Why such a price increase?
 

I've been pricing up a holiday at various hotels for Sept 2021, and had just came to accept the price was what it was.

I recently found an email I had from Feb 2017, for a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge for 2 weeks the price was £1600 per person.
Yet the same for Sept 2021 is coming out at £2600 per person.
An increase of £1k per person over the three years.

Ok, so it could be inflation and exchange rate, yet back in Feb 2017 the price to stay at the Sonesta ES Suites was £1500, and prices for next year for the Sonesta is only £1800 per person. Only a £300 increase in three years.

With prices very similar in 2017, how can Disney charge such a price increase, yet others seem to be more reasonable?

Perhaps it's due to the Sept 2017 prices being checked in Feb 2017, rather than the 18 months ahead for the 2021 quote.
Do prices come down at all the closer it gets?

In 50th anniversary year, unlikely.

Demand will exceed supply and simple market forces apply.

Those who cant pay, wont go

Disney332

Disney has not released allocation or prices for 2021 yet. So whomever you priced it up with has purely guessed and probably but in a price buffer. I would ignore 2021 TA prices for the time being and wait until Disney release prices, which I think might be this week.

I think that the word ‘Can’t should be replaced with ‘won’t’.

There are many things in life that I can afford, but refuse to pay for. The word ‘can’t’ therefore does not figure in the decision.

To me and many others, an item has a value. If I do not perceive value then I opt out.. on anything from a Costa Coffee, to a bottle of Bollinger, to a Prem economy instead of a coach class flight, to an On site Disney vacation. That would not change on any of the above, were I a millionaire.

I appreciate that others have different perceptions of value.

Agree, but the use of cant was to identify the many people who would like to go, but cant if there is a significant price hike, as they do not have the means or funds.

Disney332

As already mentioned, Disney hasn't released prices for 2021 yet. Therefore, at the moment, the price you see from the thirdparty TA is just a guess... and it will be a high guess to ensure they have covered their costs. They know that some people are eager to book 18 months ahead and are content to pay (almost) any price to secure that early booking.

Also, usually in February Disney does the "free nights" offer for later in the year. Therefore in Feb 2017 you would've had a discount on the Sept 2017 room price. Whereas currently you won't have that discount for stays next year. So you're not comparing like-with-like. Perhaps you could try and see how much AKL costs for Sept 2020 which should be a better comparison?

Finally, if the prices do remain high once they are released, then the reason comes down to demand. There is significant demand to stay onsite at a Disney hotel. This demand is higher than the demand to stay offsite at Sonesta Suites. Therefore, Disney can increase their prices more because they know people will still pay to stay there. You might not be prepared to pay that amount to stay at the AKL, but there are others who will.

Now that prices are out for 2021, I have compared September 2020 with September 2021. Ignoring the free nights offer that is currently on 2020 so it is comparing like for like, prices have gone down. :thumbs-up

We like to arrive late and stay in a Value for 1 night. then move to SSR

These are the 2020 prices v the 2021 prices

May - Pop £148 now £182:erm:
Aug - ASM £134 now £139
Oct - ASM £89.10 now £129 :erm:

What did you compare hotel / date wise? I’m interested as when I compared like for like (AK Lodge standard room) the price has increased 38% in September. That was ensuring no discounts were on the 2020 price.

Keen to find something that doesn’t have me running for the hills!

TM, do those 2020 prices include the free nights discount that is currently on for 2020?