Legal Adivce in Podcast?

[calypso*a*go-go]

Back O/T:

Can I just state to anyone that needs mobility assistance (whether it be for yourself, or a friend/family member) that I'm extremely sorry if you've lost any of the magic that comes from visiting a Disney park because of some rude comment, facial expression, or perhaps even a lingering stare. I think threads like this should be a reminder that most of us all go to places like WDW for the same reasons...so shouldn't we be able to enjoy it equally?

 

[PlutoGirl1117]

Lurker coming out of hiding!

I SO agree with this!

I know why people do it(because they are jealous because their feet hurt and they are tired of standing in line)but they are seriously mistaken about ECVs, WCs, and strollers being a "perk" that someone would want if they didn't really need it. Not being able to get around on your own or having a child that can't walk long distances is a major pain in the behind and nothing desirable. They slow you down, make it harder to navigate crowds, and do not get you a front of the line pass. And some of the shows have the worst views in the handicap section. Trust me, they don't rent any of these things for fun even if it appears that way. I would be extremely annoyed if anyone questioned me about it and even if it was legal it would be bad form.

In 2006 we met up with some friends in Disney. Well, my friend is older and has bad knees. She kept putting off getting a wheel chair. She said she would feel awkward, uncomfortable, she didn't want to have to bother us to push her, etc. I said, "well Chickie, you are slowing us down! You have, me, your 28 year old son, my 15 year old son, and my 12 year old and we can all take turns and push you!! WHY suffer?" (course, I almost dumped her OUT of the chair once in MGM where the road was uneven and I didn't know it! But I digress! )

Well, we were in the middle of the park and I made her sit, while her son and I went and got the wheel chair. Let me say, that DISNEY was fine, great, helpful etc. We, of course, weren't questioned as to why were getting it, but! Let me tell you! As her son and I were heading back, he said "get in" and he pushed me back. The LOOKS we got!! I couldn't believe it! Looks of disgust!! I was shocked! Now granted, I really DIDN'T need it, but THEY didn't know that!! Honestly, I never expected that reaction. Heck, I didn't expect ANY reaction! I never ONCE looked at anyone and questioned WHY they were in a wheel chair, and I guess I never thought others would judge! At least not for a WHEEL CHAIR!! ( I do admit to longing for an ECV after a day of EPCOT though! But that's just pure laziness on my part! )

And, even though I would NEVER tell my friend this, it WAS a pain in the butt having to deal with the wheel chair! We are going down this Dec and will have to deal with my step-father using an ECV! Fingers crossed he doesn't run anyone over!

So I agree it's no one else's business!

 

[wilde_oscar]

Okay way...way...way O/T:

WO -- what the heck does your self-imposed tag mean? And why should anyone be afraid?

I didn't put that up there, someone else did.

 

[wilde_oscar]

tag fairy is a little scary this week. though I think there needs to be the <eg> and <el> with that (evil grin and evil laugh)

 

[aldango]

And I would like to point out a fallacy in logic... if you want to decrease the amount of strollers due to over crowding, have less strollers available to rent. You are not dealing with a commodity where supply and demand will come into balance via price to change the number of strollers available for rental. This is a case where if you want less rental strollers in the parks, just reduce the number available. If you want to maintain your profit level, while at the same time decreasing the number available... then you increase price.

I don't quite understand what you're saying here, as you seem to contradict yourself. If Disney limits the number of strollers available for rent and does not change the price, they will lose money. Not going to happen. However, if they change the price the quantity demanded will drop to the equilibrium point, keeping profits the same and reducing the number of strollers in the park. In other words, they don't need to enforce a limit, as the price increase has the same effect. This way, they make the same profit and keep the stroller numbers down - a stroller rental cap is unnecessary.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: think of the toll road analogy. For instance, a road is too busy. Slap a toll on it to filter out those people who don't want to pay the toll. Increase the toll when there is overcrowding!

I'm not saying that I agree with the magnitude of the increase. I do think it's overzealous and greedy, and that it will affect the least fortunate people. However, increasing the prices does make sense - it's just the magnitude that is morally unreasonable.

 

[lugnut33]

how did you get markers? i am only allowed crayons... do you have any idea how hard it is to type with a pencil in your mouth to mash buttons because you are wearing a straight jacket?

It's OK for me to have markers because they make me wear one of thos Hanibal Lecter masks adn I can only write with my ears.

 

[aldango]

As someone pointed out elsewhere(can't remember who or where)the price analogy doesn't work. If Disney raised prices to have people buy fewer strollers, did they raise ticket prices to encourage people to buy fewer tickets?

At this point, I am just as annoyed about people who keep bringing overuse into the conversation as I am with the outrageous price increases.

It does work. Those are different situations. However, in both situations, they are raising prices essentially because they can.

Disney are basically saying to themselves "hey, there are enough people who will pay a higher price for this so that we will still make a profit." A decrease in the number of strollers in the parks is a positive externality for them, meaning that, in addition to making a similar (or better!) profit on the strollers, that there will be fewer of them in the parks. 'Win-win' as we might say.

When Disney raises ticket prices, they know that some people will stop going at that price - it's the nature of supply and demand. However, their decision rides on the idea that the demand for tickets is inelastic enough that they can get away with it. In comparison to the strollers, Disney probably expects that the demand is more elastic, and that when they raise stroller prices that the quantity rented will decrease appropriately.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

tag fairy is a little scary this week. though I think there needs to be the <eg> and <el> with that (evil grin and evil laugh)

Scary like a clown, or scary like someone that's afraid of scary clowns?

 

[wilde_oscar]

I don't quite understand what you're saying here, as you seem to contradict yourself. If Disney limits the number of strollers available for rent and does not change the price, they will lose money. Not going to happen. However, if they change the price the quantity demanded will drop to the equilibrium point, keeping profits the same and reducing the number of strollers in the park. In other words, they don't need to enforce a limit, as the price increase has the same effect. This way, they make the same profit and keep the stroller numbers down - a stroller rental cap is unnecessary.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: think of the toll road analogy. For instance, a road is too busy. Slap a toll on it to filter out those people who don't want to pay the toll. Increase the toll when there is overcrowding!

I'm not saying that I agree with the magnitude of the increase. I do think it's overzealous and greedy, and that it will affect the least fortunate people. However, increasing the prices does make sense - it's just the magnitude that is morally unreasonable.

the price increase, while it would in theory reduce the number of strollers rented... the demand is great enough, that at the higher price they would still be able to rent out all the strollers everyday, during the busy season.

if you slap a toll on the only road to get from here to there, people will pay it because they have no choice.

The alternative here is bring your own stroller, or buy one at the park... the cost at the park while expensive, is about the same as what is being charged for an extra bag at most airlines.

I don't think they have reduced the number of strollers available, I think they are just charging more. Much like the buffet surcharge during the holidays, people will pay it and the restaurants will be full... the increase in the cost of strollers, people will pay it and they will still rent out all of them during the busy season.

To be more blunt... logically and from a business standpoint the price increase has nothing to do with discouraging the number of people that use strollers or park stroller congestion at all... it has to do with charging a lot more money for the same product.

 

[aldango]

the price increase, while it would in theory reduce the number of strollers rented... the demand is great enough, that at the higher price they would still be able to rent out all the strollers everyday, during the busy season.

if you slap a toll on the only road to get from here to there, people will pay it because they have no choice.

The alternative here is bring your own stroller, or buy one at the park... the cost at the park while expensive, is about the same as what is being charged for an extra bag at most airlines.

I don't think they have reduced the number of strollers available, I think they are just charging more. Much like the buffet surcharge during the holidays, people will pay it and the restaurants will be full... the increase in the cost of strollers, people will pay it and they will still rent out all of them during the busy season.

To be more blunt... logically and from a business standpoint the price increase has nothing to do with discouraging the number of people that use strollers or park stroller congestion at all... it has to do with charging a lot more money for the same product.

We disagree on the elasticity of demand. I think that the quantity demanded will be reduced. I don't think there's sufficient demand to keep it up, and you do - and that's fine. That's fine because it is the crux of my disagreement with you! If you agreed with me about the level of demand, I'd hope that you'd agree with the congestion limiting idea.

We'll see what happens.

 

[wilde_oscar]

I'm cool with that... come June, when the peak summer season starts to kick in, even at the higher price... the strollers will still be in high demand, and will probably run out, much like in the past... during slow season(s), I bet you will watch cobwebs form on them.

I bet the high demand times at the higher price will more than make up for the lack of demand in the low demand seasons.

Again, I use the buffet holiday surcharge as an example... I don't think any tables sat empty even with the added cost. Grocery stores have tried this kind of variable pricing, raising the cost of milk and diapers in the 5pm to 7pm time frame when demand spikes... usually it is a disaster when they try to do this. With the strollers at WDW I think the high demand times when they sell out will more than offset the low demand times when they all sit.

only time will tell... or we could both be wrong and they lower the price increase to something reasonable after everyone complains up a storm.

 

[aldango]

I'm cool with that... come June, when the peak summer season starts to kick in, even at the higher price... the strollers will still be in high demand, and will probably run out, much like in the past... during slow season(s), I bet you will watch cobwebs form on them.

I bet the high demand times at the higher price will more than make up for the lack of demand in the low demand seasons.

Again, I use the buffet holiday surcharge as an example... I don't think any tables sat empty even with the added cost. Grocery stores have tried this kind of variable pricing, raising the cost of milk and diapers in the 5pm to 7pm time frame when demand spikes... usually it is a disaster when they try to do this. With the strollers at WDW I think the high demand times when they sell out will more than offset the low demand times when they all sit.

only time will tell... or we could both be wrong and they lower the price increase to something reasonable after everyone complains up a storm.

Haha! Yeah, definitely. We will see. And like I said, I don't agree with the price increase anyways - so it doesn't really matter what the motive is!