Disney is going to price us out of the Kingdom..

[Chef Mickey]

- My WDW trips have about tripled in price since the beginning of this decade.

- Some may see a new golden age in current WDW, but for me the last decade has been a disaster. With the exception of DAK and DS every park, waterpark, resort, and the general area and general experience is much, much worse.

- There's always a lot of tough talk in price increase threads. Me, I need to work for a living. I went straight from paying off my student loan to creating a pension fund. Yes, there is a limit to what I can pay.

- What's more, there is a limit to what I want to pay. Good taste forbids spending half an average person's income on a theme park.

- I took some pretty terrific trips to Berlin, Vienna and Mexico this year. All three combined were about the price of one week WDW. Food for thought and a reality I need to learn to accept. This WDW is no longer for me.

I don’t doubt you can go to places cheaper than Disney, but I question 3 international trips being similarly priced to 1 WDW trip. If they are, I’d like to see the numbers and how comparable the experiences were in terms of entertainment, lodging, food, flight, etc.

In the end, flying to Berlin, staying in a Airbnb hole, and sightseeing for almost free is one thing, but that’s not super comparable to a typical trip to WDW. I assume you’re comparing a WDW trip at a decent resort if you’re saying 3 international trips were the same cost.

I traveled to Tokyo and spent double what I do at Disney. It all depends on what you do.

I’m not saying you’re lying. I’m just saying you have to take comparisons into consideration. Crazy as you think it is, Disney is more of a top destination than the places you mentioned.

I’ve been to Berlin...nice place, but it’s still just a large city in Europe. It’s not like Berlin is some amazing place just because it’s in Europe.

 

[xdan0920]

I’ve been to Hawaii and it cost quite a bit more than Disney. More expensive flight, hotel, and food. But like it or not, Disney World is probably a top 10 destination in the world. It’s just a different destination than Hawaii.

Aside from flights, which I don't like to include since they have really nothing to do with the destination itself....

I found hotels to be similarly priced, if not cheaper. For example, the Hyatt Regency in Lahaina which is BEAUTIFUL and on one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world is $350 (garden view) a night for August. The Yacht Club for a Garden view is $450!!!!

Food. I found the food in Hawaii to be about on par with what I pay in Disney. The Cali Grill is charging $49 for a piece of Halibut for goodness sake.

 

[xdan0920]

Good beef,

You aren't getting high end beef at Le Cellier. At least not anymore.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Aside from flights, which I don't like to include since they have really nothing to do with the destination itself....

I found hotels to be similarly priced, if not cheaper. For example, the Hyatt Regency in Lahaina which is BEAUTIFUL and on one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world is $350 (garden view) a night for August. The Yacht Club for a Garden view is $450!!!!

Food. I found the food in Hawaii to be about on par with what I pay in Disney. The Cali Grill is charging $49 for a piece of Halibut for goodness sake.

What about entertainment? For what it’s worth, I just stayed at Beach Club for $300/night (AP Discount) and my room was practically inside EPCOT, a top destination in the world.

I paid over $600 at the Four Seasons...sure, nicer than Disney but almost double what I paid at beach club. I got a “deal” at the Ritz in Kapalua and paid I think around $550 7 years ago. Both resorts had daily resort fees too.

I also had to rent a car and drive in almost pitch black to my resort in a car that cost over $50/day.

Food, yeah, some good, some not. I still remember paying $40/person for fresh local Hawaiian fish by the shore that was overcooked and the place was SWARMING with flies.

Not arguing Disney isn’t expensive, but if you add it all up, there are more costs associated with travel that just food and lodging.

In Maui, the entertainment was driving yourself on the road to Hana or staring at the ocean. You might not love everything at Disney, but it’s non stop entertainment. They are really apples and Oranges.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

What about entertainment? For what it’s worth, I just stayed at Beach Club for $300/night (AP Discount) and my room was practically inside EPCOT, a top destination in the world.

I paid over $600 at the Four Seasons...sure, nicer than Disney but almost double what I paid at beach club. I got a “deal” at the Ritz in Kapalua and paid I think around $550 7 years ago. Both resorts had daily resort fees too.

I also had to rent a car and drive in almost pitch black to my resort in a car that cost over $50/day.

Food, yeah, some good, some not. I still remember paying $40/person for fresh local Hawaiian fish by the shore that was overcooked and the place was SWARMING with flies.

Not arguing Disney isn’t expensive, but if you add it all up, there are more costs associated with travel that just food and lodging.

In Maui, the entertainment was driving yourself on the road to Hana or staring at the ocean. You might not love everything at Disney, but it’s non stop entertainment. They are really pineapples and Oranges.

FTFY

 

[xdan0920]

What about entertainment? For what it’s worth, I just stayed at Beach Club for $300/night and my room was practically inside EPCOT, a top destination in the world.

I paid over $600 at the Four Seasons...sure, nicer than Disney but almost double what I paid at beach club. I got a “deal” at the Ritz in Kapalua and paid I think around $550 7 years ago. Both resorts had daily resort fees too.

I also had to rent a car and drive in almost pitch black to my resort in a car that cost over $50/day.

Food, yeah, some good, some not. I still remember paying $40/person for fresh local Hawaiian fish by the shore that was overcooked and the place was SWARMING with flies.

Not arguing Disney isn’t expensive, but if you add it all up, there are more costs associated with travel that just food and lodging.

In Maui, the entertainment was driving yourself on the road to Hana or staring at the ocean. You might not love everything at Disney, but it’s non stop entertainment. They are really apples and Oranges.

You are way too smart to be comparing a Ritz or a Four Seasons to the Beach Club. That's why I used the Hyatt as an example.

I think we actually agree here though. They are similarly priced. What we disagree on is whether that makes sense.

 

[Chef Mickey]

You aren't getting high end beef at Le Cellier. At least not anymore.

I'm not sure if the AAA Canadian filet is "Prime" or not since it's a Canadian rating (I think), but it's certainly good quality and one of the highest they offer? Maybe Disney is lying?

 

[Chef Mickey]

You are way too smart to be comparing a Ritz or a Four Seasons to the Beach Club. That's why I used the Hyatt as an example.

I think we actually agree here though. They are similarly priced. What we disagree on is whether that makes sense.

Oh, I admitted they are better...but I pointed out they cost double and remember, you're paying for the location at Disney as much as anything. The fact I can walk to 2 Disney parks is location, location, location.

Sure the Ritz in Maui is better, but you're also paying for the location. A random Ritz in a major city can be $289/night.

Agreed that I think we agree. I think I'm more biased because I think I love the Disney Parks more than you. I do think you have to recognize Disney as a top 10 worldwide destination and the prices make sense from that perspective. You might not think it's worth it, but I think Paris is overrated too.

 

[Amidala]

Aside from flights, which I don't like to include since they have really nothing to do with the destination itself....

I found hotels to be similarly priced, if not cheaper. For example, the Hyatt Regency in Lahaina which is BEAUTIFUL and on one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world is $350 (garden view) a night for August. The Yacht Club for a Garden view is $450!!!!

Food. I found the food in Hawaii to be about on par with what I pay in Disney. The Cali Grill is charging $49 for a piece of Halibut for goodness sake.

Right, and I obviously wouldn't argue that Yacht Club (or any of Disney's top tier resorts) are on a level with true luxury resorts that cost as much or less. But there are cheaper hotels than Yacht Club both on property and off, just like there are cheaper places to eat than California Grill. Not saying these prices are reasonable, but there are alternatives for people who don't necessarily need to eat that $50 halibut on their WDW vacation.

As someone who has very little to spend, I usually find it pretty easy to pay no more than $15-20 on a meal while at the parks-not just at quick service locations, but at lower tier table service restaurants like Sci-Fi Dine-In, Yak & Yeti, etc. Again, not saying these offerings are priced reasonably relative to comparable restaurants and resorts off property. But in both cases, they're a luxury rather than something essential to enjoying your vacation, you know?

 

[Disstevefan1]

Folks get priced out, it may have happened already to some. I will be priced out some day, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

That said, in seeing the over crowding at WDW, there are more folks visiting WDW than they have lost.

 

[Genie_naughty_whispers]

At what point will it just be cheaper to go to Disney Tokyo? Lol

 

[SteamboatJoe]

There are people who were priced out of WDW years or even decades ago.

There are people who have never been able to visit WDW, and never will be.

Yet, people create threads because they personally have been priced out. Not actually priced out, just not able to go "twice in two years".

Nobody loves WDW price increases, but the sense of personal entitlement can really be something else.

So you either haven't been priced out yet or were priced out long ago. Some of us just expect more of them and are disappointed. "It's a business" is a really poor excuse.

 

[Chef Mickey]

At what point will it just be cheaper to go to Disney Tokyo? Lol

Tokyo Disney park tickets area actually far cheaper. I think I paid $60? Problem is, you have to get there and Tokyo is very expensive otherwise.

 

[flynnibus]

But the parks are still wall to wall filled with people. The only way Disney has of fighting large crowds is by raising prices. I don't like it any more than anyone else, but I do understand it.

Funny... the movie theatre knows how to limit crowds... it’s called limit sales.

 

[Elfinko]

In 2016, we paid $3128 for for 7 days at Pop Century. This included 7 day tickets with Park Hopper and Waterpark tickets for every day. This rate also included air fair for the 3 of us from Pennsylvania to Florida.

I just priced out our 2020 vacation at Pop Century again. We are driving. No flights. No Park Hopper. No Waterpark. Staying 6 nights. 5 Day park ticket. $3086. This obviously doesn't take into account the lost 40 hours to drive back and forth the Florida. The 2 nights we'll need to stay at hotels when traveling or gas.

So, yeah, it's frustrating. Getting much much less for our dollar. Cost has risen dramatically. I can guarantee my 'raises' at work haven't even begun to match the percentage by which the WDW prices are increasing. We only started going in 2014 and we try to go every two years.

 

[flynnibus]

Unfortunately I live on the expensive East coast. I'm going to OC NJ this summer for a week. the condo I rented is costing $3800.00 bucks and it's not even beach block. luckily I can drive but generally I'll probably end up spending about 5000-5500 bucks by the time I finish with food for the week, not far off from what I spend at the world.

Should have gone to the real OC then... half the cost and warmer water

 

[NickMaio]

But the parks are still wall to wall filled with people. The only way Disney has of fighting large crowds is by raising prices. I don't like it any more than anyone else, but I do understand it.

Here is a crazy thought....perhaps not letting as many people in.
It's like 4th of July every weekend now in the summer months.
You dont need to price people out of enjoying the parks.

Its greed ... PLAIN AND SIMPLE GREED.

 

[Jonathan Dalecki]

At the risk of bringing some of my Big Cruise Energy over from the cruise subforum, the Disney Cruise Line is where it is AT! 7 nights cruising the Caribbean for thousands less then you'd pay at WDW. PLUS virtually every single meal is included, with a few luxury restaurants for much less than you'd pay at Epcot. Unlimited free room service. Unlimited buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Super nice restaurants with servers who follow you night to night. A movie theater showing regular and 3-D movies (I saw Tangled, Frozen, and Coco for the first time when onboard various cruises). Live nightly Broadway style shows with super talented performers. Stateroom hosts that will have your room immaculate twice a day. Places for all ages. Entertainment options that go on long after your WDW park would be closed. Character meet and greets. Cast members who eat, sleep, and breathe Disney magic and pixie dust. And, the beauty of it all, a capped number of guests! The ships will never hold more people than one maximum number! If you can get past the fact that you won't be able to ride the Haunted Mansion or what have you, the ships have it all over WDW.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

I mean, I don’t think people dropping their APs will convince Disney to lower their prices. Tourists spend more money than your average AP (with none of those pesky discounts), not to mention the fact that an AP holder is already guaranteed money in the bank. Once your AP is in hand, how much more does Disney really stand to gain from you-at least compared to a family of first-timers willing to spend hundreds to thousands on food, merchandise, upcharges, etc. With GE opening, they had to thin the herd somehow. I’m obviously preaching to the choir here, but Disney knows full well that some of their APs won’t be able to afford the price hike and will have to pass on renewing. I’m sure they’re counting on it. There are others out there willing to pay, and plenty of tourists to compensate for a drop in APs.

Peak park hoppers are at $189/day right now (of course cheaper with every day added), so I guess you would need to go more than a week per year to break even on a Platinum Pass (?) It’s an ugly price hike, but if you plan to make the trip out more than once a year, it’s still a money-saver…unless I’m missing something here. DLR obviously overestimated park attendance for GE opening week (and month…my CM blockouts are slowly being lifted one week at a time) but given the size of WDW and lack of reservations, it’s safe to say it will be crazy in Orlando. The point being…I doubt these price points are going anywhere anytime soon.

Not agreeing with the decision, of course...it's greedy. But like others have said, I see the logic in it and I don't think an AP boycott will make any impression whatsoever.

I'm not sure most people are dropping their AP's because they want to send a message.. most people it is simply a matter of being able to continue to afford it..

 

[SKG]

I agree that WDW is now very expensive. Couple of thoughts....
1) It's always been expensive, the passing of time I think blurs our memories
2) Entertainment across the board has skyrocketed...I remember paying $15 for a 3rd row concert ticket in the mid 80s

Of course I wish it was cheaper...I'd go all the time. As many have said the crowds are there (and growing) so they haven't reached the tipping point yet.