine that isn't an issue for AP holders or those with multi day tickets where the ticket value may be minimal. OR Star Wars fans!

I don't have an issue with it as most of these upsell events really don't effect the majority of the guests experiences. But what it does do is add yet another thing that the "common" guest sees they cannot do. Like Pete has said on the podcast the optics of another "upsell" event is starting to turn some people off. Whenever anything new is announced it is just another upsell event. Premium bus transport, Star Wars Tour, Another Festival at Epcot, Festival of Fantasy parade party, etc. etc. All great things, but things that most people see as just something else they can't afford. True . .they are all optional, but what ends up happening is your regular customers just begin to see what they AREN'T getting instead of what they ARE getting. It's why a lot of people drop "free to play" mobile games after a while. They hit a "wall" where they see content that they can't get unless they pay more and more .. and it just becomes overwhelming or frustrating and they stop playing alltogether. It may be a fun game, but when you see what you aren't getting, you just drop it.

It just appears that WDW has a crack staff whose sole job is going after these "whales" (as they are called in the mobile app industry). -- People who are willing to pay for exclusive things and for things that save time.

Back to this event, as a Star Wars fan I am almost tempted to do it myself since I've seen everything else (how little there is) to see at Hollywood Studios many times over. I just don't think there is enough "Star Wars" stuff at DHS to really find value in this tour for me though. If the new land was built? Maybe so.

I see the main reason to buy as the dessert party. JTA isn't hard to sign up for at all. And they now give you a FP for all but TSMM just for signing up. I'm not even sure you'd save having to get to the park early since I bet the tour starts just as early as you'd have to get there to sign up for JTA. But if you are already going to eat somewhere and already planning to do the dessert party then you aren't spending much more at all for this package.

I'll be honest, I prefer the for a fee FP system that Universal uses so I wouldn't be heart sick if Disney switched to it. I don't believe they ever will though. They sort of pride themselves on NOT charging for it, for now.

Even though these tours and parties and Early Morning Magic are just ways to skip more lines (with food attached to make the price "feel" better), I think Disney is selling the "exclusivity" of these tours and parties. This allows them to charge more. Just offering a fee-based FP system would just make it "common" .. and while it would be popular .. it loses that exclusive feel. It loses the "Magic" since most theme parks from Universal to Six Flags offer something similar.

 

[Boski]

I love @yulilin3 's price break down that Hopper posted. But I'm trying to factor in a good point @tlmadden73 made in that you have to build in regular admission costs. 7 hours is a pretty good chunk of the day. If they started in the afternoon maybe it makes sense if you do the mornings in another park and then hop over (if you have hoppers) in the afternoon with all of this already set up? You can have your FPs for the first park and then your afternoon/evening is booked here. Because to me if you toured efficiently and had FPs set up you can make this happen yourself. Only thing your missing is the "guide"? Unless I'm missing something? I think we need, like all of these new events, some more info.

*Insert my normal rant about Disney offering more chargeable add-ons instead of focusing on core experience here*

 

[anniemae]

It will be interesting to read a review from someone who does this. For us, it would not be worth it as we are not huge star wars fans, but those who are, it may be a fun thing to try.

 

[JohnneeO]

I see the main reason to buy as the dessert party. JTA isn't hard to sign up for at all. And they now give you a FP for all but TSMM just for signing up.

Is the "all but TSMM" a new restriction, or possibly an older restriction that is no longer in place? The reason I am asking is that when we signed for JTA on Nov. 11, the FP we were given had no such restriction.

 

[AngiTN]

Is the "all but TSMM" a new restriction, or possibly an older restriction that is no longer in place? The reason I am asking is that when we signed for JTA on Nov. 11, the FP we were given had no such restriction.

We signed up last weekend and our FP covered all rides but for TSMM. Written right there on the bottom of it
Someone else also posted their FP from JTA said the same thing.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I see the main reason to buy as the dessert party. JTA isn't hard to sign up for at all. And they now give you a FP for all but TSMM just for signing up. I'm not even sure you'd save having to get to the park early since I bet the tour starts just as early as you'd have to get there to sign up for JTA. But if you are already going to eat somewhere and already planning to do the dessert party then you aren't spending much more at all for this package.

I'll be honest, I prefer the for a fee FP system that Universal uses so I wouldn't be heart sick if Disney switched to it. I don't believe they ever will though. They sort of pride themselves on NOT charging for it, for now.

JTA isn't hard to sign up for now? I remember back when we did it, it was a pain in the neck. But that was a while back.