Increased ticket prices coming soon?

[MommaBerd]

I just got an email from UT seemingly on speculation, based on historical price increases, that ticket prices may be going up. Mousesavers is echoing this. IS this purely speculation? Or do you think they have inside knowledge that an increase in pricing (OR tiered pricing) is coming?

 

[rteetz]

I just got an email from UT seemingly on speculation, based on historical price increases, that ticket prices may be going up. Mousesavers is echoing this. IS this purely speculation? Or do you think they have inside knowledge that an increase in pricing (OR tiered pricing) is coming?

Speculation because last year they raised them in February.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's typical to raise prices in the winter.

Hard to predict now because we have no idea what their motivations are with tickets

 

[doconeill]

It's typical to raise prices in the winter.

Hard to predict now because we have no idea what their motivations are with tickets

Typical how? For something like five straight years, they went up in August. Then it was June for several years. It's really only been the last two years that it's been February.

What points to it happening this month is the fact that they haven't raised it _yet_. And they've raised it in a year (+- a week) or less every year since I believe when they came out with the Magic Your Way tickets.

My prediction? 70% likely they go up February 28th, 30% likely February 21st.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Typical how? For something like five straight years, they went up in August. Then it was June for several years. It's really only been the last two years that it's been February.

What points to it happening this month is the fact that they haven't raised it _yet_. And they've raised it in a year (+- a week) or less every year since I believe when they came out with the Magic Your Way tickets.

My prediction? 70% likely they go up February 28th, 30% likely February 21st.

So what you're saying is...it's been a recent pattern to raise them in February?

Thanks for setting me straight


I dunno this time...it's possible they'll just go ahead and slice more meat off their bones...but I still wonder when the longterm shoe is gonna drop on massive ticket increases/restructuring?

It is gonna happen. Perhaps next fall/winter when they have new things to point to?

 

[doconeill]

So what you're saying is...it's been a recent pattern to raise them in February?

Thanks for setting me straight

I was referring to the use of the word "typical". I don't consider twice a pattern, as much as "they've never NOT raised ticket prices for a period over a year, give or take a few days, sometimes after much less than that...and they haven't raised the prices in about a year" is a pattern. It just happens to coincide with February again.

I don't think Disney could swing a massive increase. Especially given that currently you have a park that has big sections of it closed, we're still waiting for Pandora, promises of new things in the future - and Universal/Comcast is hatching some major plan up the road. BUT, if they are going to scrap MYW and go with tiered/demand pricing like they've already done with Annual Passes, this _might_ be the right time - as long as the low end comes with at least a token decrease, I think the masses might swallow that pill better.

But if you give a big increase now, I think people will look and say, "Gee...all this cool stuff is coming next year...we should just wait because it's too expensive to just see what we've already seen..."

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I know that they typically like to roll things out in a "soft" times...and since 2016 is a"bridge year" that would be ideal...
But a big crank on the tickets might have to wait until they have some things open or close to slap the "NEW!!!!" Label on for cover.

That's not now

 

[MommaBerd]

But if you give a big increase now, I think people will look and say, "Gee...all this cool stuff is coming next year...we should just wait because it's too expensive to just see what we've already seen...

THIS!!! Up until today, I really wondered if they would even raise ticket prices this year. I'm not part of the "how dare Disney raise ticket prices!" camp, but I would certainly raise my eyebrows at a price increase anytime soon. (And then I'd buy my tix through UT and be thankful for the heads-up!)

 

[Eoghann]

I don't think Disney could swing a massive increase. Especially given that currently you have a park that has big sections of it closed, we're still waiting for Pandora, promises of new things in the future - and Universal/Comcast is hatching some major plan up the road. BUT, if they are going to scrap MYW and go with tiered/demand pricing like they've already done with Annual Passes, this _might_ be the right time - as long as the low end comes with at least a token decrease, I think the masses might swallow that pill better.

Well how do you define massive? For several years now the price increases have been significant.

I can't imagine they'll go a year without an increase, particularly with attendance still rising. They could go with a smaller percentage increase or if they want to move to tiered pricing (and I think they do) they could partially disguise the price hikes with that.

 

[skier_pete]

They've been sending out that same e-mail for about 4 months - at least they keep sending it to ME.

But yes, last year they raised ticket prices in mid February. It's rare that Disney doesn't raise prices in minimum 12 months, so a good guess is they will be going up this month.

 

[doconeill]

Well how do you define massive? For several years now the price increases have been significant.

I can't imagine they'll go a year without an increase, particularly with attendance still rising. They could go with a smaller percentage increase or if they want to move to tiered pricing (and I think they do) they could partially disguise the price hikes with that.

On single-day tickets, the increases have been in the 5% range for a while. That's not all that large considering inflation, etc. We groan about it every year, but mainly because we don't by single tickets, and the $$ amount on the larger tickets goes up more, even if the percentage is less. We don't say, "Man, it's costing me 4% more for the tickets this year!" we say, "Man, it's costing me $35 more per ticket this year!"

But, if in a demand pricing model, say, the "unlimited" single day ticket went up $20, while the most limited stayed at the current level, I'd still call that a major increase as the limited tickets have a limited audience as well.

But that's just my opinion on the matter.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Anything over 10% is a gigantic increase...

Remember these increases are all compound/cumulative...and they basically impact every single person...some 50 million by Disney estimates.

If they up the "peak" to this silly new precious metal scale they floated...say $15 a day...

Average party of four, $60 a day, $420 a week.
That's huge for the average hombre...Santa clause comes
With a lighter bag on Christmas week

 

[tlmadden73]

Two schools of thought.
Leave tickets untouched as this is a "down" year (a lot of construction .. new stuff coming ...etc.) and raise prices later right beore the new stuff opens.

Or just raise them now. With all the reports how crowded it was this fall and just this past month, I don't see why Disney wouldn't raise ticket prices. Why not? They raised them last February and MORE people came? I think crowds will deter people away from WDW over ticket prices. While my wallet wouldn't like it, I'd be happy paying more for my tickets if it meant the parks were a bit less crowded during my next trip.
So I think they will continue to raise prices at least yearly while the crowds continue to grow.

I wouldn't be surprised with a $125 ticket by the time all the new lands open.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

To be honest..they should change the pricing structure now in case the markets crash.

They can discount later if they have to break the glass.

The next downtown in travel will be massive for wdw...just s hunch

 

[Eoghann]

On single-day tickets, the increases have been in the 5% range for a while. That's not all that large considering inflation, etc. We groan about it every year, but mainly because we don't by single tickets, and the $$ amount on the larger tickets goes up more, even if the percentage is less. We don't say, "Man, it's costing me 4% more for the tickets this year!" we say, "Man, it's costing me $35 more per ticket this year!"

I consider 5% to be a pretty large increase personally. It's well above both inflation and cost of living type increases.

There are arguments for why (increased labor costs, maintenance etc.) but when you hear stories about WDI's crazy budget busting proposals and when until very recently Disney hasn't actually been offering much new for people at WDW... yeah I'd call 5% significant.

Now so far the market has been entirely happy to take it and go in ever larger numbers, so I'm not sure Disney has any incentive to stop those increases regardless of the state of their parks.

 

[WDW-BWV]

Where is the equilibrium point of falling demand against the AP holders? I have to believe when AP levels drop you will see static price points and likely no action to raise individual tickets.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Where is the equilibrium point of falling demand against the AP holders? I have to believe when AP levels drop you will see static price points and likely no action to raise individual tickets.

Boy I would like to think so...

But I think you're overestimating how important annual passes are to them moving forward.

I actually think the era of the annual pass is winding down

 

[Eoghann]

Boy I would like to think so...

But I think you're overestimating how important annual passes are to them moving forward.

I actually think the era of the annual pass is winding down

So long as occasional and first time visits rise, AP will be deprecated. Those once in a lifetime or even once ever 5 years people spend a lot more money when they visit so it's better to pack the parks with them.

Yes, that's short term thinking, but we've covered that already. If the market changes, they will suddenly start caring about APs again. And let's be honest... people will probably accept it. It's rather like that bad relationship you can't quite quit.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Those once in a lifetime or even once ever 5 years people spend a lot more money when they visit so it's better to pack the parks with them.

Yes, that's short term thinking, but we've covered that already. If the market changes, they will suddenly start caring about APs again. And let's be honest... people will probably accept it. It's rather like that bad relationship you can't quite quit.

Eisner championed the AP program...but your statement above really turned out to be his "miscalculation" that gives those that followed "justification" to do what they are now and not care about those loyal customers as the once did.

The food isn't as good...the merchandise is cheap crap...and those that spend weeks there annually (cough) don't really want to keep spending on cheap crap.

So then the eggheads label APs as "diminishing returns" behind the scenes...

 

[tstidm1]

I actually think it happens as soon as tomorrow (Total Speculation). Wouldn't the incentive be for the increase to be before the President's Day weekend that starts in Thursday or Friday? Easter earlier this year (March 27th), so we start going into Spring Break crowds a week after or two after President's Day.