WDW Select clientele .... ?

[Marionnette]

What summer discount? Summer is HIGH HIGH SEASON.

No, Christmas and Easter are "HIGH HIGH SEASON".

Summer is just...summer season. The rates are higher than value season but definitely not the highest. There are "peak seasons" where the rack rates are higher than summer season (May 30-Aug. 2).

And as others have already pointed out, there has been a discount available to the public for the latter part of summer season since mid-March. It's really old news.

 

[QVCshopper]

I think Disney is just trying to get you to spend ALL your money at their parks, their hotels, their food. They don't want you staying offsite, going to Universal or Sea World. They want to cater to the exclusive Disney guest and that's why they sometimes offer things like free dining to get you hooked into the experience so you keep coming back.

 

[undertheradar]

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.

I don't think you will find the lower cost offsite pricing that many Florida residents try and utilize for quick visits. Disney is a business and they have to control the cost of product. Too many deep discounts will cause a lag in reservations, as the guests redeeming those discounts become used to seeing them and refuse to return without the discounts. While there are some slower times of year to visit, Disney has no problem filling the resorts and parks during holidays, school breaks and Summer.

 

[winterwhite]

Since we're staying Deluxe for 7 nights, we saved 35%.

That makes our room at the Yacht Club cheaper than the one we would have gotten in upstate NY's Lake George. ($287.30 per night as opposed to $360 per night.)

My brother in law and sister in law and their families are staying Moderate and each saved $500.

And "Value Season" (or in some resorts, "Value Season II") starts in WDW by the beginning of August. You can save some serious money simply by looking at when Value Season begins.

In the 4 trips I will have taken in the past decade, we have NEVER paid rack rate for the room. The WORST we've ever done is 30% off.
(In 2008 we got a PIN for 40% off, in 2009 they offered the 4/3 deal after the economy tanked, in 2012 it was 30% and this year it's 35% off. As teachers, we only go over the summer, during Value Season when the even rack rate is lower.)

And as to Disney being limited to "high income clientele"-- as I said, we're both teachers. In Catholic Schools. So I would call us a lot of things, but "high income" is definitely NOT on the list.

The trick is that you've got to do your homework and be aware of the options.

You didn't "save" 35%. The rack rate is a completely fictional number. The only people who pay it are the ones who think they are getting a deal with free dining.

I routinely see the deluxe level properties for $250/nt on various discount booking sites, at all times of the year. The "Disney deal" is the same deal you could get elsewhere. Therefore, you aren't saving anything, unless you are comparing travel in a more popular season with travel in a low season. For the same dates, same property, anyone would be paying rack rate - at least 35% so you saved 0% over that figure.

People post this all the time and the room only "discounts" aren't. They bring the hotel price from completely in the realm of fantasy to moderately overpriced for what you get.

The current discount for next week was I think 25% off moderate. I am paying $125/nt for POR, which is something like 52% off. The Disney "discounts" are usually terrible deals.

 

[JillianMarie]

Eh. We're DINKS and we've been a few times and really enjoyed it. But, we also have the means to go quite a few other places every year as well and Disney is for sure our 'easy, escapist, don't have to plan or think about anything' vacation. If I could only afford to get out of town once a year or had children there's no WAY I'd go very often. I feel like I'd actually be less inclined to go if I had kids. But, different strokes.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

You didn't "save" 35%. The rack rate is a completely fictional number. The only people who pay it are the ones who think they are getting a deal with free dining.

I routinely see the deluxe level properties for $250/nt on various discount booking sites, at all times of the year. The "Disney deal" is the same deal you could get elsewhere. Therefore, you aren't saving anything, unless you are comparing travel in a more popular season with travel in a low season. For the same dates, same property, anyone would be paying rack rate - at least 35% so you saved 0% over that figure.

People post this all the time and the room only "discounts" aren't. They bring the hotel price from completely in the realm of fantasy to moderately overpriced for what you get.

The current discount for next week was I think 25% off moderate. I am paying $125/nt for POR, which is something like 52% off. The Disney "discounts" are usually terrible deals.

Exactly this. It has been many years since any hotel or retailer posts the "regular price" as a realistic number. Every retailer constantly has 20% off coupons, and every hotel constantly has "discount codes".

It's all psychology to make you think you're getting a good deal.

 

[crisi]

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.

That's who'd I'd target - the upper middle class - those in the 80-95 percentile income bracket. Margins are higher for those guests then the middle class guests. And I agree, infrequent guests who need a lot of souvenirs have better margins than people who go every year. DVC helps even out capacity - providing a steady cash flow year round in park tickets and restaurants. That helps cover all your fixed costs in the slow seasons. But you really want that family who comes and spends a week at the Yacht Club and spends for the "once in a lifetime" trip.

 

[amg35]

WDW is the last place most DINKS want to vacation. If we didn't have kids, we would never have spent any vacation time or money at WDW.

Hmm, have to disagree with this one. We are "dinks" (hate that term), and we go to WDW every few years or so between other trips. It's fun!

I know a lot of couples with no kids or grown kids that have WDW in their vacation rotation every few years.

More and more in fact.

Then again, we (and other couples) are probably their "target" market - we only go every 5 or 6 years and spend baby spend!

 

[barbarabini]

I think they are targeting international visitors. The dollar is weak against many of the currencies. So, increase the American prices, have foreign tourists come in, stay longer, spend more freely ( as it is cheaper for them). I was at the GF last week. At least 50% of the visitors there were from foreign countries (UK, Scotland, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Korea, among others.) They were traveling in big parties and as I sat next to them at Narcoosees, I remembered my $45.00 steak is about $26 in pounds. Disney seems to be, if not a cheap vacation, at least a manageable one for foreign tourists.

 

[crisi]

Hmm, have to disagree with this one. We are "dinks" (hate that term), and we go to WDW every few years or so between other trips. It's fun!

I know a lot of couples with no kids or grown kids that have WDW in their vacation rotation every few years.

More and more in fact.

Then again, we (and other couples) are probably their "target" market - we only go every 5 or 6 years and spend baby spend!

The operative word is MOST. Many people without kids love Disney, this board is full of them - but MOST would rather vacation somewhere else.

 

[southlakejr]

As much as I hate the term, DH and I are also DINKS. And we also vacation at Disney. We haven't been to the world yet, but generally go to DLR several times a year.

Sure, we may be the minority. But we also vacation frequently with two other couples in the same boat. We have vacationed other places, but have done Disney together most frequently(roughly 8 trips together). Off the top of my head, I can probably think of a dozen other couples in our same childless state who have vacationed at DLR in the last year. (As west coast folks, WDW just isn't as popular or appealing based on the cost and duration of flights)

Is Disney targeting a more affluent customer? Possibly yes and no. If they start offering perks that appeal to those with a larger disposable income (better dining, spa services, enhanced resort features, etc. ) then yes, I would say they are targeting a more affluent customer. But just by raising prices? No. They are responding to demand.

Also, prices have been somewhat stagnant during the slower economy, and are naturally rising to adjust to a recovering economy.

Ultimately, Disney needs all types of customers to thrive. We are not huge Disney spenders, we don't typically buy souvenirs, we don't stay onsite, etc. But, Disney can probably count on getting roughly 1-2k of our income (then adjusted for inflation, etc) a year for probably the rest of our lives. We are a bread and butter, operational type of customer- our dollars are more guaranteed, and probably more steady. Others will go and spend 10k on a vacation every 5 years. These big spenders also help the Disney bottomline. I don't think they could make it on just the 10k customers (even though we could spend 10k over the course of 5 years on Disney, we would never spend that for a one-off vacation). But I also think Disney needs to appeal to the masses at every price point.

 

[JanaDee]

Hmm, have to disagree with this one. We are "dinks" (hate that term), and we go to WDW every few years or so between other trips. It's fun!

I know a lot of couples with no kids or grown kids that have WDW in their vacation rotation every few years.

More and more in fact.

Then again, we (and other couples) are probably their "target" market - we only go every 5 or 6 years and spend baby spend!

I said most. Most people that have the disposable income would rather go somewhere/anywhere else.

 

[Judique]

I said most. Most people that have the disposable income would rather go somewhere/anywhere else.

I'm kind of curious why all (most) the people in this thread are actually on this board?

Some say they are not really into going to Disney yet they have 3000 posts. A lot of people continuously talk about how they would rather spend their dollars elsewhere, yet they are posting everyday on every Disney board. (Don't stop - enjoy reading your posts! Not trying to make you go away!)

But why, why are you all so attracted to 'Disney talk' if you are not really into Disney? Or don't see it as a worthwhile place to spend your money?

I take Disney for what it is. I can afford it or the euro vacation - been there/done that.

I quoted JanaDee because I don't agree with the statement. I think that most people want a Disney vacation at least once. It's just that not everyone who goes once, enjoys it thoroughly, spends a lot and has a good time, necessarily feels the need to go back - as in my Euro feeling - been there done that, sent the postcard, took the picture, had a great time, but I personally don't need to go back.

I do go back to Disney for the same reason another poster stated - it's an 'easy' vacation. Not much thought or planning needed. I can afford it so charge what you will until I decide what my limit is.

 

[Southernmiss]

I'm kind of curious why all (most) the people in this thread are actually on this board?

Some say they are not really into going to Disney yet they have 3000 posts. A lot of people continuously talk about how they would rather spend their dollars elsewhere, yet they are posting everyday on every Disney board. (Don't stop - enjoy reading your posts! Not trying to make you go away!)

But why, why are you all so attracted to 'Disney talk' if you are not really into Disney? .

I enjoy the discussions on the budget and community boards. Never have posted to internet sites until I joined disboards.

A variety of topics with good diverse opinions and always something new.

I would take a Disney vacation any day of the year if I could afford to.

 

[JanaDee]

I'm kind of curious why all (most) the people in this thread are actually on this board?

Some say they are not really into going to Disney yet they have 3000 posts. A lot of people continuously talk about how they would rather spend their dollars elsewhere, yet they are posting everyday on every Disney board. (Don't stop - enjoy reading your posts! Not trying to make you go away!)

But why, why are you all so attracted to 'Disney talk' if you are not really into Disney? Or don't see it as a worthwhile place to spend your money?

I take Disney for what it is. I can afford it or the euro vacation - been there/done that.

I quoted JanaDee because I don't agree with the statement. I think that most people want a Disney vacation at least once. It's just that not everyone who goes once, enjoys it thoroughly, spends a lot and has a good time, necessarily feels the need to go back - as in my Euro feeling - been there done that, sent the postcard, took the picture, had a great time, but I personally don't need to go back.

I do go back to Disney for the same reason another poster stated - it's an 'easy' vacation. Not much thought or planning needed. I can afford it so charge what you will until I decide what my limit is.

No, most people don't want a disney vacation at least once. It may seem hard to believe, but not everyone is interested in vacationing at WDW.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm kind of curious why all (most) the people in this thread are actually on this board?

Some say they are not really into going to Disney yet they have 3000 posts. A lot of people continuously talk about how they would rather spend their dollars elsewhere, yet they are posting everyday on every Disney board. (Don't stop - enjoy reading your posts! Not trying to make you go away!)

But why, why are you all so attracted to 'Disney talk' if you are not really into Disney? Or don't see it as a worthwhile place to spend your money?

I think a lot of us came here when planning a Disney trip (or several) but became part of the community and the non-Disney focused sub-forums and just sort of stuck around for that. I'm seldom on the Theme Parks, Resorts, or Dining boards any more because I don't have a trip in mind for the foreseeable future. But I'm still a regular on the Community and Budget boards as a matter of habit and because I enjoy the non-WDW-oriented conversations that go on here.

 

[Colleen27]

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.

I don't think they're only looking for those guest, but I do think they're looking for more of them and fewer repeats. They counted on repeat guests and steep discounts to keep the parks full through the post-9/11 travel lull and the recession but now that the economy is improving they're looking to get back to drawing a higher percentage of their guests from the more profitable once-in-a-lifetime segment.

DVC is an entirely separate equation, a capital investment for which costs can be recouped very quickly and which generates an ongoing and guaranteed stream of revenue to support its' own maintenance. DVC owners may not spend as much in the parks, but they spend a lot up front to join the ranks of frequent guests.

 

[Judique]

No, most people don't want a disney vacation at least once. It may seem hard to believe, but not everyone is interested in vacationing at WDW.

MOST people I've met do want a Disney vacation at least once. Your experience differs from mine. That doesn't make either of us 100% correct.

It's not difficult for me to believe that not everyone is interested in vacationing at Disney - why would you think that?

To stay on topic, I think Disney marketing reaches for the dollar. If you can come up with the price of admission, you are in.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

It's supply and demand. Everything else is expensive too. Movies, shows , sports events , eating out , etc. I do think those that are very high earners will travel more overseas and other places not just Disney.

I think they cater to anyone wanting to spend the money.

 

[JillianMarie]

No, most people don't want a disney vacation at least once. It may seem hard to believe, but not everyone is interested in vacationing at WDW.

You certainly seem to have a lot of insight into the wants and needs of 'most' people.