Thank You Pete Werner!

[GAN]

It sounds like some people feel like Disney was always affordable -it wasn't. There was a time before Value Resorts and "free" Dining where going twice a year or even every year wasn't even a thought for most people. To be honest, and I mean this in the most productive way, visiting has never been quite the same since those additions...

My wife and I have witnessed and experienced things in the parks(pretty sure there are several threads on related subjects) that we thought we would never experience -leaving us to just look at each other in disbelief. We have been going to WDW since the 70's and we're not rich by any standards but are reaching a point where we don't mind spending more for a better experience, even if it means we do something less often. I would be all in favor of making a vacation less affordable -it's about time......

 

[kbelle8995]

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"!

Must be a regional thing. We always called them wallets. Whether Disney was more affordable is questionable. However Disney World was much smaller in the past, And the days you spent didn't have to be as many. In the 70's there was only one park, and while you could go a week you really didn't have to. You could easily do WDW in a weekend or least MK and spent some time at the resort. Epcot wasn't built until the 80's.

Really you can't compare affordability of now and then due to the small size of Walt Disney World. Less parks to go to less money spent on tickets.

 

[senadler]

Is that the jersey way of saying "pocket book"?

Yes, and being away from Jersey for so long I can't remember the last time I heard it. Makes me think of my mom

 

[SA mom]

It sounds like some people feel like Disney was always affordable -it wasn't.

For most of my family, Disney has never been and never will be affordable. The fact of the matter is, a Disney vacation is a once in a lifetime experience for many. My brother and sister have never been able to afford to come back after our 1974 trip. I have two other brothers that have never been able to afford it.

 

[Jadeey]

For most of my family, Disney has never been and never will be affordable. The fact of the matter is, a Disney vacation is a once in a lifetime experience for many. My brother and sister have never been able to afford to come back after our 1974 trip. I have two other brothers that have never been able to afford it.

And that's what I think a lot of people forget. Many, many people have been priced out since the beginning. A Disney vacation is, without doubt, a luxury item that a lot of people will never choose to spend their money on.

My brother has never been able to afford to take his kids. Sure, they could save up for 5+ years and have their once in a lifetime experience, but he and his wife don't care enough about Disney to want to do that. My parents did pay for my nephew to go to Disneyland once, my husband and I took him, but it will never be a family trip for them.

 

[Clare Voince]

The value price for a one day ticket is exactly the same. The Peak price is $19 more. If $19 dollars is going to break you, you shouldn't be going to Disney in the first place.

 

[Clare Voince]

Is that the jersey way of saying "pocket book"?

There's no such thing as a pock-a-book. The poster just doesn't understand the phrase. 'Pocketbook' is a term that means a woman's handbag. Here it is in the dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocketbook

 

[SorcererHeidi]

There's no such thing as a pock-a-book. The poster just doesn't understand the phrase. 'Pocketbook' is a term that means a woman's handbag. Here it is in the dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocketbook

Ummmm.....being a Joisey transplant myself, I can say the OP was being cute, and yes - Joisey goils DO say "pock a book" instead of the correct pronunciation for a woman's handbag "pocket book", again - to be cute, which I thought it was, and it made me smile. Can't find that in the dictionary.

 

[Princess Jes]

There's no such thing as a pock-a-book. The poster just doesn't understand the phrase. 'Pocketbook' is a term that means a woman's handbag. Here it is in the dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocketbook

Yeah, they were definitely just being phonetic about the way jersey people say "pocket book"
Which I'm fairly sure they clarified a few posts back.

 

[GAN]

Ummmm.....being a Joisey transplant myself, I can say the OP was being cute, and yes - Joisey goils DO say "pock a book" instead of the correct pronunciation for a woman's handbag "pocket book", again - to be cute, which I thought it was, and it made me smile. Can't find that in the dictionary.

I was going to say something, but who am I to speak for Joisey goils ...I'm just a Rho D'Islandah

 

[SoarinSC]

I'm by no means rich, not even close, but I have no problem with the price increases.

Disney doesn't owe it to anybody to make their parks affordable for all.

This is how I feel about it. Like Pete says, Disney is a business and we live in a free-market system, which people never complain about if they're profiting from it. Like Kathy said if it gets to a point of making choices budget-wise and Disney is still a priority, make some sacrifices.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Should it be affordable

 

[Lesverts]

Firstly I strongly disagree that the price increases and tiered pricing is not meant to shift crowds/lower attendance. Walt Disney World is seeing unprecedented crowds that Disney cannot reasonably coop with and provide the same level of service to all guests. Pricing out people and leveling crowds is one way to ensure that there is a more consistent guest experience. Look at other high end travel, they do the exact same thing.

Secondly I think the new pricing structure is meant to strongly encourage people to only go to Disney by creating a better value-estimate with longer multi-day tickets. I think this might backfire for repeat guests because in a year there will be enough to do at Universal in a week to justify just visiting Universal for a trip.

Finally, I think that a lot of this could be all mute with Disney acting more and more like a Veblen good.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Firstly I strongly disagree that the price increases and tiered pricing is not meant to shift crowds/lower attendance. Walt Disney World is seeing unprecedented crowds that Disney cannot reasonably coop with and provide the same level of service to all guests. Pricing out people and leveling crowds is one way to ensure that there is a more consistent guest experience. Look at other high end travel, they do the exact same thing.

Secondly I think the new pricing structure is meant to strongly encourage people to only go to Disney by creating a better value-estimate with longer multi-day tickets. I think this might backfire for repeat guests because in a year there will be enough to do at Universal in a week to justify just visiting Universal for a trip.

Finally, I think that a lot of this could be all mute with Disney acting more and more like a Veblen good.

good theory

 

[AdamEfimoff]

This is how I feel about it. Like Pete says, Disney is a business and we live in a free-market system, which people never complain about if they're profiting from it. Like Kathy said if it gets to a point of making choices budget-wise and Disney is still a priority, make some sacrifices.

yes but in Australia we seem to have more ethical pricing

 

[Princess Jes]

yes but in Australia we seem to have more ethical pricing

I'm not so sure I agree with you on that one Adam.
For example: our petrol (fuel) prices have increased at ridiculously rapid and steep rate.
However, when the AUD reached (and exceeded) parity with the USD, our petrol prices remained the same.
Oil is consistently quoted in USD per barrel, but if our $ is buying more USD, how was the price not affected?
Doesn't seem that ethical to me.
I'm sure there are other factors driving this too, but you can't argue that if the USD and AUD are on parity, some relief should have been felt, and it wasn't.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Princess I get disability discounts and student discounts here . Would not happen in the states

 

[Princess Jes]

Princess I get disability discounts and student discounts here . Would not happen in the states

Perhaps, but I'm not sure that's ethical pricing so much as a discount system that some government and private businesses offer

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Perhaps, but I'm not sure that's ethical pricing so much as a discount system that some government and private businesses offer

maybe better than nothing

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I was going to say something, but who am I to speak for Joisey goils ...I'm just a Rho D'Islandah

Is that like being a Lawn Guylandah, only different?