Is Disney World Eroding Fan Goodwill?
While reading the comments to the recent news about Walt Disney World charging for parking, I noticed many readers indicated that this was their tipping point: they were done with WDW. This has been a trend I’ve in comments to stories of this kind the last couple of years. More and more one-time fans seem fed up with what they view as nickel and diming, and practices that don’t value them as customers.
It’s easy to write off these comments as hollow words that won’t be backed up with action when it comes time to book their next vacation. Impassioned initial responses will give way to cooler thinking or ways to adjust behavior and ‘make it work’ to continue feeding the Disney addiction. The internet being what it is, there is no doubt some (a lot) of that.
However, dismissing the chorus of complaints out of hand would be foolish. I’ve been around the fan community a while, and have seen a lot of people move on the last few years; fans with thousands of posts suddenly disappearing or social media accounts changing their focus. These are just the prominent, visible examples. If even the most passionate fans felt alienated, no doubt more casual lurkers have reached their own tipping point. For me, this raises a couple of interesting questions: has Walt Disney World eroded fan goodwill, and if so, will that have negative ramifications down the road?
For those unfamiliar with the term, goodwill is basically the consumer relationship with and perception of the brand “Disney.” What you think when you hear the word, the loyalty you have as a result of past experiences, and how likely you are to be an advocate for the company. (This is all reductionist, but it provides a working understanding of the term, and why it’s a significant intangible asset for Walt Disney World.)
In Walt Disney World fandom, this manifests itself in myriad ways. People accumulate thousands of posts on fan forums, spend their hours discussing the parks on social media, and even descend upon the comments sections of articles critical of the parks. People spread the ‘Disney gospel’ to family and friends. Heck, it even leads the most overzealous fans to start blogs about Disney, documenting every experience, no matter how insignificant.
Historically, the Walt Disney Company as a whole has enjoyed exceptional consumer goodwill. Last year, Forbes ranked it as the #6 most powerful brand in the world (#1 was LEGO). The year before that, Disney claimed the #1 spot in Forbes’ measure of goodwill. Those impressive rankings sort of beg the titular question here. However, I’d argue that there’s a significant difference between goodwill for Disney and goodwill for Walt Disney World, which is a subset of the former.
For Disney as a whole, it’s easy to see why goodwill is so high. The company has a solid reputation as being family-friendly, producing toys and television shows that kids love. Then there are the Disney and Pixar-branded animated films; both studios have enjoyed an impressive streak of films that are well-received by families. (I’m inclined to withhold Star Wars and Marvel from consideration here, as I’m not entirely sure the average consumer associates those with Disney.)
Evaluating the theme parks is a bit trickier. Whereas every first-run movie, regardless of quality, costs the same amount to see, theme parks exist in a world of vacation destinations that are not exactly apples to apples comparisons for a multitude of reasons. Pricing, crowds, nature of the experience, etc., all vary dramatically, making head to head comparisons exceedingly difficult.
It’s entirely possible that Walt Disney World enjoys a similar level of goodwill as the Walt Disney Company as a whole. Given the prevalence of “Disney parks are overpriced, tourist traps” articles and sentiment in the mainstream, I find that a very difficult premise to accept.
Walt Disney World does enjoy its own unique reputation, earned from decades of its–and Disneyland’s–existence. The United States Disney parks are viewed as rite of passage vacation destinations where parents, even the most cynical and Disney-averse, take their children. Hugging Mickey Mouse (and capturing the photo to prove it!), getting that first flight on Dumbo, being tall enough to ride Space Mountain, etc., all are experiences that have become ingrained in our culture. Suffice to say, Walt Disney World is an American institution, and a place many people aspire to visit.
Among the general public–the ones who don’t read blogs like this–experiencing this cultural touchstone is important. In today’s strong economy, it’s also easier to justify. Sure, there will be sticker shock when seeing hotel prices, but they’ve heard brand advocates like us touting Walt Disney World for decades.
As a culturally-important, rite of passage vacation at a time when unemployment is at historic lows and they have record high confidence in the economy, Walt Disney World is very appealing for casual consumers. This is true even if the vacation costs $6,000 to $8,000 and requires going into a bit of debt to fund.
These first-time visitors who will spend big on their vacation, doing everything they can to ensure that their important trip lives up to expectations, are a lucrative audience for Disney. These guests generally don’t know hacks to save cut costs, and generally spend more money than regular guests. (Obviously, there are exceptions to every generalization–we know plenty of Annual Passholders who are merchandise-addicts.)
A compelling argument can be made (one that I’d agree with) that Walt Disney World is tailoring its business strategy towards one and done visitors, eager to score big financial results in the short term. Right now, it’s also quite conceivable that Walt Disney World is not particularly interested in loyal customers. It doesn’t need them to fill hotels, and doesn’t recognize their long-term value.
The first problem with this line of thinking is what happens when another recession hits or an event negatively impacting the tourism industry. Since 2000, this has occurred twice. Even if you think the fundamentals of our economy are sound (I don’t), it does not take a vivid imagination to envision a time in 5 years or less when things are not so rosy.
During both of the past recessions, Walt Disney World discounted heavily and was very much reliant on its ardent fans to pick up the slack. Following the last recession, the argument was made that Walt Disney World is ‘recession-proof’ in light of its healthy performance.
I’d retort that this misses the mark. Historically, Walt Disney World fans have had an ironclad passion/addiction that they would prioritize going to Disney over other discretionary expenditures. More casual middle class families with kids of the ‘right age’ would do likewise since the parks enjoyed such a strong rite of passage reputation. Sound promotional strategies plus these demographics meant that a recession was not enough to discourage robust attendance numbers.
This raises several questions. Are there still just as many fans with that ironclad passion today as there were a decade ago? If not, can those one-time fans be lured back with aggressive discounting? Is Walt Disney World raising new generations of fans in the same number as it raised my generation and those before mine? Does Walt Disney World’s longstanding institutional rite of passage reputation outweigh its newfound “Walt Disney World is a playground for the wealthy” reputation?
I don’t have the answers to any of these questions. I’m guessing Disney does not, either (if they’re questions even being asked within the company). While I can understand Disney’s eagerness to capitalize on short term trends, I’m weary of what some of the company’s decisions mean in the long term. There are obviously still a ton of things I love about Walt Disney World, and I’m incredibly enthusiastic about what’s on the horizon between now and 2021. I also have a bit of trepidation about pricing trends, and find myself a bit disenchanted with a business plan that, in my opinion, does not hold a whole lot of regard for loyal customers.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Has Walt Disney World lost some of the goodwill you once held for the parks? Do you agree or disagree with our analysis? Other thoughts on this topic? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I saw this coming a long time ago. Two yrs ago I left a message with easywdw that in Disney’s haste to make things better that they might be losing its magic. If anyone cares to read it was under missing casey corner cartoons but it delved into a lot of my feelings. I am thinking about going to disneyland as i have never been there. Then universal studios for a while they would be something new for me to vacation at also. Wdw is also becoming a little too familiar to me . just my2 cents
We left the bubble quite sometime ago. I didn’t even know about the parking fees. That is outrageous in my opinion. The huge price tag of the resort hotels forced me to start staying at Fairfield Inn’s on Harbor Blvd. I’m at the point now where if we vacation and are close to a Disney park we usually go for just one day. I am one of those people that use to follow blogs (Disboards, MiceAge) and really don’t very much anymore. I still get your emails Tom and the title of this entry sort of intrigued me so I bit and read the article. Your writing is insightful and and so well worded. It’s probably my age but I much prefer visiting a national park to a day at Disney where I have to fight the crowds and stand in line waiting for a 2 minute ride. I’m sure I will still visit the parks every now and again but the days of dropping huge chunks of money are in my rear view mirror.
I have to say that I do miss following your photography adventures. I need to hop over to your other site to see if you have any plans upcoming. I know you spent several months abroad and probably need some time recover.
Mike
Well said. So much more to do than Disney and the crowds. This huge Star Wars fan will wait at least a year after opening and the only to the Studios. The crowds are strangling my classic treasure and I can’t watch what will become of DL
As a fan of Disney, WDW has been the Park we have visited most frequently. We were not the multi trip a year fans but would try to go at least every other year. As prices have gone up, I made the decision to wait on going back till a new project that sparks my interest opens. This may be when EPCOT has completed their major plans. That does not mean we have stopped going to Disney parks. We did Paris last year and just got back from Hong Kong and Shanghai. I look forward to Disneyland when Star Wars opens. But WDW, as a 4 park destination, is no longer a middle class, family friendly vacation because of its price.
Tom, my thinking is very similar to yours. As a blogger and podcaster (both passion projects, not money-makers), I’ll keep going to Disney World. But most people aren’t like us. I’ll adjust my spending to account for new fees and higher ticket prices, but that doesn’t make them meaningless. I appreciate that Disney is investing so much into the parks, but the rise in prices (and fees for once-free perks) has gone over the top. There may be a point where it’s just too expensive for our family to spend too much time at Disney World.
Given the likely rise in prices for everything once Galaxy’s Edge opens, we may just be seeing the tip of the iceberg. I’m not an alarmist and understand how business works, but Disney must be careful not to take fans for granted. I went to the parks in the mid-2000s and loved how dead they were, and I don’t expect we’d return to those crowds. But a recession or other unforeseen event could really hurt Disney if they lose some of their biggest fans.
This is a great thead with some great comments. I just came back from a vacation with my extended family and I felt miserable after it. Like others said. The price increases were very noticeable. The over planning is terrible. If I hear another person tell me they went on 25 rides in one day with no lines I will go crazy. Those days are long gone or that person is just riding the people mover over and over all day. How is it that Disney has not started a loyalty program? I know they have the vacation club but so does Marriott and Hilton have clubs and membership rewards. I would feel better if they rewarded returning customers with some respect. Not just people who pay 5x what I can pay on a single trip or day. My Facebook keeps bringing up advertisements for VIP Disney experiences through Disney. If I could afford that, I would be vacationing in other parts of the world. All I did on this trip was wait on lines. Sometimes I waited on lines to get to other lines. Buses to get to other transportation areas. I have been to Disney world a dozen times since I was 5 and I am now 35 and I wanted to take my 3 year old when he turns 5 but that’s when Star Wars Land will open. You couldn’t pay me to go then. It’s crowded in avatar land and that movie no one has cared about in a decade. People love Star Wars. We will never be able to go back to Disney without 3 hour lines and if you don’t think the hotels will cost double starting next year you are insane. Star Wars hotel will be STARTINg at $1000 a night. For the worst room. That means the new normal for the old monorail hotels will be $750. The hotels attached to the gondolas will be $400-$500. I am staying in a club level room at the Marriott Marquiss in May on a Friday night in time square in NYC for $300. Never will I pay more than $300 for an Orlando hotel room I will rarely ever step in. Sorry Disney. Addiction broken.
I agree with your One and Done perspective. Repeat customers are getting turned off. We used to go every year but the past few trips we spread out almost two years apart due to costs. We started getting turned off with the introduction of Fast Pass plus, especially with tiers (why shouldn’t we get FP for both Soarin and Test Track?? ) and the idea that we must know exactly what park we will be visiting and what time we want a Fast Pass 2 months in advance? Gee, what if it’s raining, what if we want to stay by the pool all day or what if we want to be spontaneous? Add to this all the price increases and more micro-managing? We never rent a car, but this new fee urks me. Other places to visit and college to save for. We will go back maybe after Star Wars is complete, but we basically can take 2 vacations for the cost of one Disney trip.
Tom, I agree with your sentiments and the questions you’ve raised. I have been noticing a general degradation for a couple of years and I have a couple of thoughts: First, the last active Disney family member, Roy, has passed away. For those old enough, recall that it was his revolt that resulted in Eisner leaving and Iger coming in. Also recall that Disney in the later Eisner years was very money hungry (remember the bricks at MK and the name walls at Epcot?) In the early Iger years, ESPN carried the freight and the parks were left alone. Now with ESPN struggling, the parks need to carry more of the load. This leads to observations two and three. Second, the easiest way to improve bottom line in the short term is to raise prices and defer maintenance. Others have commented that they see this occurring in a number of ways, parking being just the latest but there are numerous other examples. Finally, Iger, for a variety of reasons, has deferred his retirement several times but sooner or later he has to retire. The latest corporate realignment has set up a couple of contenders for his replacement, Bob Chapek being perhaps the most prominent. I would argue that a lot of the moves that have been made lately at the parks are designed, at least in part, to polish his reputation as a profit generator. I would further argue that he is smart enough to realize that you can’t follow that path forever without losing customers, thus the capital spending on new rides. Since capital hits the bottom line differently than raising prices or cost cutting, he is, in a sense, having his cake and eating it too. It remains to be seen if this strategy (if indeed this is what he is doing) pays off, but it is interesting to speculate. In any case, while I am not yet in the “giving up Disney” camp, we have shortened our last two stays and will probably do so again in the future.
We have gone to Disney at least once a year (and sometimes more) for the last 12 years. Our last trip was in October. I am plain and simple, addicted to Disney. The nostalgia, food, smells, sounds, it all just pulls at me too hard. I love it and spent way too much time trying to convince my husband “we should go to Disney”. However I do see an issue with the pricing. Not so much in the amount of the increases but in the frequency. It is with this constant rate of increase that starts to get annoying. The yearly ticket increase in February, then the parking, then it will be for food, and then the cups, balloons, blah, blah blah, or whatever. I think if maybe, just maybe, Disney could hold off on an increase for like 2 years this would calm the masses. But they really have no reason to. I feel like I would be proud of Disney if they didn’t raise prices yearly, and didn’t add in more fees. They would be saying no. This is enough. This is what Disney does and lets be the change. I know people say it’s to keep crowds low but let’s be real. They are in the business of making money. They are just really good at putting on makeup while they do it. As a family we are now focusing on taking our Disney dollars to Tokyo. From all I have seen and heard it’s what WDW should really be striving for in terms of imagination and quality. Will we be back at WDW? Absolutely. There is no way I can stay away. It just may be with much less frequency.
Disney Fans,
I offer a comment from a first time visitor. In December we brought my wife’s best friend her Husband, Mom & 3 Daughters. They had a blast now they had us to be their built in guide but the Husband started off scepticle and was like I hate going to Six Flags Disney sounds like a nightmare! After a week with what I consider sizable crowds for early December’s of years past he thought Free 1st Time pins, replacing a broken Micky Ears Ice Cream and sweet rides more then set WDW apart from the compitition. Nickel and dimeing us with parking as you say does make me raise my ears but it also makes me think of the deepest comment from this first time Dad. He was most impressed with the other Kids and Families we met in the lines and Dinning rooms. He said everyone is enjoying them self’s and the kids are well behaved! He said it’s worth the cost of trip because treated the vacation like an investment! Finally he said the more you think your getting a deal or saving tons of money you get what you pay for and some family’s may not appreciate the experience! Now you may say that sounds elitist but we’re just regular families that appreciate quality! I will take notice of extra fees but I visit Universal, Six Flags and Disney! From Cast Members to Food to Rides Disney still is # 1!
Tom the economy is strong we will have a pullback in the next few years but it will look nothing like 2000 or 2008 the Millennials are coming into their own & many Baby Boomers are retiring with dignity and have means to spend more than retires before them we will be alright and US Disney Parks will have strong attendance! We’re still looking for update to DVC investment based on things like this parking!
We have been a family that goes to Disney every year since my son was 5 months old. He’s 8 now, and this will be our last annual trip. We’ll be switching to every other year for a couple of reasons… one is that he is old enough to appreciate vacations with more museums, educational activities, and National Parks, and the other is that I actually feel guilty spending the money we spend at Disney, knowing we are getting less and less for it. We are now down to value resorts and skipping meals in the parks because I feel my money can be spent in better ways rather than bleeding money on fees and “extra magic” all through my vacation. For the past year or so I have been on the fence about spending our vacation at Disney every year from now on, but the parking fees are the final nail in the coffin for our annual trip to WDW.
I think you made an excellent point Tom!
When another recession hits, Disney is going to have to throw out discounts like crazy to get people to come back.
Two years ago I could get a room at the Contemporary Garden Wing for around $300 a night. I’m not finding anything less than $400.
Have the services and amenities change? Do floating dolphins serve drinks at the pool? Probably not.
The one thing that grates on my nerves, is upping the cost of a service when the service stays the same. Bad business!
Yes – other hotels and resorts charge for parking. But this is DISNEY. Disney has always prided itself in separating itself from the competition.
I agree with other posters. I think crowd control has gotten to be unbearable just in the last two years.
Why are people spending 310 minutes to wait in a line? Mind boggling.
My family is trying out the Disney Vacation Club point rental in the fall. It already is saving us $2,000 on the resort stay alone. That’s pretty substantial!
I am a one of the loyal Disney vacationers who has become disenchanted with the company as a whole. The ticket increase seemed like a bit much earlier this year… Then to turn right around and add a parking fee for families who are trying to save money on airfare? Ouch. And to use the reasoning of “being in line with industry standards”… ouch times two. I go to Disney and pay quite a bit more for a hotel room there than I would offsite. I shouldn’t have to pay to park in addition. What does that mean for this once loyal fan? Well, I’ll still go… but I will stay at least one less day, if not more, in order to compensate for the increases. I only have so much money to take a vacation each year. The more expensive it becomes to take that trip to the World, the less time I can afford to spend there. I have family who live down south, so I’ll spend part of my vacation with them instead of Mickey. The sad fact is that Disney once cared about making vacations both affordable AND magical for families. They appear to be sacrificing both to pad their bottom line…. and they no longer care at all.
We spent thousands of dollars at Disney every year. We are getting close to being done. The recent price increases at the hotels and parks have us staying offsite to avoid being stuck on site with only disney restaurants to eat at. We do two or three cruises a year on DCL, but the recent price increases have got us thinking about Royal Caribbean. We are about as Disney as you can get as a family, but they have slowly changed us from believing that we are valued guests to an ATM they can pull money out of.
I’ve been going to WDW for almost 40 years.I’m a Disney fanatic… but I definitely feel my enthusiasm for the the parks waning lately. I was excitedly planning my granddaughter’s first trip. The prices of hotels on property have gone up considerably since our last trip.So have tickets.Parking fees sent me over the edge. I’m not sure what I’m going to do.We might just go to the beach.
I can’t just say it’s the parking cost, but it does feel like Disney has become elite. It used to feel like anyone who was anyone could have a blast at WDW and although that’s still true, it’s easier to have a good time if you can shell out a TON of cash. We’ve taken a few trips this year and about one each year in the past, but I see my rose colored glasses fading. The heavy crowds and slow to adjust operations schedules are actually the most frustrating for our family. We are starting to look to the rest of the world for our adventures as a family.
As I was just posting my (I apologize), rather lengthy response to your parking fees post a minute ago, this post popped up and I felt the need to respond here as well.
I was just thinking how it would take something quite devastating to take down a company the size and reputation of Disney (or at least the parks division).
But, then I started thinking how, as much as we are all Disney obsessed, the parks are only land, rides and service.
If you do not provide care and upkeep to your land. You don’t service your attractions (looking at you Yeti), and you don’t recognize or seem to care about the service you provide to the humans that come to your land, hotels, and rides-it won’t take too long till you attain a tarnished, money grabbing reputation.
You can advertise all you wish on tv, the internet etc., but word of mouth remains key.
A few years ago I hosted a “show your Disney side party”. You entered a little contest and if you won, you were sent a kit to host a party. We held this party for approximately 10 families. It was fun as we are all Disney freaks, but of course the real reason Disney sponsored it, was to get new people interested in Disney. One stipulation to receiving the kit was to promise to post the event results on social media. Believe it or not, 3 families made plans that year to go to Disney for the first time out of the 10 attendees. They in turn of course told their friends and families of their great stay at Disney enticing more visitors.
But, sadly this word of mouth can turn on a company like a rabid dog. I think when a company is doing a great job social media is your best and cheapest friend. But, go ahead and get too confident and careless and pay the price. It is the first time in history it does not matter if you are rich or poor, you can have a voice and make a difference to a company’s bottom line.
I agree. That is well said. Have you expressed your opinion to Disney? Many people have been emailing the executives to let them know how they feel. If you haven’t I suggest you do. Here are their email addresses if you need them. [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
Honestly, I just feel like a lot of the magic has worn off for me. I used to look forward to our annual or more WDW trips so much. Now I’m more excited about planning trips elsewhere. We were in Orlando in December and didn’t go to WDW at all. I thought about doing MVMCP, but the price is just as high as a whole day at the parks now and it is so crowded. I remember my first MVMCP in 2010 and it was not super expensive, not crowded, and just a delightful experience. Not so anymore. It used to be you could pretty much just walk on a ride when you had fast pass. Last time we went, there were fairly long lines even for the fast pass lines. The crowds, the prices, the lines, the overplanning required, etc. just make it not much fun anymore. If I were a first time visitor, I certainly would never go back again. As a many time visitor, I’m not sure I will go back again. There are so many other places that are more fun and less stressful. When I think of a WDW vacation now, all I think about is the stress of it all. Just not worth it.
I think Disney has definitely alienated a lot of long term fans. Some are leaving completely like me, but others are going offsite because of this parking fee. Most are leaving because this is the final straw and not just because of the parking fee. The Disney world experience has declined. Customer service is not the same, parks are over crowded, and prices are outrageous. This is going to eventually affect their bottom line. It is not going to happen right away because many people are grandfathered in with the parking fee but it will happen. They will have to start doing discounts again to draw in people. There are only so many people who can afford Disney even as a once in a lifetime vacation. I think too many people in the Disney bubble don’t see what the rest of the world does. There is only so much people will pay for vacation and Disney is out pricing itself. I also don’t think that Disney is cultivating a new generation of fans. My daughter went with us to Disney last year but she really wasn’t as excited about it as she was about going to Universal for Harry Potter. Disney was just another theme park. She grew up watching the Disney channel and movies like Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, etc. It just wasn’t the same.
I agree. We went to Universal, Sea World, Lego Land, and WDW last year and my daughter had a much better time and better memories of every place than WDW. Her favorite things at WDW were the water parks and the pool at the hotel. They’ve also taken out a lot of the things she used to love at the parks. She loved the hands on experiences at Innoventions and the playgrounds at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Almost everything now is things you have to wait in line for. NO kid will have an enjoyable experience doing that.
I have been reading this blog since my first Disney trip 4 years ago. Since then, I have made Disney an annual vacation for my family and have brought friends and extended family to the parks with me. My last trip was this January and the price increases across the board were noticeable when I compared them year over year. As a result we are discussing doing an international trip a year instead of Disney. We may delay return until star wars no longer feels new or until a recession hits as this was the first time we felt the costs were too high. The magic is real but you can feel Disney trying to nail down every dime.
I really don’t understand why people are making such a big deal about it. Yes I understand that is an extra cost, it was due time that Disney start charging. Every other Hotel out there it’s charging for parking so why Disney has to be different. Is an extra cost to go to Mickey’s not-so-scary it’s an extra cost for the Christmas party people get used to it Disney charges additional for everything.
Every other hotel that charges parking fees has far less real estate than Disney. Every Disney hotel (maybe other than the monorail hotels) has plenty of available spaces to park cars. This is more about slapping the face of those whose business your company depends on. The people who have remained loyal and dealt with every price increase Disney has thrown at them. For many, this is the proverbial last straw.
There is pushback in the travel blogs about the Las Vegas resort fees also. Hotels in Downtown areas have parking fees because of space issues. Disney has plenty of space at their hotels. Disney does it because they can.
“so why Disney has to be different.”
There used to be something called the Disney difference…