WDW Cuts and Upcharges

[Galaxy Defender]

when you market yourself and charge like a premium product and then expect to up-charge like a cheap product, that really grinds my gears.

WDW positioning themselves as a premium product but not delivering is a big problem for them right now.

 

[Mad Dog]

I've always given Bob Iger a lot of grief for neglecting WDW, pulling profits, and not re investing enough of WDW profits back into the resort. But Iger has actually been an excellent CEO for the rest of the Disney corporation, which is performing well in relation to their business segments (ESPN subscriber losses are just part of a larger trend in the cable business). If Iger would give WDW some of the same love he's given elsewhere, and reverse the WDW upper management mindset of Executive bonus priority comes first, WDW could reverse this problem. There's a cancer at WDW upper management that needs removed and only Iger can do it. It will be interesting if he protects his legacy and sets up a corporate guillotine for WDW leadership and change the culture.

 

[NJBrandon]

Disney is now charging for wheelchairs at their water parks.

 

[IzzyB]

Disney is now charging for wheelchairs at their water parks.

Didn't they always? They charge at every other park, as does every park.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Didn't they always? They charge at every other park, as does every park.

This is new, but now it is just like how they handle it in the theme parks.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Disney Paris saw a 12 percent dip in April and June. In fact, French Tourism is looking pretty bleak going forward.

Attractions Management - Tourism chiefs call for action after Paris attacks cost industry €750m...

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Disney Paris saw a 12 percent dip in April and June. In fact, French Tourism is looking pretty bleak going forward.

Attractions Management - Tourism chiefs call for action after Paris attacks cost industry €750m...

Another Disney park having a bad year.

 

[Nick]

When was the last time DLP actually had a good year?

 

[Donald Razorduck]

That's huge and I bet it continues for July and August numbers.

Nothing will deter me from my 2018 European Vacation but Disneyland Paris was a "maybe, if we" while Europa Park, Puy du Fou, Phantasialand and Efteling are "we are going to" parks

 

[Donald Razorduck]

How bad is it? I don't know but a two park ticket for under 60 us dollars on certain days?

 

[Galaxy Defender]

How bad is it? I don't know but a two park ticket for under 60 us dollars on certain days?

Ouch for them, good for guests.

 

[JoeCamel]

View attachment 2939 How bad is it? I don't know but a two park ticket for under 60 us dollars on certain days?

I have no frame of reference, what was the cost last year for those times?

 

[SeventyOne]

New rumor is Disney will start up charging for the monorail.

If I didn't know you, I'd instantly dismiss this as trolling.

Honestly, the biggest argument against this (from WDW perspective) is the main argument for it: monorails are too unreliable. If you sell me a ticket in the morning, that monorail better be running when I leave the park 14 hours later. I don't think ops can guarantee that on a day to day basis.

 

[jtsalien]

When was the last time DLP actually had a good year?

Probably the year before it opened.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Probably the year before it opened.

 

[matt78]

New rumor is Disney will start up charging for the monorail.

I might have been okay with this if I thought that they would use the money to upgrade and expand the monorail. Of course they won't do this and will just pocket the money instead. If they do this they might as well go all out and start charging for the ferry and shuttles too.

How long until they start charging per ride again on top of the entrance fee.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Wait, really? I'm going to reconfirm with parents and family friends who've been going since the 70s.



There might not be, but things are bad right now that they're looking at many options and changes to bring back profitability. Consider this like the "ToT quick service alcohol location" rumor (for now).

I first went to WDW in '71. Before EPCOT Center, when they had the lettered tickets for rides, there was a seperate ticket for transportation (you could take the ferry or the monorail).

I do not recall if it changed when you could buy an unlimited ride ticket (they had the lettered tickets and an unlimited one at the MK prior to EPCOT), but at some point when they stopped taking transportation tickets, there was a breakout on the ticket that mentioned something like $0.50 went to transportation.

What I wouldn't get about them doing this now is that I think they charge some of those DVC resorts for transportation...I'm pretty sure BLT pays for part of the monorail, but I could be wrong about how the DVC dues split out.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

My guess is charging for the monorail might have been discussed, but I just can't see them doing it. Riding the monorail has been free for decades. The protests would be deafening, not to mention all the bad press.

Families wanting to take a break with their kids in the afternoon would now have to pay extra for the privilege to do it. Guests without cars would be penalized for wanting to travel from the Transportation Hub by monorail to EPCOT. The shuttles would be free, Magical Express would be free but not the monorail?

I just don't think there's enough pixie dust to make this one fly.

 

[IzzyB]

My guess is charging for the monorail might have been discussed, but I just can't see them doing it. Riding the monorail has been free for decades. The protests would be deafening, not to mention all the bad press.

Families wanting to take a break with their kids in the afternoon would now have to pay extra for the privilege to do it. Guests without cars would be penalized for wanting to travel from the Transportation Hub by monorail to EPCOT. The shuttles would be free, Magical Express would be free but not the monorail?

I just don't think there's enough pixie dust to make this one fly.

I actually think this was never really a thing. Because the resorts on the Monorail pay a premium price to be on the monorail. No way are they going to want those people paying extra because then there would be no reason to stay at those resorts. It makes no sense. The only thing I can think of is they are trying to get people that drive to go to MK less, but that even seems like it wouldn't work.

 

[Nick]

I actually think this was never really a thing. Because the resorts on the Monorail pay a premium price to be on the monorail. No way are they going to want those people paying extra because then there would be no reason to stay at those resorts. It makes no sense. The only thing I can think of is they are trying to get people that drive to go to MK less, but that even seems like it wouldn't work.

Well I think if it was a serious thing, they would have to install MM+ podiums at every monorail station and if you are staying at on-site hotels, you get the transport for free. If not, then you'd need to buy a ticket.

However, where the real trouble with this comes into play is end of the night crowds exiting MK and Epcot. The amount of people that go to the monorail at MK at the end of the night is crazy and it backs up so far that stopping to ask people to pay would be an ops nightmare AND an insult to guests since either the monorail or ferry is necessary to get to your car. Then it just pisses people off too, it's really just a lose-lose situation.