Park hopping option to end?

[Telynn]

Okay...My husband's buddy has heard a rumor that WDW was going to end the park hopper option on the passes. Can anyone here confirm or dispell this horrible rumor? Thx in advance!

 

[Brer Rabbit]

I'll confirm this is an awful scary rumor and they already charge extra for it. I would think they would just go up on that ticket option

 

[indiesgirl4ever]

we are booking a trip to go in sep 2009 and they didnt say we couldnt get the park hopper so i would have to disagree

 

[Traveliz]

Haven't heard anything but I can't fathom what the upside would be for Disney on this.

Liz

 

[fairestoneofall]

Why would they do that?

 

[CanadianGuy]

If true.. Disney could have a number of tricks up their sleeve..

1. The most obvious is a major realignment of the ticket pricing sometime in August 2008 that could mean a pretty hefty increase across the board -- BUT -- park hopping would no longer be optional. It would/could come with every ticket.

2. They could decide to roll Waterpark Fun & More and Parkhopper together in to something like a "PLUS PACK" - charge more and only sell them as a pair.

A few minutes of thinking and you can probably come up with a number of other scenarios that gets rid of the "Park Hopping" option off the ticket menu but may or may not mean you can't actually hop parks..

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

I agree about them making it available on all tickets and really jacking the prices up. I have seen that one coming for some time. We never do get the park hopper, but we do get the water park and more added on.

 

[Condorman]

Prices increase every year. Disney has the right to jack up the price even more due to the economy, but unless they are providing a greater service it may keep even more people home.

They could never do away with the Park Hopper aspect. It may stop being an option and be included on all tickets but they can't eradicate it. Imagine if you couldn't hop parks and on any given Saturday 75% of everyone staying at a resort, and every local visiting for the day, all decided to go to MK? They couldn't be turned away because they wouldn't have Park Hoppers, so then what happens?

If Disney restructures its pricing and either includes all features to make it seem like a greater value, or else, splits everything up and prices things individually, they could increase pricing and few would know or complain.

 

[Another Voice]

'Park Hopping' tickets will only be available to those staying at a Disney resort (and maybe only to those buying a package). It's another step in the 'Destination Disney' concept to get people to spend all of their time on property.

Don't worry, there will be plenty of plants on-line explaining why this is a "good thing" and you'll read plenty of press releases about how the public have been demanding removing the park hopping option. By this time next year people will think staying in one park all day is the "only magical thing to do".

And it will also REALLY help when the busses go away...

 

[Mikelly1221]

And it will also REALLY help when the busses go away...

HUH?!?!?! Can you elaborate????

 

[MyGoofy26]

A twisted side of me wants them to add the parkhopper back into the tickets just so I can see the anger of all the people being "forced" to pay for park hopping whether they want it or not. Anyone else remember the rage when they split all the options to do MYW tickets? I think I was one of the few that realized that we'd ALWAYS been paying for park hopping, they weren't now charging you more. . . just giving you the option to opt out of it now. No matter how many times or how many people explained that it was never "free" instead it was built into the price, people couldn't get past having to pay for the option. I bet now that people are used to a stripped down option that they can customize, the earlier horror of the situation will be forgotten and a whole new drama about how Disney's just trying to get one more thing over on Joe Tourist will be upon us.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I went over to the WDW UK site where they allow people in the UK to book a package for 2009 now, and found this ticket - is this new for 2009? They only offered a 5 and 7 day (for the dates I put in) of this type of ticket...
I also noticed the new benefits of staying at WDW property - but maybe its just a UK thing - I can't see them being able to offer reserved spots for the fireworks for ALL guests.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I also just found this - is this a way to keep business at WDW travel and not having people go through TA's? Preferred viewing for people who book direct....
(again maybe just a UK thing?)

 

[SpaceAce]

This could be to ease operations.

Many people forego the park-hopper option, thinking that they can use extra days on their tickets to parkhop if they want. My parents tried this - they eventually let them in, but only after seeing they were Polynesian residents. I don't think they would have let someone from off-property off the hook. (Think about how cheap extra days are at the longer stays, just a couple of bucks, compared to parkhopping option.)

This creates quite a headache at the turnstyles - and makes many people mad when they can't get into a park even though they are willing to use a day of admission to get in. I could easily imagine making all tickets park-hoppers to get rid of this acute PR-problem. It will also mean less people at the customer service window outside the parks!

I would say that this rumor is probably true - but will Disney will make everyone pay for the parkhopping option, not eliminate it.

 

[CanadianGuy]

The 7 Day premium ticket is a UK option and it's basically a 7 day ticket with park hopping and WPFM. The UK ticketing options include 14 and 21 day tickets with "all in" -- unlimited WPFM admissions and access to the themeparks for those 14 or 21 days. None of these options are new.

As for the bit about the buses..

HUH?!?!?! Can you elaborate????

A/V has been saying for a while now that the Disney transportation system is due for a bunch of major changes and Disney will either completely remove the buses between resorts and themeparks and/or possibly begin charging for DME from the airport etc (which I highly doubt) or dramatically alter the service quality such as to render it useless for the vast majority of guests (somewhat more likely).

Disney has a habit of changing things such that people are far less inclined to use those products or services and then eliminating them by saying "fewer guests wanted or used" the product or service etc.

While this would be a boon to the car service and car rental agencies in the Orlando area.. I just don't know if Disney is willing to go quite that far.. just yet. Everything depends on the price of diesel (and therefore oil in general).

I still suspect this oil situation is in fact a 'bubble' and not a 'new reality' and that the price of oil on a per barrel basis will probably fall back down to between 100$ and 110$ ... which while still overpriced on a demand/supply basis.. is more operationally feasible for Disney.

Knox

 

[GOOFYsince71]

Sounds like you really found some "hidden" secrets in the works!
Keep me posted,,,We will all love to know what is going on!!!!!!!

 

[GOOFYsince71]

I still suspect this oil situation is in fact a 'bubble' and not a 'new reality' and that the price of oil on a per barrel basis will probably fall back down to between 100$ and 110$ ... which while still overpriced on a demand/supply basis.. is more operationally feasible for Disney.

Knox

Sorry,,,I am off topic just for ONE second!!!!!
Is Knox your First name....
You know why I am asking

 

[CanadianGuy]

Yes. Angelina and Brad named their child after me. I met her when I worked on the Tonight Show and she just LOVED the name.*

Knox

* Or you could buy the 'public' version which is that Brad Pitt is related to the famous artist, Archibald Knox and they have named the children with an eye to their family trees. Pffft.

 

[GOOFYsince71]

Yes. Angelina and Brad named their child after me. I met her when I worked on the Tonight Show and she just LOVED the name.*

Knox

.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I fear I should have used a bigger drop of sarcasm..