5 biggest misconceptions about DISNEY?

[minnieandmickey]

That Disney is perfect.

Ok well I think the parks are perfect but Disney has no control over the
1. Line Cutters
2. Screaming Kids
3. Smokers not smoking in designated areas
4. Rides breaking down, or god forbid they have to rehab a ride during your visit (as much as we want it to be all about us it isn't)
5. Rude people in general

Now I do think that if Disney could enforce some things a little better (ie smokers and line cutters)

 

[BamaTigger]

1. Disney is just for kids. I have no kids and me and hubby have been without kids every time!

2. the characters dont run up to guests like it shows on commercials!

 

[WaltD4Me]

3 nights, 4 days, 2 adults, 1 child, value (this would be my average trip, I usually cannot get more time off from work) Nov 6-9, 2006

Airfare: $450 per person average (that IS value price out here), so $1,350

Package at Pop, w/ PH and Dining: $1,320.36

Total: $2,670

$667 a day to go to Disney. Tell me that's not steep now. And I know that most of that is not Disney's fault, but when people say "a trip to disney is expensive" they DO have to figure out not just the cost of the parks and lodging, but also getting there.

True, but you would have to figure in the cost of getting there when you go anywhere, not just to Disney. Say the same family just wants to go to Daytona beach, travel costs would be about the same, and you would probably HAVE to rent a car, then a nice hotel near the beach would probably be quite a bit more than staying at Pop, food will probably be about the same...maybe a little less, depending on where you eat and then you throw in the extras. If the family just sits on the beach and goes swimming all day, yes it will be cheaper, but if they want to DO anything, it's going to cost 'em. Just like it'd be way cheaper if you went to Disney and just stayed at the hotel and and swam in the pool everyday, but didn't go to the parks.

The thing is, really, ANY vacation, especially if it involves airfare is probably going to be expensive, not just Disney vacations.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Yes airfare for you is a lot more than for me (in Iowa). I only pay around $200 round trip per person...

However, considering your geographical location, you're probably going to pay that much or more to go to a lot of places... Mexico, either coast, Hawaii, Europe... So I guess my point is, unless you go somewhere fairly local, you're going to pay a lot for airfare... (I think)

*nods* Pretty much unless we want to go to Minneapolis, it costs an arm and a leg (it actually costs more to fly to Denver than Orlando, go fig. and the SAME to go to Amsterdam, practically! ) but I was only saying that while some people say a Disney vacation is cheap, it may be for some folks, but try justifying the cost for an 8 hour park day at those rates, and it ends up not being quite as cheap. So I just can't blame people who say that a trip to Disney is expensive, because all in all, it can be.

 

[bytheblood]

To the point of expense.....

I don't find Disney to be any more expensive than taking a cruise, certainly less expensive than Hawaii and for us, going up North would be more costly.

I think with proper planning, the vacation is always affordable.

 

[Fintastic]

I agree Joe. Compared to other event tickets, $70/day is just not that expensive. I've recently spend $75 for Cirque du Soleil tickets, $90 for Indy 500 tix and $120 for a NASCAR race. And these events only last 3-4 hours at the most.

But when you don't spend money on "other" stuff like this, Disney is expensive. That's like saying, "Yeah, a week at Disney is cheaper than a Caribbean cruise!" But if you're talking to somebody who never goes on cruises, then it really doesn't matter how much a cruise costs, KWIM?

We don't spend money on vacations. Our "vacation" every year is a visit to my family 1800 miles away. That's it. The cost of a trip to Disney has been the reason we'll have 5½ years in between trips. Like I said, if we had to fly, we wouldn't be going. And we are staying in a Value, and most likely will be bringing a lot of our own food too.

 

[Disneyfan63]

Hi,

I know that my last trip in May cost a little less than $1,600.00 USD for five nights, staying at POP, dining plan, airfare, MYW pass with everything, DDP. A solo trip, but I had a blast. I met some friends, experienced the magic of Disney, ate some good and tasty food. Good deal, IMHO.

Jim

 

[Boncho]

Let me first state that I don't think any vacation is cheap. That being said, I don't think Disney is expensive either, considering what you get for your money. I had been thinking that maybe this winter I should take my son somewhere else instead of Disney for a change. I did alot of research on all the usual places (I don't think there was one I didn't check out, really). I found that some of the places cost less money but there was hardly anything to do - I don't want to just sit by a pool all day. Even the places that at least had a water slide cost within a couple of hundred dollars of what a Disney vacation costs me. When I went over the information I had, I found that you get the most for your money when you go to Disney. Why go to a resort that only has a pool when you can stay at a value resort, get park hopper tickets for 4 parks (and yes, I have to buy plane tickets also) for only $129.75 more. Also, we don't eat fancy while on vacation, it's mainly counter service meals which also cuts down on the cost. Sorry, for the hijack, I just had to say it. Guess where we are going again this year????

 

[BlindTyldak]

To the point of expense.....

I don't find Disney to be any more expensive than taking a cruise, certainly less expensive than Hawaii and for us, going up North would be more costly.

I think with proper planning, the vacation is always affordable.

*raises an eyebrow* it's also cheaper than travelling around the world.

I'm not quite sure I understand your point. Are you saying that vacations are expensive no matter what? You're right, they can be for some folks, and it still translates to disney being an expensive trip simply as anything would be.

But you also say the vacation is always affordable with proper planning. Hate to break it to you, but $600 a day for a vacation is hardly "always affordable" for many people. *chuckles* And that is planned, you should see what a last minute trip would cost.

 

[Randy K]

1.) Out here in California the biggest misconception is that WDW is just one big Amusement Park. They have a hard time understanding when you tell them that its 4 parks + more. I think this comes from the fact that until California Adventures opened 5 years ago Disneyland was just one Park. There are even quite a few Californians who still think that California Adventures is just a new land in Disneyland.

2.) In California would probably be that you can walk to every place in WDW including one park to another without any trouble at all.

 

[StephSparrow]

Your lifestyle determines how expensive Disney is.

If you didnt get that cup of starbucks every day thats about 1800 dollars a year you could be going to disney with (5 bucks a day)

Smoke? $260 a year you could take to Disney.

I could go on...

Then, when you're at Disney your lifestyle determines your spending.

Do you just *have* to stay in a deluxe? Do you just *have* to stay onsite?

We live an hour away. Manage, at least a trip a month, and at least 2 week long stays a year. We bring coolers full of food, and liquor to the hotel room, and during peak seasons, we stay offsite in a townhome, that we get for cheaper than the values.

Its not about how expensive Disney is. If you planned a week long trip to ANY big city in this country, youd spend about the same, if not more, especially since the things to do are individually priced. Not wrapped into one park hopping ticket.

Biggest Misconception About Disney?

That you dont have to plan. YOu can just show up and do stuff.

If your family was planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, or Yellowstone, I know people would get brocures, maker donkey ride ressies, investigate what there is to do. But it amazes me that people dont do that about Disney.

Even when we go up for the day. We have an itinerary of what we want to accomplish.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

The biggest misconception I have observed is some people don't know that Disney World is more than one park. For example, when a coworker found out we were going for nine days her response was "What are you going to do down there for nine days?" She didn't know that Disney is more than MK. Seriously. I've encountered several people who did not know this.

Adding to your comment, several different times, DW and I were walking in one of those other parks that we refer to as Disney,.... we have over heard before while walking in Epcot, say " we are going to Disney tomorrow ", I just turn in , and give them a look, as... where do you think your at ....

 

[Kathy C]

I, too, disagree with the "expensive" part. I think Disney can be an expensive vacation but with careful planning isn't anymore expensive than many vacations. I grew up on the east coast and remember spending a week at the Jersey shore - got $5 or $10 for the night on the boardwalk. That money went a long, long way. Can't imagine Disney is much if any more expensive than staying in a hotel for a week at the shore, eating out and handing out money for the boardwalk! Just my opinion of course!!

 

[jkid721133]

I think it is a misconception that if you have a 4 day vacation planned, that there is no possible way to see everything! I don't think this is true. I think if you know what you are doing, how to work the fast passes, use early entries and know what to see when, you can totally see everything in that short amount of time, and ENJOY it. My wife and I went for a weekend in December of '04, and literally did all 4 parks in one day! Admittingly, we are fanatical about it and were very tired at the end of the day (and there were some little things in AK that we skipped), but we saw all the best of eack park. It can be done, you just have to do your homework.

As far as the expense, I don't think it is expensive, considering what you receive. It is comparable to any other "all inclusive" vacations that you would take to an island or somewhere else.

 

[Loves Disney]

Okay, these may not be the biggest misconceptions and were probably already mentioned...but these are the few that get to me, heh:

1. Disney is only for the rich people.
2. Disney is just for kids
3. You can see and experience all of any one park in a day (If you think you've seen all of a park in a day, you've got another thing coming! Heck, I'm still finding new things in the MK that I haven't seen and I've been going to WDW for over 10 years. -- there is a difference between seeing and experiencing all of one park and just going to do the things you know you only want to do.)
4. Disney is like any other park
5. Disney is uncomfortable and hot and humid all day everyday (we go in July, lol, and still hit some very nice weather)

 

[jarrdisney]

Expensive or not expensive is completley subjective. I think it was shakespear...

 

[SaraMc]

1. EPCOT is boring
2. Bringing a small child who wont remember it is a waste of money
3. There is nothing to do in the evenings
4. Dont you want to have a relaxing vacation?

 

[4EverFigment]

In addition to others already mentioned:

There are private apartments in the upper stories of Main Street, and that WDW people live up there.

You can go inside the castle (although that one is evidently about to come true with the suite for YOAMD).

peace,
figgy

 

[nicknamy1996]

My top 3 off the top of my head.

1) Disneyland is in Florida
2) MK = WDW and WDW = MK
3) You can walk anywhere

Now as to the "expensive" discussion...

A trip to the mall can be expensive! Thousands if you want too.

Plus we should remember "expensive" is definitely a relative term.

NOW I THINK TWO THINGS...

1) WDW does not cost (or have to cost) as much as most people think.

In the $2,670 example above... as was stated, the airfare can't be chalked up to Disney so $1326 for 4 days for 3 people doesn't sound all that bad when you figure it includes all of your meals, entertainment and lodging. Factor out the cost of lodging anywhere else (usually more than WDW) and the cost of eating anywhere else (probably less than WDW) but factor out both of those costs (which you would have on any vacation) and the WDW/entertainment portion comes down quite a bit. Plus you can skim if you need to... skip hopping, dining plan, buying tix from broker, discounts on hotel, etc...

But its still $1000 for 4 days of entertainment for 3 people ($80pp/day) Not hard to get $80 worth of entertainment in one day. (figure the cost of a movie or ride or show then figure you are going to do a lot of them in one day) Doing it for 4 straight days is where it adds up. But it all come back one's own definition of "expensive"


AND 2) WDW does not have to cost more than other vacations

We rented a house close to a beach a couple of years ago. The lodging was more, but there were not a lot of expenses once we were there, we did go carts one night and putt putt another. So minus the travel(gas), food and shopping which you pay for at WDW or anywhere else I'm assuming the trip cost us around $1400-$1500 for the 7 nights (entertainment, cleaning fees, taxes etc..). . (we did a less expensive house and late summer rates, the houses went up to $4k/week)

Two trips on an AP to WDW. APs (for 4) $1738, hotel year one (at 7 nights) $498, Year 2 (again at 7 nights) $516. For a total of $2873 or a price each trip of $1436.50.

 

[nicknamy1996]

1. EPCOT is boring
2. Bringing a small child who wont remember it is a waste of money

Love these two! And probably to the two most heard (at least by me) Heard both of them within the last week.

I always respond to number 2 with ... how many movies have you paid for them to see, or how often do you take them to the park, buy them thing or just play with them?

They have fun!! and I'll remember it forever! I guess if I was given 1 chance to take them to WDW I would wait.... but at what point did you wait too long???? Better be safe and take them once a year for as long as I can.

I went when I was 12 and don't remember too much about it so you have to wait til after that, but by the time they are 12 a lot of the magic will be lost so you have to go before that.