Biggest ripoff at WDW?

[iubigman]

V & A's not a ripoff in any way.

I have been lucky enough to eat at V&A's, and it is pricy, but in no way a ripoff.

My wife and i are foodies, and before our son came along (and even a bit after), we loke to go to nice restaurants all over the place. V&A's remains the BEST meal we have ever had, and that includes MANY places in NYC, San Francisco., etc. And the price is simply not a ripoff. In fact, for what you get, it is actually a good value. We have paid the same price for tasting menus at other restaurants with lesser ingridients, and smaller portions.

Just my 2 cents.

Oh, WDW sucks and is falling apart. (That qualifies me to post right?)

 

[captainkidd]

well gas prices in the last 20 years have increased 300% in 1991 they were $1.14 and now they are over $3.70 where I live

True, and we all know we're being screwed at the pump.

Point I'm making about resort prices is, it's not in line with the real world. Do you think the average person's income has increased 100% in 20 years?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My thoughts exactly!!! I'm just surprised they did'nt do something like that sooner! We've done it quite a few times having two girls....My oldest did it when it first came out , and this was for her birthday, we did the whole sha -bang, the makeup, dress pics you name it we did it...The look on her face when they turned her around to look at her "newly transformed self" In the mirror....Absolutly Priceless!! Expensive....Oh yes, but we knew that , its Disney, what is'nt!....And yes trips after that we did the simpler modified version, bring our own disney dress and just get hair and makeup...But that being said, they are over it(I think, LOL) now they ask to be pirates!!!! But I would do it again in a heart beat.....I do wish it was more affordable , I can't imagine going with more than 2 girls what it costs and we've seen that alot!

You bring up another good reason not to just do BBB, but do it multiple times. You never know when your "little princesses" will decide they don't want to be "big kid princesses." So get in as much of the magic before it shifts into something else. Of course, I have one friend taking her kids in December and while she booked slots for her 5 yr old and 7 yr old her soon to be 16 yr old is hoping she'll get to do it as well. And then of course, there are adults- myself included- who think it would be a blast.

I think the Photopass CD's are like $120....that's a ripoff

I initially thought that, but two things made me change my mind on that price.
1. I went ziplining a few months ago and they took pics along the way. Not only were the individual pic prices more than Disney photopass pics, but their CD prices were more than Disney.
2. We sometimes take our girls to places like Portrait Innovations for pictures. I have to spend enough on prints to get the CD of our entire photo session... and that price is somewhere in the $90 to $120 range. Sure, I'm also walking out with the prints in this case, but the price for me to get prints on Snapfish doesn't put the price of doing the Disney Photopass CD that far off from doing a photo session at home. And it's all still cheaper than a session w/a pro-photographer.

The monorail. It's old, slow and antiquated. WDW would not be able to run the system without the heavy subsidy it gets from soaring ticket prices and other exorbitant fees. It has never been able to pay its own way and now its just a money pit. :wave:

It is expensive, but I can't imagine WDW w/o it and would be more than just a little upset if it were to ever go.

 

[Scuttle]

The monorail. It's old, slow and antiquated. WDW would not be able to run the system without the heavy subsidy it gets from soaring ticket prices and other exorbitant fees. It has never been able to pay its own way and now its just a money pit. :wave:[/

What do you think the bus system is? It's a huge money pit with the price of diesel fuel.

 

[MomofKatie]

Things I won't buy at WDW (or most other places) because I don't think they are worth the markup:

1- bottled water. We bring in a bottle each and get FREE cups of ice water at the CS places. Or- gasp- use the water fountains. I don't think the FL water tastes bad.

2- light up necklaces and toys. We bring in our own glow necklaces and glowsticks- we hand them out to kids near us when waiting for F!, nighttime parades, etc. When DD was younger, I would get her light up spinny toys (and T's, stuffed animals, pins, etc) at the Disney Store near us when they went on clearance and give them to her as "Mickey" presents at the hotel every day.

3- most souvenirs. Luckily, DD brings her own $$ and budgets it so I don't have to complain about what she gets.

4- OTC meds- cold relief, aspirin, sunblock, etc. We bring along a pretty well stocked kit with all the first aid/medicine stuff we would ever need.

I don't mind food prices, since we budget for the cost. We also budget for any experiences we want to do, like tours, BB, etc. Most of the time, we stay offsite, but I don't think the onsite resorts are a ripoff- just a little too expensive for us to stay there (Deluxe at least).

 

[worldfanatic]

Yet another Disney _________s thread. :brick:

No kidding. :brick:
I started to go through it, but thankfully your post reminded why I won't.

It's one thing to complain about a specific item, but quite another to open it up to any and every complainer on this board.
Whine, Whine, Whine.
I don't even have to look to know what's next.

Thread = FAIL

 

[mergatroid]

I think those who claim things are rip offs, only have themselves to blame really. If it's a rip off, don't purchase it :brick:

 

[MKCP 1985]

Bottled water prices. There are water fountains all over the parks, and the counter service restaurants will give you a free cup of ice if you can weather standing in line for the cup.

There is no compelling reason to pay for water at Walt Disney World.

 

[BigRedDad]

Charging $0.51 for a penny. :ROFLOL:

Pressed pennies become an addiction and ripoff is you have to travel to everywhere on Disney property to get them all.

 

[invader]

Coin Press, Bottled Water, and Leave A Legacy

 

[captainkidd]

Bottled water prices. There are water fountains all over the parks, and the counter service restaurants will give you a free cup of ice if you can weather standing in line for the cup.

There is no compelling reason to pay for water at Walt Disney World.

Bottled water is something I don't worry about paying for. I know a lot of people think it's overpriced, but I'd rather pay $2.50 than drink Florida tap water.:hurl:

Go to a concert or ball game and see what a bottle of water costs. Disney is cheap by comparison in that category.

 

[MKCP 1985]

I am the worst hypocrite. There is a flat of bottled water in my fridge - but I didn't buy it, I just tolerate it.

We allow ourselves to go with the marketing push to the detriment of our wallets. Disney World existed for decades without bottled water and people (even people from Jersey) did just fine. :lookaroun

:ROFLOL:

A few years ago, there were oxygen bars in some large cities around the country and around the world. Paying to breathe air - sometimes scented air.

Thank goodness that hasn't caught on. :lol:

 

[JimJam]

I think the biggest ripoff in Disney is Harry Potters wizard thing place.

WWOHP Isnt In WDW? :veryconfu

 

[Hakunamatata]

WWOHP Isnt In WDW? :veryconfu

What! I plan a trip to WDW for WWOHP and they don't have it anymore?:fork:

 

[TalkingHead]

I don't think the FL water tastes bad.

Are your taste buds dead?

 

[TalkingHead]

No kidding. :brick:
I started to go through it, but thankfully your post reminded why I won't.

It's one thing to complain about a specific item, but quite another to open it up to any and every complainer on this board.
Whine, Whine, Whine.
I don't even have to look to know what's next.

Thread = FAIL

DVC owner. Why am I not surprised?

 

[Scooter]

My only complaint I really have is the Food and Wine Festival food booths.
The portions are way too small for the price you pay.

 

[trr1]

True, and we all know we're being screwed at the pump.

Point I'm making about resort prices is, it's not in line with the real world. Do you think the average person's income has increased 100% in 20 years?

no maybe only 70-75%
thats comparing minimum wage. in 1991 minimum wage was $4.25 and in 2011 it is $7.25

 

[Zummi Gummi]

No kidding. :brick:
I started to go through it, but thankfully your post reminded why I won't.

It's one thing to complain about a specific item, but quite another to open it up to any and every complainer on this board.
Whine, Whine, Whine.
I don't even have to look to know what's next.

Thread = FAIL

Right, because anytime someone is even vaguely critical of something about WDW, it's "whining."

And given that the thread is on its 5th page of responses, I'd say it's far from a "fail."

 

[captainkidd]

no maybe only 70-75%
thats comparing minimum wage. in 1991 minimum wage was $4.25 and in 2011 it is $7.25

Not even close.

In 1992, the average US household income was around $40,000. In 2010, it was around $50,000. That's about a 20% increase. If you factor inflation in, people actually make less now than they did in 1992.

Minimum wage has gone up, yes. But salaries overall have taken a hit. Granted, there's a lot factored into this such as unemployment, but from all census reports, it's the best we have to go by.