Marathon Weekend 2022

[FFigawi]

SAFD: Justified - V&A, Takumi-Tei, Jiko, and other great restaurants. As someone who spends a bunch of my vacation money on food and drink (hello Vegas next week!), these are all on the list to visit during Disney trips.

Not Justified - Rooms with views. We’re never in our room long enough to worry about seeing lakes, gardens, or anything else special.

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: I think if I were to answer this question 10-20-30 years ago, my answers would be different every time. Given that I am sort of "over" Disney, this could be tricky to answer. But let's give it a try.

Worth it? Keys to the Kingdom. A chance to see hidden Disney and hear about the park--even if today you could probably find all of it online if you searched. I enjoyed this tour. Don't know what it costs these days (don't want to know!)

Not worth it?
--"Signature" dining (boring, homogenized menus, overpriced food, indifferent service (even before COVID)) They were better 20+ years ago, but just not worth it now.
--Disney resorts--honestly, why would anyone pay upwards of $500-$1000/nt for an increasingly non-descript hotel room (I'm looking at you "Riviera").

I'll stop there.

 

[SheHulk]

SAFD:
If I go back to my favorite years of visiting WDW (about 8 years ago)....
Justified:
-Annual Passes. We live out of state but would get APs and come multiple times, for shorter trips, in a year. Then take a year off and do it again. My kids never loved being away from home for more than a week at a time and with the ticket prices being more expensive per day for shorter trips, it was worth it.
-Rental car: Back in the day when you could park at the resort for free, it was worth it to be able to drive right up to any park but MK and come and go as we please without waiting for a bus. Shoot over to DS if we wanted, it was a lot of freedom.
-Deluxe resort: Staying right there in the magic was worth every penny, back when it was a few hundreds of dollars cheaper per night to do so. One of my favorite memories to this day, is being in Stormalong Bay late at night with my older DS, sitting in the pool, seeing the tops of the fireworks from Epcot, playing ping pong too, etc. It felt like the hotel stay was an extension of your park day. It felt like the fun went way into the night, and outside, you could be in the middle of it the whole time.
-WDW itself: When our kids were younger, it was expensive but still a great value. You were absolutely guaranteed your kids would have a good time, no matter what, which is priceless. We had taken a few big vacations outside of Disney when they were young, like a cruise around the Mediterranean seeing the sights. The kids had limited appreciation for historical landmarks, and by the 8th day one of them said they were tired of looking at "dirty cities". We have gotten some flack from our "sophisticated" friends and colleagues for taking so many Disney vacations but when you have kids (up until recently at least) it was money well-spent because it was zero-risk for a family vacation.

These days, all of these things are feeling unjustified to us. The value of the deluxe stay has whittled down the most for me. Over the years, the prices have crept up and the amenities have crept down. Stormalong Bay closes earlier and earlier, to the point where, the last time we stayed there, between the early closings and the thunderstorm closings, we didn't use the pool once. Housekeeping kept getting scaled back (even pre covid), and you start to question why you are paying so much to stay when you aren't even getting housekeeping every day. When we stayed at a monorail resort a few years ago, all the bars closed shortly after the parks closed and there was nothing to do. I guess they wanted you to go to DS or the Boardwalk? Then why stay on the monorail?
As for APs and rental cars, the increase in pricing for both of these plus resort fees to park make it less worth it.

We are using up our APs we are holding currently, seeing how the value is looking for our MW and Princess trips, and then making decisions based on how things went there.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD:
Justified: Disney Photo Pass especially when combined with Marathon Weekend and multiple runners and “kids” who don’t want to pose for tons of photos anymore. Easiest way to get all of us in pictures plus the attraction photos are a bonus!

Not justified: I will also jump on the resort pricing. Especially the deluxe resorts. We are splurging on a deluxe this time as I want to be close to the races and we want the extra space but it will be Swan/Dolphin or off property going forward.

I will also throw in my vote for park hoppers - it’s just not worth the money especially since you’re already losing time going between parks. Maybe if I was just going to do 2 or 3 days and knew I wouldn’t be back for years it might be worth it. Did that once at Disneyland when I was only there for one day and wanted to hit both parks but otherwise I just can’t justify it.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD:

Based on the resort pricing many of you have already mentioned, I can 100% justify my multiple DVC contracts. We bought in back in 2001 and have never once regretted it. We go 3-4 times a year and I couldn't even tell you what resorts cost on cash.

What I can't justify is the dining plan. And yes, I realize that doesn't exist right now, but I could never understand how that was worth it unless you just eat nonstop. But beyond it just not making sense for us, seeing people leaving full plates of food on tables at the end of a meal and in stores filling baskets with rice krispy treats and candy they will probably never eat at the end of a trip because they had to get their money's worth out of the plan -- it just makes me cringe seeing all that waste.

 

[Barca33Runner]

After reading so many other posts I’ll also add to the resort discussion. We are staying off-site this January because we could not find any resort options that we found justifiable. I completely understand the lost revenue that parks and resorts experienced as a result of Covid and the resulting “paying more for less” reality we’re all in with Disney Parks right now but resort prices feel completely out of control.

Both of the experiences I described earlier as justified were in the 2016-18 range and were done at prices that seemed high at the time but would be downright steals compared to the prices currently charged for the same experiences. I don’t know where this is all going but, presently, it is definitely leading to less desire to spend time at Disney and fewer trips for myself. I still love WDW and I still want to plan trips to WDW but it is much more difficult to justify them anymore. I know prices will never come back to where I remember them but I hope the experience and magic get back to levels that make those price increases feel like something more than corporate penny pinching.

 

[Carol_]

SAFD:

Justified:
DVC, Incredipass, Stupid plastic drink cups and popcorn buckets, $4 Dasani water in the parks

Not Justified:
Club RunDisney, Dessert parties, $1000 Mickey Ears.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Yes, I usually do about 90 seconds run/ 30 seconds walk, but for the M I will probably do more like 75 seconds run / 30 seconds walk. The official Disney pacers do around 30/30 but I found that their run was a bit fast for me, and the cycles were too frequent. I can adjust my times to a group compromise if there are some like minded disers.

This is approximately my plan as well. And I’ve been using 80/30 intervals. Maybe it’ll work out and we can run together?



justified:
Park tickets, because there is so much to see and do once you are in the parks.

some of the souvenirs ... in my family’s case it’s those bubble wands. We are bringing one with us that’s 5 years old and still going strong.

overpriced:

for us it was AK savanna view. We pretty much ONLY saw animals during feeding time (8-9am and 4-5pm.) it could have just been our location but I don’t feel like it was worth the extra cost over a standard view.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Can I say race merchandise prices aren’t justifiable for me? I was last at Disney for Princess 2019 and the race merchandise was low quality and overpriced.

 

[steph0808]

Justified -

All Disney snacks in the shape of Mickey Mouse, no matter the price.

Popcorn buckets

Behind the scenes tours (my mom and I have done Keys to the Kingdom and the Segway tour at Fort Wilderness so far).

Not justified (anymore) -

Staying on site - We have always stayed on site but the lack of Magical Express is a real pain and added expense. We are staying onsite this time because of the kids, but I'm not sure we will pay the premium going forward for non-race visits.

Parkhopper - I used to enjoy hopping, but it wastes so much time and costs so much extra.

 

[acurls]

This is approximately my plan as well. And I’ve been using 80/30 intervals. Maybe it’ll work out and we can run together?

I've been training on 90/30 as well. Is it common to cut the run interval a bit, for the actual marathon? Does that help you get across the finish line? I'll take any tips I can get for my first!

 

[azrivest]

SAFD:
What I can't justify is the dining plan. And yes, I realize that doesn't exist right now, but I could never understand how that was worth it unless you just eat nonstop. But beyond it just not making sense for us, seeing people leaving full plates of food on tables at the end of a meal and in stores filling baskets with rice krispy treats and candy they will probably never eat at the end of a trip because they had to get their money's worth out of the plan -- it just makes me cringe seeing all that waste.

Not to mention having to plan the "best" value for the plan. Disney is already too much work to prepare without having to analyze which meals are not gonna make us lose money cause we're on a plan.

Justified:
We're in the park hopper lover club. Since we always go back to our room for mid-day breaks, we appreciate being able to switch in the evening if we've finished what we wanted that morning. And we can have dinner at Epcot when we're on the boardwalk.

 

[camaker]

SAFD:
I’m going to be a bit of a contrarian and go against the grain.

Justified
Staying on-site. I don’t like the price increases any more than anyone else and they’re going to lead to fewer trips to Disney for me. BUT. One of the main draws of Disney to me is the immersion. When I step onto the resort property, I feel a weight lift from my shoulders and I relax. Being able to stay in that environment from arrival to departure is a huge part of my vacation experience. I hate driving and parking in unfamiliar places. That additional stress would take a lot of the relaxation and enjoyment out of my vacation. I would rather go less often and maintain the experience than go more frequently and add the stress.

Park hopping. I wouldn’t take a trip without park hopping. I don’t want to be locked into one park for an entire day. That’s especially true right now, as with all the construction at Epcot and limited activities (for me) at DHS and AK, Magic Kingdom is the only one I would consider a “full day” park. My favorite touring plan is to go early to MK, AK or DHS, stay through lunch, head back to the room for a nap/rest break, and then go over to Epcot for the afternoon and dinner in the World Showcase.

Savvi’s Light Sabers. I don’t know that I would do this more than once, but I would recommend that Star Wars fans do it once. The cost is high, but in my opinion, the show is what makes it as much of an experience as a souvenir purchase. The light saber I built there, along with the extra crystals I got for it, is one of my favorite and most meaningful Disney souvenirs.

Not Justified
Dining plans. Unless you’re buying the most expensive item on the menu and eating a dessert at every meal, it just doesn’t work out to be cost effective.

Disney Genie/Lightning Lane. Or whatever the “pay for line preference“ program is called. I got confused by the rollout. Granted, I’m not a big ride connoisseur, but Disney crossed a line with me with this program. Park tickets are ridiculously expensive already and trying to squeeze extra out of people after charging those prices to get in the gate in awful.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD:


Disney Genie/Lightning Lane. Or whatever the “pay for line preference“ program is called. I got confused by the rollout. Granted, I’m not a big ride connoisseur, but Disney crossed a line with me with this program. Park tickets are ridiculously expensive already and trying to squeeze extra out of people after charging those prices to get in the gate in awful.

I’m surprised more people haven’t mentioned this - or maybe, like me, they want to wait and see. I’m going to try it on this visit - partly because it’s new and partly because the parks will be crazy. If I was going during a “quieter” time of the year I might not do it. Anyone remember when Marathon Weekend WAS a quieter time of the year?

 

[Livelovedance]

SAFD:

Justified:
I'd have to say APs and DVC, for reasons similar to what others have already shared (my current feeling about APs is based on the fact that I'm still using a renewed AP [prior to the new tiers], so I may feel differently at my next renewal time with price increases and the loss of MM). The first year I bought an AP was because I was making two trips that year, and it was a no brainer. I definitely make more short trips now that I have an AP, but each getaway is still worth it to me. This year I'm attending 3 race weekends, and it doesn’t feel as bad when the room and park tickets are already paid for. I'm a fan of park hopping midday, or stopping in a park just to eat, shop, or watch a fireworks show, so having an AP makes that doable without wasting a park admission day. DVC is justifiable to me because it allows me to stay on property for these short trips without thinking about the astronomical price per night these rooms go for. I know I've paid for that with the contract, but I still feel that my point usage makes that worthwhile. Since COVID we've gone back to using a rental car (which would've probably happened anyway thanks DME becoming a thing of the past), so having free parking with APs and DVC is a bonus as well. (Now that I think about it, how does Disney know if you've paid for parking at your resort? I've never been given a parking pass or anything. Is that something that's checked at the gate when you first arrive to check in?)

Not justified:
The cost per night of on-site resorts. I love staying onsite, but the cost per night has gotten out of control in my opinion. I've looked at staying in values or moderates if DVC resorts were unavailable, but I just couldn’t justify the prices.

 

[SheHulk]

Re: Deluxe resorts & Park hoppers being justified: I'm starting to see that a lot of these "extras" built on each other to add value to each of them, and if you devalue one, you devalue everything else too.

Me: Looking at the marathon map, we are going to be in HS about mile 22-23. That's your park reservation for Sunday. Maybe you can meet me in HS with a croissant or something carb-y, I think I'm going to want some real food about then.
DH: Great. I'll pop into Epcot in the morning and grab you a croissant and get myself breakfast too, before I head to HS.
Me: No you won't, we don't have a reservation for Epcot that day, and you can't park-hop until 2PM.
DH: Wait, even though we're staying in the Boardwalk area, we can't just go into WS to grab food when we want?
Me: That's right.
DH: <expletive deleted>

For us, the Deluxe resort added value to the park hopper option and vice versa. Staying really close to a park meant that you might go to that park every day, at least for a little bit. We always stopped into WS for a meal or snack a day, very often breakfast, no matter our plans for the day, if we were at YC or BC. It was a value-add for the deluxe resorts over there. And the park hopper was more worthwhile so you could get the most out of your deluxe stay. Raising prices and limiting the park hopper hours makes us less likely we will buy either.

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD:

i am not sure how to answer this today. I will say that I fall in the group that likes the immersion of being on site for the duration of the vacation. I really appreciate the escapism and ability to check-out of regular life demands and check into having fun with family. So I will say my “Justified” was buying into DVC, because this promises me the same immersion going forward.

And not justified…. Well, ironic coming from me who absolutely loves Disney and is a staunch defender. But overall costs are just becoming too much. At what point does Disney become a place only the really well off can go? It is a business, but it is also a place of Magic and I am saddened by the thought of people not going because it is really expensive but not going because they do not have the means to meet the costs. To me that is two different things and is my “not justified”.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD

Justified: Fun outfits for races and park days! I love putting the outfits together and accessorizing.

Not Justified: Virtual races. I REALLY love the challenge princesses this year but didn’t register for Princess Weekend… I have thought about purchasing the virtual challenge but I don’t think it is worth it. I wish I could fly down for the weekend, but it is sold out now anyway.

 

[jmasgat]

I am saddened by the thought of people not going because it is really expensive but not going because they do not have the means to meet the costs.

What's even sadder to me is people who are stretching/going into CC debt to take a Disney vacation. The overwhelming pressure to then make it worth every overpriced penny is evident in the meltdowns regularly witnessed in the parks with parents dragging their tired kids around.

Yeah, I'm a cynic. But I'm also a 30 yr WDW visitor, and have ample personal data on how the experience has changed over time.

That said....I'm still sitting here considering extending my MW trip since I see Poly has DVC studios on Mon/Tues. Now all I need is DVC points.

 

[opusone]

SAFD: We are one of those families who only go to Disney once every 2-4 years, so when we do go, we splurge: in the bubble, deluxe resort (usually club level), dining plan, park hopper, water parks, pay for extra events, etc. That being said, none of it is really justified. Club level is a horrible cost/benefit, and the dining plan usually doesn't make sense, but it all makes the trip simpler and more relaxing for us. Given that we usually stay at the Epcot area resorts, we do feel the park hopper is justified because we oftentimes eat at Epcot restaurants for dinner or go watch the Epcot fireworks even if we've been to another park during the day.

Now, if we did go more frequently, I would definitely have a different mindset about all the costs. I should add that, when I went for the two Star Wars runDisney events I've attended (solo), I did go cheaper: value resort once, Swan the other, no park hopper, no dining plan, etc. But for the family and with the frequency we visit, I will continue to splurge.