Len Testa - “Disney positions itself as the all-American vacation. The irony is that most Americans can’t afford it.”

[monothingie]

I'm not going to argue whether things are overpriced because I fully agree. But let me ask this:

What price should a week at Disney be? What's the number that a family of four should be able to come and stay at a value resort, do four to five days of parks, eat, souvenirs, the whole thing? At what point does that family who is middle class say "This is reasonable. Let's book."?

I don’t think it’s necessarily a price per item issue, but rather it’s two things specifically for me anyway. First is the nickel and diming of almost every thing there.
Second is the lack of perceived value. This is specifically true for their hotels.

 

[wannabeBelle]

I don’t think it’s necessarily a price per item issue, but rather it’s two things specifically for me anyway. First is the nickel and diming of almost every thing there.
Second is the lack of perceived value. This is specifically true for their hotels.

This. Marie

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'm not going to argue whether things are overpriced because I fully agree. But let me ask this:

What price should a week at Disney be? What's the number that a family of four should be able to come and stay at a value resort, do four to five days of parks, eat, souvenirs, the whole thing? At what point does that family who is middle class say "This is reasonable. Let's book."?

Just for fun, I priced out a stay for a family of 4 (2 adults 2 kids) next June.

I did June 21-26:
- 5 nights at the All Star Sports
- 4 park days, one park per day
- Disney Dining Plan (so 1 TS, 1QS, 1 snack per day)
- I assume would get water park on arrival day

Subtotal: $ 4,680.68 ... For the whole stay including food, and this is before any hotel discounts are available (rack rate was $180/night) ... Not cheap but I think doable for many

Obviously not staying deluxe, does have LL, doesn't have trader to MCO, etc, but not crazy

 

[Tha Realest]

Here are my thoughts on YT/IG influencers:

1) It is much, much, much cheaper to buy and sell the disposable and ethically untethered influencers than mounting a four-quadrant mass marketing plan.

2) YT/IG is increasingly the platform of choice for many, many people. It only makes sense to lean in to where your audience/demo exists.

3) Many mass marketing efforts try to organically create viral buzz to get out to their target audience. It costs nothing to send a few glossy photos and a scoop to Scott Gustin, ensuring it will be ping ponged and echoed throughout DisTwitter, etc.

4) Implicit in a lot of these messages is “Disney is losing its core audience - middle class and families with young children.” Yes, that is true. But I believe in a sense they are losing them in the sense those things are rapidly shrinking. Put simply, the middle claw is being squeezed at the extremes. And families are having fewer and fewer children. That said, there are other things that have prompted families with young children to look elsewhere - costs, better vacation alternatives that no longer look prohibitively expensive in comparison, social issues, Boomer grandparents that don’t reactively shower the extended family with an annual vacation. So, that means…

5) Dual Income No Kids or Disney Adults are increasingly part of their core audience, for the foregoing reasons. These are the types that somehow use their hard earned (or bequeathed) money to give Jenna from ResortTV1 $130 on YT SuperChat to buy that LoungeFly she keeps conspicuously eyeing, or become mega Patreons for PCDev or Kyle Palio.

 

[Splash4eva]

If they have a following?…PR picks up on it and gives them entry at a minimum…press days often if not always feature giveaways as well…under the loose banner of “sales/product development”. But they don’t show that…because their marching orders in exchange for these things are SPECIFICALLY to portray it as common man.

Just your average 27 year old with no history on a $1000+ a day bender in the park. Because who doesn’t do that?

But some are more careful than others…Disney is more strict I think?

When epic opened…some of the travel/food bloggers showed the free buffets at the presses event days in the background…as they made it look like they were going walking up to their 40 quick serves and buying this stuff.

Sloppy and you could see right behind the curtain

Okay understood & fair. But do people really book things without doing any research at all as to what things are going to cost?!? When you book. You at least know what airfare/hotel/park entry is gonna run you. Now when it comes to food and souvenirs okay maybe not as much but are people that clueless & if so who is to really blame?!? Listen im from NY so never gonna be much of a sticker shock for me. Heck i just took my daughter to the Mets game yesterday (great walk off win Alonso baby!!! Lol). All in i went for close to 600 for the 2 of us. But even when i went to Italy i did some research had tours booked and pretty much had a general idea what my trip was gonna cost this past July

 

[Disneydad1012]

Just for fun, I priced out a stay for a family of 4 (2 adults 2 kids) next June.

I did June 21-26:
- 5 nights at the All Star Sports
- 4 park days, one park per day
- Disney Dining Plan (so 1 TS, 1QS, 1 snack per day)
- I assume would get water park on arrival day

Subtotal: $ 4,680.68 ... For the whole stay including food, and this is before any hotel discounts are available (rack rate was $180/night) ... Not cheap but I think doable for many

Obviously not staying deluxe, does have LL, doesn't have trader to MCO, etc, but not crazy

No crazy but I still think way too much for what you're getting....5 nights is a short vacation...still have airfare, ubers, LL and anything outside of the dining plan. After all that its more likely 6500-7000....

The problem is you really have nothing to compare it too...an all inclusive beach vacation isn't the same...a trip to Europe to sight see isn't the same.

I'm just happy we bought DVC resale 11 years ago when it was a good deal. We just spent 12 nights, 13 days at Disney(Boardwalk villas)...After adding things up its crazy expensive.

Airport parking, ubers, LL and food/drinks I spent just over $5400 while there. We don't do a ton of TS either but also don't think about the cost while there.

$2900 for 10 day park hopper plus tickets for the 4 of us.

I won't count the hotel since it was my dvc points. But figure $400 a night($4800)

Airfare was also points but lets call that $400 each.

Thats just shy of 15k

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I was talking to my mom a while back about the first trip we took to Disney World when I was seven. She hasn't been in over a decade and was asking how some of mine and my wife's trips were going. We told her that a friend had given us a stay at the Polynesian for marathon weekend and she reminisced on staying there back in 1998. To use her words, "It was just so expensive. Way too expensive for what felt like a normal hotel room with a little decoration. It cost us around $300 a night!" My wife and I laughed and told her to try $800-$1000+ per night nowadays.

All that said, Disney has always been seen as expensive, but what's most surprising is how people continue to stay for cash at Deluxe resorts when the costs have increased so dramatically. I don't think people's mindsets have changed from back in the 90s. $300 a night is expensive, especially for what you get at any resort Disney has. I don't think people like my parents would have any interest in paying today's prices to stay at any resort. But there's apparently a large group of people who find the costs justifiable, and not just affluent couples with no kids. And it's a large enough group that Disney continues to invest in more and more deluxe resorts.

DVC is a big money maker for them, no question. But my questions for y'all is this: do you believe there's a group of people who really think $500+ per night at any resort is worth it for the amenities given or are these once-in-a-lifetimers splurging? If we (at least those of us here) can all agree the pricing has gone way out of alignment with regular inflation, specifically on resort stays, what number does Disney inevitably stop at? What's the straw that would break the camel's back? Finally, do you believe DVC is to blame for the inflated costs so that people purchasing at $30000+ can justify the purchase by getting 'value' out of it in a shorter time frame? And if so, again, when does DVC reach its breaking point?

There is no doubt in my mind that Disney increases room rates to make DVC more attractive.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Altho i dont disagree totally with you and as a company you want as many guests as possible especially ones for future visits to say they have priced out a section of society to me is inaccurate. People are still going. Todays generation and society just charges everything and Worries about it later to an even greater degree than ever. Do i agree with their business model not totally do i think they have missed out on more money 100% but i also think they are perfectly fine and content with how they run their parks. Whats sad is that they can expand and charge extra and people will still come will still pay for all these up charge events and offers and imo they generate even more money and profit

Yes, that's all true, BUT they won't have the Mom and Dad who brings the kids, who then bring their kids, if they continue to cut off Mom and Dad. We used to be the ones who advised a lot of people about Disney trips with the family. We were the fanatics whose own family wondered why we continued to go at our ages (retired).
My son and daughter won't be bringing their kids to WDW; they have no interest in it. It's only one example but multiply that by thousands and down the road their fanbase will weaken. Things are changing. The Mouse isn't the brand it once was, IMO. The kids today have so much more that they are interested in because there is so much out there and because maybe, just maybe Mom and Dad don't go anymore? I know I'm only one example, but my kids and their kids probably won't bother with WDW and so on. I think Disney has made a big mistake by excluding the middle class and also with all their upcharges and changes. I may be wrong. We will see.

 

[Splash4eva]

Yes, that's all true, BUT they won't have the Mom and Dad who brings the kids, who then bring their kids, if they continue to cut off Mom and Dad. We used to be the ones who advised a lot of people about Disney trips with the family. We were the fanatics whose own family wondered why we continued to go at our ages (retired).
My son and daughter won't be bringing their kids to WDW; they have no interest in it. It's only one example but multiply that by thousands and down the road their fanbase will weaken. Things are changing. The Mouse isn't the brand it once was, IMO. The kids today have so much more that they are interested in because there is so much out there and because maybe, just maybe Mom and Dad don't go anymore? I know I'm only one example, but my kids and their kids probably won't bother with WDW and so on. I think Disney has made a big mistake by excluding the middle class and also with all their upcharges and changes. I may be wrong. We will see.

Again i get your point and understand but to me i think the claim that the middle class is completely priced out is a gross exaggeration but thats just my thought's

 

[wannabeBelle]

I know it isnt a direct comparison, but right now Kingdom Konsultant Travel has group rates for an Oct 4th, 2026 sailing on Star of the Seas. For two adults in a balcony view room the total is $4184.50 for two adults in one room. That is NOT a per person price, that is for both adults. Granted there are other things that go into this such as gratuities, transportation costs. etc. that will add onto this but for a 7 night sailing with most, if not all of your food, non alcoholic drinks and shipboard entertainment included, this is certainly more than competitive with a WDW trip. A different vacation to be sure, but no less enjoyable and could be an amazing option to add into the mix. Marie

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Again i get your point and understand but to me i think the claim that the middle class is completely priced out is a gross exaggeration but thats just my thought's

I didn't claim the entire middle class is priced out. But that seems to be the demographic that is hit the most at this time. It isn't just the price of the resorts at Disney. It's the flights or drive, food while at Disney, souvenirs, tickets and the paid for line skip, and on and on. It all adds up for a vacation at Disney, or anywhere at this time.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not going to argue whether things are overpriced because I fully agree. But let me ask this:

What price should a week at Disney be? What's the number that a family of four should be able to come and stay at a value resort, do four to five days of parks, eat, souvenirs, the whole thing? At what point does that family who is middle class say "This is reasonable. Let's book."?

The travel market and overall economic conditions dictate the appropriate price. You see this manifested with discounts to try and offset overpricing…but it’s not working enough

They also need a price freeze to allow means to catch up.

Why?

Because declines in attendance do more damage than the gate charge. The easy money is not there…really that should be the “hook”/loss leader…

Everybody in the park is more valuable because they consumer the higher profit products. Currently those are “in order” of value are:
1. Lightning lanes
2. Merch
3. Drinks
4. Food.

So losing raw numbers hurts the bottomline. That is how the model works. And that’s how you play it.

I’m not even gonna get into the longterm damage of “breaking the spell” for future generations that has been their basis for 100+ years. That’s Mono’s department

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I didn't claim the entire middle class is priced out. But that seems to be the demographic that is hit the most at this time. It isn't just the price of the resorts at Disney. It's the flights or drive, food while at Disney, souvenirs, tickets and the paid for line skip, and on and on. It all adds up for a vacation at Disney, or anywhere at this time.

Everyday more of it is…

And that’s dangerous because the uppers have more options and are by default more fickle.

Would you want someone who can buy a VIP tour guide once every few years but also has a beach house and jets to Tuscany for family trips?

Or the middler where their saving and “big trip” is to wdw and that’s the “standard” they try to get back to and the big memories?

Which one has more longterm value across their business?

It’s a “trick” question that shouldn’t be tricky at all

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I know it isnt a direct comparison, but right now Kingdom Konsultant Travel has group rates for an Oct 4th, 2026 sailing on Star of the Seas. For two adults in a balcony view room the total is $4184.50 for two adults in one room. That is NOT a per person price, that is for both adults. Granted there are other things that go into this such as gratuities, transportation costs. etc. that will add onto this but for a 7 night sailing with most, if not all of your food, non alcoholic drinks and shipboard entertainment included, this is certainly more than competitive with a WDW trip. A different vacation to be sure, but no less enjoyable and could be an amazing option to add into the mix. Marie

We just cancelled a Disney trip for that weekend…you wanna sail with me?

 

[wannabeBelle]

We just cancelled a Disney trip for that weekend…you wanna sail with me?

Come and sail with us!!! It will be a blast in the Caribbean, Hopefully no pirates though! Marie

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Come and sail with us!!! It will be a blast in the Caribbean, Hopefully no pirates though! Marie

We have been Jonesin’ for some RC of late…

It’s been 13 months

 

[wannabeBelle]

We have been Jonesin’ for some RC of late…

It’s been 13 months

Seriously though, We would love to have you and the Mrs. It would be incredible and some other familiar faces are going to be along for the ride. We are currently just about $2000 less expensive than the same room with a refundable fare for the same sailing, without our group rate. Marie

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Seriously though, We would love to have you and the Mrs. It would be incredible and some other familiar faces are going to be along for the ride. We are currently just about $2000 less expensive than the same room with a refundable fare for the same sailing, without our group rate. Marie

Pm me the deets and I’ll check it out…

Hopefully it’s an Uber ship that can chomp the wonder in half and leave it in pieces off of Nassau…

Like the did to Quint

 

[wannabeBelle]

Pm me the deets and I’ll check it out…

Hopefully it’s an Uber ship that can chomp the wonder in half and leave it in pieces off of Nassau…

Like the did to Quint

It is on the Star of the Seas so it is definitely a larger ship. It is cruising out of Port Canaveral going to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, then off to San Juan Puerto Rico, Philipsburg, St Maarten and then back to Port Canaveral (Orlando). I'll get you all of the other particulars when I get in this evening! Marie

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It is on the Star of the Seas so it is definitely a larger ship. It is cruising out of Port Canaveral going to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, then off to San Juan Puerto Rico, Philipsburg, St Maarten and then back to Port Canaveral (Orlando). I'll get you all of the other particulars when I get in this evening! Marie

…top of the line