Resort Prices - Wow

[captainkidd]

I can honestly say, for the 1st time ever, I'm strongly considering skipping Disney all together in 2011 for another vacation destination. I was looking at the resort prices for 2010, and Disney is getting nuts. $365 for the Poly during value season. Over $200 for a moderate during the summer. Nearly $150 for a Value during the summer.

We always get either a AAA rate or an AP rate, but if the time comes when neother are available, that'll be it for a while. Having stayed at the Poly before, I think Disney is out of their mind charging upwards of $400 per night. Then again, a lot of people stay there, so maybe it's just me.:shrug:

 

[Disney05]

I guess you're paying to be totally immersed in the whole Disney experience. Our first two years we stayed off property, and liked it. But now we stay on property. I like not having to rent a car for a week or more. Yeah, waiting for the bus sometimes stinks. We stay at a moderate, Coronado (and they will be charging more than other mod's next year) or rent from a DVC member at a great price. Would love to stay at a Deluxe right next to MK but can't justify the greater price. I don't think they will ever drop the prices. As bad as the economy was or is, if they didn't reduce prices now, can't see them doing it in the future.

 

[rsoxguy]

^^^^^
Well stated by Mr. Magoo (can I call you Slappy?). Disney's short-term strategies will eventually yield long-term problems. There are businesses that I avoid because of a reputation that they earned long ago. When people start using the term "Disney hotels are too expensive", the long-term damage will be hard to overcome.

 

[reptar77]

Disney's resort pricing is perfectly in line with other vacation resorts with similar proximity locations and experiences.

We agree.

 

[DisneyJoe]

When people start using the term "Disney hotels are too expensive", the long-term damage will be hard to overcome.

I've been hearing this for over 12 years - probably longer...

 

[captainkidd]

I've been hearing this for over 12 years - probably longer...

With all due respect, I'd consider my family middle class and if you asked me 7 or 8 years ago if I would ever consider staying off-site, I'd have said no. I'm doing much better now than I was then, and I think that Disney's Resorts are getting too expensive.

And 12 years ago, Universal Orlando didn't have 3 resorts, all arguably with better service, open, as well as a Waldorf and Four Seasons about to open on property.

I'd say it's a safe bet, if Disney doesn't level off it's resort pricing or step up it's game, we will see some big changes in the coming years.

 

[captainkidd]

Disney's resort pricing is perfectly in line with other vacation resorts with similar proximity locations and experiences.

I disagree.

Portofino Bay at Universal is superior to any Disney owned Resort, yet is about $150 cheaper than the Grand Floridian.

A good arguement can also be made for Universal's other 2 on-site hotels, both of which are less expensive than any of Disney's super Deluxe Resorts.

 

[stitchsMom]

i totally agree. it is getting out of hand. We are DVC members but i always check the rates of rooms. there is no way we could afford to go with out DVC. Yes we are paying alot now but in a few years it will be paid off. We have 6 in our family & would require to get a 2 bedroom every trip. i can not see paying those prices every year. for a moderate that is 350-400 a night....Crazy. for deluxe you are talking 600 a night (2 rooms)

I was thinking this as I started scrolling through this thread. We definately could not continue our Disney Vacations without DVC - one of the top reasons we finally bought in!

 

[durangojim]

With all due respect, I'd consider my family middle class and if you asked me 7 or 8 years ago if I would ever consider staying off-site, I'd have said no. I'm doing much better now than I was then, and I think that Disney's Resorts are getting too expensive.

And 12 years ago, Universal Orlando didn't have 3 resorts, all arguably with better service, open, as well as a Waldorf and Four Seasons about to open on property.

I'd say it's a safe bet, if Disney doesn't level off it's resort pricing or step up it's game, we will see some big changes in the coming years.

I make a good living and yet find myself looking at Disney differently than in the past. It is all due to the economy and what I believe is a change in mindset for most Americans. I think a lot of us are looking for what is a good value, and not willing to part with our money in a frivolous manner like some might have done before. We're not considering staying off property, but we stayed at a mod for the first time (which is something that we thought was unlikely in the past) and will be decreasing the amount of days we spend at Disney in the future.

 

[pax_65]

What we need is someone to do a little research and look at resort rates over the past 5-10 years.

From memory, I can remember buying a moderate (Riverside) in May a few years ago and paying $135 a night. I just checked online and got $169 for May 2010 - roughly a 25% increase.

On the same trip (we split between 2 hotels), I remember staying in a Deluxe (Beach Club) for $280/night. Checking online, I now get a price of $390 - about a 40% increase.

I admit this isn't scientific as it's based on my memory, but it gives you some idea what we're talking about when we say that the rates for Deluxes are rising faster than the other resorts.

 

[bears163]

I agree with all the opinons on the prices are just way to high. The economy not good, people are trying to find ways to save money right now but still people have spent that money for a Disney vacation. Disney is starting to push their luck. It will come to a point where families will cut out their vacations. If we did not have DVC there is no way we would be able to go & stay at the resorts we do. 5-7 years ago i would have said disney was a good value to spend your money. right now they are over pricing themselves. just my opinion

 

[captainkidd]

The issue is, Disney has been increasing prices at a pretty set rate for the past 10-15 years. It's not as if they're all of a sudden jacking up prices to an unrealistic level. The problem is, the rate at which they have risen isn't relative to the money people are making.

 

[marcriss]

We were seriously thinking of buying into DVC from the re-sale market this year. If we hadn't gotten a pin code we might have. We go for 10 days and we love the Yacht Club. If we had to pay rack rate that would be almost 1/2 the price of buying into DVC on the re-sale market (we'd want to buy into Beach Club).

The pricing has gone crazy and last year we really didn't feel like we got our money's worth. Housekeeping was stretched too thin so rooms were cleaned very late, you'd see room service plates in the hallways for hours, the rooms were banged up, things were broken...some people may say quit whining, but when you're paying that much everything should be darn close to perfect.

We're really hoping it's better this year or we may have to rethink next year. My parents bought a timeshare at the Marriott World Center 20 years ago, because back then they were seeing the prices starting to rise beyond their means. It's the only way they've been able to go every year. The great thing about their timeshare is that it's forever, I wish the DVC was forever.

 

[Carolwood]

I remember fondly the days when you could go next to Spaceship Earth to make dinner plans anywhere in the resort. We used to have a discussion shortly after our arrival, go into Epcot and make our dinner plans for the week. We'd leave a few nights open for spontaneity and find something "on the fly" wherever we happened to be. Those days are LONG GONE...

I remember that to. Those were the days!!!! Oh how I wish you could still do that!

 

[WDWmazprty]

It really wouldn't matter if the system was regulated...the high prices would just come back to you in some other sort of fees.

Agreed! Everything nowadays is more or less on the expensive side.

 

[pax_65]

The great thing about their timeshare is that it's forever, I wish the DVC was forever.

I agree, but it lasts until at least 2042 (longer for the newer resorts). At that point, I'll be pretty old! It would be nice to leave it to my kids but that's the way it goes I guess.

Buying re-sale worked great for us. Shop around and you can find a really good deal, especially if you're flexible on how many points are still available for this current year. We bought at OKW which is our favorite resort. We really like Beach Club, though.

We used to use our DVC points for part of the trip and stay at hotels for cash for part of the trip. This helped our points last longer so we could take more trips. But with the price of hotels now, we just use our points for the entire stay and skip a trip now and then to save the points.

 

[magic2me]

I always view rack rate as a number used to make you think that 25% discount is a great buy. They really wanted to sell the room at the 25% price but if it was rack then the buyer would want a discount off the rack rate and they would not get the price they want.

Say a room is $400/night rack rate and they give you the buy 4 get 3 free deal. Then the total is $1600 and the persons says to themselve "That is a good deal for a room at X resort." It should have cost me $2800. I will book it.

If the room was $1600 for 7 nights at normal price the person would be less likely to accept the prices.

I have never paid rack rate and my next trip to WDW at a value is costing me $69 including tax. No reason to stay off-site at that price. A $49/night room with tax is $55 plus parking (IIRC is $10) so the room is $65/night (if no AP holders) a whopping $4 savings.

I will never pay rack rate for a room. If my choices were $400/night or off-site at $100/night, then it would be off-site. At a difference of $25-25 I will stay on-site.

I have done both off-site and on-site vacations and both were nice but both were not the same. We prefer on-site and will stay at whatever resort we get a great deal on. This time a value, last time a deluxe and next time who knows.

 

[pax_65]

It really wouldn't matter if the system was regulated...the high prices would just come back to you in some other sort of fees.

True. And I would rather see them be up-front with the rates rather than hide them in some bogus fee.

Disney has the right to charge whatever they want for a hotel room, and each of us has the right to choose whether we want to pay it. As a DVC member I haven't paid cash in a Deluxe Resort in a long time (although I have stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club on points). This is my choice. If rates went down I would definitely consider staying there for cash again to conserve my points.

It's supply and demand... if demand goes down so will the rates. I shake my head and wonder how many people can afford to spend $390+ a night for a week in Disney, but I guess those people are out there. Either that, or they have considerable credit card debt. LOL.

 

[magic2me]

We were seriously thinking of buying into DVC from the re-sale market this year. If we hadn't gotten a pin code we might have. We go for 10 days and we love the Yacht Club. If we had to pay rack rate that would be almost 1/2 the price of buying into DVC on the re-sale market (we'd want to buy into Beach Club).

The pricing has gone crazy and last year we really didn't feel like we got our money's worth. Housekeeping was stretched too thin so rooms were cleaned very late, you'd see room service plates in the hallways for hours, the rooms were banged up, things were broken...some people may say quit whining, but when you're paying that much everything should be darn close to perfect.

We're really hoping it's better this year or we may have to rethink next year. My parents bought a timeshare at the Marriott World Center 20 years ago, because back then they were seeing the prices starting to rise beyond their means. It's the only way they've been able to go every year. The great thing about their timeshare is that it's forever, I wish the DVC was forever.

We have looked into buying DVC resale, but the numbers still don't add up for us. We would not cook and only want a Studio. We also like to switch resorts each trip and this is where I think DVC will not work for us.

I am still on the fence about buying DVC resale.

 

[Master Yoda]

I always view rack rate as a number used to make you think that 25% discount is a great buy. They really wanted to sell the room at the 25% price but if it was rack then the buyer would want a discount off the rack rate and they would not get the price they want.

Say a room is $400/night rack rate and they give you the buy 4 get 3 free deal. Then the total is $1600 and the persons says to themselve "That is a good deal for a room at X resort." It should have cost me $2800. I will book it.

If the room was $1600 for 7 nights at normal price the person would be less likely to accept the prices.

I have never paid rack rate and my next trip to WDW at a value is costing me $69 including tax. No reason to stay off-site at that price. A $49/night room with tax is $55 plus parking (IIRC is $10) so the room is $65/night (if no AP holders) a whopping $4 savings.

I will never pay rack rate for a room. If my choices were $400/night or off-site at $100/night, then it would be off-site. At a difference of $25-25 I will stay on-site.

I have done both off-site and on-site vacations and both were nice but both were not the same. We prefer on-site and will stay at whatever resort we get a great deal on. This time a value, last time a deluxe and next time who knows.

This is one of the best most logical fact based replies in this thread so far.

One thing that has been changing over the years has been the number of people getting room discounts. Thanks to the internet and Disney specific travel agencies like KK fewer and fewer people are paying rack rates. More people getting discounts means the rates are going to go up at a disproportionate rate. Sure Disney could stop offering discounts and possibly lower the rates but that would be counter productive. People want to think they are getting a deal. You will almost always sell more of an item if it is $300 marked down from $500 vs. just $300. It is stupid but is is true.

 

[bears163]

I remember fondly the days when you could go next to Spaceship Earth to make dinner plans anywhere in the resort. We used to have a discussion shortly after our arrival, go into Epcot and make our dinner plans for the week. We'd leave a few nights open for spontaneity and find something "on the fly" wherever we happened to be. Those days are LONG GONE...

ah yes. i remember my parents doing that our first trip to disney. i think that was around 1988....OMG...what happened to the good old days