Will Universal Match WDW? (Price Increase)

[Purseval]

WDW announced it is raising ticket prices on Thursday. Not that big of a surprise, they do it every year now. But Universal had a big price increase prior to the opening of WWOHP. Do you think they will try to sneak in another one to match WDW?

 

[Lou Holtz]

I'm not following the logic.

 

[Purseval]

Let me restate it then. Every August like clockwork WDW raises ticket prices and Universal matches it. But this time Universal raised their prices earlier to take advantage of the opening of their new area, WWOHP. Just because they raised them once this year doesn't mean they can't raise them again. Do you think they will raise them again to match Disney?

 

[Rip]

Let me restate it then. Every August like clockwork WDW raises ticket prices and Universal matches it. But this time Universal raised their prices earlier to take advantage of the opening of their new area, WWOHP. Just because they raised them once this year doesn't mean they can't raise them again. Do you think they will raise them again to match Disney?

My gut says that they will probably raise single-day, single-park tickets but nothing else.

 

[Metro West]

Nothing would surprise me at this point.

 

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[TLinden16]

I would think that Universal will not increase prices further this year since they had such a dramatic increase already this year.

 

[Purseval]

I'm also in the single-day ticket rise camp.

 

[bubba's mom]

I would think that Universal will not increase prices further this year since they had such a dramatic increase already this year.

That's my thought.

Guess we wait n see.....

 

[hopemax]

Considering how successful WWoHP has been, I wouldn't be surprised if Universal did have a second increase this year.

 

[damo]

I'm thinking not. From what I can see using online prices at the official sites,

Universal's one day one park price is $86.29 including tax and fees.
Disney's current one day one park price is $84.14 including tax and fees.
Disney's increased one day one park price will be approx. $87.33 including tax and fees.

I can't see Universal increasing their one day prices by a dollar or so to match Disney but who knows.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Did they actually increase ticket prices for 1-Day 1-Park tickets earlier this year though? I think they just changed the pricing scheme across the board.

They'll most likely match this increase, as will Sea World and Busch Gardens.

 

[Jaxx1980]

For me WDW is just becoming too expensive!! I get so much more out of a flex ticket than I do going to WDW for a few days.

Really I'm starting to wonder if Disney will be worth it for me.

 

[Purseval]

Disney stopped being "worth it" to us when they went to the Magic Your Way ticket scam, started charging for non-expiring tickets and put an outrageous front end load to force you into buying multi-day tickets which had as good a chance of ending up forgotten in a drawer as they did being used. We still go but it is because we have enough free time to visit timeshare presentations and get our tickets either for free or at a greatly reduced cost. I might have been singing a different tune if my kids hadn't have grown out of Disney and into Universal by then but that's how it worked out.

 

[Rip]

From Lance @ Screamscape:

"With Disney making big increase after increase every year however, I think it’s only a matter of “when” the world market says enough is enough and the barrier shatters in Orlando. Will it be $90? Will it be $100?

Hell, for $100 a person to visit the Magic Kingdom… I’m going to be expecting a lot more than just a fun day at the park. For $100+ per person I want Pooh to change my baby’s diaper, Lightning McQueen to shuttle us from park to park, Aladdin and his Genie to rub my wife’s feet when she’s tired and a nice back massage from Jessica Rabbit for me. Now shove that in your Project Next Gen folder."

Hahahahaha, he's got a whole write up about the annual price increases. I can't believe they have almost doubled since I lived there in '99.

 

[Rash]

From Lance @ Screamscape:
Hahahahaha, he's got a whole write up about the annual price increases. I can't believe they have almost doubled since I lived there in '99.

Why not? That's 11 years. If tickets were $50, and you increased them by 6% per year, it would take 11 years or the price to double. So 6% is too high? Cost of living increases are approx 3-4% - Disney does have employees to pay. So the other 2-3% is profit/increased operating expenses/etc. Considering how much Disney has grown/added over the last 11 years and how much more there is to do, I'd say the value of that increase in entertainment options is worth at LEAST a 2-3% increase in prices per year.

 

[Rip]

Why not? That's 11 years. If tickets were $50, and you increased them by 6% per year, it would take 11 years or the price to double. So 6% is too high? Cost of living increases are approx 3-4% - Disney does have employees to pay. So the other 2-3% is profit/increased operating expenses/etc. Considering how much Disney has grown/added over the last 11 years and how much more there is to do, I'd say the value of that increase in entertainment options is worth at LEAST a 2-3% increase in prices per year.

And I think it's absurd. Truly and utterly ridiculous. What have they added in the past 11 years? Soarin' and TSM? One of which is simulator housed in an already existing pavillion. What else? Oh, yeah, EE and Mission Space.

Is it worth a little more, sure, is it worth twice what it was 10 years ago - not in the least. They are approaching a point where there will be a dramatic backlash against them, I'm not sure if it will be at $90 or $100, but at least by $100 their attendance will plummet.

 

[bubba's mom]

Why not? That's 11 years. If tickets were $50, and you increased them by 6% per year, it would take 11 years or the price to double. So 6% is too high? Cost of living increases are approx 3-4% - Disney does have employees to pay. So the other 2-3% is profit/increased operating expenses/etc. Considering how much Disney has grown/added over the last 11 years and how much more there is to do, I'd say the value of that increase in entertainment options is worth at LEAST a 2-3% increase in prices per year.

From what I understand...they don't pay THAT well

 

[Rash]

And I think it's absurd. Truly and utterly ridiculous. What have they added in the past 11 years? Soarin' and TSM? One of which is simulator housed in an already existing pavillion. What else? Oh, yeah, EE and Mission Space.

Is it worth a little more, sure, is it worth twice what it was 10 years ago - not in the least. They are approaching a point where there will be a dramatic backlash against them, I'm not sure if it will be at $90 or $100, but at least by $100 their attendance will plummet.

I don't know exactly what's been added in the last 11 years, but my instinct tells me it's much more than just the few attractions you listed. There are new resorts for example. Perhaps a Disney fanatic can chime in with an exact list of everything added since 1999.

As far as attendance plummeting when the cost gets above a certain threshold - I respectfully disagree. As an example - I am an eye doc. The fee for my routine eye exam is double today compared to 10 years ago. I raise fees yearly for various reasons, yet every year I see more patients, and I have never been busier.

Point is - people pay for percieved value. I can raise my fees because my patients are happy and feel the price is worth the quality of care and experience that I provide. Similarly, Disney can continue to raise prices as long as most people percieve the experience as worth it. As long as they continue to deliver a high quality, unique, customer service oriented vacation, raising fees incrementally over the years will not hurt attendance.

 

[Rip]

I don't know exactly what's been added in the last 11 years, but my instinct tells me it's much more than just the few attractions you listed. There are new resorts for example. Perhaps a Disney fanatic can chime in with an exact list of everything added since 1999.

The new resorts are an additional fee that has also skyrocketed.

As far as attendance plummeting when the cost gets above a certain threshold - I respectfully disagree. As an example - I am an eye doc. The fee for my routine eye exam is double today compared to 10 years ago. I raise fees yearly for various reasons, yet every year I see more patients, and i have never been busier.

I understand, but you're comparing medical need with entertainment. Not exactly apples/apples.

Point is - people pay for percieved value. I can raise my fees because my patients are happy and the feel the price is worth the quality of care and experience that I provide. Similarly, Disney can continue to raise prices as long as most people percieve the experience as worth it. As long as they continue to deliver a high quality, service oriented experience, raising fees incrementally over the years will not hurt attendance.

Which is my point, there is a threshold above which many people will not perceive the experience to be worth it, and when Disney crosses that threshold their attendance will suffer.