News Walt Disney World theme park ticket price increases go into effect March 12 2019

[mikejs78]

I agree with what you've said, for the most part. I think people continue to return to WDW, perhaps even after the threshold of $ pain has been crossed, for nostalgia reasons. They went as kids and hope to have their own kids experience it as well... or they're still kids at heart and hope to recapture the magic. The cold reality of higher prices and larger crowds throws a wet blanket on that, so they have to now trade off the value of the trip vs. the 'feelings' of the trip, and that's a tough thing for people to do, so they complain.

That's presuming a lot. Yes, I do take my kids and want them to experience the same thing I do. And you know what? They do. And we do. I've experienced many great family vacations in WDW - when I was a kid, just my wife and myself when we first got married and rediscovered WDW 15 years ago, and now with my two boys. And I feel that I get value for my money. Sure, I roll my eyes at the prices sometimes. And some things I don't do or buy because I don't think the value is there. But overall Disney vacations for me and my family are magical. Sure, I'll armchair imagineer and nitpick theming and other stuff like most others here. But when I'm there, I hardly think about any of that. Because as someone who isn't an AP holder and only typically goes once a year at best (and often less frequently), I just let go and enjoy my time with my family in a place we all really enjoy. And so yes, it's worth the money to me.

I was in Disney over President's Day. TouringPlans listed it as 9/10 and 10/10 crowd level days all week. First time I've been to the parks when it's been that busy - and I was a bit nervous about that before the trip. Didn't matter. Had a blast. And I do t see that changing anytime soon.

And no, I don't go into credit card debt when I go to Disney.

Disney prices...? As I've said before.....I'll work all the overtime in the world....cause nothing will keep us from it!!
Good excuse to log a few more hours now and then.....

That's an awesome attitude.

 

[SteveAZee]

That's presuming a lot. Yes, I do take my kids and want them to experience the same thing I do. And you know what? They do. And we do. I've experienced many great family vacations in WDW - when I was a kid, just my wife and myself when we first got married and rediscovered WDW 15 years ago, and now with my two boys. And I feel that I get value for my money. Sure, I roll my eyes at the prices sometimes. And some things I don't do or buy because I don't think the value is there. But overall Disney vacations for me and my family are magical. Sure, I'll armchair imagineer and nitpick theming and other stuff like most others here. But when I'm there, I hardly think about any of that. Because as someone who isn't an AP holder and only typically goes once a year at best (and often less frequently), I just let go and enjoy my time with my family in a place we all really enjoy. And so yes, it's worth the money to me.

I was in Disney over President's Day. TouringPlans listed it as 9/10 and 10/10 crowd level days all week. First time I've been to the parks when it's been that busy - and I was a bit nervous about that before the trip. Didn't matter. Had a blast. And I do t see that changing anytime soon.

And no, I don't go into credit card debt when I go to Disney.



That's an awesome attitude.

I wasn't suggesting that a majority of people are like this. Many people have no interest in a Disney vacation regardless of cost, some will pay whatever it costs, some used to go but find the cost no longer worth it. The people who are torn, I believe, are in that band where they still want to go, but find the cost getting to be prohibitive, but go regardless due to the nostalgia, and then feel like they didn't get their money's worth. I guess what I'm suggesting is that Disney is great at developing nostalgia over generations, but at the same time that can create some people's negative feelings when things just don't work out (either the dollars or the experience) the way they imagined.

I'm probably much like you... my first time to WDW was 1973 and went often as an older child and young adult. I raised kids and brought them often to the parks, owned DVC, and really enjoyed the (arguably) the best decade for the resort, the 1990's. I've been back a few times over the last decade, and I'm returning with my grown children and their partners in a few months. I'm fine with it being a different experience, and I'm OK with the costs. My comments were mostly about how some people feel torn between the cost and the nostalgia... mostly as an answer to the question of 'why people return if they think it's too expensive', or words to that effect.

 

[ThistleMae]

I think many vacations are like this, cost versus experience, is it worth it? When you have a certain budget for vacation, it makes for tough decisions. I am one who could easily debate the "is it worth it question" to the point that my vacation can be ruined. So instead, I just focus on having fun...if I've spent the money to go, then it's gone, so no use crying about it after the fact. Money is like water, it just slips out of your hands and goes down the drain. Believe me, the older you get, and when you are on a fixed income it's just too easy to become discouraged. It becomes a choice...do I want to live happy, or do I want to be continually disappointed by what I don't have. I choose to be happy and find fulfillment with what I do have. And I'm a good budgeter, which helps.

 

[brucerob62]

People quit complaining ..people will pay it..dont like it dont go

 

[Prog]

This is symptomatic of greater economic problems as a whole. And I don't mean, like, jobs reports; I mean fundamental normative ideologies on which our economy is based.

Basically, it's the rising income gap and the increasing discrepancies between the haves and the have-nots. Left unchecked and it'll really start to look more like castes and serfdoms.

When The Disney Company was run by the Disney family, it had at least some ideals apart from shareholder ROI. A purely profit-driven company would not have taken the absurd risks of Disneyland, The Florida Project, or even WDW as it materialized for the first decade or two (overbuilt EPCOT Center, monorails for mass transit, utilidors, etc.). For better or worse, however, American capitalism creates structures which eventually push everything to solely a profit focus. Families across all income levels feel an obligation to bring their kids to Disney at least once, creating a demand that Disney would need to take extreme measures to kill. Meanwhile, Disney sees little incentive to substantially invest in their parks. At this point, if you build it, they will come; but if you don't build it, they will probably still come. The Disney of yore would've probably continued to add capacity, like they did with EPCOT Center, but the crowding was doing little to diminish revenue, so why bother? Nowadays you don't spend money in business unless you can demonstrate it'll make money.

And so, with those factors, we got a series of missteps in the 90s and 00s. MGM was generally not well thought-out, especially once it started trying to capitalize on Universal Studios' gimmick and hopefully prevent them taking business. Inelastic demand gave them the leeway to leave Epcot, MGM, and to a lesser extent, MK, to stagnate. This drove increasing proportions of guests to MK, and DAK, being a "half-day" park for much of its life, did little to alleviate this. MK does not have enough attraction capacity to offset these crowds, unlike, say, Disneyland Park, meaning you'll get some combination of crowding and price hikes.

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if show quality, cleanliness, and maintenance were up to the standard of the affordable days, but it's... not. So, we are earning less, paying more, and getting less. You can scream "supply and demand" until your face is as green as Washington's, but that does little to negate my point, which is that the facts of the matter ultimately suck.

 

[disneyfireman]

People quit complaining ..people will pay it..dont like it dont go

AMEN Thats my feelings! I work overtime of needed..nothing will prevent us from going. Exactly, don't like the prices...goto six flags...or the local fair. WDW DLR isn for everyone to afford. Its not a right.
As for maintenance and cleanliness? Its as good as we've ever seen it..and that goes back to 1998 as paying adults. 1975 if you count as a kid...lol As a matter of fact..our last trip to WDW was 2017 2018 we went to DLR. I even commented to the wife as to how both destinations were immaculate.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Wow. It only took 13 pages for someone to enlighten us with the eternal wisdom of “Don’t like it, don’t go”. Such insight...

 

[disneyfireman]

People quit complaining ..people will pay it..dont like it dont go

AMEN Thats my feelings! I work overtime of needed..nothing will prevent us from going. Exactly, don't like the prices...goto six flags...

Wow. It only took 13 pages for someone to enlighten us with the eternal wisdom of “Don’t like it, don’t go”. Such insight...

What other wisdom its there? Don't like it don't go. Its simple, factual and reality. I mean, what else is there? Id work overtime each week to get the funds to go. Others complain they can no longer afford it...well, so what? If you cant you cant. Thats not disneys fault. Its just economics. I cant afford a ferrari..that doesn't make it a bad thing..its life. I'll get over it. The sun will come up tomorrow. But as for WDW/DLR I'll always find a way to goto one of them each year. It gets better year after year. If someone feels its gotten too$$ the don't go...move on.

 

[ThistleMae]

AMEN Thats my feelings! I work overtime of needed..nothing will prevent us from going. Exactly, don't like the prices...goto six flags...

What other wisdom its there? Don't like it don't go. Its simple, factual and reality. I mean, what else is there? Id work overtime each week to get the funds to go. Others complain they can no longer afford it...well, so what? If you cant you cant. Thats not disneys fault. Its just economics. I cant afford a ferrari..that doesn't make it a bad thing..its life. I'll get over it. The sun will come up tomorrow. But as for WDW/DLR I'll always find a way to goto one of them each year. It gets better year after year. If someone feels its gotten too$$ the don't go...move on.

It's a tad harsh but true. Still...I enjoy reading different opinions, it's all about accepting that we aren't all the same, and letting it go. What a boring world we'd have without contrast.

 

[disneyflush]

AMEN Thats my feelings! I work overtime of needed..nothing will prevent us from going. Exactly, don't like the prices...goto six flags...

What other wisdom its there? Don't like it don't go. Its simple, factual and reality. I mean, what else is there? Id work overtime each week to get the funds to go. Others complain they can no longer afford it...well, so what? If you cant you cant. Thats not disneys fault. Its just economics. I cant afford a ferrari..that doesn't make it a bad thing..its life. I'll get over it. The sun will come up tomorrow. But as for WDW/DLR I'll always find a way to goto one of them each year. It gets better year after year. If someone feels its gotten too$$ the don't go...move on.

There is no space for discussion between wanting to go and being able to pay for it. Can we all stop wanting a better experience please? I've wasted the last 12 years trying to find the wisdom and it was here all along. I am now one with the Igerness.

 

[ThistleMae]

Is it expensive....sure...but other vacations can cost just as much, and for me...far less enjoyment especially if I'm just on a site seeing type of vacation. It's all about what your willing to spend money on for the experience you want, or the experience you can afford. And sure, some folks can't afford it, maybe, or maybe they aren't good savers, we don't really know...and oh yeah, the folks who put everything on credit cards that never get paid off...that is until they file bankruptcy and everything is forgiven. When my kids were small, I couldn't afford to go, so we didn't. They have all been as adults with their kids...I guess they have managed to do better than I did...good for them! The bottom line is to figure out how to be happy within your means. And if you don't think something is worth spending money on, why would you spend money on it? Stumps me.

 

[eliza61nyc]

There is no space for discussion between wanting to go and being able to pay for it. Can we all stop wanting a better experience please? I've wasted the last 12 years trying to find the wisdom and it was here all along. I am now one with the Igerness.

lol, that is funny but the reality is what it is.
Absolutely a lot of space for discussion but "discussion" is not going holds the most power and it is a bit of wisdom that people forget. When the driving force behind decisions is money, the smart thing to effect change is to "mess with the money".
tell me, has any kvetching that goes on after a price increase done one iota of any thing to get a better experience? I have heard that the folks at wdw check out these type of sites so maybe they read them and get a chuckle and say "suckers", I don't know. I do know every year we get this thread, every year the basic complaints are aired.

1. Walt wanted every one to go
2. it use to be better and cleaner and rides were better
3. it's pricing out the middle class.
4. it's ridiculously packed

so people have aired these things for 12 years and I'm assuming gone back within those 12 years. what incentive is there for them to do anything. you are going regardless.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So maybe a better question would be, if you are still going do you feel you are getting your money's worth?

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm going! Still going! Not complaining! I feel sort of bad for folks who do go...but complain...but not letting too much of that into my head.

 

[disneyfireman]

So maybe a better question would be, if you are still going do you feel you are getting your money's worth?

110% yes

 

[erasure fan1]

so people have aired these things for 12 years and I'm assuming gone back within those 12 years. what incentive is there for them to do anything. you are going regardl

I'm just one person, but we were yearly visitors for over 20yrs with only 2 missed for my kids being born. Haven't been for 4yrs and canceled this year.

 

[DisneyJoe]

So maybe a better question would be, if you are still going do you feel you are getting your money's worth?

Yes

 

[disneyfireman]

I'm just one person, but we were yearly visitors for over 20yrs with only 2 missed for my kids being born. Haven't been for 4yrs and canceled this year.

AND SOMEONE ELSE.....replaced you more than willing to pay. Business...

 

[matt9112]

My parents didn't mind telling us they could not afford a WDW trip when I was growing up. They already paid for the yacht club so we had the pool and sailing. We lived on the Jersey Shore and had the beach everyday in the Summer. Looking back I see we were in the upper middle class but even then WDW was for the rich or those with the same money my parents had but spending it on a weeks vacation rather than something there kids could enjoy year round. We also has Great Adventures Annual Passes since it opened.

Disney was never for the masses. It is a lie that gets passed along by those who don't want to admit they came from families that were rich or were lucky to live near a Disney park.

i went when i was nine. family saved for years...no yacht club for me.

 

[ThistleMae]

I have relatives, who are definitely closer to the poverty level vs middle class. But they have a butt load of kids and get back thousands on their income tax and spend it all on a Disney Vacation. Others in this situation may pay bills, but I think many folks, who live by meager means, get a chance to do something fun or buy something special, that's often what they spend their money on.