Disney raises prices for night of joy

[d-r]

Disney raises ticket price for Night of Joy
By Robert Johnson and Todd Pack
Sentinel Staff Writer

August 26, 2002

Although Walt Disney World didn't raise theme park prices this year, it's
hiking the admission for the annual "Night of Joy" Christian music event by $2
per advance ticket to $34.95 plus tax.

That hike keeps pace with Universal Orlando -- which did raise theme park
admission prices this year -- and its competing "Rock The Universe" songfest.

For the fifth straight year, both attractions have scheduled their Christian
music events head-to-head. They will be held Sept. 6 and 7. And both will
feature many of the biggest names in religious music.

At Universal Studios, the Grammy Award-winning Jars of Clay will appear on
Sept. 6. Also appearing there will be Third Day, a former winner of the Gospel
Music Association's Artist of the Year award.

Disney World's event will be held at Magic Kingdom and feature such performers
as Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman and Kirk Franklin.

"Night of Joy" began at Disney World in 1983. Universal started "Rock The
Universe" in 1998.

 

[KNWVIKING]

The portion of the article I found interesting is that WDW and US schedule the same basic event for the same nites. I assume since WDW has had NoJ for years that US is intentionally going head to head with WDW for the same crowd.Maybe both companies are being pig-headed but it seems to me they would both do better scheduling the events six months apart. Seeing how this venue appeals to a limited portion of the population, why would either company basically settle for only half that crowd. doesn't seem like good business to me.

 

[meowthew2]

Disney and Universal really aren't going head to head at all. Night of Joy's artist lineup is mostly targeted to an older audience than Rock the Universe.

 

[d-r]

Then why does Disney promote bussing in the church youth groups for night of joy?


I thought that the same night thing was interesting, too-

DR

 

[Disnsyncey]

Night of Joy sells out every year, so I don't think its THAT limited a portion of the population......

d-r I really don't understand what you're saying....both US and WDW have a TON of youth groups come to each of their events......

I somewhat agree with meowthew2.....they do appeal to different parts of the christian music market segment......

BUT.....

Night of Joy is more CCM (Christian Contemporary Music--poppy stuff) having artists such as Michael W Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, and then the older patrons thing comes into play with tons of people coming to see the Old Staple, PETRA (yeah, and I have no clue who they are, but you can be sure all the chaperones will be watching them perform)

Rock the Universe......the operative word being ROCK......old people aren't usually into the rock part of ANY kind of music......therefore more young people interested in rock will go.....POD has played at RtU before, where I doubt NoJ would have them at all......the acts this year include Newsboys, Jars of Clay, Toby Mac, Third Day and Rebecca St. James....

Unless many people who listen to christian music are like me, they either like "poppy"/"mellow" music, or they like Rock music.....therefore it makes the choice of NoJ or RtU being VERY easy......

I am one of the fans that is HIGHLY annoyed by them being the same weekend, and I couldn't choose, cuz I love Steven Curtis Chapman, Plus One, ZoeGirl (all NoJ artists) and then I love Toby Mac, Third Day, and True Vibe (all RtU artists) so I am going to Night of Joy on friday night and I am going to Rock the Universe on saturday......

I have never been to Rock the Universe, but I expect it to be as busy and packed as Night of Joy......if either company did see that the other event was taking away from their ticket sales, I bet they would consider moving it....but I doubt it since NoJ has been going on since the early 80's and RtU started late 90's because Universal probably saw how successful Disney was by having an event as such...

 

[CWIPPERMAN]

I'm a third party observer here... I'm not into Christian music at all, but I do want to mention something. I noticed that it was mentioned that Disney's Night of Joy was sold out. Doesn't it just make basic business sense that if your competetor was closed.... you open up and offer the same type of product.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not a Universal fan...I've never been there and am not going during my upcoming trip. But, common sense tells me that neither place is getting hurt by having events on the same weekend. If anything, it gives people into that type of music a set time of year to plan a trip to Orlando. Just think, if one park had their event in September, and the other in October... then some folks would only visit for one or the other. I bet you now have folks that fly down to spend the week, and hit both parks.

This is just my opinion of course.

 

[d-r]

I'm sorry I wasn't clear with the point I was trying to make - it wasn't a big or important one, but it was "if night of joy is targeted at an older audience, then why does disney promote it so heavily to youth groups" - but I think I get what you are saying about pop/mellow vs. rock.

DR