Article on WDW considering a "demand pricing plan"

[Planogirl]

No not really. Universal are not significantly cheaper, they're not doing anything dramatically different and having a handful of arguably better rides and one high draw well themed land doesn't make them overall better. They are a credible competitor which is something Disney really hasn't had but it's hardly KMart vs. Walmart.

And really the changes in the last 20 years are more a case of refinements to squeeze out more money than any sort of radical shift in business model. They still make money by packing people into the parks and upselling them. That hasn't changed. But, when you're talking Wall Street you can't separate the parks out from the rest of the company. So that's not really what matters.

I don't think that Universal should charge less at this point. They are offering a quality product and selling that for less just makes it seem less valuable. I also think that it's more than a handful of better rides and one high draw well themed land (already two if you only count Potter) but YMMV.

 

[rteetz]

I am curious to see if they would offer a disability discount like Shanghai is offering

I don't think they can legally in the US.

 

[Eoghann]

I don't think anyone has to be cheaper. People rarely complain about prices when they feel they're getting their money's worth out of a product. I don't even think something has to be overall better to begin drawing away business as much as they just need to keep trending in the right direction. Consumers like bright shiny objects and shifts often occur generations later. People's parents thought they were crazy at one time for buying a Honda instead of a Chevy but now that's just seen as a completely logical decision.

I completely agree that changes have been made to maximize profits but it has been at the expense of the original plan which involved high levels of maintenance and constant plussing of one kind or another. However when you focus on the one time visitor they don't care that fish don't jump, tigger doesn't bounce and the paperboy sells to a dark alley because they don't know any better. I could be wrong but I don't think the company was founded on the ideal of giving less for more but that certainly seems to be the current philosophy and tiered ticket pricing would just be another example.

I don't actually disagree with anything you've written.

But that isn't what a business model is nor does it remotely relate to something like Kodak or K-Mart.

 

[Eoghann]

I don't think that Universal should charge less at this point. They are offering a quality product and selling that for less just makes it seem less valuable. I also think that it's more than a handful of better rides and one high draw well themed land (already two if you only count Potter) but YMMV.

I never said they had to. BUt if you're going try to make a K-Mart/Walmart comparison it doesn't work. The reason Walmart "won" is they did business more efficiently and used it to drive prices lower than KMart could match and make a profit. That's not what's going on here so it's just the wrong comparison to make.

I'm not sure how this became "Universal vs. Disney which is better"

 

[Planogirl]

I never said they had to. BUt if you're going try to make a K-Mart/Walmart comparison it doesn't work. The reason Walmart "won" is they did business more efficiently and used it to drive prices lower than KMart could match and make a profit. That's not what's going on here so it's just the wrong comparison to make.

I'm not sure how this became "Universal vs. Disney which is better"

LOL! It so often becomes that but I've noticed not as much lately.

From my perspective I was thinking of it only in terms of the comment about Universal. I'm not going to compare them. At least not today.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I don't actually disagree with anything you've written.

But that isn't what a business model is nor does it remotely relate to something like Kodak or K-Mart.

I'm not making direct correlations to the reason each company fell off their pedestal. My point was Kodak and Kmart were both major companies who were on top of the world and eventually fell from grace for various reasons. It's not necessarily a company A vs company B scenario either as in both cases multiple competitors took advantage of their rejection of change. No company is too big to fail and many times even when riding highs the foundation cracks and by the time the company stops counting their money and looks around it is too late.

Again while I certainly think there are comparable aspects to both situations the primary point was just because a company is number 1 for a long time doesn't mean they will stay that way if they continue to value profit margins over consumer confidence.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Shanghai Disneyland recently released their ticket prices. Ticket prices will vary depending on the season and/or day you visit the park. You will need to purchase a ticket for the actual day you plan on visiting the park.

From Disney and More: "Theme park ticket prices for both peak and usual days will cost 499 yuan (almost US$75.85) and 370 yuan (almost US$56.24) respectively. Advance booking of tickets will start from Mar. 28 ahead of its grand opening in mid June.

The peak days include its multi-day opening celebration from Jun. 16 to 30, Chinese holidays, weekends and the summer break.

The amusement park will provide special offers for children (between 1 to 1.4 meters tall), the elderly (over 65 years old) and the disabled, who will enjoy a 75 percent discount. Toddlers below one meter in height are free to enter the park."

A two-day ticket will be available with a whopping 5% discount!

More info here: http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/

 

[Eoghann]

Shanghai Disneyland recently released their ticket prices. Ticket prices will vary depending on the season and/or day you visit the park. You will need to purchase a ticket for the actual day you plan on visiting the park.

From Disney and More: "Theme park ticket prices for both peak and usual days will cost 499 yuan (almost US$75.85) and 370 yuan (almost US$56.24) respectively. Advance booking of tickets will start from Mar. 28 ahead of its grand opening in mid June.

The peak days include its multi-day opening celebration from Jun. 16 to 30, Chinese holidays, weekends and the summer break.

The amusement park will provide special offers for children (between 1 to 1.4 meters tall), the elderly (over 65 years old) and the disabled, who will enjoy a 75 percent discount. Toddlers below one meter in height are free to enter the park."

A two-day ticket will be available with a whopping 5% discount!

More info here: http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/

Which is fine for a 1/2 day park. But a large portion of WDW's business is those 4 & 5 day park hopper tickets...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

My gut says Shanghai struggles, maybe significantly, out of the gate.

 

[rteetz]

My gut says Shanghai struggles, maybe significantly, out of the gate.

I think eventually yes. They will be ok for the opening month and they are going to sell it as the biggest opening ever but eventually they will have even more problems.