Are Disney out pricing themselves?

[ashwaite]

Last year we were able to book a package staying at Saratoga Springs for 2 weeks inc flights etc. for £3500. This year, 1 week in a moderate resort £3250, OR, a week in a 5 star hotel in Dubai with unlimited theme park entry for £1850! Are you trying to put people off staying on site?

 

[zavandor]

They are trying to get as much money as they can get. Economy has recovered (in the USA it's booming), more people are willing to spend more disposable income, Disney resorts have record occupancy rates. They can afford to increase rack rates and decrease discounts and offers.
When (not if) the economy will tank again they'll go back into introducing 40% discounts and more free dining. At the moment, they can afford to increase rates, for someone being priced out there is someone else willing to take his place.

 

[Jon84]

I actually think WDW are raising their prices to put people off, many resorts a booked up well in advance, and the parks are much busier than even 5 years ago.

Raise the prices and cut costs to make more money, with less guests to worry about.

 

[chmurf]

They'll just attract people with more spending capabiliies

we might get priced out, but they won't run out of customers.

it's like all things in life, when we no longer can justify paying the price, we find a replacement.

We've already moved on from Disney to Universal, where we stay for half the price. But we know one day we'll need to move on to something else.

Disney deprivation is not life threatening, don't worry, you'll get through it

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

yes they are and people keep paying for it

 

[mousehockey37]

They are trying to get as much money as they can get. Economy has recovered (in the USA it's booming), more people are willing to spend more disposable income, Disney resorts have record occupancy rates. They can afford to increase rack rates and decrease discounts and offers.
When (not if) the economy will tank again they'll go back into introducing 40% discounts and more free dining. At the moment, they can afford to increase rates, for someone being priced out there is someone else willing to take his place.

The economy may be finally recovering, and yes, more people are going on vacation and such, so Disney keeps raising the prices and pushing the wallets open a little further, however, even though the economy can be said to be recovered, there's a lot of people who are just like the OP here in the US. Disney fans are seeing the threshold lower everyday as to what it's going to take to say, that's it, we're going less. There's multiple discussions going on as to what the target Disney consumer looks like, hence the price points.

 

[sam_rogers]

Disney have now out priced us and our September trip will be our last. We last had a proper holiday to wdw in 2012 and prices have gone up a lot since then. We booked our September trip in April last year knowing we probably wouldn't be back for a while, but since then they've added in parking fees for hotel guests as well as more hard ticket events etc so the endless nickel and diming has become too much so this will be our last trip. We stayed at universal for a week in 2016 and the cabana Bay resort was much nicer than any Disney value hotel with bigger rooms and also cheaper. If we go back to Orlando it will only be for a universal holiday.

 

[Constant]

Pete has covered this on the podcast several time, the repeat visitor like most on these boards are the ones it seems are getting effected more. On the whole we buy less in the parks, have eaten in most signature restaurants so now have our favourites etc. I guess it's fair simple supply and demand, fewer people may come but pay more, less staff needed for parks as Tourplans.com have seen with quieter parks but longer queues. We are going in a couple of weeks, we are DVC and I've done a review of for price of park tickets what could we do outside the main parks (including Universal and Seaworld) for the same amount of money. My kids are now son 10 and daughter 13 so getting to the age they want to do different things anyway.
So I'm nervous about this holiday, the pressure to make the most of the park tickets but that the experience has degraded and won't feel like value. But will I ever be able to go stay DVC and not go to the parks!?!?

 

[Jon84]

Disney have now out priced us and our September trip will be our last. We last had a proper holiday to wdw in 2012 and prices have gone up a lot since then. We booked our September trip in April last year knowing we probably wouldn't be back for a while, but since then they've added in parking fees for hotel guests as well as more hard ticket events etc so the endless nickel and diming has become too much so this will be our last trip. We stayed at universal for a week in 2016 and the cabana Bay resort was much nicer than any Disney value hotel with bigger rooms and also cheaper. If we go back to Orlando it will only be for a universal holiday.

It's not just an increase in price for your price difference.

In the 6 Years since 2012 the Exchange rate as worsened too!

 

[sam_rogers]

It's not just an increase in price for your price difference.

In the 6 Years since 2012 the Exchange rate as worsened too!

Unfortunately for us our future holidays will still be in the USA because we have nashville, new Orleans, colorado and a load of other places on the bucket list so we're stuffed on the exchange rate anyway but like you say it definitely doesn't help the situation at disney!