Walt Disney Travel Company identifies 6 types of Disney Travelers

[draybook]

Yeah, our trips range from 3k-5k. That's also because we've gone twice per year, this year and 2011. The March trips were for cheer and were offsite and lower key. The September trips were anniversary trips and were on site.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

fan... but not savers... nor huge 7k spenders (how can you spend that much between 2 people??) hmm fan and moderate spender? lol

I came pretty close a couple years ago. Here's a rough breakdown of the last time that it was just my BF and I - Christmas 2009 at Disney and New Years 2010 at Universal:

Flights - $2300
7 day-Disney Package (POR-River view, 7 day MYW-PH-WP, Dining Plan) - $3300
Universal Tickets - $350
Sea World Tickets - $100
Additional meals - $150
Souvenirs - $300
Grand Total for 10 day trip for 2 people - $6500

Of course later that year I went with my sister and niece and we paid about $3500 for 3 people so it all balances out

 

[DisneyJoe]

I came pretty close a couple years ago. Here's a rough breakdown of the last time that it was just my BF and I - Christmas 2009 at Disney and New Years 2010 at Universal:

Flights - $2300
7 day-Disney Package (POR-River view, 7 day MYW-PH-WP, Dining Plan) - $3300
Universal Tickets - $350
Sea World Tickets - $100
Additional meals - $150
Souvenirs - $300
Grand Total for 10 day trip for 2 people - $6500

Of course later that year I went with my sister and niece and we paid about $3500 for 3 people so it all balances out

I'd consider that meeting the $7k per year average that the article mentions.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Hey, Disney - if you can't afford to clean the parks, you can't afford to pay people to sit around putting guests into columns! Time to go back to basics, guys!

Most of this info is already in their reservation database, it probably took 1 IT person a few days (if that) to create and run the reports to generate this data. In fact, they probably have it scheduled to run on a regular basis for management to review.

The online surveys that guests fill out feed into the same system eventually to add to this data.

 

[bubbles1812]

I have characteristics of Saver, Traveler, and Friend. Shows how their generalizations are just that. I guess by their way of classification I am not a "fan" because I don't spend that much on a vacation. I don't spend all, or nearly all my vacation time at Disney (I love Disney but for me, I need vacation time and experience other than Disney. Life has too much to offer besides Disney. Again, just my feelings). I definitely don't use Disney as a backdrop for all my celebrations. However, I would love to visit all the Disney destinations some day and do know about all about the major things going on at Disney thanks to this handy dandy site

 

[scoobygirl39541]

I came pretty close a couple years ago. Here's a rough breakdown of the last time that it was just my BF and I - Christmas 2009 at Disney and New Years 2010 at Universal:

Flights - $2300
7 day-Disney Package (POR-River view, 7 day MYW-PH-WP, Dining Plan) - $3300
Universal Tickets - $350
Sea World Tickets - $100
Additional meals - $150
Souvenirs - $300
Grand Total for 10 day trip for 2 people - $6500

Of course later that year I went with my sister and niece and we paid about $3500 for 3 people so it all balances out

$2300 for flights??? O_O That's where I'd never make $7000, our flights are NEVER more than $500 total! We're usually at $4500-$5000 total with everything you mentioned and sometimes more, depending.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I would consider myself a fan, but being a student I'm not sure I even make $7,000 at my part time job, so I'm obviously not spending it on a Disney vacation lmao.

 

[powlessfamily4]

I am definitely a fan, however I am a fan who can budget a little better than 7k. I want to a better time than a value trip but not quite as good of one as a full on fan.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Fan/Traveler...or Fan AND Traveler....

 

[copcarguyp71]

We would be FAVERS (fan/savers)....I wish we had $7k to spend on a vacation but we do not. We are however avid fans of WDW so we fall somewhere between the two. I will say that I just found out that a convention I usually attend that moves around the country will be in Orlando in Oct 2014 so a trip to the world may be a swell write off that year and might mean that we can do the much coveted Contemporary park-view room I have always wanted to do!

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

$2300 for flights??? O_O That's where I'd never make $7000, our flights are NEVER more than $500 total! We're usually at $4500-$5000 total with everything you mentioned and sometimes more, depending.

Yeah, it was Christmas time and coming from Nova Scotia. Just for kicks I checked the prices for the same flights this year for those dates (Dec 23rd - Jan 2nd) and they are at $2595 for 2 people. I flew this past April for $808 and August 2011 for $515. Rates from Canada can be crazy!

 

[DisneyJoe]

I wish we had $7k to spend on a vacation but we do not

Per the article, Fans spend $7k per YEAR on vacation, not $7k per vacation.

I have many clients that take 2 or more trips per year that would meet this criteria. I do have some that would meet it with 1 trip.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Being a small business owner I can only get away once per year so I blow it all on one trip...I wish I could justify $7k on one seven night trip but it aint gonna happen!

 

[unkadug]

Per the article, Fans spend $7k per YEAR on vacation, not $7k per vacation.

I have many clients that take 2 or more trips per year that would meet this criteria. I do have some that would meet it with 1 trip.

No...it says :

They are willing to spend more than other travelers on premium vacations and spend approximately $7,000 a year on a vacation.​

"A" vacation implies that they spend 7,000 on that trip. It says a vacation not vacation/vacations.

 

[scoobygirl39541]

Yeah, it was Christmas time and coming from Nova Scotia. Just for kicks I checked the prices for the same flights this year for those dates (Dec 23rd - Jan 2nd) and they are at $2595 for 2 people. I flew this past April for $808 and August 2011 for $515. Rates from Canada can be crazy!

woah! We're only coming from Pennsylvania!

 

[doctornick]

Also, if you are going to Disney World and don't want to use a travel agent that basically means you will be walking into a hotel and asking for a room and buying tickets directly at a park which may not suit your tight work schedules.

Really? My family is DVC, so I go through them, but if we weren't... I think we'd just go online at Disney's site and book a hotel and whatever stuff we need directly from Disney. And then get air separately (as we do anyway). Going to a resort like WDW, I actually think it is remarkable easy to do stuff without a travel agent since everything would come from one place so you just deal direct. If not online, can't you just call reservations at Disney? Am I wrong?

Of course, I'm the type who rarely uses travel agents for trips. Even going on multiple country trips in Europe, I just do the stuff on my own, so I'm probably not a typical person when it comes to vacation planning.

 

[awoogala]

Really? My family is DVC, so I go through them, but if we weren't... I think we'd just go online at Disney's site and book a hotel and whatever stuff we need directly from Disney. And then get air separately (as we do anyway). Going to a resort like WDW, I actually think it is remarkable easy to do stuff without a travel agent since everything would come from one place so you just deal direct. If not online, can't you just call reservations at Disney? Am I wrong?

Of course, I'm the type who rarely uses travel agents for trips. Even going on multiple country trips in Europe, I just do the stuff on my own, so I'm probably not a typical person when it comes to vacation planning.

yes, we have done 3 trips. No travel agents. I can call disney directly, or use the easy online option, do dining reservations in five minutes, do dining in 20 minutes to an hour or so. Not really that difficult.
I can do it in my pajamas,online, at 2 am.

 

[Ralphlaw]

They forgot one category: Addict. That's my family. We're insane, spending well in excess of $10,000 a year on disney, watching Disney park videos and listening to disney park music on Youtube on Saturday mornings, and taking at least 2 Disney Trips a year such as a cruise and WDW. Yup, we need a 12 step program.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Really? My family is DVC, so I go through them, but if we weren't... I think we'd just go online at Disney's site and book a hotel and whatever stuff we need directly from Disney. And then get air separately (as we do anyway). Going to a resort like WDW, I actually think it is remarkable easy to do stuff without a travel agent since everything would come from one place so you just deal direct. If not online, can't you just call reservations at Disney? Am I wrong?

Of course, I'm the type who rarely uses travel agents for trips. Even going on multiple country trips in Europe, I just do the stuff on my own, so I'm probably not a typical person when it comes to vacation planning.

What I meant is, when you call Disney you are using a travel agent. (specifically The Walt Disney Travel Company, Inc.) They are travel agents. If you book on a website you are booking via an agent. These people are all travel agents they just have different methods of contact. They all get paid commissions which are built into your rate when booking. The difference is level of service. If you book online through "discount sites" (which really offer no discounts that aren't actually available to your local travel agent) you are getting basically zero service and zero responsibility. Most online booking sites also have terms and conditions such as they will not guarantee dates, rates, carriers, hotels and amenities will be available as booked. Many reserve the right to charge your credit card up to 90 days after you return home from your vacation for additional fees.

The quality of agent services may change but they are all agents of some sort. Online bookings are great until something goes wrong and you have no one to work on your behalf. Also, since you can get the same rate with an independant travel agency and better service, it may suit some people to use them instead. Some people value service over fast bookings especially when the rates are the same (or in some cases better) than booking on their own.

BTW, I only mentioned this because of this quote:

This article just left a very bad taste in my mouth. I do not foresee me using a travel agent again in the future as a result.

The agents in that room for that study could have been online agents, Disney agents, local agents, home-based agents. I would assume that since the agency that hosted the event "WD Travel Co. Inc" is the one that left the bad taste in this posters mouth so it makes it difficult to NOT use them since most Disney bookings go through them in one form or another.