Price increase show discussion

I'm guessing CampbellzSoup is referring to the same Six Flags park as I am - Great Adventure. That place is not the nicest and they don't attract the greatest clientele. I'm sure some of the other Six Flags parks are just fine.


I figured as much also. I think it's been more than 20 years since I've been there (and I'm among the group who never have/never will call it "Six Flags"...it's just Great Adventure) . I remember we used to go during the week and if you brought a can of Coke you got real good discounts. They always had decent thrill rides (Great American Scream Machine was my all-time favorite), and I typically enjoyed going there - as I was in my teens & early 20s. Probably wouldn't nearly as much today. They tried at times to add more theming and created different "lands", but it never really worked.

Now as for Action Park, there was a true one-of-a-kind place...mainly for how they managed to remain in operation despite sending multiple people to the hospital daily. That said, had a blast every time I went there.
 
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Yeah...we’ve got Six Flags Over Georgia here. (incidentally, one of only two Six Flags parks, the other being Six Flags Over Texas, that the company built from the ground up.) It’s a totally different experience from Disney. I actually find it funny that their commercials in the 90s used to compare themselves to Disney parks when it’s really an apples and oranges comparison.
There are actually 3 they built from the ground up. The original, Georgia and St. Louis (originally Six Flags over Mid-America).
 
I figured as much also. I think it's been more than 20 years since I've been there (and I'm among the group who never have/never will call it "Six Flags"...it's just Great Adventure) . I remember we used to go during the week and if you brought a can of Coke you got real good discounts. They always had decent thrill rides (Great American Scream Machine was my all-time favorite), and I typically enjoyed going there - as I was in my teens & early 20s. Probably wouldn't nearly as much today. They tried at times to add more theming and created different "lands", but it never really worked.

Now as for Action Park, there was a true one-of-a-kind place...mainly for how they managed to remain in operation despite sending multiple people to the hospital daily. That said, had a blast every time I went there.
I never got to go to Action Park but I've heard so many stories of the giant liability mess it was.

And yes, I still call it Great Adventure unless I'm talking to people who wouldn't know what that meant.
 


I figured as much also. I think it's been more than 20 years since I've been there (and I'm among the group who never have/never will call it "Six Flags"...it's just Great Adventure) . I remember we used to go during the week and if you brought a can of Coke you got real good discounts. They always had decent thrill rides (Great American Scream Machine was my all-time favorite), and I typically enjoyed going there - as I was in my teens & early 20s. Probably wouldn't nearly as much today. They tried at times to add more theming and created different "lands", but it never really worked.

Now as for Action Park, there was a true one-of-a-kind place...mainly for how they managed to remain in operation despite sending multiple people to the hospital daily. That said, had a blast every time I went there.

The clientele at Great Adventure might not be the best. I think that has a lot to do with how cheap Six Flags season passes are. Great Adventure has some of the best coasters in the country. El Toro is one of the best wooden coasters and they have a drop ride that drops from 415 feet high.
 
I think Disney is ACTIVELY trying to price people out of parks. Sure, it does not make sense to raise prices in the midst of attendance declining but they are playing the long game. They know people will adjust their expectations and cease being shocked and ticked off. They will not want to miss out on Disney trips. They will bite the bullet and return.

I've seen it happen already at Disneyland and now it's seeping over to WDW.

I've read it time and time again on these boards. "I wish I could afford to _____fillintheblank". That's not the target demographic. It's people who can afford and do it and spend wads of money.

The Dis crew is right, the tipping point is here, or about to be. People will begin to realize what other things they can do with their vacation dollars. It's amazing what is out there that is not Disney. A lot of people do both. But many only have 2 weeks of vacation and limited luxury dollars to spend. Choices need to be made.
 
TLDR the thread, but I think Disney uses price to control crowds as much as they do it to increase profits, and successfully so. This is certainly the case @ DL where most of the people in the park are locals using AP's. If SWGE had seen the kinds of lines and breakdowns that Hagrids did it would have been a disaster. With the SWGE crowds manageable and lots of improvements on the way, people are far more likely to plan trips to WDW even knowing, or perhaps especially knowing it will be a more expensive experience...but without the ridiculous crowds. I know for me personally, I am much happier to pay a little extra and go less often. At least it is honest; all of the "pay-for-cuts" options you see at Six Flags and others make it look like you are paying less, but in reality you are not if you want manageable lines. At the same time they are diminishing the experience for everyone who does not pay to cut the lines.
 


I think I have a unique perspective as I started following the Dis mostly for DL content but also to plan for WDW since I have never been. Here I am three years later and I keep putting WDW off. The other day, my friend (who I would most likely go with) and I were chatting and it came up, asking if we are ever going to do it, and I still am unsure if it's "worth" it, I can't seem to pull the trigger. The summer are WAY too hot, and the thunderstorms, hurricane season concerns, and then you have to try and skirt all kinds of random crowds from race weeks, spring breaks and holidays. Blah!

To say nothing of this 180 day nonsense, I have never, ever planned a vacation that far in advance. Not even close.
Then there is the price, and it's too high. I price it out and price it out and it's crazy, I can't understand it.

And then to be honest, some of the Dis ranting about this and that affects me about decline of customer service, etc. Maybe they have done me a favor by managing my expectations. The other thing that happened in the last year is the Dis started cross promoting DL to the WDW fanbase and did a bunch of comparison shows to get WDW fans motivated to come West, and it was a HUGE downer for me. I know they are focusing on the alluring parts, but I hear things like DL Fantasmic is better, the Buzz is better, the Space Mountain is better, the Pirates is better, the SW is better, they have slews of dark rides we don't, RSR, Indy, GOT, etc, better nighttime parades, the Halloween overlays are better, better Halloween parties. Then there are a slew of things that are basically a wash and neither coast has an advantage. And the steam just completely goes out of me when I look at the price tag.

And then I think, but man I HAVE to see this castle. I WANT to get lost in the World Showcase. I gotta see it but I just can't get over all these obstacles.
Absolutely everything you have written is true, but, despite living 20 miles from DL, my family owns DVC and plans a yearly, or every-other-year trip to WDW because it is so much more immersive. You get on ME at the airport and the vacation begins, and does not end until you arrive back at the airport (the security line always brings back reality to me). The heat, the planning, the crowds...all of that is forgotten because we are on VACATION. Spending a day at DL or DCA is fun, but it's not the same when you can hear the sirens, see the traffic, and feel the pull of the rat race just outside the gate.
 
I never got to go to Action Park but I've heard so many stories of the giant liability mess it was.
I once got into a discussion here about Action Park as a tangent in a thread about River Country. I never made it to River Country but commented that the photos reminded me of Action Park. Another poster looked up Action Park and couldn't believe it, and the crazy stories surrounding it, were actually real. A lot of people have shared that skepticism - especially when they come across the infamous water slide below (sorry, not sure how to add the image as a thumnail).



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I once got into a discussion here about Action Park as a tangent in a thread about River Country.
While not as bad as Action Park, River Country wasn't perfect as far as safety goes either. The one slide ended a good 6 feet above the surface of the water so there was a nice drop at the end. One time I came down weird and smacked my face on the water resulting in a bloody nose. And I'm sure more than one person got hurt on the rope tire swing things.
 
I agree with when it comes to the Dis comparisons. The bias they display is truly irritating to me, a WDW fan and came very close to forcing me to unsubscribe because it was harming their credibility as sources of information. I am sure that DL and CA are great parks, and I hope to one day see and enjoy them, but they can't be perfect. The most telling is when they were still doing the Best and Worst of DL and they only did one segment on the worst. However, I eventually realized that whenever DL is not in the discussion the gang are entertaining and give solid advice. So I stuck around.
To be fair, DL is vacation for them. WDW is another day at the office.
 
I always felt that Disney is fairly priced for what it is. WDW is not a weekend trip to the local amusement park. It's not a camping trip two hours from your house. Its a luxury vacation. Vacations cost money, plain and simple. IMO, its in a similar category as going on a cruise, going to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean, travelling to a large city in North America or Europe. When you start comparing it to those types of vacation destinations, the prices are fair.

Flights - flights to Orlando from most places in the US or Canada are similarly priced, if not cheaper than most other destinations

Hotels - you can stay at a value resort, with free airport shuttle, and free transportation for $150ish. Try and find that in pretty much any other large city in North America. If you do, its likely going to be in a lot worst shape than the Allstars, and not anywhere as conveniently located.

Food - Whether its table service or quick service, Disney seems to be more expensive than your average place, as you would expect. However, quick service at Disney is waaaaay better quality than your average fast food restaurant. If I were to go on vacation elsewhere, my table service to fast food ratio would be much higher. I think I would actually spend a lot less money eating a week at WDW than I would a week in pretty much any other city.

Transportation - included when staying onsite

Park Tickets - Yes this is where they get you. Park tickets are expensive especially if you only go for 3 to 4 days. But if you go for 7 to 10 days, the price per day becomes much more reasonable. Try spending a week in NY, LA, Rome, Paris, Toronto, or any other major city. Once you start paying for access to museums, monuments, this and that, your not going to spend much less than a 7 day park ticket.

These are the basics of a WDW vacation. All the upcharge extras are just that, extras. I'm sure they provide great value for some, but they aren't really necessary to have a good vacation.
 
I'm guessing CampbellzSoup is referring to the same Six Flags park as I am - Great Adventure. That place is not the nicest and they don't attract the greatest clientele. I'm sure some of the other Six Flags parks are just fine.

In NJ? Yeah thats the one I grew up going to. I haven't been there in almost 20 years.

I still live in NJ and I have not even thought about bringing my kids there and they love coasters.
 
I also bring my family to Hershey Park for their Christmas stuff after Thanksgiving. Food is inexpensive and the holiday decorations are pretty fun. @disneysteve Are you in North Jersey or South?
 
We all take this system for granted at this point but if you take a step back and think about it as an outsider, it's really quite insane.

Which is why I like it.... it gives us the advantage. I don't work for Disney. My concern is not what the average consumer's experience is like
 
In NJ? Yeah thats the one I grew up going to. I haven't been there in almost 20 years.

I still live in NJ and I have not even thought about bringing my kids there and they love coasters.

Its not as bad as it used to be and you have missed out on some really good coasters. El Toro is one of the best. There is nothing like going 128 mph in 4 secs up 456 feet. Disney has nothing like that.
 
I also bring my family to Hershey Park for their Christmas stuff after Thanksgiving. Food is inexpensive and the holiday decorations are pretty fun. @disneysteve Are you in North Jersey or South?


HersheyPark for Christmas is very nice. For anyone with young children (who still "believe"), I can't recommend the Trolley ride from Chocolate World enough.
 
HersheyPark for Christmas is very nice. For anyone with young children (who still "believe"), I can't recommend the Trolley ride from Chocolate World enough.

Of course if you have littles things like that will appeal to you. Do any of you like high thrilling rides?
 

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