When WDW re-opens: Price hike or lots of discounts??

[rteetz]

I believe that ticket prices and hotel rooms will come down drastically in cost. Disney wants to see their rooms and parks full. I don't think they're going to raise prices, because the majority of visitors are probably not going to be visiting due to the worst economy since the Great Depression, if not even worst...

I don’t see them lowering prices but discounting instead. Much like we are already seeing.

 

[J-BOY]

I just don't see how they can discount them enough though. With a needed probable 70% off needed, that big of an amount will make the brand look bad. I don't see how they can win in this situation and it makes me nervous. I have two grand worth of Disney gift cards I am sitting on. I knew a recession was looming, but this is way more than anyone ever thought would occur. Disney could have probably handled a recession of the "norm". This is not the "norm". This is so unreal.

I think you're discounting the fact that many of the wealthy will be mostly unaffected by this - many high-paying positions have the capability to work from home, and even still, the wealthy generally have much more in savings. There are certainly going to be a lot of people struggling with unemployment, but the people that can afford a stay at the Grand Floridian as is are not going to be hurting as much. I can't see a 70% discount being needed for that. Obviously, the deluxe resorts make up a small percentage of total rooms, but there are still plenty of people that will have disposable income.

I think that crowds will certainly be lower, but Disney's not going to have to give away their product for pennies to draw people in.

 

[SL6827]

I think you're discounting the fact that many of the wealthy will be mostly unaffected by this - many high-paying positions have the capability to work from home, and even still, the wealthy generally have much more in savings. There are certainly going to be a lot of people struggling with unemployment, but the people that can afford a stay at the Grand Floridian as is are not going to be hurting as much. I can't see a 70% discount being needed for that. Obviously, the deluxe resorts make up a small percentage of total rooms, but there are still plenty of people that will have disposable income.

I think that crowds will certainly be lower, but Disney's not going to have to give away their product for pennies to draw people in.

Right, there will be some who it won't affect. But even the moderate rooms are on the level in price of where the deluxe resorts were just a while ago. It will be interesting to see what they come up with without making the brand look bad.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I'm team they're not lowering prices. Slowing/stopping increases? Yes. Heavy discounts? Yes (please lol). But not lowering them in a meaningful way, at most my guess is small tweaks hidden in their seasonal pricing.

That often discussed buy 4 get 3 free, that's slightly more than 40% off, but 40% off not just the rack rate, but dining too, and then the extra 3 days of tickets, which I don't think works out to be 40% off given how front loaded tickets are, but it's something. They can stack those kinds of discounts with included gift cards. They can offer free dining stackable with a room rate discount. They can offer ticket deals. They can modify what's included in the dining plan (bring back tips please and thanks). They can offer really awesome souvenir discounts. They can fill their restaurants by using deeper AP discounts, especially at less popular locations. There's a ton of room to discount creatively to bring real prices down without officially lowering prices and setting that precedent.

So yeah of course they could lower prices, but I would be surprised if we don't see lots of creative discounts first.

 

[Jrb1979]

Good point, people on here are just a bit obsessive.
But
I do still stick with saying the discounts will be minimal.

I disagree. I have a feeling there will be lots. Its cause there is a lot of people that will be unemployed after this is all done. I don't think a lot of understand that it's not all going to roses and sunshine when this is over.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Because I'm here at home anyways, and it's fun to dream about those deep discounts during these otherwise depressing times, some rough Disney math. For a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 kids, at a moderate (assuming $300 rack rate), regular DDP, and 4 day tickets (but getting 7 days), using the pretend 2020 version of buy 4 get 3 free it would be about $3700 for the week. Without using that discount, that same thing would be approximately $5500. With 40% off the room only, it's about $4550. My math is rough (but I hope correct!), and for some reason I can't see exact ticket prices right now, but I think they could avoid lowering prices if they chose to offer discounts like that and even throwing a few hundred on a gift card on top of that.

 

[Aurora0427]

I think you're discounting the fact that many of the wealthy will be mostly unaffected by this - many high-paying positions have the capability to work from home, and even still, the wealthy generally have much more in savings. There are certainly going to be a lot of people struggling with unemployment, but the people that can afford a stay at the Grand Floridian as is are not going to be hurting as much. I can't see a 70% discount being needed for that. Obviously, the deluxe resorts make up a small percentage of total rooms, but there are still plenty of people that will have disposable income.

I think that crowds will certainly be lower, but Disney's not going to have to give away their product for pennies to draw people in.

Even the wealthy are feeling this..... lots of investment portfolios have taken huge hits. Companies will start cutting high paying positions as well...and yes, wealthy people have more savings, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to spend it on a vacation during a recession or. Depression. You’ll have uber wealthy people like Bill Gates, celebrities, Tom Brady etc. who are fine, but anyone who has go actually work for a living and doesn’t get paid like Bob Iger is going to feel it.... we have close family who are very wealthy and they are spending less and cutting back and definitely won’t be taking a Disney vacation for awhile.

 

[PaulaSB12]

On the UK WDTC site there is a lot of vacancies for mid to late December for Pop Century and at good prices too, cheaper than my trip in mid September. This is unheard of in recent times. It's very tempting to reschedule my trip until then, the only thing stopping me is the palaver of changing my flight.
As to what Disney will do will depend on consumer response. After 9/11 a trip to Disney was incredibly cheap with lots of freebies thrown in. I think it's a case of wait and see.

fortunately I haven't brought flights for my September trip but will cancel it soon. Things are going to take time to recover and travel isn’t going to be a priority for these whose savings have been lost to this lockdown. People aren’t going to be spending straight away it’s going to take time.

 

[Flamingeaux]

I think you are going to see a slight tweaking of previous discount offers. They tweaked the FD offer by making PHs optional - for the people that had ressie from mid-March to end of May. You might see a 20% room discount where it was 10% before. Maybe a little more but nothing drastic. I have an AP so I am hoping for some nice room discounts. I did rebook my May trip with the FD offer.

I think most of the pent up demand is from people like the DISers. We are mostly diehards and can't wait to go back. We make up a small portion of their business. There won't be droves of people going to WDW for a while. There wasn't a big demand for this summer prior to Covid.

We shall see...

Stay safe everyone and I hope to see y'all at our Happy Place in the months to come!!!!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Most "wealthy" people I know hate WDW. They'd rather go to Europe or a relaxing luxury beach vacation.

Wealthy people won't fill up the parks.

The middle class make up the majority of WDW visitors. I think the middle class will take the biggest hit right now.

I think they will have to offer discounts but how deep those discounts go I don't know. I would love to see a 4/3 deal again!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

https://www.kennythepirate.com/2020...prices-removes-certain-items-despite-closure/

 

[SaintsManiac]

https://www.kennythepirate.com/2020...prices-removes-certain-items-despite-closure/

Yep more will be coming. I bet some restaurants go to dinner only. Some won’t even open at first. We shall see.

 

[SL6827]

Most "wealthy" people I know hate WDW. They'd rather go to Europe or a relaxing luxury beach vacation.

Wealthy people won't fill up the parks.

The middle class make up the majority of WDW visitors. I think the middle class will take the biggest hit right now.

I think they will have to offer discounts but how deep those discounts go I don't know. I would love to see a 4/3 deal again!

You do make a very good point there, I never really thought about that aspect and with the pricing of the deluxe resorts being so over the top high, a trip to Europe could look more enticing. The 4/3 deal would be nice, but how nice at today's rack rates? Plus seven nights worth of food pricing at Disney, oh me, lol.

 

[Alicefan]

@Alicefan FWIW I usually cut my own hair (no bangs) but as soon as this is over I'm going straight to a salon. Don't know what it is, but I just want a "real" haircut. And color. I don't color my own hair. It's really long so I just trim it. But all this sitting around at home has me wanting to make a big change. Maybe your clients are similar?? I think you're going to be slammed with business as soon as you open.

.

Hey just plan your vacation for Myrtle Beach and I'll do you're makeover!

 

[Alicefan]

Most "wealthy" people I know hate WDW. They'd rather go to Europe or a relaxing luxury beach vacation.

Wealthy people won't fill up the parks.

The middle class make up the majority of WDW visitors. I think the middle class will take the biggest hit right now.

I think they will have to offer discounts but how deep those discounts go I don't know. I would love to see a 4/3 deal again!

I think you and I have different ideas of wealth lol. I think if you can afford to stay at a deluxe or even a mod these days, you have a pretty decent amount of disposable income. Let's face it, those hotels have never been hurting for business as far as I've seen. $500 to $800 a night is wealthy in my world.....but I stay off property 80% of the time because I like to go more often.

 

[OSUZorba]

I think you're discounting the fact that many of the wealthy will be mostly unaffected by this - many high-paying positions have the capability to work from home, and even still, the wealthy generally have much more in savings. There are certainly going to be a lot of people struggling with unemployment, but the people that can afford a stay at the Grand Floridian as is are not going to be hurting as much. I can't see a 70% discount being needed for that. Obviously, the deluxe resorts make up a small percentage of total rooms, but there are still plenty of people that will have disposable income.

I think that crowds will certainly be lower, but Disney's not going to have to give away their product for pennies to draw people in.

But, they will have to compete for that money with every other vacation in the world that is now basically half off. I can fly to Hawaii from OKC for less than my MCO flights in September. When cruises restart they will basically be giving away the cabins for awhile.

I've got a 10 year emergency fund right now and plan on going to WDW like normal once opened, but if I can get large discounts on trips I thought were too expensive in the past, WDW will get deferred.

 

[Alicefan]

Right, there will be some who it won't affect. But even the moderate rooms are on the level in price of where the deluxe resorts were just a while ago. It will be interesting to see what they come up with without making the brand look bad.

I should have read on before I posted because I said about the same thing. For me staying on property at all these days has gotten out of my price range for the kind of room I want. I typically pay right at $80 to 110 or so a night off property to stay in a much more comfy bed and nicer room in general. When you can stay at the Rosen Center why would I pay more to stay at ASsports? BUT I go all the time and drive down so I have a car. I get wanting to splurge if you're a once in a lifetimer, but at 50 years, how many newbies are left lol? They can't be the ones filling the parks day after day. I'm with you, anyone staying at a mod or above has more money to blow than I.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I think you and I have different ideas of wealth lol. I think if you can afford to stay at a deluxe or even a mod these days, you have a pretty decent amount of disposable income. Let's face it, those hotels have never been hurting for business as far as I've seen. $500 to $800 a night is wealthy in my world.....but I stay off property 80% of the time because I like to go more often.

I'm far from wealthy and my last 3 trips have been at a deluxe resort. I didn't pay over $200 a night for BC, Poly and BWV. First two were through a magical deal and BWV was with rented points.

Everyone I know that goes to WDW is strictly middle class. Some save up, some use their income taxes and some use bonuses to go. No one really stays deluxe.

Now for the ones I know who stay deluxe are people I work with. They are surgeons or specialists so we know their income level and they are wealthy. When they go to WDW it's the one time obligatory trip for their kids. They stay deluxe, in a suite, do signature meals, do VIP tours, etc. When they come back they tell us how much they hate crowds and WDW but they're glad they got the one time trip out of the way for their kids. Some of their spouses continue going with the kids but they always have to "work" that same week.

I just don't think the wealthy will fill up the parks. The middle class fills the parks.

Personally WDW has gotten so expensive I haven't even done a family trip since 2015. I went with DD in 2018 and I'm planning on taking just DS next year. My SO isn't the biggest Disney fan but he does want to do an adults only trip. I don't know if it's in the cards to do a big family trip again with the way I like to do Disney (staying onsite with two rooms now that my kids are older, staying moderate or deluxe, eating onsite, doing a special event or two, flying in and using DME, etc).

Now if Disney releases some good deals that trip with just DS for next year will become a family trip. That's the only way it'll happen.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

But, they will have to compete for that money with every other vacation in the world that is now basically half off. I can fly to Hawaii from OKC for less than my MCO flights in September. When cruises restart they will basically be giving away the cabins for awhile.

I've got a 10 year emergency fund right now and plan on going to WDW like normal once opened, but if I can get large discounts on trips I thought were too expensive in the past, WDW will get deferred.

That's what I've been doing for the last few years. Other destinations are so much cheaper than WDW that I've chosen those places. Mexico, DR, PR for a fraction of the price of WDW including food and souvenirs.

I would go to WDW as a family next year if they offer some good deals. If not other places will be offering deals and I will go with them.

 

[ChipnDale79]

i just read that around 60% of Americans in a poll by CNN say they wont feel comfortable going back to a normal routine.

that's not good for disney. on top of unemployment, people are going to be nervous about going somewhere like disney.

I think there will be a lot of people that had their trips canceled that will rebook, but i have a feeling next year is going to be difficult for Disney.