Cost of going to DW waaaay too high.

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Cedar point is typically a one day visit…an yearly pass is $129

wdw is a multi-day visit about 95% of the time and is not a local destination.

if we’re trying to boil it down to 1:1…then wdw should be cheaper per day…less “inflated”

That’s comparing single day tickets, if you were to break it down by multi day tickets it becomes much lower for WDW. I’ve never paid $117 for a WDW ticket, we either get APs, buy discounted multi day tickets, or (usually) buy hotel packages with tickets included in the price.

I don’t know how to make it more 1:1 than comparing full price tickets though.

 

[SteveAZee]

I'm really curious about the first time family deciding that it's time to take the family to Disney World. The parents go to the Disney website, start looking at hotels and park admission prices... start reading about Genie, LL add-ons, park reservations, the cost to dine at a castle or just grab a bite... slowly close their 10 year old laptop and push themselves away from the table, shaking their heads.

I guess I wonder just how bad the sticker shock is. I wonder if people have a $ number in their head for a Disney vacation, and then when they find out... ouch.

 

[Jrb1979]

Cedar point is typically a one day visit…an yearly pass is $129

wdw is a multi-day visit about 95% of the time and is not a local destination.

if we’re trying to boil it down to 1:1…then wdw should be cheaper per day…less “inflated”

I would say Cedar Point is not a local destination and is a multi-day visit most of the time. When I go I stay at the Hotel on property and it's always busy.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would say Cedar Point is not a local destination and is a multi-day visit most of the time. When I go I stay at the Hotel on property and it's always busy.

Sorry…a two dayer?

still not the same market or dynamics

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s comparing single day tickets, if you were to break it down by multi day tickets it becomes much lower for WDW. I’ve never paid $117 for a WDW ticket, we either get APs, buy discounted multi day tickets, or (usually) buy hotel packages with tickets included in the price.

I don’t know how to make it more 1:1 than comparing full price tickets though.

Are you sure…

I’ll note that this is pre-tax, no hopper or add on…

 

[Rumrunner]

For us to take our 2 grown children and 6 grandchildren to Disney for a ten day Disney vacation had become a yearly expense of over $20000 not including travel and being very conservative on meals and gifts.
It is just no longer worth it regardless of the magic. We are sadened that DIsney became very woke and very expensive at the same time. We are out until the next life.

 

[wutisgood]

Ticket books make it a bit complicated but for the same experience…

Cedar Point in 1973 was $6.18, today it’s $74.99. 12 times more expensive.

WDW in 1973 was $17, today it’s $117-170 depending on date. 7-10 times more expensive. (admission was $4.50, $5.75 for a 8 ticket book and $6.75 for a 12 ticket book, that’s based on the number of rides we did our last trip).

If you were content only doing 12 rides total and only 1 e-ticket in your day the price would drop down to $11.25, which would make todays $117-170 price 10-15 times more expensive.

Either way it’s in line with the price increases at Cedar Point.

Cedar point is arguably the best value park in the world for the quality and number of major attractions. This is a terrible comparison. Also unlike disney these days most people pay far less than gate price with discounts and season pass value. Most of the time when I check out deals cedar point is about $40-60. Also cedar point runs lines hours after close if they have waits way more reliably than disney. I don't know if most people go a single day to cedar point. the park is huge and has a ton of rides these days.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I'm really curious about the first time family deciding that it's time to take the family to Disney World. The parents go to the Disney website, start looking at hotels and park admission prices... start reading about Genie, LL add-ons, park reservations, the cost to dine at a castle or just grab a bite... slowly close their 10 year old laptop and push themselves away from the table, shaking their heads.

I guess I wonder just how bad the sticker shock is. I wonder if people have a $ number in their head for a Disney vacation, and then when they find out... ouch.

So take my experience with a grain of salt. I live in high as heck NYC and Philadelphia. My young coworkers (mid thirties, 2 or 3 kids) thought Disney was expensive but not outrageously so.
Now they also don't have this emotional attachment to Walt like folks in their 50s, 60 etc do. You never hear the "Walt wanted all middle class folks to go".
My old boss has 2 daughters, they have been twice. My niece and her family have been a few times.
I think people simply see the price and decide to make it work.

 

[wutisgood]

For us to take our 2 grown children and 6 grandchildren to Disney for a ten day Disney vacation had become a yearly expense of over $20000 not including travel and being very conservative on meals and gifts.
It is just no longer worth it regardless of the magic. We are sadened that DIsney became very woke and very expensive at the same time. We are out until the next life.

tokyo is where the lodging for groups cheaply on air bnb really shines you can probably do 10 people for way less than you think. tickets are half the cost. If you can plan affordable flights go there. Full day travel each way eats into the money but even paris is way more affordable on the flights and tickets from east coast at least.

 

[wutisgood]

So take my experience with a grain of salt. I live in high as heck NYC and Philadelphia. My young coworkers (mid thirties, 2 or 3 kids) thought Disney was expensive but not outrageously so.
Now they also don't have this emotional attachment to Walt like folks in their 50s, 60 etc do. You never hear the "Walt wanted all middle class folks to go".
My old boss has 2 daughters, they have been twice. My niece and her family have been a few times.
I think people simply see the price and decide to make it work.

I think people have been making it work for a long time but the experience being less of a guarantee with increased resort prices and no pre planned fastpass will make it an easier decision to go someone else. No one wants to spend that much money to not be assured they will get a certain level of experience. People could at least plan things out on the old system. Now they show up and if it happens to be really crowded everything falls apart and they had no fast pass reservations.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Are you sure…

I’ll note that this is pre-tax, no hopper or add on…

Positive, we typically go 5-6 days and with the exception of one New Years (which was offset by the cheap first week of Jan rates the rest of the trip) avoid the busiest weekends that tend to fall into the Holiday/Peak pricing. We probably average $80-90 a day.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Positive, we typically go 5-6 days and with the exception of one New Years (which was offset by the cheap first week of Jan rates the rest of the trip) avoid the busiest weekends that tend to fall into the Holiday/Peak pricing. We probably average $80-90 a day.

The prices I posted are the current STARTING prices…not the peak. They only go up from the numbers I posted

when was the last time you were there?

 

[Raxel7851]

I’d guess 90%, but people are convinced Disney doesn’t want return visitors and everything they’re doing is an attempt to drive away APs and return visitors because we spend less per day than day trippers and one timers.

I believe that’s a correct assumption. We’ve been AP for quite a few years. When we return to WDW, we don’t spend $$$ on souvenirs, dine mostly at the Food Courts, and since there’s just 2 of us, we don’t bring children. So our spending per visit is nowhere near what it would be for a first or even 2nd time visitor. I would imagine the per visitor spending would be even less for a Florida AP holder.

 

[LittleBuford]

To me, the question of whether Disney is expensive relative to other holiday destinations or entertainment experiences is largely irrelevant. What I consider important is whether I'm getting my money's worth in terms of enjoyment and happy memories, and the answer is always a resounding yes (or has been in the past; I haven't visited since the pandemic). This is, of course, a personal opinion rather than something that can be generalised. We all see value in different things, and it's senseless (not to mention a bit rude) trying to convince others that their perspective is off.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The prices I posted are the current STARTING prices…not the peak. They only go up from the numbers I posted

when was the last time you were there?

About a month ago, we left Nov 4th. This is what shows on the WDW site this very moment, not sure why we’re getting such different rates.

I will say the price we paid for Port Orleans French Quarter was a bit ridiculous, $320 a night for a moderate is getting a bit obscene. I don’t mind $250, since I regularly pay $200 to stay at a good neighbor hotel at DL, but Bonnet Creek is looking more enticing every trip.

 

[Chi84]

About a month ago, we left Nov 4th. This is what shows on the WDW site this very moment, not sure why we’re getting such different rates.

I will say the price we paid for Port Orleans French Quarter was a bit ridiculous, $320 a night for a moderate is getting a bit obscene. I don’t mind $250, since I regularly pay $200 to stay at a good neighbor hotel at DL, but Bonnet Creek is looking more enticing every trip.

View attachment 605503

It looks like the higher numbers in the previous post are for tickets with the Park Hopper option.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Attached is the bottom line for 6 days starting today…which it’s a rather “cheap” week…base price of $91

when i looked before it kicked me out two weeks for some unknown reason?

my question is: what are we celebrating? $95.58 per day is a good deal?

its yet another complete reversal of policy. It wasn’t “always that way”…they rewarded you for 6 days of loyalty and in park sales…
Now you better pick up a shift.

whatever…let’s start quoting “hostage economics” again.

fyi…the hopper is $663.98…$111.50 ish a day…
Very magical especially when you’re a party of 3+

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

To me, the question of whether Disney is expensive relative to other holiday destinations or entertainment experiences is largely irrelevant. What I consider important is whether I'm getting my money's worth in terms of enjoyment and happy memories, and the answer is always a resounding yes (or has been in the past; I haven't visited since the pandemic). This is, of course, a personal opinion rather than something that can be generalised. We all see value in different things, and it's senseless (not to mention a bit rude) trying to convince others that their perspective is off.

Generally…i have always agreed with your premise….

but you haven’t been recently, eh?

 

[LittleBuford]

Generally…i have always agreed with your premise….

but you haven’t been recently, eh?

No, and I have no intention of going back until the world looks halfway normal again, which may take years. Perhaps I'll no longer find WDW a good value when I return, but only time will tell.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No, and I have no intention of going back until the world looks halfway normal again, which may take years. Perhaps I'll no longer find WDW a good value when I return, but only time will tell.

I’ve been twice in the last year…it was fine…for us.

But the costs were high for the return…and the crowds were low…and we don’t really care about ride counts…

these last 2 months sound really, really bad…haven’t heard anyone other than a newbie or seldom say there’s anything good about this warped “chappie world” they are slinging