Maybe one reason folks are still going to WDW

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think one of the reasons I'm never shocked at Disney prices is because I live in the "high as heck" Northeast.
Shore rentals are insane. Lol saw this article in the newspaper.

Priced out of the Jersey Shore: Some travelers opt for all-inclusive resorts instead as rental costs soar

Families across the region say they can no longer justify the cost of an annual week at the Jersey Shore. Some have found cheaper vacation spots elsewhere.

www.inquirer.com

“If I’m going to spend $3,000 to $5,000 by the time you’re done, with the house and the food and stuff and all the tchotchkes you buy … I’d rather go to Disney World,” she added. “If I want to spend that money, I’d rather have a bigger experience.

Vacations prices every where seem to out of control. I do admit, I'm amazed when folks tell me they can do Europe for the same price as Disney. We're going to portugal and it's costing me 6K in airfare alone.

disclaimer: I am in no way suggesting that Disney is cheap, just that for a new coming it ain't all that bad either

Those prices were never good value to begin with…I call shenanigans there.

This message was typed as I literally just passed the belmar boardwalk.

Trust me…in what I say

 

[eliza61nyc]

Those prices were never good value to begin with…I call shenanigans there.

This message was typed as I literally just passed the belmar boardwalk.

Trust me…in what I say

I don't know Sir, we started going to ocnj almost the same time as we did wdw. We loved it because it was a dry town and wildwood was a little to rowdy. Rented the same spot at 21st and central, right around the corner from uncle bobs. Used to get a 2 bed 2 bath 800 wk. We thought that was reasonable. This year they want 3700 bucks. Yikes

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Jersey shore inflation is insane. I think that’s because you have a ton of wealthy people in that area and they bought up former rental units as weekend homes during Covid (also, for whatever reason shore towns don’t always have the same insane property taxes as other places in NJ, so some likely moved there as a tax cut.) Some towns have also consciously tried to zone out rental houses to keep out the hoi polloi (You know, the heathens making low six figures. The horror!) My family has gone there since I was an infant and I have family in Jersey who I only see once a year so I tried to make it work, but I’m over it now. You’re staying at a New Jersey beach, for goodness sakes, not the tropics. The sand is literally grey and the water is freezing. Yes the local juice bars and vintage bicycle rentals are charming, but not $5K a week for a unit you stock and clean yourself charming.

To your larger point - yes, I think vacation inflation is up all across the board. It’s the “experience economy” at work, I guess. Recently looked at hotel rooms in DC this summer and nice-but-not-crazy-luxurious ones there were even around $400 a night. Sitters in my area charge $17 - $20 an hour (which is close to starting wages at, say, Target in many places, so not unreasonable) so a dinner out costs at least $60 just in childcare. Everything entertainment related is $$$$$ these days.

You must be going to beaches in Bayonne…I live at the jersey shore…sand is white, clean and beautiful…ocean temps in mid to late July averages in the upper 70’s…my daughter goes to school in Northern California…we went to the beach…talk about dingy beaches…never saw gray sand…we get a bad rap with a lot of things…beaches are awesome & water is clear…just watch the riptides…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't know Sir, we started going to ocnj almost the same time as we did wdw. We loved it because it was a dry town and wildwood was a little to rowdy. Rented the same spot at 21st and central, right around the corner from uncle bobs. Used to get a 2 bed 2 bath 800 wk. We thought that was reasonable. This year they want 3700 bucks. Yikes

Then You’re aware that ocean city and lbi are enclaves of those that LOVE themselves…so why shouldn’t it be the same price as WDW?!? Like “club level” wilderness lodge

Hang with the proliteriat at seaside, Atlantic City and wildwood, Sister

Besides…everyone knows the real money is in Bayhead and Stone Harbor

 

[Smiley/OCD]

the hotels are absolutely out of this world right now. the Hard Rock wants almost $1000 per night night now for those summer weekend stays. So many shows I want to see but hate having to pay that kind of money if I don't want to drive the hour home. Golden nugget was around $300....it was $500+ for Memorial Day weekend. Though I want to go other places other than Disney World, sometimes the price is worth it to you when you realize the worth of everything else. People are gouging everywhere but at least I can get a Dole Whip at Disney, haha.

We were at a wedding at Caesars 6/2…we stayed overnight…220. for the night…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

the hotels are absolutely out of this world right now. the Hard Rock wants almost $1000 per night night now for those summer weekend stays. So many shows I want to see but hate having to pay that kind of money if I don't want to drive the hour home. Golden nugget was around $300....it was $500+ for Memorial Day weekend. Though I want to go other places other than Disney World, sometimes the price is worth it to you when you realize the worth of everything else. People are gouging everywhere but at least I can get a Dole Whip at Disney, haha.

We were at a wedding at Caesars 6/2…we stayed overnight…220. for the night…

That’s the standard AC gimmick. They try to make 7 days worth of revenue between 3 pm Friday and 3 pm Sunday in the summer

$600 on Friday…$89 on Tuesday

Lather, rinse, repeat

 

[flynnibus]

You must be going to beaches in Bayonne…I live at the jersey shore…sand is white, clean and beautiful…ocean temps in mid to late July averages in the upper 70’s…my daughter goes to school in Northern California…we went to the beach…talk about dingy beaches…never saw gray sand…we get a bad rap with a lot of things…beaches are awesome & water is clear…just watch the riptides…

Upper 70s is kinda whitewashing Ocean is like 72-75 which is.. brisk

US West Pacific beaches are a different beast entirely... very cold, usually coarser and often setup more like a city public parks than resort beaches like we are used to in the Mid-Atlantic and further south. Even as far south as LA/SD the water is COLD. Totally different scene compared to the Eastern Seaboard resort towns or even the state park shores like in DE, VA, and NC.

You need to go further south than Baja in Mexico to get to the warm Pacific. It's pretty shocking to people when they first get exposed to it after seeing so much TV/media about California, the beach, etc. It's a VERY different vibe.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Yes, my daughter went with her boyfriend who lives in the LA suburbs to the beach and she was shocked how cold the water was compared to the Atlantic…

 

[hsisthebest]

How is DLP? I saw recent videos of cast taking over the park actively protesting onstage in front of the guests disrupting operations.

I'll let you know. I plan on doing a full review when I get back. We went to DL for the first time in 2022. I made a list of some top pro/cons.

 

[DisneyHead123]

You must be going to beaches in Bayonne…I live at the jersey shore…sand is white, clean and beautiful…ocean temps in mid to late July averages in the upper 70’s…my daughter goes to school in Northern California…we went to the beach…talk about dingy beaches…never saw gray sand…we get a bad rap with a lot of things…beaches are awesome & water is clear…just watch the riptides…

Southernmost beaches (Cape May, Avalon, Stone Harbor) although I probably just have sour grapes as I can no longer afford to be there. They do take good care of their beaches but I’m not paying Hawaii prices to visit the Jersey shore. Still holding out a little hope that more resorts eventually move into those areas, although realistically I’ll probably just start going to the Carolinas.

 

[Chef Mickey]

All travel is expensive. People complaining about Disney forget other resorts charge resort fees, food is always expensive when it’s combined with entertainment, and any “activity” is a cost.

Price a sporting event for 3 hours of fun and compare it to Disney.

Go to your local movies and eat mid food at a middle of the road chain. Of course the food will be cheaper than Disney, but the Outback next to the gas station doesn’t have The Haunted Mansion next door.

The only way to do anything very cheap is to make your own fun and walk there. Life is expensive.

 

[Jrb1979]

All travel is expensive. People complaining about Disney forget other resorts charge resort fees, food is always expensive when it’s combined with entertainment, and any “activity” is a cost.

Price a sporting event for 3 hours of fun and compare it to Disney.

Go to your local movies and eat mid food at a middle of the road chain. Of course the food will be cheaper than Disney, but the Outback next to the gas station doesn’t have The Haunted Mansion next door.

The only way to do anything very cheap is to make your own fun and walk there. Life is expensive.

Yes all travel is expensive but it also depends on what you are looking for. There is still many places you can vacation where you don't have to spend your life savings to enjoy. I just did a week at Cedar Point in May for less than $1300.

I just looked at Myrtle Beach for October and the average price is $1000 for a hotel for the week.

There is affordable out there, not every vacation has to be high end to be enjoyable.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Southernmost beaches (Cape May, Avalon, Stone Harbor) although I probably just have sour grapes as I can no longer afford to be there. They do take good care of their beaches but I’m not paying Hawaii prices to visit the Jersey shore. Still holding out a little hope that more resorts eventually move into those areas, although realistically I’ll probably just start going to the Carolinas.

Well, we’re now getting more sharks closer to shore than ever, and Spam is readily available so yup, it’s not Hawaii, but gas also isn’t 6 bucks a gallon, so there’s that…lol

 

[DisneyHead123]

Well, we’re now getting more sharks closer to shore than ever, and Spam is readily available so yup, it’s not Hawaii, but gas also isn’t 6 bucks a gallon, so there’s that…lol

It’s great if you own property there (a couple branches of my family have had owned shore houses for years, before things were torn down and turned into the palatial mansions you see now) but renting is a nightmare. A cute condo we got for around 3k a few years ago is 7 - 8k now. The Reeds wants $800 a night for a single hotel room, well over a thousand a night for a suite with any kind of room to put all your beach gear. I have so many good memories of the area but I’m just over the hassle of stressing about renting in June the year before, being broke at the end of the summer, etc. It belongs to people with serious Wall Street level cash now.

 

[Lilofan]

You must be going to beaches in Bayonne…I live at the jersey shore…sand is white, clean and beautiful…ocean temps in mid to late July averages in the upper 70’s…my daughter goes to school in Northern California…we went to the beach…talk about dingy beaches…never saw gray sand…we get a bad rap with a lot of things…beaches are awesome & water is clear…just watch the riptides…

I will take the Jersey shore food anyday of the week compared to the garbage served in quick service dining at WDW.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

It’s great if you own property there (a couple branches of my family have had owned shore houses for years, before things were torn down and turned into the palatial mansions you see now) but renting is a nightmare. A cute condo we got for around 3k a few years ago is 7 - 8k now. The Reeds wants $800 a night for a single hotel room, well over a thousand a night for a suite with any kind of room to put all your beach gear. I have so many good memories of the area but I’m just over the hassle of stressing about renting in June the year before, being broke at the end of the summer, etc. It belongs to people with serious Wall Street level cash now.

I agree wholeheartedly…we’re 5 miles from the world’s largest swimming pool…

 

[rio]

I was planning 2 weeks in Japan but couldn’t go at the end. I got everything but $150 refunded. I only got back $1200 (flights were paid in points).

The US as a whole is just expensive rn

 

[SplashJacket]

Yes all travel is expensive but it also depends on what you are looking for. There is still many places you can vacation where you don't have to spend your life savings to enjoy. I just did a week at Cedar Point in May for less than $1300.

I just looked at Myrtle Beach for October and the average price is $1000 for a hotel for the week.

There is affordable out there, not every vacation has to be high end to be enjoyable.

We did a five days at Disneyland and a day at Universal Studios Hollywood for $1000 which includes flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles, Ubers, hotel, and tickets.

Recently got off a Transatlantic Disney Cruise which was $1500 a person for 13-days and ended in Europe. Was cheaper than a lot of airfare to Europe, but we stopped at two ports in Portugal, and 4 in Spain including the final-destination in Barcelona. Comparably priced food, entertainment, travel, hotel would be in the many thousands.

At the end of the day, everyone has different values of money, everyone has different desires for trips, etc, so it’s really silly when I see posts swearing off disney or pledging total allegiance. Variety is the spice of life, and if you’re no longer having fun with a certain vacation, might be time to move along for a while, but my most recent trip to Disneyland reassured me that there’s still an incredible amount of joy in the parks for me. This whole forum is a testament to the joy left in the parks. If people truly didn’t care, this forum wouldn’t be so bustling with activity.

Negativity can dominate any part of your life, and it can especially dominate a vacation. I’m not sure I’ve been on any vacation ever that didn’t introduce some downsides/disappointments, and you can dwell on that, or appreciate the good, and that’s not just being a sucker, it’s just making the most out of life.

Truly, you can choose to be miserable absolutely anywhere, some people can’t control that, but other can magnify that misery by dwelling on the negative.

Visiting the parks, to me, highlights an immense disconnect between these forums and reality. Sure, many complaints are valid, but are they even close to vacation ruining? Hardly.

There’s joy and magic in the parks for many, and that’s a wonderful thing.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

My WDW visits have always been a blend of onsite and offsite/visiting other parts of Florida and even parts of GA. My offsite/non WDW Disney days always cost quite a bit less.

On my last Disney visit, I made a day trip to Silver Springs State Park. I highly recommend it, especially if you at all like the look/feel of Disney's Prot Orleans Riverside. I think we paid $2 entry +$13 per person for the 30min glass bottom boat tour. I did the shorter 30minute tour, but I easily could have done the 90 minute one. The captain was just super fun! He knew tons of information and was also hilarious. Everyone came away happy and laughing. Then we walked around for several hours and saw lots of wildlife.

It is entirely possible to spend an absurd amount of money just about anywhere these days, but it is also possible to visit interesting places for less than day at WDW. Some favorites of mine are visiting state parks, national parks/forests/monuments and museums.

College town are also often fun places to explore on a relatively limited budget. There's usually some kind of local (street) food that is inexpensive and tasty.

 

[allgiggles]

I have always said this. You rent some house at the beach, which for anything decent is usually at least 2k for a week, and thats for a place blocks away from the beach. You have to bring all your own linens, have to cook and clean the place. If the weather is bad for the week, which happens there is not many options to do anything else. The food options are often VERY limited(pizza fried foods) and you spend a bunch buying ride tickets at much less thrilling amusement centers. I find it can often be equal to a Disney vacation cost wise.
Now that said some folks just LOVE the beach, but my kids are not really into it and prefer mountains for hiking or cities for culture if we are not doing Disney.

Same for the mountains basically. We're doing a family vacation to the Poconos later this month. We rented at house with 5 bedrooms, 3 baths. The house is large, but needs updating. Reviews say the home is in great shape, no complaints, but still has all the original bathroom and kitchen decor from when it was built 40 years ago...so this is not one of those gorgeous perfect houses. With all the fees and insurance, it's just a hair under $5,000....for FOUR nights (check-in is 4 p.m. and check-out is 10:00 a.m., so it is really a 3-day vacation). And it was one of the least expensive ones we found that could accommodate a family of our size. We're dividing the cost, but for DH & I and our family unit, it's costing us a bit over $1700. I will be on vacation, so I will *not* be cooking -- we will be going out to eat (I don't care what the rest of the family does) so we'll have those costs to add in (not to mention we will have to drive 5+ miles to get to a restaurant). All of our entertainment/activities will also be an additional cost. This long weekend will end up costing us over $2500. And I'll have to bring extra towels and a few other things; make my own bed; take out my own trash; and do some light cleaning before we leave. We could do 3 days at Disney for about the same price (though transportation would be more) and I wouldn't have to lift a finger while I'm there.