Is Disney really that expensive?

[xdan0920]

Is Disney really that expensive?

This week I went to frontier city, the Six flags owned amusement park in Oklahoma. It has roller coasters, a log flume, a white water raft, a “dark ride shooter”. Theming is static mannequins if there is theming on a ride, the roller coasters are short. Its like six flags jr. Now I know what there strategy is for the ticket pricing. Make it expensive enough that you buy a membership or the season pass that gets you free parking and entry into all six flags and subsidiaries and water parks.
But….
IF you a one time sucker visitor.
Here are the costs. (same for all six flags) with none of their marketing discounts
One time entry
69.99
Parking
20.00
The fast pass equivalent (which is not included in season passes, daily passes, or memberships)
40.00
So 129.99 for one single park with no theming no story lines to the rides no other parks. There isn’t an epcot, animal kingdom, Hollywood studios or DCA if you get bored. There are no Restaurants, there is chicken strips, hot dogs or pizza. They do have dole whips though…


Disney with park hopper (which gets substantially cheaper the more days you stay) and yes I know the prices change depending on what day you choose.
109.00 (free fast pass)
60 for park hopper
20 (I think) for parking
So 189.99 for 4 parks that lets be honest are a bajillion times better and sit down restaurants, amazing theming and story telling. And beautiful park like theming.
Remove park hopper (if you are only there for one day, you don’t really need it and there is no equivalent at six flag style parks, and also gets much cheaper the longer you stay)
And you are at 129.00 the EXACT same price as a step up from a state fair.

I know this prob sounds like Disney propaganda.. but Disney kind of ruined this park for me (hadn’t been for 20 years, and was bored in an hour), I then compared prices and I was a bit shocked. And its not just this park... Six flags, Silver dollar City and many others are the exact same way.. no theming... no story.. they are really not competitors but one day tickets are about the same.

A season pass is basically the same price as a single day. So that kinda skews the argument don’t you think? Anyways.

Yes. A one day visitor paying rack at Six Flags is getting a brutally bad value. Is that the point you were trying to make?

 

[Stripes]

Ok...
Which similar trips get you “half the enjoyment for the roughly the same”?

Cruises.

 

[MouseMelly]

Totally off topic... but an Okie here wanting to say, “hello!”

And I agree... I don’t even take the kids to frontier city or the state fair. It’s just disappointing for so much money.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Cruises.

What cruises

(I bet i know what you’ll say?)

 

[Stripes]

What cruises

(I bet i know what you’ll say?)

Alaskan, Mexican, and Caribbean.

On Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean, respectively.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Alaskan, Mexican, and Caribbean.

On Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean, respectively.

Ok...

So I have a 7 nighter on the largest/newest ship in the world (symphony) over thanksgiving for 4 for $4,900....

So if you throw in $1400 for flights. That’s $7300

So that means it’s half the fun than I would have at wdw that same peak week at that price? Could I get that price?

 

[bryanfze55]

This...is what always blows a whole in the argument defending Disney’s pricing. It happens on every one of these threads and it’s not Gonna change.

It is expensive because of the duration and high price of every component. And it’s a package deal.

Sure you can pay $300 a seat for Taylor Swift...or $650 for Hamilton.

But combine that with $400 a person for a flight, $600 for a room at the poly, $100 a day of tickets just to exist, $95 a head for the Halloween party, $30 stuffed animal breakfasts, hyper retail for every other morsel you eat, shopping for stuff daily...
And multiply most of that by 7 days.

It’s pricey...the prices have risen dramatically of late. Game over.

Decide if it’s worth it to you.

Why does one have to stay at the Poly for $600 a night? Is it really necessary to have a good theme park vacation?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Why does one have to stay at the Poly for $600 a night? Is it really necessary to have a good theme park vacation?

It’s not at all.

How’s pop for $190 a night sound?

There is a range...however the “range” is all expensive for what you get

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Including the "FastPass" equivalent from Six Flags parks is an unfair comparison. That works sort of like Universal's Express pass or SeaWorld/Busch Gardens' Quick Queue. If you pay for it, you get a much shorter line no matter what. FastPass+ is "free," but it's also more limited thanks to reservation times running out.

And you're actually lowballing the price for Six Flags skip-the-line pass, but it's offered at such a high price because it would defeat the purpose if many people bought it.

As for the dining.....most quick service at Disney is just hot dogs, chicken nuggets and pizza too.



The more typical Disney guest is a reasonable person who sees that the resort has both positives and negatives. This is not a black and white choice between being a ridiculous fanboy and going on an anti-Disney tirade.



I stayed at a Disney resort for the first time in almost two years recently (LOTS of off-site and Universal stays in that time, however), and what irked me most was the RFID fountain drink that made me wait 2 minutes to refill my drink.

The parking fees were probably inevitable, but being a brand new revenue stream, they could've at least started the fees lower. Even if it was $5 per night to begin, that's still $5 more than they were charging before.

Sadly...that’s how Disney fanboards always play out. No matter the intentions of the individuals. The “two sides” dig in and grind at each other pushing each other out towards the fringes.

The “middle ground” tends to be like a WWI trench gap and people get pushed away. I can’t blame them.

Fans ironically are just as aggressive on both sides. Fundamentally we are all the same.

 

[erasure fan1]

It’s not at all.

How’s pop for $190 a night sound?

There is a range...however the “range” is all expensive for what you get

Exactly, I can stay at a Holiday inn or similar hotel for $90 or less a night near 6 flags. No parking fees and free continental breakfast. So yes, Disney is expensive.

 

[bryanfze55]

It’s not at all.

How’s pop for $190 a night sound?

There is a range...however the “range” is all expensive for what you get

I agree. But just saying it can be done cheaper.

I’m kind of in the middle. I tell myself, in absolute terms, Disney is of course expensive. Then I think about the alternatives. Most in-demand vacations are expensive. This year, my family is doing a 7-night stay in California... going to Disneyland for five days, San Diego Zoo one day, and Joshua Tree for one day. Going to Disneyland (5-day PH tickets plus 5 nights at Fairfield Inn) is $2000 for three people. In my opinion, that is a relatively fair price. For me and my daughter, and to a lesser extent my wife, Disneyland is our happy place. We love to just park at our hotel and then walk to the parks and hop between them for the next five days. To us, it’s as much of a bubble as WDW.

Granted, we do have to fly to get there. Another $800. And a rental car. And $20 a night parking. And when you consider food, the total outlay will probably be about $3500 just to go to Disneyland, maybe a bit more. When you include our other endeavors, it will probably be about $4000 for the trip in total. We’ve made the calculated decision that it’s worth it. That is our kind of vacation - doing things. We’re not the type to relax. So in relative terms, I can’t really think of a better vacation for $4000 for my family. Lounging around in a deluxe hotel doing nothing appeals very little to me. Beaches? No appeal. Cruises? No appeal. Europe is appealing but not with a five year old and an infant.

 

[bryanfze55]

Exactly, I can stay at a Holiday inn or similar hotel for $90 or less a night near 6 flags. No parking fees and free continental breakfast. So yes, Disney is expensive.

Not to deflect all criticism of Disney, but Six Flags is not a vacation. There’s very little demand to actually stay near Six Flags, so thus the hotels are priced the same as they would be in any generic suburb. It’s a total apples to oranges comparison.

 

[Tom P.]

But as far as that goes...Disney’s parades and fireworks - which I believe they use as a buffer and distraction now to hide that they don’t invest in tangible attractions that really built their reputation - are no where near the quality they once wear.

They have better tech...but no imagination as they just repackage IP over and over again.

I get it: beauty and beast, Aladdin, little mermaid, frozen...

Lather, rinse, repeat

For once, I agree with you. I maintain that Wishes was a far better show than Happily Ever After. And yes, I've seen both in person and also watched high def videos of them on YouTube. But when I say that here I get excoriated.

HEA is technologically superior, no question. And the technical side of it is impressive. But I don't think it packs the emotional punch of Wishes. Not even close.

 

[erasure fan1]

Not to deflect all criticism of Disney, but Six Flags is not a vacation. There’s very little demand to actually stay near Six Flags, so thus the hotels are priced the same as they would be in any generic suburb. It’s a total apples to oranges comparison.

I agree, but the original post was comparing just that, a local amusement park. The numbers in both my posts illustrate that the numbers can go either way. Disney is expensive, but is it a value, that's the question. And everyone will have their own answer to that.

 

[bryanfze55]

I agree, but the original post was comparing just that, a local amusement park. The numbers in both my posts illustrate that the numbers can go either way. Disney is expensive, but is it a value, that's the question. And everyone will have their own answer to that.

True, and the original post was also an apples to oranges comparison I suppose. WDW is as much a resort vacation as it is a collection of theme parks. Six Flags is just a theme park, to state the obvious.

 

[Disorbust]

ITs the fact they have increased prices, added fee's(Parking) and cut hours compared to other WDW vacations over the past 6 years that have made it lose it's value for us. For what it costs now I can justify going to other destinations.

Last year was the first time we stayed off site in 20 yrs of going to WDW. It just wasn't worth it anymore even having my DD csst discount. BTW everyone loved Bonnet creek more than YBC. Yes I paid for parking BUT it was covered and not a mile away. The cost was the same as AoA with her discount which we also stayed at and my Mom fell in love with Aoa. The rest of us not so much because the beds were turely terrible to the point my 16yo slept on the floor because it was more comfortable.

We also went to Six FLags in Gurnee about 12 years ago and at the time I remember thinking I needed to apoligize to WDW beause the prices were nuts!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I agree. But just saying it can be done cheaper.

I’m kind of in the middle. I tell myself, in absolute terms, Disney is of course expensive. Then I think about the alternatives. Most in-demand vacations are expensive. This year, my family is doing a 7-night stay in California... going to Disneyland for five days, San Diego Zoo one day, and Joshua Tree for one day. Going to Disneyland (5-day PH tickets plus 5 nights at Fairfield Inn) is $2000 for three people. In my opinion, that is a relatively fair price. For me and my daughter, and to a lesser extent my wife, Disneyland is our happy place. We love to just park at our hotel and then walk to the parks and hop between them for the next five days. To us, it’s as much of a bubble as WDW.

Granted, we do have to fly to get there. Another $800. And a rental car. And $20 a night parking. And when you consider food, the total outlay will probably be about $3500 just to go to Disneyland, maybe a bit more. When you include our other endeavors, it will probably be about $4000 for the trip in total. We’ve made the calculated decision that it’s worth it. That is our kind of vacation - doing things. We’re not the type to relax. So in relative terms, I can’t really think of a better vacation for $4000 for my family. Lounging around in a deluxe hotel doing nothing appeals very little to me. Beaches? No appeal. Cruises? No appeal. Europe is appealing but not with a five year old and an infant.

I’m doing a similar trip next Thursday...and being from the northeast it is a “pricey trip”

So there is variation. But are we talking medians here?

I know that a 7 day trip to wdw in a “mid range” hotel cost for 4 runs a conservative $7500+...

There’s a lot of other places that can be done at or much more cheaply.

So I define that as “expensive”...because it’s possible to do equivalent/better qualify for the same or less.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

ITs the fact they have increased prices, added fee's(Parking) and cut hours compared to other WDW vacations over the past 6 years that have made it lose it's value for us. For what it costs now I can justify going to other destinations.

Last year was the first time we stayed off site in 20 yrs of going to WDW. It just wasn't worth it anymore even having my DD csst discount. BTW everyone loved Bonnet creek more than YBC. Yes I paid for parking BUT it was covered and not a mile away. The cost was the same as AoA with her discount which we also stayed at and my Mom fell in love with Aoa. The rest of us not so much because the beds were turely terrible to the point my 16yo slept on the floor because it was more comfortable.

We also went to Six FLags in Gurnee about 12 years ago and at the time I remember thinking I needed to apoligize to WDW beause the prices were nuts!

I think this is where I fall...though I have dvc. And I’m a “heavy hitter” traveler for going on 3 decades.

But how can I sell myself or anyone else on what the facts aren’t? These are the facts.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

For once, I agree with you. I maintain that Wishes was a far better show than Happily Ever After. And yes, I've seen both in person and also watched high def videos of them on YouTube. But when I say that here I get excoriated.

HEA is technologically superior, no question. And the technical side of it is impressive. But I don't think it packs the emotional punch of Wishes. Not even close.

You actually agree with me a lot more that you think...you just don’t know it yet

I got 3 or 4 snitters that are beyond hope currently...but I can convert everyone else to see some of the angle I present - even if they don’t agree. Well...most of the time.

I don’t mean Disney ill. I want them to be better and I don’t want them “soulless and capricious”...as a wise man once said.

Except angry dentists on the santee...no chance there

 

[Dead2009]

Frontier City and other parks like that are one day parks so of course they're going to be cheaper than Disney would be.