I didn’t get a chance to listen in on the conference call last week summarizing Fiscal Year 08 and projecting a bit about 09, but Michael at All Things Disney did. He’s got some interesting things to say too.
The theme park tickets are a cheap giveaway, since after a 4 day base ticket, 3 additional days is about $9 a ticket. You still have to pay full freight for the park hopper and the park hopper/more options if you have them, so frankly I’d consider this a wash.
But from a marketing standpoint I’d say it’s brilliant. Only the most ardent fan really keeps track of the fact that days after 4 are that cheap, even for the sporadic return visitor. Most people will look at the one day price and think they are getting a $75*3 days discount, so the PERCEIVED value of the package is greater than the REAL discount.
Michael also notes that job openings for professional positions inside the Mouse House continue to dwindle. Don’t worry, this too shall pass.