Middle Class Priced Out???

[gorkt]

I would not say I am "priced out". I wonder if people are taking costs of food and park tickets rising as kids get older into account when calculating the rising costs. Sure, airplane tickets and hotels are the same, but food and park tickets will climb according to age. Here are the rough numbers from our family trips.

2006- $6k - 7 nights - Two adults, one infant, one child $214/day, per person
2009- $7.5K - 10 nights - Two adults, two children $187.5/day, per person 13% decrease (longer stays mean airfare averages out more)
2013- $8.5K - 9 nights - Three adults - one child $236/day, per person 25% increase
2016- $9.5K - 9 nights - Four adults - $264/day, per person 12% increase

So in 10 years the costs of our trip has risen about 23% per day.

 

[ThistleMae]

A lot of people that live near Disney can't afford to go to Disney. low wages

Sad

 

[ThistleMae]

We are trying to price our trip for next year. We configiure and reconfigure until out heads spin around. My daughter, her DH and 3 children, who are all now considered adults will pay about $ 10,000.00 for 10 days. The will buy PH and WP and spend one day at Universal. We are hoping for the summer half Dining Deal or free dining....if the August dates dont interfere with the start of school. We always do tons of planning and it can be quite time consuming. All in all we just love Disney. She used to go every year but this time she has to save two income tax returns plus.... To her, its worth it. I think value is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Hikergirl]

We are trying to price our trip for next year. We configiure and reconfigure until out heads spin around. My daughter, her DH and 3 children, who are all now considered adults will pay about $ 10,000.00 for 10 days. The will buy PH and WP and spend one day at Universal. We are hoping for the summer half Dining Deal or free dining....if the August dates dont interfere with the start of school. We always do tons of planning and it can be quite time consuming. All in all we just love Disney. She used to go every year but this time she has to save two income tax returns plus.... To her, its worth it. I think value is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

Definitely. We aren't priced out but I really don't want to spend 6K on a vacation at WDW for my family because for my dh and my ds's it just isn't worth it. However, dh and I did an anniversary trip there for the F&W, just the two of us. We did some added things so our cost was almost what we would have spent on the entire family going. It was totally worth it, and I hope dh and I will do it least every other year. We will take a family vacation somewhere else, that may even cost the same, but offers more to the entire family.

 

[MomToOne]

My Hawaii experience is very similar. I paid about $750/RT air, $150/night for a beautiful townhouse condo on the Kings golf course at Waikaloa Villiage on the big island. The rental car was very inexpensive for a week. We explored the island, visiting many inexpensive or free attractions, stocked up at Costco and ate some meals at the home, and found some great local restaurants. It was less than a 10 day Disney trip for sure.

Yup. Us too. I managed to get FF tickets for our Oahu vacation this summer, but if I hadn't, I would have spent about $900 for two of us (that's total, not each) booking early and using the Alaska Credit Card Companion voucher (one of the few true travel deals that still seems to exist!) That is traveling from the West Coast, so it is cheaper than coming from the East Coast, but it basically matches or is better than what we would pay to fly to FL.

Our beach-front (feet from the water) one bedroom condo on the North Shore is $2600 for 11 nights (incl. all cleaning fees, etc) so about $235 per night. That includes a full kitchen and the use of lots of miscellaneous items like beach chairs, a beach umbrella, snorkel equipment, etc. Even with the high price of groceries in Hawaii, our food costs are cheaper than a Disney vacation because we eat many meals in. We eat out here and there - and enjoy MUCH better quality food than we could get at Disney - but honestly, eating out gets old after a couple of days and I prefer to cook, even on vacation. Of course, I have DD16 to clean LOL

Rental cars on Oahu are generally cheap, although this year so far the rates are a bit higher than they have in the past - but last time we went, the prices dropped 8-10 weeks out, I hope that will be the case again.

Activities are cheap for us in Hawaii - there are so many things to do that are inexpensive or flat out free! Pearl Harbor, all sorts of hikes, snorkeling at different sites (all beaches in Hawaii are public), museums, even surfing lessons for DD (hello Groupon!) I only have $200 budgeted for activities for 2 of us over our entire 12 days and I think that's probably more than I need!

All in, I spend about $300 more for 11 nights in Hawaii as I spend for a stay at a value for the same amount of time at Disney. But that extra bit gets us better food, a wider variety of experiences, and a nicer place to stay. And the biggest difference? I actually feel relaxed after a Hawaiian vacation. Whereas I come home from Disney more exhausted than when I left from all the go-go-go to try and get the most value out of it!

Of course, all that said, DD still prefers Disney to Hawaii. She's not a beach gal. But since I pay the bills, I get to pick and this year it's Hawaii

 

[neatokimmo]

I am not priced out but I do question the value. I have used my Disney trips as a guide for other trips for years now. Do I want to do xyz or Disney? What could I get for my Disney money instead?

Cost comparison for this year. Twenty days in Italy. Flights, trains and apartments (that are much nicer than Disney rooms) are $3800ish for three people. I couldn't even get into a mod for twenty nights for $3800.

 

[quandrea]

I am not priced out but I do question the value. I have used my Disney trips as a guide for other trips for years now. Do I want to do xyz or Disney? What could I get for my Disney money instead?

Cost comparison for this year. Twenty days in Italy. Flights, trains and apartments (that are much nicer than Disney rooms) are $3800ish for three people. I couldn't even get into a mod for twenty nights for $3800.

Wow. We've been saying we want to go to Italy.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think just like any other luxury, if it is important you will find a way. Instead of having a new fancy car, I take trips to Disney World. Instead of eating out every day I almost always pack lunch. I take coffee to work in the morning. Most everyone has some sort of budget, true. But I don't buy they are pricing out the middle class. But can the middle class buy every new gadget out there, drive top of the line suvs and still afford long trips at the Grand Floridian? Probably not.

We all make choices.

 

[Imagineer5]

We can do Disney pretty cheaply with AP's and staying off-site. Our next trip is 7nights in an offsite 3 bedroom condo, 2 adults, 1 5yo and 2 infants and we're spending about 2K total which includes flights, rental minivan, weeklong stay, upgrading 1 ticket to AP (already have 2 AP's that are active), and dining out 2 times per day (I don't like most CS places, and enjoy great food at Disney - we have a TiW card).

I can easily price out a local vacation to New Hampshire's storyland and a long weekend would cost close to that with tickets, hotel, food, etc. I feel like Disney gives you the value you're looking for when spending the $$.

Over the next 3 years we are focusing on paying off debt to be in a really open financial position, and start doing "big" trips again, but in the meantime I intend to do Disney 2-3 times per year relatively cheaply because it just works for our family, compared to spending that $$ elsewhere.

For instance, we spent about $900 on 2 nights at the Great Wolf Lodge - I would have MUCH rather put that $$ towards Disney, as that experience just doesn't even compare for me!

 

[neatokimmo]

Wow. We've been saying we want to go to Italy.

I am writing down all the money part. Message me in June and I can tell you our totals. The euro is really low right now.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you are looking for a cheap way to travel one of my friends has been doing those cheap packages you can find via e-mail alerts. He and his partner have been all over--Italy, France, India. All by signing up for on line alerts.

 

[jenniy122]

I'm lower class and I don't feel priced out. It's about priorities. I'd rather save the $20/week most spend on coffee for Disney. I only go to the movies maybe once a year, so those savings go towards Disney.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm lower class and I don't feel priced out. It's about priorities. I'd rather save the $20/week most spend on coffee for Disney. I only go to the movies maybe once a year, so those savings go towards Disney.

Yup...I agree. $ can add up quick when you eat out frequently or buy several coffee's a day etc. Each of us defines how we want to spend our money. Prices increase on everything from year to year. I suggested to my daughter that we stay offsite next year, to save almost half of what we will spend to stay onsite. She said "I don't want to stay offsite." So, she will spend the extra money because she wants to be in a Disney Resort. It's her money. She can decide how to spend it. I prefer staying onsite as well, but I'm not opposed to looking elsewhere. It's all about your priorities, and what you're willing to do to meet your own expectations of a Magical Vacation...no matter where you go.

 

[WDWNY]

I don't think Disney is pricing the middle class out. If you go during the cheaper times and stay at a value, I think its reasonable if you go for a 5+ days. If you plan on just getting a 1-3 day ticket, its expensive. It also depends on what kind of Disney vacation you're talking about. Some people won't go if they have to stay at a value, have to drive down vs fly, have to eat quick service etc.

 

[tvguy]

I don't think Disney is pricing the middle class out. If you go during the cheaper times and stay at a value, I think its reasonable if you go for a 5+ days. If you plan on just getting a 1-3 day ticket, its expensive. It also depends on what kind of Disney vacation you're talking about. Some people won't go if they have to stay at a value, have to drive down vs fly, have to eat quick service etc.

Well, I guess everyone may have a different definition of reasonable.

 

[DawnM]

I was hoping the rise in cost would slow down the crowds, but apparently not.

We haven't been in over a year, but not because we can't afford it or don't want to go, we just have been so busy and can't find the time. One kid in college locally, one in high school and has a local job, and I went back to work full time, so we can't seem to get our schedules to work out.

But we are moving this summer and will much closer, so we will be local and can go more easily (DL). I can't wait. It is so much easier to pop down for a day or an afternoon than to take a week off and pack up and go.

 

[gorkt]

It won't slow the crowds because for many people, the Disney vacation has become a rite of passage for the American childhood experience. They will go into debt for it because otherwise they feel like they aren't giving their kids part of the American dream. It isn't rational obviously, but they could raise the prices more and still be just fine. The only thing that will stop it would be some sort of negative scandal or press about WDW business practices or members of the company. Or a major war or terrorist event.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I can afford to go 2-3X a year now, but only because we joined DVC in 1995, we juggle SW cards to keep using points for flights most of the time; we are no longer paying for 6 to go (4 kids), just 2-3 of us total ("kids" grown); and I work PT at a local Disneystore (that is the BIG advantage).

But I can understand others going less often. Sometimes I wish we took our kids more different places while they were growing up. (We went to WDW every other year for awhile, then each summer for 3-4 years.) We had so much fun though.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm solidly lower middle class and can only afford to visit WDW as often as I do because:
1. I live a 90-minute car ride away, so no real travel expense
2. I only have myself and one child for whom to buy ticket media
3. FL resident pricing on APs
4. WDW is where we've chosen to spend our entertainment/recreation funds and my child isn't involved in sports/clubs/etc.

Even at that, I've been priced out of onsite overnight stays at this point. Which has turned out to be a good thing, since I can get way better accommodations offsite for far less cost, but disappointing that onsite vs. offsite is no longer optional.

If I lived out of state and/or had a bigger family, no way could I afford WDW trips.

 

[crisi]

It won't slow the crowds because for many people, the Disney vacation has become a rite of passage for the American childhood experience. They will go into debt for it because otherwise they feel like they aren't giving their kids part of the American dream. It isn't rational obviously, but they could raise the prices more and still be just fine. The only thing that will stop it would be some sort of negative scandal or press about WDW business practices or members of the company. Or a major war or terrorist event.

Yep. Which is why Disney likes those "once in a lifetime" guests. They will only go once, and they have to fit it all in. And they are doing it to give their kids a dream - so they'll spend on souvenirs and photos and character meals.