Anything you no longer do/buy at Disney due to price?

[disneysteve]

The last time the ticket prices went up, Pete said that he wasn't going to complain since he would still continue to go just as much and pay the price. Having just returned from 2 weeks at Disney last night, it occurred to me that there are some things at Disney that we used to do or buy each trip that we no longer do purely due to price.

1. I have a pretty good collection of Disney polo shirts. I used to buy one or two new ones each trip. The past 3-4 years, I've looked at a bunch of them while there, found a couple that I liked but decided not to buy them when I saw the price. I'm just not spending $40 or more for a polo shirt that would be $20-25 anywhere else.

2. Onsite buffet meals. We used to eat at Crystal Palace every trip and occasionally one of the other buffets. The last time we ate there about 4 years ago, my wife happened to see the check and was shocked at how expensive it was. Yes, the food is good and it is fun to see the characters but they've really priced the experience out of consideration for us. We happened to read the menu board at Garden Grill the other day and saw that it was $35 per person. We're just not spending well over $100 with tax and tip for the 3 of us to have dinner just so we can shake hands with Chip and Dale.

Those were the first two things that came to mind. How about you? Is there anything you no longer buy or no longer do because the price has just crossed that level in your mind where it is no longer worth it?

 

[jpeka65844]

The last time the ticket prices went up, Pete said that he wasn't going to complain since he would still continue to go just as much and pay the price. Having just returned from 2 weeks at Disney last night, it occurred to me that there are some things at Disney that we used to do or buy each trip that we no longer do purely due to price.

1. I have a pretty good collection of Disney polo shirts. I used to buy one or two new ones each trip. The past 3-4 years, I've looked at a bunch of them while there, found a couple that I liked but decided not to buy them when I saw the price. I'm just not spending $40 or more for a polo shirt that would be $20-25 anywhere else.

2. Onsite buffet meals. We used to eat at Crystal Palace every trip and occasionally one of the other buffets. The last time we ate there about 4 years ago, my wife happened to see the check and was shocked at how expensive it was. Yes, the food is good and it is fun to see the characters but they've really priced the experience out of consideration for us. We happened to read the menu board at Garden Grill the other day and saw that it was $35 per person. We're just not spending well over $100 with tax and tip for the 3 of us to have dinner just so we can shake hands with Chip and Dale.

Those were the first two things that came to mind. How about you? Is there anything you no longer buy or no longer do because the price has just crossed that level in your mind where it is no longer worth it?

Pay rack rate for a Disney hotel room.

We bought DVC so that we'd never have to pay OOP for onsite accommodations. While we love the theming of Disney's hotels, we don't really feel they're worth that kind of cash but yet we still want an onsite experience.

Best thing we ever did!

 

[topolino]

I no longer buy souveniers, other than pins, due to the lack of creativity and decline in quality of Disney Parks merchandise.

 

[ADP]

Great topic.

I find the buffets a bit over-priced, but we still go to them because they allow our family to skip a meal that day. If we eat a buffet breakfast we are usually good until dinner, or if we eat a buffet lunch we can skip dinner and have a snack later in the evening.

A lot of the experiences related to Food & Wine are too expensive for us. I also find the hard-ticketed events to be too expensive as well. We won't go to those anymore especially since we've already been to them before.

Even though we don't go to these events anymore I'm sure they still fill-up thus the prices will continue to rise.

 

[PudgetteD]

I no longer buy souveniers, other than pins, due to the lack of creativity and decline in quality of Disney Parks merchandise.

 

[disneysteve]

I no longer buy souveniers, other than pins, due to the lack of creativity and decline in quality of Disney Parks merchandise.

We definitely still buy souvenirs but we have changed the nature of what we buy. Rather than coming home with a dozen low-end items, we are more likely to come back with one or two nicer pieces. Last year, we bought one of the blown glass Mickey vases on Main Street. This year, we got a Nao figurine of the girl holding Pooh. We also got an Olszewski piece.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Sadly the character meals. We usually did a couple of the breakfasts. Tusker House and Cape May being two favorites, but they have just gotten ridiculous. Especially the ones that are even more because they include the picture package now like at Askerhaus. That really bothers me that you don't have a choice anymore about taking the picture package. Like Kevin says, it isn't the cost, but whether you feel it was a value. I don't feel like the character meals are worth it anymore.

The other thing for me is the parties. MNSHHP and MVMCP. I've done them both and the Pirates and Princess Party, we loved them, but now that tickets are close to the same price as one day ticket, I know we won't be doing another party. Especially after doing MNSHHP and barely being able to find a spot to watch the parade even in Liberty Square because it was so crowded. We weren't even able to get any pictures of the kids with Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween costumes because the lines were so long. We enjoyed the party, loved the parade and Hallowishes, but with the lastest increase on party tickets this year, they've reached my tipping point and we won't be doing the parties anymore.

 

[topolino]

The other thing for me is the parties. MNSHHP and MVMCP. I've done them both and the Pirates and Princess Party, we loved them, but now that tickets are close to the same price as one day ticket, I know we won't be doing another party. Especially after doing MNSHHP and barely being able to find a spot to watch the parade even in Liberty Square because it was so crowded. We weren't even able to get any pictures of the kids with Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween costumes because the lines were so long. We enjoyed the party, loved the parade and Hallowishes, but with the lastest increase on party tickets this year, they've reached my tipping point and we won't be doing the parties anymore.

I have to agree with you here. It's truly a shame but the parties do not seem to be as worth it as they once were. The prices do seem to be going up, yet it has no effect on crowd level. In fact, unless you go to one of the early parties, the crowd levels seem to be higher and higher each year. In late October, we'll be at WDW on dates of MNSSHP, but are choosing not to go. It'll be the first year in four that we will miss the Halloween Party.

 

[kaligal]

Mine are the same as OPs, pretty much.

I've stopped buying clothes because most of them are poor quality and I don't want to bother looking for the few that are decent. I did love those blue jackets they were selling in the hotels. I had two and they're both showing wear...I'd get another of those, if I could.

I do fewer restaurant meals all the time. But we also stay off-site a lot now, so it is a lot easier to stop at the Olive Garden or Taco Bell or whatever.

I still buy pins, but not as many as I did before. They're getting crazy with the prices and the collections...and the pins just aren't as cute as they were, IMO.

I buy nothing that is "Disney Parks." I hate that.

I cut out my Christmas trip entirely. There are just too many Christmas cutbacks. My favorites were the Country Bears, the Lights of Winter and the Night Before Christmas show. Gone, gone and gone. I'm gone, too.

 

[Cherinva]

I don't buy shirts as much as I use to...not because of the price per say...but the quality isn't what it used to be.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I don't buy shirts as much as I use to...not because of the price per say...but the quality isn't what it used to be.

Yep. It's not the price at all, it's the cheeeeeeeeap quality. The material of the t-shirts now is awful. Same for the sweatshirts. I partly blame their affliation with Hanes. Makes me so mad. And I don't understand why they can't have both. Go ahead, stock the cheap screenprinted t-shirts, but offer some nice quality embroidered ones too. I did manage to find a very nice shirt last trip at the Contemporary gift shop, it's wasn't cheap, but it was worth it.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Great topic. I'd love for Disney to see this thread.

 

[PeterPan09]

Great topic. I'd love for Disney to see this thread.

Me too-but I can tell you that they are not feeling anything on the dining side. Those character buffets and breakfasts are booked solid for three weeks at a time. Maybe because people are getting dining "free" they don't care as much about the quality.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Merchandise: I buy a few small things to bring home to people (dog sitter, etc) but for myself, I would like to buy resort merchandise. A couple of years ago, I bought CBR golf-style shirts for all of us and would have gotten mugs (if they had any). Last year there was nothing resort-specific except for a print (which doesn't interest me). I also noticed that last trip it seemed like the same things in all the stores... Out of necessity, I did have to purchase a sweat shirt - it got a lot cooler at night than I thought, but after following the laundry instructions to the letter, it shrunk considerably and a seam went frayed....of course, I washed it AFTER I got home - wouldn't fly that far to return it but for something that was $45.00, I expected more. I thought maybe it was just a "dud" - but now after reading this thread, maybe it is the quality....

Special events: We paid to go to the MVMCP last year, and although it was nice to see the parade and fireworks, I somehow (whether by implication, mis-understanding or what) thought that I was paying a price for an event that there were limited tickets sold so it would be less crowded Silly me I don't think it's something that I would pay extra for again.

Resort prices: The price of moderate isn't too bad for the value (i.e. free transportation, theming, pools, etc) but I don't think I would pay much more. I wouldn't pay the price for deluxe accommodation (unless I had a PIN or discount).

I think that Disney has probably hit close to the "price point" for the average middle class family with the way the economy is right now. There will be the local people who will always be able to afford to go (as they aren't looking at over a thousand in airfare just to get there), and those that are well enough off that fluctuations in the economy don't affect...but, when all is said and done, and someone is in Disney for their possible "one trip of a lifetime", I think they know that people will spend the extra for the special events, etc...and as long as they do, then they will charge....it's economics - pure and simple - supply and demand.

 

[mjaclyn]

We've cut WAY down on souvenirs. I'm so tired of seeing the same things in every single shop...most of it overpriced. I like to wait and try to find something I haven't seen before. For my kids we have a very strict 'no stuffed animal' rule. They hug it for two days and then it goes into the huge pile of others they never play with...no more. We also are going to stop getting the dining plan next year because all Disney has been doing EVERY single year is raising prices and taking away from the plan. I remember the first time they offered it was AMAZING. The regular dining plan included an appetizer, entree, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage AND gratuity. Since then, the price has increased, food quality has decreased, and they've gotten rid of the appetizer and gratuity. I'm just waiting to see what they take out next.

 

[NancyIL]

I am not willing to pay the current price for the Candlelight Processional dinner package. We got the package in 2001 and 2002, and back then you also got a 15% merchandise discount at Epcot on the day of your dinner package.

I agree that the prices for the Halloween and Christmas parties have gotten pretty high. However, I'm going to the Halloween party in October with a friend who has never been to it. Her AAA office sells discounted party tickets, so I hope to save a little more than WDW's advance purchase price.

I love grazing at the Food & Wine Festival booths, but I have never been tempted to pay for the special dining events.

I will buy the Tables in Wonderland discount card when I return in October. Then I won't feel so bad about the prices for table service meals.

 

[BandontheRun]

We have been going to the MNSSHP since 2003 and will be going again this year albeit, we will purchase the DVC discount tickets. That said, we have also been frustrated as these "limited ticket" events seem to have excessive crowd levels and for the higher price, I feel it should be more "exclusive" - I remember the select "e"-ticket nights used to actually be less crowded. One year, we actually complained and got our money back for the MNSSHP tickets.

Since we go every year as DVC members, we don't buy trinket souvenirs and actually bring some of our to keep the kids from wanting to buy something they already have at home. If we do buy a souvenir- it is something nice like a piece of artwork.

I just can't pay $40 for a shirt - however, there are some occasional clearance deals- I really only look for those and ignore the other merchandise.

I also don't want something that is "Disney Parks" - I want something exclusive to WDW or Resort Specific.

The character meals are also pricey and I also don't want the obligatory photo.

We used to make eating at the Castle a staple of every trip, but since they turned it into a character meal with the obligatory photo- we haven't been back since.

 

[hapandpam]

My "cuts" are very similar to others. We usually do only one table service meal and tend to share counter service lunches and dinners. We drink very little soda, and instead ask for glasses of ice water. We no longer routinely buy park hoppers or non-expiring tickets. I have a wonderful collection of Disney sweatshirts from years ago but refuse to buy the cheaper quality ones they now sell.

 

[disneysteve]

Kind of a related answer for us also concerns the Disney outlet stores. Way back when the Character Warehouse at Belz was the one and only outlet store, we used to buy a ton of stuff there. We would always start our trip there before shopping anywhere on property. They were a true outlet in my mind selling strictly out of season, seconds and irregulars. Prices were fantastic.

Today, there are at least 3 outlet stores nearby and they sell a mix of "outlet" stuff and new stuff still for sale in the parks and hotels. The "outlet" stuff is only first quality, basically stuff they made too much of. As a result, the markdowns are not nearly as good as they once were. In the past, a shirt that originally sold for $20 might have been $3 at the outlet. Today, a shirt that originally sold for $20 might be $12 at the outlet.

Of course, I don't entirely blame Disney for this issue. The whole concept of outlet stores has changed. There are now outlets every few miles it seems and they manufacture merchandise strictly for the outlet stores rather than having one or two stores in the whole country where they sold off excess stock and seconds.

 

[disneysteve]

I have a wonderful collection of Disney sweatshirts from years ago but refuse to buy the cheaper quality ones they now sell.

This one really got to my DD-15 this trip. She found a sweatshirt she really loved - until she looked at the price tag. It was $75! Sorry but she didn't love it that much. She didn't need any convincing from mom and dad to realize that was a crazy amount of money for that item. We might have paid $40 or even $50 but certainly not $75.