Can We Agree to Stop Complaining Disney About Prices? Let's Talk Value

[Ralphlaw]

Supply and demand, folks. It's a law. Try to go against it, and Adam Smith will rise from his grave and bite you in the wallet.

Actually, what I like is the different opinions and choices of what everyone wants to do. Some won't pay to stay onsite. Good for you. Some insist on staying onsite. That's fine. Some want to get a season pass to 6 Flags. Wonderful. Some would rather see the Cubs, perhaps. Excellent.

The first time I took the family to Disney, a guy got up and said, "Pack your wallet. Mickey's favorite color is green." That was 2003. It's greener now, but so be it. In the meantime, the crowds keep coming. Adam Smith, along with Roy and the Bank of America, are the economic patriarchs of the mouse.

 

[WildcatDen]

I think a "value" is paying $184/night (with AP discount) at Portofino Bay Resort (which is a nicer hotel than The Grand Flo), use my $159 AP for entrance into the parks that have new state of the art attractions. Dining at nice restaurants like The Palm without making ressies at the crack of dawn 180 days from when I want to eat there. And getting food quality that justifies the price.

Disney is really only worth the price if you have been bitten by the Disney bug.

Or paying for a Gold Pass to King's Island that is less than a single day at either Uni or WDW, riding some ground breaking coasters, enjoying some LaRosa's Pizza, Skyline Chili, or Chick fil-A, and finishing the day with some Graeter's Ice Cream (the best according to Oprah). Ahhh - Value!

 

[Goofyernmost]

You missed my point entirely. No one going to Disney is going to get 14 hours of rides and shows... and I don't consider queues to be scenery or entertainment. On a light day you might get 20 rides and given that the average ride is probably 2 minutes or less you have a whopping 40 minutes of rides... throw in two shows and you now have added 30 minutes so you've gotten and hour and 10 minutes of entertainment. I don't consider the cab ride to the Broadway show, or standing in line before I am seated to be entertainment... nor do I consider standing in line 90 minutes for Soar'n to be entertainment, the entertainment is the 2 or 3 minutes of actual ride.

No I got your point, but you missed mine. You can get all that entertainment for all that time with that charge, if you want it. Not to mention (even though I am mentioning it right now) there is so much more to a Disney visit then the sum of the rides. That is only part of it. It's an atmosphere, it's a feeling of doing something that you don't do in ones everyday life. It's a return to childhood. It's many things, not the least of which is a positive feeling. A happy feeling. If you only look at the rides and the total number of minutes that you are actually on one, then, of course, it has no value. Disney would not survive on rides alone.

If that isn't an automatic emotional response to a visit, then you are absolutely correct, it probably isn't worth it to you. One either gets it or they don't. Nothing wrong with either, but, without the total vision, it is a huge waste of money.

 

[crazynakedguy]

I've actually been to all 3. With all due respect, no. Busch Gardens is decent, but there is no nostalgia factor or draw to return, for me and $72 isn't cheap. Six Flags over Texas is a joke...I'm sure I've been more times than you unless you live in the Dallas area...

I'm simply making entertainment my baseline of comparison. Realizing they aren't the same thing, entertainment value can be compared in that respect.

We can agree to disagree.

ahhh I see you are using "nostalgia" as your primary motivator. Something completely subjective.

I have nostalgia for both Busch Gardens and Disney however I can set that aside and look at the actual value between them.

$72 is really what Disney tickets should be at if you adjusted for inflation. But the key there is the Annual pass for Busch Gardens is only $20 more then one day at Disney.

With the exception of the Magic Kingdom Busch Gardens has double the amount of stuff to do then the other parks at Disney world.

As much as I love Disney and i truely do I can honestly say its no longer a good value.
Espeicaly when you consider they are removing all the unique things Disney has to offer.

 

[Matt_Black]

Some would rather see the Cubs, perhaps. Excellent.

... I don't believe you.

 

[MikeTaylorSound]

Or paying for a Gold Pass to King's Island that is less than a single day at either Uni or WDW, riding some ground breaking coasters, enjoying some LaRosa's Pizza, Skyline Chili, or Chick fil-A, and finishing the day with some Graeter's Ice Cream (the best according to Oprah). Ahhh - Value!

This! Can't wait to ride the Banshee!

Where are you getting 33.69 from?

That was the price (per day) of an adult ticket on a base ticket for 10 days (it went up to $36.78 now). I forgot it went up and in my scenario I was using 7 days. So, if you're staying 7 nights in that scenario, a 7 day ticket would be $47.98 per person. So, each day would be $197.73 per person and $1,384.11 per person for the whole trip.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That was the price (per day) of an adult ticket on a base ticket for 10 days (it went up to $36.78 now). I forgot it went up and in my scenario I was using 7 days. So, if you're staying 7 nights in that scenario, a 7 day ticket would be $47.98 per person. So, each day would be $197.73 per person and $1,384.11 per person for the whole trip.

There is nothing about that math that makes any sense to me. What important part of the puzzle am I missing?

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

This! Can't wait to ride the Banshee!



That was the price (per day) of an adult ticket on a base ticket for 10 days (it went up to $36.78 now). I forgot it went up and in my scenario I was using 7 days. So, if you're staying 7 nights in that scenario, a 7 day ticket would be $47.98 per person. So, each day would be $197.73 per person and $1,384.11 per person for the whole trip.

HUH? Your numbers are off by about $10 dollars.
Base 7 day is 345.06
Base 10 day is 377.01

 

[thomas998]

Man that wooden coaster at Fiesta Texas is fierce, that thing will shake you like a paint mixer

I really like the coaster at Sea World in San Antonio as well, the Steel Eel, that is just my size and speed.

I have not been to 6F Over Texas in decades, I really want to go back to check it out soon.

We lost Astroworld in Houston, and the Oilers as well. We suck.

Do yourself a favor and skip going back to 6F Over Texas... your memories will only be tarnished. I had fond memories of the place back in its hey day of they 70's... but now it has become a shell of its former self. They proved what will happen when you lower the price of annual passes too much. It basically became a ghetto version of an amusement park that seems to cater to the annual passholders that in this instance are the lower income guests that can sometimes give you an uneasy feeling... It actually makes you thankful for the full on metal detectors and security you have to go through to get into the park because without it you would be in fear of being mugged... In short, remember it in the past, but don't try to relive it you'll regret it.

 

[Ralphlaw]

... I don't believe you.

Thus the word "Perhaps". Now if I had shown my partisanship and said the Badgers, Brewers, or Packers, the word "definitely" would've appeared.

 

[BigTxEars]

oh man the Rattler? Yeah they upgraded it to be a Hybrid coaster now. It's smooth and absolutely amazing. It's now one of my top 3 coasters of all time.

Wow was not aware they upgraded it. The dang thing was fun just from the shaking but I agree it's a heck of a coaster

 

[Matt_Black]

Do yourself a favor and skip going back to 6F Over Texas... your memories will only be tarnished. I had fond memories of the place back in its hey day of they 70's... but now it has become a shell of its former self. They proved what will happen when you lower the price of annual passes too much. It basically became a ghetto version of an amusement park that seems to cater to the annual passholders that in this instance are the lower income guests that can sometimes give you an uneasy feeling... It actually makes you thankful for the full on metal detectors and security you have to go through to get into the park because without it you would be in fear of being mugged... In short, remember it in the past, but don't try to relive it you'll regret it.

Right, because poor people shouldn't have fun.

 

[BigTxEars]

Do yourself a favor and skip going back to 6F Over Texas... your memories will only be tarnished. I had fond memories of the place back in its hey day of they 70's... but now it has become a shell of its former self. They proved what will happen when you lower the price of annual passes too much. It basically became a ghetto version of an amusement park that seems to cater to the annual passholders that in this instance are the lower income guests that can sometimes give you an uneasy feeling... It actually makes you thankful for the full on metal detectors and security you have to go through to get into the park because without it you would be in fear of being mugged... In short, remember it in the past, but don't try to relive it you'll regret it.

Sad to hear but good to know. Sounds just like Astroworld before they tore it down kinda grew up in that park, good times back in the 80s there

 

[BigTxEars]

Right, because poor people shouldn't have fun.

It's not that, but when the thugs start showing up in large groups at a theme park it is not a family environment any longer.

It is not a income thing IMO, I live in what most would call a lower income town, but it's jammed full of good folks. But we have some that are in the same income level who are not good folks.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

I agree I am going to Wisconsin des for. 2 night and paying about 1000 for room activities etc when disney is 4000 for2 weeks !

 

[BigTxEars]

I don't look at WDW as "stuff to do" compared to "stuff to do" at other parks per say. WDW is all about environment and immersion to me, and that no one else can touch IMO. Ride for ride or ride for dollar might not be in WDW's favor but I am fine with that.

 

[MikeTaylorSound]

HUH? Your numbers are off by about $10 dollars.
Base 7 day is 345.06
Base 10 day is 377.01

Apply the 15% savings (overall) on your packaged deal with hotel + tickets.

 

[thomas998]

Right, because poor people shouldn't have fun.

You know in this country you aren't poor because of a random lottery that is held, you are generally poor because you made poor choices.

Poor choices aren't dictated by others they are dictated by the person that is poor. The odds are that a person that took advantage of the government paid education isn't going to be on welfare, the odds are that a person that took advantage of the opportunity to get an education isn't going to be poor... and the odds of someone that frittered away that free education is much more likely to be the person that doesn't have the other normal morals of a decent person, a thug if you will.

Frankly I would suspect that the poor person is poor because they had too much fun when they should have been applying themselves in school. So maybe they shouldn't be allowed anymore fun since they couldn't handle it and it caused them to be poor.

Now I expect that some reading this might think, "but hey I'm poor." I would disagree... if you have the money to get internet service and have computer to connect to the forum you really aren't poor.

 

[Matt_Black]

You know in this country you aren't poor because of a random lottery that is held, you are generally poor because you made poor choices.

Poor choices aren't dictated by others they are dictated by the person that is poor. The odds are that a person that took advantage of the government paid education isn't going to be on welfare, the odds are that a person that took advantage of the opportunity to get an education isn't going to be poor... and the odds of someone that frittered away that free education is much more likely to be the person that doesn't have the other normal morals of a decent person, a thug if you will.

Frankly I would suspect that the poor person is poor because they had too much fun when they should have been applying themselves in school. So maybe they shouldn't be allowed anymore fun since they couldn't handle it and it caused them to be poor.

Oh, that's adorable. Do you believe in Santa Claus too?

 

[Mr Toad]

Oh, and a cup of coffee at Starbucks?

Thems fightn' words!!!