I totally agree with this take on the new tier pricing plan.

[mickeyluv'r]

Most of us here are well versed in Disney tickets...but I just looked at the new ticket price list on another website, with all the crazy options, and whew! The list is very confusing!

It reminds me of MACY's and their complicated coupons. The coupons have so many exclusions that they are virtually meaningless, and many customers have sworn off Macy's out of frustration. It has become very unpleasant to shop there: meaningless coupons, long lines, cursing customers, messy dressing rooms, messy merchandise.

I've already heard many Disney guests complain about real time ticket issues. Guests HATE having their ticket rejected then being sent over to purgatory outside the Magic Kingdom, which can quickly snowball into missed 7D FP.

This is only going to make the problem worse.

 

[rickybobby]

So, have any of you considered (I'm sure you have) the way to beat this is to go ahead and buy as many multi-day tickets now as you can afford over a year's time? Like, buying 20 or so 3 day passes in a year's time. The tickets dont expire until used for the first time, and could be used over several years, offsetting these price hikes. Thoughts?

 

[eliza61]

Kodak sold a product that time left behind.

I don't know of any major corporation that prioritises customers over shareholders. Losing shareholders would have a far more significant an immediate effect that losing customers. I think with disney people get caught up in the pixie dust and expect it to operate like a charity and not a business.

If people will continue to pay increased ticket prices (and so far the evidence says they will crowds are increasing) then ticket price increases are inevitable until the next recession.

A product is always worth the highest price people will pay for it. If people continue to pay it it is not overpriced.

yes but the problem with that is that it's unsustainable. shareholders tend to be ravenous entities that always have to be feed regardless to market conditions.
Many companies are finding that out now. they can't get the revenue from sales to feed the shareholders so they turn to other methods, such as "cost containment". lol translation. layoffs or reduced product offering.

Disney is doing both, now I'm both a shareholder and a visitor but now like many of us, the returns are diminishing. I'm no longer going and I've put a hold order on buying any more stock.

 

[eliza61]

So, have any of you considered (I'm sure you have) the way to beat this is to go ahead and buy as many multi-day tickets now as you can afford over a year's time? Like, buying 20 or so 3 day passes in a year's time. The tickets dont expire until used for the first time, and could be used over several years, offsetting these price hikes. Thoughts?

lol, my way of beating it is to go elsewhere. so not only do I not spend the ticket price but they lose (not a great lost overall to the company) the revenue from eating, drinking and souvenirs

I recognize I'm one little speck in the Universe that is Disney but I vote with my money.

I'm lucky, my family never brought into the "Disney is the only place to have magical vacations" mindset

 

[EricInPA]

So, have any of you considered (I'm sure you have) the way to beat this is to go ahead and buy as many multi-day tickets now as you can afford over a year's time? Like, buying 20 or so 3 day passes in a year's time. The tickets dont expire until used for the first time, and could be used over several years, offsetting these price hikes. Thoughts?

Budgeting your trip in advance for a price increase vs fronting $6000+ for tickets to avoid incremental price increases... if you can swing that, it's not a bad move.

I guess you "beat" the price increases, but Disney certainly wouldn't mind. Looking back 10 years (when prices were only 65$ a ticket!), you would have saved ~350 per ticket.

 

[snayak]

So, have any of you considered (I'm sure you have) the way to beat this is to go ahead and buy as many multi-day tickets now as you can afford over a year's time? Like, buying 20 or so 3 day passes in a year's time. The tickets dont expire until used for the first time, and could be used over several years, offsetting these price hikes. Thoughts?

The new tickets expire at the end of the 2 years (or something confusing like that). So tickets you buy this year will expire Dec 2018, I believe, but Disney will apply the cost of those tickets to the price of new (higher priced) tickets.

 

[Robo]

Why do people always ask "what would Walt think?" Why don't we also ask "what would Roy think?" Its necessary to weigh both sides (creative and fiscal) in this discussion.

Roy would be the very first to ask what Walt thought.

 

[Robo]

The new tickets expire at the end of the 2 years (or something confusing like that). So tickets you buy this year will expire Dec 2018, I believe...

AFAIK, one-day tickets bought today would expire at the end of calendar year 2017.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I hate when people say what would Walt think. There's no way to know, he's been gone 50 years and times have changed. It's a business that has to make money for its shareholders, I don't think Walt would ignore that and lose money. Again, no way to know and no one can speak for him.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Price gouging! LOL. This podcaster has no idea what this means. This is called seasonal pricing. Abounds in the tourist industry. Good grief.

 

[RedAngie]

So, have any of you considered (I'm sure you have) the way to beat this is to go ahead and buy as many multi-day tickets now as you can afford over a year's time? Like, buying 20 or so 3 day passes in a year's time. The tickets dont expire until used for the first time, and could be used over several years, offsetting these price hikes. Thoughts?

My thoughts. Multi-day tickets will soon have an expiration date, perhaps a year after the purchase date. The value of expired but unused tickets could be applied to the purchase of new, higher priced tickets.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I only got part way through the podcast before my connection froze. But from what I did hear, I agree with the assessments that -
1) a big reason for it is to try to level out the crowds, and
2) if it works for single tickets, multi-day ones will not be far behind.

I didn't get any further in the actual podcast, so I don't know if there is more background on the "What would Walt think?" question, but just from the comments here, I do think I'm on the side that it seems right to ask. All of this was originally his vision (they do call the show "One Man's Dream" after all) so I think there is something to considering that vision going forward - sort of a company integrity, I guess.

 

[runwad]

^ Companies no longer have integrity

 

[snayak]

AFAIK, one-day tickets bought today would expire at the end of calendar year 2017.

Thanks for clarifying.

So maybe up to 24 months of protection - Jan 2016 to Dec 2017; I wonder if this is going to move more people to APs? Not sure the math of 2-3 sets of multi-day passes vs careful planning and APs.

 

[TeresaWen]

The hotels are priced seasonally so why not park tickets?

Heck - going to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean in November is less than half of the price in March.

Disney is much more affordable now than when I was a kid. The addition of value & moderate resorts allows a greater numbed of people the option to stay "on site." And discounts were unheard of years ago.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

This is how I see it. Disney raises ticket prices every year. This should not come as a shock to anyone. Multi-day ticket prices went up, no surprise there. The big change - seasonal pricing for 1-day tickets. Disney is basically saying, if you aren't staying onsite or planning on spending multiple days in the parks AND you are planning on going during regular or peak times, well, you have to pay more! If they are doing this to try to even out crowd levels, I am ALL for it!! Incentivize 1-day park goers to visit on value days, so people who are staying onsite or spending multiple days in the parks during peak times will have shorter wait times - yes please!!! WDW has a history of giving perks to those staying onsite or buying multi-day tickets (cost is less per day), so I am just fine with them trying to keep the 1-dayers away during peak times!!

 

[Huggups]

I'm glad I just purchased the AP Gold for myself. I think I will be doing the same for DH. Looking at the prices and the amount of days we'll be going in the next 2 years it just makes sense with that DVC discount.

 

[csgsu]

Price gouging! LOL. This podcaster has no idea what this means. This is called seasonal pricing. Abounds in the tourist industry. Good grief.

I think it is price gauging.....they hold special events such as food and wine and flower and garden and hold major events and openings and make it the most expensive prices during this time....thats price gauging

 

[Ryansdad0727]

I don't have a huge problem with tiered pricing but my wife and I are teachers. The only time we can go is during peak times. A lot of places (Sea World) give teacher discounts. I would like to see some sort of teacher discount on tickets that would offset the price hike. It's not like we are going to take a week off in February and leave our students with a sub. I feel that is irresponsible.

 

[wdwdano@yahoo.com]

I was verbal about it on the Disney Parks Blog Post. I think Disney is getting to the point where they are nickel and diming everyone for their money. They didn't do the APs and the multi day tickets because they want to see what the sample size is with the complaints. This is not a creative way to make money and in the long run this is the beginning of the end of quality products. They will start to do this in every inch of their business. Cheaper ingredients for their food, less cast members, etc. I hope Disney realizes that there are other fun beautiful places I can spend my money that I have been wanting to go. Belize, Costa Rica, Paris, Vienna, and I can spend the same amount of money. I chose Disney because that is what respected and appreciated. I feel the same is no longer the case anymore. I think they have reached a breaking point. That's my opinion from a company that I hold very dear to my heart. I got nothing but love for you Disney but hey you give me less and less of a choice every year.

ADDED after post: Another interesting thing is that I posted my comment on the boards yesterday and they moderated it out. All I said was I won't be able to afford going anymore. They are being controlling and they know they made a bad decision.