Passholders can bring a friend for $79. Response to attendance dip?

[Madonna3]

So what do you think? Currently, Disney has an offer out to passholders where we can purchase a one day park hopper ticket for $79 + tax from Aug 12-Sept 30. Now, I don't know if that means the ticket is only valid for visits between those dates or if those are just the dates to purchase. Anyway, do you think this is too coincidental since attendance is down?

 

[rteetz]

It's definitely because attendance is down but I don't think Disney will admit that. We keep seeing more and more discounts that Disney doesn't normally do. This is going to be interesting to watch if attendance keeps going down. It seems Disney is more worried about it than they say they are.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

Tickets must be used the same day they are purchased, so there's that. But I'd say it's definitely in response to the lack of crowds this summer. I'm concerned how September/Oct is going to be...

 

[countrymommy]

So what do you think? Currently, Disney has an offer out to passholders where we can purchase a one day park hopper ticket for $79 + tax from Aug 12-Sept 30

How did you find out about this? Was it an email? I'm an AP holder too and I only seem to find out about things like this through these boards.

 

[Wood Nymph]

How did you find out about this? Was it an email? I'm an AP holder too and I only seem to find out about things like this through these boards.

They had the announcement in the pass holder email newsletter. You might have to sign up to receive them.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Tickets must be used the same day they are purchased, so there's that. But I'd say it's definitely in response to the lack of crowds this summer. I'm concerned how September/Oct is going to be...

If they already thought September was going to be busy, they wouldn't have offered this promotion.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Obviously...and I think it really shows "2nd class citizens" (off-site guests) have cratered for them. Onsite guests (with free dining, required ticket purchase, etc) have absolutely no use for this special. But offsiters (like me, who is not planning on visiting even though I'll be there then) are definitely being targeted. If my Florida family members still had their annual passes, I might do this - shame that Disney jacking up their costs caused them to give them up for Universal and SeaWorld this year (they got both passes cheaper than they could get Disney). Maybe I could encourage them to buy one pass before I go and meet me there...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Tickets must be used the same day they are purchased, so there's that. But I'd say it's definitely in response to the lack of crowds this summer. I'm concerned how September/Oct is going to be...

Concerned how?

 

[tony67]

Attendance is down, but revenue is up - so they are making more money per guest from what I understand - I suspect they are good with this - or so they say.
I can't imagine bringing a guest for $79 is going to make much of a change in attendance.

 

[tony67]

Concerned how?

There is a some concern (on this site anyway) that the people who did not go during the summer were waiting till September to go.
It doesn't seem likely to me - but who knows. People were looking at hotel availability and I think free dinning is begin offered as well and drawing conclusions that it will be busier than in the past.
With everything going on in the world I cant imagine this September will be busier than last year.

 

[andyman8]

Question: I've been an AP holder for a long time and honestly can't remember if they've offered something like this "bring a friend" discount before. Can anyone recall at time when they offered this kind of promo? I know lots of amusement parks do these types of things for season pass holders.

Also, FWIW, Disney just added a swath of rooms to the pass holder and FL discounts for parts of September. Some deals to be had, especially at the GF, but that seems to bode well for those concerned about September crowds.

 

[beer dave]

There is quitye a bit of DVC availability for september-- mostly mid.... I don't think this is typical.

I can't imagine bringing a friend for 79 bucks. I guess only the very locals who regularly go for a day at a time would consider this. Anyone I would bring woiuld be coming for several days.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

There is a some concern (on this site anyway) that the people who did not go during the summer were waiting till September to go.
It doesn't seem likely to me - but who knows. People were looking at hotel availability and I think free dinning is begin offered as well and drawing conclusions that it will be busier than in the past.
With everything going on in the world I cant imagine this September will be busier than last year.

September is the slowest travel month of the year...the reigning and undisputed champion...

"Free" dining is a minor thing...they don't beat people away with a stick due to demand. Thy offer it in the first place due to lack of demand.

This one is silly even for the halls of silly that are the disboards - at times...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

There is quitye a bit of DVC availability for september-- mostly mid.... I don't think this is typical.

I can't imagine bringing a friend for 79 bucks. I guess only the very locals who regularly go for a day at a time would consider this. Anyone I would bring woiuld be coming for several days.

Any dvc a month out at all is not typical for sometime...

 

[beer dave]

Any dvc a month out at all is not typical for sometime...

Sure except maybe for our proud flagship SSR.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Sure except maybe for our proud flagship SSR.

...of course...it's in its own "elite" category...

But seriously - if you'll recall - I got the hint on the radar back when "last minute magic" showed up for DVC...something was up...

And now we are seeing multiple things - including from the horse's mouth - that attendance is becoming an issue.

The good news is that the economy is super strong...and Iger has correctly increased prices two fold over the last 10 years...because it was "undervalued" and the people really have gotten too good of a deal and they want to pay more...

...that's just strong leadership

 

[beer dave]

...of course...it's in its own "elite" category...

But seriously - if you'll recall - I got the hint on the radar back when "last minute magic" showed up for DVC...something was up...

And now we are seeing multiple things - including from the horse's mouth - that attendance is becoming an issue.

The good news is that the economy is super strong...and Iger has correctly increased prices two fold over the last 10 years...because it was "undervalued" and the people really have gotten too good of a deal and they want to pay more...

...that's just strong leadership

I do recall. and I am glad it seems we finally hit the tipping point...... Looking forward to a year or so of more relaxing, less populated trips.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Jacking up prices to the max then crashing into a wall and offering discounts as a kind of course correction has a certain logic too it. I suppose. You're definitely giving the market a thorough testing and not leaving one single potential penny unrealized.

Just like, you CAN navigate a boat in a race by going full blast blindly looking for shortcuts, banging into things then plugging the holes and continuing as if nothing happened.

But if you were part owner of a $20,000,000,000 racing yacht being sailed that way would you be all that impressed with the captain?

It might lead to the conclusion that he's not very sensitive to the market, has no idea what's actually happening on the ground and doesn't much care ... because he'll get a big share of the winnings but doesn't share in the losses anywhere near as much.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

Concerned how?

With summer crowds being "low," I get the feeling of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" when it comes to end of September/beginning of October. And of course this is only because that's when my trip is. Less people = shorter lines for me. That's pretty much it.

There is a some concern (on this site anyway) that the people who did not go during the summer were waiting till September to go.
It doesn't seem likely to me - but who knows. People were looking at hotel availability and I think free dinning is begin offered as well and drawing conclusions that it will be busier than in the past.
With everything going on in the world I cant imagine this September will be busier than last year.

Yeah that's mostly it. Like, are they waiting? Who knows? Honestly, it's not changing my plans, so really it's just whether I'll have more people to deal with or not.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Attendance is down, but revenue is up - so they are making more money per guest from what I understand - I suspect they are good with this - or so they say.
I can't imagine bringing a guest for $79 is going to make much of a change in attendance.

I don't think they are happy with attendance being down, even if revenue is up. They are just putting a positive spin on it if they say that.

They want those parks packed as much as possible at the highest price year round. They make more money that way, they have no real intention of reducing crowds, why would they?