Disneyland General
Topic: Disneyland to allow AP holders to make payments

#	Author	Message
41	davewasbaloo Sat 9/20/2008 2:44a	>>>I think that the new promotion and the AP payment plan is tacky and both cheapen the Disney brand<<< I totally agree, the place will become even more busy with guests less likely to add value to the bottom line, and make it even harder for the distant infrequent visitor. I do not like this at all.
42	davewasbaloo Sat 9/20/2008 2:48a	gottaluvthevillains is spot on, that is one of the best ways of doing it. I have to be honest and say, I agree, if you cannot afford it in one hit, what makes paying it monthly easier? If Disney is going to this, I hope they whack on an interest charge.
43	davewasbaloo Sat 9/20/2008 2:54a	I don't mean to offend anyone here. I know what it is to be poor, where I would sometimes not eat for a couple of days etc. But most people that are likely to take advantage of this will also be less likely to buy the nicer souvenirs, or eat in in the nicer resstaurants and they will get dumbed down. The business case for bigger, better e-tickets will not stack up as it will take longer to recoup on an investment, so we will end up with more celebrations or plywood style character attractions. I had to go without a Disney fix for about 7 years because I could not afford it. It is not meant to be for everyone. I would rather have to save and then go and have a better time than for the place to commoditise. Once a product is commoditised, it is almost impossible to recoup value, so the next step is cost cutting. This is not a good way to go.
44	danyoung Sat 9/20/2008 5:47a	>I think that the new promotion and the AP payment plan is tacky and both cheapen the Disney brand.< And I think you're just sitting back and waiting for whatever Disney announces so you can spout off on how much you dislike it. >I'm saying this payment plan is bunk and those who use it are being irresponsible.< This is simply ridiculous. I'm a huge park visitor on both coasts, and I think it's a great idea to be able to pay out over time (although it's not available yet to me in Dallas). It simply means that I don't have to worry about that large chunk once a year - I can incorporate smaller payments into my monthly budget. There's nothing ghetto or cheap or irresponsible about it. I'll still spend a bucket of money on lodging and food and souvenirs. This new plan is merely one of convenience, and I applaud it.
45	danyoung Sat 9/20/2008 5:50a	>But most people that are likely to take advantage of this will also be less likely to buy the nicer souvenirs, or eat in in the nicer resstaurants and they will get dumbed down.< I just don't see this. Seems to me that people will have MORE income to spend in the parks if they don't have to scrimp and save to buy the AP. And for those who previously just couldn't afford an AP but now can afford $35 a month, well, they'll go more often, buy more food, buy more souvenirs, maybe even stay in the hotel a time or two in a year. Seems like a win for everybody.
46	Mr X Sat 9/20/2008 6:36a	There is no additional cost to this? It's just a payment plan thing? What is "irresponsible" about that? How many people have thrown the whole thing on a credit card and then racked up interest for a few months who can now pay little by little interest free? I don't see the issue. Sounds like just a matter of promotion and convenience to me. ***It is not meant to be for everyone*** An amusement park? Not meant to be for everyone? I guess class warfare is still alive and well at Disneyland. ;)
47	ecdc Sat 9/20/2008 12:25p	Interesting points and thoughts on this topic. I suppose I fall into the camp of "If you can't afford it up front, maybe you shouldn't be buying it." Mind, I'm not some financial whiz - I've racked up my credit cards more than I prefer to the last two years and now I'm working to pay them off. I'm sure there are people that will use this responsibly. They'll charge the monthly payment to a credit card they pay off each month, or if Disney gives the option, they'll have it taken from a bank account. But there will probably be more people who let it build on the credit card. And this one thing from Disney probably won't do much harm, but it's a larger part of our "gotta have it now" culture, whether we can afford it or not. Regardless of how you try and explain it, that's not a good culture, and it has fed into our current economic problems. Most Americans are one paycheck away from disaster; they have no business going to Disneyland under those circumstances. Easier said than done, I know, and I'm as guilty as anyone of not being as responsible as I should.
48	SpokkerJones Sat 9/20/2008 1:19p	"How many people have thrown the whole thing on a credit card and then racked up interest for a few months who can now pay little by little interest free?" A lot of people do. Doesn't mean they should.
49	SpokkerJones Sat 9/20/2008 1:25p	I agree with davewasbaloo. Disney is way too focused on attracting annual passholders. They don't want to attract distant visitors from all over the world as the former world-class Disneyland used to do. They want locals to come and see a cheap "street party" for their "What will you celebrate?" promotion. They don't want people from out of state, out of country, who really spend the big bucks, to come see a brand new world-class E-Ticket, the kind Disney used to be known for. It's all about short-term results, not long term growth. Disneyland continues to have sore spots that rot in front of guests eyes every day. Starcade, Autopia, the Skyway building in Fantasyland, the Motorboat Lagoon, Rivers of America, the People Mover track, the Carousel building, and more. They take attractions like the Disney Gallery to commandeer for their lame "Stay the night inside of Disneyland!" prize that few guests will ever experience. Where's the Disney Gallery replacement that we were so hopeful for? If you want to see a Disney Resort that's thinking in the long-term, go to Tokyo while Disney continues to cheapen the legacy of Disneyland in Anaheim.
50	SpokkerJones Sat 9/20/2008 1:28p	"Most Americans are one paycheck away from disaster; they have no business going to Disneyland under those circumstances." And Disney knows this. So they are taking advantage of our gotta-have-it-now culture, which they have ever right to do, so we can continue to have the things we want when we can't even afford the things we need. Instead, they should be using this downturn to build up Disneyland to be what it should be, investing in the park that started it all, making it fire on all cylinders again. Turn it into something that people really want to save for. Now that they're practically giving it away, how special is Disneyland really?

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