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

[TrainsOfDisney]

The prior poster's comment was bunkus...

And why is that? Is Disneyland concerned about attendance and hotel occupancy the way WDW is?

My comment was specific to the topic of this thread. I don’t feel like Disneyland has the same issues that WDW has when it comes to attendance, charging too much for too little value, etc.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Honestly I think it's a bit more recent the change has occurred. I remember looking at this like 5 years ago, and yes, the base was different, but to get a similar size room and pick it, etc., it ended up very close. I just looked within the last week (cause we want to do another cruise), and Disney was around $1k more expensive than Royal. Couple hundred I'm sure we'd do Disney for the themed lounges/kids clubs. One grand has us reconsidering.

Depends what ship you are looking at comparing.

The newer Royal ships, especially the Icon class is definitely getting closer to Disney (still less expensive but not by as much as for the older ships).

You can still get some good deals/much cheaper than Disney if will to do the older Royal Ships (even compared to older Disney ships) ... But especially Icon, they are going after the Disney crowd

 

[Jrb1979]

Don't agree... we were well off as kids and we still only would manage WDW trips every 3-4 years. And not because we didn't do vacations... but because WDW vacations were a big expensive deal.

We weren't the 3-4hr driving radius... nor were we FL residents. Which seemed to make up the bulk of the 'high frequency' visitors in the early days from what I can tell. The 'disney obsessed' families that would only vacation at Disney seemed to be a construct that developed later in the late 80s and 90s from my limited observations.

My family was a middle class family growing up. We managed to do Disney trips from mid 80s to mid 90s. We didn't stay on site much but my parents found it affordable.

My point is yes Disney was always expensive but not to the point 80% of Americans can't afford it.

 

[HauntedPirate]

DCL does offer a more family friendly environment- no casino and no drink packages.

Funnily enough, DCL sent me a survey a month or so ago, and alcoholic drink packages were specifically mentioned. "Assuming the following items were not included in the base price of your next multi-day ocean cruise, how likely would you be to purchase and/or pay more while onboard for each one?" Item #5:

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

1k? So like 20% or less difference? Seems small fries in the grand scheme.

Last trip we were doing... I did the 'well lets see what the alts are offering' -- and really the gap wasn't big enough to sway me to 'go cheap'. It's not like we were going to get a cruise for 1k while Disney was 3k... It was like 20% difference in our situation. Just not enough savings to feel good about sacrificing the service quality to us.

That’s all good if you accept the premise that Dcl is higher priced because they are “superior”…
That isn’t a great stance to take

 

[flynnibus]

And why is that? Is Disneyland concerned about attendance and hotel occupancy the way WDW is?

Yes, Disneyland just has different feeders and demographics it's working with. The game pieces are different, but the big picture is similar. How they play the game differs tho because of the customer profiles and splits.

My comment was specific to the topic of this thread. I don’t feel like Disneyland has the same issues that WDW has when it comes to attendance, charging too much for too little value, etc.

The Pixar Hotel isn't stupidly priced for what it is?
The Grand Californian not overpriced for what it is? The reduction of services at the DLH no longer a concern?

The fact you can't even buy the APs you want at DL no longer a concern?
The fact Parkhopper costs nearly what a full day pass used to cost just 10yrs ago?
Prices have outright doubled in the last 10yrs.

I don't think as many people talk about the DLR situation simply because so many side step it by not actually eating onsite, not staying at disney hotels, and just accepted the ticket costs.

At DLR, 'alternatives' are more accessible and less of a tradeoff compared to WDW due to the geography and visiting patterns.

Honestly the biggest delta in the value proposition of the parks themselves is the fact that DLR actually runs good operating hours and hasn't changed over to running ticketed events as the alternative like WDW has.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don't think as many people talk about the DLR situation simply because so many side step it by not actually eating onsite, not staying at disney hotels, and just accepted the ticket costs.

I eat all my meals on site. Usually stay at a Priceline deal just offsite, but I usually get one of the Disney springs hotels on Priceline too. Tickets are tickets on both coasts.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Funnily enough, DCL sent me a survey a month or so ago, and alcoholic drink packages were specifically mentioned. "Assuming the following items were not included in the base price of your next multi-day ocean cruise, how likely would you be to purchase and/or pay more while onboard for each one?" Item #5:

View attachment 847344

Yeah, virgin is testing it too I believe. In both cases I think it’s a bad move but there are many regular cruisers who want it.

 

[Ayla]

Funnily enough, DCL sent me a survey a month or so ago, and alcoholic drink packages were specifically mentioned. "Assuming the following items were not included in the base price of your next multi-day ocean cruise, how likely would you be to purchase and/or pay more while onboard for each one?" Item #5:

View attachment 847344

I'd need the boozy drinks just to deal with all the screaming brats. Which is why I will never cruise DCL.