Thank You Pete Werner!

[GAN]

Is that like being a Lawn Guylandah, only different?

Yes. Precisely!

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I absolutely agree with Pete on this, but my favorite part of the rant is when he mentions, a couple of times, that it impacts people when it hits them in the "pock-a-book". As a former Jersey girl, this is awesome! It's not a wallet, not a purse, it's a "pock-a-book"!

Love this! I'm originally from a bit north of NYC and this is what we called it. My sister had a bit of a speech impediment when she was younger and this word turned into "bacca-book" so we still call it a "bacca" to this date. "Hey, will you grab my 'bacca' for me?".

 

[SoarinSC]

yes but in Australia we seem to have more ethical pricing

"ethical"? I agree that I wish it were more affordable for more people but not sure how Disney is being "unethical" with it's pricing. It's not like they raised their prices 4000% like a certain drug-hike in the news lately. And it's an optional entertainment commodity..not a necessity..so ethics has little to do with anything here.

 

[Timmerica]

Second quarter profits for Walt Disney Co. last year was 2.1 billion. Multiply that by 4 quarters and they are profiting around 8 billion a year. Yes, they are investing hundreds of millions and billions into the parks but they are also experiencing 10 percent increased profits year-over-year. With these kinds of growing profits, any of the cuts made around the parks coinciding with increased prices to visitors can't be defended.

 

[GAN]

Second quarter profits for Walt Disney Co. last year was 2.1 billion. Multiply that by 4 quarters and they are profiting around 8 billion a year. Yes, they are investing hundreds of millions and billions into the parks but they are also experiencing 10 percent increased profits year-over-year. With these kinds of growing profits, any of the cuts made around the parks coinciding with increased prices to visitors can't be defended.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is only a part(maybe 30%)of the overall Walt Disney Co. So, Parks could very well be losing money, though I doubt it -while the Company rakes in the huge Profits highlighted.

 

[disneynutz]

Once you understand that Disney magic is in our minds and that Disney is just like other companies, out to make over the top profits so that the executives can get their million dollar bonuses, excessive salaries, and golden parachutes, constant price increases while making cuts makes more sense.

Bill

 

[GAN]

Once you understand that Disney magic is in our minds and that Disney is just like other companies, out to make over the top profits so that the executives can get their million dollar bonuses, excessive salaries, and golden parachutes, constant price increases while making cuts makes more sense.

Bill

They call that "new math" for executives....

 

[keri125]

I used to think that it was unethical for Disney to be so expensive because for some reason I had it in my head that Disney wanted every family to be able to go, and the Disney company advertised itself that way. I used to think that if you are going to advertise your product as a means for the average family to enjoy quality time together, you shouldn't price it so far out of reach of the average family. But then I started questioning where I really got that idea, as Disney didn't really seem to embrace the ideal of ANY family can go to the parks, but just that the parks are a place where the entire family can enjoy it TOGETHER, which is a subtle but important difference. Their commercials are not geared for the average person. I was able to take my son once on an absolutely AMAZING trip because my cousins are DVC members and my dad paid for everything - tickets, plane ride, etc. I paid for souvenirs and food for my son and I. That was six years ago. The extended family is talking about doing another reunion next year using my cousins DVC points, and once I priced the tickets for the two of us, I knew I was out. I am a single mother who works in the social work field and we live all the way across the country from Florida - for me it is not just the tickets but the airline ticket prices as well. However, as much as I want to get resentful about it being too expensive, I have to agree with Craig (I think it was Craig that said this), Bora Bora is too expensive for me as well but I don't get resentful at that! LOL We are just so grateful that we had the experience we did, and have the memories we do. My son and I also had a FANTASTIC trip to Universal in 2014 because we came into a bit of money and were able to use it for that trip. We probably won't be back to Florida anytime soon, but it's not necessarily because of the prices - I have a lot of other places I want to take him. I would love to visit Washington DC or do the Pacific coast with him.
This a really long, rambling post to just say that yes, while I would like to get mad at Disney for being so expensive, the truth is that if I had the money to do a trip, and if Disney were a priority trip destination, I would pay whatever they were asking. And if Disney was a priority for me, yes, we would spend less money at movies, etc. So again, long rambling post to say I agree with Pete! LOL

 

[KingLlama]

Still waiting for a "Thank You Bob Iger!" thread. After all the things that I do for you people. Hmph.

 

[Princess Jes]

Still waiting for a "Thank You Bob Iger!" thread. After all the things that I do for you people. Hmph.

I'll tweet it at you soon.
It's @bobiger right?
Here I was thinking you were really just a Ryno in disguise...

 

[pjweaver]

Still waiting for a "Thank You Bob Iger!" thread. After all the things that I do for you people. Hmph.

I will thank you Bob. I am nearing retirement and the boost in Disney stock is stuffing to my pillow. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to see the Kingdom from the inside, but for now your quarterly statements make me smile.

 

[GAN]

I will thank you Bob. I am nearing retirement and the boost in Disney stock is stuffing to my pillow. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to see the Kingdom from the inside, but for now your quarterly statements make me smile.

Except for last quarter.....

 

[Tom P.]

Second quarter profits for Walt Disney Co. last year was 2.1 billion. Multiply that by 4 quarters and they are profiting around 8 billion a year. Yes, they are investing hundreds of millions and billions into the parks but they are also experiencing 10 percent increased profits year-over-year. With these kinds of growing profits, any of the cuts made around the parks coinciding with increased prices to visitors can't be defended.

Why not? Do you see any evidence that either the increased prices or the cuts will stop people, in any significant quantity, from going to Walt Disney World? If not, Disney has just made multiple smart business decisions that will increase profits. I'd imagine their shareholders would find that very defensible.

 

[SoarinSC]

I used to think that it was unethical for Disney to be so expensive because for some reason I had it in my head that Disney wanted every family to be able to go, and the Disney company advertised itself that way. I used to think that if you are going to advertise your product as a means for the average family to enjoy quality time together, you shouldn't price it so far out of reach of the average family. But then I started questioning where I really got that idea, as Disney didn't really seem to embrace the ideal of ANY family can go to the parks, but just that the parks are a place where the entire family can enjoy it TOGETHER, which is a subtle but important difference. Their commercials are not geared for the average person. I was able to take my son once on an absolutely AMAZING trip because my cousins are DVC members and my dad paid for everything - tickets, plane ride, etc. I paid for souvenirs and food for my son and I. That was six years ago. The extended family is talking about doing another reunion next year using my cousins DVC points, and once I priced the tickets for the two of us, I knew I was out. I am a single mother who works in the social work field and we live all the way across the country from Florida - for me it is not just the tickets but the airline ticket prices as well. However, as much as I want to get resentful about it being too expensive, I have to agree with Craig (I think it was Craig that said this), Bora Bora is too expensive for me as well but I don't get resentful at that! LOL We are just so grateful that we had the experience we did, and have the memories we do. My son and I also had a FANTASTIC trip to Universal in 2014 because we came into a bit of money and were able to use it for that trip. We probably won't be back to Florida anytime soon, but it's not necessarily because of the prices - I have a lot of other places I want to take him. I would love to visit Washington DC or do the Pacific coast with him.
This a really long, rambling post to just say that yes, while I would like to get mad at Disney for being so expensive, the truth is that if I had the money to do a trip, and if Disney were a priority trip destination, I would pay whatever they were asking. And if Disney was a priority for me, yes, we would spend less money at movies, etc. So again, long rambling post to say I agree with Pete! LOL

Excellent post.

 

[wilkeliza]

While my yearly budget may not like Disney price increases, I don't complain about them. I grew up dreaming of going to Disney World. My mother was a single mom with 3 young kids and 0 support from our dad. She was a teachers aid and I roughly remember her making something like 32K a year. We scraped by with little needs unmet but many wants unfilled. We had a roof, clothes, and food but not many extras. I always remembered the 90's commercials where it would say you can stay for 45 dollars a day per a person and though 45 wasn't that much. My brothers and I begged and pleaded and were always met with maybe next year. Well next year never came for my mom. After years of dentist visits, braces, and then her battle with cancer the money was never there and she passed when I was 15 never having gotten to take her kids to Disney. I'm not mad at Disney about that. It isn't their fault. Now that I'm an adult I have been at least 1 time a year for the past 6 years and even worked there for a year and a half. As silly as it is, in my circle being able to go even 1 time in your life means you are well off. So while others might complain that their trips are dwindling I sit here happy that I've been fortunate to go even 1 time in my life and hopefully will be able to continue going. If I get priced out and Disney is still important to me, then I'll just keep working harder to be able to afford that trip.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Is that like being a Lawn Guylandah, only different?

As a native Lawng Guyalndah ... I can say that this post as ausome ... now let's awl go hang out at the mawl.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

While my yearly budget may not like Disney price increases, I don't complain about them. I grew up dreaming of going to Disney World. My mother was a single mom with 3 young kids and 0 support from our dad. She was a teachers aid and I roughly remember her making something like 32K a year. We scraped by with little needs unmet but many wants unfilled. We had a roof, clothes, and food but not many extras. I always remembered the 90's commercials where it would say you can stay for 45 dollars a day per a person and though 45 wasn't that much. My brothers and I begged and pleaded and were always met with maybe next year. Well next year never came for my mom. After years of dentist visits, braces, and then her battle with cancer the money was never there and she passed when I was 15 never having gotten to take her kids to Disney. I'm not mad at Disney about that. It isn't their fault. Now that I'm an adult I have been at least 1 time a year for the past 6 years and even worked there for a year and a half. As silly as it is, in my circle being able to go even 1 time in your life means you are well off. So while others might complain that their trips are dwindling I sit here happy that I've been fortunate to go even 1 time in my life and hopefully will be able to continue going. If I get priced out and Disney is still important to me, then I'll just keep working harder to be able to afford that trip.

First, sorry to hear about your mom passing when you were young and what you had to go through

I fully agree with your post and I think a trip to Walt Disney World is something put out there to aspire to and a goal - being able to go multiple times a year is not typical and not what I think Disney is marketing to.

Seems like for some people though (not even connected to Disney, just in general) things that used to be something to aspire and or work hard for, have become something that we are entitled to

 

[Princess Jes]

being able to go multiple times a year is not typical and not what I think Disney is marketing to.

Call me stupid, but this sentence made me think:
While I've said many times before, Disney cares more about the "once in a lifetimers" more than the "we come every year/multiple times a year" people, it's occurred to me that the price rises, in theory, should be affecting the less frequent visitors, because Disney wants the AP holders and the annual visitors to buy into DVC.
Sure the maintenance fees go up, but do they increase at the rate that the rooms go up? You've paid for your rooms for 20+ years when you buy in, the maintenance shouldn't prohibit anyone from coming who has already bought in and spent god awful amounts of money to buy a contract (or multiple contracts).
Would DVC be subject to these rumored resort fees?

So maybe I'm a bit simple and this has been obvious to many already, but it seems to make sense to me.
DVC was intended for those who come annually (or more) so rising prices may force those to look into buying a contract?

For the once in a lifetime crowd, if the cost is prohibitive, save for another 3, 6, 12 months, it's once in a lifetime anyway, so just defer it?