Recent & Rumored Changes Turning Me Off

[sbbwdw]

Perhaps that is what they are trying to accomplish, maybe they no longer want my family of four and extended family to plan yearly trips to WDW.

The Covid excuse is wearing thin. I used to love planning our trips and lately I have had no interest. No deals to be had on the horizon and no fast passes, dining plans.

While we never needed the Magical Express it was always impressed upon us that the price of our package included this amazing service. So since this is transitioning into a paid service where is the discounted package to reflect this?

Same with fastpass, if this comes back as a paid only option, will the ticket prices go down? Of course not, but these were included in the price of a regular ticket.

I learned all the tips and tricks and had every trip planned to perfection, but it was not easy to navigate and I spent way too many days searching for the elusive fastpass or ADR. I just feel like it should not have to be this hard. We have been so loyal for decades and I can’t help but feel like they are trying to screw us at this point. $600+ a night for deluxe rooms and paid parking, park reservations.

MNSSHP was a favorite and honestly, MK feels a bit off to us now if not adorned with Mickey pumpkins, but our last one in 2019 was so overcrowded. I get that they are aware of this so they up the price or for now make it a 3 hour event with less to do and double to pay, but why not just limit capacity? Because it’s a business and they need to make money especially after last year, but hey, they say 3rd quarter was amazing, right? So, just wondering, where is the love Disney? Merch is super fun and all, but again is this the best we can do? Gold statues, cute, but not getting me to book a trip.

I am just wondering, are we done with our WDW trips? We can only look the other way and grin and bear it for so long with the price increases and hoops to jump through.

Lastly, I am not reserving judgment on the monstrosity that is in the middle of world showcase, it is ugly and makes me sad.

Okay, vent over.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I feel you.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

They still want you and your family. They just want you to spend more money for the experiences offered. This post is a variation on a common recent theme. I think Disney made clear they recognize the problem. They can't keep cramming more people in there. So they want fewer customers that are willing to pay more for the experiences. We can all have opinions about that strategy, but I don't think its going away

 

[mom2rtk]

They still want you and your family. They just want you to spend more money for the experiences offered. This post is a variation on a common recent theme. I think Disney made clear they recognize the problem. They can't keep cramming more people in there. So they want fewer customers that are willing to pay more for the experiences. We can all have opinions about that strategy, but I don't think its going away

Disney doesn’t want fewer people. But they do want them paying a lot more.

 

[JakeAZ]

Disney doesn’t want fewer people. But they do want them paying a lot more.

I think they actually would prefer fewer people. Fewer people who go all out. They just haven't found the breaking point for people to turn away. They may never find it.

If they could make the same amount of money, with less people, customer satisfaction would go through the roof and they'd get that demo to keep coming back.

 

[crazymomof4]

I am right there with you. 1st visit in 1987. Two young marrieds. Visited all as our family expanded. Grand-moms coming along to enjoy their g-kids at all different ages. Now visiting with our adult kids who are avid fans. So many memories and so much sentimental attachment that is a big part of the draw to return and make more memories BUT>>>>
I've always said, "at some point they will price us out". Sadly, I know they've already priced out many. If Genie wants $15-25 pp to have essentially a FP for one ride, then we will be priced out. I'm not the first person to say, "We COULD afford it, but we WON'T pay that." WDW was always a vacation that carried a higher price tag than others we've taken but it was always packed with a lot of value for your vaca dollar. Things like DME, complimentary MBs, in park pop-up live entertainment, and many other small nuances that felt like "extras" but were all included in your resort stay/park admission. We always came away feeling like we got our money's worth.
I'm trying to be patient with the changes due to Covid but I agree that WDW is using this pandemic as a way of eliminating things that used to be experience enhancement and NOT bring them back. We're not so stupid as to not see this. As my Dad used to say, "Don't pee in my face and tell me it's raining" LOL

 

[mom2rtk]

I think they actually would prefer fewer people. Fewer people who go all out. They just haven't found the breaking point for people to turn away. They may never find it.

If they could make the same amount of money, with less people, customer satisfaction would go through the roof and they'd get that demo to keep coming back.

They are free to adjust their caps for any event down as low as they want. It’s 100% their call.

 

[JakeAZ]

They are free to adjust their caps for any event down as low as they want. It’s 100% their call.

I hear you, but they are never going to turn people away at these prices. They will just keep raising them until the caps come down "naturally". Similar amounts of money, less guests.

Think the Star Wars Star Cruiser experience. Small, intimate (for Disney) group, off the charts pricing.

 

[sbbwdw]

Oh yes, The Stars Wars Halcyon! Super annoyed with that too and we have big SW fans at our house. There again, if had been a themed SW hotel with all the dining and immersive resort theming Disney is known for we would be so excited, but their plans leave me thinking of all the money I will save not having to stay there.

 

[Stratman50th]

I'm with you. We won't be back. More room for others.

 

[mom2rtk]

I hear you, but they are never going to turn people away at these prices. They will just keep raising them until the caps come down "naturally". Similar amounts of money, less guests.

Think the Star Wars Star Cruiser experience. Small, intimate (for Disney) group, off the charts pricing.

As I said. They want more people at higher prices.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We will still go. There is nowhere on earth where more miserable, bad parents collect to provide entertainment for miserable, bad non-parents like the wife and I to enjoy watching. And as long as prices are high I will continue to bring in my own liquor, wine and beer to enjoy with new miserable, bad friends who can't believe they mortgaged their house to stay at a poorly kept, perkless resort like the deluxe collection. Or better yet, buy DVC and enjoy the misery the rest of your life!

Wow, I am mean but, oh well. See you "reel" soon or should I say "Welcome home".

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I grew up on Disney. Was fortunate to live near enough I got to go a lot as a kid. Now, I have kids of my own and they're in the sweet spot age-range to really enjoy it. My wife and I appreciate the finer details of the theming, the immersiveness, etc.

I don't go into this naive. I realize it's a luxury to a great many people to go but once, let alone numerous times. We've been 3x during COVID. But my patience for what they're offering (relative to what they're charging) is wearing thin. The last earnings report showed the US Parks were now operating at a profit, so the excuses for why so many things have not come back (shows, entertainment, restaurants) despite no functional attendance caps is just cheapness on Disney's part. I worry that the lesson they've learned from all of this is people will pay more and more for a diminished experience (check out how much the new holiday parties cost!) and I'm no longer as understanding for the problems the company has found itself in as I was last summer. As the latest Disney Dish podcast explains it, the internal decision making is now fully driven by maximizing per customer spending and is no longer guest satisfaction.

At this point, I am almost actively rooting for them to fail. Hard. I want the Star Wars hotel to be a complete bust. I hope the (likely) upcoming recession affects Disney as bad as 9/11 and the "Great Recession" did. I want those rooms that cost twice what they did 5 years ago to stand empty for weeks on end.

 

[SimonSez]

Perhaps that is what they are trying to accomplish, maybe they no longer want my family of four and extended family to plan yearly trips to WDW.

The Covid excuse is wearing thin. I used to love planning our trips and lately I have had no interest. No deals to be had on the horizon and no fast passes, dining plans.

While we never needed the Magical Express it was always impressed upon us that the price of our package included this amazing service. So since this is transitioning into a paid service where is the discounted package to reflect this?

Same with fastpass, if this comes back as a paid only option, will the ticket prices go down? Of course not, but these were included in the price of a regular ticket.

I learned all the tips and tricks and had every trip planned to perfection, but it was not easy to navigate and I spent way too many days searching for the elusive fastpass or ADR. I just feel like it should not have to be this hard. We have been so loyal for decades and I can’t help but feel like they are trying to screw us at this point. $600+ a night for deluxe rooms and paid parking, park reservations.

MNSSHP was a favorite and honestly, MK feels a bit off to us now if not adorned with Mickey pumpkins, but our last one in 2019 was so overcrowded. I get that they are aware of this so they up the price or for now make it a 3 hour event with less to do and double to pay, but why not just limit capacity? Because it’s a business and they need to make money especially after last year, but hey, they say 3rd quarter was amazing, right? So, just wondering, where is the love Disney? Merch is super fun and all, but again is this the best we can do? Gold statues, cute, but not getting me to book a trip.

I am just wondering, are we done with our WDW trips? We can only look the other way and grin and bear it for so long with the price increases and hoops to jump through.

Lastly, I am not reserving judgment on the monstrosity that is in the middle of world showcase, it is ugly and makes me sad.

Okay, vent over.

Okay, I have to agree with you about the ugly monstrosity in the WS Lagoon. It was an eyesore in the daylight hours especially

 

[JakeAZ]

As I said. They want more people at higher prices.

I don't believe that's what I described, but OK.

 

[twincruisers]

Chapek is very aware of how brand loyal their customers are and that he can extract max $ from those willing to go now and spend whatever stimulus money they may have saved over the past year.

There is a very concerted effort to maximize $ now to show Wall St that they are stronger than ever and deserve a higher stock price. Unfortunately, if we don't vote with our dollars, there is not much else we can do and it's pretty clear that more than enough die-hard fans are willing to pay these prices than are bailing. I'm sure they will offer discounts and other benefits once they can no longer charge such a large premium and have the park full.

 

[SimonSez]

I grew up on Disney. Was fortunate to live near enough I got to go a lot as a kid. Now, I have kids of my own and they're in the sweet spot age-range to really enjoy it. My wife and I appreciate the finer details of the theming, the immersiveness, etc.

I don't go into this naive. I realize it's a luxury to a great many people to go but once, let alone numerous times. We've been 3x during COVID. But my patience for what they're offering (relative to what they're charging) is wearing thin. The last earnings report showed the US Parks were now operating at a profit, so the excuses for why so many things have not come back (shows, entertainment, restaurants) despite no functional attendance caps is just cheapness on Disney's part. I worry that the lesson they've learned from all of this is people will pay more and more for a diminished experience (check out how much the new holiday parties cost!) and I'm no longer as understanding for the problems the company has found itself in as I was last summer. As the latest Disney Dish podcast explains it, the internal decision making is now fully driven by maximizing per customer spending and is no longer guest satisfaction.
At this point, I am almost actively rooting for them to fail. Hard. I want the Star Wars hotel to be a complete bust. I hope the (likely) upcoming recession affects Disney as bad as 9/11 and the "Great Recession" did. I want those rooms that cost twice what they did 5 years ago to stand empty for weeks on end.

I feel like they're pricing the middle class out of the deluxe hotels. We managed to do the YC this time because of reward cards and the 25% summer rate we got. We love the Poly, but it's pretty much done for us I'm afraid I'm thinking our next trip will be either CBR or Port Orleans. We love those resorts, although have never done POFQ, just Riverside. Also, with the skyliner near CBR, transportation just got a lot more convenient

 

[disneydentist]

All but two nights of Boo Bash are sold out as of today. Lots of people are only to happy to pay Disney what they're asking. This gives Disney no incentive to change what they are doing.

 

[Marionnette]

I think they actually would prefer fewer people. Fewer people who go all out. They just haven't found the breaking point for people to turn away. They may never find it.

If they could make the same amount of money, with less people, customer satisfaction would go through the roof and they'd get that demo to keep coming back.

Fewer people = fewer rooms booked
Fewer people = less food purchased and consumed
Fewer people = less merchandise sold

Disney isn't interested in fewer guests. They want the same number of guests (or more) spending more money each.

 

[Nabas]

Disney doesn’t want fewer people. But they do want them paying a lot more.

This.

Disney genuinely is counting on the theme parks remaining packed so they can charge an even higher premium for the FastPass+ replacement.

Disney has already invested a lot on the new Genie system. It would be devastating for profits if fewer people went to WDW, thus negating the need for the new (paid) system.