When WDW re-opens: Price hike or lots of discounts??

[NWOhiogal]

Yep. They basically said they believe people will be ready to come back as soon as it opens, and that they won't have trouble hitting their max capacity at each step... no matter the number (in the quarterly report today). I'd say it will likely be more expensive to go than less initially. Maybe next year if the economy is still struggling we'll see the discounts.

Would you suggest anyone wanting to go later in the year go ahead and buy their tickets?

 

[wdwoutsider]

Would you suggest anyone wanting to go later in the year go ahead and buy their tickets?

Disney needs cash. I would wait for park tickets especially if you are someone who will go back. I think we will see the multi day no expiration tickets go back on sale. Good way to bring in alot of cash. Bad long term (for the mouse) because people will get cheap prices but brings in a ton of cash fast(which disney needs badly). IE 10 day park hoppers with no expiration dates are coming again.

Disney has lots of credit they have been approved to take 17.5 billion but some is high interest and they want to wait as long as possible to start it. They would rather take less and do a sale to bring in cash. If they don't do some type of future park admission sale i would be shocked. Easy way to bring in cash, and free loans.

 

[cm8]

None of that is a known fact at this point - Disney has offered no information on the statuses of fireworks, parades, meet and greets, indoor shows, etc.

Neither if they will raise prices or offer discounts yet here we are?

For everyone who speculates that they should raise prices to keep people away, you one day will be priced out too.

 

[courtney1188]

Neither if they will raise prices or offer discounts yet here we are?

For everyone who speculates that they should raise prices to keep people away, you one day will be priced out too.

I realize that - but the person I was responding to was talking about no fireworks and such like it was a for sure thing. There's a difference between guessing/speculating and saying something like it's a fact when it isn't.

I also hate all the "good! Price those people out!" talk. It's elitist and, in my opinion, pretty awful. My family is pretty solidly middle class in the midwest, and we're pretty close to being priced out right now. People should think about how they sound/what kind of person they're being when they ask for someone else's opportunity to be completely removed so that their own can be better. Can't we imagine more fun crowd-thinning scenarios, like Disney opening a new gate? I realize that's not an actual thing in the works - but I'd sure rather dream about that than wish for people who make less money than me to not be able to afford Disney.

 

[Julie Amber]

I'm wondering if they are going to offer the general public a free dining offer since they didn't offer the last round of cancelations the free dining offer like the other canceled rooms were offered. This would make sense if they planned to release a general free dining offer and stop canceling rooms. Do you think this is a possibility?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I'm wondering if they are going to offer the general public a free dining offer since they didn't offer the last round of cancelations the free dining offer like the other canceled rooms were offered. This would make sense if they planned to release a general free dining offer and stop canceling rooms. Do you think this is a possibility?

Anything is possible I guess. It all depends on what type of restrictions will be in place when they reopen. If they plan to have limited TS available it wouldn’t make sense to offer FD. But who knows at this point.

 

[courtney1188]

I'm wondering if they are going to offer the general public a free dining offer since they didn't offer the last round of cancelations the free dining offer like the other canceled rooms were offered. This would make sense if they planned to release a general free dining offer and stop canceling rooms. Do you think this is a possibility?

I’d be shocked. They need to keep crowds down right now.

 

[wdwoutsider]

I'm wondering if they are going to offer the general public a free dining offer since they didn't offer the last round of cancelations the free dining offer like the other canceled rooms were offered. This would make sense if they planned to release a general free dining offer and stop canceling rooms. Do you think this is a possibility?

I would be shocked. I think they are re-booking too many people now to offer it to everyone. It is that simple.

Disney needs cash and has alot of capacity limits for a while with the virus. I don't think they can or will offer that to everyone. I would pretty much guarantee you they won't for trips before September they will face such severe capacity limits they need to make money off each person.

 

[Chuck wright]

Discounts and then rapid increase in prices in the years that follow

 

[randumb0]

No discounts during the capacity limits, but I do expect them once they move to regular operation

 

[Bjkandma]

It will be like last economy down turn. Ticket and food prices remain the same or slightly higher. They will offer room discounts like "stay 5 nights, Ro om rack rate and get 1 or 2 nights free". Just my opinion. That will fill the rooms!

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

I think it depends a lot on Covid-19 outcomes. If there was a best case scenario or something close to it - a cheap, easy to distribute vaccine that offered almost total immunity, for example - I think prices would skyrocket (probably not immediately, as that would look really bad, but after a bit). If it is a worst case scenario - multiple waves of the virus coming through, international travel closed indefinitely, quarantines that are on-and-off over and over again - I think there will be steep discounts but that will be because the experience will be curtailed a great deal, with many things closed and tons of uncertainty in planning, in addition to other possible disruptions, like food, beverage, and other shortages due to a disrupted supply chain.

If it's a 'middle case' scenario, which I assume it will be - confidence builds slowly, over time, as we learn more about the virus, better treatments are available but not a panacea, and vaccines of varying efficacy come out in waves - my thought is they might split the difference and offer extremely high priced experiences on one end of the spectrum and do heavy advertising for sales and discounts on the other. This seems to be what they've done in the past - for example, creating both the Art of Animation to allow for (relatively) less expensive onsite hotel stays, while also offering extra fast passes with club level reservations that cost a kazillion dollars.

My hope, if this happens, is that there will be some mid-range 'extra' experiences offered that don't cost a kazillion dollars - along the lines of the "Early Morning Magic" and dessert parties. I'm envisioning a cash-strapped Disney offering "Early early eaaaarly morning magic at 4:00 am" and me going "I'll take it!!" ha ha! I mean I'm joking, but not that much - it's a creative place, after all, I think they might get creative in their offerings.

 

[wendyone]

Yep. They basically said they believe people will be ready to come back as soon as it opens, and that they won't have trouble hitting their max capacity at each step... no matter the number (in the quarterly report today). I'd say it will likely be more expensive to go than less initially. Maybe next year if the economy is still struggling we'll see the discounts.

Yeah, I think it's possible they may be banking on filling up with locals and others who won't be flying, and for whom the trip isn't quite as expensive (no travel expenses, no hotels).

 

[Scalemaster34]

I don't expect any discounts will be needed to fill the limited capacity that they will open with, and that maybe needed for a long while yet.

Would not be surprised if like with Resort guest getting Fastpass access early, that the same may hold for Park Reservations.

And I could see in time Annual Passes being phased out as well.

I suspect a trip to WDW in 2021 will cost me much more than it did this year. Not because they go up on Resort Rates or Ticket Prices, but because discounts like Annual Passes and special Room Rates won't be needed to "fill" the limited capacity.

People want to get "out" and get away from the reality of life.... going to Disney World is going to be popular. Add in all the new stuff that's been added, and I don't see them having any issues with people going.

 

[Julie Amber]

We were asking: Will we have discounts? or Will we see price hikes?

I don't think anyone anticipated: Will we see no new reservations and the whole system shut down. lol

 

[New Mouse]

I don't expect any discounts will be needed to fill the limited capacity that they will open with, and that maybe needed for a long while yet.

Would not be surprised if like with Resort guest getting Fastpass access early, that the same may hold for Park Reservations.

And I could see in time Annual Passes being phased out as well.

I suspect a trip to WDW in 2021 will cost me much more than it did this year. Not because they go up on Resort Rates or Ticket Prices, but because discounts like Annual Passes and special Room Rates won't be needed to "fill" the limited capacity.

People want to get "out" and get away from the reality of life.... going to Disney World is going to be popular. Add in all the new stuff that's been added, and I don't see them having any issues with people going.

Or you can just go to six flags and get a better or equivalent experience for less than half the price.

 

[DisneyPigFan]

Or you can just go to six flags and get a better or equivalent experience for less than half the price.

Wait, what? Six Flags isn't even remotely an equivalent experience to Disney and certainly not better. Even with virus restrictions in place.

They're a coaster park that offers little else. The theming and immersiveness is nowhere near that of Disney or Universal. Their employees always seem so uninterested.... and many are high school students.

 

[RamblingMad]

Given limited capacity, I expect ticket prices to stay the same.

 

[New Mouse]

Wait, what? Six Flags isn't even remotely an equivalent experience to Disney and certainly not better. Even with virus restrictions in place.

They're a coaster park that offers little else. The theming and immersiveness is nowhere near that of Disney or Universal. Their employees always seem so uninterested.... and many are high school students.

No fireworks, no character meets, no parades. Interactions limited....Disney isnt known for their rides and thats about the only thing left.

 

[DisneyPigFan]

No fireworks, no character meets, no parades. Interactions limited....Disney isnt known for their rides and thats about the only thing left.

I disagree. Of course Disney is known for their rides! I love the rides -- and is a large part of what I enjoy most at the parks.

But yes, the Disney experience will not be the same as it was before. The loss of what you describe is no small thing.

I still think that the rides, ambiance, and overall experience will still far outweigh what is offered at Six Flags. Remember, they'll have restrictions too. I've met characters at Six Flags before -- they have Looney Tunes characters and DC superheroes at times, which they've probably also cut due to Covid-19.