BREAKING: Walt Disney World Introduces Date-Based Variable Pricing for Genie+ Service

[**Courtney**]

Wow, convert from USD to CAD @1.37 current rates only and this will certainly add up fast for this family of 4. But we will likely budget for it and still do it for our next trip...

Just checked the exchange rate earlier today...1.41. It might not seem like much but it's all starting to add up to a lot.

 

[boogienights]

I think what some users are saying is that the parks have been super busy/crowded to a point that affects enjoyment. They think there is no other way to decrease demand other than pricing people out of it.


That is how I see it anyways. Nobody wants to pay more for the same service, even the wealthy. However, many are willing to pay more if means a better return (less people buying genie plus for example).

I've just returned and have vowed never to go back. The throngs of people were overwhelming. We had a mostly great time and with genie+, VQ, EE, deluxe EEH, hoppers and ILL didn't wait more than 20 minutes for anything. We rode everything (more than once for most rides) in our 3 days except for 7DMT and SDD which we weren't interested in. But navigating the crowds was miserable. I don't think inreasing the price of genie+ and ILL will reduce crowds. People will still come. They'll either spend the money and go into debt or economize by staying/eating offsite, not buying hoppers and resigning themselves to standing in line. Those who buy g+ will be able to skip lines but they won't be able to skip the crowds. The crowds won't go away until the economy tanks or, even with cost saving measures, the price tag becomes so overwhelming that people will have to say no. We haven't reached that tipping point yet.

 

[Jelkat]

I see a few posts mention that there are no more pre booked genie plus from January onwards but we have it for Feb so surely plenty of others do too

 

[SeasonneRose]

I can’t help but (unrealistically) think that if Genie+ was based on income/personal net worth, we might hear less, ‘raise the price’ chatter.

I think that’s what many are mourning, the loss of one aspect of Disney that allowed more people to enjoy perks normally afforded only by those with higher finances.


No, Genie+ has never reached capacity.

Huh? What does someone’s personal net worth have to do with the price of genie+? Lol.

It is simply the laws of supply and demand. Has nothing to do with net worth or income.

 

[HopperFan]

So they mentioned this was for October… are we thinking November and December will go past the $22?!

I have no doubt and I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Christmas Week it doesn't creep up to $50. They'll use "it's still less than Universal" as justification.

 

[xdan0920]

No, Genie+ has never reached capacity

Of course not. There is no meaningful capacity on it. If Disney cared about guest satisfaction, they would have meaningful limits on the amount of G+ available.

 

[Jrb1979]

I have no doubt and I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Christmas Week it doesn't creep up to $50. They'll use "it's still less than Universal" as justification.

IMO they don't need to justify it. People continue to go to the parks no matter how much nickel and dining they are doing. The only way this ends if people stop going.

 

[cakebaker]

Those who buy g+ will be able to skip lines but they won't be able to skip the crowds.

But you can avoid the worst of the crowds. Making use of early entry then getting out before the afternoon heat and crowds become unbearable is key for us. With the return of After Hours it’s possible to enjoy the parks in near empty conditions again. We do dessert buffets to avoid crowds during fireworks.

I think a lot of people who complain about the crowd levels tend to be open to closers. We went in mid July and again just a few weeks ago and it was crowded - we just weren’t in the parks when it was.

Granted it costs more to do it our way, but it’s what it takes to make the parks enjoyable and fun for us, and it’s worth the price.

 

[DisneyFive]

Huh? What does someone’s personal net worth have to do with the price of genie+? Lol.

It is simply the laws of supply and demand. Has nothing to do with net worth or income.

Huh? You missed the point.

Dan

 

[SeasonneRose]

Huh? You missed the point.

Dan

No, I got it. It just doesn't make any sense. No one enjoys raising prices - even the wealthy. Pointing out supply and demand has nothing to do with someone's personal wealth.

 

[Suzabella]

This may not seem like much of a price increase but when you add it to all the other price increases or benefits being taken away? It's part of a trend that is significant.

People will opt to stay offsite to save money. They'll eat off site. They'll buy fewer souvenirs and snacks and take more snacks with them. They'll spend fewer days in the parks and more days exploring other Orlando experiences. The average family will save on what they can, where they can. I believe that Disney might make more with some of their price increases but will see it balance out with decreases in other areas.

 

[lowlight]

No, I got it. It just doesn't make any sense. No one enjoys raising prices - even the wealthy. Pointing out supply and demand has nothing to do with someone's personal wealth.

You can go and find dozens upon dozens of quotes cheering on the price increases in threads talking about the price of Genie+ and the crowd levels in the parks. It's not that those with more money enjoy paying more, it's that the ability to price out your competition (those less wealthy than you) is a very enticing proposition. It's why there is the allure of "exclusivity" and Golden Oak and the Club 33, etc. I believe what the PP meant was that maybe these people wouldn't be so quick to ask for price increases that result in shutting less wealthy people out if the price of the cost increases was proportionate to their wealth. In other words, a wealthy person can laugh at Genie+ going up $6 a day, but they wouldn't be so keen if it went up 6% of their income. There's always someone wealthier than you, and eventually you too will be shut out.

 

[SeasonneRose]

You can go and find dozens upon dozens of quotes cheering on the price increases in threads talking about the price of Genie+ and the crowd levels in the parks. It's not that those with more money enjoy paying more, it's that the ability to price out your competition (those less wealthy than you) is a very enticing proposition. It's why there is the allure of "exclusivity" and Golden Oak and the Club 33, etc. I believe what the PP meant was that maybe these people wouldn't be so quick to ask for price increases that result in shutting less wealthy people out if the price of the cost increases was proportionate to their wealth. In other words, a wealthy person can laugh at Genie+ going up $6 a day, but they wouldn't be so keen if it went up 6% of their income. There's always someone wealthier than you, and eventually you too will be shut out.

It still doesn't make any sense. This is capitalism. Point blank. Price increases aren't proportional to income for anything. Gas, groceries, utilities. It's just a silly proposition to make because someone is upset that prices are increasing. People are making emotional judgments when this is purely logical - it is supply and demand.

Some people are willing to part with their disposable (and perhaps non-disposable) income to have the added convenience of a more expensive genie+. That's their business. Those people may value that more than someone who thinks they're "cheering it on" and that's how they want to spend their money.

 

[Boski]

That is how I see it anyways. Nobody wants to pay more for the same service, even the wealthy. However, many are willing to pay more if means a better return (less people buying genie plus for example).

Disney's been charging more for lesser service for years.

 

[MillauFr]

So Disney imagines the Genie+ product to me more premium than a stand alone park ticket but less premium than a VIP tour? Just remove Genie+ and force everyone to buy the $1,000+ tour and be done with it.

Well if everyone bought the VIP tour then it wouldn't be VIP now would it?

 

[DaviVascaino]

You can go and find dozens upon dozens of quotes cheering on the price increases in threads talking about the price of Genie+ and the crowd levels in the parks. It's not that those with more money enjoy paying more, it's that the ability to price out your competition (those less wealthy than you) is a very enticing proposition. It's why there is the allure of "exclusivity" and Golden Oak and the Club 33, etc. I believe what the PP meant was that maybe these people wouldn't be so quick to ask for price increases that result in shutting less wealthy people out if the price of the cost increases was proportionate to their wealth. In other words, a wealthy person can laugh at Genie+ going up $6 a day, but they wouldn't be so keen if it went up 6% of their income. There's always someone wealthier than you, and eventually you too will be shut out.

This may not seem like much of a price increase but when you add it to all the other price increases or benefits being taken away? It's part of a trend that is significant.

People will opt to stay offsite to save money. They'll eat off site. They'll buy fewer souvenirs and snacks and take more snacks with them. They'll spend fewer days in the parks and more days exploring other Orlando experiences. The average family will save on what they can, where they can. I believe that Disney might make more with some of their price increases but will see it balance out with decreases in other areas.

Believe me when Disney knows exactly what they are doing. They will not be losing money in any way. All the price increases are backed up by research and consumer behavior. They are confident of that and that is why everything is getting a price adjustment (park experiences, refillable mugs, photo shoots, genie plus) etc

 

[SeasonneRose]

Disney's been charging more for lesser service for years.

And some people are willing to pay more for lesser service so long as it provides a benefit over the lower offered service. It's all relative.
Too many people are comparing it to what "used to be" instead of what "is".

 

[DCLMP]

IMO they don't need to justify it. People continue to go to the parks no matter how much nickel and dining they are doing. The only way this ends if people stop going.

They will just give it time. Demand will go down.

 

[DCLMP]

It still doesn't make any sense. This is capitalism. Point blank. Price increases aren't proportional to income for anything. Gas, groceries, utilities. It's just a silly proposition to make because someone is upset that prices are increasing. People are making emotional judgments when this is purely logical - it is supply and demand.

Some people are willing to part with their disposable (and perhaps non-disposable) income to have the added convenience of a more expensive genie+. That's their business. Those people may value that more than someone who thinks they're "cheering it on" and that's how they want to spend their money.

The middle class will soon be priced out if they are not already. Credit card debt is at an all time high as people fight to maintain the life style they enjoyed just a few years ago. WDW will soon be only for the rich or they'll pivot and lower prices. The economy will determine a lot.

 

[SeasonneRose]

The middle class will soon be priced out if they are not already. Credit card debt is at an all time high as people fight to maintain the life style they enjoyed just a few years ago. WDW will soon be only for the rich or they'll pivot and lower prices. The economy will determine a lot.

I'm not saying that's not true. It is still irrelevant to the discussion of supply and demand. Right now, demand for genie+ outpaces the supply.
Disney has always been a luxury vacation. There have always been people priced out of Disney and now the issue is that the people at the bottom of the threshold are beginning to find themselves in that group that can't afford Disney, now.

People complain when it's only out of THEIR price range. But they don't stop to think about the people, 10 years ago, who couldn't afford it then while they were enjoying Disney.