WSJ: Even Disney Is Worried About The High Cost Of A Disney Vacation (gift link)

[flynnibus]

I don’t disagree, but it’s not all Disney’s marketing. People have changed from the way they were in the 70’s and 80’s.

Everything is faster paced and consumerism has run rampant. Is Disney causing this change or responding to it?

One can not hide from the product strategy that drove the transformation at WDW... most notably the change from passports to room packages, MYW discounting and ultimately non-expiring tickets.. and now.. dated tickets.

Disney wasn't making those resort TV shows for kicks... they greatly expanded and then wanted guests consuming as much as physically possible. Stacey was there to make sure you never had a doubt on what you should be planning to do.. and downtime.. whose got time for that?

You're paying hundreds of dollars a night for the hotel, and theme park tickets are like $10/day or less on the back half of the trip.. MAWR PARKS... It pretty much ensured people would have park tickets for every day of a visit.

 

[surfsupdon]

No hotels have lost a water slide or hot tub

Believe it or not but CBR has lost 2 hot tubs over the years.
I understand that no hotel has lost a water slide, but in the Disney decade all hotels had waterslides or hot tubs until the values were built. Again a changing shift from a Resort feel to merely a hotel next to theme parks.

 

[surfsupdon]

Five is an interesting definition of 'several', especially considering how many resorts and DVC properties there actually are.

And also considering that ALL moderate, deluxe, and deluxe villas at one point had bike AND boat rentals (except at AKL).

 

[JoeCamel]

Believe it or not but CBR has lost 2 hot tubs over the years.
I understand that no hotel has lost a water slide, but in the Disney decade all hotels had waterslides or hot tubs until the values were built. Again a changing shift from a Resort feel to merely a hotel next to theme parks.

Well they evicted the clown so kinda.....

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Believe it or not but CBR has lost 2 hot tubs over the years.

Oh, ugh.

I don't get the appeal of CBR. Too large.

Pop is usually my preferred hotel if not with my family. I've said this before, but I actually paid less for Pop on my last trip than I did for a Double Tree Hilton in Anaheim, and Pop's room was way nicer. Can't really knock Pop. I also like some of the amenities like the 24 hour refill station. Nice when you're coming back from a long day at the park.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Googles definition of several:
1
a
: separate or distinct from one another
federal union of the several states

b(1)
: individually owned or controlled : EXCLUSIVE
a several fishery

compare COMMON
(2)
: of or relating separately to each individual involved
a several judgment

c
: being separate and distinctive : RESPECTIVE
specialists in their several fields


2
a
: more than one
several pleas

b
: more than two but fewer than many
moved several inches

Walt Disney World currently lists 34 resorts on their website.

FIVE, or 15% of them if you round up, currently offer bike rentals.

No matter what Google says, if you were to ask most people if 'several' came out to 15% in their minds, most people would probably say no. They might respond that it seems like several MORE resorts do not offer bike rentals than do, and they would be correct.

 

[Agent H]

Believe it or not but CBR has lost 2 hot tubs over the years.
I understand that no hotel has lost a water slide, but in the Disney decade all hotels had waterslides or hot tubs until the values were built. Again a changing shift from a Resort feel to merely a hotel next to theme parks.

I concede the point on the hot tubs

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Funny thing is, I just priced out Universal because we are debating making that a trip this year. Same idea with JUST a resort/ticket package for 4 days, $3,700. It's why I'm not sure we ever become Universal people, and why I think Universal is making large mistakes in copying the Disney pricing model.

We went to Universal in FL for the first time a few years ago and this was our experience also, after years of hearing how cheap Universal was I was shocked how similar it was to Disney pricing.

 

[Jrb1979]

We went to Universal in FL for the first time a few years ago and this was our experience also, after years of hearing how cheap Universal was I was shocked how similar it was to Disney pricing.

It's exactly why my family had opted for parks like Knotts now. Much cheaper and we have just as much fun.

 

[surfsupdon]

I concede the point on the hot tubs

I did understand your original point and I should have clarified mine better.

CBR lost its arcade too. A place my sister and I used to spend time in after every food court meal with the change we were given.

As a fun aside, Goombay Games was the first place on Disney property my sis and I were allowed to venture to alone, without my parents. It was a big deal that they’d give us each $5 to spend and we could cross the island from Aruba and play games and return afterwards. Seriously great memories.

But so different today. It really stinks.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

driving around while he shouts potty words into Apple CarPlay's voice-to-text is the best time ever.

Not going to lie. That is kinda fun.

 

[HauntedPirate]

There are bike rentals at several resorts. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/bike-rentals/ No hot tub was removed. Boat rentals, fishing excursions, and stuff at individual resorts like night safaris at AKL and paddle boats at the Swolphin exist too.

He didn’t say a hot tub was removed.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I did understand your original point and I should have clarified mine better.

CBR lost its arcade too. A place my sister and I used to spend time in after every food court meal with the change we were given.

As a fun aside, Goombay Games was the first place on Disney property my sis and I were allowed to venture to alone, without my parents. It was a big deal that they’d give us each $5 to spend and we could cross the island from Aruba and play games and return afterwards. Seriously great memories.

But so different today. It really stinks.

Ooo, anyone else remember the original Contemporary arcade? Back when it was on the first floor? It was MASSIVE. And you earned tickets and got prizes.

(Last part going away is on the state of Florida, not Disney).

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Ooo, anyone else remember the original Contemporary arcade? Back when it was on the first floor? It was MASSIVE. And you earned tickets and got prizes.

(Last part going away is on the state of Florida, not Disney).

That place rocked.

 

[Agent H]

I did understand your original point and I should have clarified mine better.

CBR lost its arcade too. A place my sister and I used to spend time in after every food court meal with the change we were given.

As a fun aside, Goombay Games was the first place on Disney property my sis and I were allowed to venture to alone, without my parents. It was a big deal that they’d give us each $5 to spend and we could cross the island from Aruba and play games and return afterwards. Seriously great memories.

But so different today. It really stinks.

2 questions what’s goombay games? And where was the CBR arcade?

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

That arcade at the Contemp was special.

I mean the chemistry was there.

Put a bunch of us feral GenX kids from all over the country in a huge arcade knowing that our parents weren’t even going to think about checking in on us for several hours.

We’re going to figure it out.

That was “The Magic”

 

[surfsupdon]

2 questions what’s goombay games? And where was the CBR arcade?

Goombay Games was Caribbeans arcade until its newest reimagining removed it.
It is now backstage offices for the front desk and bell services. If you walk in the main lobby from the pineapple fountain, it used to be straight back to the right.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Not going to lie. That is kinda fun.

Siri keeps the utmost professional tone through it all.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

It's exactly why my family had opted for parks like Knotts now. Much cheaper and we have just as much fun.

For several years as a teenager I had annual passes to Lagoon park in UT and would always dream of going to DL, this year we didn’t renew our APs at DL and one of the replacement trips we’re looking forward to is a trip to Lagoon, funny how some time away makes most things special again. I’m secretly hoping that taking some time away from Disney will have the same affect and help us re-find the magic.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

That arcade at the Contemp was special.

I mean the chemistry was there.

Put a bunch of us feral GenX kids from all over the country in a huge arcade knowing that our parents weren’t even going to think about checking in on us for several hours.

We’re going to figure it out.

That was “The Magic”

I'm a younger millennial, but my parents took me there. I was supervised, but given some quarters and allowed to roam when I was elementary school age. We have pictures of me playing air hockey with my uncle. Disney eventually replaced it with the one upstairs about the time BLT was built. Not the same, but I still spent hours there as a teenager and my parents knew where to find me. I miss the prizes. I still have a lava lamp I won there.

My dad went with a friend when he was 18 (this would be 1978). They were staying at Poly. He says the one dumb thing they did was they were over at Contemporary at that arcade and didn't pay attention to when the Monorail stopped running. 1 am they headed back, but the Monorail was done running. So they started walking. Fortunately Disney security caught them and gave them a ride back to Poly.