Trouble in paradise officially?

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Completely agree.

I saved a graph that shows the cost of Disney as compared to the average household income.

my stance has always been that the “peak” of wdw was in 1999...

if people don’t want to believe me...they can use your numbers

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In a free society it is the individuals responsibility to get themselves out of poverty by getting an eduction, getting a marketable skill, not having kids you can't afford etc. No one is keeping anyone below the poverty level. Taking money from one group and giving it to another or artificially rising salaries is not the answer. Since the inception of the "Great Society" under Johnson we have spent trillions of dollars on poverty and have not reduced poverty by one iota.

and you know the counter to that...so we’ll keep spinning

 

[Nautilyss]

I believe it was Walt himself who said it best: "The poor have only themselves to blame."

 

[unmitigated disaster]

In a free society it is the individuals responsibility to get themselves out of poverty by getting an eduction, getting a marketable skill, not having kids you can't afford etc. No one is keeping anyone below the poverty level. Taking money from one group and giving it to another or artificially rising salaries is not the answer. Since the inception of the "Great Society" under Johnson we have spent trillions of dollars on poverty and have not reduced poverty by one iota.

"Artificially raising wages"? Lordy.

Everyone can't be a doctor, lawyer, etc. Someone has to work retail, service and hospitality jobs. You think that's what teens are for? Say goodbye to fast food for breakfast and lunch during the school year. Retail stores? Open Monday through Friday roughly 4 to 9 PM, with longer weekend hours. Hospitality? No night auditors. No night housekeeping. No morning housekeeping, either. Welcome to 9 PM check ins. Oh, and grocery stores. Meh. Again, Monday through Friday about 4 to 9. Maybe 10 depending on labor laws.

 

[disneyfreak0710]

I believe it was Walt himself who said it best: "The poor have only themselves to blame."

No one ever accused Walt of being nice to the poor, however.

 

[disneyfreak0710]

In a free society it is the individuals responsibility to get themselves out of poverty by getting an eduction, getting a marketable skill, not having kids you can't afford etc. No one is keeping anyone below the poverty level. Taking money from one group and giving it to another or artificially rising salaries is not the answer. Since the inception of the "Great Society" under Johnson we have spent trillions of dollars on poverty and have not reduced poverty by one iota.

And only privileged people can actually make a comment like this and believe it, especially that it's that easy.

 

[disneyfreak0710]

Granted polling a few people is not the same as polling everyone and we've all see the crowds and the people who buy into everything.

People who make under $75,000 per year are most eager to visit Disney, but it's almost unaffordable for them

Though Disney vacations become increasingly expensive each year, diehard fans are still eager to visit the company's theme parks.

www.insider.com

Obviously late to this, but... I can absolutely believe this. I mean, just as a small observation, for starters being middle class ourselves, yes, we are very close to being priced out of Disney. And out of our friends and family, or even just people that we know loosely, only a couple will go to Disney. The rest choose to vacation basically anywhere but, lol, but especially Europe, South America, or the Caribbean etc... Some choose that because they'd rather just see the real world, rather than an "artificial world", but some just because they said that Disney is just too expensive for what you get. They feel they get more for their money elsewhere.

As far as whether it signals "trouble in paradise"... I'm honestly not sure. I mean, sure, on one hand it's easy to say if you price out the market with the biggest interest, you're in trouble. But, if you raise your prices enough, and can get enough of the other market to compensate... you're fine. And I suspect that's what Disney is going. It makes sense: they still earn the same amount of money, while taking care of the overcrowding issues that everyone complains about.

 

[CosmicRays]

my stance has always been that the “peak” of wdw was in 1999...

if people don’t want to believe me...they can use your numbers

Coincidence that this was before social media and smartphones? I think not.

 

[Lilofan]

And only privileged people can actually make a comment like this and believe it, especially that it's that easy.

It is not easy, far from it but it can be done. I'm proof of coming from less than ideal conditions.

 

[dewardevi]

In the 40-plus years we’ve been visiting Disney World, people have always complained that it’s geating too expensive for many visitors. Yet they keep coming by the tens of thousands. Cognitive dissonance?

 

[Lilofan]

"Artificially raising wages"? Lordy.

Everyone can't be a doctor, lawyer, etc. Someone has to work retail, service and hospitality jobs. You think that's what teens are for? Say goodbye to fast food for breakfast and lunch during the school year. Retail stores? Open Monday through Friday roughly 4 to 9 PM, with longer weekend hours. Hospitality? No night auditors. No night housekeeping. No morning housekeeping, either. Welcome to 9 PM check ins. Oh, and grocery stores. Meh. Again, Monday through Friday about 4 to 9. Maybe 10 depending on labor laws.

Service jobs you say?, some waiters bring home six figures and work less hours per week than the the salary managers that they report to. You may not be aware that an amount managers in the retail, service and tourism sectors came from the hourly ranks through something called promotion from within.

 

[disneyfreak0710]

It is not easy, far from it but it can be done. I'm proof of coming from less than ideal conditions.

Absolutely. There are success stories, but they are the exceptions, not the rule. Unfortunately there are more people that can't rise above poverty, than can. The reason for that is myriad but not the least of one of those reasons is systemic prejudice.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It is not easy, far from it but it can be done. I'm proof of coming from less than ideal conditions.

the “anyone can build themselves up” is a great idea in theory...the problem is when you delve into the economics and sociology...it’s blown up due to the stark differences in opportunity that’s attached to who, what and where you are at birth.

anything can be done...but the struggle to get up the hill is almost never equal.

 

[Spookie2018]

Ive said for years that unless youre in state disney isnt meant to be a yearly trip (though this message board seems to disagree with all you lucky people going often) Its at this point an every 3-5 years park, not just for cost but there are so many other places to see and do. Do disney the right way every few years then enjoy the rest of the world the other years. It will make disney much more special, and they probably wont have added much in that time anyway.

This might work for you, but I'll return yearly, even if it is, according to you, "the wrong way".

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ive said for years that unless youre in state disney isnt meant to be a yearly trip (though this message board seems to disagree with all you lucky people going often) Its at this point an every 3-5 years park, not just for cost but there are so many other places to see and do. Do disney the right way every few years then enjoy the rest of the world the other years. It will make disney much more special, and they probably wont have added much in that time anyway.

Reasonable take

This might work for you, but I'll return yearly, even if it is, according to you, "the wrong way".

It wasn’t a personal offense. It’s a tourist spot...not life or death. Relax and enjoy it however you like.

 

[Lilofan]

Absolutely. There are success stories, but they are the exceptions, not the rule. Unfortunately there are more people that can't rise above poverty, than can. The reason for that is myriad but not the least of one of those reasons is systemic prejudice.

There never was a rule. Your take on more can't raise above poverty is a cop out. Sweat, perseverance, taking risks , surrounding yourself with people smarter than you, putting on your big boy pants, a little luck , thinking out of the box are ways to improve one's situations. There is no guarantee but it is better than being on the sidelines voicing about this and that . If you talk about systemic prejudice, try and see what other countries are going through with their impacted population. It is a lot worse.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There never was a rule. Your take on more can't raise above poverty is a cop out. Sweat, perseverance, taking risks , surrounding yourself with people smarter than you, putting on your big boy pants, a little luck , thinking out of the box are ways to improve one's situations. There is no guarantee but it is better than being on the sidelines voicing about this and that . If you talk about systemic prejudice, try and see what other countries are going through with their impacted population. It is a lot worse.

You’re using anecdotal examples to argue what statistically holds...

for a myriad of reasons, circumstances and mistakes...very few born into poverty escape it statistically

 

[Lilofan]

You’re using anecdotal examples to argue what statistically holds...

for a myriad of reasons, circumstances and mistakes...very few born into poverty escape it statistically

Using personal examples and choices I've made, I cannot speak on facts and figures. In regards to escaping poverty, believe it or not, some choose to remain in that situation. Some believe living in a safety net of welfare and , heard about it?

 

[Magenta Panther]

No one ever accused Walt of being nice to the poor, however.

Oh, really? We talking about the Walt who once said "Poor kids will never have to pay to get into Disneyland"? Who once saw a nun leading a group of kids through the park, talked to her, then got her a refund of her entrance fee?

Has your head exploded yet, Cletus?

 

[kayaknc56]

as a Disney Company shareholder, I say cut those costs and jack up those prices!!!! Go Chapek Go!