Anyone else notice this?

[mattsdragon]

My wife and I are constantly amazed by the pricing at WDW. We've almost giving up trying to guess what things cost. Some things, you pick up, thinking "this is going to be EXPENSIVE" and instead, it's half the price you estimated, then other things are seem to be marked up about 1000%.

The antenna balls are the biggest example of a rip-off going. $5 for a foam ball? That's nuts, and then we found a set of coasters that we would pay about $15-20 for, $8. The kitchen stuff is unbelievably cheap too.

We're always in sticker shock, either overcome by the expense, or shocked by the lack thereof.

 

[Jrabbit910]

I agree w/ u. I think the atenna balls should be much cheaper but so many people buy them (including myself) and they know no matter what its going to sell.

 

[Mecha Figment]

people still have antenas on their cars? my last two vehicls had the antena built into the rear window.

 

[hawkeyesparks]

I have noticed the same thing. I bought a little clock that sits in Mickey's hand like a pocket watch at Mainstreet USA, and I picked it up thinking it would be like 50$, and it was like 20$.

The little unique things like that always are cheaper than I think it will be, but conversely the food there is always more than I thought it would be.


**The christmas store in MK has great buys!

 

[makinorlando]

The antenna balls are the biggest example of a rip-off going. $5 for a foam ball? .

As I sit here looking at my vase full of antennae toppers (35+), plus the one on my car, and those I have gifted to others, or who RIP have gone to antennae topper heaven, and oh yeah - the one's I have had stolen!

 

[sistertrip]

I've also noticed this. It seems the more obviously souvenier-ish an item is, the more expensive it is, while practical things seem less expensive than one would expect (by Disney standards anyway).

 

[grinningghost]

Yep. I've noticed it. Most amazing to me, is the price of t-shirts vs. collectibles. Sometimes the stupid shirts are more than something pretty that will last forever. Boggles the mind.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Ug, I know! Some of the prices on things are insane . . . I remember one store at Epcot where they had small plastic figurines of the characters - about 2 inches high - and they were $5.50 a piece, more expensive than the beanie charcters right next to them, even though the beanies obviously took a lot more work. I will say this though, when Disney has a bargain its a BARGAIN; a couple of years ago I found a back corner at Indiana Jones where they had closeout t-shirts for $5. Not bad for a shirt you can only get in the parks!

 

[dmk1021]

The antenna balls being $5 really gets to me. When they first came out a few years back, they were $3.50. About 3 or 4 years later, they're almost 50% more. Frustrating, but I collect the darn things, and there's not much I can do.

Not only have other items become more expensive, they're not made as well as they used to be (no, really, I'm not just waxing nostalgic here!).

Best example - I have a black 100 years of Magic sweatshirt that I bought in 2001 (I'm gonna guess a lot of you have the same one). I wear this thing all the time, throwing it over t-shirts when running out the door and sometimes using it as a coat. It's 5 years old, and I broke the zipper a bit ago, but the fabric itself looks great. A little faded, but great.

Now, I just bought a 50th sweatshirt in DL over the holidays and literally - LITERALLY, the thing started pilling while I was still in the park! After the first washing, it had fallen apart. It looks worse than my five-year old sweatshirt. And this new one cost me $48! There is no excuse for a $50 sweatshirt falling apart the same day you bought it. The clothing (except for this new "high end" clothing that is popping up - ie fancy t-shirts with Swarovski crystals and such that are like $75) is made so cheap compared to what it used to be like. My parents have t-shirts they bought when I was a kid in the 80s. I'm going to bet that shirts I buy in WDW or DL this year won't last past 2007. Disappointing.

Last vent on prices (since I usually defend the cost of a WDW vacation to grumpy family members and coworkers). The cost of a 20 oz soda was (at least in January, last time in WDW), $1.99, and the 32 oz soda (okay, actually, here in Buffalo we say "pop", but I'll stick with soday) costs $2.29. Seems pretty steep, right? Guess again - in DL, there is only one size soda, the 20 oz, and it's $2.29. That, my friends, is a ridiculous rip off. I think it's just terrible. 20 oz cup, too, but with the ice, you're lucky if you get 10 oz. That really bugged me when I was in DL.

Okay, now I"m going to a board where I don't complain, but gosh, that felt good to get off my chest

 

[mattsdragon]

As I sit here looking at my vase full of antennae toppers (35+), plus the one on my car, and those I have gifted to others, or who RIP have gone to antennae topper heaven, and oh yeah - the one's I have had stolen!

Stealing antenna balls. That's one to remember.

The way the practical items are priced, my entire house is going to be furnished with Disney gear soon (their towel sets from the catalog are so cheap, I can't keep the wife from buying stuff).

Gotta get my Snow White +7 picture up. We were there the same day as you were, apparantly in the same line.

 

[deide71]

Woe to the thief that tries to steal my antenna ball.

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I think the $50 sweatshirts are waaay too high- I'm sure it's a case of a captive audience- if you're in WDW and freezing and didn't bring a jacket, you're way more likely to drop the $50 for a sweatshirt than go off property to Wal-Mart and get one for $10. I think that $30-$35 would be much more reasonable, though!

The best deal I got last time was an awesome carved giraffe statue from Africa- about a foot tall, and only $12!

 

[makinorlando]

Woe to the thief that tries to steal my antenna ball.

The first one stolen was on St Pat's Day 2003 - DD and I were at WDW on vacation prior to relocating here. I had a rental car and had bought it just for the occasion! We came out after a day at MK and it was gone. Geesh - we were still in the parking lot - they could have gotten on in the gift shop at the TTC.

The other was more recently someone stole my Happiest Celebration one from MK as well a few months ago!

Certainly not very Disney like!!!!

 

[richard_andmel]

When I know we are going I check the online Disney Store for good deals on t-shirts. They have a really cute logo tee at the moment that is $9.99. I bought one for everyone going on the trip. That doesn't mean that I won't buy things when I am there, it's just nice to start off with some reasonably priced stuff.

 

[daisyduck123]

We returned last weekend from 8 nights/9 days at CBR.

We charged all purchases during our stay to our room card. At checkout, we learned we had charged $1500 (we were on the Dining Plan, so we had not purchased any food). DH said that amount was about what he had expected.

Souvenirs add up (but we purchased A LOT because we are finishing our basement & making it a Disney family room). We also did things like rent bicycles, rent a boat for a half-hour, etc.

It was a wonderful trip!! Now we're trying to save for the next one!

 

[luv2nascar]

Have to agree on the sweatshirts $50 bucks
I found the italian charms were around $4-$5 bucks. I got a bunch of those. Some dangley ones too. I realize they are not 18kt gold like the ones I bought at home but I have had them for a year and they did not change color/tarnish.

Autograph books are what $12 bucks Don't they look like $4 or $5 bucks.

 

[zurgswife]

Simple Supply and Demand

 

[DaisyD]

people still have antenas on their cars? my last two vehicls had the antena built into the rear window.

I no longer have an antenna either as my new car has it built in. I still had all my heads though so went on search for something to use. I found the Mickey ball thingie for your dash on this site I believe. It was less then $1 and you could probably make it but it was easy enough to just order! It is a small white disc with a spring for the head to sit on. It look adorable on my dash and now no one can steal it either!

 

[jann1033]

i bought a little purse in china ( epcot not the real china) for $5 that would have been probably 15 at kmart and a little fancy mickey head soap for 2.50 that i know would have been close to 3-4 in the real world but the tee shirts... i bought a "normal" one (ladies, stain free, crew neck or v, probably 10 color choices but no character) at walmart for $6 ( regular price yet) and could have bought the sleeve of one for that at wdw so yeah ....

 

[mattsdragon]

We bought a real nice, hand painted, sake set in Japan (at EPCOT) for $30 that would have cost probably about 75 normally. And check out the silk kimonos there too. Unbelievable how cheap they are.