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

[Jennasis]

To be fair, Disney is pretty notorious for caving to the demands of complaining guests. I would not be surprised if somebody went to guest services and demanded a refund for their ticket citing the numerous free tickets that were given away to others. Especially if that person who had paid was eligible for the free ticket. To continue on with my villainous ways, I think I might have just tried it myself if I were in that boat.

 

[jbish]

If you are staying concierge, and someone else gets upgraded for "free", would you demand your money back? Are you not being provided the service that you paid for?

IF I had paid $750 for my family of five to attend this event (and that's a gigantic IF as there's no way I would actually pay that) and then I found out that half of the people in the park with me got it for free, I'd be upset. In your example, it would be like finding out that half of the concierge floor were originally staying at All Star Sports but all got a free upgrade to the concierge floor at the Grand Floridian for which you paid rack rates.

Further, if (like in the case of last week) I found out that that half of the event goers that got in were DVC members and I, as a DVC member, paid full price but could have gotten in for free, I would feel like a fool for having dropped that much money. Then again, I guess I was a fool for having shelled out $750 in the first place.

ETA: I'm not "against" this event, per se. I think it's tacky - but so long as it doesn't affect my own trip, then I'm indifferent. However, if this becomes the norm and regular EMH is taken away as an on-resort perk, then that's when it starts to affect me and my own plans - and that's what I'd be against.

However, I am most definitely NOT in favor of the morning add-on event (EMM). That one DID affect my trip planning because I had a BOG pre-park opening reservation.

 

[Mikie]

You can think whatever you want. I'm just pointing out facts.
If I'm at a baseball game and 300 free tickets are given out..this could make the line I'm in for a hot dog longer. If I'm at a resort and a guest was upgraded, said guests may take the last pool chairs...etc etc etc. I could focus on that..or I could just go about my day without such negativity and hostility. It a person's choice what kind of attitude they wish to have. But a fact is a fact. If a service/ticket that I paid for is given to me, then there is no valid argument of why I should get a refund.

I would t stomp off and have a fit, but I'd ask for a refund. If ONE other guest gets a room upgrade, that's a one-off pixie dust. If MORE people are getting free tickets than are paying, that's a devaluation of my paid ticket. I liken it to an item I purchased at the store going on sale the week after I bought it - I paid a fair price at the time, but I'll still bring back my receipt and ask for a price adjustment, which many stores give. At this event, I'd go to Guest Relations and explain that since they adjusted the cost to the low-low price of $0, I'd like my price refunded.

 

[Kimberly9701]

Since they aren't sharing your room with you, upgrading someone's room type isn't nearly the same thing. Actually a much better example would be if you paid for your room, and then Disney allowed some other guests to have access to your balcony for free, or maybe to sleep on your couch/floor. That's a pretty perfect analogy I think. Hey you still get to enjoy the room you paid for, other people are just going to be in it now, and didn't pay for it. Of course, their impact on your experience in a park is going to be smaller than their impact on your experience in your room, but the principle is the exact same.

How is that the same analogy? Are they tying a rope around these people and attaching them to you? Are they setting them in front of you everytime you want to go on a ride or get an ice cream? You are talking a matter of what.. A few hundred tickets? Even if a thousand it's not a big deal.
Have you been to a theme park that is "almost empty"? I have. It's wonderful. I've also been/paid to do plenty of things that others have received for free..maybe thru radio promotions, etc. I'm sure you have too.
The relation of free tickets to devaluing a low crowd time is completely absurd. The crowds are still low...so someone is still receiving what they were promised.

It sounds like you don't care for this event. That's ok. Just don't buy a ticket and you won't have to worry about what anyone else did or didn't receive.

 

[DoingDisney]

It is a terrible deal, but one-day tickets are the vast majority of what I sell at the ticket booths, and plenty come through on will call as well. Florida residents buy one-days, people from Wisconsin and Minnesota and Oregon buy one-days, people from Canada and Germany and New Zealand buy one-days. I don't understand it, but I explain the upgrade policy and send them into the park.

And Magic Kingdom ticketing CMs sell more one-day tickets than I do - their sales goals are the lowest of all 4 parks as a result.

I do love the information / experience you add to these discussions.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I would t stomp off and have a fit, but I'd ask for a refund. If ONE other guest gets a room upgrade, that's a one-off pixie dust. If MORE people are getting free tickets than are paying, that's a devaluation of my paid ticket. I liken it to an item I purchased at the store going on sale the week after I bought it - I paid a fair price at the time, but I'll still bring back my receipt and ask for a price adjustment, which many stores give. At this event, I'd go to Guest Relations and explain that since they adjusted the cost to the low-low price of $0, I'd like my price refunded.

But if they did not sell/give any more that the allocated amount..how is this logistically a valid argument?

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Maybe it appeals to locals who don't need a regular ticket to get in? $155.50 per ticket for 7 hours of low crowd fun.

MAYBE, then. it isn't much more than a 1 day ticket.

But who buys 1 day tickets? That is a terrible deal already.

We've done it multiple times. Sometimes we only get a long weekend so we're driving down Friday and back Sunday so one day would be it. I know it's cheaper the longer you stay but it's not always an option. On those days though we're there from open to close and at least up till now that's been more than 7 hours.

 

[bcrook]

It is a terrible deal, but one-day tickets are the vast majority of what I sell at the ticket booths, and plenty come through on will call as well. Florida residents buy one-days, people from Wisconsin and Minnesota and Oregon buy one-days, people from Canada and Germany and New Zealand buy one-days. I don't understand it, but I explain the upgrade policy and send them into the park.

And Magic Kingdom ticketing CMs sell more one-day tickets than I do - their sales goals are the lowest of all 4 parks as a result.

Wow! Then I can see how this extra hours event could appeal to some. If they are already paying $124.00 for a MK one day peak admittance, why not shell out $25.00 more for an empty park.

This is crazy money.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kimberly9701]

We've done it multiple times. Sometimes we only get a long weekend so we're driving down Friday and back Sunday so one day would be it. I know it's cheaper the longer you stay but it's not always an option. On those days though we're there from open to close and at least up till now that's been more than 7 hours.

Me too. I live in Cincinnati now, but moved here from Boca Raton 4 years ago. We did one day tickets several times. And for my December trip- I have to do a one day ticket because I am using a 2 day non expiring hopper. It didn't benefit me to use the non expiring on our last trip bc it was 8 nights...but on a 4 night trip..one where we will buy MVMCP tickets..It makes sense to just add once more full day as well. If this late option was offered then I would do it in place of the 1 day ticket.

 

[whiporee]

IF I had paid $750 for my family of five to attend this event (and that's a gigantic IF as there's no way I would actually pay that) and then I found out that half of the people in the park with me got it for free, I'd be upset. In your example, it would be like finding out that half of the concierge floor were originally staying at All Star Sports but all got a free upgrade to the concierge floor at the Grand Floridian for which you paid rack rates.

Further, if (like in the case of last week) I found out that that half of the event goers that got in were DVC members and I, as a DVC member, paid full price but could have gotten in for free, I would feel like a fool for having dropped that much money. Then again, I guess I was a fool for having shelled out $750 in the first place.

But you'd never know for sure, because Disney doesn't release numbers and would not release them to you. I guess you might sue and try to get them in discovery, but that sure woudl seem like overkill.

One of the things I've learned in life is to try to never get upset about what other people have. If I thought the event was worth the money and I bought it, I wouldn't care how someone else go in. My decision is a good one or bad one based on my experience, not someone else's.

I DO, however, wish Disney would stop giving free tickets to the event, because two nights in, you can ALREADY see it setting up feelings of expectation on this board, which is followed by people being disappointed and angry over the fact someone got something they did not. So now we'll not only have people complaining about the event and the supposed loss of benefit hours Disney had given in the past, we'll have people complaining that OKW got the free tickets this time instead of the Poly, and people trying to come up with strategies for getting comped tickets. And then, when Disney takes away the comped tickets, we'll have people mad that Disney has taken those away.

 

[DoingDisney]

How is that the same analogy? Are they tying a rope around these people and attaching them to you? Are they setting them in front of you everytime you want to go on a ride or get an ice cream? You are talking a matter of what.. A few hundred tickets? Even if a thousand it's not a big deal.
Have you been to a theme park that is "almost empty"? I have. It's wonderful. I've also been/paid to do plenty of things that others have received for free..maybe thru radio promotions, etc. I'm sure you have too.
The relation of free tickets to devaluing a low crowd time is completely absurd. The crowds are still low...so someone is still receiving what they were promised.

It sounds like you don't care for this event. That's ok. Just don't buy a ticket and you won't have to worry about what anyone is did or didn't receive.

Its a perfect analogy, as I explained, sure the impact will be different, but the principle is the exact same thing. If I am paying for exclusive access to the park and those attractions, and then disney starts giving away tickets they are in fact giving away the exclusivity I just paid for. To be fair the same thing happens if more people -buy- tickets as well. But then at least those people have paid and are just as entitled (in the true sense of the word) as I am to be there. Disney is trying to fill the event up to make it look better / sell more tickets in the future, they are giving away the exclusivity I have paid for, and are doing so to benefit themselves at the expense of people who have bought tickets.

You can try to deny the impact of having more people in the park all you want, it doesn't make it true.

 

[Mikie]

But if they did not sell/give any more that the allocated amount..how is this logistically a valid argument?

I think it's pretty clear - I paid $150 for something that the company itself demonstrates the next week has a value of $0 by giving it away not once but many times over, thus setting the market price at $0. I ask the company to adjust my price paid to the new market value and many companies will do this when an item or service is discounted within a certain period of time from the original sale.

 

[Accident]

From seeing a report from fellow board member @Accident on the Trip Report Forums, I would do this on a Solo trip or with my Mom (if she wanted to be up late). It is overpriced for my tastes at $149, but I could see myself spending $99 for this event and I'm staying on site in two weeks. This is one of those things that would be fun for me. I may be part of the problem with this, but I enjoy unique experiences. It's why I do Disney World over Six Flags or Cedar Fair Parks. How many theme parks have three Dark or Water rides yet alone six or seven of them?

For 2 of us, I'm ok with this price. We did 7 hours in MK and I could have easily added in dinner somewhere outside the park to make it an even longer night.. probably the best evening I've had in MK so far..

I view dvc getting it free differently. It was so empty even with dvc members being there that they could have easily decided "lets just let a couple hundred dvc members in per night" and nobody would be able to tell the crowd changed.. Everyone is assuming they are not hitting their minimum ticket goals and I see it as they found a new place to give dvc members a perk, on an anniversary year while advertising the hell out of it for more to buy into it. I have to be honest, they got my attention with perks and I've started to price out what it would really cost if I had dvc instead of paying for the ones non-dvc can attend also.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I think it's pretty clear - I paid $150 for something that the company itself demonstrates the next week has a value of $0 by giving it away not once but many times over, thus setting the market price at $0. I ask the company to adjust my price paid to the new market value and many companies will do this when an item or service is discounted within a certain period of time from the original sale.

Have you ever purchased a car/truck/van?
Because if so- I guarantee you that someone got theirs for less money. And also someone paid more than you.

You can't go thru life worried about what someone else is getting.
Well, you can. But that wouldn't be a fun or productive way to live.

Bottom line-
Some people see value in this event. Some don't.
Either way is fine.
But I think the people complaining about the free tickets given out are the ones who would never have purchased them in the first place.

 

[Kimberly9701]

Its a perfect analogy, as I explained, sure the impact will be different, but the principle is the exact same thing. If I am paying for exclusive access to the park and those attractions, and then disney starts giving away tickets they are in fact giving away the exclusivity I just paid for. To be fair the same thing happens if more people -buy- tickets as well. But then at least those people have paid and are just as entitled (in the true sense of the word) as I am to be there. Disney is trying to fill the event up to make it look better / sell more tickets in the future, they are giving away the exclusivity I have paid for, and are doing so to benefit themselves at the expense of people who have bought tickets.

You can try to deny the impact of having more people in the park all you want, it doesn't make it true.

It is not more than the allocated amount. Period. So nothing was taken away.

 

[DoingDisney]

It is not more than the allocated amount. Period. So nothing was taken away.

Sure it was, the "exclusivity" they are selling.

By your logic if I plan my trip in advance, and book for a nice dead time of year, in Mid January or something, and then Disney decides during my trip to offer free park admission, just open the gates, and the parks are flooded to capacity, MK has 60 000 people in it, lines are hours long ... guess I wouldn't be justified in complaining either right ? Because hey, they didn't give out more than the allocated amount of tickets, so nothing was taken away ?

 

[jbish]

You can think whatever you want. I'm just pointing out facts.
If I'm at a baseball game and 300 free tickets are given out..this could make the line I'm in for a hot dog longer. If I'm at a resort and a guest was upgraded, said guests may take the last pool chairs...etc etc etc. I could focus on that..or I could just go about my day without such negativity and hostility. It a person's choice what kind of attitude they wish to have. But a fact is a fact. If a service/ticket that I paid for is given to me, then there is no valid argument of why I should get a refund.

We're talking about a significant number of attendees possibly having gotten in for free. 300 free tickets to a baseball game when they are selling maybe 30,000 seats? A drop in the bucket. 300 free tickets given to random passer-bys outside of the ballpark an hour before the game starts right behind home plate, where you're also sitting and paid $500 for that seat (and you found out about the extra 300 people in the section after you got to your seat) is more likely going to make an impact to your experience.

And I'm not sure anyone is saying they deserve to get refund. [EDIT: Someone has mentioned this now]

 

[CMNJ]

Word from inside, last night sold less than the first night. Tickets were given away. Many folks wearing Birthday Buttons in the parks were given pairs of passes as they left.

This will fail if Disney doesn't get that have to MARKET IT!

Wow they sold less last night than the first-here's to hoping they give away tickets to Contemporary, AP or DVC on 5/5-would love to go for free but $300+ tax for 2 tickets just seems crazy!

 

[Love Tink]

You can think whatever you want. I'm just pointing out facts.
If I'm at a baseball game and 300 free tickets are given out..this could make the line I'm in for a hot dog longer. If I'm at a resort and a guest was upgraded, said guests may take the last pool chairs...etc etc etc. I could focus on that..or I could just go about my day without such negativity and hostility. It a person's choice what kind of attitude they wish to have. But a fact is a fact. If a service/ticket that I paid for is given to me, then there is no valid argument of why I should get a refund.

So your perspective on this is "the facts."

Well, I guess I can see why you refuse to take anyone else's perspective into account, then. The only one that matters is yours, since it is "fact." Good luck with that attitude.

 

[CMNJ]

I vote for AP holders, but mostly because I'm checking into the Poly next Thursday and have APs for my daughter and me.

Haha I was hoping AP on 5/5 for the same reason