Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But Spirit... Without knowing either Disney's projections for Summer 06 vs. actual attendance, you immediately attributed the ticket increase to WDW doing poorly.>> I don't have access to Disney's projections for summer '06, Trippy. But I do have access to folks who work booking folks into their magical WDW vacations every day. It may be anecdotal evidence, but they've never let me down. When they tell me bookings were way off what they expected, I'll go with that. Especially, when I see all the promotions being run now coupled with the price increase. <<You have no data to back that up yet you chose something negative as the motivation for the increase. That to me is glass-half-full thinking. >> I don't look at it as half-full or half-empty. I just look at it as being realistic. It is what it is. <<Between 1992 and 2000 single day WDW tickets went from $33 - $46 while attendance INCREASED from 11.5 million to 15.4 million. Why did THOSE increases occur? It certainly wasn't declining attendance.>> We both know those were the real salad days (where did that phrase come from?) of WDW. They were adding attractions left and right. They were adding resorts. And, of course, DAK opened late in the decade. And, in those days -- especially the early 90s -- WDW tickets were underpriced! <<You don't need to worry about my health... positive people tend to live considerably longer than negative folks.>> I'll tell that to my 95-year-old grandfather! Sometimes his negativity really gets on my nerves!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<To add... Yes, you said you had inside information that hotel bookings were down. Wouldn't a normal response to that be running hotel discounts rather than increasing ticket prices?>> Actually, they both are. They are doing massive hotel discounting for the next two months (and look for more to come shortly for later in the fall) at the same time as raising ticket prices. <<Even if the ticket price increase doesn't drive anyone away, it certainly isn't going to INCREASE either park attendance or hotel bookings. And the negligible increase in ticket revenue will not offset the loss from a low occupancy rate in the hotels.>> Believe it or not, they both work to further the bottom line even if it appears they're in conflict. People are more likely to plan a trip, especially one in the short term when they are getting what they perceive as a 'great deal' on their lodging then they are to not take a trip because Disney raised ticket prices. So it should be a win-win scenario for Disney. The discounts should drive more people to book into their resorts, while the ticket increase helps cover the fact that fewer folks pushed thru the turnstyles over the summer.
Originally Posted By englishboy It seems like it'd be much more effective to raise the prices of goods inside the park--such as food, souvenirs, stroller rentals, etc. People will look to see how much tickets cost before going to the park. But hardly anyone looks to see how much stroller rentals are, food, etc. If Disney added $1 -$2 to each meal and $.50 to each restaurant drink, they would probably make more than the $4/day brought in by the admission jump. But honestly, I feel this will be a low attendance year for all of the American parks. The 50th is over. The promotion that replaces the 50th is lame. Gas prices are WAY up, as are airfares. Let's face it: tons of families made their one-in-five years trip to the parks for the 50th and won't be going again this year. Or next. Add to this: aside from the subs at Disneyland (which is an overlay for an old ride), no new e-ticket rides are arriveing at the American parks. The trend is for families to have vacations closer to home at the moment, thereby avoiding the high travel expense. The good news: it'll be a very plesant year to visit the parks if you don't like crowds. Disney is going to have to find some stronger incentive to pull large crowds into WDW and DL this year--other then the year of a million churros--if they want to keep the crowds at their 2005-2006 levels.
Originally Posted By englishboy Oh, I did the math for a couple of ticket packages. The 6-day, parkhopper, no expiration date comes to $308 or about $51/day. The 10-day, parkhopper, no expiration date comes to $416 or about $41.50 / day. For those outside FL who visit regularly, the 10-day is still a reasonable deal. Just a big payment upfront. For me, that's about five trips to the park. I live near Disneyland, but usually make it to WDW once or twice a year, usually visiting it on a weekend after a work-related trip to FL.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<It seems like it'd be much more effective to raise the prices of goods inside the park--such as food, souvenirs, stroller rentals, etc. People will look to see how much tickets cost before going to the park. But hardly anyone looks to see how much stroller rentals are, food, etc. If Disney added $1 -$2 to each meal and $.50 to each restaurant drink, they would probably make more than the $4/day brought in by the admission jump. >> Food prices have already been raised TWICE thus far in 2006. <<Disney is going to have to find some stronger incentive to pull large crowds into WDW and DL this year--other then the year of a million churros--if they want to keep the crowds at their 2005-2006 levels.>> Oh come on, who wouldn't plan a trip for the chance to win a free churro, popcorn, Coke or FastPass? ;-)
Originally Posted By a1stav OK I am seeing this as a sign to buy some 10 day passes (no experation) ahead of time. Now my question is, if I do this does this count me out for qualifying for the "free dining" promotion next year? In other words do I have to buy my admission along with my hotel to qualify for the promotion?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<if they want to keep the crowds at their 2005-2006 levels.>> Which I HOPE they don't. 16.1 million for the Magic Kingdom last year was TOO MANY visitors as far as I'm concerned.
Originally Posted By hopemax >OK I am seeing this as a sign to buy some 10 day passes (no experation) ahead of time. Now my question is, if I do this does this count me out for qualifying for the "free dining" promotion next year? In other words do I have to buy my admission along with my hotel to qualify for the promotion? < The packages only require you to buy a minimum of one day's admission. So I'm thinking that one-day admissions are actually up this year. APers for example, will buy a one-day pass, SAVE IT, and then after their AP expires take the one-day pass and upgrade it to a new AP.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Whatever the case...I just bought, a few minutes ago, 4 adult and 3 child's, 7 day..no expiration tickets. I bought these for our family trip in February 2008. I suspect that prices will continue to climb throughout that time so saving about $175.00 before tomorrow should be just the tip of the iceberg. I hate tying up that much cash for that long but I don't see any investments paying off that well, so for now, it's a done deal. Now to just live long enough to get to use them.
Originally Posted By Skellington88 The question is will you pay $100 for a one-day ticket...if Dreamfinder comes back?
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<How much of WDW's business is one-day tickets? Does it ever reach double-digit percentage points?>> Well, apparently enough of its business is one-day tickets for Disney to think it makes financial sense to raise that price by $4. Living in the eastern US (actually, I'm officially Midwestern), I can assure you that there are a LOT of Americans who go to "Florida" for vacation. And, of course, whether they have kids or not, whether they're big Disney fans or not, they plan one day at "Disney" on their Florida vacation. Families. High school graduation trips. Senior citizen tours. Certainly there are other day-trippers. People who fly to Florida a day before their Carnival cruise so that they can get in a quick visit to the Magic Kingdom. US tours that include a day's stop at Orlando in their "if this it Tuesday it must be Boston" itineraries. <<WDW worth $67 a day?>> My guess is that is will be to these people. They've already decided to go. They'll pay what it costs.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Well, apparently enough of its business is one-day tickets for Disney to think it makes financial sense to raise that price by $4.>> Of course Disney is raising rates across the board; all ticket prices are affected. It's only from a percentage standpoint that the one-day pass is under a higher increase.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<It's only from a percentage standpoint that the one-day pass is under a higher increase.>> Again, my point... The one-day people have pretty much already decided they're going. Disney realized they could jack this one up and people would still buy the tickets.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 coolio, trekkeruss. I wasn't sure how to interpret your post #32. I hope I didn't sound snarky. I value your posts.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Just love you glass half empty guys. Life must be a real drag for you.<< Road Trip, not everyone lives in frumpy Minnesota. But if it amuses you... because my life is anything BUT a drag, I know better. Therefore I B** and moan about WDW's absurdities and lack of extra pixie dust for which you will have to pay more from now on. >>Now, where's TDLFAN to compare the one-day cost of a day at the MK to all the other MK's in the world, especially TDL?<< I have been busy trying to resolve some of the problems I told you about in my personal email. But never too busy to rant on WDW and rightfully so. $67 to go to any Disney park at WDW for one day, and I assume the sales tax is not included on that, right? Neither is the option to park hop for the day in that price, is it? Well I could compare with all of the DL parks on Earth but will only limit myself to the one that is the very best in most every ways: TDL Currently, the 1-day ticket to TDL is 5,500 yen (including the tax and no hop) and under today's market rates.. it is about $48. Almost $20 LESS than a day at the MK. However, TDL's prices will also increase on the 1st of september to 5,700 yen... so add another $2 for a price of around $50. Still about $18 LESS than the MK. Now, Concidering that at TDL, you get more attractions open than the current MK lineup; 3 times more live entertainment (parades, stage shows, streemosphere) across the park over the MK, and almost 40% more food venues and shops opened over the MK, (and a clean park as a perk!) you are paying about $20 LESS at TDL over the MK... So, which park do you think is offering the best value to it's customers!?!?!? You would have to be from Minnesota or Texas to NOT understand that (with Labuda excepted of course). Only idiots would have to make a point of the MK being justified in raising prices, or those who like to attend their county fairs too much as that would be comparing oranges with apples when even comparing them to the MK at WDW.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Let me add also... that the last time TDR raised prices was about 4 yrs ago, and since them, we have seen enough and varied entertainment to fill WDW and EPCOT for one full decade. So deal we are getting at WDW! But let them... the more the prices go up, the more I hope people realize how much you have been overpaying to visit this place, which is why buy the AP only to WDW, and reason why I plan to spend around $700 to renew my 2-park AP at TDR in sept.
Originally Posted By Labuda "Living in the eastern US (actually, I'm officially Midwestern), I can assure you that there are a LOT of Americans who go to "Florida" for vacation. And, of course, whether they have kids or not, whether they're big Disney fans or not, they plan one day at "Disney" on their Florida vacation. Families. High school graduation trips. Senior citizen tours." EXCELLENT point, Heinz! In fact, my very first time on Disney property was as a day-tripped back in 1987, when we spent one night of our Florida trip in Kissimmee at a place called the Stagecoach Inn, which is now long gone, I suspect.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<Road Trip, not everyone lives in frumpy Minnesota. But if it amuses you... because my life is anything BUT a drag, I know better.>> Oh, puh-lease. TDLFAN, you know how much I respect you. But lay off the "rube" comments, already, would you? It's not as though we don't have internet and cultural activities and triple-digit IQ's up here in the midwest. And may I point out that -- by your own admission -- central Florida is not the intellectual capital of the country. C'mon. You've personally been hurt by being branded for coming from where you come from. Don't do the same thing to us, please. Besides, RoadTrip is a seasoned visitor of WDW. It's not as though he knows nothing of the Parks. <<Now, Concidering that at TDL, you get more attractions open than the current MK lineup; 3 times more live entertainment (parades, stage shows, streemosphere) across the park over the MK, and almost 40% more food venues and shops opened over the MK, (and a clean park as a perk!) you are paying about $20 LESS at TDL over the MK... So, which park do you think is offering the best value to it's customers!?!?!? You would have to be from Minnesota or Texas to NOT understand that (with Labuda excepted of course). Only idiots would have to make a point of the MK being justified in raising prices, or those who like to attend their county fairs too much as that would be comparing oranges with apples when even comparing them to the MK at WDW.>> All right, here's another comparison for you to consider. Later this month, I will spend $40 to visit Cedar Point for a day. All the kids who work there will be pleasant to me and they'll all speak perfect English. I will ride many of the best roller coasters in the world. The "Sweeperettes" will keep the place spotless during my visit. If I want a beer, I'll be able to buy one on the midway, but I'll never encounter drunk patrons. Given my past history there, I think it's unlikely I'll have a single unpleasant experience during the day. All for $40. If there were a Disney Magic Kingdom nearby that I could visit for $67 instead, would I? YOU BET! (To use a midwestern phrase, which, translated for the benefit of you Floridians, means, "Hell, yes!") At Cedar Point, I get clean-cut kids who are polite but who never delight me. I get thrill rides, but "theming" as an afterthought. I get miles of concrete midway with no cohesive visual plan. I might get a sighting of Snoopy in the kids area, but I get zero chance to have my pic taken with Aladdin, Mickey, or Ariel. I understand that TDL might offer more bang for the buck than WDW's MK. But don't underestimate what WDW offers in comparison to the parks that the rest of us have in our back yards.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I do want to thank TDLFAN for offering his perspective on this despite being busy with other more pressing sitautions. But I do think the MK to MK comparison and multi-day tickets throught the Disney park empire are the fairest gauge as to what the true 'value' is. For years, I've often extolled the value you get at WDW when compared to other forms of entertainment be it a Broadway play, a Vegas show, a professional sporting event or even a night at the megaplex to people when explaining why I enjoy WDW so much. But, to be honest, in hindsight I find that my own argument was flawed. Disney theme parks can't really be compared to anything else, except possibly other theme parks. A ticket to an NBA game will usually price out at more than a one-day Disney ticket, but how do you compare the two? And what would you compare a three-day Magic Your Way with parkhopping ticket to? A Madonna concert ticket? A showing of Ka in Las Vegas? A Tampa Bay Lighting hockey game? WDW is a resort. Yes, you go there to be entertained, but I just don't see any rational basis for comparison beyond that. It's not apples to oranges. It's more like apples to a steak dinner.
