I’ve thought alot about this issue. Our trip is a month out. That experience will be foremost in our future WDW trip decisions. I’m salty over some issues. We’ve become more selective where we spend and less confident in value. But we’ve not yet crossed over to where a trip’s not worthwhile compared to cost.
Overall the point in his video is valid. No doubt prices have rocketed into space while at the same time, scores of people are reporting declines in experience. No doubt TWDC has lost its finesse in public communications. The truth was stretched a little though. Paying WDW for buses? Universal costing one third of WDW prices?
WDW is very complex with millions of visitors doing the parks thousands of ways. Many changes in recent years seem to have a common goal: Closing the gap between what people can pay and what they can get. Gone are the days using non-expiring tickets or less expensive APs, enjoying all the great fireworks spots without paying extra, eating in the most popular restaurants al a carte, taking advantage of the FP+ system, predicting great package offers and holding rooms till they came out, etc. Park veterans had alot of tips and tricks to cut costs and still get the best of what WDW had to offer. We’re a tough bunch.
I wonder if Disney sees families who are willing to spend, but without experience they get lost in the dust behind those of us much more familiar. Is there an attempt to level the playing field? Are they cutting out the cheapest ways to have a premium WDW experience, while trying to ensure those spending above average actually do? What is the collateral damage?
