Parking Increase

[G66]

I can't believe this hasn't been commented on yet. Increasing parking fees to $14- in a recession!

If you insist on staying off property and avoiding the over-priced food, the Mouse will get his due. Another family friendly move by the happy people at Disney. I guess someone has to pay the tab for those comic book characters.

The Pete Rant watch is on. I can't wait for this weeks show.

 

[simonkodousek]

I think the increase in price for parking is absolutely absurd. End of story.

 

[kevrab]

What was the price before?

 

[Minniemama350]

It was $12. Am I crazy or wasn't the parking cost $15 about 10 years ago? I used to take my students down and Dh would drive seperate with the babes. I thought I remembered him paying $15/day to park? ANYWAY...the prices of everything are going up. Too bad my paycheck is going down.

 

[Cyrano]

The price was $12/day . Disappointed with this increase

 

[MomofKatie]

What was the price before?

It is currently $12- going up to $14 in October. In the last several years, parking has gone up from $8 to now $14- almost doubling in cost in the last 4 years.

 

[wdwpins]

I agree with Simon on this one. Raising prices in a recession sends out the wrong message.

I posted elsewhere, asking those to predict how soon parking will cost $20.

Seems rather odd to charge for parking anyway, no? It's like Publix charging you parking to shop in their supermarkets.

 

[catycatcat4]

Wow thats crazy by the time im 30 and im 16 now the prices will be insane
200 for a one day ticket?
70 for parking?

 

[G66]

In Mouse think this is Disney's way of giving annual pass holders more.

 

[simonkodousek]

In Mouse think this is Disney's way of giving annual pass holders more.

Sad, but very true.

 

[fakereadhed]

In Mouse think this is Disney's way of giving annual pass holders more.

Also due to guest demand.

 

[mikelan6]

I remember when parking was 50 cents.

 

[Jillery]

Also due to guest demand.

It is. Guest demand is an economic principle. Guests want to park (generating demand), Disney provides the parking at a price.

Disney isn't making money on customers in the parks and resorts right now because they are giving away dining or nights, and guests aren't buying souvenirs. Parking is a sure way to increase revenue. You have to park to get to the parks, and $2 a day per car won't turn anybody away. From a business standpoint, this is a no brainer. On-site guests will see no additional cost, so they only risk off-site guests going elsewhere (which they won't--again, two bucks a day won't chase any family away). I'm not one of those pixie dusting blind Disney following fairies repeating the "Disney poops rainbows" mantra, but put in the right perspective, I don't see this as an egregious business miscalculation.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Disney isn't making money on customers in the parks and resorts right now because they are giving away dining or nights, and guests aren't buying souvenirs.

While I dont agree with this basic statement...I have to ask...

Once poor Disney starts making money again, do you think they will revert to the already ridiculous $12 parking fee or do you think they will continue to try and suck every dime out of their guests pockets.

I also dont agree with the idea that this wont eventually turn people away. There will be a tipping point where Disney is going to suffer a backlash with these increases.

 

[Demosthenes]

While I dont agree with this basic statement...I have to ask...

Once poor Disney starts making money again, do you think they will revert to the already ridiculous $12 parking fee or do you think they will continue to try and suck every dime out of their guests pockets.

I also dont agree with the idea that this wont eventually turn people away. There will be a tipping point where Disney is going to suffer a backlash with these increases.

Of course they will keep the fee, just like airlines keep the fuel and baggage surcharges when the fuel prices go down. I don't think they should, but it is hard for any corporation to explain losses to their shareholders while lowering prices on in-demand commodities. I'm not sure if I mistook the tone of your response, but you seem a little snippy and accusatory. I don't claim anything about "poor Disney," I am just repeating what Pete has said on the podcast, and what is being reported by other podcasts and business publications, Disney parks are breaking even or losing over the last two quarters. Spending is down in the parks, but attendance is up (therefore costs are up too). They have to get revenue up. Ticket increases and parking fees are ways to cash in on the crowds that are unwilling to spend on ancillary purchases. No matter how you slice it, that isn't bad business. It may not be good PR, but bad business it's not. I agree there is a tipping point; most people would stop parking tomorrow if the parking increased to $75/day, but $2 a car won't stop anybody.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I'm not sure if I mistook the tone of your response, but you seem a little snippy and accusatory. I don't claim anything about "poor Disney,"

I apologize for sounding "snippy and accusatory".

Unless you have raised parking fees, I'm not sure of what you might be accused.

You referenced Disney not making any money, I referenced "poor Disney". I was merely referencing your point.

Just because I dont agree with you doesnt mean that my tone is anything other than conversational.

People are not buying things because they are overpriced.

As proof of this....we went to the often held Disney sale in Celebration this weekend. Disney fills a gymnasium with unsold merchandise being sold at 70% off the marked price. They pay another company to hold and manage the sale.

It seems like a fairly simple thing to me that Disney might sell even more stuff if they lowered the price on these items a bit rather than wholesaling them out of a Celebration school gym.

I wonder how many other businesses would do well with this "increased parking fee" business model.

Publix could make a great deal of money by charging to park and charging to rent a cart.

Restaurants could offer a free appetizer but charge a $14 parking fee

I dont think any of them would survive.

If Disney is seeing lower attendance and decreased spending on the part of their guests, raising prices doesnt seem like the best strategy...in my opinion.

Maybe Disney would see an increase in attendance and spending if the lowered or did away with parking fees.

I've loved Disney all of my life. It's one of the main reasons I moved to central Florida. With that being said.....if I didnt live within 20 minutes of the park and have an annual pass......these moves would keep me away or at the very least curtail the number of visits I made.

A one day ticket is now $84.53 including tax. Add to that a $14 parking fee and a "day" guest is paying $94.53.

I think the tipping point has been passed for a great many people and is getting closer for a great many more.

 

[kbelle8995]

Here's the thing.
You pay 14.00 to just park. Then you have to pay 79.00 dollars to just get into the park. Then you have to pay money to purchase food and disney does not really give you a place to picnic or store an ice chest in their parks. Animal Kingdom is the only place that has picnic areas but they expect you to buy their picnic.

It really isn't a smart time to do all these price increases because they are pricing more people out. Plus many people are trying to tighten their belts and are looking to get the most out of their money.

It just doesn't make sense.

 

[mikelan6]

If we're talking about price increases, answer me this ...

I'm collecting the Olszewski Main Street pieces and the next piece scheduled to be released in November is going to be Main Street Station. The price listed on the Olszewski website is $345.00 for this piece.

The Main Street Station piece for the Disneyland version originally sold for $245.00. This is an increase in 40%! And although the piece has not yet been released, I don't think it's going to be 40% larger or 40% prettier. To make things worse, Disneyland AP holders were able to buy these pieces at a discount at the Disneyana Store or the World of Disney Store at Disneyland whereas the WDW pieces are being sold only at the Art of Disney where WDW AP holders are not eligible for ANY discount!

Not fair.

 

[Demosthenes]

Maybe Disney would see an increase in attendance and spending if the lowered or did away with parking fees.

A one day ticket is now $84.53 including tax. Add to that a $14 parking fee and a "day" guest is paying $94.53.

I think the tipping point has been passed for a great many people and is getting closer for a great many more.

If the tipping point was reached, they wouldn't be seeing higher crowd levels than they were at this point last year. Again, the parking fee and ticket increases are ways to capitalize on the already increased attendance. They could, and should, consider lowering the cost of food and souvenirs as well. This would be in response to guest demand. Nobody's buying what you're selling? Cut the price. Everybody wants what you've got? Raise the price. It is fundamental economics. While its true that the cost (not selling price) of a -shirt sold in the Main Street Emporium is higher than the cost of the same t-shirt sold at the Disney Store in the Florida Mall, there are surely substantial mark-ups on those goods as is evidenced by in-park sales (I've never seen that before, but Julie referenced it recently) and the warehouse sale you mentioned.

 

[sanapunk]

It's still lower than Six Flags daily parking of 15 dollars. But you can buy a season parking pass from them for 45 dollars, pays itself off in 3 visits. Disney should have something like this for their off site guests.