potzbie
11-10-2005, 03:35 PM
If you read the MOUSEPLANET announcements thread, you see that JIM ALESSANDRO, formerly of Paris DL, is now Senior Vice President of Marketing for Disneyland Resort.
(See the post 11/03/05.)
I bet Jim Alessandro's head is on the chopping block.
I bet his #1 job is to get people inside the gates of DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, by hook (Captain?) or by crook (Cruella de Ville?).
I know that I, as an Annual Pass holder, recently got a questionaire that focused on CHARACTERS.
That is, the poll asked me if I go to Disneyland Resort (DL and DCA) for the characters, and if access to characters is important to me.
Is this Jim Alessandro's doing?
If so, then he hit the ground running.
"Ask your customers what they want. Then, give it to them."
*****
Here at MOUSEPLANET, what is the most oft-heard complaint about DCA?
"DCA IS TOO HIGH PRICED ADMISSION FOR WHAT YOU GET."
That is, DCA would be considered a fine place to spend a day, and would see lots of people pass thru its gates, if the cost for adults was commensurate with the scale of Disneyland Park.
Right?
i.e., 1/3 of the rides/features, and 1/3 the land area, for ... 1/3 the cost.
That seems fair, right?
So, the price of DCA ought to be 1/3 of the Disneyland Park fee, to be seen as a "good value for your money."
Right?
What is the price of a ONE DAY PARK HOPPER today?
Adults = $76
Children (under 10) = $66.
What is 1/3 of these prices?
Adults = $25.33
Children = $22.00
Now my friends, as Vice President of Marketing, I put the $64 Question (or here, the $76/$66 Question):
Q. Would you go to DCA more often if I reduce the admission fee of DCA to $25.33 for adults and $22.00 for children?
*****
Ah! But strategy and tactics now come into play.
Now, if I were Vice President of Marketing, I would not lower it for ALL people.--No need to.
I would not lower it permanently.--No need to.
But I would pick one event to justify the lowering.
For example, the lowest item on the admission board is for CHILDREN.
Right?
Therefore, if I lower the admission price for CHILDREN, and I do not touch the admission price of non-children (i.e., ADULTS), then I offer one segment of my market a deep discount for the purpose of getting more customers come at the higher-priced segment.
In other words:
1.) Children do not pay. Adults pay for childen.
2.) To (a.) discount the children's fee; is less "money lost" than to (b.) lower the adult fee.
3.) If I were a parent or guardian, and if my child could go to X for a very low fee than normal, then I would schedule my time to take advantage of the savings, even if my own admission fee were NOT discounted similarly.
Right?
Therefore, for one off-season event (early November? late January?), I, as VP of Mktg, would do the following:
1.) Arrange an event that is of interest to children or adults.
2.) Set the admission fee as rediculously low for children.
3.) Retain the high fee for adults.
Example:
Within DCA, create an event.
(for adults)
• ABC Soap Opera ("daytime serial") week.
(for children)
• The Wiggles Day / Lindsey Lohan Day / Rafi Day
(Who is the biggest draw nowadays, anyway?)
Set the price of:
• full price for adults, i.e., no change.
• deep discount price for children ($5 or $10).
*****
Bottom line.
Q. Would you make a special trip to DCA if you knew that, for one week only, all children under the age of ten years old would cost you five dollars for admission?
... and ...
Q. In a week or a month or a year, will those children (who entered DCA for that event) bug/nag/coerce their parents to go again?
*****
Which is the point. -- Get them in ONCE, and you've got a shot, not a guarantee, that they will return, deliberately.
We know that the problem with DCA is that the target audience has not yet gone even once to DCA.
Therefore, break the ice and get them in at least once, and make your money on the back end.
Remember:
• Parking remains at same price.
• Hotels remain same price.
• Annual Passholders give DCA/DL money via FOOD CONCESSIONS and SOUVENIR PURCHASES, as always, so that is not a factor here.
Q. As the new Vice President of Marketing, what would you do to compel people to stream through the gates of DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE?
(See the post 11/03/05.)
I bet Jim Alessandro's head is on the chopping block.
I bet his #1 job is to get people inside the gates of DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, by hook (Captain?) or by crook (Cruella de Ville?).
I know that I, as an Annual Pass holder, recently got a questionaire that focused on CHARACTERS.
That is, the poll asked me if I go to Disneyland Resort (DL and DCA) for the characters, and if access to characters is important to me.
Is this Jim Alessandro's doing?
If so, then he hit the ground running.
"Ask your customers what they want. Then, give it to them."
*****
Here at MOUSEPLANET, what is the most oft-heard complaint about DCA?
"DCA IS TOO HIGH PRICED ADMISSION FOR WHAT YOU GET."
That is, DCA would be considered a fine place to spend a day, and would see lots of people pass thru its gates, if the cost for adults was commensurate with the scale of Disneyland Park.
Right?
i.e., 1/3 of the rides/features, and 1/3 the land area, for ... 1/3 the cost.
That seems fair, right?
So, the price of DCA ought to be 1/3 of the Disneyland Park fee, to be seen as a "good value for your money."
Right?
What is the price of a ONE DAY PARK HOPPER today?
Adults = $76
Children (under 10) = $66.
What is 1/3 of these prices?
Adults = $25.33
Children = $22.00
Now my friends, as Vice President of Marketing, I put the $64 Question (or here, the $76/$66 Question):
Q. Would you go to DCA more often if I reduce the admission fee of DCA to $25.33 for adults and $22.00 for children?
*****
Ah! But strategy and tactics now come into play.
Now, if I were Vice President of Marketing, I would not lower it for ALL people.--No need to.
I would not lower it permanently.--No need to.
But I would pick one event to justify the lowering.
For example, the lowest item on the admission board is for CHILDREN.
Right?
Therefore, if I lower the admission price for CHILDREN, and I do not touch the admission price of non-children (i.e., ADULTS), then I offer one segment of my market a deep discount for the purpose of getting more customers come at the higher-priced segment.
In other words:
1.) Children do not pay. Adults pay for childen.
2.) To (a.) discount the children's fee; is less "money lost" than to (b.) lower the adult fee.
3.) If I were a parent or guardian, and if my child could go to X for a very low fee than normal, then I would schedule my time to take advantage of the savings, even if my own admission fee were NOT discounted similarly.
Right?
Therefore, for one off-season event (early November? late January?), I, as VP of Mktg, would do the following:
1.) Arrange an event that is of interest to children or adults.
2.) Set the admission fee as rediculously low for children.
3.) Retain the high fee for adults.
Example:
Within DCA, create an event.
(for adults)
• ABC Soap Opera ("daytime serial") week.
(for children)
• The Wiggles Day / Lindsey Lohan Day / Rafi Day
(Who is the biggest draw nowadays, anyway?)
Set the price of:
• full price for adults, i.e., no change.
• deep discount price for children ($5 or $10).
*****
Bottom line.
Q. Would you make a special trip to DCA if you knew that, for one week only, all children under the age of ten years old would cost you five dollars for admission?
... and ...
Q. In a week or a month or a year, will those children (who entered DCA for that event) bug/nag/coerce their parents to go again?
*****
Which is the point. -- Get them in ONCE, and you've got a shot, not a guarantee, that they will return, deliberately.
We know that the problem with DCA is that the target audience has not yet gone even once to DCA.
Therefore, break the ice and get them in at least once, and make your money on the back end.
Remember:
• Parking remains at same price.
• Hotels remain same price.
• Annual Passholders give DCA/DL money via FOOD CONCESSIONS and SOUVENIR PURCHASES, as always, so that is not a factor here.
Q. As the new Vice President of Marketing, what would you do to compel people to stream through the gates of DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE?