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

[RamblingMad]

I expect prices to go up. Then, they’ll gauge attendance and per guest spend. Based on those results, they might offer some discounts. But I wouldn’t expect those until next year.

 

[Nappy1380]

I'm going to take the opposing viewpoint here and say they are going to reduce pricing across the board. Getting more profit per gate entry is something that only works when the economy is flush with cash. This is going to have to be a volume play when it comes to guests. They are going to need people to feel like they are getting a "deal" in order to get them to buy more than they normally would.

Post pandemic society will be a "buyers (consumers) market". There will be plenty of entertainment businesses doing whatever they can to entice consumers to come and spend at their establishments/parks. Whether Disney likes it or not, they are going to have to compete to get people to make those once in a lifetime trips immediately instead of the local or regional destination.

 

[Drfate102]

Throwing my hat in the Price Hike ring! Disney has to make this lost revenue up somehow- off of my stimulus check is going to be a good start and I KNOW I’m not the only one here saying that

Mine is going to our NYE trip to Disneyland this year.

 

[Searc]

I'm going to take the opposing viewpoint here and say they are going to reduce pricing across the board. Getting more profit per gate entry is something that only works when the economy is flush with cash. This is going to have to be a volume play when it comes to guests. They are going to need people to feel like they are getting a "deal" in order to get them to buy more than they normally would.

Post pandemic society will be a "buyers (consumers) market". There will be plenty of entertainment businesses doing whatever they can to entice consumers to come and spend at their establishments/parks. Whether Disney likes it or not, they are going to have to compete to get people to make those once in a lifetime trips immediately instead of the local or regional destination.

They've already proven you wrong by increasing food prices, pretty much across the board while still closed.

 

[Tigger's ally]

They've already proven you wrong by increasing food prices, pretty much across the board while still closed.

yes but that could just be a pass on of higher food prices overall. See Grocery store near you. And they also gave free dining while still closed too.

 

[wendyone]

Some people believe we should hunker down until December and those people are being ridiculed by others saying this will kick back up in November/December and that this is a 2+ year event - I just have to shake my head and thank God they aren't making the decisions. There will be NOTHING left to go back to if we follow that logic.

If the more vulnerable population wants to continue to hunker down fine, but the rest of us need to get back to work.

Hey. Covid-19 positive in NY, several friends on the frontlines. You really don't know who is vulnerable until you get the disease. You know who's high risk--but I have a friend who's intubating 3-4 patients per day, plenty of them in their 30s, no pre-existing conditions. We shouldn't be eager to rush back into crowds. We really shouldn't.

 

[verleniahall]

I believe tha tthey are going to HAVE to give MASSIVE discounts to get people to travel - same way they did after 9/11 - and that was just ONE DAY here in the US - it didnt' effect other countries the same way -

COVID has effected WORLDWIDE - people are going ot be really hesitant to travel, so the dscounts will come to get people to drop the $$$ and go out

 

[Nappy1380]

They've already proven you wrong by increasing food prices, pretty much across the board while still closed.

This was in line with a new fiscal quarter and most likely a stage 2 of the increases from October, which were snack/soft drink heavy. Still on the side of heavy discounts on resort packages and something resembling a "sale" on merch within the parks.

 

[ChipnDale79]

They've already proven you wrong by increasing food prices, pretty much across the board while still closed.

Disney doesnt reduce pricing on anything, you're more than likely never going to see a price decrease. But what you'll see is discounts or sales.

In other words, they never decrease their list price on a product, they just adjust the prices by offering steeper discounts or sales if needed.

 

[Searc]

Disney doesnt reduce pricing on anything, you're more than likely never going to see a price decrease. But what you'll see is discounts or sales.

In other words, they never decrease their list price on a product, they just adjust the prices by offering steeper discounts or sales if needed.

When have you ever seen a sale or discount on food/beverage at WDW? I can't recall ever seeing such a thing.

 

[ChipnDale79]

When have you ever seen a sale or discount on food/beverage at WDW? I can't recall ever seeing such a thing.

Free dining or other package discounts.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I don’t understand how anyone can say that WDW (or anyone else) will raise prices. Do people understand economics, or human psychology? We’re going to be in a severe recession, the likes of which haven’t been seen since the depression. And in addition to that, people will be fearful of being in crowded places and fearful of spending money on non-essentials, in case they’re out of work again. Just like after 9-11 and during the 2008 recession (both of which pale in comparison to this), discounts will be offered. They most likely won’t decrease any prices but they will offer discounts like free dining, but 4 days get 3 free, 25% off rooms, etc. I expect that food and merch prices will remain the same (or rise some) because once they get you there you’re still a captive audience. You’ll also have DVC members renting their points at lower prices because they need the money. Cruises and all other similar forms of vacation will also be similarly discounted. Disney may want to recoup losses by raising prices, but they’re not that stupid. That’s not to say that they won’t add a bunch of pricey and optional add-ons.

 

[Searc]

Free dining or other package discounts.

I'm not talking about DDP or free dining. I'm talking about a sale on food/beverage. It doesn't happen.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I'm not talking about DDP or free dining. I'm talking about a sale on food/beverage. It doesn't happen.

That was my point though. They arent going to lower the price of those items, but they will more than likely offer a discount on the DDP that you use to purchase those items, or offer a discount somewhere else on your package.

and in some cases, like they've done in the past, they'll literally give you a gift card to use to purchase those items.

Free dining or a discount on the DDP is exactly that, a sale on food/beverage. it does happen, often actually.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The rooms will be heavily discounted. That's it, imo.

 

[Alicefan]

I'm going to take the opposing viewpoint here and say they are going to reduce pricing across the board. Getting more profit per gate entry is something that only works when the economy is flush with cash. This is going to have to be a volume play when it comes to guests. They are going to need people to feel like they are getting a "deal" in order to get them to buy more than they normally would.

Post pandemic society will be a "buyers (consumers) market". There will be plenty of entertainment businesses doing whatever they can to entice consumers to come and spend at their establishments/parks. Whether Disney likes it or not, they are going to have to compete to get people to make those once in a lifetime trips immediately instead of the local or regional destination.

You just made me picture the little boss man in the movie Mr. Mom with his can of tuna and a little flag, filming the new commercial touting, "the tuna with a heart!" lol

 

[figmentfinesse]

If the rooms do get discounted, anyone have any guess as to when that would be?

 

[rteetz]

If the rooms do get discounted, anyone have any guess as to when that would be?

They don’t know when they are opening yet. They likely won’t figure that out until then.

 

[jpeterson]

If the rooms do get discounted, anyone have any guess as to when that would be?

I would imagine they will wait to see what attendance is really like. I'm sure they will be watching hotel occupancy rates very closely when they finally announce a re-opening date. Until those drop, I wouldn't expect to see discounts.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If the rooms do get discounted, anyone have any guess as to when that would be?

Just to give you an example we got the stay 4 nights, get 3 free deal in April of 2009. That deal was out because of the recession in 2008. Obviously they will need to see how badly they are hurting when they reopen, but my guess is better room discounts all through 2021-2022. Just a wild guess.

Right now they jack up rates and then offer a measly 25% off, so you basically pay the rack rate from the year before. It sucks.