Anyone else feeling priced out of disney?

[pigletto]

I don't feel priced out of Disney just yet. I do however feel like I have hit my threshold for what I am willing to pay for what I am getting. So it's not so much that I can't afford to go, it's that I am done paying that much for what I am getting.
I'll be the first to say we went often and had a blast. Then my kids ages changed, our interests changed, things started to bug me about the crowds and the quality of the food etc.
So it's a whole combination of things that are both Disney and individual to my family. We need a break and I don't know that there is a deal good enough to get me to go back in the near future.

 

[Southern Bell]

Well, we love the doughnuts! LOL! We have ate the doughnuts for 35 years! We started with the plain, ate the glaze, now aparently they have covered them with sprinkles! But I believe we are eating the chocolate creme filled now!

 

[ssawka]

yeah, 'only $2k per week'. Or I could just stay offsite for less than $100 a night. I would not EVER pay $2K for a week for a room to sleep in. We sleep and shower in the room, that's it. Maybe we are in the room 6 or 7 hours per day, total. We could eat and stay off site and park for well less than $2k for the week.

To each their own, it just depends on what kind of vacation you prefer. I personally like to be on-site in the Disney "bubble" and not have to worry about transportation or parking and having the ability to return to my room mid-day, but if staying off-site makes you happy, enjoy! I was just saying that there are more affordable ways to stay on-site.

 

[kirstenb1]

So, is the general consensus that Disney has priced the tickets just right?

Will they continue to see the parks filled and happy visitors?

Not my personal consensus, as I stated upthread!!! Tix are out of control. Also, as I stated upthread, we live near both Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. For the last 30 yrs, every summer they print coupons on soda cans, offer them at Wendy's etc. Because I grew up with this example, I always thought WDW would keep tickets reasonable, and gig you on the food/shopping/hotels. Apparently my crystal ball is broken, lol!!

However, I will toss out this tidbit that I read on another thread: apparently the foreign visitor market is still booming. As long as that's true, there's no need to entice us repeat American visitors.

Fine by me. We'll use our DVC, and use our BG platinum passes for free admission to BG Tampa, Sea World, and Aquatica. We'll eat and shop in those parks.

 

[larry_poppins]

I have had a Disneyland AP for close to two decades. Not anymore. Can I afford it? Yes. But the value (for me) is gone. Not to mention the price of gas getting to and from the park.

As a DVC member, I plan on spending more time in Central FL and less time at WDW.

Vacationing differently now.

Larry

 

[Lisaren]

When I say WDW has priced out my family, I do not resent them making as much money as they can. I expect the company to get the best return for their shareholders they possibly can. I am just sad (for me only) that my family's circumstances have made it so we will be unable to enjoy WDW for more than one trip. I am also thankful that we will have the opportunity to have a fabulous two week vacation in the Orlando area this year.

 

[rojen]

The higher prices also keep out the riff raff. They probably save a ton on maintenance and liability insurance since the type of people who cause trouble and break things can't afford to go. It's why concerts and sports events aren't as rowdy as they used to be. The prices are attracting a better behaved clientele.

Speaking in generalities of course. Affording it doesn't make you classy, nor does not affording it make you riff raff.

 

[davedmaine]

The higher prices also keep out the riff raff. They probably save a ton on maintenance and liability insurance since the type of people who cause trouble and break things can't afford to go. It's why concerts and sports events aren't as rowdy as they used to be. The prices are attracting a better behaved clientele.

Speaking in generalities of course. Affording it doesn't make you classy, nor does not affording it make you riff raff.

Wow..

 

[CarolineB]

The food prices are way too high on many items -- I bought a 2 oz. bag of BBQ flavored potato chips in EPCOT and paid over $2.50. Today, I bought a 14 oz. bag of BBQ chips in Walmart for the same price.

I went to the sit down restaurant Nine Dragons and bought the appetizer of 6 dumplings and paid $10. Today I bought a box of 10 frozen dumplings and paid under $3. Granted not the same comparison as the chips but the mark up is still there.

You're paying for the high rent and other overhead costs like the increase in gasoline for delivery, the payroll for the employees, and of course Disney's profits.

I'm local and I don't always want to bring food into the parks or miss out on the dining and snack experiences or the souvenirs (bought a $7 autograph book, etc.)

I definitely feel priced out of many things at Disney World but I've still enjoyed my year as my annual pass finishes up the year.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

The higher prices also keep out the riff raff. sports events aren't as rowdy as they used to be.

.

I agree WOW! Seriously? You think Disney's ticket prices are priced high to keep out poor people who will destroy the parks?

Also, When is the last time you were at a professional sporting event? Or ever?
I can guarantee it wasnt a Pittsburgh Steeler game. Just as rowdy as always. The way it should be.

Just when i thought i heard everything on the Dis . I'm surprised yet once again. " shaking head"

 

[manning]

The higher prices also keep out the riff raff. They probably save a ton on maintenance and liability insurance since the type of people who cause trouble and break things can't afford to go. It's why concerts and sports events aren't as rowdy as they used to be. The prices are attracting a better behaved clientele.

Speaking in generalities of course. Affording it doesn't make you classy, nor does not affording it make you riff raff.

Oh brother!!!

I was just in a restaurant sitting next to a black family of 5. Their dress indicated they were far from rich.

Let me tell you, those kids were some of the best behaved, most polite I ever saw. I commented about their behavior the waitress. She said she wished all her customers were like them.

So what does this say? That class comes in all stations of life. Rich, poor and all races.

 

[ssawka]

You know, for as expensive as Disney is on food, I have to give them credit in a few areas.

First, I just returned from a trip to Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg. They had workers at the entrance to the water park checking bags and making people discard of any outside food they were trying to bring in. DD is on a special diet and the workers would not let DW bring in a lunch for her. DW hand to do the runaround to find a manager. DW explained the situation to the manager, and the manager had to go to the water park to tell the workers it was OK for DW to bring in DD's meal. This would have never happened at Disney!

Second, last year I went to Hershey Park and purchased one of the meal plans. The meal plan was highly restrictive in that not all restaurants were included, and the choices of what was available at each restaurant was limited. One or two choices only. The meal plan was $13 for one meal (counter service) and I would say that the quality was not even on par with Disney's counter service restaurants.

 

[ChristineOH]

Oh brother!!!

I was just in a restaurant sitting next to a black family of 5. Their dress indicated they were far from rich.

Let me tell you, those kids were some of the best behaved, most polite I ever saw. I commented about their behavior the waitress. She said she wished all her customers were like them.

So what does this say? That class comes in all stations of life. Rich, poor and all races.

Curious as to why you brought race into this...

 

[OklahomaTourist]

It wouldn't be much different if Walt was still around, except that maybe smoking would be allowed throughout the parks..

Respectfully disagree with this part of the post. Yes, Walt was about making money, but he was also about keeping the idea of Disneyland for kids. The issue was in the balance of profitability in the vein of maintaining that childlike spirit.

I don't think Walt ever envisioned $700/night resort club villas. I don't think he ever expected his guest families to worry about booking their $150-$200 ADR's six months in advance. I don't think Walt envisioned adding several thousand dollars to a vacation price for the sake of adding a dining plan.

Maybe I"m completely wrong, because I make no pretense of being any kind of Walt Disney expert (as in Walt Disney the person). My possibly naive belief was that he thought he figured out a way to run a profitable business by giving families a fun place to have a vacation. While WDW is still a great place, I'm just not convinced he would have liked the way it has evolved.

 

[Muushka]

Not my personal consensus, as I stated upthread!!! Tix are out of control. Also, as I stated upthread, we live near both Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. For the last 30 yrs, every summer they print coupons on soda cans, offer them at Wendy's etc. Because I grew up with this example, I always thought WDW would keep tickets reasonable, and gig you on the food/shopping/hotels. Apparently my crystal ball is broken, lol!!

However, I will toss out this tidbit that I read on another thread: apparently the foreign visitor market is still booming. As long as that's true, there's no need to entice us repeat American visitors.

Fine by me. We'll use our DVC, and use our BG platinum passes for free admission to BG Tampa, Sea World, and Aquatica. We'll eat and shop in those parks.

I should have posed my question about whether or not everyone was happy with the price of tickets with a little tongue in cheek jumpie thingy.

I am right there with you.

 

[peyjax]

IHis main responsibility is to his shareholders. Yes, some people are getting priced out, but Iger's job isn't to make vacations affordable; it's to keep people coming in at record numbers balanced with them paying a premium over other vacations. I.

Sustainable? Is what they are doing a sustainable way to run Disney? When I think of Walt I think of a visionary. Someone who knew how to make money not for a quick money grab but for the long haul. He was able to see the big picture.

Personally I am unsure of the execs decision making process at this time. The product they have is on the verge of not being worth that premium. Disney is for a limited audience. Once they price out their targets to grab the few "international" visitors and those who are financially well off who will they turn to?

I can not help but think of JCPenny and their attempts to drastically change their pricing structure. They really underestimated their consumer and now are paying the price. I can not help but wonder if Disney is doing the same.

For our family it becomes about worth not necessarily being priced out. For the $$ what can another destination offer. It is hard to spend that much $$ when after all it really is just a very nice amusement park.

 

[ssawka]

Sustainable? Is what they are doing a sustainable way to run Disney? When I think of Walt I think of a visionary. Someone who knew how to make money not for a quick money grab but for the long haul. He was able to see the big picture.

I agree with you and PPs that Walt would not have wanted it this way, however the parks ceased being Walt's company in 1966 when he died and WED Enterprises was merged with the rest of the Disney Corporation. Like it or not, the goal of any corporation is maximize profit for its shareholders. There is a big difference between making a fair profit and maximizing profit.

Also, remember Walt was not really a good businessman. He was a brilliant visionary and knew how to entertain people, but it was Roy that kept the company from falling into financial ruins. Walt knew this and that is why all financial decisions were made by Roy. Even the creation of Disneyland would not have happened had Walt not convinced ABC to fund the project in exchange for content for their fledgling television network.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We went to Disney for a week and stayed off-site in a nice house. It was only 5 minutes from Disney. It had 4 bedrooms, a game room, a private pool. Our family of 6, plus my parents stayed there and it only cost $500 dollars for 7 nights!

Our last trip in December 2012 was $90/night. For this we had a living room, small complete kitchen, separate bedroom area with two queen beds. We were given an included hot breakfast which wasn't the same each morning. Some evenings we had a reception which for us was a meal.

It has gotten more expensive. It hasn't priced us out yet, but we do things much more frugal than most. I do drive, which is a huge help. We stay in a SkyAuction condo for $250/wk.

I'm trying to help a friend plan a budget trip for her family of 6 - their very first trip. I already explained the YES ticket program to her. Now I'm working on lodging. For my budget trip I am staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek b/c my family owns there. From what I've read some of the Windsor Hills condos/townhouses are cheaper than renting at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. I am very interested in info on the properties becca1976, Bete and DawnM have stayed at. Where are they located? What are the condo names? Which hotel had the suites with mini kitchen, free hot breakfast and happy hour? What time of year did you get these great rates? Thanks everyone for sharing your budget tips!

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with you and PPs that Walt would not have wanted it this way, however the parks ceased being Walt's company in 1966 when he died and WED Enterprises was merged with the rest of the Disney Corporation. Like it or not, the goal of any corporation is maximize profit for its shareholders. There is a big difference between making a fair profit and maximizing profit.

Also, remember Walt was not really a good businessman. He was a brilliant visionary and knew how to entertain people, but it was Roy that kept the company from falling into financial ruins. Walt knew this and that is why all financial decisions were made by Roy. Even the creation of Disneyland would not have happened had Walt not convinced ABC to fund the project in exchange for content for their fledgling television network.

Only time will tell if this big profit in the short term philosophy will hurt them. We are all willing to spend big money to visit WDW but there is only so far that people can go. That might be particularly apparent if special deals start to disappear as some have said.

I believe that it helps that many people see taking the kids to WDW as a rite of passage. Many people will do what they can to go at least once because they feel that they should. Will they go back if WDW gets more expensive? Will it matter?

 

[mndisneylovinmom]

I already think that Disney world is not a place that ( sorry for the term, but I'm unable to think of a better word to use) "poor" people visit -- it's just not possible to do unless your doing at the least ok financially.
Unless your using credit cards for the vacation.... And who really enjoys vacation paying for it that way.
It's an expensive vacation, but the trade off is its a very nice vacation too. Safe, clean, ect ect.. We make a good living, but still feel it is expensive.
Our last "Florida" vacation including Disney for 5 days, discovery cove, universal studios, and sea world, cost roughly between $10,000-13,000 ( 10 days) family of 5. Do we think it was worth it? YES!!! We love disney, and are going back again next fall. 7 day shorter trip though.
I think prices have gone up, and I do think its sad. Every parent should be able to afford to take their families to Disney -- unfortunately, it isn't possible for MOST families making minimum wage.