WDW Select clientele .... ?

[kiki02]

Kind of feeling lately that WDW wants only a certain type of visitor. Those with a very high income --- It's getting really really $$$$$ and there aren't many rooms that are discounted or tickets or food options.

? wrong? I hope I am.

 

[Marionnette]

Kind of feeling lately that WDW wants only a certain type of visitor. Those with a very high income --- It's getting really really $$$$$ and there aren't many rooms that are discounted or tickets or food options.

? wrong? I hope I am.

Disney wants to make money. People with more disposable income will spend more money, in general, because they have more of it to spend. There's nothing wrong with a business targeting specific demographic groups.

However, I don't think that the intention of Disney's price hikes is to block out customers with low-to-middle incomes. That might be the effect but I see it as an attempt to push the price envelope as far as they can in order to maximize profits.

 

[mistysue]

Do you know many businesses whose goal is to help the low income spend less money at their establishment? Not just "we have a public statement that we are for the little guy" but businesses that truly want people to come, use their amenities and spend less money? It's not a charity. They have customers spending the money so there is no reason to slash prices especially because it would lessen the experience, driving away those with the money to spend. If they cut prices to the guy with less to spend, it's not like the wealthy are going to come in droves to be overcharged to compensate it.

Even something like Sav-a-lot- they cut their prices because they have a model of keeping the price low, not advertising, not decorating, no extras and because they charge less you buy more. They don't cut their price in the hopes that only extremely poor people come in and buy one item each. It's not about the little guy. They expect that you still spend $50, but then you love them because they built their business around the idea that they can bulk order and cut just the right way to keep the same % of that $50 while you take more home.

Even if it sounds great at first, I don't think we really want Disney in on that charge less philosophy. The MK would turn into a parking lot with some people in costumes and $1 admission... not quite the same experience, but they cater to the poor, so it's ok, right?

 

[Hannathy]

I think there are more room discounts and special offers now. Back when I first started going to Disney and for quite a while there wasn't any room discounts, other than value season, etc, the different season rates. Never had free dining offers. You paid the rack rate all the time.

Disney made a special effort to build value resorts, they went years and years with nothing lower. Caribbean resort was the first thing they had in the lower category and it wasn't "value level" and that was a big deal that they did that when it opened. Now they have a lot of rooms in the value category.

I've always thought Disney food prices at CS were better than most other big amusement parks or attractions and better food.

Tickets aren't bad when you compare what you get for the money and when Zoos are charging $14 or so dollars I think it is pretty reasonable.


The trouble is their costs keep going up so they have to increase while the economy is stagnant and most people's income isn't going up at the same rate.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't think it is about income at all. It is about overall approach to the trip. I think Disney is trying to shift back towards the "once in a lifetime" crowd that will spend freely, even if they have to save for years to do so, and away from us regulars who want the best deals on our room and dining and don't buy much of the overpriced merchandise or add-on experiences. Annual passholders, DVC members, and other frequent guests simply aren't as profitable as a family coming for a once-in-a-lifetime trip full of $15 balloons and $100 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique visits and $30 t-shirts to remember it all by.

 

[Southernmiss]

Kind of feeling lately that WDW wants only a certain type of visitor. Those with a very high income --- It's getting really really $$$$$ and there aren't many rooms that are discounted or tickets or food options.

? wrong? I hope I am.

As a family of 6, I understand what you mean about expensive. We hope to get back to Disney in the next 2 years, but it takes a lot of $$ for our family to go. So we can't go frequently. I would love to see the buy 4 get 3 free deal again.

But that's all I am going to say about that.

There was a similar themed thread last week that went "Poof".

 

[disneytripper024]

Kind of feeling lately that WDW wants only a certain type of visitor. Those with a very high income --- It's getting really really $$$$$ and there aren't many rooms that are discounted or tickets or food options. ? wrong? I hope I am.

Your not alone, Disney has always been overpriced. But since people pay, Disney doesn't feel they should come down on their prices. You will always get a bigger bang for your buck offsite. There is a way to have an affordable vacation at WDW.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Gracie09]

I don't think it is about income at all. It is about overall approach to the trip. I think Disney is trying to shift back towards the "once in a lifetime" crowd that will spend freely, even if they have to save for years to do so, and away from us regulars who want the best deals on our room and dining and don't buy much of the overpriced merchandise or add-on experiences. Annual passholders, DVC members, and other frequent guests simply aren't as profitable as a family coming for a once-in-a-lifetime trip full of $15 balloons and $100 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique visits and $30 t-shirts to remember it all by.

I disagree that Disney is only looking for the once in a lifetime guests. That is a certain segment of their population, but they do a lot for the every year guest as well. They just finished a new DVc resort at the grand Floridian and are in the process of building another at the poly. If they weren't interested in DVc members they wouldn't keep building the DVc resorts. Even their food policy ( that people can bring outside food into the parks, something a lot of parks just doesn't allow) shows that they are interested in the families whose budget may be a bit tighter.
We as a population have been spoiled by the deep discounts Disney offered in recent years to keep park attendance up during an economic downturn. In many ways the downturn has started turning itself around and now the park attendence doesn't need the support of the discounts. Similar to airlines offering low prices in the wake of 9-11 to keep the seats on the planes filled and now the prices are higher (due to many factors) but the planes are still as full as ever.

 

[ceecee]

I also disagree that they are targeting high income guests as well as trying to make it a once in a lifetime thing. They offer "bounce back" deals so you come back the next year. Also pins and other discounts that they didn't have when we started going 15 years ago. You can stay at a Value (which are still really nice compared with other hotel standards) and save $. That's why there is a budget board, to learn have to maximize your $ and do as much as you can with it.
I think it's a value compared to a local amusement park near us (King's Island) we paid $18 for 2- 6" Subways and 2 drinks! For that price we could have had a really good CS at Disney! Disney is top quality and to me it's worth the price. If you feel differently, do something else. We went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and spent a lot compared to what we spend at WDW and we did a lot less.

 

[sheetz]

I don't think Disney wants guests with super high incomes because those folks can be very demanding. Ideally they'd want to attract upper middle class suburban families whose idea of an exotic vacation does not go beyond a trip to Hawaii and who will splurge for the occasional fancy dinner at Ruth's Chris. These types of people have disposable income but are relatively easy to please.

 

[3Gsandme]

Do you know many businesses whose goal is to help the low income spend less money at their establishment? Not just "we have a public statement that we are for the little guy" but businesses that truly want people to come, use their amenities and spend less money? It's not a charity. They have customers spending the money so there is no reason to slash prices especially because it would lessen the experience, driving away those with the money to spend. If they cut prices to the guy with less to spend, it's not like the wealthy are going to come in droves to be overcharged to compensate it. Even something like Sav-a-lot- they cut their prices because they have a model of keeping the price low, not advertising, not decorating, no extras and because they charge less you buy more. They don't cut their price in the hopes that only extremely poor people come in and buy one item each. It's not about the little guy. They expect that you still spend $50, but then you love them because they built their business around the idea that they can bulk order and cut just the right way to keep the same % of that $50 while you take more home. Even if it sounds great at first, I don't think we really want Disney in on that charge less philosophy. The MK would turn into a parking lot with some people in costumes and $1 admission... not quite the same experience, but they cater to the poor, so it's ok, right?

Yeah. I never get it when people seem surprised that Disney is a business at the end of the day. Yes, Disney's first goal is to run a business that makes money. They do it by, IMO, producing a superior product (parks, movies, characters, etc) and also by producing products that people feel emotional about. I am a 37 year old mother of three. I'm college educated and in the upper middle class. I have a Mickey Mouse wallet. That I paid a premium for. Because I have a emotional connection to Disney.

My point is that Disney has a great product, they know and they're going to sell, sell, sell.

 

[girli565]

I find more discounts available now but I will preface this by saying I'm a FL resident and an AP holder so I see many more discounts that wouldn't be available to the general public.

Disney is in the business of making money, they don't care who they alienate to get that money, lol. If you can afford a vacay to WDW more than once a year you must have the disposable income to be able to do that. If you can only afford a WDW vacay every 2-5 years because you want to save the money for it than that's how you do it. Disney wants your vacation money either way!

The parks are full most days so the hike in prices and lack of general public discounts doesn't seem to be hurting WDW's bottom line at all. People are still vacationing there and buying park tickets even if the prices go up yearly.

 

[scrapquitler]

Kind of feeling lately that WDW wants only a certain type of visitor. Those with a very high income --- It's getting really really $$$$$ and there aren't many rooms that are discounted or tickets or food options.

? wrong? I hope I am.

It's not so crowded that the praks are empty, so it's not overpriced, yet. Disney is very smart about how they run the business, which is not meant to provide people with fun vacations, it's meant to generate enough revenue to pay the shareholders as large a return on investment as possible. They keep prices high enough to maximize the profits, and they offer discounts and enough promotions to make it affordable for people to still go and keep coming back, and perhaps most importantly, buying the merchandise.

If Disney really wanted only the 'exclusive' clientele, there wouldn't be quick service dining, there wouldn't be value resorts, there wouldn't be any discounts and the prices would be even higher.

 

[girli565]

If Disney really wanted only the 'exclusive' clientele, there wouldn't be quick service dining, there wouldn't be value resorts, there wouldn't be any discounts and the prices would be even higher.

And to piggy back onto this... You can book a package with Disney that only requires a $200 deposit and has to be paid off 45 days before arrival. If you book a year out you can make payments on it, interest free as long as it's paid in full 45 before your check in date. That seems to help people who aren't "exclusive" guests make the vacation affordable.

 

[kiki02]

And to piggy back onto this... You can book a package with Disney that only requires a $200 deposit and has to be paid off 45 days before arrival. If you book a year out you can make payments on it, interest free as long as it's paid in full 45 before your check in date. That seems to help people who aren't "exclusive" guests make the vacation affordable.

the one day ticket price is now close to $100. A family of just four going for just a few days even offsite... $$$$$$.

 

[girli565]

the one day ticket price is now close to $100. A family of just four going for just a few days even offsite... $$$$$$.

But remember that if you buy multi-day tickets you get a better discount. And there's places like undercover tourist that have discounted multi-day tickets too. There's always a way to help make things more affordable. Yes, even discounted tickets are expensive but every little bit helps.

 

[kymom99]

While I do agree that there are many ways to make it affordable, I do get the feeling Disney is trying to keep a certain perception. They want a Disney vacation to seem more like a luxury, or an exclusive destination. Otherwise it starts to look like an ordinary tourist trap, and it loses its luster.

Coincidentally, there was a segment on my local radio station about things that give the impression today that someone is affluent vs. things in the 80s. One of the things discussed from the 80s was a Disney vacation. When I was a kid, I didn't know of anyone who went to Disney. Then my sister went on her honeymoon in 1980. It was a huge deal. Now everyone wants to go, and many people do. I have personally been 5 times in 8 years. In order to keep the perception of a premiere destination, Disney has to make it kind of difficult to go cheaply.

I also agree that the big discounts came after 9/11 and the downturn in the economy. Now that things have picked back up, the discounts are not as plentiful. When I get a chance, I will post a pic of the pool at Allstar Sports in June on a nice day. it is practically empty.

 

[Gracie09]

While I do agree that there are many ways to make it affordable, I do get the feeling Disney is trying to keep a certain perception. They want a Disney vacation to seem more like a luxury, or an exclusive destination. Otherwise it starts to look like an ordinary tourist trap, and it loses its luster.

Coincidentally, there was a segment on my local radio station about things that give the impression today that someone is affluent vs. things in the 80s. One of the things discussed from the 80s was a Disney vacation. When I was a kid, I didn't know of anyone who went to Disney. Then my sister went on her honeymoon in 1980. It was a huge deal. Now everyone wants to go, and many people do. I have personally been 5 times in 8 years. In order to keep the perception of a premiere destination, Disney has to make it kind of difficult to go cheaply.

I also agree that the big discounts came after 9/11 and the downturn in the economy. Now that things have picked back up, the discounts are not as plentiful. When I get a chance, I will post a pic of the pool at Allstar Sports in June on a nice day. it is practically empty.

I think the relative cost of travel has a lot to do with it. In the 1980s air travel was about 30% higher than it is today (adjusted for inflation etc). Before deregulation it was even higher. Also has was relatively more expensive and the cars had lower mpgs. When I grew up (because I'm ancient in my mid 30s) people didn't fly places. No Europe, no California, no Disney. It was simply too expensive for a family to do that. Now it's relatively inexpensive so traveling with you family anywhere is an option.

 

[kiki02]

And to piggy back onto this... You can book a package with Disney that only requires a $200 deposit and has to be paid off 45 days before arrival. If you book a year out you can make payments on it, interest free as long as it's paid in full 45 before your check in date. That seems to help people who aren't "exclusive" guests make the vacation affordable.

the one day ticket price is now close to $100. A family of just four going for just a few days even offsite... $$$$$$.

 

[kymom99]

I think the relative cost of travel has a lot to do with it. In the 1980s air travel was about 30% higher than it is today (adjusted for inflation etc). Before deregulation it was even higher. Also has was relatively more expensive and the cars had lower mpgs. When I grew up (because I'm ancient in my mid 30s) people didn't fly places. No Europe, no California, no Disney. It was simply too expensive for a family to do that. Now it's relatively inexpensive so traveling with you family anywhere is an option.

That was another thing that was mentioned on the radio. No one flew on vacation.