Demand pricing?

In relation to Disney Parks but not specific to a single resort

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daluke
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Demand pricing?

Post by daluke » Jun Tue 02, 2015 8:03 am

From the LA Times:
Is demand pricing coming to Disneyland?
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-d ... story.html
"In an online survey sent to annual pass holders, the Walt Disney Co.'s theme park operation sought opinions on a pricing schedule for daily tickets to the company's resorts in Orlando, Fla., and Anaheim. A three-tiered pricing system would mark daily tickets as Gold, Silver and Bronze."
"Gold tickets could be used every day of the year, according to the survey; Silver tickets could be used every day except peak days and popular holiday weeks. Bronze admission passes could be used only on off-peak weekends."
...
"The online survey seems to be an attempt to ease crowding at the park by charging higher prices for peak demand days."
...
"Disney officials downplayed the survey, saying the company routinely seeks out the opinions of park guests on a wide range of topics."


Another way to look at it is that this is a not so subtle way to increase prices. The survey depicted what would end up being price increases for Gold and Silver tickets. Bronze tickets would remain at the current price. Frankly, I am surprised they haven't considered this before.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by cy1229 » Jun Tue 02, 2015 10:28 am

Yet another way that Disney seems intent on pricing most middle-class families out of a Disney vacation. So the most "affordable" (and I use that term very, very loosely as there's affordable, and then there's Disney pseudo-affordable) tickets would be good only on off-peak days, which encourages families to either spend more money for the same experience, or pull their kids out of school. Neither option sits very well with me.
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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Amy » Jun Tue 02, 2015 10:35 am

I have mixed feelings on this ~ on one hand, it is an increase of ticket prices which is never a good thing, but on the other hand, it really isn't a huge difference between the days, and it might keep crowd levels down a bit. As long as they are very clear on the pricing, then people can plan ahead.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Marty Moose » Jun Thu 11, 2015 10:28 am

One of the podcasts I listen to talked about this. It seems that if you are there for several days, you pay the highest rate of any day you are there for the entire stay. I don't like that. If it is going to be priced by the day, then I should pay the rate for each day. Not sure if I'm doing justice to how it was explained, but I don't like it!
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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Amy » Jun Thu 11, 2015 4:57 pm

Marty Moose wrote:One of the podcasts I listen to talked about this. It seems that if you are there for several days, you pay the highest rate of any day you are there for the entire stay. I don't like that. If it is going to be priced by the day, then I should pay the rate for each day. Not sure if I'm doing justice to how it was explained, but I don't like it!
Ooo, yeah, that doesn't seem right. If it is pay per the day, why lock in the highest rate for people. Hmmm, not nice.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Wizzard419 » Jun Sat 13, 2015 9:42 pm

cy1229 wrote:Yet another way that Disney seems intent on pricing most middle-class families out of a Disney vacation. So the most "affordable" (and I use that term very, very loosely as there's affordable, and then there's Disney pseudo-affordable) tickets would be good only on off-peak days, which encourages families to either spend more money for the same experience, or pull their kids out of school. Neither option sits very well with me.
If you are talking about K-12 education, not that dire if they miss a day when you consider they are teaching to a standardized test with the goal of keeping scores high for funding purposes. In the same breath, Disney was big on giving you the best experience you were willing to pay for, until Eisner ruined it all with giving you everything for a flat rate.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by cy1229 » Jun Sat 13, 2015 10:43 pm

Wizzard419 wrote:
cy1229 wrote:Yet another way that Disney seems intent on pricing most middle-class families out of a Disney vacation. So the most "affordable" (and I use that term very, very loosely as there's affordable, and then there's Disney pseudo-affordable) tickets would be good only on off-peak days, which encourages families to either spend more money for the same experience, or pull their kids out of school. Neither option sits very well with me.
If you are talking about K-12 education, not that dire if they miss a day when you consider they are teaching to a standardized test with the goal of keeping scores high for funding purposes. In the same breath, Disney was big on giving you the best experience you were willing to pay for, until Eisner ruined it all with giving you everything for a flat rate.
A day... Not a big deal. A week? Big deal. And we all know we're not talking about just one day.

There was no way Disney could have kept ride tickets with the other parks all being a flat fee entry.
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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Wizzard419 » Jun Sun 14, 2015 6:03 pm

For DLR, and for locals? I would say a day or two would be realistic. The reason I wouldn't count tourists in is that they already have demand/surge pricing shaping their choices through hotel and travel rates.

Disney could have actually kept with the old system, it appears that their competition (not sure about Magic Mtn.) used to have systems similar to DLR with a policy of you getting as many rides as you choose to buy. Additionally, Knott's toyed with the concept of variable pricing (I think they stopped) where the rates would drop after 4PM.

The one question would be (if they went forward with it), would ticket prices go down on low demand/short days or only go up on high demand/long days?

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by daluke » Jun Sun 14, 2015 7:09 pm

So they sent out different surveys - with differnet models for how the prices would change for each successive day...but I do believe they all started with the presumption that Bronze days matched the current pricing. Silver and Gold wwere price increases.

I do wonder how they would handle selling tickets ahead of time. Currently they sell tickets and I can use them anytime.

But if the price varies based on what days I attend, how could they possibly charge me ahead of time, unless I commit to a date, but I certainly don't want to do that. AGain, if I pay in advance, what if mid-trip I decide to flip my off day around...

I could imagine either they don't charge you admission at all until you enter the park (but that is not attractive to people who want to pay off ahead of time) OR they charge you the Bronze price, and then upcharge if you come in on a Silver or Gold day...but then they would have to upcharge for ALL of your Bronze days (since they are charging you the highest price across all your days)

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Wizzard419 » Jun Sun 14, 2015 7:27 pm

I would imagine, if they went forward with it, that would be loads of fun to have people at the gate arguing with the workers due to not knowing the system. Disney used to (I think they still do actually) sell tickets that had expirations on them to companies/orgs. to sell. You would get them at a discount price but they had a hard expiration date on them to prevent people from buying up all the tickets and using them after the annual price increases.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by cy1229 » Jun Mon 15, 2015 7:16 am

Wizzard419 wrote:For DLR, and for locals? I would say a day or two would be realistic. The reason I wouldn't count tourists in is that they already have demand/surge pricing shaping their choices through hotel and travel rates.

Disney could have actually kept with the old system, it appears that their competition (not sure about Magic Mtn.) used to have systems similar to DLR with a policy of you getting as many rides as you choose to buy. Additionally, Knott's toyed with the concept of variable pricing (I think they stopped) where the rates would drop after 4PM.

The one question would be (if they went forward with it), would ticket prices go down on low demand/short days or only go up on high demand/long days?
Oh my understanding was that this was for WDW, not DLR. or is it for both? Because a week in FL is most common. Hubby and I are spending 5 days at DLR and DCA but I think we're the exception and not the rule.
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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Wizzard419 » Jun Mon 15, 2015 10:12 pm

Technically, it is for neither, the only surveys that went out are allegedly to DLR people.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by JWG » Jun Wed 24, 2015 4:18 pm

Wizzard419 wrote:Technically, it is for neither, the only surveys that went out are allegedly to DLR people.
Not sure what you mean? I received the survey and only visit WDW. Not sure what the reason I was picked was as I'm an AP holder, Disney VISA holder, DVC member, and recently did a cash hotel stay. That said, I also was screened out based on something in that information once I started the survey.

This is a bad idea in my mind. They way they structured the days, it's almost guaranteed you'll cross over 2-3 tiers and you're required to pay at the highest of the tiers for your stay. Silly. Not to mention, time of visit is more driven by ability to go than price (I believe). School calendars, work calendars, etc. drive when people go. So now I have to pay more to endrue a bigger crowd? No thank you.
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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Amy » Jun Wed 24, 2015 7:39 pm

JWG wrote:
Wizzard419 wrote:Technically, it is for neither, the only surveys that went out are allegedly to DLR people.
Not sure what you mean? I received the survey and only visit WDW. Not sure what the reason I was picked was as I'm an AP holder, Disney VISA holder, DVC member, and recently did a cash hotel stay. That said, I also was screened out based on something in that information once I started the survey.

This is a bad idea in my mind. They way they structured the days, it's almost guaranteed you'll cross over 2-3 tiers and you're required to pay at the highest of the tiers for your stay. Silly. Not to mention, time of visit is more driven by ability to go than price (I believe). School calendars, work calendars, etc. drive when people go. So now I have to pay more to endrue a bigger crowd? No thank you.
I'm guessing the almost inevitable tier crossover is not by accident. It will be interesting to see what happens with this going forward.

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Re: Demand pricing?

Post by Wizzard419 » Jun Wed 24, 2015 9:19 pm

From what was reported, it was only showing up at DLR, but it may have been at WDW too.

But it begs the question, if you were screened out... how were you given the survey?

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