Are the Promotions working?

[techskip]

The point of any promotion is to get people excited, generate publicity, and hopefully get individuals to purchase your product. In the case of Disneyland that "magic number" would be reflected mainly in Theme Park attendance, followed by souvenir sales. So I ask, all personal feelings aside, are the current promotions working? I know the park has been experiencing record attendance since the 50th, and the off seasons have either shrunk, or disappeared completely. September to mid November used to be DEAD... now they have the Halloween promotional to pick up the slack. January to May (excluding major Holidays, Spring Break, and the start of Summer ) used to be a ghost town... now they have YOMD. I'm not sure if this increase in attendance is due to increased international tourism (weak American dollar), increased local attendance (doubtful) or actual park promotions. So I thought I would ask everyone's opinion.

[mousechild]

Well last year looked to be pretty good for them, if this year the crowd stays the same or increases modestly (say 5%) then Disney is going to think the moves are working. Much as we purists might decry the changes that have occurred for the average guest the park is working. The family that comes one time a year and drops a grand or two while staying at a Disney hotel probably don't have time to notice TL problems or how F! takes away from Frontierland, much less why... you get the idea.

And if some family from Iowa wins a night in the dream suite and they go home and tell their friends about it in some mangled fashion their friends might make the trip hoping to stay in the dream suite. (This works for Vegas)

So maybe YOAMD will work.

[sir clinksalot]

I think the "Seasonal" promotions are working better than YOAMD.

People are still VERY confused as to what YOAMD is. But they know what "Halloween" and "Christmas" is. And when they see that there is something new to behold during those times of the year, they want to go.

As far as the 2-fer, it's always successful. And I reckon we'll be seeing it in the years to come with all of the DCA construction going on.

Hopefully in 2011/2012 there won't need to be a "Free DCA day" to get people into the park.

[MollyTrolly]

I don't think YOAMD is beinging anyone into the park. The last two years were still running on the coat tails of the 50th, and as Sir Clinks mentioned, the seasonal promotions and holiday events like the 2fer, Halloweentime, etc are the big draws.

In addition, I think bringing so many people in during the 50th actually had people taking notice at how inexpensive So Cal passes are and has boosted attendance there as well.
I know at least 20 people that have gotten passes in the last two years that never had them previously.

YOAMD doesn't hurt anything, and at least its a message for their media aside from simply "come to Disneyland, its fun here". But I honestly don't believe anyone is attending specifically to win a "dream"

[aashee]

Disneyland is thriving despite a lackluster YOAMD promotion.

[pattimelt]

I honestly think the promotions are bringing in more people than the YOAMD. Right now, as a Ticket Seller, I can tell you that I have no less than 5 different promotions running at this time--everything from the Wildfire hero salute to the band salute, to both versions of the 2 fer, to a special card that got mailed out to certain households for discounted admission to the parks from Monday to Thursday, and I know I'm missing one more, but I don't have my paperwork here from training on all of them.

I know these are pulling in guests that normally would not be coming to the parks, because I see the guests every day that are clueless about the parks and they want all the info. New guests=more people in the park to spend their money on toys, snacks, etc.

It seemed to me that more of the guests were WAITING for the 2fer to start this year--we started getting calls the week BEFORE Christmas as to whether we were having this promotion, and I had no information as to when it was going to happen, but I knew it was going to. A lot of guests that were coming to the park in January, I told them to wait and buy tickets after the new year because of the promotions, and they would save money. Right now, for a 2 day park hopper, if you're so cal, you get it for $91 instead of $132. That right there saves you $40. And what are you going to do with that $40?? Spend it in the park--where Disney makes more money on toys, snacks, and all the other stuff.

[fo'c's'le swab]

Maybe, however we are overlooking the obvious: that YOAMD might possibly not be designed to bring them in, but offering incentive to keep them coming back more frequently than they might otherwise. Or, possibly was designed merely as a PR move to appeal to a family fan base that may have been taken for granted in recent years (you'll notice in most commercials it is a child or family who 'wins')? In any case, how could one (short of exit polling) really credit attendance numbers accurately to the installation of YOAMD, or other promotions, or other factors?

[MollyTrolly]

In any case, how could one (short of exit polling) really credit attendance numbers accurately to the installation of YOAMD, or other promotions, or other factors?

They do poll visitors for their reasons for visiting at the entrance gates (at least I have seen this quite often over the past few months). I obvoiusly don't have results of those polls but the general lack of understanding of the campaign tells me that casual visitors are probably not there to win a dream.

It is true that the incentive of the promotion may be selling more APs or causing people to visit more often, but looking at how promotions are supposed to work, I don't think the higher attendance in general is due to YOAMD.

Seasonal promotions work because they are for a limited time, they have a call to action that must be acted on within a specific timeframe. With YOAMD originally planned for 15 months (now 27 months total) , thats hardly a move to a rush action on the part of the consumer.

[Aladdin]

2.2YOf2.3MD is and has remained a dud since it arrived DOA.
It doesn't even have an anniversary celebration too cling on
to in order to promote it.

As for the growth that the DLR has experienced, it is pretty
much because there is an overflow park for people to enter,
regardless of it's quality. Yes, DCA is responsible for growth,
just because there is more room for guests at the resort. It
just takes a little while for guests to learn whether or not they
need to spend more time because of the added park, and then
they may not plan for the extra day or 2, until they see for themselves.

Unlike us Disney dorks, most families from outside the immediate
area want to see things in California, beside DL. And to spend even
one extra day at DL means giving up time elsewhere. So there is
definitely a growth curve due to the expansion. Of course, if the
quality would have been higher, it would have brought a larger
boost to attendance, and a larger attendance to grown on.

Another factor is actually getting TL attractions re-opened, rather than
continually closing attractions in TL. At TL low point, the only open
attractions were the tired Star Tours, Autopia, Innoventions, and Honey
I Shrunk the Audience. It was as if all of TL fell off the edge of the earth.
No one was going to TL after the resounding dud of TL'98. In just the
past couple of years, Buzz opened, Space Mt re-opened, and the Subs
are back. Those create more things to do, and increase park capacity.
So let it be known loud and clear, Growth is due primarily due to NEW
QUALITY ATTRACTIONS! And that is exactly the same reason WHY
DCA didn't bring the DLR as big of a Bump in the numbers as they initially
anticipated. IT'S BECAUSE of the total number of QUALITY attractions
that DCA opened with (or lack thereof).

As for the Seasonal Decorations and Attractions: I won't use the word
"promotion", as that implies more of the advertising, rather than attractions
or added features to the park. However the YoaMD is just a promotion
without the validity of added attractions for guests ~ unlike Christmas or
Halloween, where they do actually ADD special attractions for ALL guests
to see and do. Emphatically, YES they do make a difference in attendance,
and they always have! BUT, it goes hand in hand with having those
ADDED QUALITY ATTRACTIONS.

SO, it comes into question WHY did it take DL so LONG to get this
Halloweentime rolling? WHY DON'T they have some sort of EASTER
celebration???? DL's Floral Displays in the spring are PHENOMENAL!!!!
So some of the money is already spent each year on that anyway!
It might just help extend that Easter/Springbreak season even further,
Perhaps start off with a Valentines celebration during the typically
slow month of February and blend gradually into a Springtime Celebration,
How about an Eater Program similar to the Candlelight Celebration!
That seems like a natural extension!

DL still has a ways to go, to max out the holiday celebrations. And
as long as they keep in mind "Added Quality Attractions" ~ THAT
will keep the people coming!

[Disneyland Daddy]

For me...I go to Disneyland because it's Disneyland - not because of the lame promotion - YOAMD. And I stress that it is a lame promotion........when my 'dream' is Mickey Ears.....sheesh.

[kirbilicious]

2.2YOf2.3MD is and has remained a dud since it arrived DOA.
It doesn't even have an anniversary celebration too cling on
to in order to promote it.

I think this is the biggest problem I have with the campaign. It's not cleebrating any anniversary and it was launched way too soon after the 50th. When you're constantly celebrating something, the novelty is lost. I think one of the really sad things about the promotion is that in WDW, there was a major anniversary that they could have worked in to the promotion somehow - Epcot's 25th, but unfortunately, it was largely overlooked.

[sir clinksalot]

I agree. They could have VERY easily given the same treatment to EPCOT's 25th as they did for DL's 50th. A "Global" celebration. At least that would have meant something.

[fo'c's'le swab]

They do poll visitors for their reasons for visiting at the entrance gates (at least I have seen this quite often over the past few months).

If this is the case, then I assume Disney knows the results--and are pleased with them, if the extension of this promotion (beyond all reason) is an indicator.

It is true that the incentive of the promotion may be selling more APs or causing people to visit more often, but looking at how promotions are supposed to work, I don't think the higher attendance in general is due to YOAMD.

Promotions are implemented to accomplish many different specific goals--some short term, some long term. I have seen no marketing strategy blueprints for the design of the YOAMD, and wouldn't want to speculate, personally, on how it is 'supposed' to work.

With YOAMD originally planned for 15 months (now 27 months total) , thats hardly a move to a rush action on the part of the consumer

But may logically indicate that they are pleased with the results, else why extend it?

[Goofy Daddy]

YoaMD isn't a bad thing IMO but it isn't why I go to the park. On the other hand we did take a trip last year specifically in October (an added trip we normally don't take) because of the Seasonal promo and activities (MHT in DCA) going on.

So, bottom line, even though YoaMD is better than a boot to the head, I don't see it driving attendence much at all. I do see the seasonal promotions and activities doing that though.

[MollyTrolly]

But may logically indicate that they are pleased with the results, else why extend it?

Honestly I think they are extending because it’s not hindering, numbers are still up and with other things on the horizon (Midway Mania, PIxar play parade, etc) it’s a very easy promotion to tie into those events. You can't go full force every year with a huge event or it will become blasé. YOAMD is a way to have a promotion; press events etc which still having the opportunity to have other promotions, 2ers, ride openings etc. The promotion is definitely cost effective enough for them, and it’s a nice perk for guests when they get to the park if they happen to win.

Back in the day in a normal year, the annual message would be "come to the happiest place on earth". It’s really that same message now, just this underlying opportunity to possibly win a "dream" once you re in the park. YOAMD has become less of a promotion and more of a "Dreams" branding campaign or the resorts in general.

Now, if they were to stop calling these prizes "dreams" and call them what they are PRIZES I may change my opinion, until then it’s just like any other marketing campaign and does not have the same call to action as a contest or sweepstakes should.