Disney is crazy expensive

[BigRedDad]

We are in our early phase of planning a Summer 2017 trip. I remember just a few (less than 5) years ago when you could go to Disney for $2,000 for a week. Now, with the ticket prices and nickel/diming, it is well over $3,000. Yes, there are places you can cut corners, but you are still impacted by the ticket prices.

We are currently running on the numbers. Since we will have not gone in 2 years, we are deciding to buy Annual Passes. This is due to the resort hotels going to insane prices, get free parking, and free Memory Maker. We just have to plan multiple trips in that AP year. We will also choose to stay offsite simply because the value of staying on property is no longer there. EMH is not much benefit because we usually avoid those parks anyway.

They cheapest of resorts is $1,200 for our initial week visit without a discount. This is at the All Star resorts. If a discount came out, it would still be $1,000. This puts us at $2,100 without food. Since there are no facilities at any of the non-DVC rooms, you are going to have to eat there. We bring our own breakfast foods and snacks. There is not enough space or easy way of having stuff for lunch, but lets assume you can. That means there is no additional cost for breakfast, lunch, and snacks since you have to eat at home anyway. That means dinners out. Going all out Mr Cheapskate, I could go for $2,500 for the most miserable trip possible to Disney World. That is cutting out all possible corners.

Yes, I know they have the "free dining" times, but most people with kids can't do it. Even then, you are still at rack rates on rooms and tickets.

 

[Zipadeelady]

We are in our early phase of planning a Summer 2017 trip. I remember just a few (less than 5) years ago when you could go to Disney for $2,000 for a week. Now, with the ticket prices and nickel/diming, it is well over $3,000. Yes, there are places you can cut corners, but you are still impacted by the ticket prices.

We are currently running on the numbers. Since we will have not gone in 2 years, we are deciding to buy Annual Passes. This is due to the resort hotels going to insane prices, get free parking, and free Memory Maker. We just have to plan multiple trips in that AP year. We will also choose to stay offsite simply because the value of staying on property is no longer there. EMH is not much benefit because we usually avoid those parks anyway.

They cheapest of resorts is $1,200 for our initial week visit without a discount. This is at the All Star resorts. If a discount came out, it would still be $1,000. This puts us at $2,100 without food. Since there are no facilities at any of the non-DVC rooms, you are going to have to eat there. We bring our own breakfast foods and snacks. There is not enough space or easy way of having stuff for lunch, but lets assume you can. That means there is no additional cost for breakfast, lunch, and snacks since you have to eat at home anyway. That means dinners out. Going all out Mr Cheapskate, I could go for $2,500 for the most miserable trip possible to Disney World. That is cutting out all possible corners.

Yes, I know they have the "free dining" times, but most people with kids can't do it. Even then, you are still at rack rates on rooms and tickets.

Yes it is and worth every penny!

With that said, our first trip was in 2006 we paid $2800 for a family of five (2 adults, a 9,6,and 3 year old) for only 5 nights and 6 days at POR with park hopper and free dining (that year it included appetizers and tip!!!) This year the five of us spentt around $3500 for 6 days 7 nights at a value and paid for food out of pocket plus memory maker so I'm not seeing a huge increase in 10 years, just a normal increase.

 

[BigRedDad]

Yes it is and worth every penny!

With that said, our first trip was in 2006 we paid $2800 for a family of five (2 adults, a 9,6,and 3 year old) for only 5 nights and 6 days at POR with park hopper and free dining (that year it included appetizers and tip!!!) This year the five of us spentt around $3500 for 6 days 7 nights at a value and paid for food out of pocket plus memory maker so I'm not seeing a huge increase in 10 years, just a normal increase.

Not sure how you did your math, but I think something is off. Lets assume it was only $100 a night with tax for a room at a value. For 7 nights, that is $1,400 because you have to have 2 rooms. Then, the price of 5 adult tickets is $1,900. You are at $3,300 at a minimum. Add in MM at $150, you are at $3,450.

I call BS on $3,500!

 

[rob0519]

WDW has gotten stupid expensive, but it's my opinion that DCL has gotten more stupidly expensive in the last three years.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Not sure how you did your math, but I think something is off. Lets assume it was only $100 a night with tax for a room at a value. For 7 nights, that is $1,400 because you have to have 2 rooms. Then, the price of 5 adult tickets is $1,900. You are at $3,300 at a minimum. Add in MM at $150, you are at $3,450.

I call BS on $3,500!

Ok. You can't call BS. I made an error in my post. It was 6 nights 7 days not the other way around. That was my fault. Plus. I guess I didn't give you the whole truth.... we had some non family member with us and we split some of the cost for two rooms and cost of tickets which in truth lowered the price for us so we did actually pay $3500. Splitting the cost helps.

 

[carriebeth]

they have the "free dining" times, but most people with kids can't do it.

not sure why you say people with kids can't use free dining? I have 8 kids and do the free dining all the time with no issues at all

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Can it be expensive? Yes. Can you do a Disney trip within your budget? Yes. Can you also go to Six Flags or Carrowinds on your budget? Depends. Why does it depend? In my opinion and my favorite saying, "No one does it like Disney." Just my two cents on this.

 

[21stamps]

Can it be expensive? Yes. Can you do a Disney trip within your budget? Yes. Can you also go to Six Flags or Carrowinds on your budget? Depends. Why does it depend? In my opinion and my favorite saying, "No one does it like Disney." Just my two cents on this.

Or, you can do both. We absolutely adore our local Cedar Fair park. My kiddo and I are both roller coaster junkies..can't get that at Disney, but I can't get Mickey at a Cedar Fair park. Both are wonderful

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Or, you can do both. We absolutely adore our local Cedar Fair park. My kiddo and I are both roller coaster junkies..can't get that at Disney, but I can't get Mickey at a Cedar Fair park. Both are wonderful

I agree completely! Love Carrowinds (Afterburn/Top Gun is my favorite!)

 

[Po'Rich]

My biggest frustration- the "snack machines" placed in lines at amusement parks. $3.50 for a bag of M&Ms!! Ugh.

My rule of thumb for Disney planning is to take whatever you would normally pay and times it by 3 for WDW. So far, I've been pretty close.

 

[21stamps]

I agree completely! Love Carrowinds (Afterburn/Top Gun is my favorite!)

I have never been to Carrowinds, only Kings Island and Cedar Point, but I promised my son that we will buy a Platinum Pass the summer he hits 54"..and that we will visit multiple parks that year. He asks to measured almost daily.lol

My rule of thumb for Disney planning is to take whatever you would normally pay and times it by 3 for WDW. So far, I've been pretty close.

Ha ha true. Surprisingly though, things like bottled water and snacks are actually less expensive at WDW compared to our local Cedar Fair park. Tickets are definitely a lot more though!

 

[BigRedDad]

Splitting the cost helps.

Making an apples to apples comparison helps people understand the difference in pricing. With an apples to apples comparison, you trip would have cost about $4500 - $5000.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Making an apples to apples comparison helps people understand the difference in pricing. With an apples to apples comparison, you trip would have cost about $4500 - $5000.

This is stupid but I wanted to make sure I wasn't that person on here that makes crap up. I checked and I paid Disney $3999.95 +$149.99 for the Memory Maker. Our guest paid $700.00 plus food, so yes my family paid around $3500.00. If you have a budget and you want to go to Disney like us you do what you can to get there. Just in case you wanted to argue how we had to pay for our food. I earned Disney dollars on our Disney credit card and that is how we paid for our meals.

 

[BigRedDad]

Still not an apples to apples comparison. You paid $2,800 10 years ago. Now you paid $4,150 + whatever points you had in reward dollars.

I am just trying to point at that for a family of 5 Disney Adults staying on property is extremely difficult to do for $3,500 without free dining. Rooms and tickets will cost that much by itself.

 

[stevehousse]

Following

 

[21stamps]

Still not an apples to apples comparison. You paid $2,800 10 years ago. Now you paid $4,150 + whatever points you had in reward dollars.

I am just trying to point at that for a family of 5 Disney Adults staying on property is extremely difficult to do for $3,500 without free dining. Rooms and tickets will cost that much by itself.

10 years ago I could still take many flights without luggage fees.

Things have changed, travel has become more expensive across the board.

 

[Disney.Mike]

The only part of a Disney trip I find stupid expensive is plane ticket, which is why I drive. I live approx 13 hours away (driving), and for a family of 5, I am looking at a minimum of 2000$ between plane tickets, car parking, and luggage. I figure flying will move the trip time from 13 hours (my front door to the resort) to about 7 hours (front door to resort) after the transit to the airport, waiting, ect ect. is factoring. That saves 6 hours but works out to cost over approx 300$ an hour (even when you subtract the cost to drive).

As far as the parks go: Why cant you go when free dining is offered? I've taken my kids out of school several times for Disney, they remain on honor roll. I can see not doing it during a sport season but other than that....

If food cost is a concern you can stay onsite at one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness. They have a kitchen, not sure about the AS or AOA suites.

But really, I find it to be of good value. If I take the kids to Six Flags in Dallas I find myself spending almost the same per day for much much less.

If I take the kids to the mountains in Hot Springs its the same thing, I either pull my camper and stay in it, or pull my boat, but I end up having to rent a cabin or a boat, so once again it works out to roughly the same cost per day.

Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge is the same thing. Its cheaper to stay, but by the time I pay for the helicopter tours, river rafting, ect... I'm spending the same price as Disney.

Granted, those trips, except Pigeon Forge are shorter so the overall expenditure is less

 

[TXDisney]

I don't mean any of this rude so don't take it the wrong way...

Regardless of family income if spending let's even say 5k on a WDW trip is too much for you to wrap around, then maybe WDW isn't for you. I go to WDW pretty much every year. 1/2 the trips onsite the other 1/2 at my parents timeshare. So every other trip we spend a good amount on our WDW trip. We don't have any kids and still save for these trips. My wife is oreganant with our 1st child and I'd gladly pay more to see the smile on my child's face each year for 8 days. If that's not worth it for you, then maybe WDW isn't for you.

 

[21stamps]

I don't mean any of this rude so don't take it the wrong way...

Regardless of family income if spending let's even say 5k on a WDW trip is too much for you to wrap around, then maybe WDW isn't for you. I go to WDW pretty much every year. 1/2 the trips onsite the other 1/2 at my parents timeshare. So every other trip we spend a good amount on our WDW trip. We don't have any kids and still save for these trips. My wife is oreganant with our 1st child and I'd gladly pay more to see the smile on my child's face each year for 8 days. If that's not worth it for you, then maybe WDW isn't for you.

You just completely made me have a flashback.. To a time when there was still such a thing as disposable income in my life.

Excuse me for a moment while I savor that memory..

 

[21stamps]

FWIW, one night at a "preferred" hotel near Six Flags Georgia range from $103-$169/night + taxes in mid July. And, from what I have observed in recent travels (business and pleasure), hotel rates all over the US and Europe have gone up in recent years. So, that part of the Disney price tag is not out of line. Memory Maker is a very good value, considering you are given full rights to all of the digital photos. I paid a LOT more than that to get full rights for all digital photos for my daughter's wedding - not counting the rate to have a photographer actually taking the pictures. Food is pretty comparable in my experience. So, the only part that really is over the top (IMHO) are the tickets to the parks themselves. There is no way around that if you are set on Disney. And, you can certainly go to other all-day parks for less. Vacations are expensive, that is for sure... But, other than park tickets, the rest of the cost of a Disney vacation is on par with many other vacation destinations.

Yep, and if you look at Cedar Point hotels they are a lot more than that.

I definitely think MM is one of the best values, if not the best, at WDW.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I live approx 13 hours away (driving), and for a family of 5, I am looking at a minimum of 2000$ between plane tickets, car parking, and luggage.

That's crazy talk, or you're not shopping very hard for your plane tickets. I live further from you and we can almost always get to and from WDW for about $200 pp round trip, so $1,000 for your family of five example. Parking is like $50 and it's not hard to fit a week's worth of Florida clothes (shorts and t-shirts) in a carry-on bag.

I definitely think MM is one of the best values, if not the best, at WDW.

The value of Memory Maker depends on three things: 1) length of stay, 2) size of party, 3) how often you visit.

We usually go for a full week, which is a point in MM's favor. However, we also visit at least once per year and a person only needs so many pictures of the family in front of the castle. We usually buy MM when we're with my extended family since we'll take advantage of the ride photos. When it's just me, my wife, and my daughter, we don't ride those rides so the value isn't there.