Are Disney prices too high?

[Magpie]

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.

I think we are! I never worry about the 8.50 hotdogs, either.

Besides, I love the hotdogs at Caseys. They're huge!

 

[texasroni75]

Our local downtown street fair vendors charge about the same as Disney does for QS and convenience items (ice cream, water, funnel cakes, hot dog and fries, etc.). And, our local Theme Parks - we have a Schlitterbahn, Sea World and two Six Flags to choose from - have pretty hefty entrance fees as well and have nearly NO shade, NO clever theme, and are fairly dirty with lines twice as long as anything I've seen at WDW. Plus, the theme parks and zoos here don't let you bring in your own food.

Of course, we can go into the whole "season pass" math, etc. But, for our family, who is going to Disney for one 7-10 day trip a year or less, Disney is still a decent value for us compared to our other options here.

 

[saskdw]

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.

The camping thing actually sounds like a lot of fun!

We have to fly to WDW from 3000 miles away so we don't have that option.

 

[bc7ate9]

"Price gounging" would be something like raising the price of a poncho when it starts to rain or charging for a glass of ice water when it's hot. Disney isn't doing anything like that - they're just charging prices that are reasonable in a theme park environment. I don't go to Universal, but I imagine their prices are VERY comparable. It's just how the tourism industry works.

 

[BeachClub2014]

No doubt it is an expensive place to visit and vacation. Do I wish it weren't so? Yes. As several PP's have said though, its really relative. I live near Honolulu and the restaurant prices are very similar to here so eatind at WDW doesn't seem out of line to me.

 

[5kidsmommy]

The camping thing actually sounds like a lot of fun!

We have to fly to WDW from 3000 miles away so we don't have that option.

If you really want to try it anyone can do it. They have rental companies that will bring a fully stocked (except for food and clothing) trailer to your site, it's a different option. We camp (or glamp) often, it's how we can afford to go so many amazing places. We will occasionally travel and get two hotel rooms but I love being able to travel with a fully equipped kitchen and having our own comfy beds. But to get back to Disney, the campground at Disney is just amazing. It's so clean and a really affordable way to stay on property. My daughter and I are staying in a hotel on our next trip and I'm already sad to be missing staying at Fort Wilderness.

 

[saskdw]

If you really want to try it anyone can do it. They have rental companies that will bring a fully stocked (except for food and clothing) trailer to your site, it's a different option. We camp (or glamp) often, it's how we can afford to go so many amazing places. We will occasionally travel and get two hotel rooms but I love being able to travel with a fully equipped kitchen and having our own comfy beds. But to get back to Disney, the campground at Disney is just amazing. It's so clean and a really affordable way to stay on property. My daughter and I are staying in a hotel on our next trip and I'm already sad to be missing staying at Fort Wilderness.

We don't rent a car and typically rely on Disney transportation. How is it at FW without a car? Do you have a car with you?

 

[5kidsmommy]

We don't rent a car and typically rely on Disney transportation. How is it at FW without a car? Do you have a car with you?

We have a car (well an SUV) with us but don't use it often. If you were flying then the ME would drop you off at the front of Fort Wilderness, then they would have a van to take you to your site. There are internal buses there, many people rent golf carts, bring their own or bring bikes but we have never rented a cart, we just use the internal bus. We like using Disney transportation, it doesn't both us at all.

The only issue you would have would be if you wanted food. They do have a store but it's really pricey. The grocery delivery services deliver to the fort so you could use that option or just purchase all your food at Disney.

I know lots of people love hotels, we just aren't hotel people. We love camping, love being able to take walks on the beautiful grounds or sit outside of our camper and chat with others in the campground. It's a totally different Disney experience but one we love. Heck lots of people go camping at Fort Wilderness and never set foot in the parks. But since we drive 1,060 miles to Disney I couldn't imagine not going into the parks.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I don't go to Universal, but I imagine their prices are VERY comparable. It's just how the tourism industry works.

For reference, a 1-day, 1-park ticket at Universal is $102 before tax, compared to Disney's $97/$105.

A 1-day park-to-park ticket is $147 before tax, compared to a Disney park hopper at $155.

So, yeah, pretty comparable.

 

[Elevationist]

We have a car (well an SUV) with us but don't use it often. If you were flying then the ME would drop you off at the front of Fort Wilderness, then they would have a van to take you to your site. There are internal buses there, many people rent golf carts, bring their own or bring bikes but we have never rented a cart, we just use the internal bus. We like using Disney transportation, it doesn't both us at all.

The only issue you would have would be if you wanted food. They do have a store but it's really pricey. The grocery delivery services deliver to the fort so you could use that option or just purchase all your food at Disney.

I know lots of people love hotels, we just aren't hotel people. We love camping, love being able to take walks on the beautiful grounds or sit outside of our camper and chat with others in the campground. It's a totally different Disney experience but one we love. Heck lots of people go camping at Fort Wilderness and never set foot in the parks. But since we drive 1,060 miles to Disney I couldn't imagine not going into the parks.

Can I put you in touch with my mother? I've been begging her for years to join me on a Disney trip, but she refuses to stay in a hotel room, and she and my stepfather have a 5th Wheel that they never leave home without. I've tried to convince her to bring it down to Ft. Wilderness, but she won't! You sound like sales rep for the place, maybe you can talk her into it for me!

 

[5kidsmommy]

Can I put you in touch with my mother? I've been begging her for years to join me on a Disney trip, but she refuses to stay in a hotel room, and she and my stepfather have a 5th Wheel that they never leave home without. I've tried to convince her to bring it down to Ft. Wilderness, but she won't! You sound like sales rep for the place, maybe you can talk her into it for me!

Oh my gosh!! She totally has to try it. Just have her look at the pictures. It is such an awesome campground. Send her to Disboards, I'll set her straight

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think the prices are out of line with most other vacation destinations. Even our local AAA ballpark charges a lot for hot dogs and caramel corn.

 

[rwdavis2]

Been to a professional or college sporting event lately. Makes WDW look perfectly reasonable.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Been to a professional or college sporting event lately. Makes WDW look perfectly reasonable.

Heck, go to another theme park and compare. We are season pass holders at Cedar Point, holy cow their food prices are so high and the food choices suck.

 

[Boo Bear]

They're high but you get what you pay for and compared to other vacation destinations, they're really pretty spot on. I think they charge more than they should for certain special events, but I don't have all of the information regarding the decisions to price things the way they do. Who are we to say what's priced too high when we don't know how much it costs to maintain a very clean and nice resort and offer the exceptional level of customer serviced that Disney is known for.

 

[Boo Bear]

With Avatarland opening next year, Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land, I expect that prices will inflate a little more rapidly over the next five years or so.

 

[maxiesmom]

I just checked six flags, and if you buy their meal deals ahead of time you can get a meal for one, such as a hot dog or chicken strips, for the low low price of $15.25. If you want their equivilent of a refillable mug it will cost you $16 FOR THE DAY.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Try any sports game. concert, almost any entertainment venue and you will find Disney is not expensive. Ball game........3 hours.........family of four for3 hours $400+, concert, 3 hours......tickets start at $65.00 with the pigeons and go into the thousands sometimes.

AKK

 

[Mousemommy1]

It's high, but you get a lot for the money.

I priced out ONE DAY at Seaworld for my family of five and we were at $780 when you factored tickets, their version of FP's for rides and shows (that you pay separately for), and parking. That doesn't even count food. Or anything for the flights down/back.

$780 for ONE DAY!!!

In comparison, our recent trip to Disney in April, which was 8 nights staying at the Contemporary ran about $675/day and that factors in EVERYTHING (food and air).

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't think they are out of line with any other vacation destination. I paid $5.50 for a bottle of water at Radio City Music Hall a few weeks ago. You could not bring a cookie into the place! The other snacks were outrageous and we did not buy them.

Lunch for two was almost $60 at Ellens, and dinner was about $100, but for 4. No alcohol, dessert or beverage besides water. I am planning a few days in the city with my DGD and by the time I pay for lodging, food, tix to Aladdin and admission into the Museum of American History for the two of us, add transportation and parking if I drive to the train station, I am close to $1000 and this is only for two nights.

Our local Six Flags NE is crazy expensive to eat, and you cannot bring a thing in there.

We go to the Big E and while the admission is not much, everything you eat, drink or do there is expensive, so I think it is all relative.


This last trip was more money than we normally spend, but we planned for it. We can brong the cost down and many times we do, but then we don't buy turkey legs or hot dogs. Well not when my DH is not with us! I believe that people can determine how to minimize the cost if they choose, so t