Disney's Plan for 2011 and WDW 40 year anniversary?

[iadarolas]

So WDW will celebrate it's 40 year anniversary in 2011. Does anyone know if Disney has anything planned to celebrate?

[Strmchsr]

Nothing has been announced yet. The rumors are that it'll be a pretty quiet celebration (and hopefully not like that awful cake castle from the 25th anniversary). However, Disney generally announces their theme for the upcoming year in October. My guess is that's when we'll find out anything special that might be planned.

[Pirate Granny]

I agree with the tacky cake castle comment...I almost died when I first saw it...I was with my best friend for her first Disney trip and then had to explain the castle...dumb me, didn't look up anything on the internet so it was a total shock.

[IloveDisney71]

I turn 40 in July 2011, WDW turns 40 in Oct 2011 so I'm hoping we can do some sort of quiet celebration together.

[Fastpasssteve]

The pink frosting castle...well...that was something different....

Let's just say I really like it the way it is right now.

[IloveDisney71]

I don't think they'll ever turn the castle into a cake again (hopefully!).

[KAT1811]

I am a bit surprised that they did not coordinate the completion of Fantasyland with the 40th celebration. That would have been a nice addition to the "party"

[Strmchsr]

I am a bit surprised that they did not coordinate the completion of Fantasyland with the 40th celebration. That would have been a nice addition to the "party"

The original idea was to do so, but funding and other issues got in the way.

[finaldynasty]

The original idea was to do so, but funding and other issues got in the way.

Thanks for the info. I had the same thought, but thought that with the parks as busy as they have been, funding would not have been an issue. I would love for them to keep finding creative ways to discount to attract families.

[Strmchsr]

Thanks for the info. I had the same thought, but thought that with the parks as busy as they have been, funding would not have been an issue. I would love for them to keep finding creative ways to discount to attract families.

The parks have been busy, yes, but it's those "creative discounts" that have been hurting the bottom line big time. People have been coming to the parks on the discounts and not spending nearly as much on food and merchandise as in the past. That's why Iger says they're "weaning" folks off the discounts.

[r4kids]

The parks have been busy, yes, but it's those "creative discounts" that have been hurting the bottom line big time. People have been coming to the parks on the discounts and not spending nearly as much on food and merchandise as in the past. That's why Iger says they're "weaning" folks off the discounts.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! We won't be able to go for as long or as much if they take the discounts away

[dinahvixen]

The discounts are WHY we can go in the first place - otherwise they get less of our money b/c it's longer in between trips. I hope they keep discounts for a while longer...

[Strmchsr]

The discounts are WHY we can go in the first place - otherwise they get less of our money b/c it's longer in between trips. I hope they keep discounts for a while longer...

I understand. Me, too. But Bob Iger has been on record multiple times this year saying that he, as CEO, as a responsibility to the shareholders and the shareholders aren't happy with the lack of profits from the parks due to these deep discounts. I imagine there will still be some kind of discounts. Just not as often or as deep. If they see their numbers drop way off then they'll reassess and probably start discounts again. If they don't see a drop off in profitability then they'll keep right on with the plan. Honestly, Disney doesn't care how often the average person gets to come. It's a business and that means the bottom line is most important.

[dinahvixen]

Sigh.

[eandrsmom]

Unfortunately, I agree that they have to answer to the shareholders and address the bottom line. What we ended up doing on our last trip was staying in a villa immediately off property, and driving instead of flying. We haven't stayed off site in several years. Because we were off site with our own car, we ate quite a few meals in local restaurants instead of on property. I think they're going to have to calculate whether it is worth losing guests to other, less expensive options. We'll still go regularly, but we will consider all of our options.

[dinahvixen]

That's true, families like ours could do those things - we did drive last time, but I haven't stayed off-site. But doing so, while I imagine it would take away a lot of the magic and the feeling of being fully involved in the experience, would likely save us quite a bit of money...

[mickeefan]

For us it's very simple. At the rack rate prices we would have to pay, no discounts, no more trips.

[GoBlueLacheta]

People expecting Free Dining, or Room Rate Discounts etc. will wait for those times to travel, considering during the current economic state many familes have to put Disney trips on the backburner. Until the economic outlook trends are more optimistic, Disney would probably hurt its own bottom line more by completely removing discounts during economic uncertainity.

In good times, as many discounts aren't needed, pretty simple supply and demand. If they completely remove discounts during such a downswing, people will A. Not travel to Disney at all..B. Find more thrifty ways of going ( staying off property, not buying merchandise, not dining out etc). Park ticket only revenue will not support the Disney World infrastructure and Iger would be answering to much more upset shareholders if such a thing were to happen, (empty hotels, restaurants, and DTD).

Every business has to find unique ways to compete for the entertainment dollar of the American family right now. You see it in every facet of the service and retail industry especially in our own home towns.

[KAT1811]

I find it hard to believe that Disney isn't concerned with losing guests to offiste less expensive accomodations since they have just released the new "family suites" resort. I think Disney has finally found that the less expensive resorts are filling up to capacity much quicker than the more expensive resorts and are realizing that they need to come up with larger discounts in order to have vacation goers consider these rooms. MY aunt and DH's uncle just got pin codes for 40% off multiple dates from not until the end of the year. I think Disney may have realized that in these economic times people are seeking the most cost efficient routs to vacationing. Anyone in business knows that profits ebb and flow but loyalty is key. There needs to be an ease back out of deep discounting when the economy is strong enough to sustain such a turn. Give people what they want/need in tough times and they'll pay it back 10 fold in good economic times. Get them hooked and they'll be back. Isn't that why so many frequent Disney travelers complain that they never get pin codes, they go too much. Disney knows they are going with or without a pin code. We go at least once every year and I have NEVER gotten a pin code, ever!

[faline]

Isn't that why so many frequent Disney travelers complain that they never get pin codes, they go too much. Disney knows they are going with or without a pin code. We go at least once every year and I have NEVER gotten a pin code, ever!

We usually go at least twice per year. We've also been fortunate enough to get pin codes each year for the last several years so it doesn't seem to be frequency of trips that makes one targeted for codes and/or keeps one from getting codes. Only Disney knows their triggers for generating codes.