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Price hike coming 10/9
- Thread starter powhatan414
- Start date
DisneyHead123
Well-Known Member
I’m not actually sure that traditional theme parks are the best comparison to Disney at this point. Disney is sort of a hybrid experience without a lot of direct comparisons. Vegas and cruise lines might come closest.
Disney has a theme park element, sure. But the deep focus on subjective experience is almost more in line with what you find in a yoga retreat kinda situation. Combined with a resort element, and 3-D virtual reality element that mimics experiences such as being in nature, or vacationing abroad.
I think Disney started as a theme park, but at this point they’re pioneers in designing “experiences”. They may find they have competitors, in due time. But at the moment they are sort of the duck billed platypus of vacations.
James Alucobond
Well-Known Member
I mean, driving is an option, staying at value resorts is an option, staying off property is an option, and waiting for discounts is an option. I don't think I've gone recently sans some sort of discount. Even if I book early, one tends to appear pre-trip, allowing me to just call and apply it. The real issue is mostly going to stem from multiplying prices by number of family members depending on how many you've got.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Neither - I use lots of travel / hotel points. Look for deals on Priceline, etc.
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
I'm literally sitting in the car waiting for my next order while DoorDashing to help save for our next Disney trip. lol.
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
FYP
Fido Chuckwagon
Well-Known Member
Disney runs great ticket deals during low season, which is now basically the dead of summer and a few other times. Depending on where you live you could probably get away relatively cheaply if you:
1. Stay at an-off site hotel;
2. Drive instead of fly;
3. Do one of those 3 or 4 day ticket deals during the lowest of low season;
4. Stay at an offsite timeshare-style hotel that has a kitchen so you can prepare food and bring sandwiches into the park;
5. Don’t purchase the line-skips (again it helps if you’re there low season so your waits aren’t too long).
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
Gotta pay for all that dirt to fill in RoA
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
This is the most profound sentence ever posted on this site.
Ticket pricing and a parade have nothing to do with each other.
A Ticket increase would be Bad News. A Date for Starlight would be Good News.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
They can just fill it in with canceled Epcot projects.
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
it's about time they raise prices... I always felt like I was never paying enough with all the increases in offerings and quality. Thanks Bob
DisDude33
Active Member
Life is indeed all about balance.
JMcMahonEsq
Well-Known Member
Where do I mention anything about what I make? It’s irrelevant to the conversation. Your analogy is about watching while everyone else eats steak. That means the steak/disney is readily accessible to everyone else, or in the case of Disney, millions of people. When you tens of millions of people every year able to afford something, but you can not, you have to consider it is not that what your looking at is objectively too expensive, it’s just that it’s outside your subjective price range.
As to how you can plan a Disney trip on a budget/affordable there are numerous steps you can take.
1) save up. Some people have the disposable income to just decide to go in 6months. For others, like my first trip as a child, my parents planned and saved for 2 years to make it work.
2) drive don’t fly (assuming your not going solo.) Making the assumption of 3+ individuals making the trip, driving is going to almost always be the cheaper option. A drive from NYC area will roughly cost you around $360 (rough estimate of $150 gas, $30 tolls) round trip, gas and tolls.
2a) driving can also allow you to pack your own drinks and snacks, bought locally instead of at your hotel or in vacation inflation Orlando. Having your room stocked and being able to bring a backpack to the parks with waters and snacks can be a significant savings. It will also let you grab a quick/cheap meal off property like McDonald’s on way to/from park if your driving and save costs there.
3) get a Marriot CC. Marriot has its own credit card that for a small yearly fee (I think $75) gives you a free night stay every year, and then gets you points with each purchase that can be used towards free rooms. When you sign up I believe you get a free 50,000 points which can be worth at least a full night stay. Using this card for your yearly purchases can easily build up over time to get you multiple night stays, which you can use for on site hotel like Swan Dolphin or:
4) stay off property. If you’re following this plan, you have driven down to Florida, so you have a car available. Off site properties can be got a reasonable prices (and damn near cheap when compared to on site properties.) many of these have their own busses to the parks. Some like Marriot world have their own built in water park, allowing you to have a great resort day if you choose.
5) gift cards. Certain stores like Target or BJ’s provide the opportunity to buy Disney gift cards at a discount. You can save 5% sometimes more by purchasing these gift cards at a discount, which can be used for tickets or expenses at the parks.
6) off peak times. While there aren’t totally dead times there are certainly cheaper times to visit the parks. This may mean taking kids out of school to take advantage of these savings but it can be a significant saving and you may benefit from reduced crowds.
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JMcMahonEsq
Well-Known Member
Where do I mention anything about what I make? It’s irrelevant to the conversation. Your analogy is about watching while everyone else eats steak. That means the steak/disney is readily accessible to everyone else, or in the case of Disney, millions of people. When you tens of millions of people every year able to afford something, but you can not, you have to consider it is not that what your looking at is objectively too expensive, it’s just that it’s outside your subjective price range.
As to how you can plan a Disney trip on a budget
Ayla
Well-Known Member
With few exceptions, everything was cheaper in 2005 than it is today...just like it was in 1995, and 1985, and 1974, etc. Your argument about prices is nonsensical.
monorail81
Well-Known Member
We aren’t as fortunate as some when it comes to salaries because we both work for local government, but we manage to get trips in. We are lucky enough to be semi-local (about 2 hours) so we don’t have the extra added expense of flights and can take weekend trips. Sometimes we stay on property and sometimes we don’t. We stayed in a Cabin at Ft. Wilderness for 8 nights in May, but aren’t against a Marriott for a night. We are frugal at home, but don’t deny ourselves certain luxuries like a good steak from time to time. We don’t eat out often, so that’s a huge money saver. We don’t splurge on other things like getting our nails done and whatnot. We live in a modest house and drive modest cars. With all of that, we have enough to travel where we want and when we want.