Rumor - WDW changing to flexible ticket pricing

[crazy4wdw]

https://wdwnt.com/2025/02/rumor-wal...d-switching-to-flexible-ticket-pricing-model/

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

My first thought was how I feel bad for the non-planners in the world who would show up expecting to just buy tickets at the gate when they arrive, only to discover that the price is double what they expected.

I'm pretty sure Disney would establish a "floor" for the price on the lowest demand days, so this would probably never happen, but what if fewer people than expected book on a projected high demand day?

I would be pretty ticked off if I bought a "full-priced" ticket early because I'm a planner, and learn that the prices are subsequently dropped (presumably with no refunds to early purchasers) to entice more people to attend on that day.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm thinking that the definition of "non-planner" includes "doesn't really know what the price is 'supposed to be' that day."

 

[MICKIMINI]

I'm really done with WDW ticket prices. We had AP's for a few years when we were spending 3-5 weeks there a year. Worth every penny. At this point, we sold many of our DVC contracts so therefore spend less time there. We schedule trips for the dates we want and buy tickets if we want to do a park. If we were a big family, we might be more strategic but when we go is now more important than what we pay per day since we've spent 100's of days at parks. We're winding down our WDW/DVC days...newbies don't know what we know from 50+ years of WDW.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Could someone please explain to me what the difference is between "flexible ticket pricing" and the date-based pricing that they have now? I don't understand-maybe I need a second cup of coffee.

 

[Brian Noble]

Right now, once the price is set for a particular day, that's the price.

It is possible instead to price it like airfare or hotels, where the cost for e.g. March 14th can ebb and flow over time.

 

[BrianL]

Could someone please explain to me what the difference is between "flexible ticket pricing" and the date-based pricing that they have now? I don't understand-maybe I need a second cup of coffee.

Right now the prices for date ranges are based on a forecast and cost the same for everyone. The new system would be based on actual, real-time demand. Like, the last available tickets for that day - if the park will reach capacity - could be more expensive when purchased. They don't hit capacity all that often, so that may not be a worry, but when demand surges, prices will too. If their current forecast is relatively accurate, it may not change that much unless there are unexpected demand spikes.

 

[reddog21]

There are so many products/services that have demand pricing. I don't really think its that big of a deal.

 

[BillFromCT]

It means if you wait to buy your tickets until closer, the price may be higher.

 

[BrianL]

It means if you wait to buy your tickets until closer, the price may be higher.

Which is definitely something I don't like as I tend not to plan my trips too far out. But, it is what it is.

 

[fla4fun]

Could someone please explain to me what the difference is between "flexible ticket pricing" and the date-based pricing that they have now? I don't understand-maybe I need a second cup of coffee.

Date based pricing means that today a ticket may be $100, tomorrow it may be $110, the next day $105. It is predictable and when making your plans, you know what your ticket will cost. The price may be different per day, but once it is set it remains the same no matter whether you buy tickets six months ahead or one month ahead.

Dynamic or flexible ticket pricing means the ticket price for any day can change at any minute based on how many tickets have been sold. It’s more like buying an airline ticket. The price at noon may be $100 for the day you want to visit, at 12:10 it may be $110, a week later it might be $125. You can’t budget ahead to buy tickets at a later date because you only know what the price is at this moment. The price could also go down if Disney sees not enough tickets are being sold for a specific date and they need to spread out the crowds. People are used to getting airline credits back when prices go down, but I don’t see Disney doing that.

I don’t see how they can do this kind of pricing for multi day tickets easily, but I can see them doing it for single day, single park tickets for sure.

 

[BrianL]

Date based pricing means that today a ticket may be $100, tomorrow it may be $110, the next day $105. It is predictable and when making your plans, you know what your ticket will cost. The price may be different per day, but once it is set it remains the same no matter whether you buy tickets six months ahead or one month ahead.

Dynamic or flexible ticket pricing means the ticket price for any day can change at any minute based on how many tickets have been sold. It’s more like buying an airline ticket. The price at noon may be $100 for the day you want to visit, at 12:10 it may be $110, a week later it might be $125. You can’t budget ahead to buy tickets at a later date because you only know what the price is at this moment. The price could also go down if Disney sees not enough tickets are being sold for a specific date and they need to spread out the crowds. People are used to getting airline credits back when prices go down, but I don’t see Disney doing that.

I don’t see how they can do this kind of pricing for multi day tickets easily, but I can see them doing it for single day, single park tickets for sure.

It is a good point that you could see prices lower too if demand is soft. I do wonder if this will only apply to single day tickets, in which case that's never going to be a big problem for me.

 

[SL6827]

Just wait till your groceries goes this route.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Seaworld already does this and it’s a huge reason we don’t go there anymore. Especially Aquatica which is so weather dependent. Royal Caribbean does it too with food, drink, excursions and it has totally turned me off from them.

 

[reddog21]

Seaworld already does this and it’s a huge reason we don’t go there anymore. Especially Aquatica which is so weather dependent. Royal Caribbean does it too with food, drink, excursions and it has totally turned me off from them.

seems excessive.

 

[wabbott]

LightShed’s Rich Greenfield on the introduction of dynamic pricing to Disney parks

Rich Greenfield, LightShed Partners partner and co-founder, joins ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss the new pricing model for Disney parks, the introduction of dynamic pricing, state of the streaming wars, and more.

​

 

[Simba's Mom]

It means if you wait to buy your tickets until closer, the price may be higher.

Thanks! It sounds as if, for those of us who are DVC members and have to plan our vacations 7-11 months out, this may not be so bad. Unless "closer" means something like less than a year out.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

seems excessive.

Seems excessive that makes me not want to go to seaworld or rcci? Not really , while I tend to plan it drives me batty keeping up with the ever changing prices. We did aquatica a couple years ago and tickets jumped $50 dollars a ticket from 2 days before to day before, we’re watching weather since their was possibility got bad storms.

 

[reddog21]

Seems excessive that makes me not want to go to seaworld or rcci? Not really , while I tend to plan it drives me batty keeping up with the ever changing prices. We did aquatica a couple years ago and tickets jumped $50 dollars a ticket from 2 days before to day before, we’re watching weather since their was possibility got bad storms.

Seems excessive that because of flex pricing that you don't want to go. Why draw the line at Sea World? Airlines/hotels/car rental/produce/gas...etc all have flex pricing and can change dramatically. Last year, while looking at flights the prices jumped almost $2k over night luckily for me the prices came down after about a week but you play the same when to book game.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Seems excessive that because of flex pricing that you don't want to go. Why draw the line at Sea World? Airlines/hotels/car rental/produce/gas...etc all have flex pricing and can change dramatically. Last year, while looking at flights the prices jumped almost $2k over night luckily for me the prices came down after about a week but you play the same when to book game.

And I don't agree with it and many things like car rentals through Costco, refundable hotel rates I can cancel and rebook. There is no option like that when theme parks do it and they rarely go down anyway they are trying to make more money off of those that wait last min to buy basically. There is no need for it bottom line. Date based tickets is bad enough but at least you know no matter when you buy its the same price.