Are Disney prices too high?

[Magpie]

Yes but I do . Keep paying those exorbitant prices I refuse to.

Okay... so where are you headed to in four months, and why are you on a Disney trip planning board?

 

[Happy_2_B]

I am the kind of person that wants to see a good value for every dollar I spend .
Brunette

Although practical, I am with PPs that do not believe Disney is gouging it's customers. Are they overpriced relative to most everything else? Absolutely. But it's Disney- and they are the only ones that have the exclusive rights to Mickey, Minnie, Frozen, etc, etc, etc. In short, they have a 'captive audience' if you will. Disney will NEVER change it's pricing structure- and if you invest then you know Disney actually was one of the few large corporations that did really well through the last recession- and they will continue to make money through the one on the horizon- and lots of it- if they made money during the last economic downturn. You can certainly invest and spend your money however you see fit- we all can. Speaking for myself, I certainly wouldn't vacation in a place that I felt was gouging me- as instead of having fun I would just resent being there.

 

[saskdw]

Yep I won't buy a bottle of water or a turkey leg or go to dessert parties or pay that much for a hot dog. What I will do is use the free water option, find a nice spot to watch the fireworks for free, and search through the menus for the best food deals, sometimes that means packing food (Disney allows that unlike many theme parks) and only buying a few things while there. Seriously you can do Disney on many different budgets and I appreciate that.

Honestly, if I had to do all those things I can't afford a Disney vacation.

It's not a vacation to me if I have to worry about every dollar I spend. We didn't start going to WDW Until we were in a financial position to actually afford it.

 

[rainboots]

We take a vacation every year, be it WDW or elsewhere. The price at WDW is not altogether more than anywhere else I've been. We don't nickel & dime ourselves, we do everything we want. We can do this because we are responsible spenders for the other 51 weeks each year. For us, the price is worthwhile to me for the memories we create, and I don't begrudge it a bit. If something is too expensive, I won't buy it, there is a choice.

 

[Magpie]

Honestly, if I had to do all those things I can't afford a Disney vacation.

It's not a vacation to me if I have to worry about every dollar I spend. We didn't start going to WDW Until we were in a financial position to actually afford it.

I've never sat down in any restaurant, anywhere in the world, without checking the prices. Even on my recent trip to London, I had a budget and I tracked every cent I spent. My husband does the same. It's just a good habit to have, regardless of how much money you make (and we make a fair bit).

Because we're in the habit of spending sensibly, we travel more, and we'll get to retire comfortably and debt free.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Whether or not people are foolish with their money is irrelevant to the topic . The bottom line is Disney is still gouging its customers . I don't need a lecture on how to budget my money . It makes me wonder how many people find the recent 10 percent correction in the stock market a bad thing . Investing heavily now , is helping me find good value for my dollar. I am the kind of person that wants to see a good value for every dollar I spend . Spending 3.50 for a free commodity is a foolish waste of money . We have annual passes and do eat at counter services and maybe a table service.

I feel Disney is gouging it's customers, and I felt compelled to point that out.
Brunette

I don't think anyone is "lecturing" you. You asked for opinions, and plenty of us are giving you our thoughts, some with financial statistics to back up why the prices are what they are. If you feel they are gouging their customers, why support them by continuing to go there on vacation? I mean, you are part of the problem you believe exists - you are giving them your money for at least park tickets, thus proving they can charge what they do and people will still pay. You are.

I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying that as how can you be upset that you feel they are price gouging but still perfectly okay with giving them the money they want for tickets to go there? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you think their prices are outrageous as you seem, you wouldn't keep giving them repeat business for the prices they require you pay.

 

[brunette8706]

Okay... so where are you headed to in four months, and why are you on a Disney trip planning board?

We are going back to Disney in 30 days. We own a vacation home nearby . We go to Disney frequently .

 

[BarbieGal457]

Honestly, if I had to do all those things I can't afford a Disney vacation.

It's not a vacation to me if I have to worry about every dollar I spend. We didn't start going to WDW Until we were in a financial position to actually afford it.

I mostly agree. We do look at menus and certain other things, and if they seem silly to us we just skip it, however we don't deny ourselves things we really want to do either. We save and save and budget to go to Disney so that when we're there we can say "oh hey you know what? I want the filet mignon tonight!" My boyfriend and I rarely do that at home, so it's nice to be able to do it in Disney without worrying very much. However I completely, completely understand why others would really want to watch every dime spent, especially with children. It's mostly only my boyfriend and me going, so we really only have to budget for our tastes and wants and not an entire family.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I do think their prices are crazy high for everything.

I think the good thing about WDW/Orlando is that there are a lot of different ways to go. Orlando has so many lodging options, compared to other vacation destinations. And then it's quite easy to stock up the kitchen, eat at offsite restaurants (many of which are way better than onsite anyway).

But offsite is a different vacation as well, for better or for worse. And of course if you need/want the Disney transportation, onsite becomes the better option.

 

[BarbieGal457]

We are going back to Disney in 30 days. We own a vacant home nearby . We go to Disney frequently .

The thing is...you're still paying for the tickets that you find exorbitant in price. You feel they are gouging guests seemingly everywhere, but you're actually giving them exactly what they want. It just doesn't make much sense to me. If you really disagree with their price structure so much, you wouldn't choose to go any longer until pricing changes.

 

[saskdw]

I've never sat down in any restaurant, anywhere in the world, without checking the prices. Even on my recent trip to London, I had a budget and I tracked every cent I spent. My husband does the same. It's just a good habit to have, regardless of how much money you make (and we make a fair bit).

Because we're in the habit of spending sensibly, we travel more, and we'll get to retire comfortably and debt free.

We plan ahead. We have a pretty good idea of the total cost of the trip before we book it. Once actually there we enjoy our selves. We will be retiring debt free and comfortable ourselves.

 

[brunette8706]

I don't think anyone is "lecturing" you. You asked for opinions, and plenty of us are giving you our thoughts, some with financial statistics to back up why the prices are what they are. If you feel they are gouging their customers, why support them by continuing to go there on vacation? I mean, you are part of the problem you believe exists - you are giving them your money for at least park tickets, thus proving they can charge what they do and people will still pay. You are.

I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying that as how can you be upset that you feel they are price gouging but still perfectly okay with giving them the money they want for tickets to go there? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you think their prices are outrageous as you seem, you wouldn't keep giving them repeat business for the prices they require you pay.

Hi there!

We enjoy going to Disney. You really can't beat the annual pass prices . We just got back and I wasjust compelled to write a si.ple post about some of the pricing. As I stated early an other people have stated there are some things we just don't spend our money on. We do love going there though . We plan on co.ing back in October and New Years Eve! That's my favorite time of year . We also use the Tables on Wonderland discount ticket.

 

[saskdw]

I mostly agree. We do look at menus and certain other things, and if they seem silly to us we just skip it, however we don't deny ourselves things we really want to do either. We save and save and budget to go to Disney so that when we're there we can say "oh hey you know what? I want the filet mignon tonight!" My boyfriend and I rarely do that at home, so it's nice to be able to do it in Disney without worrying very much. However I completely, completely understand why others would really want to watch every dime spent, especially with children. It's mostly only my boyfriend and me going, so we really only have to budget for our tastes and wants and not an entire family.

Yeah....we never eat out at home. We don't spend more then needed on clothes. We didn't buy too much house...etc.

The only time we splurge is on vacation.

 

[Magpie]

We plan ahead. We have a pretty good idea of the total cost of the trip before we book it. Once actually there we enjoy our selves. We will be retiring debt free and comfortable ourselves.

Yep, I plan ahead, too. Which is how I know I don't need to pay for a dessert party you get a good view of the fireworks. The one time I did do a dessert party at disney, I budgeted it in and paid for it a couple months before our trip. I usually figure in one special event each trip, whether it's a tour or - next trip! - dinner and a sleigh ride.

I also enjoy myself on vacation, very much. But why would I change habits of a lifetime (ie, such as ordering water with my meal), just because I'm on vacation?

Edit: auto correct is weirdest

Edit: it did it again!

 

[Elevationist]

Some people just love to complain. I'm with the PPs who said essentially, "If you hate the pricing so much, stop paying the prices. Don't go." It really is that simple, I promise. Seriously. I'm a travel agent, I assure you there's a whole world of cheaper vacation options out there. Feel free to take your money instead somewhere that you feel you get a better value for your dollar. You'll leave a little more room in the parks for the rest of us who happily find Disney to be worth their asking price.

The negativity on these boards sometimes is such a bummer!

 

[Magpie]

Yeah....we never eat out at home. We don't spend more then needed on clothes. We didn't buy too much house...etc.

The only time we splurge is on vacation.

Ah, whereas we have our Friday morning breakfast with friends. Our occasional lunches with the kids. Ordering in dinner, a couple times a month...

We splurge in small ways throughout the year. Vacation is not, for us, a time to splurge above and beyond what's normal. It's just a fun way to relax and refresh ourselves, until the next time we get to come back.

 

[gtpoohbear]

The only judge of whether prices are "too high" is whether people are willing to pay them. And clearly they are, given the growing attendance at the parks and high occupancy of the resorts.

No one is being forces to go to Disney, so it isn't fair to accuse Disney of doing anything wrong. They don't owe anyone an affordable vacation. They are just applying the sound economics of supply and demand. As much complaining as people do about crowds, can you imagine how much worse it would be if they lowered their prices? You'd be lining up an hour before RD just hoping to get in before they hit capacity.

If at some point their numbers start to decline and it is determined that the primary reason is that too many people feel they can no longer afford it, then you may see the prices come down, But based on current trends I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Besides, just spend a few days skiing at Vail, and suddenly WDW will seem like a bargain

 

[5kidsmommy]

Honestly, if I had to do all those things I can't afford a Disney vacation.

It's not a vacation to me if I have to worry about every dollar I spend. We didn't start going to WDW Until we were in a financial position to actually afford it.

Well to be fair, we are a large family, and we camp at the campground. We have actually never really brought more than snacks into WDW but I know other families in our position that regularly have picnics and they enjoy it. We usually eat breakfast at the camper, do a quick service lunch, have a Disney snack and then head back to the camper for dinner. It's still a Disney vacation and with 5 kids and us being a single income family I don't ever see us spending money on a deluxe hotel but we are still able to enjoy a relatively inexpensive and fun Disney experience. I know it's not for everyone but it's perfect for us.

 

[saskdw]

Yep, I plan ahead, too. Which is how I know I don't need to pay for a dessert party you get a good view of the fireworks. The one time I did do a dessert party at DISNEY! I budgeted it in and paid for it a couple months before our trip. I usually figure in one special event each trip, whether it's a tour or - next trip! - dinner and a sleigh ride.

I also enjoy myself on vacation, very much. But why would I change habits of a lifetime (ie, such as ordering water with my meal), just because I'm on vacation?

I don't change my habits either. I drink water because it's healthier than pop not because it's cheaper.

The point I was making is that if a feel like a mid afternoon hotdog at MK I go ahead and have one instead of worrying that it's $8.50 and it should be $3.00. At home I always pack enough food for the work day to take with me. We've gone on enough vacations that I can guesstimate with pretty good accuracy the amount of splurging we will do. Overall cost of the trip is usually within a couple hundred of what I have figured.

I think we are arguing the same point.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Yeah....we never eat out at home. We don't spend more then needed on clothes. We didn't buy too much house...etc.

The only time we splurge is on vacation.

Ah, whereas we have our Friday morning breakfast with friends. Our occasional lunches with the kids. Ordering in dinner, a couple times a month...

We splurge in small ways throughout the year. Vacation is not, for us, a time to splurge above and beyond what's normal. It's just a fun way to relax and refresh ourselves, until the next time we get to come back.

We tend to go out to eat frequently but we never seem to order really expensive items off the menu, so Disney or birthdays and anniversaries is where we splurge on fancy meals. In fact, our anniversary of dating and my birthday just happened to coincide last trip so we got really wild and went to both Le Cellier and California Grill but we planned WAY ahead for their price ranges. I think it also helps that my boyfriend is extremely picky. That sounds strange but it forces us to really vet the menus before we go, and it possibly saves us from going to the super expensive places. He is a sweetheart and would never not go somewhere due to the menu if I really wanted to go, and I know Disney is super accommodating with food issues but I would feel awful to make him keep eating meals he didn't truly want just for me. He ate plain spaghetti at Hoop Dee Doo, leaving me with mountains of food, but he loved the show and said he would happily eat that spaghetti again! (Good thing he would, too - we're going again for my birthday next June!)

We also aren't big souvenir people lately so that does help with handling Disney prices. Overall like I mentioned before, they are pretty in line overall with where I live in Philadelphia, but I love Disney so much I just save up and accept it. A few days of slightly overpriced water isn't going to ...sink me. Sorry, I will show myself out...