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

[Alicefan]

But, they will have to compete for that money with every other vacation in the world that is now basically half off. I can fly to Hawaii from OKC for less than my MCO flights in September. When cruises restart they will basically be giving away the cabins for awhile.

I've got a 10 year emergency fund right now and plan on going to WDW like normal once opened, but if I can get large discounts on trips I thought were too expensive in the past, WDW will get deferred.

True! I know I've been looking into hitting some places that I might not have ever been able to go. I'd like to go back to WDW for the 50th because it's also mine and my best friends 50th but what I really want to do is an Alaskan cruise or travel to Norway! Ever since we went to Paris and London we've been bitten by the travel bug and our usual once or twice a year to WDW has taken a big back seat to cheaper cruises and International flights.

I know I've mentioned this a thousand times before but I was floored to find out that we could get a flight and hotel in Paris, take a train to London for a couple of days, visit Disneyland Paris and spend a 9 day vacation for cheaper than driving down to WDW and staying at a Mod for 4 nights with a dining plan. MUCH cheaper. I've gotten into the mindset of why in the world would I want to spend more money to do less at a place I've done 30 or so times already.

Back when WDW gave great discounts to passholders it was my go to resort. I'd do split stays between mods and deluxe (remember when you could get a room at AKL or Wilderness for $139 a night and a mod ran about $79 in the off season) boy I do! I just wish I would've taken full advantage of those prices back then and tried out all of the deluxe hotels at least for a day. That was just back about 15 years ago too. I foolishly thought that's how it would always be. I seem to ALWAYS come in on the tail end of great things lol. It seems like when I start getting into something, the rest of the entire world follows suit and my special thing becomes not so special anymore.

I know there are a ton of us on here that remember when being a Disney parks fanatic was a novelty. Now, not so much. Everyone seems to be a bigger Dis junkie than I am. I remember when they started saying they were doing away with the deep discounts for AP holders and I've never seen the point in buying one again. All having an AP really did for me was make me want to get in as many trips in a year as I could muster....and with those discounts I mustered 4 with 4 different friends splitting the bill lol. Those were the days man! I only had an AP that one year but I got my monies worth!

 

[Yarbogash]

In May 2021

I am not saying summer won't have things open in some capacity. I am simply pointing out until over 60% of the US gets COVID-19 or there is a vaccine you will not seeing things back to normal.

I wouldn't even doubt Disney could open resorts and limit park attendance to AP and Resort guests.

This is the reality that I think a lot of people are having a hard time accepting.
This thread is kind of refreshing. I belong to a few Disney fb groups and so many members are planning June trips, imagining packed parks in the fall, etc. And that includes people who are in high risk categories.
Not to sound mean but frankly I was beginning to think Disney fans were morons.

 

[xipotec]

Like many businesses , they will recover any losses by hiring back laid off workers back at base salary, thereby cutting their labor dollars back to minimum wage for all workers and starting salary for the rest, regardless of previous salary or experience.

Wall St will approve of these essential cost cutting measures.

I think they will be offering discounts, but nothing earth shattering. They need the parks to become a safe place again, and only people visiting an coming home without dying can do that.....(sarcastic but not also)

 

[Alicefan]

I'm far from wealthy and my last 3 trips have been at a deluxe resort. I didn't pay over $200 a night for BC, Poly and BWV. First two were through a magical deal and BWV was with rented points.

Everyone I know that goes to WDW is strictly middle class. Some save up, some use their income taxes and some use bonuses to go. No one really stays deluxe.

Dang I need your travel agent! Yeah everyone I know that goes is middle class as well but I've never seen the Poly or GF deserted so somebody out there is splurging big time....unless of course they have your same travel agent lol! I've always wanted to do at least 2 days at the GF to say I've done it, but I just can't see being able to justify it unless maybe I went with a group of 4 and we all split it. I always think, "But Dane, do you KNOW what you could do with that money?" ugh.

 

[Alicefan]

Like many businesses , they will recover any losses by hiring back laid off workers back at base salary, thereby cutting their labor dollars back to minimum wage for all workers and starting salary for the rest, regardless of previous salary or experience.

Wall St will approve of these essential cost cutting measures.

I think they will be offering discounts, but nothing earth shattering. They need the parks to become a safe place again, and only people visiting an coming home without dying can do that.....(sarcastic but not also)

Sadly I think you're right, and the pixie dust is so strong that there will be a LOT of people who will take the lousy pay cut because they've drank the kool aid many moons ago. I'll be really pissed if they continue these ridiculous price hikes and they take advantage of their employees.

 

[RangerPooh]

But will Disney's discounts be enough to make a dent in the horrific rise of the rack rates of the resorts in the past six or seven years? Think about it. A 40% off a $665 room is not going much during a recession or depression. Or a 20% discount on a $350 moderate. They have made their own bed here, and now it is time for them to lay in it.

I think back what we paid during 2008-20009 (went multiple times) and a discounted room at a moderate today is probably what rack rate was back then. I'm paying $250+/night. I recall paying under $90/nte between 03-06 for the same room, and under $150/night until ~2009. They are only hurting themselves with the price increase.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

A lot of people will take the pay cuts because some money is better than no money.

Since a lot of businesses will be doing this I think it means even less people with income to vacation. Even those who will be working will have their income lowered. First thing to go will ge vacations especially a Disney vacation.

Most vacation destinations will be offering discounts. Including WDW.

 

[mickeymom629]

I don't see anyone who feels like I do.
I don't see Disney opening any parks anytime soon. Cast members come from all over the world and are of all ages. They need to be healthy and (almost) guaranteed that their health is not put in jeopardy (at least not more than the typical chance of getting flu/colds). Resort rooms should not have the quick turn-arounds - they should be disinfected and have, maybe, a day in between guests. Of course, it is up to guests to disinfect if they feel like it - we always brought our wipes/sprays, etc. Most people have tickets that they expect to use for multiple parks. Unless Disney offers new discounted tickets for reduced experience (and this would be the only discount I would understand at this time - but that would create chaos imo), I don't see how they can open in part (in addition to the facts about the cast members I already stated - how do they decide which cast members need to come back and why it's safe for them to do so?).
I don't think they should be offering any discounts to encourage people once they open. I have to be honest that I never liked all the discounts they offered. I scrimped and saved for my family's first Disney trip in 1993 (I had 3 little kids and one on the way). It was so different back then and something that I felt like people really appreciated when they finally got to go. Now everyone thinks it's a right and a lot of people don't respect the property when they are there.
Opening the parks is not something I feel like Disney or any other company should rush into because they will recover eventually and they need to be as careful as possible now.
I do not understand those of you who think it should open in the coming months just for your experience, however minimal. Cast members' lives are in this, too.
I had a trip in the planning. I am a DVC member. I am feeling the loss. But I just don't think Disney should open in a mediocre fashion for any reason and I hope it doesn't.

 

[TDSAXX]

Like many businesses , they will recover any losses by hiring back laid off workers back at base salary, thereby cutting their labor dollars back to minimum wage for all workers and starting salary for the rest, regardless of previous salary or experience.

I believe Most Disney employees belong to a union, so I’m not sure if that will happen, at least to the degree you suggest.

 

[J-BOY]

I'm far from wealthy and my last 3 trips have been at a deluxe resort. I didn't pay over $200 a night for BC, Poly and BWV. First two were through a magical deal and BWV was with rented points.

Everyone I know that goes to WDW is strictly middle class. Some save up, some use their income taxes and some use bonuses to go. No one really stays deluxe.

Now for the ones I know who stay deluxe are people I work with. They are surgeons or specialists so we know their income level and they are wealthy. When they go to WDW it's the one time obligatory trip for their kids. They stay deluxe, in a suite, do signature meals, do VIP tours, etc. When they come back they tell us how much they hate crowds and WDW but they're glad they got the one time trip out of the way for their kids. Some of their spouses continue going with the kids but they always have to "work" that same week.

I just don't think the wealthy will fill up the parks. The middle class fills the parks.

Personally WDW has gotten so expensive I haven't even done a family trip since 2015. I went with DD in 2018 and I'm planning on taking just DS next year. My SO isn't the biggest Disney fan but he does want to do an adults only trip. I don't know if it's in the cards to do a big family trip again with the way I like to do Disney (staying onsite with two rooms now that my kids are older, staying moderate or deluxe, eating onsite, doing a special event or two, flying in and using DME, etc).

Now if Disney releases some good deals that trip with just DS for next year will become a family trip. That's the only way it'll happen.

The issue here is that we're going entirely off of anecdotal evidence. You may be far from wealthy and have been able to stay at Deluxe resorts, but you may also be outside of the norm. I'd wager that the majority of visitors don't know about renting points, or even think about waiting for discounted rooms or rates. They likely see whatever is offered on Disney's website, and book it. But again - anecdotal evidence! No way to know this for sure.

In my experience, I know a few wealthy people that adore Disney and will usually go once per year or in between international trips. The fact is, we don't have data about returning visitors, income level, etc. - only Disney does, and they'd never release it. Either way, I find it hard to believe that the "wealthy" (no matter what your or my threshold would be) only go once in their lives, or that all people in one category can be lumped into a single mindset.

Regardless of our opinions on the visiting habits of various demographics, it still comes down to what I tried to say (poorly) before - it's largely the lower class that are going to be affected by this. Those who work in food service, labor, etc. I'm sure Disney will be hurting for their business, but there are still plenty of people out there who have been unaffected because they can work from home, or are considered "essential".

 

[Pucks104]

Disney downgraded as analyst says parks attendance could take 2 years to 'normalize'
https://apple.news/AU3-pPNw7TemTxH7h7d8S1w

 

[rteetz]

Disney downgraded as analyst says parks attendance could take 2 years to 'normalize'
https://apple.news/AU3-pPNw7TemTxH7h7d8S1w

https://blogmickey.com/2020/04/well...-attendance-will-take-two-years-to-normalize/

 

[whiporee]

Opening the parks is not something I feel like Disney or any other company should rush into because they will recover eventually and they need to be as careful as possible now.
I do not understand those of you who think it should open in the coming months just for your experience, however minimal. Cast members' lives are in this, too.

I understand what you are saying, but we have to be realistic not about WDW, but the world. We won’t be able to sanitize everything. We won’t be able to safeguard everything. We’re going to have to decide whether the very tiny chance most of us have from getting disastrously sick from this disease (or any other catastrophe) Is enough to deny ourselves things we find enjoyable in perpetuity. Not just WDW, but football games. Or bars. Or movies. Or church. Or school. We're either going to live in bubbles or we're going to get back to our lives as they were with some adjustments. Those are the two options, and they will be the same two options in three weeks and in three months and in three years.

We‘ve all done our parts to help reduce the spread in order to protect that very small percentage who are vulnerable to serious consequence to this disease. That small percentage can be exclusive to Cast Members. It can be exclusive to guests. It is not exclusive to everyone, nor should we react as though it is. Because the virus itself isn’t going anywhere — this isn’t a matter of waiting for a hurricane to pass or an event to be over. It’s a part of the ecosystem now. And is going to show up, just like the flu, every year. We’re figuring out how to treat it, and realizing the exponential spread and apocalyptic threat of the disease may have been overestimated. This isn’t the plague or Ebola — it’s a virus, only managable, not really curable. So we’re all going to have come up with ways to live with it.

 

[Minnesota!]

The thing I feel is ironic is Disney has, in the last few years, made it clear their target is the new guest and hell with the APs, the long-time fanatics, and the locals. Now, they will have to rely on those same markets to rebuild.

New guests, those who have not been, do not have the nostalgic feelings and memories that will make them want to "risk their life" to go back.

It will be interesting. I, in no way, want Disney to fail. I just think the irony is pretty interesting.

 

[mikejuliestl]

I understand what you are saying, but we have to be realistic not about WDW, but the world. We won’t be able to sanitize everything. We won’t be able to safeguard everything. We’re going to have to decide whether the very tiny chance most of us have from getting disastrously sick from this disease (or any other catastrophe) Is enough to deny ourselves things we find enjoyable in perpetuity. Not just WDW, but football games. Or bars. Or movies. Or church. Or school. We're either going to live in bubbles or we're going to get back to our lives as they were with some adjustments. Those are the two options, and they will be the same two options in three weeks and in three months and in three years.

We‘ve all done our parts to help reduce the spread in order to protect that very small percentage who are vulnerable to serious consequence to this disease. That small percentage can be exclusive to Cast Members. It can be exclusive to guests. It is not exclusive to everyone, nor should we react as though it is. Because the virus itself isn’t going anywhere — this isn’t a matter of waiting for a hurricane to pass or an event to be over. It’s a part of the ecosystem now. And is going to show up, just like the flu, every year. We’re figuring out how to treat it, and realizing the exponential spread and apocalyptic threat of the disease may have been overestimated. This isn’t the plague or Ebola — it’s a virus, only managable, not really curable. So we’re all going to have come up with ways to live with it.

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.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Just chiming in to say I swore I would NEVER EVER pay rack rate for deluxe. Well I booked Boardwalk garden view for next year already.

Things change when you’re desperate and feel you took Disney for granted.

ETA I am hoping for a discount and realize there will probably be something, but I’m willing to pay what I was quoted.

 

[SL6827]

I feel like the middle class is who will be hit the worst. Those who are now poor or less fortunate will stay that way and those who are very wealthy and rich will stay that way as well. The middle class will gravitate towards being much poorer. But you got to remember. Being rich doesn't always mean you have a lot of money. Things that really matter can make you very rich in life.

 

[mickeymom629]

I understand what you are saying, but we have to be realistic not about WDW, but the world. We won’t be able to sanitize everything. We won’t be able to safeguard everything. We’re going to have to decide whether the very tiny chance most of us have from getting disastrously sick from this disease (or any other catastrophe) Is enough to deny ourselves things we find enjoyable in perpetuity. Not just WDW, but football games. Or bars. Or movies. Or church. Or school. We're either going to live in bubbles or we're going to get back to our lives as they were with some adjustments. Those are the two options, and they will be the same two options in three weeks and in three months and in three years.

We‘ve all done our parts to help reduce the spread in order to protect that very small percentage who are vulnerable to serious consequence to this disease. That small percentage can be exclusive to Cast Members. It can be exclusive to guests. It is not exclusive to everyone, nor should we react as though it is. Because the virus itself isn’t going anywhere — this isn’t a matter of waiting for a hurricane to pass or an event to be over. It’s a part of the ecosystem now. And is going to show up, just like the flu, every year. We’re figuring out how to treat it, and realizing the exponential spread and apocalyptic threat of the disease may have been overestimated. This isn’t the plague or Ebola — it’s a virus, only managable, not really curable. So we’re all going to have come up with ways to live with it.

Highlighting your quote to comment: Point 1: I certainly hope that we are in better shape in 3 months and even better shape in 3 years, with possible remedies and vaccine, than we will be in 3 weeks. Hopefully the experts will let us know soon when we can get out of our bubbles. Point 2: I don't think everyone has been doing their part, but most people are starting to try harder. There are a lot more people vulnerable to this than first thought and there are a lot of things they still don't know. This is not over yet, even when the numbers start to go down. Most people have not been exposed, yet. At least, that is my understanding.
Yes, we need to be realistic at some point about our world - I agree with you. But Disney doesn't need to rush to discounts to bring in the hoards and offer partial experience. This is just my opinion. I'm not arguing. It's just my belief. I am waiting to see but I believe they are going to act with integrity and put on the best show when it is time.
I will be interested to see how/when show venues start up - and theaters, schools, local businesses, restaurants, parks, etc.
IMO Disney should not open before things (worldwide) that are on a smaller scale can be permissible again because WDW/DL are a combination of all those types of gatherings.

 

[xipotec]

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.

This is what should have been done day one. Herd immunity is th only way to stop this from happening over and over. We already know there will be a second wave of infections and deaths, we just do not know when. I’ll say Sept /Oct.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I know three people canceling their Disney summer family trips due to job loss. Two were booked for free dining in August. I can only imagine how many more will be canceling their trips due to financial struggles.