Tiered Pricing on Tickets....

[Elsaalltheway]

I think this really is only helping one person and that is the deep pockets of Disney. I feel really torn about all this. I know they are a business and they are out there to make money, and some of their endeavors have not been as plentiful as they want, but what I don't understand is the places that are already making money for them (the parks) You're going to continue to gouge those people. I know they are going to lose money because the wage deals with the workers, but ok, let some FTE's go and then hire more college program kids who work for less. Maybe sell ESPN, the one place that has never been in the black. We know prices are going to go up, but they seem to be penalizing the people who have no choice to take off the summer, such as teachers, parents with kids, etc.

 

[kniquy]

I think there is a very small population whom can look at pricing of rooms and park tickets to say - hey we are going to go when the prices are lowest. The rest of us who are limited to school vacations or summer will have to decide-- do you want to brave the heat of the summer or now go in Feb instead. If there is a significant price difference then i think people traveling during the higher tier times will just sacrifice in other areas - one less TS meal, maybe skip shopping at disney springs or say "hey lets stay off site to off set the ticket prices". People will still go but will still find ways to save money to make it work.

 

[Nimbus]

I agree with @randumb0.

Iger saying that tiered pricing is "good for guests" is patronizing almost to the point of being offensive. How dumb does he think we are? It might be good for some guests if they actually dropped prices in low-crowd seasons, but we all know that's not how this will work.

Agreed...unless they are lowering prices in low seasons to offset the hikes in peak seasons, Disney is walking away with more money and guests are walking away with a higher bill. Most of us only have the option of visiting Disney at certain predetermined times of the year, and that's exactly why those ARE peak seasons. Taking the kids out of school for a weak or more is just not an option. Using all our paid time off within the first month of the year is just too risky. So for most people, a peak season ticket increase doesn't make us think "Oh, I should consider going at a less crowded/cheaper time." If we had the means/options to do that, it's what we'd already be doing! Instead, it'll make us think, "Well, if we want to go to Disney this year it looks like we're going to have to pay more..." And, of course, Disney knows this. Disney will make more money, and the parks will be just as crowded. It's a lose/lose for the guest in my opinion. Very sad

 

[sweetnjmom]

Do I WANT to go to Disney the last week of August when it's an average of 90 degrees, peak hurricane season and there are downpours daily? No. I'd rather go in early May again. But that's no longer an option for my family -- we can go the last 2 weeks of August when my son has no camp or other childcare or we can go for a "long" weekend during Jersey Week -- since we're from NJ and have no school those days. So for me, if the price gets too high I won't go another time of year. I just won't go. Or I'll go less frequently and save up for when I can go. Or, like others have said, I'll stay offsite (which I have done).

(Though I do admit I like the fact that we were able to use an agency deal to get a great room rate at the Polynesian. And we're treating this upcoming trip as a resort stay with some Disney fun -- we're not going to push ourselves too hard and will see what we see.)

While you can still have a magical time at Disney, they're interested in making money and not making things easier for families.

 

[hotblooded]

I’m so glad I hoarded 10-day No Expiration tickets for myself. Unfortunately, I can’t foresee convincing my frugal family members that it’s worth making the trip.

 

[Anthony1971]

This is not the first time... I do not recall the exact year but I recall 2002 and 2003 they had length of stay tickets only... if you stayed 7 nights you got an 8 day ticket period.. there was no option unless you booked room only for part of your trip. while this is a little different as you are wondering how resellers will sell tickets.. who say they will still sell Disney tickets it will be a nightmare for them with people changing or bad reviews because people are out the money... BTW this only lased a few years before Disney revamped the entire ticket system and reintroduced in 2004 the past 10 day tickets with expire/non expire/hopping etc... as people stopped going

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I think with all the things coming up such as new Star Wars land and Toy story land and the new Guaridans of the Galaxy, Tron, I think Disney needs to let the mud settle first.

 

[ArielSRL]

If we had not decided to only do WDW on APs from now on then, yes, I would look at pricing and go when it's cheaper. Same as when I look at hotel rates.

We are planning to do this starting next year, as much as possible. Since we are DVC we know how often are trips will be and we can plan one set of APs to cover two of our yearly trips. And then throw in a few short ones, as well....

 

[zebrastreyepz]

I find it interesting that Iger says they're introducing Peak Multi-Day tickets, and that we'll see "more" tiering in the future.

So, this leads me to wonder, will they initially be rolling the program out with different pricing for "peak" season tickets only, and then the other two tiers (regular/value) will be separated out at a later date?

Or will they do it all at once, and they're going to be tiering the cost of other experiences etc... in the future?

I think the tiering with paying for Fast Passes and tying that into level of resort stay is coming.

 

[amylevan]

We can all agree that January/early February used to be slow. That was not the case this year. Do they charge value for that time of year, trying to make it even more crowded? They better plan on upping their staffing.

If they raise the prices for a time period and don't extend park hours (some complaints on here from time to time), are they going to have people complaining that they are paying more, they expect more?

That said, clearly there are times of the year when the market can bear much higher ticket prices - namely Christmas and Easter. So why shouldn't they charge more then?

I believe we are heading into a crazy busy time for WDW - the economy is good, Star Wars is coming and soon after the 50th. It's the ideal time to change up your pricing structure.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I'm kind of wondering the same thing. I bought our 6 day park hoppers for our December trip before the price increase. Will they still be honored if the tiered pricing takes effect before my trip? I sure hope so! I would think that they would be since they were purchased before the change was implemented, but who knows.

Well, I also bought a one-day ticket for my December trip. I think the link stated that it would start next year, so I'm not so concerned about this ticket. I'm just debating going ahead and buying tickets for my DS and his DGF for our trip next year. We will probably be going over Thanksgiving break, which I'm sure will be peak period. Just trying to figure out if I bought them now if I'd have to upgrade next year. And that's a pain if they don't let you do it over the phone. Makes it impossible to book FPs.

 

[JohnneeO]

It seems complicated now because there are so many possibilities, and all we can do is guess without access to most of the data being used to make the decision. But whatever decision Disney makes will simplify things because that will be the only scenario remaining.

In reality, so many other elements of a WDW are already variable that ticket price variances are less impactful. If a greater portion of my WDW budget goes towards tickets, then maybe I will look for cheaper flights; or drive instead of fly; or stay at a cheaper hotel, or cut back on dining and/or souvenirs to cover the ticket increase.

If Disney really wanted to entice visitors to attend at lower crowd times, they wouldn't stop at tickets. Parking, dining, and souvenirs all cost the same regardless of the date. With all of the additional revenue sources Disney has recently created, they have so many more options to manage crowds by lowering or raising prices. Isn't the HEA fireworks dessert party worth a little more on a peak day when the park is already crowded, and it will be tougher to find good viewing without the party?

 

[runwad]

If Disney really wanted to entice visitors to attend at lower crowd times, they wouldn't stop at tickets. Parking, dining, and souvenirs all cost the same regardless of the date.

Do they? I notice at my Sam's Club that prices of like items are higher on weekends and right before a holiday. Have you ever really watched to see if things are priced the same at different times???

 

[erin1715]

It seems complicated now because there are so many possibilities, and all we can do is guess without access to most of the data being used to make the decision. But whatever decision Disney makes will simplify things because that will be the only scenario remaining.

In reality, so many other elements of a WDW are already variable that ticket price variances are less impactful. If a greater portion of my WDW budget goes towards tickets, then maybe I will look for cheaper flights; or drive instead of fly; or stay at a cheaper hotel, or cut back on dining and/or souvenirs to cover the ticket increase.

If Disney really wanted to entice visitors to attend at lower crowd times, they wouldn't stop at tickets. Parking, dining, and souvenirs all cost the same regardless of the date. With all of the additional revenue sources Disney has recently created, they have so many more options to manage crowds by lowering or raising prices. Isn't the HEA fireworks dessert party worth a little more on a peak day when the park is already crowded, and it will be tougher to find good viewing without the party?

I'm totally unconvinced that it will simplify things. Heck, tickets are more complicated now than ever since they added expiration dates. I had to ask for help to figure out how much adding the park hopper option would be once I arrived in Disney. And then had to explain WHEN I bought the ticket to figure it out. It's not easy now, and I don't think tiered pricing will help.

I hate this idea.

 

[ErinF]

My wife is a teacher and I'm a school bus driver, unfortunately we can only go during peak times. We already have to pay higher prices for flights, so this is dissapointing to hear. Something I'll need to keep an eye on for our next trip, March 2019.

We don't go unless school is out as well. It weighs too much on my conscience, too many educators in my family, etc. so I won't take my kids out of school. FWIW, our trip this June is in the "regular" season, so hopefully some of summer will continue to have some regular season days, it's not all peak (yet).

People will still go but will still find ways to save money to make it work.

Yep, I think we're ones that will always go, but we will just make it work in the budget. If we have to stay moderate or off-site, or drive instead of fly to make it more affordable, we'll do what it takes. We already only go every other year, so we could also change to going every 3 years in between visits.

 

[alan68]

I'd respect that a heck of a lot more.

Right on. Disney is doing this for the same reason some buffet restaurants charge more on the weekends than through the week. Everyone knows it's because more people eat out on the weekends, hence more $$$ for the company. At least Golden Corral doesn't insult our intelligence by expecting us to believe that higher prices on Saturday is "good for the customer. "

 

[ShadeDK]

I'm totally unconvinced that it will simplify things. Heck, tickets are more complicated now than ever since they added expiration dates. I had to ask for help to figure out how much adding the park hopper option would be once I arrived in Disney. And then had to explain WHEN I bought the ticket to figure it out. It's not easy now, and I don't think tiered pricing will help.

I agree - the current system already can be confusing - adding even more variables and prices with multiday ticket tiers won't make it easier. I can already see the press release:

"With the introduction of new tiers (Value, Regular and Peak) to multiday tickets at Walt Disney World Resort, our guests have more freedom than ever to plan their vacation and choose the options that best fit their needs and budget. To help familiarize guests with this new system and guide them through the process, we're launching Disney's MagicOurWay program and are proud to provide guests with this convenient and easy-to-read chart to help them select the ticket packages that are right for them!"

 

[mab2012]

What I'm wondering is if I buy tickets right now that expire at the end of 2019, will I have to upgrade them when the new tiered system gets put in place. We are going sometime next year with the whole family, but we aren't sure when. To me it seems that what I pay now should be honored, but who knows?

I'm kind of wondering the same thing. I bought our 6 day park hoppers for our December trip before the price increase. Will they still be honored if the tiered pricing takes effect before my trip? I sure hope so! I would think that they would be since they were purchased before the change was implemented, but who knows.

I don't think you need to be worried about this; I'm confident that Disney will honour the terms of the ticket at the time of purchase. I'm pretty sure they are legally obligated to do so (unless there is some kind of fine print on the ticket purchase that I've never noticed before), but beyond that, it's just good business. And they've always done so before. People have tickets that are literally decades old - still valid under their original terms.

 

[bryanb]

I think this really is only helping one person and that is the deep pockets of Disney. I feel really torn about all this. I know they are a business and they are out there to make money, and some of their endeavors have not been as plentiful as they want, but what I don't understand is the places that are already making money for them (the parks) You're going to continue to gouge those people. I know they are going to lose money because the wage deals with the workers, but ok, let some FTE's go and then hire more college program kids who work for less. Maybe sell ESPN, the one place that has never been in the black. We know prices are going to go up, but they seem to be penalizing the people who have no choice to take off the summer, such as teachers, parents with kids, etc.

You're right though... Disney cares about its own pockets. They'll care about our wallets, but only to figure out what it takes for us to open them. (To be fair, I do love the product/experiences they're offering in exchange for those dollars or I'd never go.)

At any given price point, there are people who are willing to pay, people who are squeezed right on the edge of being unwilling to pay, and people who are completely out. Even those willing to pay can be unhappy at being squeezed which creates lower satisfaction. But as prices go up, demand shifts downward. After all, there's no such thing as having "no choice." People already choose how often to visit WDW (or at all) based on how expensive it is. A price increase just pushes the next group into teetering on the edge of whether it's worth it, and whether they'll un/happily fork over the extra money.

I don't like the idea of letting more full-time cast members go as a solution, to say nothing about the human factor of it all. As the employer with the highest HR needs in central Florida, staffing is actually not as easy as people realize. College kids might make lower wages, but there is a huge cost to their turnover including recruitment, training, and productivity. There are only so many college kids willing to join the college program, and you have to entice them with other incentives. Also, Disney needs flexibility more than anything else, and the local population can better supply a base of support for those variations in attendance.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

You're right though... Disney cares about its own pockets. They'll care about our wallets, but only to figure out what it takes for us to open them. (To be fair, I do love the product/experiences they're offering in exchange for those dollars or I'd never go.)

At any given price point, there are people who are willing to pay, people who are squeezed right on the edge of being unwilling to pay, and people who are completely out. Even those willing to pay can be unhappy at being squeezed which creates lower satisfaction. But as prices go up, demand shifts downward. After all, there's no such thing as having "no choice." People already choose how often to visit WDW (or at all) based on how expensive it is. A price increase just pushes the next group into teetering on the edge of whether it's worth it, and whether they'll un/happily fork over the extra money.

I don't like the idea of letting more full-time cast members go as a solution, to say nothing about the human factor of it all. As the employer with the highest HR needs in central Florida, staffing is actually not as easy as people realize. College kids might make lower wages, but there is a huge cost to their turnover including recruitment, training, and productivity. There are only so many college kids willing to join the college program, and you have to entice them with other incentives. Also, Disney needs flexibility more than anything else, and the local population can better supply a base of support for those variations in attendance.

I agree about not letting people go, but with them still locked on their wage fight with the Union I fear what Disney is going to do in the end, if they are really holding out the 1k bonuses they announced, it makes me shake my head. I'm glad I joined DVC because that allows me a great vacation ever other year for a pretty fair initial cost. I know even that cost will continue to go up, but the perks they currently offer really does offset those increases.