>

"He also raises concerns about the strategy for Disney's streaming business, which has reported big losses."
No wonder I've been seeing ads for bundling Disney with Hulu for a supposedly bargain price.
"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk." 
Finally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses. >

That's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.
But Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real "JC Penny sale" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. 
The other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.
I've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up. >

I dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.
Anyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees. >

I used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. 
My dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. 
I don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now. >

I had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.
And same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people. >

I went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. 
Another visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids. >

At some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that "yearly growth" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with "steady profit." I am old enough to remember when "steady profit" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar "steady profit" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, "Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits. >

You invest in stocks for growth or return.  Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves. >


but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.

Big corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation. >

There is a tax advantage to all investors.  Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold.  Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes. >

They've always done this, its not new. >

I think they make plenty of money.  At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb. >

It's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth? >

Unchecked growth only occurs with cancer... >

I live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. 
Squeezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it. >

File this under "No shit Sherlock" >

Also look under "Any day that ends in 'y'" >

My goodness! Is that so?
Actually, what amazed me wasn’t the ridiculously overpriced food or the insane princess dresses, but just how terrible the quality of some of the official Disney merchandise was. If it weren’t literally front and centre in one of their Main Street stores (with prices to match) I would’ve sworn blind that it was some hilariously cheap knockoff. >

Disney merch has been shit for decades. You could get some higher end stuff that was okay in the early 00's but like, when I was in middle school the magic shop was still high quality and classy. My mom still has the card to make perfume for her from waaaay back in the day when there was a perfumery on Main Street and they'd make a perfume or cologne that was tailored to you. My dad and I still have the Indiana Jones fedoras they sold, those are nearing 30 years old now. I think I still have the 8 ounce pirate ~~shot glass~~ "bud vase" that they sold in the early 00's at Pirates. Hell even California Advenutre had a period where they had good merch, for a few years I got my mom hand-drawn sketches of her favorite disney characters, she's got a room full of them framed and up on the wall. >

At some point, the bubble of Disney's magic will burst.  It is a poster child for corporate greed.... >

That's why they get you young. It's still a trip as a grown adult to go to disneyland with someone's 4 or 5 year old and watch their mind get blown as they see all the characters and stuff that they were raised on. >

And people still show up, I stopped going once the tickets were around $80, that's how long ago I figured out I couldn't afford Disney vacations anymore, between tickets, food, and drinks inside, plus the lines, I'd just rather take a cruise or camp at a few National Parks and call it good. >

Your one-day pass, plus park hopper option, plus Genie+, plus signature ride fee just made your $120 ticket a $240 ticket. >

I can't imagine spending $240 a person to get into an insanely crowded theme park to stand in line all day long. >

I can’t imagine park hopping with a one day ticket. >

No, but if you want to park hop on any given day, you have to purchase a park hopper for all days. Creative fleecing. >

Oh! See! One of my other comments talks about how challenging it is to know the ins and outs of the programs. >

Hearing a couple I know plotting out their trip to Disney and universal studios months in advance was stressing ME out. I thought this was a vacation and you have to run across the park to drink at the star wars cantina? >

Attendance is still sky high. Genie+ knowledge is mandatory. It’s hard out there for a Mouseketeer. >

I remember going on the 80s in the afternoon, to stay late on the weekend so we could hit up After Dark and it wasn't more expensive than going to any other nightclub in L.A.
Or going one afternoon because we wanted, specifically wanted, to have dinner at the Blue Bayou Inn. The test was gravy.
The thought of that paying more than $100 a ticket per person just to get in is not on the menu >

If Disney charged 20 bucks like they did in the 80s, the park would sell out and turn a bunch of people away. Their way of combating that is to raise the prices of everything to the point where they price out customers who can't afford it. >

I worked at Disney in the 80's.   We had a list of how many people were estimated in each park.  And there was a limit for each.
There was a problem with too many people in certain parks even then.
When lines for rides at EPCOT were over an hour each...it was a shitty experience.
I remember standing at the end of the lines which had actually reached each other they were so long telling them to go to the world sites rather than wait in the lines.  Over Christmas it was packed.
Going in the off season was always the best times to go.
Crowd control is a must.  And yes...they will raise prices until they see a drop in demand. >

And six flags $12.99 hot dog is not a rip off as well.
I have a mid sized six flags park in my area, its not magic mountain or anything like that, its actually quite small and run down, and that's the price for a single hot dog and bun. Parking is also $20. The park is probably like 1/100th size of disney, yet we pay disney prices. My area's average income is what, about 35-50k a year and these are the prices.
The ticket only gets you into the gate. Once you get into the gate at disney its almost impossible not to spend money. I also hear you have to pay per ride now if you want to reserve a ticket for the rides. If not I assume you will be in a 4 hour line for one ride. You would only get a couple rides in one day if you bought a day ticket and no other perks, and you would have to spend most of that day in line.
My point is disney is not the only one gouging, all theme parks are gouging these days except for a very select few parks in the USA. A single carnival ride where I live is like $6 for an adult ride.
I had to stop going on amusement rides and to theme parks because the cost is just too much now. Its no longer worth it. Plus I already rode all the rides when I was younger, there isn't much new that appeals to me at least in my area. Some of the rides are the exact same thing I rode in the 1980's. >

I've actually found Disney food prices to be lower than Six Flags and Cedar Fair and those two offer far worse food. >

From what I heard some disney food is actually quality, unlike the run of the mill theme park stuff you get everywhere else that is just reheated hot dogs and hamburgers for $12.99. So yeah, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more for quality food. But I have issue with parks charging $12.99 for a reheated hot dog. However there's basically no park out there that doesn't allow you to bring in your own food or go to your car and eat, so I just bring my own food so its no issue.
The parking lot at my park isn't big so its no problem to walk to and from your car, you just have to be prepared with your own food, they even have picnic tables in the parking lot to eat at. >

I liked the Universal Studio tours better than Disneyland last time I went.
Disney should notify ticket purchasers what rides are shut down before people pay those ticket prices. >

And this comes as a surprise to who exactly? >

I know a lot of people love visiting these parks and some even feel it’s an essential American experience, but I just don’t understand the appeal, especially not for the price. >

Why don't they open more parks? I get that it's a special place but imagine having 2 more Disney parks in the US. I'd imagine it would have to be some place where the weather isn't cold and snowy. Maybe Texas? Or maybe a huge indoor park in New England? But it would thin the herd at the current parks and add more avenues for revenue and bring more people that otherwise can't afford the travel let alone the hefty price. >

I agree. If they opened a mid-Atlantic or northeast park akin to Disneyland, it would satisfy the people up there who only want to do a day or two.
Disney World is so crazy because it’s the Disney park that is so encompassing, people from around the world congregate and spend like a week there >

People who live in the Mid-Atlantic area go to Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion. I am sure there are some die-hard Disney fans that would go to a Disney themed park there but Disney would still be fighting against some heavy competition that had generations of brand building behind them for that area of the country. Not to mention their tickets start of as half the cost of Disney. The cheapest ticket right now for Disney world starts off at $109. For almost twenty dollars less, right now, you can buy a ticket for Busch Gardens that would also pay for your meals all day. Drinks included. >

Dude Disney is the biggest entertainment brand in the country it would blow the fuckin lid off the other two. You ever been to Disney? Not even close >

Squeezing .. like giving warm hugs ? >

I was just at Disney World a few weeks ago, they are flat out ruthless with the prices they charge for stuff. >

Super easy fix to this. Don't go there. >

But, wasn’t that always the point?  Squeeze money out of making delusional people feel safe in their delusions?  I don’t see how the business model has changed. >

Have you seen how much food and drink cost in their Star Wars sections? The empire is really squeezing the common folk to build that 8th Death Star. >

And yet 75% of the park profit comes from less then 30% of the guests- the families from Iowa on a omcr in a lifetime vacation could disappear and Disney profitability wouldn't change much because they wouldn't need so much food/ people etc. 
Disney is expensive because people will pay it >

Don't ask my for my source but at Disneyland socal, they discovered that their sales numbers were about the same between pre-pandemic and current attendee capacity capping. >

In other news sly is blue and water is wet >

Breaking news for 1980 >

Here’s a crazy idea…Stop going to Disneyland >

holy crap - single day tickets are $115-$135?  
last time i was at DL ticket's were like $15 for kids and $20 for adults (pretty sure, i was just a teen) although it was the mid 1980's 
luckily everyone's earning ten times as much now, so they can afford this /s >

A single day is over $160 for magic kingdom on popular days. One day with tax will cost us $688 for four people ($172/per person) for our trip in February.
We have a resort booked for May and decided to skip the parks. We will explore central Florida instead. >

If you still want to hit up some parks, check out Busch Gardens (in Tampa) or SeaWorld, they're a lot cheaper, and still a lot of fun. >

Watch out, you'll get people who watched an incredibly misleading documentary telling you Sea World is Satan. >

They literally sell shirts saying “most expensive vacation ever” and stuff like that. Plan on spending about $25-$50 per hour per person while in the park. >

I’ve been on the property for almost a week, all the gift shops sell the same rotation of stuff, yet to see those shirts for sale. It’s probably unofficial and people wear them to the parks >

My friends were just telling me how much it cost to take there kids to Disney and I about damn near fell over. It's insane what people are paying. >

Just ANOTHER corporation gouging the living shit out of customers....and blaming IT ALL on inflation.  Shocker! >

Just got back from there.  My partner convinced me to come help with her and her three kids vacation.  It was a terrible trip and a real strain on her and I’s otherwise solid relationship.  You literally get fleeced from every possible angle.  
I knew what I was getting into and still got more bitter and cynical than I could have anticipated. >

Wall Street still wants more. >

"Anybody who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist.
"Kenneth Boulding quoted in Collision Course by Kerryn Higgs