Ticket Price Increase - Feb 2014

[WDW1974]

We aren't all spirited 1% though with tenticles everwhere, perhaps even in Georgie K's back pocket . If I had the abilty to pay what you do when you go to the swamp these days I might feel the same.

I pay as little as is possible. That is something I learned from being around true Top One Percenters. They barely ever pay for anything ... sure, they may buy six cars that are over $100,000 but they never pay for a show ticket or meal or a drink etc. they are always being given free stuff that they can easily pay for.

And I wouldn't place my tentacles anywhere near Georgie, even if he'd like that. He's got Andy (even if he's put some weight on of late!)

But you don't even have to be a Faux Top One Percenter like myself to simply be a savvy traveler. When someone tells me they're just back from a week at WDW and spent $7,000 ... I just shake my head at the utter insanity. Sure, you can easily do that. But you can just as easily spend a fraction of that.

 

[AndyS2992]

But you can just as easily spend a fraction of that.

Care to share some tips? Although I'm from the UK so most may not apply.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Care to share some tips? Although I'm from the UK so most may not apply.

You can if you want to, but, I'll tell you one big one. Stay the hell out of the Disney Hotels. If you feel the urge to bed down with Mickey, run to Walmart and pick up a large Mickey Plush! You will save thousands on any trip. I just went to Disney for 3 days/4 nights, a couple of weeks ago. Coming from NC, by car, I spent, including my 4 year old non-expiring park hopper a total of $525.00. That was for gas, parking at Disney, hotel, all my meals plus a few (very few) souvenirs (also purchased at Walmart), high priced candy purchase from a been there forever, candy store on Rte. 27. In other words I had accounted for every single penny I spent on the trip. It doesn't have to be in the thousands at all. Just to be clear and not give a misleading number, that was for one person.

 

[Andrew C]

When a company does well, I'd like to see its employees benefit as well.

And when a company does record-breaking well annually, I'd like the company's employees to be able to afford the basics of life as a starting point.

Got a problem with that?

Maybe...depending on how you would like them to achieve that. haha

 

[Andrew C]

When it comes to drama queens, this site has plenty. I wouldn't put @ParentsOf4 in that category.

I haven't looked at your profile, but if that avatar pic is you and recent I would guess you are young? Under 30?
When was your first visit to WDW? Have you been to other Disney resorts? UNI?

Not trying to give you the third degree (yes, I am) but trying to see if you are simply too young and too new to the MAGIC to understand all that has been lost and isn't coming back.

Probably could have simply asked one question: do you ever recall Disney having clean, cold, efficient monorails that looked brand new every day?

I have never had an issue with the monorails. They have always been clean when I have been on them and I do not remember them ever being down for maintenance during my visits. But I only go about once a year so maybe I just get lucky.

And yes, I see that you are implying I am too "young" to have an opinion on this matter. It's amusing. A bit condescending, but amusing.

 

[StageFrenzy]

I have never had an issue with the monorails. They have always been clean when I have been on them and I do not remember them ever being down for maintenance during my visits. But I only go about once a year so maybe I just get lucky.

And yes, I see that you are implying I am too "young" to have an opinion on this matter. It's amusing. A bit condescending, but amusing.

It's not that you are too young, but perhaps too young to have experienced the WDW Resort when it was its best. Over the past 7 years the wear and tear on the monorails has increased greatly. We have seen them remove the center poles in each car to better accommodate large strollers and wheelchairs. Worn/broken doors, dirty seats and mold on the walls are more common than not. Don't even get me started on the smell and as spirit indicated the temperature of the cars can be a bit high. They have reduced the total operating time of the monorails now to around 6* hours a day with the nightly closures for better “maintenance” and the mid-day closures for the automatic program.
*exaggeration

 

[NearTheEars]

How many friends do you have that work at WDW? Because that's direct from a TTC CM. But much like being told Universal is better than WDW, if you don't believe it, go bury your head in the sand and pretend it's not true.

(BTW, not 80% of tickets sold in general, roughly 80% sold at the TTC. And have you ever seen the lines in the morning?)

OK, that helps clear that up: 80% of tickets sold just at TTC, not overall. That's likely accurate since most families getting mult-day passes booked in advance.

 

[tk924]

This sums it up...

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2122770

 

[raymusiccity]

Maybe...depending on how you would like them to achieve that. haha

Well, well, well.....Looks like a rising tide lifts all boats!

"By Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel
1:27 a.m. EST, February 27, 2014


Just days after Walt Disney World raised ticket prices, Universal Orlando announced it is raising prices, too.

Starting immediately, a one-day, single-park "base" adult ticket is $96 plus tax, up from $92. The price for a child's ticket jumped from $86 to $90.

A one-day, two-park ("park-to-park") ticket went from $128 to $136 for adults and $122 to $130 for children...."

I'm always amazed at the paltry 'discount' given for 'children' by all of the theme parks. They go on a much smaller % of the rides, but, you're saving a whopping $6.00 less than your adult ticket.

 

[lspicknall]

I would have loved to have seen Uni cut prices by about $10 a ticket in response to Disney raising prices, think how that would have played out in the media (I know, just dreaming).

 

[erasure fan1]

Just days after Walt Disney World raised ticket prices, Universal Orlando announced it is raising prices, too.

But in my eyes Universal at least has justification with what they have added to their parks to raise prices.

 

[ford91exploder]

I have 28 unused "no expiration" theme park days for my family of six (168 days!) that I bought back in 2005 when prices for such tickets were less than half what they were today. They will remain unused in 2014.

I am a DVC member and am booked in an Animal Kingdom Jambo House (my favorite WDW hotel) Grand Villa for this upcoming spring break where I plan to visit WDW's water parks (which I still love) for 2 days and spend the rest of our days at Universal where my PAP renewal cost $159, less than a 2-day base ticket at WDW.

I've been going to WDW for over 35 years, paying for my own ticket each time, absolutely loving it for the first 25, liking it for a few more years until I saw what was happening at Universal and not happening at WDW.

I'm sure I'll return to the WDW theme parks eventually but during my most recent visit, my entire family, including my 4 teenagers, were extremely disappointed with WDW's theme parks. After spending over 20 days at Universal during the previous 12 months, I thought they would have missed WDW. After the third day at WDW's theme parks, they couldn't wait to get back to Universal. Absolutely no one in my family wanted to spend another day in a WDW theme park.

Things have never been worse at WDW's theme parks.

Similar profile here long term DVC - I've been visiting the parks since EPCOT opened 80's and 90's were amazing the Nought's were OK but since 2010 WDW parks have declined in quality rapidly, And I don't know WHAT happened in 2013 it's like someone threw a switch and the magic went away. At this point I see no point in returning to WDW.

 

[tk924]

We can charge anything we want. $2000 a day, $10000 a day and people will pay it.



Maybe Disney will have a "coupon day", or something...ha ha ha, yes.

 

[Captainvideo]

If people don't think they're getting their money's worth then they'll stay away. My last 3 trips have been in 2010, 13, and 14 and I haven't seen any decline in the parks and the magic is still there for my family. Our vacation is what we as a family make of it. We're not on vacation to take pictures of scuff marks on the monorail and scream how awful it looks. Yes, Disneyworld is expensive, but to me worth every penny for what we get out of it: time away from the everyday grind, time alone with only my family, thrills, variety of good meals, life not dictating where we have to be or where we have to go. The Boston Red Sox keep selling out Fenway Park, so the price goes up each year and people still buy tickets. That's the way it works. I personally would rather save the $75 per ticket for a 3 hour baseball game and put it towards a day at Disneyworld. Skiing is around $90 now, $130ish with rentals to ski between 9am-4pm. For the cost of a park ticket you can go 8am to midnight and more, ride buses, ferries, monorails, trains, go on rides and see fireworks! I think Disney is still a bargain!

 

[TalkingHead]

I have never had an issue with the monorails. They have always been clean when I have been on them...

Then you must not have a sense of smell.

 

[raymusiccity]

But in my eyes Universal at least has justification with what they have added to their parks to raise prices.

Here's a simple 'proof is in the pudding' experiment as to what kind of memories are being made: Go to Google Images. Type in 'Beautiful Universal Studios'. Now, take a look at 'Beautiful Magic Kingdom'......which pictures trigger the warmest memories, or bang for your buck?

 

[Mammymouse]

I haven't read the entire 27 pages here but enough to get the flavor of the discussion. I think a lot of ire gets going because Disney just spent an astronomical amount of money on the MM+ program, that in my opinion has no significant enhancement to my experience to justify it. Regardless of what Disney will use the system for (license to others, data mining, etc.) as a guest the old system worked fine, even though I think even the old Fast Pass system as well the new is just an illusion for getting to the head of a line. But raising prices after forcing everyone into a questionable upgrade just gives fuel to the fire that the customer is paying more for the admission price for something they didn't necessarily want or need - and not for more attractions and quality - both of which Disney has always prided itself on. Prices always go up. Heck my cable/internet provider in RI (my rental business location) just went from $131 per month to $147 this month. Even though it sounds nuts to say, I would much rather give that extra $15 to Disney because in the past the hope for new and fresh attractions is usually what justifies it. Basic cable and internet are just the same ole same ole (RI expression). But in recent years there seems to be a different feeling at Disney.

Then there is the $ investment many of us have as being DVC members. Granted it is not stock in the company that may or may not make a profit, but none the less it is a +/- 50 year dollar investment in the company and my experience is very important to me, not only for entertainment but for a financial perspective as well. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy going for short frequent visits, but if I was plunking down $5,000 or whatever per year or two for a 5 day or so visit as my nephew has done in the past (non-DVC but has RCI), I would be starting to seriously think about what else is out there that would be just as good for the family. He has 4 girls ages 5 to almost 16 and it is harder for them to find enough for the older ones to justify Disney as a yearly must do.

Avatar is not exciting me (maybe it will surprise me), and the new Fantasyland is meh at best, Epcot is turning into a Food Court with some fancy wines instead of attractions in FUTURE(of the)WORLD and history and experiences of other countries, so I am really craving something new and breathtaking in all Parks. As Walt would say - lets PLUS it!

By the way I was just at Disneyworld Feb 15 - 17th. Crowds were nuts. Many attractions closed for refurb. But we did everything we wanted to in reasonable lines without a fast pass. Although lines for the Fast Pass Kiosks were really crazy long. I took a picture in Frontier Land that showed a long line of people for the Kiosk, with the Restrooms sign at the beginning of the line, and it gave the impression that the line for a Fastpass gave you a place in line for the bathroom!

 

[alissafalco]

I don't know if this article has been posted yet. If it was already my apologies.

Disney's Magic Kingdom Nears $100 Tickets, and the Crowds Keep Coming
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/disneys-magic-kingdom-nears-100-190423737.html

 

[MissM]

For what it's worth, I know a lot of locals who don't go because it's not just $100. It's $100 per person and once you start talking about Mom, Dad, a kid or two (Grandma you stay home - we can't afford for you to come!) - suddenly that one day experience is $400 just to walk in the door. Add in gas ($20-40), parking ($15), a QS meal (minimum of $10/person so another $40-50), a souvenir or two (because heck, you're only here for a day!) and your one day at Disney turns into a mortgage payment.

And while Love and I are Passholders, even that gets really expensive really quick for a family. Right now we pay nearly $70/month for our two passes on the monthly plan. Add in two kids and that doubles to quite a chunk of change every month! Not to mention, you have to put one day ticket price down, so you're putting $400 down, then paying another $140ish/month? Ouch.

Anyway, I always see people who are like, "eh, what's a few bucks more for the ticket really matter?" and I get it, but from what I hear and see from friends locally is that Disney isn't just expensive now, it's been too expensive for a long time and increases like this are just more fuel for the fire to them. Very few people are going to WDW by themselves so that $100 that doesn't seem so much to someone doesn't really represent the true costs when a family actually tries to go.

 

[alissafalco]

For what it's worth, I know a lot of locals who don't go because it's not just $100. It's $100 per person and once you start talking about Mom, Dad, a kid or two (Grandma you stay home - we can't afford for you to come!) - suddenly that one day experience is $400 just to walk in the door. Add in gas ($20-40), parking ($15), a QS meal (minimum of $10/person so another $40-50), a souvenir or two (because heck, you're only here for a day!) and your one day at Disney turns into a mortgage payment.

And while Love and I are Passholders, even that gets really expensive really quick for a family. Right now we pay nearly $70/month for our two passes on the monthly plan. Add in two kids and that doubles to quite a chunk of change every month! Not to mention, you have to put one day ticket price down, so you're putting $400 down, then paying another $140ish/month? Ouch.

Anyway, I always see people who are like, "eh, what's a few bucks more for the ticket really matter?" and I get it, but from what I hear and see from friends locally is that Disney isn't just expensive now, it's been too expensive for a long time and increases like this are just more fuel for the fire to them. Very few people are going to WDW by themselves so that $100 that doesn't seem so much to someone doesn't really represent the true costs when a family actually tries to go.

I would think if you are a Florida resident that the seasonal AP would be the best way to go. It's $339 for the AP, with a $286 renewal. Yes, there are black out dates on the crazy times, but if you live in Florida you can avoid those times and go more often when you would like. There's also ways to avoid parking fees too, DTD etc.