What's the deal-

[branv]

Someone else will have to do the math for me, but from what I remember, haven't the prices over the last few years increased quite a bit more than the average salary increase? And despite all of those price increases, have we not seen significant dips in services (either through poor salary/benefits/treatment of employees, or the refusal to fully staff...thank you Eisner) or "bang for your buck"?

Do not fool yourselves. Disney isn't raising prices simply to match rising costs. Disney is raising prices b/c they are a publically traded company. It is not enough in shareholders eyes that a company make a profit every quarter, but that they make MORE of a profit than the last quarter. Disney made quite a large profit according to their last reporting. These price increases coming on the heels of that shows you more than anything that they are doing what they can to make sure next quarter/next year looks even better than the last. The only way Disney will stop passing along large increases every single year will be if people stop going. And that's only going to happen if a big recession or national tragedy happens again. Then again, isn't the average credit card debt something like $9000? Obviously people are going to go whether they have the money or not, whether they can afford it or not. Perhaps corporations think we can afford it b/c we keep pretending we can. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.

 

[dannyh23]

Someone else will have to do the math for me, but from what I remember, haven't the prices over the last few years increased quite a bit more than the average salary increase? And despite all of those price increases, have we not seen significant dips in services (either through poor salary/benefits/treatment of employees, or the refusal to fully staff...thank you Eisner) or "bang for your buck"?

Do note that this particular trend is not limited to Disney Resorts -- it's the entire travel/hotel/airline industry in general, especially after the steep, steep discounts that needed to be applied post-9/11 to get the industry rolling again.

The way some posters talk, you would think they expect $49 Allstar rooms next year because they got them for that rate 5 years ago...

 

[kapoof]

I have moved up from the Comfort Inn as my income has increased LOL!

However, I can still stay at the Marriott World Center with something like three pools, a golf course etc for around $150 night. Better beds then Disney too.

For the price of a Disney Deluxe I can stay at the JW or Ritz with a lazy river, wonderful spa, great dining, golf course, childrens program and SERVICE like you will never see at Disney.

Basically "location" is Disney's big selling point. IMHO, it's just not worth it. Other "locations" are not that much "worse" for the price and may be better. The last round of price increases didn't do anything to change my view. I realize that I am in the minority, but I think it's one of the reasons these price increases raise such a stink. It's not like last year these hotels were a great value, they just go from bad to worse! LOL!

i do see and appriecate your points but i love staying at disney...

 

[tasha99]

I'm okay with Disney raising prices, but it will affect where I vacation. Even when I come back to Disney (which of course I will), I will probably stay either at SOG, someplace off site, or rent points. CarolA has me all intrigued about the Ritz Carlton. It really is cheaper than Disney Deluxes, and if it's anything like the one I've been to in Laguna Niguel, it's much nicer too.

 

[DisneyChristmas]

WDW may be magical, but it takes many cast members to create that magic. And cast members expect to be paid. Think about the many cast members in hotel services who need to be supported by the resort fees.

There’s reservations staff, bookkeeping, and computer support before we arrive. Then there’s reception staff, bell staff, parking staff, mousekeeping, laundry staff, bus drivers, boat drivers, monorail drivers, water treatment plant, heat and cooling maintenance, exterior window washers, pool maintenance, life guards, gardeners, greenhouse workers who supply the materials for these gardeners, decorators who keep the lobby areas themed for holidays and events along with the warehouse cast members who house and maintain the decorations. At several resorts you’ll find beach maintenance, lake maintenance, marina staff, kids’ club and babysitters, special entertainment talent, and boutique cast members. Are the restaurants and room service underwritten by the resorts? If so, then you have cooks, servers, dish washers, hostess, characters, etc. concerned with food services and themed meals. Finally there’s the never-ending maintenance of structures, the periodic renovation of guest rooms, and imagineers who come up with fresh ideas. Don’t forget human resources cast members along with fire and safety crews. And probably several more teams that I’ve forgotten to mention...

 

[fla4fun]

Disney has always been expensive. When I was a kid my father had to save 2 years for a vacation. BUT back then you had GREAT service and it was worth the price. Now you pay the price but the service is not like it used to be. I would not mind paying more if the experience was above and beyond like it was in the good old days.

I think this post nailed it. It's not the increase itself, but the perception that you are getting less service (and therefore less "value") than you got for your money before. For example, gasoline has gone up, but when you buy a gallon of gas it performs the same function in the same way at the increased price as it did when it was cheaper. I don't get fewer MPG now that I'm paying more for it.

Although I think Disney is starting to get the message that the parks and resorts need a little more TLC, it definitely isn't the same experience as it used to be. Hopefully, that will improve.

 

[CarolA]

WDW may be magical, but it takes many cast members to create that magic. And cast members expect to be paid. Think about the many cast members in hotel services who need to be supported by the resort fees.

There’s reservations staff, bookkeeping, and computer support before we arrive. Then there’s reception staff, bell staff, parking staff, mousekeeping, laundry staff, bus drivers, boat drivers, monorail drivers, water treatment plant, heat and cooling maintenance, exterior window washers, pool maintenance, life guards, gardeners, greenhouse workers who supply the materials for these gardeners, decorators who keep the lobby areas themed for holidays and events along with the warehouse cast members who house and maintain the decorations. At several resorts you’ll find beach maintenance, lake maintenance, marina staff, kids’ club and babysitters, special entertainment talent, and boutique cast members. Are the restaurants and room service underwritten by the resorts? If so, then you have cooks, servers, dish washers, hostess, characters, etc. concerned with food services and themed meals. Finally there’s the never-ending maintenance of structures, the periodic renovation of guest rooms, and imagineers who come up with fresh ideas. Don’t forget human resources cast members along with fire and safety crews. And probably several more teams that I’ve forgotten to mention...

And Disney's costs are that much higher then other "Deluxe" hotels in Orlando? I think they have almost all of the same costs. THey have to hire folks, decorate etc......

The Ritz and JW have beautiful floral arrangements.

The Gaylord has an entire atrium to keep "landscaped" etc....

 

[GinnyFavers]

with all of the complaining about Disney's price increases? It must just be me and the mood I'm in, but come on- prices increase everywhere, it's not just disney ganging up on you.

We all know that the price will go up every year- just like at the gas pump, the grocery store, the clothes store, you name it.

Stop belly aching already!

Our issue is our salaries never keep up. I think that will correct itself, as will housing prices, over the next couple of years.

As far as Disney goes, all that has to happen is another terrorism scare of any kind, and there will be 60% off discounts again, and lord knows nobody would wish for that.

But I will say, if anyone feels the need to try and stop other human beings from feeling stressed out when prices rise, good luck with that.

 

[dannyh23]

And Disney's costs are that much higher then other "Deluxe" hotels in Orlando? I think they have almost all of the same costs. THey have to hire folks, decorate etc......

The Ritz and JW have beautiful floral arrangements.

The Gaylord has an entire atrium to keep "landscaped" etc....

I'll gladly admit that WDW onsite guests are paying a premium for staying onsite compared to hotels of similar or better standards -- no doubt about it! For some the premium is worth it -- EMH, "free" DDP, etc.

Others would consider it a ripoff, especially if you consider you can stay in one of those offsite HOUSES for the same price as some onsite rooms...

The market will sort itself out -- Disney, just like every other business, will keep raising rates. Pixie dust does not come cheap.

 

[dizneydiva2005]

Turning this around- I keep reading the CM's are losing the magic- from a former Disney Store CM- back when Disney owned them- Disney had a long list of how's... they are strict, no doubt about it. You were told what ear rings to wear, nail polish color, men had to have a certain hair cut, shaved... But come on, the pay was so low. I started at $5 an hour. I made more than that as a teenager 20 years ago- Disney expected a lot and paid little. I worked there because I love Disney and wanted the park discounts.

Disney Stores started to change and the magic was going away. I quit and soon after the stores were sold. I now work there again with MUCH more money, no park perks, and I'm telling you the way the store is ran- so more relaxed. I'm still on high alert because back in the day things had to be perfect and done a certain way- today, it's so relaxed, I can barely believe it. I work with some of the same girls- and they laugh at me because I do things the old way and I'm told to relax!

So my point to this is- Disney needs to step up and pay if they want their CM's spreading the magic... after all, the guests are paying for it. IMO
Die hard loyal cm are probably hard to find these days- it doesn't pay the bills.

And cm are tired of hearing complaining- it wears you down. Guests are also to blame- if you ask me. I don't think a CM has to be at your beckon call and make you feel like a princess 24/7 while at Disney- you can make your own magic/memories.

I've totally lost meaning to this post carry on-

 

[sugermouse]

I had less of an issue with Disney raising their prices in the past when their level of service set the "standard" in the hotel industry for everyone to follow. As that is no longer the case, it is harder to digest the increase. However, we will continue to go....afterall, Disney is Disney.

 

[minnie61650]

compare 2007 prices to 1997

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since 9/11 2001 Disney has been giving deep discounts to woo the public back again.

Now the travel industry is doing better and Disney is raising their prices.

Between 2002 and 2007 we have enjoyed some great deals.

I looked at my 1997 Birnbaum's Official Guide book and here are some of the prices from 1997.

1997---7 day length of stay tickets good only for 1 theme park per day but they included the water parks and Pleasure Island.
adult park pass $255
2007---7 day with water park and more adult park pass $269

A 5 day World Hopper pass which was non-expiring was $207 for an adult
they included the water parks and Pleasure Island for up to 7 days from the first use of the pass.

A 4 day value pass which only allowed 1 park per day and was non expiring was $154 for an adult.

A Theme park annual pass was $250 for an adult
A Premium annual pass was $348 for an adult and included admission to the water parks and Pleasure Island

1997 Deluxe prices----- $165-$390
2007 Deluxe Prices-----$215--$475 (excluding the GF)

1997 Mod prices--------$114-$149
2007 Mod prices--------$145-$199

1997 Value prices------$69-$89
2007 Value prices-------$82-$129

So 7 day tickets are slightly more this year than they were 10 years ago.

Prices at the values and mods have gone up but have remained low compared to most of the price jumps in other consumer goods.

I agree the price of the deluxes has steady increased a bit more when compared to price increases of the mods and values.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Hedy]

I agree with you. WDW hotels are going up? We paid more on Hotwire for the same hotel in NYC this year than we did straight from Hilton last year. My favorite restaurant on Martha's Vineyard raised prices and makes you pay through the nose for plate sharing. It's the way the world works.

 

[imatoad]

with all of the complaining about Disney's price increases? It must just be me and the mood I'm in, but come on- prices increase everywhere, it's not just disney ganging up on you.

We all know that the price will go up every year- just like at the gas pump, the grocery store, the clothes store, you name it.

Stop belly aching already!

I agree 100%, this whole crying over price increase is ridiculous. I posted the same thing as you but on another crazy thread, the cost of everything in life goes up. For some reason though people feel Disney should be the exception, as though they don't feel the rise in health insurance, gas for transportation and the like, not to mention the many shareholders they need to keep happy. Nothing has increased more dramatically and more rapidly than the cost of buying a home, look at the exorbitant price difference between now and 10 years ago, crazy. Someone said they needed to vent, over what? You vent about bad service, bad food, how it rained your whole week, but price increase is a fact of life. I've worked for many years in the resort business, hotels charge more for holidays and weekends and other seasons, it's business. As for the increase in price and decrease in service, feel free to read my review from Nov. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1291148
Jeez, get out into the real world already.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Well, it must be nice to be a part of the elite group of people who can easily handle the rising costs of Disney vacations. However, there are many of us who have to work extremely hard and make big, big sacrifices to afford a Disney trip. Couple the rising price of Disney with the rise in gas, airline tickets, groceries, and utilities and we are priced right out of the magic.

Then to see people laughing and calling that kind of struggle "belly aching" is very disheartening.

 

[Renee1061]

We went to an amusement park near us yesterday. Our tickets were $23.50 per person for 7 hours. Yes, they sell them in 7 hour time blocks.

Do they come hunt you down at the end of your 7 hours & throw you out on your keister?

 

[bgdiznee]

My take on the recent rate increases is simple. Disney wants to capture as much tourism as possible in central FL. The easiest way to do this is to get you to stay on their property irregardless of your plans to see US or SW. The best way to do this is to make a package far more appealing than purchasing your hotel, tickets, meals ect. seperately. I think what we will experience for 2008 is a new wave of multiple vacation packages from Disney. All will offer an obvious savings over room only type reservations. So it will become more cost effective to spend those six nights at a Disney resort and make that day trip to US instead of a slit stay betw WDW and US, being that a six night "pkg" will become close in cost to a four night room only/seperate tickets purchase vacation. Just my thoughts, could be totally wrong, but this was the first thing that popped into my head when I read about the increases.

 

[wdwcoltsfan]

Do they come hunt you down at the end of your 7 hours & throw you out on your keister?

No, although that would be kind of funny! We had to wear brightly colored wrist bands that clearly indicated when our time was over.


Rachel

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

We just got back from our eleventh trip. We have stayed on site every time except for one. If we even go back again, we will stay off site because the Disney resorts are no longer the value they used to be. Now notice I did not say cost. The Disney resorts have always been a little more expensive. But, now with the drastic drop in service and the increase is prices, not only at the resorts, but in all of WDW, the resorts and WDW is no longer the value for my money that it used to be. So, until Disney decides that their customers are at least as important as their profits, and this includes treating cast members better, I will not be back.

"1997---7 day length of stay tickets good only for 1 theme park per day but they included the water parks and Pleasure Island.
adult park pass $255
2007---7 day with water park and more adult park pass $269"

This price comparison is not accurate. The 1997 tickets included no expiration and hopping feature. The cost of a 7 day ticket with all of those features today cost $378.24. Quite a bit of a difference.

 

[NYDisGuy]

Amenities are a key also. Magical Express is a life saver and so is the Disney Transportation. The features on the room key, the package options, the location and you also have to remember that the deluxe hotels include the monorail and boats and Disney spends alot to keep those running everyday. The price increases are just keeping up with the rising oil prices and other upkeep costs in order to maintain a healthy profit number for the shareholders. It's business 101 really.