andyman8
DIS Veteran and WDW Passholder
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2011
- Messages
- 4,664
I think some here are taking the team too literally. Yes of course there are single mothers — and probably some with four kids — who go to Disney and continue to gladly go to Disney. I don’t think the point is meant to be taking literally. It’s less about rising prices (that’s been a tale as old as time as it relates to WDW) and more about the optics of cutting back the “base” experience while raising prices and very explicitly catering to the wealthy. For example, the average Guest who splurges for the recently -increased-in-price Park Hopper add-on now can’t change parks until 2pm. But those Club 33 Guests or Guests on VIP tours can hop whenever they want, like it’s 2019. Another example is G+/ILL. Something that was previously included in park admission isn’t and park admission prices have still increased in price. I’m all for “pay more, get more” but it’s a rarity to find anyone who thinks G+ is a major improvement over FP+. Now, to “maximize” my $15 purchase, I’m getting up at 7am on vacation, setting alarms throughout the day, and spending tons of time refreshing. Another example: if you were staying at Pop in 2019, you got a couple extra hours in the parks at night on certain days of the week, but now, you don’t. But you still do if you’re paying $500 to be at the GF. And no one is saying you shouldn’t get more for staying there, but there’s a way to add value to stay at the GF without removing existing offerings for other Guests. I’m all for paying more to get more, but I’m not for dialing back and watering down the baseline experience and taking previously included things and putting them behind a paywall or restriction. That’s the frustration. You’re paying more and getting less and while Disney makes it more difficult and cumbersome for you to have just that baseline experience while Disney seemingly goes to great lengths to cater to the $220k on a trip crowd. You can cater to the ladder without needlessly making it more difficult for the former. It’s terrible optics, and I agree with the team that the chicken will come home to roost at some point for TWDC. This isn’t just increasing prices; there’sa lot more going on here.