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.
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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!
This feels like the normal ebb and flow of business to me. The economy is going well (even if fundamentals may or may not be sound) and as everyone points out, the parks are incredibly crowded. We look at the Touring Plans crowd calendar and days rated 1 – 3 are few and far between. Disney is obviously looking at the metrics and making a judgment that they can raise prices by $X and see attendance declines of Y and still end up with more money. No different from the math on Netflix raising its monthly rates.
When the next recession hits, they’ll lower rates or do more discounts and incentives. Nobody will say “they care about us again”. We’ll say, accurately, that the economy stinks and they need to discount to get people back in the parks. We’re just seeing the business cycle play out.
I love the feels it gives me and my family, but underneath it all it’s just a bloodless corporation beholden to its shareholders. Thankfully they’re investing a ton in the parks and seem to be trying to upgrade the experience while they gouge us! 🙂
I don’t usually comment on these things, I just read them. While I am an admitted Disney freak, I love everything about it, we all need to realize that Disney World is a business. It isn’t a non profit or a public state run beach or park. People can complain about the high costs, or the “price gouging”, that is there right, but it is a business and if you don’t want to pay the fees or you think it is over prices and that other amusement parks are cheaper, then go there. I am not trying to be rude, but there is nothing written that everyone has to be able to go to Disney World. I would love to cruise to Europe and travel the whole area but it is out of my price range… so I go somewhere else. I still believe there is tons of pixie dust in WDW. The cast members are awesome. I have not met one that wasn’t there seemingly for me. I know there are some things that are getting run down, and they are working to fix that. Maybe the parking fees are to discourage people driving there cars onsite because there has become too much traffic and that is causing the busses to become slower because they are stuck in traffic, I don’t know…
I, myself, will continue to visit WDW as much as I can. I believe there is still much pixie dust for me to enjoy!
Totally agree with this.
We booked one last onsite stay this week, we will be staying at POP in Dec. and will not have to pay for parking as we booked prior to 3/21. But after that we will probably stay offsite. You can rent a townhouse/house for less than the cost of staying onsite, don’t have to pay for parking to stay there or resort fees. Yes we will have to pay to park at the parks but the savings in our lodgings will more than cover that added expense. Prior to this year we have been to WDW every year since my daughter was born in 2010. We have always stayed onsite and usually book the dining plan as well. We drive to Orlando though because my husband is afraid of heights and I get motion sick on planes. Some families do not have the option to just not have a car and the fact that Disney wants to charge those who choose to drive more, when there are plenty of parking spaces, is just ridiculous. We live in IL and I understand why Chicago hotels charge for parking since there is not enough spaces for everyone in the city but don’t understand why Disney is. Also, when we travel to Chicago, we chose to rent our hotel outside of the city so as not to pay for parking. This means that we are eating outside of the city and spending more money outside of the city. Why would Disney want to encourage their guests to spend more time outside the Disney bubble?
This situation is reminding me of the scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts is like, “Big mistake. Big. Huge.” Disney’s upper brass has failed to value the goodwill of customers who don’t look the part of big spenders. How much of Disney World’s good reputation was built by positive word of mouth and enthusiasm of loyal fans? We brought them loads of business by talking their parks & resorts up…and now we’ll do the reverse by talking them down. Big mistake. Big. Huge.
Disney World isn’t just in competition with Universal and other theme parks. They’re in competition with every other place in the world where we can spend our vacation dollars. There are other magical places in the world – New Orleans, Cusco, Paris, Cinque Terre, to name a few. Can’t wait to discover many more now that my Disney Dollars have been liberated.
I’ll leave the parks to be swarmed by the folks who don’t know the Disney World that was. BUT to be fair, I’ll add this – if when the recession hits, Disney offers good enough financial incentives, I’ll probably be back. If other loyal fans think like me, maybe Disney World will continue to prove itself recession proof after all.
as a DVC member since 2011, I agree 100% and would say I wouldn’t be going if i weren’t a DVC member because the nickel and diming is out of control.
I dunno, I think there’s still a lot to like/enjoy about Disney. Though there are things I miss from the past, I’m also looking forward to some of the new stuff – I’d like to see the refurbished Caribbean and cable cars for instance, that might be a winner.
I’m actually debating whether to take a trip this summer or not, before all the anticipated chaos of Star Wars. I have to admit, I liked the early movies, but I’m not super excited about fighting massive crowds to see Star Wars land, maybe in a few years.
This will be our last year. We have gone as a couple, a family of 5, a family or 2 and a family of 3 or 4 over the years. EVERY years since 2006. We are on a relatively fixed income and just cannot afford the rising costs when our income remains the same. Public service jobs are good while you have them, but the retirement isn’t exactly lucrative.
We will change back to going to Michigan each summer. The amount we spent on Disney will find us a great lakeside house for a week…. maybe a couple of weeks.
I HATE to admit this, but it’s a sad but true admission to say that I am becoming increasingly disenchanted with the parks. We have been visiting every year since 2012, and our last trip in December 2017 will be our last for a while. I was heavily disappointed by the service, quality and pixie dust of our last experience.
I understand to an extent that rising costs are necessary, but I need to see value matching those price hikes. I am not seeing that on our last few vacations. The Cast Members seemed unhappier than usual, and ride breakdowns were rampant. We were on attractions that broke down several times over the course of our week long visit, and had to rearrange FastPasses several times for rides that had broken down during our window. I have never experienced this before. The parks certainly weren’t as well groomed as they have been in the past.
I used to be an advocate for visiting WDW, telling friends, family and co-workers about the benefits of a Disney vacation over an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean and telling stories of the great food, unmatched service and excellent value. I don’t feel like I can honestly give a glowing recommendation anymore.
I need to see more good old-fashioned Disney magic to lure me back to the parks. I need to see high quality Disney magic, fewer video screens on the attractions, being treated as a guest and not a pocketbook. I am looking for reasons to return, but as decisions like the parking fees at resort hotels are announced, I am finding more and more reasons to delay our next trip.
I am in agreement that the “nickel and dime-ing” of us, the loyal Disney goers, is a bad idea. The one-and-done crowd should be viewed as potential future spenders, and effort to engage that interest should be continued, from a sound business sense.
The “magic” is fading fast already, by dimming the theming of hotels, by making everything an add-on etc. The cast members on the phone rarely remember to wish you a magical day, everything is a long wait, and it makes the experience less pleasant.
The beauty of Disney was often their streamlined approach, the ease with which you could navigate your planning and in person vacation. Disney made things feel effortless, and “magical”. It no longer feels that way.
I agree with so many of the comments made above! We made at least 12 trips as a family since 1990 and I did 2 solo trips as well. While we could afford all these trips and I want badly to return my husband refuses to stay onsite ever again; too much money for small rooms and declining transportation options. I used to buy an AP for room discounts but APs are priced outrageously now or rent DVC (much more than it used to be too). And that’s sad since onsite gave my disabled DH and our family so many more options. Now we will have to rent a car and use offsite shuttles.
We were hoping to bring close friends who have never been before but worry that Disney just isn’t what it used to be and will disappoint them as well as us. Being retired we could go almost any time of the year but there is no slow time any more and discounts are almost non-existent.
We are considering visiting DL this fall; we haven’t been since 2000 and can at least moderate costs by staying close offsite but I doubt that we will return to WDW as a family for a long, long time.
We have made it a tradition to visit Disney at least once a year for the last 10 years, however, this year we are not going. We went the beginning of December last year and it took all the wind out of our sails. Besides it being so incredibly crowded, I have never experienced more rude and awful people. People talking on the phone during the Ariel show and then texting, while she sat right beside me. During Fantasmic, the group of people behind us talked the entire show and spoiled it for all the kids and adults. I paid alot of money to enjoy our trip and rude and disrespectful people have to ruin things. I also know Disney has no control over this matter, but maybe the employees should escort people out of the show when things like this occurs. Our reservations were all a mess. We were on the phone the first couple days more than we were in the parks enjoying. Disney did give us back half of our trip back. The prices are getting so ridiculous and even the employees aren’t as special as they used to be. It use to be the most magical place on earth. I think I may rethink that now. The restaurants have changed their menus and not for the better. Some of our favorite places to eat, we will not go back. We were very disenchanted this last trip and the prices are not enticing up back.
We’ve stopped going to Christmas and Halloween parties because the price is just too much for an empty nester couple who do not trick or treat and only went for the fireworks and parade. Hello, YouTube.
We rarely rent a car and just spend our ten days three to five times a year in the Disney Bubble, but honestly even without paying for parking the prices of the hotels have gone sky high compared to what it used to cost. We have been APs for years and often stayed at Pop for about $750-900 for our nine nights. Next stay? Almost $1400. It’s getting to be with plane tickets and increasing hotel costs we aren’t going to be able to go three to five times a year anymore, and then buying an AP won’t be worth it.
We have already decided not to renew in Dec this year. We went last Dec for 15 days, Feb for ten days, will go in May for ten days and September for ten days as planned. We are taking a Disney break for a year or two and next year we are going to Europe instead.
People like you drive me nuts. You’re whining about price but you spend 50 days a year at wdw without being locals? That’s nuts. I’m sorry that rising prices are stopping you from spending 1/7 of the year at Disney world.
Now with this parking fee, guests will stop renting cars and the bus system will be even more horrendous/over crowded than it already is. We already wait 45 mins for standing room only on a bus to MK.. how much worse are they trying to make it
We’re 6 months into our first year holding WDW APs and currently plan to renew. BUT, we don’t have any future plans to stay at a Disney resort, and some of this started before the parking fees. As Tom stated its the loyal fans that are hurting and they don’t seem to care. We’ve gone 3 times in the past 4 months, booked 4 more trips so far this year, and will most likely book more short weekends throughout the summer. The 4 trips we have booked for the rest of the year do not include any Disney resorts and I hate to say that I’m not upset about it. We will be trying Disney Springs resorts, and going back to the Swan which we love. I am grateful for the AP room discounts we receive but that still may not be enough to bring us back onsite without renting DVC points. We live 7 hours away and flying is not the economical choice so the parking fees affect every trip no matter where we stay.
I’ve never left a comment and the one I leave now echoes the laments of others, but just in case they’re read by Disney I wanted to speak out. I didn’t think my Disney fever would ever cool. But thanks to all the ever increasing money grabs, it’s happening. We have a trip coming up in June…I’m really afraid it’ll be the last one we can afford. I am going with the best mindset and plan on soaking up every last smackeral of magic and pixie dust I can find! This will be our 7th trip as a family. Our girls are in high school now and they still love WDW but they’re beginning to want other vacations.
We are DVC members, and as such, we will continue to go back. However, I am NOT happy about so many changes right now. EPCOT needs updating, but they need to honor Walt’s vision of the park, and not make it an homage to Disney movies…remember what EPCOT stands for.
The skyliner makes me so angry. We spent SO much money to buy our DVC points at Beach Club to have a quiet area, and a small entrance to EPCOT. Now they are linking some HUGE resorts to that area via the Skyliner, and changing the entire feel of the area. The back entrance is about to become a zoo!!
And now parking fees. As a DVC member, we are exempt from the fees (for now), but this is really making me mad. We drive to WDW to save money (I am sure most people who drive do so for the same reasons). Disney is hitting those who are already budget constrained. Maybe they are doing this to encourage people to fly (the parking fees could offset the cost of a flight, but not really for a family of 4), but most likely, they are just looking to quietly add an expense that people will not notice. If this is the case, I would expect to see a fee for Magical Express added in the next few years.
I never stayed at a Disney resort in my life despite visiting 25+ times. I’ve always stayed off property which has enabled me to afford the parks more easily. I visit the resorts every visit, which is much fun. I don’t really need to stay there. It seems a bit odd to me that the added parking cost would derail an already expensive trip for people, we’re talking an extra what $200 to park your car give or take. It’s obviously a gouge, and I don’t like it either, but I don’t get why that would derail future trips. If it was the principle of the matter, well, Disney is experiencing year after year after year of record crowds so price hikes are inevitable. I can envision a day when park passes cost $150 per day (they were $30/day when I first went!)
Seriously, an extra $200 to babysit a car that has no added value is a big deal on many people’s vacation. That’s what the problem is. Don’t use it to justify trying to lessen crowds or pay for the ongoing expansion and revamp of the parks. To operate all these park improvements they need to be taking that out of park admission and the revenue generated in the parks. Period.
We are admittedly Disney freaks. Started going in 1974 and have always stayed on site. In 1974 Polynesian was 45/night for pool side room and our “ticket books” all E tickets – those were the good ones – cost $11.85 for a week! I know all things change but being a long long time disney goer I can’t help but wonder which CEO will get yet another huge bonus for the pay for parking idea for guests!? Disney is pricing themselves out of the market for the average family. Maybe Disney doesn’t need our patronage now but they will in the future and I say we should boycott them!! Then they will see who actually pays their salaries and bonus – we the average folk do!
We love Disney world. And we have tons of wonderful memories. I won’t say we are done, but the magic is being slowly eroded. I have a problem with their logic when they say they want to charge for parking to compete with other hotels on the same level. Well, here’s the thing, the deluxe hotels are not equivalent to what you would get outside of Disney. The noise levels are atrocious — it’s like the people next door are in your room. The beds are not as luxurious and nor is the bedding or pillows. If they want to compete with the big boys, than they need to up their game. And don’t get me started about the quality and consistency of the food.
I agree with Winnie “the magic is being slowly eroded” we too LOVE WDW ! and though we have stayed at other Deluxe Resorts of WDW competitors we are not done yet as well. As DVC members and our home is at the Beach Club the latest revamp was tastefully done and long over due still need simple upgrades to really get into that “Deluxe” category as Winnie mentions. The beds are not as luxurious and nor is the bedding or pillows. Where I disagree with Winnie we feel that food quality has been raised to a certain extent but it is sporadic through out WDW. As many have already mentioned and I have stated for years although as DVC members we invested in WDW in a BIG way for us and even though through the years we have become financially secured and (the kids have grown) now retired I honestly can not predict how much longer we can continue to make our annual trek to WDW if their squeeze for that all mighty dollar continues.
We try to go to Walt Disney World at least once a year, but it is getting harder every year. In addition to the higher prices the parks are much more crowded with very rude people. While we were at EPCOT for the Candlelight Processional last year, while the choir was coming in, a person in the audience pretended to sneeze, it was so loud babies around her began to cry. She actually laughed afterward! Everyone knew she did that to let her relative in the processional know where she was seated. Such a rude person at what was once a very wonderful and spiritual ceremony. Shameful. At Hollywood Studios during the Jingle Bam Dessert Party “guests” that had been drinking way too much tried to start a fight with my family for not sitting down during the show. A cast member had to step in and remind them that the dessert party provides a “reserved viewing area”, not a seat. I have to say I did not feel the “Disney Magic” that I love and look so forward to. Very disappointed.
Sorry Terri, but if your family was blocking their view then YOU were the jerk here. Not the drunks. Just sit down like a normal human being and behave.