Not sure $149 Disney After Hrs event is doing well... (ETA: reviews in 1st post)

[mom2rtk]

If the cap is really 6000 for this event, I don't think they can raise MNSSHP and MVMCP anywhere near this and keep the ticket limits for that near to 25,000. I would pay more for the parties if they would guarantee fewer ticket sales.

If sales for this event continue at this pace, I think you can rule out them guaranteeing fewer Halloween Christmas party ticket sales for a higher price.

I think they have too much to lose with party season to take many chances with creative pricing. Once they announce those prices, they are committed for what...... 40 or 45 party dates? That's a much bigger commitment than the limited number of dates they've committed to with this.

 

[ckelly14]

I'm a bit torn by this issue. I'm planning a birthday celebration so I'm planning on a number of "up charge" celebrations. I'm actually hoping that some type of VIP experience comes out of Animal Kingdom for their night activities. Harambe Nights was one of my favorite nights at Disney, ever.

However, I'm not happy that I will have to purchase MVMCP party tickets in order to experience Holiday Wishes. Really annoyed that the increased the number of party nights so "free" Holiday Wishes doesn't start until December 23rd.

For me, there is a difference between VIP events that provide an additional benefit vs up charge events that you are forced to purchase just to experience previously "free" activities.

 

[Robo]

Hey, I'm voting for the first candidate who promises free Disney trips!

No. We don't need another outside interest to ADD to the number of trips to WDW.

 

[mom2rtk]

No. We don't need another outside interest to ADD to the number of trips to WDW.

"Party" pooper.

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

"Disenfranchise" has to be the most overused word of the past 5-10 years. Perhaps along with "price gouging" on this board.

We're talking about an expensive theme park vacation. Can't imagine what the inherent right is that people are being denied by Disney charging for a premium experience within it.

By this logic, some people are disenfranchised by WDW's very existence because they cannot afford to visit.

Geez.

We can afford to do it. Still not sure we will. Still strikes me as expensive, but this "market" will speak and either way I'm fine with it. I can't afford a private jet to our WDW trips. I don't feel disenfranchised because some can.

You are 100% correct in my view. I've been practicing law for 23 years and I don't ever remember seeing the Supreme Court rule that EMH and other freebies are an inherent Constitutional right. I'm getting a little tired of the people who complain that some Disney events are expensive. Really? Oh my god, you mean my upcoming trip to WDW is going to be EXPENSIVE? I think the appropriate response to that question is "Duh!". If the After Hours party or Dessert parties or Not So Scary price you out of the Disney market, then you probably should not be planning a WDW vacation in the first place. Yes, it's expensive, but so is going to Bora Bora or Europe or Hawaii. There are many people who cannot afford those trips either and I won't guilty because we can. My wife and I worked very hard to get where we are and we like to enjoy these things. Frankly, WDW is trying to reduce the demand by raising prices and if you've been in HS or MK lately, you won't argue with that. As Pete said during the last podcast, stop whining. We are doing the After Hours next Thursday and I hope only 800 other people do. For us, being in a virtually empty park with no wait times is more than worth the cost.
Ok, feel better now. Thanks!

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

I bought tickets to the April 28th event on the first day they were available (the CM had just gotten back from lunch and she said mine were the first tickets she'd sold). This was on March 23rd I believe. My tickets are 2x7 & 2x8. Just contributing to the research.

We are going on 4/28 as well and the CM who helped me said it was the first time she ordered them. We hope to see you and maybe 500-600 other friends there next Thursday. We are fired up to go.

 

[mom2rtk]

If the After Hours party or Dessert parties or Not So Scary price you out of the Disney market, then you probably should not be planning a WDW vacation in the first place.

So unless you can afford to do it all, you just shouldn't go? Nice.

And BTW, plenty of people here can afford to go (to any or all of these things), but are just unhappy with direction this has been going lately. They might feel the value just isn't there.

 

[tarak]

"Disenfranchise" has to be the most overused word of the past 5-10 years. Perhaps along with "price gouging" on this board.

We're talking about an expensive theme park vacation. Can't imagine what the inherent right is that people are being denied by Disney charging for a premium experience within it.

By this logic, some people are disenfranchised by WDW's very existence because they cannot afford to visit.

Geez.

We can afford to do it. Still not sure we will. Still strikes me as expensive, but this "market" will speak and either way I'm fine with it. I can't afford a private jet to our WDW trips. I don't feel disenfranchised because some can.

I'll be at WDW in two weeks. My mom is retired Air Force and could get the military salute tickets, which are four-day park hoppers. I considered getting her a one-day pass since my daughter and I have APs, but we decided to just go to Disney Springs that first night. If I thought my mom and daughter could do the late night, and we didn't have the APs, I'd buy the after-hours tickets for the ability to ride everything with no wait.

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

So unless you can afford to do it all, you just shouldn't go? Nice.

And BTW, plenty of people here can afford to go (to any or all of these things), but are just unhappy with direction this has been going lately. They might feel the value just isn't there.

Raise your hand if you like the prices of things you like to rise? Umm, nobody? I don't know anyone who likes the direction this is going. So posting something about Disney milking profits doesn't make much sense. Not seeing the value in an additional-cost event is one thing, but MickieMinnieMom was pointing out that people are complaining as if they have a right to do these things. I'd like to join Augusta National Golf Club, but that's out of my price range. I don't complain about it. Disney is a public company and I own a bunch of shares, as do many people who enjoy the resorts. I personally think the After Hours event is a really good value. Some others won't and that's fine. But if you don't feel it is, a post about how Disney is too expensive is just hot air.

 

[mom2rtk]

Raise your hand if you like the prices of things you like to rise? Umm, nobody? I don't know anyone who likes the direction this is going. So posting something about Disney milking profits doesn't make much sense. Not seeing the value in an additional-cost event is one thing, but MickieMinnieMom was pointing out that people are complaining as if they have a right to do these things. I'd like to join Augusta National Golf Club, but that's out of my price range. I don't complain about it. Disney is a public company and I own a bunch of shares, as do many people who enjoy the resorts. I personally think the After Hours event is a really good value. Some others won't and that's fine. But if you don't feel it is, a post about how Disney is too expensive is just hot air.

Of course nobody likes price increases. Trust me, anybody going to Disney for a while knows to expect them. It's a matter of degree, and the entire package of late. 3 price hikes on counter service meals in the last 3 months? Yeah, that's worth of some extra attention and scrutiny.

My take on the new DAH event? If it appeals to you, do it quick. Even the Disney market has its limits. And I don't think they're selling enough tickets to keep this one around long. The very thing that is making it appealing will make it a no go very soon with the Disney accountants.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

There are more people than you imagine who do just that. They have one day. They buy a one day pass. Think about the folks who come in for a cruise and want one day in Disney before the begin. Shoot, this would be a great idea. You arrive a day earlier than planned, enjoy the day preparing and relaxing, hit the MK by 7, leave after teh even and board your ship the next day. I might consider this if we were that family, we had one day and we were going to the MK anyway.

This is a scenario I was thinking where we would use it. OR if we wanted to go to mostly Universal but needed a Disney fix. We are night owls, so this sounds promising to me. Plus it's a lot LESS heat than day time.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I get the impression that on this board there are many people who feel that they are "experts" and that they know for a fact that something isn't a good value for ALL guests. They don't take into account that people vacation at WDW differently than them, or if they do realize it they just think the rest of us do it wrong.
Its really frustrating, I've seen people interested in this event being called sheep, or stupid, lacking sense etc.
Really, all because they would spend their money on something they value that you don't?

I know this is a couple days old, but as a non rope dropper, I have to say "here here" to this post. I love to help my friends plan their trips to the parks, but each time I plan a trip for a different family, it looks different. That's because they each have different goals and temperaments. Their trips rarely look like mine or the typical Diser's commando trip, but they all have a blast!

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

I know this is a couple days old, but as a non rope dropper, I have to say "here here" to this post. I love to help my friends plan their trips to the parks, but each time I plan a trip for a different family, it looks different. That's because they each have different goals and temperaments. Their trips rarely look like mine or the typical Diser's commando trip, but they all have a blast!

Amen! I am tired of the haters. I'm begging them to stop going to WDW. If you don't think its a good value, then don't go, but be quiet about it. We're going and I don't think I'm stupid and my guess is that I won't for the 3 hours I'm in MK that night.

 

[Cirlonde]

We are going on 4/28 as well and the CM who helped me said it was the first time she ordered them. We hope to see you and maybe 500-600 other friends there next Thursday. We are fired up to go.

Awesome!! I'll be the one in Rapunzel-themed mouse ears.

 

[chelynnah]

I disagree on the comparison. Disney does not reduce the portion size of my meal at Columbia Harbour House in order to maximize profit on your meal at V&A.
With DAH, Disney trims regular hours so they can sell a premium event to someone else. If the premium event was always midnight to 3 AM, I would have no issues with it all.

Up to this point Disney has NOT trimmed regular hours for this event. They added it on to their already published hours. We don't know if that will change. Everyone is assuming it will and panicking that they will, but at this point that statement is not true.

Just because they haven't updated June's hours to reflect later openings doesn't mean that won't happen. last November we were only a couple of weeks out when all of a sudden Novemver hours were updated to an extra hour or two most nights from the base hours previously posted. Maybe they're holding off on publishing MK hours until they see where the other parks are at (ie Rivers of light and AK later openings, Epcot rides finished or reopened etc). There could be any number of logistical reasons that those hours haven't been updated yet. If they updated them last week, and things changed so they had to adjust them again everyone would be screaming, so best to hold off until they see where everything with all the parks is falling.

(Edited to fix typos)

 

[Sammie]

Yeah, just keep offering to pay more, folks. I'm sure Disney would be happy to accommodate you (and do their best to further disenfranchise those who are not happy about the upcharge events).

Anything to 'improve the customer experience'.

I can't afford a Mercedes but certainly would never think they shouldn't sell them or others buy them.

Prices at Disney have been increasing from day one. And even at day one many could not afford to go.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I wanted to add my 2 cents as an observer. I was at WDW the first day this started, but didn't attend. It had rained prior to the extra hours. I'm curious to see if that rain prior had any deciding factor for someone who might have bought a ticket the night of?

I heard first hand accounts of how wonderful it was to walk right up and on the attractions. I didn't hear any accounts from anyone who actually purchased a ticket though.

I did hear some DVC friends who were there for the Darkside Challenge who didn't get an email invitation to go for free. So I'm not sure how the DVC invite process was done.

As an AP, if I got an email invite, I wouldn't turn it down! But I wouldn't pay $149 to attend. Though we have spent frivolously in the past with the $250/pp Rebel Rendezvous. Guess it just depends on what the offer includes.

Interesting you mentioned the Rebel Rendezvous. What I thought was interesting about this event is that there are only 5 characters!! Even adults without kids want to meet characters! People will pay, pay, pay for characters!

 

[Jennasis]

Amen! I am tired of the haters. I'm begging them to stop going to WDW. If you don't think its a good value, then don't go, but be quiet about it. We're going and I don't think I'm stupid and my guess is that I won't for the 3 hours I'm in MK that night.

No.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

If you don't think its a good value, then don't go, but be quiet about it.

Doesn't this kind of go against the very reason that discussion boards exist? Lots of people will have varying opinions on lots of things and not everyone will agree with them but that doesn't mean they don't have a right to them or to share them.

This could just as easily go the other way with "if you think it's a good value then go but be quite about it."

Everyone has a right to feel about these things the way they do and there is no right or wrong opinion.

 

[sdsatl]

I'd like to join Augusta National Golf Club, but that's out of my price range. I don't complain about it.

My dad complained about the price of a one day Epcot ticket last year (he hadn't been since the 00s), and I said to my husband, "this from a man who belonged to Augusta." Different strokes.