Value of a WDW Vacation

[Andrew015]

Curious to know what folks on the boards think. Do you get more for your dollar at WDW today than you did in the 1990's - early 2000's?

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I didn't go in the 90's or early 00's so I guess I really can't compare the other time frames. I do feel like I get a great value for the money spent now though.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

My first trip wasn't until 2007, so I don't have as long a history. But when I look at what I got then and what I paid compared to what I'm getting this year and what I'm paying, it's really crazy!

For example, every trip we've done has included Free Dining. In 2007, that plan included appetizer and dessert, tax and tip. We signed our receipt and off we went! Now we don't get the appetizer and still have to leave a tip--which adds up quickly! We also were able to get the full dining plan with a Value resort, not just the quick service.

Yes, now my kids are considered adults so I know ticket prices are going to be more. And we've since moved to staying at a moderate (only because the upcharge to convert QSDP to DDP made the price difference nominal). And, yes, we're staying an extra day this year. But our package price has about doubled in eight years.

 

[rucifee]

We passholders barely even get any discounts anymore. I remember advertisements talking about the dining plan saving 30% on your meals years back, now they anticipate you'll buy the most expensive things on the menu, and when you don't (and you probably won't), that's extra profit!

I recall paying $89/night to stay at Port Orleans Riverside in 2009, you can't even stay in a value for that now most nights. You definitely don't get your moneys worth out of Disney anymore, going to Disney? Prepare to empty your wallet.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have only been 1 time in 06, but the price has increased so much. I can't afford to even think about going.

 

[flateacher]

Nope not at all - in fact we were annual pass holders for years... close to 10. We decided not to renew them last year. It isn't worth it - and we live here. We have gone over to the darkside. Part of it is my daughters are getting older 13 and 7. However, not so old that they should be done with Disney - but they are and so are we. My husband just commented on how we get more for our $$ at Universal. As a passholder they have given several offers to their Deluxe hotels for the price of a Disney value hotel.

 

[newestkg06]

Just looking at 2016 prices vs. what we are paying this year.....(and yes, we have free dining, but AoA is almost $60 more a night which adds up pretty quick). We were planning on coming back in 3 years....I don't think we'll be staying on property then. I thought what we were paying already was crazy.

 

[rucifee]

Nope not at all - in fact we were annual pass holders for years... close to 10. We decided not to renew them last year. It isn't worth it - and we live here. We have gone over to the darkside. Part of it is my daughters are getting older 13 and 7. However, not so old that they should be done with Disney - but they are and so are we. My husband just commented on how we get more for our $$ at Universal. As a passholder they have given several offers to their Deluxe hotels for the price of a Disney value hotel.

You definitely do get more for your money, especially if you're a premier pass holder. Preferred parking, 20+% off on most things, 15% discount to bring your friends, fast pass almost everything after 4, what's not to love! We decided a few weeks ago not to renew Disney, I feel like I'm flushing money whenever I go. We'll still go until our passes expire, Disney has simply stopped caring about us. Why would they when they have tour groups and 1%'ers? I saw that they are taking away free parking from the DisneyLand pass holders, how crummy is that?

 

[auntmeme7577]

I've gone numerous times since the park first opened. I do believe there is great value, but that doesn't mean it's cheap. There is great value in free and reliable transportation if you stay on site. There is value in spending time with your family in a great atmosphere, with excellent customer service. Seriously, those CMs have the patience of super humans. There is value in the atmosphere, theming, music, parades, fireworks, downtown Disney, etc. In that sense, I believe the value is there.
No matter how I look at it, the food is a poor value. Bland and expensive.
But I choose to enjoy the experience for what it does offer, and I go 3-4 times per year

 

[eliza61]

Not even close, lol I've been going since 1996 and the difference is beyond noticeable. For me it's all about the quality.
most regulars will agree, the food is far worst for more money. a lot of the services have now been contracted out and not as good. Valet parking is one. now for some thats not a big deal but when you travel with a senior who has mobility issues, it's a biggie.

IMO, even the quality of the merchandise has gone way down, although the last trip I thought it was better. Disney moved away from originality to the awful generic merchandise. for a time you found the same stuff no matter where you were. Miley Cyrus and shirts with the date on it. LOL


the thing I feel sad about is the rest of the vacation world has caught or is catching up. cruises now are exquisite. I routinely hear people say that the disney cruises are what disney USE to be, my girlfriend took her family to atlantis, once again spent what she routinely spend at Disney and had just as "magical" of a vacation.

I've gone to Europe a couple of times on what I spend at Disney.

My vacations have changed a lot at the world. I stay at my dvc or offsite. no way would I ever pay what the mouse wants for the quality of their deluxes. we always have a car, once again I'll do a few meals onsite but there is nothing worst than spending a couple of hundred dollars for a meal and then saying it was "so-so". we'd rather spend the time, go offsite and have an excellent meal.

I really wish they spend less money on trying to stuff more people into the parks and spend it on bringing back first rate experiences.

 

[DetroitDisney]

I think perception is getting the better of most. Has Disney gotten more expensive? totally. Has EVERYTHING gotten more expensive since 10/15/20 years ago? Also yes. I think we just feel it when its time to make large vacation purchases.

Disney is still an incredible value when it comes to vacation. Now this is obviously less true if you stay in concierge and only do table service meals on property, but thats a different story.

I still think that your money goes further at Disney than it will compared to other options, relative to inflation and such.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I think perception is getting the better of most. Has Disney gotten more expensive? totally. Has EVERYTHING gotten more expensive since 10/15/20 years ago? Also yes. I think we just feel it when its time to make large vacation purchases.

Maybe this is true. BUT I know that I'm paying close to double (little bit less if you count the additional adult tickets instead of kids' tickets). And that's just in 8 years, not 15 or 20! AND I'm getting less included than I did 8 years ago. I'm not comparing this to value I could get elsewhere for my money. I'm strictly comparing similar vacations at Disney, 8 years apart, and the value has totally decreased! As I mentioned earlier, the Dining Plan is nowhere near the value it was just 8 years ago.

The Wishes Dessert Party is another great example. We went a couple years ago and enjoyed it. It was less than $30 per person. It's now $50 per person and the only "added value" is a glass of apple juice and some cheese and crackers. No one can tell me there isn't a loss of value there!

 

[DetroitDisney]

We also have to consider a very important thing though.

In the last 15 years, there have been two major events that rocked the country, and especially the tourism industry. 9/11 and the housing meltdown both devastated the industry.

Disney HAD to offer tons of amazing things to get people into the parks to continue making money in these down times. They elected to make less profit per person in order to keep things moving forward. So right now, they arent really taking away benefits, as much as they are no longer needing to offer them.

Things like bonuses on packages and annual passes are not and never were for caring about the guest. Those "bonuses" were there based on a calculated decision to increase the sale of those items. They are now finding that America is rallying hard, and they don't need to offer those addons to sell the packages/passes.

If anything bad happens again, you will see more value provided. Its really just business.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

No argument that they have their reasons for doing it. Yes, it's all about money. And as long as they're making it hand over fist, there's no reason to offer more incentives. As long as we're all willing to continue paying at the rate we are, they'll keep pushing the costs higher until they reach a breaking point (which I doubt they ever will!).

But the hard fact is that you do get much less for your money now than you used to. And at a rate that far exceeds inflation in other areas!

 

[DetroitDisney]

Someone needs to drop some real data analytics into this thread to prove someone right/wrong. I just feel like Disney is a better value than other vacation options now, and I feel like it was the same years ago.

So maybe I am not arguing for it getting cheaper. I am just arguing that WDW is still a better value for my money relative to the other options.

If that makes sense.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

See, I took the OP's question to be Disney trip to Disney trip. Did you get more value AT DISNEY years ago than you get AT DISNEY now? I think almost all of us will agree the answer is YES! That's certainly what the answers have been to the poll so far and what most of the comments are illustrating.

This has absolutely nothing to do with comparing it to other vacations. And it's really not about "proving" something with data. It's everybody's feelings about the trips they've experienced. Most everybody feels they got more for their money at Disney in the past than they get for their money at Disney now.

 

[DetroitDisney]

Thats fair too.

I just know that I always feel like I get 10000x the value of my money when I visit WDW, so I am always happy. But then again, I AM an obsessed fanboy so I am probably not the best judge, haha.

 

[amylevan]

I can't answer the question because I think WDW has always been an expensive vacation.

I feel there is a bit of a "nostalgia" and rose colored glasses thing going on when you ask this question. Kids grow up and want new experiences. The magic of riding the same rides diminishes over time (no matter where that ride is located). Sure, the magic remains on your family's favorites, but

There's a whole additional park (AK) since the 90s, so in that respect, I'm getting more value for my ticket.

In 2000, an adult 5 day park hopper was $206. In 2009, an equivalent ticket (MYW w/ PH & non-expiring) was $342. Now, you can't get a non-expiring, but a 5 day MYW w/ PH is $404. That is a 66% increase from 2000 to 2009. And only a 18% increase from 2009 to 2015 (although you lost your expiration advantage). So in that example, the 2000s were a worse loss of a value than now.

Yes, the discounts change, but that's a reflection more of the whole economy and the state of the tourist industry than anything else, just like someone else mentioned. The place is more crowded than its ever been, so I don't think it has priced itself out of the market yet.

 

[rucifee]

I can't answer the question because I think WDW has always been an expensive vacation.

I feel there is a bit of a "nostalgia" and rose colored glasses thing going on when you ask this question. Kids grow up and want new experiences. The magic of riding the same rides diminishes over time (no matter where that ride is located). Sure, the magic remains on your family's favorites, but

There's a whole additional park (AK) since the 90s, so in that respect, I'm getting more value for my ticket.

In 2000, an adult 5 day park hopper was $206. In 2009, an equivalent ticket (MYW w/ PH & non-expiring) was $342. Now, you can't get a non-expiring, but a 5 day MYW w/ PH is $404. That is a 66% increase from 2000 to 2009. And only a 18% increase from 2009 to 2015 (although you lost your expiration advantage). So in that example, the 2000s were a worse loss of a value than now.

Yes, the discounts change, but that's a reflection more of the whole economy and the state of the tourist industry than anything else, just like someone else mentioned. The place is more crowded than its ever been, so I don't think it has priced itself out of the market yet.

A 5 day MYW w/ PH was $272.00 in 2009 representing a 48% increase from 2009 to today, if you want to compare apples to apples.

 

[eliza61]

Maybe this is true. BUT I know that I'm paying close to double (little bit less if you count the additional adult tickets instead of kids' tickets). And that's just in 8 years, not 15 or 20! AND I'm getting less included than I did 8 years ago. I'm not comparing this to value I could get elsewhere for my money. I'm strictly comparing similar vacations at Disney, 8 years apart, and the value has totally decreased! As I mentioned earlier, the Dining Plan is nowhere near the value it was just 8 years ago.

The Wishes Dessert Party is another great example. We went a couple years ago and enjoyed it. It was less than $30 per person. It's now $50 per person and the only "added value" is a glass of apple juice and some cheese and crackers. No one can tell me there isn't a loss of value there!

Amen

The wishes dessert party REALLY annoys me because I went the first year it was offered and as soon as it became popular the price darn near doubled. Sorry that's just pure greed. No way has the cost to throw that gone up 90% in three years.

I also am comparing Disney to Disney. I can't compare Disney to other vacations because of the way I travel. I'm a budgeter in my real life so I can travel deluxe. Disney would lose in that category except they have the parks but hotel and food wise I get better value elsewhere.