Too much money and not worth it..

[parkerthebarker]

My husband goes almost solely for the food lol. Granted we tend to go to mostly sit down and/or signature restaurants. We love how many different options there are.

My family is probably more materialistic than we should be. We do not really mind the "buy" culture. There are many souvenirs we got there over the years that we still love and cherish. When we go on vacations we tend to go for the luxury and fun of it. Spending more money to get more experiences do not bother us.

Depending on how long we go and which hotel we stay up come up our trips to Disney world tend to cost anywhere from $10K to $15K. We tend to go every other year. The off years we turn to go to places like New York State, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone. So on average all of our trips cost anywhere from $10K to $20K.

We went to Disney world on our honeymoon 13 years ago for about what you spent. We did not have quite the same budget it back then. We had to watch every penny we spent, but we still loved the whole trip enough to go back over and over again. However we have definitely enjoyed the experience much more the more money we were willing to put into it...

However, that tends to be life in general. I do not fault Disney for that mindset because that is pretty much how all life works. Really it is about managing expectations and what experiences mean the most to you.

Gotcha. I don't like a buy culture, and I guess that's why I was turned off. We could have easily afforded to spend more. It's not like I felt we were missing out, and don't feel like the lack of spending affected our impression.

I think at the end of the day its just not our kind of trip haha!

 

[parkerthebarker]

Well, Disney definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea. I can certainly understand why someone would prefer not to visit it for the same reasons I do. It definitely can be a lot for any sane person.

I am obsessed with a parks probably in large part due to nostalgia. The other part is I am an extreme type A planner. A trip to Disney world is like a drug for me. I love all of the extreme planning that goes into it lol.

Lol!! I totally get that! It's a planners dream haha!

 

[Goofyernmost]

We did a character breakfast when we were there 7 years ago, and it was not great. And obscenely expensive.

We ate at quick service places this past time, because we didn't want to spend $22 for an entree. It's not like I'm asking for a gourmet meal. But the grilled chicken sandwiches were so bland, made Wendy's seem like fine dining. Just have some flavor? Not asking for much.

I went last month and had breakfast at "Be Our Guest". It consisted of two poached eggs on a croissant, two small pastries and tea. We had to get our own drinks and even had to go to the opposite side of the room for eating utensils. $30.00 each for the meal. It tasted OK, but not 30 bucks ok! I'd say it is drastically overpriced though. I wanted to try the place (once) very well themed, but since I had already paid $100 to get into the park, it didn't exactly thrill my taste buds. Once will be enough.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I don't want to have to do that much research to not spend $14 for a sandwich!

That’s about the going rate there. Not a big deal to me.

$2 more gets you a lobster roll at Columbia Harbour House, or a shrimp po boy at Olivia’s.

Les Halles in France has an excellent chicken breast sandwich for $9 (similar turkey $8.50) and other options in that range.

CBR QS: pulled pork with fries around $13 (love it) and the best veggie cheese steak with fries for $11.49 (love it as well.)

There are plenty of very good options.

 

[parkerthebarker]

Well, there you go.

Exactly! I mean give me Wendy's for $14 and I'd be a happy camper.

 

[parkerthebarker]

That’s about the going rate there. Not a big deal to me.

$2 more gets you a lobster roll at Columbia Harbour House, or a shrimp po boy at Olivia’s.

Les Halles in France has an excellent chicken breast sandwich for $9 (similar turkey $8.50) and other options in that range.

CBR QS: pulled pork with fries around $13 (love it) and the best veggie cheese steak with fries for $11.49 (love it as well.)

There are plenty of very good options.

I'm allergic to seafood.

Didn't go to "France". Well, I went to the real France in the past and spent way less. But never been to the France in Epcot and dined.

You are nitpicking- that if you search deeply there is good food. That's not what I am debating. What my point is- the general run of the mills food is over priced and not justified. For an average family, it's sinful what they charge. Plain and simple.

I'm sure the Disney executives love this debate though. They know people will always pay... sigh. I split every meal with my 2 kids. Packed snacks. It still came to an obscene bill at the end of the trip. We can luckily afford it. I feel bad for families who save up for these kinds of trips and don'r realize.... there are much better travel options out there.

 

[parkerthebarker]

I went last month and had breakfast at "Be Our Guest". It consisted of two poached eggs on a croissant, two small pastries and tea. We had to get our own drinks and even had to go to the opposite side of the room for eating utensils. $30.00 each for the meal. It tasted OK, but not 30 bucks ok! I'd say it is drastically overpriced though. I wanted to try the place (once) very well themed, but since I had already paid $100 to get into the park, it didn't exactly thrill my taste buds. Once will be enough.

That's crazy!! And I realize since it's well themed they realize they can charge more. My mother in law took my daughter and her cousins there 2 years ago. When I realized how much I said- no thanks! Disney sucks you in though. It's amazing how easily things become justified when you are in the park.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I let my AP expire in 2010 because I thought that the cost to value ratio was ridiculously out of whack. Since then the costs have gone up exponentially. I think the prices now are literally insane. Right up there with buying fur lined sinks and gasoline powered turtle neck sweaters.

 

[parkerthebarker]

I let my AP expire in 2010 because I thought that the cost to value ratio was ridiculously out of whack. Since then the costs have gone up exponentially. I think the prices now are literally insane. Right up there with buying fur lined sinks and gasoline powered turtle neck sweaters.

Hahahaha! Now I would invest in a fur lined sink! )

Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks the prices are crazy. Walt Disney after all wanted a space where middle class families could enjoy it easily. The prices now are geared towards upper class, but the parks are filled with people not in those income brackets saving for months and years.... which is just crazy.

I have coworkers who are in debt, yet go to Disney every year. And scoffed when I told them we were staying at a budget resort, doing the bare minimum. Scoff. It was wild.

 

[The_Jobu]

Hahaha! I haven't actually!

Welcome then. Pull up a seat and complain with us. It's cathartic.

 

[parkerthebarker]

Welcome then. Pull up a seat and complain with us. It's cathartic.

Haha! Complaining is kind of the best thing. Especially on the internet..

 

[Hakunamatata]

I dont get it. Create a new account on a message board about a place you say you are going to take a long break from.

 

[parkerthebarker]

I dont get it. Create a new account on a message board about a place you say you are going to take a long break from.

I mean, that's part of the fun. It's very much taboo to speak against Disney. Friends who ask about our trip are turned off when I am honest.

I am a curious person by nature. I think different opinions make the world more interesting. And we can all learn from one another. Just reading the responses I've gotten has given me a different perspective. Hopefully my thoughts do the same for others!

 

[MissingDisney]

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

No I haven't experienced what you describe.
I go every year if not more than that.
In 2020 I plan to go twice.
I go on short trips so I can go more often, I am only paying for myself, I don't buy a ton of souvenirs, when I'm on a serious budget I do not get a dining plan and just eat at QS locations.

As you can see below I've been to other places but always come back to Disney.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I'm allergic to seafood.

Didn't go to "France". Well, I went to the real France in the past and spent way less. But never been to the France in Epcot and dined.

You are nitpicking- that if you search deeply there is good food. That's not what I am debating. What my point is- the general run of the mills food is over priced and not justified. For an average family, it's sinful what they charge. Plain and simple.

I'm sure the Disney executives love this debate though. They know people will always pay... sigh. I split every meal with my 2 kids. Packed snacks. It still came to an obscene bill at the end of the trip. We can luckily afford it. I feel bad for families who save up for these kinds of trips and don'r realize.... there are much better travel options out there.

Your allergies do not negate the fact there are options.

And no, it’s not about “if you search deeply,” just if you look at all.

My examples were just a few of my favorites off the top of my head - from two different parks and two resorts. I’m sure there are plenty more for various tastes.

So if you had posted here before your trip, you could have benefited from the experience of others, rather than rely on trial and error and then go out of your way to sign up and complain. You want a great chicken sandwich for under $14? I got one for ya. Nine bucks. Sorry, they’re not going to put food from the French pavilion at every QS.

But if your frame of reference is thinking a $1.99 burger from Wendy’s is a viable meal and $22 a plate for dinner is high, then your reaction to Disney is not surprising.

 

[Lilofan]

In the big merchandise shop in Japan at Epcot there are white pearl necklaces in a glass case that sell for 15k a piece. Now that's something I don't see often not just in Disney but anywhere else. I asked the CM and she told me. She also said divers have to go deep off the coast of Japan to find these pearls.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

We did a character breakfast when we were there 7 years ago, and it was not great. And obscenely expensive.

We ate at quick service places this past time, because we didn't want to spend $22 for an entree. It's not like I'm asking for a gourmet meal. But the grilled chicken sandwiches were so bland, made Wendy's seem like fine dining. Just have some flavor? Not asking for much.

That's my gripe too. I can deal with being fed pig fodder, and I can deal with gourmet meal prices. But not the combination.

My solution is to order from the dollar menu at McDonald's after the park. Best food all day.

 

[Genie_naughty_whispers]

Sounds like you should stick to zoos and county fairs.

 

[marni1971]

Sounds like you raise some very valid points. Prices are out of control now.

We‘re lucky to be able to do it cheap(er) and have begun to limit days in Disney parks. Cost to value ratio has swung far too much to Igers side. Plus we have to add transatlantic airfares etc. We’re not exactly novices either.