Disney has busted my budget for future trips!!!

[StitchBuddy]

As my DD18 would say. "I'm Salty!" Disney has completely discontinued the non-expiration ticket. We would buy those and get several trips out of them. It was always insurance for me that we would go back. I have been wanting to buy into DVC for a long time. In my mind (yes, I know it is expensive), if I bought a DVC (resale) and had my non-expiration tickets, some trips would almost feel free. Now they have burst my whole bubble!!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

They've basically eliminated any chance for a true budget trip. I have neither the time, nor the funds for a full blown WDW trip every time I'm in FL. But, it'd be nice to have the option to pop in for a day or two. Unfortunately, the per day cost of such a trip is all out of proportion with the time we'd be there. So, we just won't go if we can't dedicate a week+ to WDW. And at best, that'd be about once a decade.

 

[OhMari]

I know iDisney is a business, but I feel they have tweeked everything, and if there was any situation, that would give the consumer a slight edge of a savings, Disney found a way to stop it. I really don't understand why they would stop non expiring tickets. We paid more, so it wasn't like they were loosing that much money. They adjusted the Dining Plan, so tips are no longer included, the mugs only allow you so much soda, in a certain time frame. Am betting that Disney is going to start charging for parking in the resort lots and DtD next. I can't believe they have free parking in the resorts when they charge at the parks.

 

[ICF]

I agree it stinks....my wife and I were able to spend Valentines evening at MK since we were in the area to leave the next day on a cruise and had previous non-expiring tix.

Without those types, we never would have spent $100+ for their 1 day ticket for 5 hours in the park .

 

[jxh1]

Totally agree! We buy the 10-day, non-expiring park hoppers and get at least 3 trips out of them, the upfront cost is high but it's nice to not have to worry about paying for tickets for a few trips after that. We ordered some before the change so we are good for a few years, but after that I'm not sure how we'll handle it, it definitely is going to cost us more to buy tickets for each trip. They make the changes they do and raise the prices each year because they can, the numbers show it's not bothering most people since attendance keeps going up

 

[Mad4Dizne]

I feel the same, any cost saving thing we may have been able to do in the past is either eliminated (like for instance: meal vouchers, oh how I miss those) or not that great of a deal any longer. We may do WDW trips in the future but they will be 1)not every other year like we had been doing and 2) Will be entirely different trips, maybe just lazing by resort pool and shopping/dining, maybe 1 park day. The great thing is that Florida is a wonderful winter vacation destination and I am really looking forward to exploring more of it.

 

[wolf29]

Bottom line is that Disney is a business, with shareholders to report to. EVERY company raises prices (or drops the amount in a serving/package size). Everything goes up annually...payroll, expenses, taxes,etc. and a business that doesn't raise it's revenue on an annual basis is playing catch-up somewhere down the line. As others have stated, try going to and parking for a Broadway show, sporting event, etc. and compare it to the cost of a Disney trip. It's true that some people won't be able to afford trips in the future, but that is just the truth of life. There are plenty of places that I can't afford to go, even for just a meal, let alone a vacation. A Disney vacation is not a right that anyone is entitled to.

 

[GAN]

Bottom line is that Disney is a business, with shareholders to report to. EVERY company raises prices (or drops the amount in a serving/package size). Everything goes up annually...payroll, expenses, taxes,etc. and a business that doesn't raise it's revenue on an annual basis is playing catch-up somewhere down the line. As others have stated, try going to and parking for a Broadway show, sporting event, etc. and compare it to the cost of a Disney trip. It's true that some people won't be able to afford trips in the future, but that is just the truth of life. There are plenty of places that I can't afford to go, even for just a meal, let alone a vacation. A Disney vacation is not a right that anyone is entitled to.

I dislike this change as well ...as a shareholder. There have been plenty of debates on other threads about Disney's profitability and whether offering their CEO $10M bonuses year after year is appropriate given the state of the parks and other issues. This has nothing to do with them needing increased cash flow -it's about locking up vacation days and your spending money. People buying shorter day passes are more than likely headed to their competition. No expiration opens the door for the same thing ...buy a 10-day no ex pass and use it 2 or 3 visits, then go to Universal with the days left. It's strictly a marketing move IMO. The only way to show your displeasure is to not go at all. There are plenty of beautiful places that will take your money ..and you can do it on a budget. Europe is great right now with the declining Euro. ...see you in Italy, France, or maybe even London!

 

[Tinkerdreams]

As my DD18 would say. "I'm Salty!" Disney has completely discontinued the non-expiration ticket. We would buy those and get several trips out of them. It was always insurance for me that we would go back. I have been wanting to buy into DVC for a long time. In my mind (yes, I know it is expensive), if I bought a DVC (resale) and had my non-expiration tickets, some trips would almost feel free. Now they have burst my whole bubble!!

If you're considering becoming DVC, maybe an annual pass would work better for you. You could visit multiple times a year or time your trips to make the most of your pass.

 

[kymom99]

The thing about a place like Disney is that there will always be a fresh batch of new parents wanting to bring their kids to the parks, and they probably won't know how things used to be. The first time I went was as an adult with my child. I was clueless and paid rack rate for everything. Took me a while to learn the ins and outs of getting the best deal. New customers will most likely not even realize there was once a no expire option, or that you used to be able to save unused days on all tickets. Those of us who have gone numerous times feel the pinch.

I am planning a trip for next year after several year away, and I am quite frankly a little intimidated by all the changes. It seems to be harder and harder to get what I would consider a good deal.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

I know iDisney is a business, but I feel they have tweeked everything, and if there was any situation, that would give the consumer a slight edge of a savings, Disney found a way to stop it. I really don't understand why they would stop non expiring tickets. We paid more, so it wasn't like they were loosing that much money. They adjusted the Dining Plan, so tips are no longer included, the mugs only allow you so much soda, in a certain time frame. Am betting that Disney is going to start charging for parking in the resort lots and DtD next. I can't believe they have free parking in the resorts when they charge at the parks.

Ya, that parking fee thing is coming. I have no problem with them making a good profit. But its getting to the point of just plain greed here lately. But I keep handing them the cash!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Of course they're a business & can do as they please. But, as their customers, we have a right to voice displeasure with changes that impact our experience. It's one thing to have a 5% across the board increase. It's quite another to eliminate options that will result in an "effective" cost increase of 50-100% overnight to some people. Still within their rights to do so, but terrible PR - and quite possibly a financial loser in the long run.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

If you're considering becoming DVC, maybe an annual pass would work better for you. You could visit multiple times a year or time your trips to make the most of your pass.

I was going to suggest that as well. With our DVC we usually just go once a year, an eight night stay. It's our intent on the next trip to buy the AP then do our next trip right before the AP expires. our next trip is in early November for the W&D 1/2 and we usually would go more in the mid October.

 

[Dacky619]

I was going to suggest that as well. With our DVC we usually just go once a year, an eight night stay. It's our intent on the next trip to buy the AP then do our next trip right before the AP expires. our next trip is in early November for the W&D 1/2 and we usually would go more in the mid October.

This is what we do and it works very well. It is so nice to take that second trip where the room and tickets are already paid for.

 

[ElizabethB]

We used to go at least once per year. We did not go at all last year and won't be going this year. We can no longer work up any enthusiasm for it. Every single thing at Disney from tea at the GF to room rates to ice cream sandwiches at Sleepy Hollow has been analyzed for how they can be changed to reduce costs, increase revenue or both. That seems to have been Iger's entire goal for his tenure.

No new parks and no new resorts. Just DVC conversions at existing resorts. New lands and rides are promised -- but no real timelines for when those will actually materialize. Entrance fees rising constantly. The signature restaurants we loved have all been ruined by the dining plan. Desserts at every single restaurant have been reduced to refrigerated bombes that can be slapped quickly on plates. Why? Because every dining plan meal includes a dessert. We can never find things now like the original berry cobbler at Artist Point, the freshly made donuts at Jiko, etc. Restaurant menus have been pared down so much there are only 3-4 entree choices anywhere.

For us, the magic is gone. For nearly 20 years, we went at least once per year -- always staying deluxe, often club level, or in one bedroom DVCs booked as room reservations. We ate 3 meals per day in sit down restaurants. Dinner was always a 2-3 hour affair with several courses, a bottle of fine wine and after dinner drinks. We are generous tippers too. So waiters were generously tipped as were hotel maids. Every trip we dropped around $10,000 for two.

These days it makes sense to be a Disney stockholder -- but not a Disney guest. We go other places now -- just returned from two weeks in Switzerland. Spectacular. We are in Utah now, next is Arizona at the end of the month and Napa in April.

Iger's short term strategy has raised the stock price. But I can't imagine we are the only former Disney fans who have simply given up. I think the dissatisfaction eventually will cut into profits. It makes no sense long term to take from guests to line stockholder pockets. So to stockholders I say -- enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[GAN]

We haven't given up, and in spite of the issues you bring up, we do still enjoy going ...just every 5 years or so. We own DVC and our kids are now old enough to go on their own(first time for our youngest this June for her HS graduation). Other than that -we rent the points out and use the cash to travel to other places. I have family in Switzerland so glad to see you travelled there. We also have family in San Diego so we spend time in California as well. Between Europe and Cali, that's where most of our travel budget goes ...no tours at this point, so our money goes a pretty long way.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

They've basically eliminated any chance for a true budget trip. I have neither the time, nor the funds for a full blown WDW trip every time I'm in FL. But, it'd be nice to have the option to pop in for a day or two. Unfortunately, the per day cost of such a trip is all out of proportion with the time we'd be there. So, we just won't go if we can't dedicate a week+ to WDW. And at best, that'd be about once a decade.

This is also where we are as a family. We love Disney but we also don't always want to do an exclusively Disney-only trip. We would like to spend time visiting other area parks as well because they also have great experiences to offer and don't demand the same level of planning or the touring pace required of the Disney parks. We would like to find a happy medium and still get our "Disney fix" while planning to do another vacation in the area, but the cost for us to do just one or two days in the Disney parks is just not practical for us (unless we just do MNSSHP or MVMCP and DTD).

 

[ibob52]

I just looked at the price of Universal Orlando and their ticket prices which use to be sub Disney are not so now.

USO tickets are now basically the same price as the Disney ticket prices (single Day or 2 Day passes)

 

[itrek]

However, the annual passes for Universal are far less than Disney.

 

[dpswift]

I agree. While season passes are cheaper the non experation option gives people the option of a one day trip. I am sure that not everyone who purchase the non experation option ended up using the extra days purchased.

another question along the same line. If Disney does offer the FD this year and you have a season pass can you still save the 2 day ticket you are required to buy?