What Would Happen if Disney Didn't Raise Prices?

[jrtoastyman]

Was listening to the most recent podcast this morning and the discussion about Universal raising their prices and the inevitability of Disney and SeaWorld following suit. As discussed, part of the reason that Disney raises prices is because they can, and Universal going first certainly gives them cover to do so and we know from the past that when one park raises prices, the others do as well. It got me thinking, though -- what would happen if Universal raised prices and Disney stood pat? Has that ever happened before?

I'm not suggesting that Disney should or will follow this path, I'm just trying to envision it in my mind. My knee-jerk reaction is that if they just declined to raise prices and that was it, nothing would happen, and they'd just miss out on the extra revenue they could gain by raising prices along with the other parks. If they stood pat and used it as part of marketing message, that it was a relatively economical option (which, of course, is preposterous), I wonder if it would have any impact upon attendance. I doubt it would cause people that would otherwise go to Universal to go to Disney instead because I think they just attract different crowds to some extent, but it might keep some people on property that might otherwise take a couple of days and spend them at Universal...

Who knows, just thinking aloud. Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I'm with you. I'm sure they'll follow suit and raise prices. But if they chose NOT to, I don't think that they would get a lot of PR/marketing mileage out of it. I think people (especially in this community of hard-core fans) know that the prices are ridiculous but we continue to pay them anyway. I would bet a Disney dollar (that's worth about 47 U.S. cents now, right? (j/k, sorta)), that by even bringing up the idea of prices in general - whether to raise or keep the same - brings up a bad subject. It's like that white elephant in the room ... I don't think it would help them at all to point it out.

My guess is that they will quietly raise prices and hope for the least fallout possible. After all, the only ones who tend to gripe are us hard-core fans. The rest of the public sees WDW as a package deal and rarely disects the parts of the whole package or even understands the nuances of the different parts.

 

[kbelle8995]

I think that they will raise prices. If they didn't I think I would be surprised. Disney ticket price raising is as inevitable as death and taxes. I don't think they would go broke if they didn't.

I think that Hotel, food, parking and other purchases will go up price wise as well. This is what makes Disney a expensive trip for some. And whether it goes up doesn't matter, Most non-Disney fans tourists who come think that Disney World is so expensive anyway and most think of it as a one time while my kids are young I have to this Disney thing. At least that is the case at Disney World. Disneyland is just a different beast.