Cost of Disney

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think you’re not taking into account what people do for entertainment on a regular basis, or where else they travel. I think people who complain about the prices maybe only travel to Disney... there’s many options within a Disney stay, some resorts are harder to justify than others.

Disney is the same or sometimes less than a lot of other destinations.. and they provide “free” transportation to/from the airport and all around property. I don’t know many other places where you can find that.

Example- looking at a hotel near Miami airport recently., a DAYS INN was close to $200 per night., not including transport to get there.
A Days Inn, in basically Hialeah, Fl.. which is no Disney World, or any kind of desirable place by any imagination.lol

Here.. see why “Value” is such a difficult thing to monetize?
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I would contend that as disney raises all prices across the board - particularly hotels - then there are in fact less viable choices where you can save...at least on property.

 

[21stamps]

I agree...however since the original was "is it too much?"...wouldn't the point be to come up with our own valuation system and defend/debate their merits?

It's all opinion...but all opinions aren't equal.

For sure, I was just pointing out how it’s a personal determination.

Recently we were at WDW for 1 day, less than 2 full nights. I wanted to stay at Poly, but I couldn’t justify Poly when I knew we would be there less than 48 hours and only see daylight once.. so at first I chose POR..but they didn’t have preferred rooms available, I made a last minute decision to switch to All Star Sports.. because of the convenience to my car and the lobby with a preferred room. So on that trip I paid for resort that doesn’t have the amenities I want, because I wouldn’t use their amenities..and was perfectly content paying $129 per night.
However, on a weeklong trip I can (somewhat) easily justify prices at a monorail resort at 5-7 times that cost, because I will be getting “Value” with the time I have there.

Does that make sense?

 

[RustySpork]

An unpopular opinion, but they need to raise the prices a lot more so it's not as crowded. I'd pay double if I didn't have to smell other people's lack of hygiene as I make my way down Main Street USA.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

An unpopular opinion, but they need to raise the prices a lot more so it's not as crowded. I'd pay double if I didn't have to smell other people's lack of hygiene as I make my way down Main Street USA.

They will continue to raise prices AND increase crowds...and if attendance falls, they will issue promotions to draw the attendance back up. The era of nice crowds is over because I cancelled my espn.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

If we think it's crowded now, just wait til SW's hotel/world gets going. It is going to be a madhouse. Pandora will seem like nothing compared to the crowds that star wars will draw. I think that WDW is going towards modernizing all the resorts to look the same, and doing away with the classes of value, moderate, and deluxe. I think they will all get a hefty raise in prices and have more blurring of types of resorts in the future. I sure hope I'm wrong!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If we think it's crowded now, just wait til SW's hotel/world gets going. It is going to be a madhouse. Pandora will seem like nothing compared to the crowds that star wars will draw. I think that WDW is going towards modernizing all the resorts to look the same, and doing away with the classes of value, moderate, and deluxe. I think they will all get a hefty raise in prices and have more blurring of types of resorts in the future. I sure hope I'm wrong!

The smart bet is you are 100% right...and by the time it's over, no one will be happy. That moves the whole place more towards a "one and done" type gig than a "comfortable" one as it has been for many.

 

[RustySpork]

The smart bet is you are 100% right...and by the time it's over, no one will be happy. That moves the whole place more towards a "one and done" type gig than a "comfortable" one as it has been for many.

Disney's spent the last few years positioning themselves for the one and done visitor, so I think that may be part of the plan.

 

[21stamps]

If we think it's crowded now, just wait til SW's hotel/world gets going. It is going to be a madhouse. Pandora will seem like nothing compared to the crowds that star wars will draw. I think that WDW is going towards modernizing all the resorts to look the same, and doing away with the classes of value, moderate, and deluxe. I think they will all get a hefty raise in prices and have more blurring of types of resorts in the future. I sure hope I'm wrong!

I think Star Wars will be insane, for a long time.

As far as Pandora, the boat ride was a 90 minute wait while we there. We chose to skip it, but that’s not too bad of a wait time considering how new it is.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think Star Wars will be insane, for a long time.

As far as Pandora, the boat ride was a 90 minute wait while we there. We chose to skip it, but that’s not too bad of a wait time considering how new it is.

90 minutes is pretty awful in this day and age for anything...my gripe still lies in the 10 years of closures and few investments...more crowds, higher prices, less stuff to do. Bad formula.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney's spent the last few years positioning themselves for the one and done visitor, so I think that may be part of the plan.

There's not enough money out there to be successful with that plan. It doesn't exist. That's what a middle class destruction does over time.

Once...I hear...the business model was to have a solid repeat business of at least 35% at any one time...and they planned to raise that. This is a complete reverse course...the CEO has the ripcord in his hand and won't have to be around if dominoes fall.

 

[21stamps]

90 minutes is pretty awful in this day and age for anything...my gripe still lies in the 10 years of closures and few investments...more crowds, higher prices, less stuff to do. Bad formula.

Not at the parks we go to. So I’m probably looking at this from a different perspective.
We waited just over 200 minutes to go on a ride that lasted under 2 minutes, in April of this year. I will NEVER do that again.lol

I agree with you though.. 90 minutes is long, I just think it’s bareable if it’s a high priority to someone.

 

[Walt d]

Hi All,

I’m very interested in hearing what everyone thinks of today’s prices at Walt Disney World. Do you think they are reasonable? Are they to high? Would you go no matter how high the cost gets?
Thanks,
Kathy

Yes its too high, if you could get bob i. Too stop making every thing new, but he will never see it, sad

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not at the parks we go to. So I’m probably looking at this from a different perspective.
We waited just over 200 minutes to go on a ride that lasted under 2 minutes, in April of this year. I will NEVER do that again.lol

I agree with you though.. 90 minutes is long, I just think it’s bareable if it’s a high priority to someone.

Where ya been going?

 

[21stamps]

Where ya been going?

Kings Island and Cedar Point. Except for this past year, bought us platinum passes and never went anywhere besides KI. Renewed them again, determined to get back to CP in 2018.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Kings Island and Cedar Point. Except for this past year, bought us platinum passes and never went anywhere besides KI. Renewed them again, determined to get back to CP in 2018.

I had mentally guessed cedar point before you responded...

 

[DryCreek]

Clothing from Walmart = not luxury vs. Expensive Designer clothing = luxury. Clothing is necessary,

Well, not at every resort or beach. Some of the 'clothing optional" destinations might be right for you!

And, back to the original question (as I interpret it) - is the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation becoming unreasonable for the average American? To me? Yes. Will I still visit some time in the future? Probably to definitely. I While I am a huge WDW/DL fan, the wife isn't. We used to visit quite frequently. In fact, almost every year when our son was growing up. Then, when our son hit his teen years, we went about every three years. Once our son left the nest, we still went about every three years. Well, we haven't been to a Disney property since our 2012 DL trip. My wife has put her foot down and stated that we will not return until after she has been to Montana (Glacier N.P.), The Grand Canyon, Colorado and maybe Branson. So, the motor home will be heading West more than East for a while now. On the brighter side, we can start staying at Fort Wilderness again like we did when we lived on the East Coast and it was only a 14 hour drive from where we lived in North Carolina. Now that we are back home in Texas (and much older) it will be a long, hard two day drive to get there. FW is a better deal when pricing lodging, but still no bargain by any stretch of the imagination.

ETA - as I read further in, I realized that I have a different base perspective than most folks. The Magic Kingdom at WDW was the first theme park I had ever been to. As a poor farm boy, I would have never expected to be able to afford travelling to such a place for a vacation (big family). It wasn't until I had my first "Liberty Call" at boot camp (NRTC Orlando- July 1980 C-173) that I could go. We were able to get special discount tickets that made it (barely) affordable to the young wild eyed sailors like myself. I will never forget that feeling of awe and wonder as I strolled through that escape from reality as a 17 year old. You could barely see the dirt work beginning on EPCOT from the skyway. So much has changed, and as the years passed I started noticing that I didn't feel that same wonderment as before - and I missed that. I will also say that I made it a point to visit DL while I was stationed in San Diego. I felt the same thrill walking through the magic back then too (1981). I didn't feel it quite so much in 2012. Maybe that is why I feel the yearning to return - to once again feel that magical awe and wonderment. Meh, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let's see if that holds true for Disney parks.....

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Well, not at every resort or beach. Some of the 'clothing optional" destinations might be right for you!

And, back to the original question (as I interpret it) - is the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation becoming unreasonable for the average American? To me? Yes. Will I still visit some time in the future? Probably to definitely. I While I am a huge WDW/DL fan, the wife isn't. We used to visit quite frequently. In fact, almost every year when our son was growing up. Then, when our son hit his teen years, we went about every three years. Once our son left the nest, we still went about every three years. Well, we haven't been to a Disney property since our 2012 DL trip. My wife has put her foot down and stated that we will not return until after she has been to Montana (Glacier N.P.), The Grand Canyon, Colorado and maybe Branson. So, the motor home will be heading West more than East for a while now. On the brighter side, we can start staying at Fort Wilderness again like we did when we lived on the East Coast and it was only a 14 hour drive from where we lived in North Carolina. Now that we are back home in Texas (and much older) it will be a long, hard two day drive to get there. FW is a better deal when pricing lodging, but still no bargain by any stretch of the imagination.

ETA - as I read further in, I realized that I have a different base perspective than most folks. The Magic Kingdom at WDW was the first theme park I had ever been to. As a poor farm boy, I would have never expected to be able to afford travelling to such a place for a vacation (big family). It wasn't until I had my first "Liberty Call" at boot camp (NRTC Orlando- July 1980 C-173) that I could go. We were able to get special discount tickets that made it (barely) affordable to the young wild eyed sailors like myself. I will never forget that feeling of awe and wonder as I strolled through that escape from reality as a 17 year old. You could barely see the dirt work beginning on EPCOT from the skyway. So much has changed, and as the years passed I started noticing that I didn't feel that same wonderment as before - and I missed that. I will also say that I made it a point to visit DL while I was stationed in San Diego. I felt the same thrill walking through the magic back then too (1981). I didn't feel it quite so much in 2012. Maybe that is why I feel the yearning to return - to once again feel that magical awe and wonderment. Meh, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let's see if that holds true for Disney parks.....

Just remember that all of Ft. Wilderness is dog friendly now, if that is a problem for you. If not, it looks like it's a beautiful place.
I would love to do what your wife is wanting to do, ie, go to the National Parks, etc. The Grand Canyon is unreal, a great place to see.
But I just can't get past going to WDW every year. We will probably cut back after this year though, as we are getting older and it is getting more difficult to do all the walking (don't need ECV's), just slower moving. We still love the ambience and feel it is still magical to us.

 

[21stamps]

Well, not at every resort or beach. Some of the 'clothing optional" destinations might be right for you!

And, back to the original question (as I interpret it) - is the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation becoming unreasonable for the average American? To me? Yes. Will I still visit some time in the future? Probably to definitely. I While I am a huge WDW/DL fan, the wife isn't. We used to visit quite frequently. In fact, almost every year when our son was growing up. Then, when our son hit his teen years, we went about every three years. Once our son left the nest, we still went about every three years. Well, we haven't been to a Disney property since our 2012 DL trip. My wife has put her foot down and stated that we will not return until after she has been to Montana (Glacier N.P.), The Grand Canyon, Colorado and maybe Branson. So, the motor home will be heading West more than East for a while now. On the brighter side, we can start staying at Fort Wilderness again like we did when we lived on the East Coast and it was only a 14 hour drive from where we lived in North Carolina. Now that we are back home in Texas (and much older) it will be a long, hard two day drive to get there. FW is a better deal when pricing lodging, but still no bargain by any stretch of the imagination.

ETA - as I read further in, I realized that I have a different base perspective than most folks. The Magic Kingdom at WDW was the first theme park I had ever been to. As a poor farm boy, I would have never expected to be able to afford travelling to such a place for a vacation (big family). It wasn't until I had my first "Liberty Call" at boot camp (NRTC Orlando- July 1980 C-173) that I could go. We were able to get special discount tickets that made it (barely) affordable to the young wild eyed sailors like myself. I will never forget that feeling of awe and wonder as I strolled through that escape from reality as a 17 year old. You could barely see the dirt work beginning on EPCOT from the skyway. So much has changed, and as the years passed I started noticing that I didn't feel that same wonderment as before - and I missed that. I will also say that I made it a point to visit DL while I was stationed in San Diego. I felt the same thrill walking through the magic back then too (1981). I didn't feel it quite so much in 2012. Maybe that is why I feel the yearning to return - to once again feel that magical awe and wonderment. Meh, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let's see if that holds true for Disney parks.....

If I had a motor home I would definitely be hitting all of those places out west. Sounds like an amazing trip!

Thanks for sharing your Disney story, I’m sure the “magic” will be there when you return

 

[21stamps]

I had mentally guessed cedar point before you responded...

I won’t go there without a Fast Lane Plus, and even with that you could still have 20minute waits.. Kings Island is easier to manage, sometimes we just watch a few shows or ride one or two things and leave if too crowded. This past summer the water park was so packed every time we went, we never did have a chance to go on most of the slides..we just weren’t willing to deal with the wait times.

 

[DryCreek]

Just remember that all of Ft. Wilderness is dog friendly now, if that is a problem for you. If not, it looks like it's a beautiful place.
I would love to do what your wife is wanting to do, ie, go to the National Parks, etc. The Grand Canyon is unreal, a great place to see.
But I just can't get past going to WDW every year. We will probably cut back after this year though, as we are getting older and it is getting more difficult to do all the walking (don't need ECV's), just slower moving. We still love the ambience and feel it is still magical to us.

Actually, more of a bonus to me. I tend to like dogs more than people at times. We have a very well mannered Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He likes to travel with us - but for some reason he really preferred having the back seat of our truck when we were hauling the bigger fifth wheel camper around. Now that we have the motor home, he seems to be a bit uncomfortable and stays at my wife's feet (under her seat). In the past we really enjoyed FW. It is so convenient to be able to carry your "room" with you, and your "kitchen" too!