New ticket offering starting tomorrow

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Brent just shard with me that his existing AP is allowing him to download Photopass pictures. This was renewed in August so not a new one and the pictures he is pulling were on his friends account. 

 

Veeeeery interesting!

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Brent just shard with me that his existing AP is allowing him to download Photopass pictures. This was renewed in August so not a new one and the pictures he is pulling were on his friends account. 

 

Hmmmm......

[Travisma 1,317]

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

The $1,000 Disneyland ticket? It exists now

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2015/10/05/1000-disneyland-ticket-annual-pass/73406384/

Also local Tampa TV was reporting that Disney is seriously looking at surge pricing and may be implementing it soon.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

They were talking about it on Fox Business news. I unfortunately had an appointment and only caught the intro.

[Beckers 1,136]

Brent just shard with me that his existing AP is allowing him to download Photopass pictures. This was renewed in August so not a new one and the pictures he is pulling were on his friends account.

How long until they figure that out and fix it?

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Sounds like we better buy our passes soon for Christmas week before they raise the prices then also. :1sm056pullhair:

[swimmarz 72]

Sounds like we better buy our passes soon for Christmas week before they raise the prices then also. :1sm056pullhair:

I would, that way you can also do your fast passes if you dont have a current pass

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I love how everyone has picked up the old story again. That was a series of questions on a survey months and months ago. 

 

This is not the old story of anecdotal reports of guests being asked survey questions about dynamic pricing.

 

This is the CEO of Disney starting a media blitz saying it's going to happen.

 

It made the front page of today's Tampa Bay Times: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tourism/jam-packed-disney-theme-parks-to-vary-admission-price-to-spread-out/2248393

 

Facing record theme park attendance, Disney is taking the next step in crowd control with plans to charge higher admission when times are busy and less when visitors are fewer. The idea is known as demand pricing — some already are calling it "Uber-style" pricing — that Disney hopes will influence tourist behavior, spreading out theme park visits to accommodate more people but with fewer peaks and valleys.

 

That's not all that's changing with admission to Disney parks. Annual passes just got overhauled with some prices soaring by more than 30 percent and topping $1,000.

Better get used to it. Florida has seen previews of flexible pricing with "early bird specials" at restaurants, matinee movie discounts, bargain mid-week or off-season hotel rates or paying less to fly on off-peak days or hours. But more demand pricing is on the way. More recent examples feature plans to charge variable prices on expressway toll lanes, enticing drivers to pay less for toll roads other than at peak commuting times of the day. Ride-sharing innovator Uber already uses "surge pricing" to charge a premium when demand for transportation is highest.

 

Disney will charge less at theme parks or feature added perks on slower days or possibly raise prices even further or add restrictions to theme park use at peak times — typically weekends and major holidays. Attendance around the Christmas and New Year's holidays is the highest of the year at both Orlando's Walt Disney World and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

"We have to look at ways to spread out our attendance throughout the year so we can accommodate demand and avoid bursting at the seams," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek told the Wall Street Journal. The world's biggest theme park operator will start surveying visitors on demand pricing options this week. Perks to lure more visitors to off-peak times could include free parking or free photos taken with theme park characters.

 

Disney has not set a date for the adoption of demand pricing. The strategy would be a first for Walt Disney Co. in its domestic parks since Disneyland opened 60 years ago. Like most theme park operators, Disney has typically raised its single-day admission price, slowly but surely. A one-day pass to the Magic Kingdom hit $105 earlier this year, breaking the triple digit admission barrier for the first time.

Demand pricing won't simply help even out the current flood of Disney park visitors. The recent success of Disney's Frozen attraction and — brace yourself — the anticipated boom in attendance to see the upcoming Star Wars attraction are forcing Disney to find ways to squeeze ever more people into already crowded theme parks and still offer an enjoyable experience.

Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland enjoyed record attendance for each of the past three fiscal years, as well as for the spring quarter that ended in June.

 

"Given the way demand-based pricing works in other industries, it isn't difficult to foresee a time when visiting one of Disney's parks on a major holiday would cost substantially more than the current $105 maximum price for a single day adult ticket in Orlando and $99 in Anaheim," the Journal reported this past weekend. "Visiting on a weekday in the winter, by contrast, could come at a significant discount."

What Disney — the No. 1 theme park operator in the world — does in pricing often influences what other major theme park operators charge for admission. Last year, Disney theme parks racked up more than 134 million visitors. That's up from about 112 million in 2006.

 

Disney's challenge, of course, is to keep growing attendance and revenues without undermining the theme park experience by sheer overcrowding or — dare we say it — eroding the sense of value tourists have long enjoyed attending Disney attractions.

 

Now we know why they implemented over 30 days of new blackout dates for passholders- they're going to jack the prices up on those dates and sell those premium tickets to non-passholders.

 

TCD

[Seals 111]

I actually don't mind when places offer discounted on rates at off-time, off-hours. We often try to take advantage of that when they are truly discounted rates. But this sounds like Disney is going to charge the same for many days and then raise the prices even more during peak hours. They're not going to go below that $105 or equivatlent, just demand more money for peak times. But Wow! too to 22 million more visitors last year than in 2006. Even spread across all the theme parks that's a lot of visitors/visits. I just hope our 3 remaining non-expire days from 2013 will be accepted any day. And probably explains why they did away with non-expiring. 

[Travisma 1,317]

I got a survey about our Labor Day stay.

 

Seemed like very few questions pertained to our actual stay at the Fort.

 

Most of them were aimed towards our visits to the parks, what ones, did we do multiple parks in a day, what time of day,  CM attitudes, feeling crowded, and the one I like the most was issues with other guests.

 

And like TCD or someone else mentioned previously, are there really any slow times now with all of the "special" things they are running to keep attendance up?

 

I jokingly suggested previously in another thread that one day you will have to reserve what days you want to go into the parks.... they will cap the attendance at a comfortable level so everyone can enjoy their stay.

 

That is how they do Discovery Cove.  Only a certain amount of tickets are sold for each day (I know it's a different scenario and a much smaller venue) but it makes for a more relaxed time.

 

I mean they already force you to start making FP and dining reservations months in advance, and if they are thinking about upcharging for Prime Days, the next logical step after that would be to reserve what days you are going to be admitted into the Most Magical Place on Earth.  They will probably have standby lines to allow a certain % of non planners to go in, or in case there are cancellations...

 

And you know that there is no way they are going to LOWER the admission prices on less desirable days. Like the article hinted at, they will toss everyone a freebie that doesn't cost them much, a free downloadable picture, maybe a couple of Mickey Bars, or even the free parking.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Right- the plan is not to lower prices on anything.  Rather, they will jack up prices when they think that they can get away with it.  Any frequent Disney guest is already used to this.  And all Fiends should be.  I've paid double the rate for the same campsite in the same year.  They charge more at 'o'Han'a's' during busy times.  Since no one balked at that, they're going to keep on pushing until people stop coming.

 

And even if people stop coming, they can always drop some kind of special to rake in some more cash.  Just this year, they were selling 3 day Florida Resident passes good only in the spring for $120.

 

Based on how things are playing out here, I would guess that the new dynamic pricing is going to start this Christmas.

 

TCD

[keith_h 420]

"We have to look at ways to spread out our attendance throughout the year so we can accommodate demand and avoid bursting at the seams," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek told the Wall Street Journal. The world's biggest theme park operator will start surveying visitors on demand pricing options this week. Perks to lure more visitors to off-peak times could include free parking or free photos taken with theme park characters.

 

 

TCD

 

Given the way most school breaks fall in this country it is near impossible to spread those people throughout the year. The result is they won't visit due to the prices during the time they can. It would be much more transparent if Disney would just say the parks are too crowded and we are going to set realistic entry numbers rather than this veiled attempt at blaming the customer. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Adding more attractions to the existing parks is causing overcrowding..... Simple answer.... 5th gate. Although Studios DOES need the boost.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Given the way most school breaks fall in this country it is near impossible to spread those people throughout the year. The result is they won't visit due to the prices during the time they can. It would be much more transparent if Disney would just say the parks are too crowded and we are going to set realistic entry numbers rather than this veiled attempt at blaming the customer. 

 

The whole quote from Bob Chapek  is a bunch of baloney- they don't care if the parks are crowded.  In fact, they want the parks to be crowded so they can sell more $12 hot dogs and $7 beers.

 

This is a money grab- plain and simple.  If too many passholders balk-that's when they'll roll out the freebies (parking and photopass) to lure other suckers into the parks.  The parks will not be less crowded.  Don't believe that for a minute.

 

TCD

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Disney keeps saying, they have all this land to keep expanding, but.... if they don't ever want a 5th gate, it will be hard to expand the individual parks in size the way they've built them, especially MK. They've built a lake in front, hotels along the sides and front, and lots of support structure in behind, so essentially freezing the acreage of the park.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Any frequent Disney guest is already used to this.  And all Fiends should be.  I've paid double the rate for the same campsite in the same year.  They charge more at 'o'Han'a's' during busy times. 

 

Yep.  The only difference now is that your park tickets will cost more too.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Disney keeps saying, they have all this land to keep expanding, but.... if they don't ever want a 5th gate, it will be hard to expand the individual parks in size the way they've built them, especially MK. They've built a lake in front, hotels along the sides and front, and lots of support structure in behind, so essentially freezing the acreage of the park.

 

That's a very good point.

 

If the real concern was overcrowding, then why not add some more attractions and things for guests to do? 

 

Instead, they keep on building more and more DVC rooms so more and more guests will come to the already too crowded parks.

 

They specifically mentioned all the new Star Wars stuff that's coming in the email they sent to passholders.  But, does the new Star Wars stuff add more to DHS, or does it simply replace all the stuff that's disappeared?

 

If they want to jack up their prices to grab as much money as they can, fine.  That's the American way.  But, they don't need to insult our intelligence with the spin they're putting on it.

 

TCD

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Given the way most school breaks fall in this country it is near impossible to spread those people throughout the year. The result is they won't visit due to the prices during the time they can. It would be much more transparent if Disney would just say the parks are too crowded and we are going to set realistic entry numbers rather than this veiled attempt at blaming the customer. 

 

Exactly!

 

A lot of people going to Disney don't have a choice, they have to go when they are off from school.  You hear all the time about how schools are less lianent about students going on big vacations.  So families go on vacation during the holidays.  So as TCD said this is all BS its just Disney doing the cash grab.  Sure they could do things like limit the amount of guests in the park or expand the parks but they make more money by raising prices.

 

WBI

[Travisma 1,317]

Disney keeps saying, they have all this land to keep expanding, but.... if they don't ever want a 5th gate, it will be hard to expand the individual parks in size the way they've built them, especially MK. They've built a lake in front, hotels along the sides and front, and lots of support structure in behind, so essentially freezing the acreage of the park.

Busch Gardens in Tampa is the same way.

 

They have very little room for expansion.

 

They are adding a ride by reconfiguring a current part of the park.

 

They will have some more room when they tear down Gwazii, and they could expand slightly if they removed all of their support infrastructure off site.

 

But then they will be done because they are hemmed in on all 4 sides by streets.

 

Busch gets crowded also, and I blame that on the buy a day get the year free deals they are always running.

 

Even if you have to pay to park, it's still a great deal, and they entice you to convert to a season pass to get the parking.  Smart people will buy 1 season for the parking and everyone else does the buy a day get a year deal.

 

Disney could add a couple of new parks, and I still think they would be overcrowded.  It would just draw more people, and entice them to stay longer.

 

Lets face it, Disney has just gotten way too popular and like everyone has said, if we don't come back to the parks, or hotels, or the Fort, there will be a hundred more that will come.

 

The enjoyable carefree days of the 70's 80's and early 90's are gone and will never be back.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I'm glad you've all finally come around.  Since y'all are ditching the Mouse, how about you join my family at Dollywood over fall break?  GG at my site.  

[Seals 111]

 

The enjoyable carefree days of the 70's 80's and early 90's are gone and will never be back.

 

Or even more recently.  We don't go that often so I can remember every trip. Last week of August 2009 we spent 6 days in the parks and since my oldest son was in the check-off stage we checked off nearly every ride/attraction in all 4 parks without doing EMH or commando touring. I don't think we waited more than 20 min for anything.  Of course that was pre-Frozen....

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

LOL. 
 
The incompetent Passholder services department has gone into full damage control mode.
 
All of a sudden, out of the blue, I get an email today with my "October Passholder News."  I'm sure it's just a coincidence that I'm receiving this now, after not receiving any kind of news from them from January-September.
 
Anyway, they're going to have a Passholder Preview for the Osborne Lights from November 1-5:
 

 
Fantastic!
 
So, I clicked on the link to get more information.
 
That took me to the regular Osborne Lights page, which says nothing about any Passholder Preview.
 
Fail.
 
TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I keep looking on the Disney employment site for a "website content manager" position I can apply for, but somehow it never pops up! 

 

We got this today too.

 

I am glad to hear that there's a passholder preview, as we're leaving 11/13 and were going to be cutting things close to at least get over there once or twice.

 

But I'm even more excited to see the Morimoto lunch discount!  I've been swamped all day and haven't had a chance to check that out yet.  What are the odds there's going to be some info when I click that link??

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

How would that work... a passholder preview?  I mean, it's a wall of lights...how would they stop people from viewing this?  Would they actually kick everyone out of the park and then only let AP holders back in, just to see the lights?

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

How would that work... a passholder preview?  I mean, it's a wall of lights...how would they stop people from viewing this?  Would they actually kick everyone out of the park and then only let AP holders back in, just to see the lights?

 

They could potentially rope the street area off while it's still light out and then only let passholders in later on when they turn the lights on.

 

The way the area is setup, other guests in the park could potentially still get a peak but wouldn't be able to see everything.

 

Have they done this before?