Len Testa - “Disney positions itself as the all-American vacation. The irony is that most Americans can’t afford it.”

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AidenRodriguez731

Well-Known Member
Here’s one hotel I went to not long ago, in upstate NY and not a very huge city (decent but nowhere near NYC or Albany)

This is the total price for the exact same days as I’m going to Disney World. My Disney world price included tickets to MNSSHP and a free day at the water park. It includes transportation and a bunch of other things. And IT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE!! This hotel is not many frills or anything interesting. Value resorts value is actually insane for me.
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Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
AidenRodriguez731 said:
Here’s one hotel I went to not long ago, in upstate NY and not a very huge city (decent but nowhere near NYC or Albany)

This is the total price for the exact same days as I’m going to Disney World. My Disney world price included tickets to MNSSHP and a free day at the water park. It includes transportation and a bunch of other things. And IT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE!! This hotel is not many frills or anything interesting. Value resorts value is actually insane for me. View attachment 882287
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So a upstate NY Marriott has high prices too and also pricing out the middle class. You should comment in the NYT article and tell them.
 
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AidenRodriguez731

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
So a upstate NY Marriott has high prices too and also pricing out the middle class. You should comment in the NYT article and tell them.
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It’s not all Marriott’s obviously but it most if not all of them that I saw were more expensive than the Disney value resort price I paid in that area. It’s in general similar prices to what my family pays almost anytime on vacation, you would be hard pressed to find a decent place for less than $150. That’s just the way things are right now. And if I have the choice between paying $150 at Disney and getting its perks with a free water park day or $200 in Upstate NY and the only free perk being a terrible continental breakfast, I think the choice is obvious.

A lot of these hotels and travel destinations realized that they want to focus more solely on the middle and upper classes which I’m not going to lie, sucks absolutely. But from my experience, Disney has kept their absolute minimum price relatively fair. $89 per park day for the 3 less popular parks is about the price I would pay for my local Six Flags on the average day. Not to mention the food at Six Flags is significantly more money as well as their fast pass program. The Disney chicken tender meal that is about $13 at the parks goes for about $18-$20 at my Six Flags. As you can see, for me it’s a complete lay up
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
AidenRodriguez731 said:
It’s not all Marriott’s obviously but it most if not all of them that I saw were more expensive than the Disney value resort price I paid in that area. It’s in general similar prices to what my family pays almost anytime on vacation, you would be hard pressed to find a decent place for less than $150. That’s just the way things are right now. And if I have the choice between paying $150 at Disney and getting its perks with a free water park day or $200 in Upstate NY and the only free perk being a terrible continental breakfast, I think the choice is obvious.

A lot of these hotels and travel destinations realized that they want to focus more solely on the middle and upper classes which I’m not going to lie, sucks absolutely. But from my experience, Disney has kept their absolute minimum price relatively fair. $89 per park day for the 3 less popular parks is about the price I would pay for my local Six Flags on the average day. Not to mention the food at Six Flags is significantly more money as well as their fast pass program. The Disney chicken tender meal that is about $13 at the parks goes for about $18-$20 at my Six Flags. As you can see, for me it’s a complete lay up
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I think This Marriott and Disney has LOST SIGHT of the middle class. (just my opinion).
 
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JMcMahonEsq

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
So a upstate NY Marriott has high prices too and also pricing out the middle class. You should comment in the NYT article and tell them.
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Honestly what world do you live in?

The average price of a hotel in the US for 2025 is between $180-$210, from both Forbes, and Barrons. That's not looking at major cities or tourist destinations. How can you say that $200 per night, at one of the top tourist destinations in the world is HIGH?
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
JMcMahonEsq said:
Honestly what world do you live in?

The average price of a hotel in the US for 2025 is between $180-$210, from both Forbes, and Barrons. That's not looking at major cities or tourist destinations. How can you say that $200 per night, at one of the top tourist destinations in the world is HIGH?
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Ha I thought it was 1100 a night at the NY Marriott, LOL I did not know it was for multiple days. My mistake.

I still think Disney is pricing out the middle class (just my opinion)
 
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J4546

Well-Known Member
i know this will be an unpopular opinion but Im actually glad the prices are high because you look at cheaper parks like knotts and Magic Mountain they have become daycares for large groups of kids and loud obnoxious idiots. Also Im poor as hell, and can only go 1 time a year but its worth it imo.
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
J4546 said:
i know this will be an unpopular opinion but Im actually glad the prices are high because you look at cheaper parks like knotts and Magic Mountain they have become daycares for large groups of kids and loud obnoxious idiots. Also Im poor as hell, and can only go 1 time a year but its worth it imo.
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It may be un popular but I think Disney does want to raise prices, to price out families, to lower the crowds and its working.
 
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Sorcerer Mickey

Well-Known Member
lentesta said:
I also think this is the article's main point. It's not just Disney - lots of other industries are using a high/low product strategy.
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These are companies working within the system to maximize shareholder value. That is what they’re built to do. That is what the law wants them to do.

Do I agree with it? No. But focusing on one company completely misses the bigger picture. The system promotes this behavior. I’ll be careful with my next words but, very recently, the lower class largely voted in a way that shows they endorse reducing restraint on this very system.
 
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AidenRodriguez731

Well-Known Member
FutureCEO said:
A vacation is what you make it. You don't need to spend tens of thousands to have a good time. You don't need fast passes or the latest and greatest things.
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This too! If you price out the cheapest tickets right now, no thrills. You get $89 a day for Epcot, HS, and AK. The shortest hours being AKs 10 hrs. At about $8.9 (before tax) per hour, that’s better than a half off movie ticket where I live…
 
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AidenRodriguez731

Well-Known Member
Dranth said:
No, nearly every company has lost sight of the middle class because the middle class does not have the money to spend like they did in the past.
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The truth is there is no real middle class anymore. Atleast not the way there was. There’s the haves and have nots. We’re all struggling in some ways, home ownership is down the drain and we’re all paying every month just to live and enjoy the small things like games and any shows now. You don’t own anything, you’re just paying for a privilege that can be taken away. But allow me to get off my soap box
 
TheMaxRebo

TheMaxRebo

Well-Known Member
Basil of Baker Street said:
We have always done Disney on the cheap. But if you're doing line skips, eating TS, staying in upper end rooms, yeah, it's going to be expensive.
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I do think for many people that have done Disney in the past, you still can, but you might not be able to do it in the same way as in the past when more things were included and cost of higher level accommodations weren't as much etc

And for some people if they can't do it how they have done it in the past they don't want to do it at all, for some they are ok adjusting travel style
 
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Splash4eva

Well-Known Member
Im not defending Disney at all for their prices but what destination has not raised prices?!? There was not one vacation spot i went to this year that hasnt. Its the nature of the beast. Everyone is coming at Disney for raising prices but giving basically anywhere else a pass. You can debate whether or not they deserve it but fact is they have a product almost like no other and are simply capitalizing on it price wise just like everyone else
 
Dad 2 M & M

Dad 2 M & M

Well-Known Member
Dranth said:
A standard room at the All Stars is below $200 a night for most of the year. A preferred room is mid to low 200s.

Don't get me wrong, that isn't cheap compared to other alternatives off site, but Disney has kept the low end relatively steady of late likely because they know they can't push pricing at that tier much further.
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The 2 Mods Coronado and Orleans Riverside are usually LESS than Pop with the AP discount….

Do have to clarify Pop Standard rate vs AP discount on the 2 Mods….

One has to REALLY keep checking to get Pop on a discounted rate….
 

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