Originally Posted By HokieSkipper "Read my lips, 'No new discounts'"-The Weatherman What a joke. <<Why doesn't Disneyland offer discounts like this!?>> Because DLR offers an actual premium product?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 You should really pay closer attention ... Disney has announced massive discounts all the way thru Fall of 2011. They include free dining, free gift cards (I think up to $500) and just plain discounted rooms. (this also means more discounts for APers and Cast will be coming down the road) I'd love to know how they are going to spin this as something positive for either their bottom line or their statements to the contrary. ~A Spirit Shall Descend on The Happiest Place in Anaheim Shortly!~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<With monthly installment payments for the locals>> They now have them in O-Town as well, Dave. <<I see I didn't miss much.>> Back already? ~Nothing To See Here!~
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Back already? ~Nothing To See Here!~<<< Sadly. And yeah...for Miami...There really is nothing to see here. I'm a little more disgusted with home than usual, after my little jaunt to the north east...
Originally Posted By MPierce >> You should really pay closer attention ... Disney has announced massive discounts all the way thru Fall of 2011. They include free dining, free gift cards (I think up to $500) and just plain discounted rooms. << You left out the up to 40% off of rack rates for your room.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> "Read my lips, 'No new discounts'"-The Weatherman What a joke << But he rally means it this time. SINCERELY!
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy The discounts will continue until the U.S. economy recovers. There will be discounts for a long time to come. It's not hard to figure that out.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Sadly.>> You need to take longer trips!!! <<And yeah...for Miami...There really is nothing to see here.>> Hmm ... let's see ... we have the 'alleged' world's largest outlet mall ... some truly amazing beaches ... iguana and parrots that don't belong here (ran into both today) ... oh, and we even have an IKEA ... don't get no better than that! And we even have two decent TV shows that are filming here now. But largely it is a giant hole with godawful humidity! <<I'm a little more disgusted with home than usual, after my little jaunt to the north east...>> That is to be expected. I'm just thrilled for you that you wound up going since it was touch and go there. You did far more than this Spirit as far as fun travel this summer, but that's about to start to change in a big way! ~We also have the filthiest fast food outlets per capita in the continental USA!~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> You should really pay closer attention ... Disney has announced massive discounts all the way thru Fall of 2011. They include free dining, free gift cards (I think up to $500) and just plain discounted rooms. << <<You left out the up to 40% off of rack rates for your room.>> Oops, sorry. Thanks old buddy for picking that one up. I am slipping ... must be the wretched heat! And if that's 40% off for all folks, I'd expect 42-50% coming for APers and FLA residents and 50-60% coming for CMs soon too. You know what would be really magical at WDW? ~More resorts!~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The discounts will continue until the U.S. economy recovers.>> Recovers? Recovers? Seriously? How can it possibly ever recover when we aren't creating jobs and we are continuing to off-shore them (see the Hilton Hotels call center in Hemet, CA that is being shuttered and has been sending employees to the Phillipines to train their replacements as a small but typical example of what is happening!) This country's economy will never 'recover' for all but the wealthiest unless Wall Street's vice grip on the collective testicles of our leaders is removed. Until DC stops being a whore for Wall Street, we are all in trouble (even the sheep who think all is just fine!) <<There will be discounts for a long time to come. It's not hard to figure that out.>> Discounts are one thing. But what Disney has done for a decade now is going to prevent it from EVER being able to command full price. That's why they continue to raise prices 2-3 times a year and continue to cut quality and nickel and dime. They have now conditioned guests to expect massive and constant discounting. Even if a miracle happened and say we started actually creating real living wage jobs in this country, I don't see why folks would suddenly want to pay Disney full price. They have created a monster that will haunt them for years and years. ~Raise the prices another 10% and then give stuff away!~
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << They have created a monster that will haunt them for years and years. >> The economic conditions created the "monster."
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The economic conditions created the "monster.">> I don't disagree about the current situation to a large degree. BUT ... Disney started the discounting as far back as 2000-01 ... and it continued after the post 9/11 rebound ... the whole DDP and 'free' dining was first introduced in 2005 (I believe, may be a year off) when everyone thought things were great. In the 1980s and 90s, discounts were few and far between and you had to work for them. Of course, they didn't have the hotel inventory they have now, which is a drag in tough times. Occupancy was down eight percent in the last quarter over 2009, and things like that are just killers. ~Maybe they built 10,000 rooms too many?~
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << BUT ... Disney started the discounting as far back as 2000-01 >> You mean when the dot com bubble burst and we had the first recession of the decade? Plus, the aftermath of the asian economic meltdown that pretty much eliminated a large segment of tourists from abroad? << and it continued after the post 9/11 rebound >> You mean you fell for the Bush administration rehetoric about an economic rebound after 9/11? Are you that gullible? << In the 1980s and 90s, discounts were few and far between and you had to work for them >> I guess you never travelled to Disney World in the off-season. I stayed there for 1/2 off of the high season rates several times during the 80s. Does that not count as a discount? Disney also used to report losses at its park operations instead of profits during every off season in the 80s. It was a highly seasonal business. An awful lot has changed in 20 years. There really is no way to make a comparison.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 << BUT ... Disney started the discounting as far back as 2000-01 >> <<You mean when the dot com bubble burst and we had the first recession of the decade? Plus, the aftermath of the asian economic meltdown that pretty much eliminated a large segment of tourists from abroad?>> The recession you are speaking of wasn't considered to have begun until late spring of 2001 if I recall ... certainly not 2000. But the discounts were there. Actually, they went back further. The last time I paid rack rate for a WDW resort was one week after DAK opened in 4/98 ... I have spent hundreds of nights on propety since and never come close to paying it since. And Asians don't make up a significant portion of WDW's international visitors. They come from the UK, South America, Europe etc ... Asia is way down the list. They tend to visit DLR if they visit a USA Disney destination. << and it continued after the post 9/11 rebound >> <<You mean you fell for the Bush administration rehetoric about an economic rebound after 9/11? Are you that gullible?>> We aren't talking about me. We are talking about Americans as a whole. I'm sitting here watching CNN report that as of last week 18% of Americans believe our Prez is a Muslim. There are many dim bulbs out there. There was a fantasy that the economy was humming along from say 2003-2007, which was total BS ... but people spent and spent. Disney discounted. << In the 1980s and 90s, discounts were few and far between and you had to work for them >> <<I guess you never travelled to Disney World in the off-season.>> I have been there every month of the year since 1974 on ... back when there really was an off-season. <<I stayed there for 1/2 off of the high season rates several times during the 80s. Does that not count as a discount? >> So, you got a cast rate? Because I stayed plenty in the 80s ... and never came close to 50% off ... was thrilled with those $99 Contemporary garden wing deals in January, May and September (what had been the three slowest months of the year), but that wasn't 50% off even then ... maybe 25-30% at best. <<Disney also used to report losses at its park operations instead of profits during every off season in the 80s. It was a highly seasonal business. An awful lot has changed in 20 years. There really is no way to make a comparison.>> Disney's parks and resorts weren't losing money in the 1990s. They weren't. Yes, a lot has changed. Not for the better. Disney was a premium 'brand' and now it isn't close in O-Town. ~Will never pay full price again!~
Originally Posted By leobloom >> And we even have two decent TV shows that are filming here now. << Burn Notice is one, what's the other?
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << Disney's parks and resorts weren't losing money in the 1990s. They weren't. Yes, a lot has changed. Not for the better. >> Notice I said 80s, but you changed the subject to the 90s. In the 90s, the parks were operationally profitable, but frequently cash flow negative.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << And Asians don't make up a significant portion of WDW's international visitors. They come from the UK, South America, Europe etc ... Asia is way down the list. They tend to visit DLR if they visit a USA Disney destination. >> Where do you think the UK and Europe's most substantial foreign interests are in the world? (If you guess Asia you are a winner!)
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>That is to be expected. I'm just thrilled for you that you wound up going since it was touch and go there.<<< Thanks. But yes...I am really of the opinion now, that the only real thing that Fla might have is WDW....and that ain't sayin' much when you look to the North. I think WDW and family is the only reason I'm staying in the state...for now...
