I think I have been officially priced out!!!

[JanaDee]

My problem isn't so much the individual price for one day but if/when they do away with the no-expiration option. For years I've bought either an AP (still a viable option, but not for how often I personally visit anymore) or a 10 day, non-expiring ticket. The 10 day tickets have been fantastic for the last several years (no trips one year, 3 days the next, 5 days a year after that, etc.). Whenever that option goes...I'll still go, but not even as often as I have been going recently. Also, for me that would probably be the last straw to push me to full vacations at Universal with maybe a day at Disney instead of the reverse which is how I've been traveling for a long time. The times, they are a changing.

The non-expiration tickets were removed at this last ticket price increase. You can no longer buy NE tickets through Disney.

 

[atricks]

That's true that the amount of THIS increase is not substantial, but when you consider that the price of the same ticket in 2005 was $54.00 , that's a MASSIVE increase!!! I'm a shareholder and I can tell you that those increases didn't make it to my dividend check

You combine prices nearly doubling in ten years with the fact Hollywood Studios and Epcot actually have less attractions/entertainment open than they did 10 years ago, it's a bit unnerving especially at how parts of Future World (Ellen/Imagination) really need to be updated. They have stuff coming, Avatar in 2 years, which will be partially complete then, and probably take 4 to complete. The work in DHS which will take a year or so, and whatever star wars does which may start to upen in 2019, but probably won't be finished until 2 years later. And the discounts keep falling off the APs as well, which continue to go up.

Disney has been in the phase of taking its fans for granted more or less for the last 15 years. I still think the last really innovative ride Disney opened in Florida is Tower of Terror, and that was 21 years ago. Others like soarin, Toy Story come close, but not to the same level as Tower. I still like the parks, but things like these price hikes without increase in value do get under your skin.

 

[mm1971]

I can definitely see both sides of the argument. Reality is that everything is getting more and more expensive. Ticket prices at face value for a football game are $170 per seat/game. 2 seats, $50 to park and $70 for basic food drink(no alcohol) make a 4 hour game just under $500 minimum. Movies here for 4 with popcorn and a couple of drinks run us around $65-70.

We spent a few days at a resort in NH that has a small water park. Add in WP access and it was over $400/night. That's $1,400 for 3 days. Renting a house on the cape in the summer is $2K.

A week at Disney with 5 day PH tickets, Moderate resort and FD is running us around $3K this August.

My point is that if you compare Disney to other vacation options that require resort bookings and park/activity admissions, the costs are very similar. The value at Disney is still there in my opinion. The costs are comparable to what we have seen and you get more options at Disney.

If you compare Disney to Disney 10+ years ago, then the frustration really comes into view. I think that is really where the complaints are coming from. It's not the $5 on a one day ticket. It's closing attractions without plans to add new ones. It's taking away the extra snack on your meal plan. It's closing the pools at 10PM, reducing EMH, not being able to get an ADR at 180 days out. Higher prices, less services or benefits. Disney is suffering from being compared to what is used to be. For us, it is still a decent value and we continue to create a lot of great memories with our family(s). I do feel the frustration at times and the expense is significant (and even unreachable) for most. The reality is that it's not just Disney, it's the way life has changed. Just look at how the middle class used to be the strength of this country. Not so much anymore. As a matter of fact, no one can even agree on what the middle class is anymore.

 

[granmanh603]

Iger and his 26 million dollar salary is to blame... Just about when he came on board...

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

If you compare Disney to Disney 10+ years ago, then the frustration really comes into view. I think that is really where the complaints are coming from. It's not the $5 on a one day ticket. It's closing attractions without plans to add new ones. It's taking away the extra snack on your meal plan. It's closing the pools at 10PM, reducing EMH, not being able to get an ADR at 180 days out. Higher prices, less services or benefits. Disney is suffering from being compared to what is used to be.

This is it for me. Additionally, tickets included park hopping, they didn't expire.

I am not even comparing to when I was a kid 30-40 years ago, just for my kids in less than 10 years.

In 2007, I paid $203.04 for a 10-day adult base ticket. This year that same ticket is $388.73.

Nearly 70% increase in 8 years ... unfortunately, our paycheck hasn't increased that much.

 

[mrzrich]

As an AP holder I used to get frequent offers to stay at value resorts for $79, $69, even $59 dollar a night. Now I can't find a value AP deal for less that $120 a night. I was once a frequent visitor, now I cant afford to spend as many nights, which in turn, effects the value of my AP because I am not using it for as many park days.

 

[kathy884]

Through the years Disney park admission has been similar to the cost of a lift ticket at a nice ski resort in Colorado. Those one day tickets are expensive, but IMHO offer more value than lots of other entertainment options.

I just bought some Taylor Swift tickets for $135 a pop. There weren't ground or nose bleed, but something in between -- decent seats in a lower stadium seating section.

I'm waiting for a discount to come out for my days at Broadwaybox.com, but Matilda the Musical tickets for center Mezzanine section are $97pp at Telecharge.com and orchestra seats are $137. We're going to see one show when we are in NYC.

We're looking at doing a spring break cruise and booking a few excursions. The beginner scuba diving class for two to three hours is $89 pp. A two hour Atlantis submarine excursion is $98 pp

All the things above were things that I decided were worth doing, but I have to say that a theme park ticket in Orlando seems like a better bang for the buck than any of these in terms of hours of entertainment and the uniqueness of the experience.

 

[Darcy03231]

We've been being "priced out" over the last several years.

When my kids were younger we'd go at least once a year (sometimes twice). Granted some of our not going every year now has something to do with their ages and interests, but another large part is the increasing prices and declining benefits/service. My last trip was in August 2013 and I don't see us going back anytime soon. We've been to the Orlando area since then in 2014 (twice) and are going this summer, just not to WDW.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I have been priced out since 2012 - okay, maybe I should say "valued" out. I can afford the current tickets, but I can't see how my family would ever get enough "value" return on the tickets, so we will be spending this Orlando vacation (like the last one) enjoying the cheaper attractions which are new or which have added a lot of new attractions or which have given us a great ticket deal - Universal and IOA (annual passes), SeaWorld, Aquatica, maybe the New Orlando Eye and its 3 attraction pass, etc - and I can get the Universal annual passes and the rest of the tickets/attractions for the price of my Disney tickets (actually LESS, but I may do another attraction, too with no worries about getting screwed on ride choice as an off-siter and no need to preplan what day in what park and when (and with the ability to return to Universal for "free" next year.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I can't believe how expensive all kinds of entertainment is getting. We bought tickets for a concert for June at $109 per seat for average lower area seats.

 

[fbb]

That's true that the amount of THIS increase is not substantial, but when you consider that the price of the same ticket in 2005 was $54.00 , that's a MASSIVE increase!!! I'm a shareholder and I can tell you that those increases didn't make it to my dividend check

How much has the stock and dividend increased since 2005? I don't think you are correct.

 

[ElizabethB]

For us, Disney isn't worth it anymore. Same old dated attractions but continually increasing ticket prices. Iger's cost cutting and price increases have finally exhausted us -- much lower quality and much higher prices. We can afford a visit, but we no longer see any reason to go. I've been saying for some time that it now pays to be a Disney stockholder, but it's no longer worth it to be a Disney guest. Of course, this management approach won't work forever, but short term thinking is endemic in corporate Amerca.

 

[Divah]

While I love Disney with my whole heart and understand you get quality for the price. I just can't wrap my head around over a hundred a person. I have been to land and world more than a dozen times on family vacations over the years. I will be sticking with the Disney Cruises now. We took our first a few years ago and going again in april. After all the lines and crowds it is a welcome relaxing vacation. We have been doing the Bahamas one and for a family of 5 for a week it was so much cheaper (almost by half). We were up in the air about celebrating our 25 anniversary at the park or a cruise this Xmas with our large family (9 with grandparents). This made up our minds. While I would say it is worth the park experience one time...I will enjoy my mouse and time ocean side for half the cost.

 

[maxiesmom]

When you say a ticket is $100 a day it does seem expensive. Until you compare that to other venues, such as a NBA game or NFL game. You can't even get a ticket for $100, and that is for something that is maybe 3 hours long. Parking at those games is much more than WDW charges. The food is way more expensive, plus you are not allowed to bring in your own. If you look at it that way, a trip to WDW is a bargin. At least they don't charge almost $40 an hour for the bottom of the barrel tickets. And $15 an hour for parking.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The price of a day trip is just out of question for us. We're heading down in July for 2 weeks with no real plan to hit Disney. Were we to find ourselves with a spare day or two, we'd love to hit AK and/or EPCOT. But $400/day (4 of us) plus parking just to get into the parks honestly isn't a good value.

That's the double edged sword with the pricing. While longer stays look good on a per day basis, popping in for a day or two feels somewhat discouraged.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I agree with the others, comparatively, it us a good value for entertainment. We typically spend $200/ticket for pit tickets to our favorite concerts. DH loves the NHL, and we usually spend over $100/ticket there. Even the local Gatti town (Pizza Planet type place) ends up costing Iike $15/hr once you figure in the cost of tokens and admission.

At disney, even for one day, you pay $100. Tomorrow, they are open 15 hours at MK. That's less than $7/hr for a day of top-notch rides and shows, fireworks, ND magical encounters.

Also, at Disney, you get to interact with your favorite disney characters. I paid $50/hr to see tim mcgraw in concert last summer and didn't even get to meet the guy!

I think the sticker shock is there because smaller amount, say $20/ person for a movie night, feels like less than the disney trip, even though hour per hour disney is cheaper.

 

[elaine amj]

While I love Disney with my whole heart and understand you get quality for the price. I just can't wrap my head around over a hundred a person. I have been to land and world more than a dozen times on family vacations over the years. I will be sticking with the Disney Cruises now. We took our first a few years ago and going again in april. After all the lines and crowds it is a welcome relaxing vacation. We have been doing the Bahamas one and for a family of 5 for a week it was so much cheaper (almost by half). We were up in the air about celebrating our 25 anniversary at the park or a cruise this Xmas with our large family (9 with grandparents). This made up our minds. While I would say it is worth the park experience one time...I will enjoy my mouse and time ocean side for half the cost.

Interesting - I have been finding cruising much more expensive than going to the parks. I like cruising - but can't reconcile the value and the parks still seem more worth it. Then again, I haven't done more than preliminary price checking for cruises or WDW park stays in a couple of years. We used our non-expiring passes at the parks last year and our last Disney cruise was 2013.

We are headed to Disneyland this year so I will compare prices based on what I am most up to date with. Mind you I am doing most of this particular trip with reward points (half of my tickets and my hotel stay are all with points). But if I had to pay normally, four 5 day hoppers would have been about $1200, off-site motel across the street seems to avg about $150/night, say food about $200/day (I'm hoping to keep it about $100/day). Around $2950 for 5 days. I'm pretty sure a 5 day Disney cruise prices out at more than $3k for a family of 4 sharing a cabin.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I agree with the others, comparatively, it us a good value for entertainment. We typically spend $200/ticket for pit tickets to our favorite concerts. DH loves the NHL, and we usually spend over $100/ticket there. Even the local Gatti town (Pizza Planet type place) ends up costing Iike $15/hr once you figure in the cost of tokens and admission.

At disney, even for one day, you pay $100. Tomorrow, they are open 15 hours at MK. That's less than $7/hr for a day of top-notch rides and shows, fireworks, ND magical encounters.

Also, at Disney, you get to interact with your favorite disney characters. I paid $50/hr to see tim mcgraw in concert last summer and didn't even get to meet the guy!

I think the sticker shock is there because smaller amount, say $20/ person for a movie night, feels like less than the disney trip, even though hour per hour disney is cheaper.

On the flip side, I can get a season pass to Six Flags for less than one day at Disney.

Now, before one says you can't compare Six Flags to Disney, I would have to say one should compare Disney to Six Flags before one compares Disney to concert or game tickets. At least with Six Flags, it's still a theme park

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, no. Six Flags is an amusement park. Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal, Knott's, etc. = these are theme parks.

Six Flags is only open four full months, half of May, weekends-only in April, most of September, all of October.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

On the flip side, I can get a season pass to Six Flags for less than one day at Disney.

Now, before one says you can't compare Six Flags to Disney, I would have to say one should compare Disney to Six Flags before one compares Disney to concert or game tickets. At least with Six Flags, it's still a theme park

So go to six flags, if that's your thing. I could rent a $1 red box cheaper than going to a first run movie in theaters, but the atmosphere and themeing aren't quite the same.