60 minute wait times reported for Magical Express

[captain-codeye]

I bet charging of parking for on-site guests is making a impact on the bus lines?

It’s quite a few extra dollars for parking and i wonder if they have failed to realise fully the impact and the number of guests not taking a rental car now.

[dx4100]

Originally Posted by captain-codeye

I bet charging of parking for on-site guests is making a impact on the bus lines?

It’s quite a few extra dollars for parking and i wonder if they have failed to realise fully the impact and the number of guests not taking a rental car now.

See more...

Probably a good shout. It certainly impacted our decisions for 2020. We decided to do a 100% Disney trip, no car hire, no parking fees, paid for deluxe dining and are now totally subjected to the Disney bubble.

Its doubtful we will do Disney again for many years due to other factors like the kids only getting older, but if Disney fail to look after us after spending so much money with just them (£11k minus flights etc) then it will impact our decisions further down the line I am sure.

Disney swayed us into this move, time for Disney to deliver - these queues aren't going to be considered - delivering...

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by captain-codeye

I bet charging of parking for on-site guests is making a impact on the bus lines?

It’s quite a few extra dollars for parking and i wonder if they have failed to realise fully the impact and the number of guests not taking a rental car now.

See more...

This must be impacting it, exactly as Disney intended. If I wasn’t DVC and didn’t get ‘free’ parking (it’s not really free, they legally cannot charge us as we pay for the car parks in dues), I wouldn’t want to be spending $300+ on parking, it’s ridiculous.

[duchy]

I doubt my reaction was as Disney expected.
Last year we had a week at BWI.
Next year will be the same as this year , Florida but no Disney as resort parking was a gouge too far for me.

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

This must be impacting it, exactly as Disney intended.

See more...

of course they have.
It's in their interest to keep you captive. They would be foolish (as a company) to give you opportunities to go spend on non disney money making facilities..

I guess they cynically call that "immersion" between them, like when you're on a cruise ship, or the upcoming "starwars prison hotel" (which is basically designed as a "cruise ship")

Originally Posted by duchy

I doubt my reaction was as Disney expected.

See more...

I doubt "your" reaction matters much to disney, just as "my" reaction didn't affect them when I switched to universal only, non disney florida vacations a few years ago (we go each year for 3 to 4 weeks, and only do a MNSSHP)

disney is no longer getting my money. Does it matter ? I guess not.
There are new markets. South America is one of them. Brazilians for example, it's a country of contrast, where poverty can be rampant, next to top dollar social classes.

we, brits and europan, are not targets ...

the reason is very simple : we have long stays.

when you occupy a room for 2 weeks, while an average US family willl stay 5 nights, Disney can sell your room 3 times in the duration they sell it to you
budgets cannot be stretched, so you may have the same budget for merchandise than the average US family

so, whatever you spend in merch (for example) in 2 weeks, will be spent by 3 US families in the same timeframe. Meaning, having 3 US families in a room will earn disney 3 times more "merch" money, than what they'll earn from your 2 weeks stay

US families are less likely to rent a car, than a 14 days guest, simply because, in 5 days you barely have time to commando tour the parks, whereas in 14 days, you might want to go beyond disney's


so, we're not a good example, and this, even before saying that our tickets are ridiculous. We get 14 days, all inclusive tickets, for the price a US family will have a 5 days, same options, ticket.
and we get free dining most of the year, as well as spending money gift card, when the US have very limited free dining periods.

so, I don't think we can take our reaction as an indicator. We're not target market, It's definitely not with us that disneyworld makes money


I think the real shocker is that, we have to pay for parking at disney hotels, when they do not really enforce parking for offsite guests.
You could stay offsite, and go park at a value resort, simply show your drivers license, and say you're coming for a look around "just to see if you'll be booking there next year" ... take the bus to the park from there and back, and avoid the parking fees at the park ... when the people staying at that same hotel will pay for parking.
(I'm not advising anyone to do that, right ? )

when they begin enforcing, and effectively towing the cars that do not belong there (not registered with front desk for example) then the parking fees will seem, maybe, more acceptable.

(well, all of the hotels basically make you pay for parking nowdays, they can call it resort fee or parking fee ... go to vegas and pay $45 a night on resort fee at some hotels, then we're talking ... )

so far, I've given up on disney, for the price considerations, long before they introduced parking fees, and it sure won't help me decide to stay onsite again in the foreseeable future (and I see far far far into the future, trust me)

but, what we need to remember is that, for every guest who decides to no longer pay, or go every other year instead of each year ... they will find 1.5 or 2 guests who are ready to pay the price.


bottomline, don't worry about the mouse, it won't go broke anytime soon, even if "you" stop going.
Basically, disney don't care. And that's the sad truth.

[PPM]

Originally Posted by chmurf

The odd thing is that, using the term "addiction" has a negative meaning

an addict, when they admit they're addicts, it means they have become aware that the object of their addiction does them more harm than they do them good. And they're on the path of rehabilitation, by rejecting and kicking this habit.

by using the term "addiction" and if you consider people on here have an addiction to disney's, you are explicitely saying that disney is bad for us Dibbers ... in a sense, you don't realise that you're saying that, people on here, are "addicts" and should stop going for their own good, because they currently can't help going, like they can't help lighting a cigarette or having one too many

that's called shooting oneself in the foot.

See more...

Well that’s enlightening... I’d gladly say I’m an Disney addict... and explicitly say it’s not bad for me. Now let’s get back on track

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by PPM

Well that’s enlightening... I’d gladly say I’m an Disney addict... and explicitly say it’s not bad for me. Now let’s get back on track

See more...

well technically you're not an "addict"

you have a passion, and you enjoy it. That makes a lot of difference.

but, right, back on tracks, (or on the road, for that matter )

[BarryL]

Originally Posted by chmurf

of course they have.
It's in their interest to keep you captive. They would be foolish (as a company) to give you opportunities to go spend on non disney money making facilities..

I guess they cynically call that "immersion" between them, like when you're on a cruise ship, or the upcoming "starwars prison hotel" (which is basically designed as a "cruise ship")




I doubt "your" reaction matters much to disney, just as "my" reaction didn't affect them when I switched to universal only, non disney florida vacations a few years ago (we go each year for 3 to 4 weeks, and only do a MNSSHP)

disney is no longer getting my money. Does it matter ? I guess not.
There are new markets. South America is one of them. Brazilians for example, it's a country of contrast, where poverty can be rampant, next to top dollar social classes.

we, brits and europan, are not targets ...

the reason is very simple : we have long stays.

when you occupy a room for 2 weeks, while an average US family willl stay 5 nights, Disney can sell your room 3 times in the duration they sell it to you
budgets cannot be stretched, so you may have the same budget for merchandise than the average US family

so, whatever you spend in merch (for example) in 2 weeks, will be spent by 3 US families in the same timeframe. Meaning, having 3 US families in a room will earn disney 3 times more "merch" money, than what they'll earn from your 2 weeks stay

US families are less likely to rent a car, than a 14 days guest, simply because, in 5 days you barely have time to commando tour the parks, whereas in 14 days, you might want to go beyond disney's


so, we're not a good example, and this, even before saying that our tickets are ridiculous. We get 14 days, all inclusive tickets, for the price a US family will have a 5 days, same options, ticket.
and we get free dining most of the year, as well as spending money gift card, when the US have very limited free dining periods.

so, I don't think we can take our reaction as an indicator. We're not target market, It's definitely not with us that disneyworld makes money


I think the real shocker is that, we have to pay for parking at disney hotels, when they do not really enforce parking for offsite guests.
You could stay offsite, and go park at a value resort, simply show your drivers license, and say you're coming for a look around "just to see if you'll be booking there next year" ... take the bus to the park from there and back, and avoid the parking fees at the park ... when the people staying at that same hotel will pay for parking.
(I'm not advising anyone to do that, right ? )

when they begin enforcing, and effectively towing the cars that do not belong there (not registered with front desk for example) then the parking fees will seem, maybe, more acceptable.

(well, all of the hotels basically make you pay for parking nowdays, they can call it resort fee or parking fee ... go to vegas and pay $45 a night on resort fee at some hotels, then we're talking ... )

so far, I've given up on disney, for the price considerations, long before they introduced parking fees, and it sure won't help me decide to stay onsite again in the foreseeable future (and I see far far far into the future, trust me)

but, what we need to remember is that, for every guest who decides to no longer pay, or go every other year instead of each year ... they will find 1.5 or 2 guests who are ready to pay the price.


bottomline, don't worry about the mouse, it won't go broke anytime soon, even if "you" stop going.
Basically, disney don't care. And that's the sad truth.

See more...

I'm not sure I agree about British/Irish not being a target market. I'm quoting this below from Tom Bricker's Disney Tourist Blog and his views on the UK free dining offer. Filling a room for 2 weeks is vital for one of Disney's targets...hotel occupancy. UK visitors are there for those harder to fill, changeover nights.
disneytouristblog/20...sney-world-uk/

"Every year when this UK deal is released, we inevitably see Disney fans from the United States perturbed that we don’t receive as good of an offer. Basically, it boils down to something we always stress on this blog when discussing discounts: Disney never offers promotions out of corporate benevolence. Discounts exist to incentivize people to fill hotel rooms.

Disney does more to attract “holidaymakers” from the United Kingdom for a few different reasons. First, that long flight over the Atlantic means UK visitors need a greater incentive to head to Florida instead of, say, Disneyland Paris. Second, the pound is historically weak versus the dollar, which means the purchasing power of UK residents is diminished as compared to what it was only a few years ago.


Finally, UK guests are generally some of Disney’s biggest whales. (I mean that in the flattering way–it has nothing to do with how those Disney Dining Plan credits are used!) These UK guests come for two or more weeks–hence the 14-day ticket–and drop a lot of money on Walt Disney World vacations. If they’re staying that long, they are also less likely to spend all of those Dining Plan credits or spend every waking hour in the parks. In essence, they are less costly guests in terms of utilization.

The average length of stay for guests from the United Kingdom is significantly longer than the 5-day average for Americans, so Walt Disney World does what it can to entice these lucrative guests to come to Walt Disney World. It’s a pretty straightforward business practice of catering to desired demographics.

Moreover, it’s always odd to me that Disney fans are upset about promos to international visitors when these guests are a boon to the U.S. economy. In fact, if you’re a Floridian, you might consider personally thanking UK visitors for being a large contributor to the local economy…and your lack of state income taxes. 😉
"

[dx4100]

Brits are a huge market for Disney and its the reason we get free dining and gift cards. We out spend USA guests and stay longer. Simple maths for Disney.

Not sure where chmurf is getting their data from for their post but it's contrary to what I have heard previously from various websites and books. Much like the explaination of addiction.

[chmurf]

Well, you Can hear from ''reputable'' sources that you need international drivers license (you don't)
You can even read on very official websites that you need 6 months left on your passeport (you definitely don't)

Two examples showing you can't Always trust blindly what you read

Now if it gives the average Brit such a feeling of importance in that they are ''whales'' (Vegas meaning) when most don't pay for food and get their tickets for one third of the gate Price, and Can only spend as much on souvenirs as their luggage allowance allows them to ... Well so be it

After all roughly 1 million brits visited Florida last year among the 10 millions overseas visitors
Compared to the 110 millions estmated domestic visitors WE represent less than 1% of visitors

Target market ...? ( And i won't mention that on this very thread, some have argued and brilliantly demonstrated that some were on so tight a budget they could not afford a $30 uber ...those will probably not be Big whales will they ?