High Gas prices affecting WDW attendance?

[Chernabogfan]

The thing is the extra $200 for a single trip is not the problem. It is the extra $200+ that we are having to pay every month to get to and from work, increased food costs, etc that are the problem.

No argument there friend. I drive a TV satellite truck for a living. Don't get me started on diesel prices...:zipit:

 

[Master Yoda]

No argument there friend. I drive a TV satellite truck for a living. Don't get me started on diesel prices...:zipit:

I feel for you. Diesel prices make unleaded look like a bargain.

 

[Katybug]

I had the same problem getting ADR for the first 2 weeks in December...we had to alter just about every day to coincide with the reservations that we were able to get. They did mention, however, that they were told to expect quite a bit of cancellations and that we should keep calling. People may be canceling closer to their trips if they can't afford it. Just wondering out loud.

Cancelling will happen!!!! A lot of people book 2 rooms at different resorts and end up getting only 1. They will book something for back up just in case!

 

[fosse76]

let drill down to it

asume a 5 people family, 2 adults, 3 kids, 3 nights to get there, 10 in orlando 3 nights back, traveling in a minivan.

tickets=$500 for universal (yes people, admit it, everyone wants the hulk, spidey and mummy fix)
tickets=$1,000 (no park hoppers, no need)
hotel nights in orlando (10 nights) $1600
hotel nights traveling (3 each way, 6 total)=$700
meals (assuming 70 traveling, 120 in orlando, 16 days)=$1600
unnecessary souvenirs =$1,000
gas (traveling in a mini van 4 tanks each way)=$800

total, $7200

so gas is just 11% of the total budget...

cut down on meals, souvenirs, less nights, etc... just by taking out one day you can cut your expenses around $300..more than enough to compaensate .

so people, really stop complaining..if the gas budget is really jeopardizing your trip, you should beging to consider at all going...$100, 200 or 300 more should not be the decision of going or not..

my 2 cents

I get a little irritated when people argue that an extra $300.00 isn't a big deal. Some people budget there vacations very carefully. How do you know that the extra $300.00 isn't a dig deal? Not everyone has an infinite amount of income where they could magically create the extra $300.00. Some people may have saved just enough for their vacation and the extra amount they have to spend just isn't in their budget. In your example, reducing one day would be more than sufficeint to make up the additional cost of travel. So other cuts in the budget wouldn't be necessary. I'd go as far as dropping 2 days to avoid having to reduce the souvenir budget. Also, switching to a cheaper hotel might not be out of the question either...particularly if staying on property. Off-site has some decent...and much cheaper...accomodations than your $160/night. But I disagree with your statement about not going if $300.00 would determine whether or not you should go. That's ludicrous. But I do agree...based on your example, that there are ways to trim the fat in the budget. I mean, do some people really need to go for 16 days...and where do some of you work that you can take off work for 16 days (of course, I have six weeks of vacation, so I am not complaining, but a lot of places only give employees two weeks).

 

[Mr. Tickle]

I get a little irritated when people argue that an extra $300.00 isn't a big deal. Some people budget there vacations very carefully. How do you know that the extra $300.00 isn't a dig deal? Not everyone has an infinite amount of income where they could magically create the extra $300.00. Some people may have saved just enough for their vacation and the extra amount they have to spend just isn't in their budget. In your example, reducing one day would be more than sufficeint to make up the additional cost of travel. So other cuts in the budget wouldn't be necessary. I'd go as far as dropping 2 days to avoid having to reduce the souvenir budget. Also, switching to a cheaper hotel might not be out of the question either...particularly if staying on property. Off-site has some decent...and much cheaper...accomodations than your $160/night. But I disagree with your statement about not going if $300.00 would determine whether or not you should go. That's ludicrous. But I do agree...based on your example, that there are ways to trim the fat in the budget. I mean, do some people really need to go for 16 days...and where do some of you work that you can take off work for 16 days (of course, I have six weeks of vacation, so I am not complaining, but a lot of places only give employees two weeks).

I agree. Some would argue that $300 shouldn't be the reason to cancel a vacation, but every family has that breaking point.

 

[krankenstein]

I arrived at Pop on the 11th for the second leg of our Disney trip (we spent a few days at the beach), the lady who checked me in told me they were full the night before. However, I do admit the parks felt less crowded to me personally. I never noticed any crowds I couldn't stand, except on the 4th during the fireworks at the MK. Once the fireworks ended MK cleared out fairly fast though.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

Just was in WDW for my honeymoon - I can say that Disney does not appear to be having any negative impact from gas prices but I too thought the parks were less crowded than I expected them to be. I'm in Atlantis now, in the Bahamas....it also is not being effected - it's worse here than WDW actually.

 

[disneydiva72]

any from

WL AK Boardwalk, or BC. See not fussy. but put down for WL on the waiting list.

what the real kicker is tho....Im not a DVC member I was able to book a AKL 1 bedroom Villa with no problem over Christmas week.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

I agree that gas prices have influenced our trip plans. But it isn't as much about the actual trip driving, it is more about how much more we spend per month throughout the year. It eats up our vacation fund pretty good. It just means we have to wait a while so we can save up.

I also heard that a friend went to WDW during Memorial Day Weekend and they got to walk onto every ride. It is so depressing!! I don't want Disney to be undercrowded, I want it to be busy and hopping!

 

[fosse76]

I arrived at Pop on the 11th for the second leg of our Disney trip (we spent a few days at the beach), the lady who checked me in told me they were full the night before. However, I do admit the parks felt less crowded to me personally. I never noticed any crowds I couldn't stand, except on the 4th during the fireworks at the MK. Once the fireworks ended MK cleared out fairly fast though.

From what I've read in a few places, full resorts doesn't equal full parks. It would be interesting to know the ratio of resort guests to non-resort guests at the parks.

 

[krankenstein]

From what I've read in a few places, full resorts doesn't equal full parks. It would be interesting to know the ratio of resort guests to non-resort guests at the parks.

That would be some interesting information. Of course we can't get our hands on that info.

Here is a question I've been wondering, if all the resorts on property were sold out and everyone staying on site went to the parks, would there be enough people out and about to cause any closures? I doubt it, but it has been on my mind recently.

 

[Master Yoda]

That would be some interesting information. Of course we can't get our hands on that info.

Here is a question I've been wondering, if all the resorts on property were sold out and everyone staying on site went to the parks, would there be enough people out and about to cause any closures? I doubt it, but it has been on my mind recently.

Disney has more than 22,000 rooms on property. If you throw an average a 4 people per room it is possible for more that 88,000 people to be staying on property if the resorts are booked out. Depending on who you listen to capacity of MK is somewhere in the neighborhood of 70,000 guests. If that number is correct then it is conceivable that if every resort guest went to MK it could cause a phase 4 closure.

 

[Nebrfan]

There appears to be several very well informed posters on here. We are heading down there from August 8-15. Does anyone know if bookings are down for that time? Of course, oil prices have went down $10 in two days, so a continued drop could spur some people to go to WDW at the last minute. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[fillerup]

We are heading down there from August 8-15. Does anyone know if bookings are down for that time?

You have three things going for you in this time period.

A minor point - Sounds Like Summer concerts will have ended at Epcot so that the small number of locals that go for those will not be there.

The Brazilian groups will have largely or completely wrapped up for the summer.

Finally - August is the most awful, miserable time of the year here and no local in their right mind will be in any un-airconditioned place......:lol:

 

[wdwmomof3]

I agree that gas prices have influenced our trip plans. But it isn't as much about the actual trip driving, it is more about how much more we spend per month throughout the year. It eats up our vacation fund pretty good. It just means we have to wait a while so we can save up.

I also heard that a friend went to WDW during Memorial Day Weekend and they got to walk onto every ride. It is so depressing!! I don't want Disney to be undercrowded, I want it to be busy and hopping!

Just one question, are you NUTTS? Just kidding. My sister went down just after 9/11 and she said that it was weird, just like a ghost town. While it would be nice to walk on to everything, it is more fun with people around to share the magic with.

The cost of gas has not effected us yet. We are just planning on saving more to be prepared. I saw on CNN this morning that they wanted people to send in emails about something that they will not give up because of the gas prices, and Disney came to my mind. It may take me longer to get there, but I will be back.

 

[Disneyranger]

same here

and yet I still cant get the booking I want first week of Dec.

I have been trying to convert my CR reservation from garden view to Tower for the first week of December with Zero luck..

 

[krankenstein]

Disney has more than 22,000 rooms on property. If you throw an average a 4 people per room it is possible for more that 88,000 people to be staying on property if the resorts are booked out. Depending on who you listen to capacity of MK is somewhere in the neighborhood of 70,000 guests. If that number is correct then it is conceivable that if every resort guest went to MK it could cause a phase 4 closure.

So is it safe to assume that resort guests could close DHS as well? I've always thought it would have to have a lower capacity than MK, DAK and Epcot b/c of the size of the park.

 

[WildLodgeFan]

You have three things going for you in this time period.

A minor point - Sounds Like Summer concerts will have ended at Epcot so that the small number of locals that go for those will not be there.

The Brazilian groups will have largely or completely wrapped up for the summer. Is that really true these days? It seems like in 1990 when we went for our honeymoon (starting 8/19) there were many, many brazilian groups there.

Finally - August is the most awful, miserable time of the year here and no local in their right mind will be in any un-airconditioned place......:lol:
:hammer:

Amen to that - it really is pretty hot during that time and I've experienced twice.

 

[Master Yoda]

So is it safe to assume that resort guests could close DHS as well? I've always thought it would have to have a lower capacity than MK, DAK and Epcot b/c of the size of the park.

That would be correct.

 

[wickedsoccer22]

Disney does not publish the amount of attendance at the parks.But I can say that from people I have talked to on property,attendance was way down this past 4th of July holiday.Yes,the MK did close due to capacity,but is was later in the day than in the years past.And in my opinion the downgrading to moderate pricing for the WR cabins is an indication of the slow economy.My only hope is they do this to some of the other Deluxe resorts temporarily,to allow some WDWMAGIC members to cash in on staying at one.

I was at Epcot on the 4th and it was jammed. I haven't seen a 110 minute wait for Mission: Space in years. Spaceship earth was a 35 minute wait at 5pm! Usually its under 15 minutes during that time of the day. The crowds were terrible but I watched the best fireworks show I've ever seen.