New MK Paid Disney After Hours Event Announced

[wisblue]

Most people on the DIS (either Disney "super fans" with APs or planning Disney exclusive trips) are not the market for this event. They are marketing to the people who are travelling to Orlando for a convention or planning to see Harry Potter and the beach, and maybe want to hit up MK too. I can't imagine many people with 7 day park hoppers willing to pay $150 pp for this. Maybe if there were beer/wine kiosks with free flowing booze and it was limited to 10K or less it would be appealing, but it's not like I've never been on BTMR a million times before.

I could also see it appealing to someone who has a shorter trip and has maybe a 2 or 3 day ticket without hoppers. They could spend much of a day outside of the parks (or even at a park they consider a "half day" park) and then spend the time from 7 PM until 1 or 2 AM at the MK. I don't see this working for too many families with kids because the cost and strain of the long day would likely be too much. But, for a party of adults who can each pay their own way, this could be more enjoyable for them than a longer day mixed in with the larger crowds. If you do it on the night before a departure day with an afternoon or evening flight, it could be a good way to top off the trip. If you measure your "return on investment" for your Disney tickets by how many rides you can do, and if you enjoy doing the same ride multiple times in a short period of time, this could be a good "investment".

 

[wisblue]

Exactly what I was thinking.
I could easily picture great early reviews due to this not yet being well known --> great reviews of low crowds --> increased tickets sold til it's no longer the same experience. And this could happen pretty darn quick, so I'd think only very recent reviews will be relevant to a potential buyer.

I agree. But, if the event turns out to be so popular that it draws crowds comparable to the holiday parties, doesn't that illustrate why it is being offered?

 

[HopperFan]

A phone cm told a caller that day guests just won't be able to ride but will be able to stay.

Who knows if that's actually true.

Phone CMs are clueless about 98% of everything that is operations.

They can read the prices and book things and that is about it.

If guests find out they have paid $149 and others were allowed to roam for free ...... you think people get mad when they seen a wristband-less guest at a MNSSHP that cost half that ....

EDIT: Something someone said about wanting to see 11 pm parade on their regular ticket. It would be doable that at 11 pm unless you have a wristband you can not be anywhere but the Hub and Main Street and not really impact the event if you want to watch the parade.




AND ............................

Last night something popped up on MDE and it appears to be the "backside of water" .... are mornings now on the block?

http://disboards.com/threads/is-this-a-sign-of-things-to-come.3494867/

 

[Mikie]

I agree. But, if the event turns out to be so popular that it draws crowds comparable to the holiday parties, doesn't that illustrate why it is being offered?

I suppose so, but also why I am content to wring out as much enjoyment as I can out of my basic tickets and not participate in these events myself.

I go in party season for the moderate crowds and better weather, and though I do not go to the parties, they do have a dramatic effect on crowd flow and crowd levels during those times. IF these become popular and offered more often, I can't imagine traveling during busier seasons, hotter weather AND having events like this jar my plans.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Everything about this event will depend on the number of tickets sold. And we don't know where capacity has been capped. The release to travel agents says it will be much smaller than the Halloween and Christmas parties. But, how much smaller. Everything hinges on that question and they aren't releasing actual numbers.

The early morning event looks like an attempt to further monetize pre-park opening dining reservations by selling a package including the meal and some Fantasyland attractions. Waiting for details.

 

[HopperFan]

Everything about this event will depend on the number of tickets sold. And we don't know where capacity has been capped. The release to travel agents says it will be much smaller than the Halloween and Christmas parties. But, how much smaller. Everything hinges on that question and they aren't releasing actual numbers.

The early morning event looks like an attempt to further monetize pre-park opening dining reservations by selling a package including the meal and some Fantasyland attractions. Waiting for details.

I feel like this is one instance where they need to release numbers to justify the price since the space isn't limited.

Club Villain we know the space and once inside the math says about 180 people, same goes for some other limited space events.

 

[Redcon1]

TE="MakiraMarlena, post: 55401006, member: 85058"]There will still be evening EMH hours during this time but they are on Wednesdays. And the park isn't closing early to accommodate this. So, I think my reaction is, shrug. I won't be going, don't need to, but if the rumors are true that admission will be limited to 12k then anyone who wants to dish out the cash will be able to experience MK practically free of lines. I can't call this "pricing the middle class family out" because there are no early closures and EMH has not been eliminated. It's a boutique offering, but one does not HAVE to purchase it to have a good time.[/QUOTE]

Why would you pay on Thursday when you can do it for free on Wednesday? I don't really think there will be that many less people on Thursday as on Wednesday to make the $150 charge worth it. Heck, a lot of posters here say they don't even use EMH and I assume that goes for many who aren't on these boards. Our experiences using evening MH have always been short lines for rides.

 

[mom2rtk]

Why would you pay on Thursday when you can do it for free on Wednesday? I don't really think there will be that many less people on Thursday as on Wednesday to make the $150 charge worth it. Heck, a lot of posters here say they don't even use EMH and I assume that goes for many who aren't on these boards. Our experiences using evening MH have always been short lines for rides.

We know one thing. The vast majority of the Thursday people are staying to the end (to justify the price). The Wednesday people typically don't.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Why would you pay on Thursday when you can do it for free on Wednesday?

You can't do it for free on Wednesday if you are staying offsite.

 

[wisblue]

I haven't read through this whole thread, so maybe this has been brought up before.

But, another potential market for this could be local students who could use it as a kind of graduation or unofficial class event. I could see a lot of parents being willing to foot the bill as long as there is some reasonable degree of supervision and chaperoning. It would be a variation on the old "grad nights"; do they even do those any more?

It could also appeal to some of the visiting groups of high school age students who come in for band, sports, and other types of competitions. If the group is done with their events and is leaving town the next day, give the kids one last fling. It would eliminate the concern about trying to get FPs for a larger group.

 

[DeeCee735]

JMHO but this makes no sense to me. Why would anyone spend more than a day ticket for a few hours at night with less things open? Just don't get it. If I was there for a convention, I'd buy the discounted convention ticket or not go at all. But...that's just me. I must be missing something, because this idea just baffles me.

 

[Pigletpal40]

Did sleep until April 1st?
We use to love E- Ticket nights. 5 min wait times. We rode Splash Mtn 4 times in a row without getting off! The last ride was just my wife and I. Had to buy the picture.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

JMHO but this makes no sense to me. Why would anyone spend more than a day ticket for a few hours at night with less things open? Just don't get it. If I was there for a convention, I'd buy the discounted convention ticket or not go at all. But...that's just me. I must be missing something, because this idea just baffles me.

There is no reason to buy this if it is not small capacity. Which would mean unlimited access without lines or with very short lines to the most popular attractions. Not everything will be open but the attractions that are not open are not the ones high on the popularity scale. In other words they can mostly be seen on a regular day without long waits. And partygoers have the option of 3 -4 hours between 7 and 10 or 11 to see those attractions.

 

[scrapquitler]

I could see conventioneers being an audience for this - company paid for airfare, hotel and food. This is only $150 total for them to go out after their day conference, shorter lines, longer hours still left of park time. Also someone planning a Central Fla trip who just wants a day at WDW. Rather than being the thing that pushes many TO Universal, perhaps it could be a way to capture some travelers FROM universal.

This. And families like my brother's, when they took their one and only trip to Orlando. His in-laws were temporarily living in the area, so they went to visit. They spent one day at Sea World, one day at WDW and the rest of the trip at the in-laws house. Something like this would have been appealing to them.

Not everyone who goes to central Florida is focusing on a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World (I can't imagine why, but it is true)

 

[HopperFan]

Why would you pay on Thursday when you can do it for free on Wednesday? I don't really think there will be that many less people on Thursday as on Wednesday to make the $150 charge worth it. Heck, a lot of posters here say they don't even use EMH and I assume that goes for many who aren't on these boards. Our experiences using evening MH have always been short lines for rides.

You can't do it for free on Wednesday if you are staying offsite.

AGREE - this gives offsite the option of EMH they don't have now.

I don't know if you have done these very late EMH but they aren't a cakewalk anymore. Last couple I did (Oct, Dec, Jan) were crowded enough you had to watch where you were walking, nothing was walk on and there where lines at the limited food options. So if number of tickets sold are really going to be walk on low then it could be worth it to some.

We don't know where they are going with this, I mean this isn't even the most crowded time of year to make it a real selling point ..... but if this is a test to segway to eliminate EMH then that argument is gone. This may be the only limited guest option down the road.

 

[mom2rtk]

I just had a thought on another target customer for this...... the ones who have given upon Disney and are staying onsite at US for their next trip. They could squeeze a little dose of Disney into one night and not be paying this high price in addition to the price of a multi day ticket, onsite Disney dining and hotel.

Maybe Disney would like me to work up a marketing plan for this one?

 

[CMDTA]

Hey, don't take away our dessert. We like dessert.

Indeed. I have a tummy that proves that

 

[Iowamomof4]

AGREE - this gives offsite the option of EMH they don't have now.

I don't know if you have done these very late EMH but they aren't a cakewalk anymore. Last couple I did (Oct, Dec, Jan) were crowded enough you had to watch where you were walking, nothing was walk on and there where lines at the limited food options. So if number of tickets sold are really going to be walk on low then it could be worth it to some.

We don't know where they are going with this, I mean this isn't even the most crowded time of year to make it a real selling point ..... but if this is a test to segway to eliminate EMH then that argument is gone. This may be the only limited guest option down the road.

I'm so glad to hear you say this. We did EMH at MK last Labor Day weekend (midnight-2) and it was still crazy crowded! But it was our first time ever in MK so we didn't really know what to expect. We finally gave up at 1:45. What a waste!

 

[CMDTA]

So, MASSIVE crowds from 7-10pm (day guests plus event guests)...

You "get" to watch Wishes/MSEP (which everyone who bought a standard admission ticket also gets)...

Free Mickey bars and soda/water after 10pm...

3 hours of rides (with hopefully lower crowds depending on how the party sells)...

And the privilege of buying Starbucks and hot dogs if you need food while there...

For $150 + tax. Per person.

What am I missing? How is this any kind of appealing situation? No special meets, fireworks, parades, dance parties, concerts, shows, merchandise. It's the $10 E-ride night from years ago with ice cream and soda.

I heard (term used loosely) they are going to hand out special pins. They say "I'm better than you."

It's on the Internet now so it must be true.

 

[DeeCee735]

Did sleep until April 1st?
We use to love E- Ticket nights. 5 min wait times. We rode Splash Mtn 4 times in a row without getting off! The last ride was just my wife and I. Had to buy the picture.

Did I sleep until April 1st???? Why do you need to be rude? I posted my opinion like everyone else. No need for sarcasm.