Tomorrow's price increases

I think it's interesting that effective tomorrow, Disney will, for the first time ever, charge one day guests MORE to visit MK than any other park at WDW. ; Other than the Premier Pass AP holders whining because they aren't getting as big of a discount that they got before....it's not as bad as people are making out.

Unless you only visit WDW one day, and that day is going to MK.

 

7% +/- is a tough nut to hack... ; For a family of 4 to go to MK for one day, it's going to cost them almost $450 if you factor in parking. ; And that's just to walk in the door. ; Ouch.

Big ticket prices and stagnant growth at WDW vs. lower ticket prices and growth explosion at Universal. ; Someone seems to asleep at the wheel here.

 

If anything that's what the issue should be. ; Are you getting the proper value for your money? ; I think the MK price change is a hint that the next major expansion (DHS cough cough) will also see a price increase the next time. ; (I think the Dual Coast Premier Pass massive cost increase is related to the success of Cars Land)

Universal did increase their prices before Disney this time. ; But what have they added? ; Transformers 3D and a Simpsons Land refresh (the part that opened already was just a renovation of existing buildings).

What has Disney added? ; Monorail overlays. ; A new dark ride (which is also a copy)/land/restaurant/meet and greet. ; The next new thing will be a new coaster...which will go head to head against a brand new LAND at Universal with a new coaster and an immersive train ride.

Universal is doing what Disney used to do so well.

They have custom napkins JUST for the Simpsons area. ; When was the last time you saw something as small as that at Disney? ; They have also added custom meals and drinks just for their new areas (granted Disney copied that with Cars Land and New Fantasyland) a la Butterbeer and now Duff Beer/Flaming Moes drinks (I could say Krusty Burgers too but it's just a greasy burger and fries). ; Did Disney even think about adding something like Superhero Schwarma to Tomorrowland? ; (I'm guessing not because where else in WDW would they serve it - the dining plan homogenized the menus TOO much, which is something I complained to the head honchos at a shareholder meeting several years ago)

 

I know this is a narrow view but here goes...

Avatar land - years away and possibly not even relevant at the time it opens. ;

Cars Land clone - back burnered and years away.

Fantasyland - opened without a huge draw and still not done. ; Nice but can't hold a candle to Harry Potter.

RFID stuff. ; Cool, high tech, really doesn't do anything for me.

New DVC at Grand Flo. Awesome but where are people going to go? ; It already packed most of the year.

Downtown Disney refurb- I'm sure it will be nice but I spend very little time there already. ; I go to Disney World to have fun and enjoy the parks, not go shopping. ;

EMH reduced year after year. No more Lights of Winter. No more CBJ holiday overlay. Menus reduced, dining plan lost tip and appetizer. Hours cut. ; Fantasmic only a few nights a week. ; Lines keep growing and growing.

Prices and crowds keep rising, lines keep growing. ; Granted with that logic they don't NEED to do anything but I can't get past the fact that they seem to be getting very greedy and lazy especially with Universal cranking out LAND after LAND. ;

Disney can't even fix the electric palm trees in Tomorrowland. ; (Remember they used to move).

 

; Bingo.

 

Well put everyone. The WDW Dina and I fell in love with in the early 90's is long gone. And I think even then, we were on the tail end of greatness.
Last year we only went to wdw twice. We haven't been this year. We haven't even booked our annual December trip yet. We just aren't excited about going, and now it is probably too late to get the room/hotel we would want.

 

I agree with the sentiment about the changes for the worse, and the fact that they're letting too much of the old Disney go while chasing every dollar they can squeeze out of a newer generation that doesn't really care about the history. ; I've been complaining about the changes to the parks for years - it's the smaller things that bother me, and the 'interactive' updating that supposedly makes it more immersive, which I find does just the opposite. ; From the dining plan, which to me was one of the most disruptive, damaging things that happened, to the removing of benches and taking over of quiet spots to put more meet-and-greets, to the interactive challenges like Kim Possible and now the new MK version which strip the value of all the attention-to-detail and intricate theming (gee, another excuse for today's generation to run around the park staring at little phone screens - like they needed more reasons!)...the parks are becoming like holding cells to contain people, distract them, and try to get them to spend more money on things.


The irony is that it almost harks back to the original Disney park in a way. ; For the past 25 years or so, we've gotten used to paying an admission to get in the park, and then everything within except the food was essentially free. ; For the past 5 years or so, there have been more and more things requiring separate fees within each park. ; But go back to the Disney of the 70s, and you paid an initial admission and transportation fee to get into the park, and then had to buy a ticket book to pay PER RIDE! ; Something today's generation isn't used to - imagine when the family bought a ticket book and you wanted to ride Space Mountain and go on Pirates and Haunted Mansion, and hit 20,000 leagues, and hit...oh wait, I only have 3 e-tickets in my ticket book! ; Pick the 3 you want most, and ride them. ; Want to ride again? ; Sorry Charlie - start begging the parents to buy more tickets.


Of course, even adjusted for inflation, the ticket prices were a tiny speck of what they are today.


As an annual passholder, it would still take a lot more price increases to make the value proposition erode enough for me to not go anymore - because I go so frequently and live so closely, it's still worthwhile despite the changes which frustrate me. ; And because I can go to Disney to enjoy things a little differently than the family minded people - rides not important, going to good restaurants, enjoying the displays and history and walk through exhibits that most still don't bother to do, means I can still find things to enjoy - as long as I can avoid running into Kim Possible and Pirate explorers running around looking at their screens and making stupid little things pop up or light up...and as long as I can find the 4 benches remaining in the entire park to sit-a-spell and relax, or the lone remaining quiet spot that doesn't have a character or interactive display screen in it. ; But I also find the experiences much more mixed than they used to be - Disney was pure pleasure, pure fun, and a classic hark back to childhood...now Disney is 60% pleasure, 50% fun, and 10% hark back to childhood...still enough to justify going, but more and more little annoyances. ; The Dining plan's complete destruction of at least 4 of my favorite restaurants by genericizing the food and making some of them impossible to get into without reservations made a year in advance...that one hurts. ; But I find myself spending more time at the less popular parks anyway (Epcot, which never drew in the short-attention-span kiddies as much), and roaming the resort grounds enjoying the theming there...little things like boat rides to different resorts from the parks give me more of my classic Disney memories...so I embrace those more. ; The more money-driven parks turn me off - it's why I never gelled with MGM/DHS as I felt from the beginning it was too much about drawing in crowds and making money as opposed to intricate theming and attention to detail. ; Magic Kingdom has also fallen down a bit for me, since it has been converting itself bit by bit into the same type of thing - the constant removal of older classic rides, the constant filling of every nook and cranny with characters and meet-and-greets and dance shows and musical shows and constant park announcements and park-wide parade music blaring. ; Epcot and Animal Kingdom really are my favorite two parks - as they seem to retain the most of the detailed theming and the least ride-and-show immersion - they are a little quieter, with more places to relax or enjoy the small details, with more history, more culture, more learning. ; And generally, the least crowded!

 

It really is a shame that we are even having this discussion isn't it? ;

Heck, I'm still mad that they took the red, white and blue bunting off the Liberty Belle, and that was YEARS ago!

 

For me, I'm still not over the removal of the 'WEDway Peoplemover' name, which had oh-so-much significance!

 

I agree with almost all of your points, Justin. ; It seems that they just don't don't give two flips about their history, heritage, or where they came from. ; Walt is just an ends to a means anymore; the company has traded its soul for plushes, meet and greets, and money/ money/ money.

I really hate feeling this way.

 

I agree with it all! ; I can't believe that they feel the MK is worth a $95 single say ticket. ; For WHAT? New Fantasyland? Please! ; Yes it is pretty to look at, but for me, that is it. ; I am not impressed by the Little Mermaid ride, at all. ; It feels unfinished to me. ; The most impressive thig to me in there is the Storytime with Belle. ; I am hoping the new coaster is something worth waiting for, but we have to wait for that until next January. ; The Forbidden Journey ride in Harry Potter is AMAZING!! ; By far the coolest and most innovative ride I have ever been on. ; Why can't Disney do this again? ; Instead, all they are caring about is putting RFID chips in your mug so you can't "steal" soda in a cup from your last trip.

 

Because Disney didn't notice what they were doing and universal got an exclusive on any further use of the technology.

Disney only has the one at The Seas with Nemo. Legoland CA has a few.

 

What technology?

I just think it's funny that most of the awesome stuff that universal is being built by former Imagineers that got let go by Disney when they weren't "needed".

 

They use KUKA robotic arms in conjunction with a dark ride track. Imagine horizons mixed with Soarin and you will get close to the experience.

 

Wow.

 

Yeah Wow isn't enough to describe it. A full motion simulator along a dark ride track that incorporates video screens, AA and special effects. I would have to add in Indiana jones from DL to the description as well.

 

It is the most amazing ride I have ever been on. ; In my opinion, it alone is worth the price of admission to the park