Are Disney prices too high?

[bryanb]

Here in Southern California, everyone is buzzing about the headlines that a Disneyland annual passport with no blockout days now actually costs $1,049 per year. I've had four people come talk to me about this in the last couple of days. Before this weekend, you could buy a Premier Passport for BOTH coasts for about the same price.

Of course, at Disneyland there's a much more urgent need to cut down on the number of annual passholders -- especially in the insane week between Christmas and New Years.

 

[JOE DELL]

Going to Disney or any other amusement parks is a luxury not a right, taking a vacation is a luxury not a right. If the price is to high for you to afford then thats life.

 

[hookedonears]

Are prices high? Yes. Are they too high? I'd say a qualified no. You think prices are high at Disney. Try going to Europe. Try going snow skiing at most places around the US and Canada. There's no comparison in the entertainment value that you get at Disney as compared to most places around the world. Disney is a bargain in my opinion. As Pete has said over and over again, as long as the turnstiles keep turning and people are buying Disney stuff, they're not over priced. Many people in this country, however are being forced out of the market. The average income level in this country has steadily dropped over the last 6 and a half years, to a point where fewer and fewer people from the US can afford to go to Disney. Disney is relying more and more on a growing international market, which obviously can afford to come. We still go to Disney, but the time period between each trip is becoming longer and longer.

 

[JOE DELL]

Take a 6 day guided rafting trip through the grand canyon and you will see just how cheap a Disney vacation is.

 

[flicx]

So when Disney finally reaches the number that drives people away the company that has never once lowered a ticket or room price is going to lower prices? Once you have done a lot of damage to your long term customer base they are going to run back? These ideas seem to be what many are suggesting!

 

[JOE DELL]

So when Disney finally reaches the number that drives people away the company that has never once lowered a ticket or room price is going to lower prices? Once you have done a lot of damage to your long term customer base they are going to run back? These ideas seem to be what many are suggesting!

When people stop going wich won't happen.

 

[brunette8706]

Take a 6 day guided rafting trip through the grand canyon and you will see just how cheap a Disney vacation is.

Hi Joe-

A Disney vacation is cheap? I respectively beg to differ.

For a family of 4 here is an very average cost staying in a moderate preferred room.

AIR - $250 Round Trip = $1,000.00
RESORT - $250 a night x 7 = $1750
TICKETS (4) 7 days $1427.00
FOOD $50.00 (pp per day $200) x 7 days $1400.00
MISC. $500.00

Grand Total $6,077 for a 1 week vacation for a family of 4 people over the age of 10.

 

[rangerxenos]

FP+ and Tiering.

There are lots of people like me who actually LIKE the FP+ and what you're referring to as rationing, because we can actually get on some of the more popular rides without having to get up at rope drop and run through the park to get Fastpasses for the popular rides, or stand in line for an hour and a half.

 

[rangerxenos]

Hi Joe-

A Disney vacation is cheap? I respectively beg to differ.

For a family of 4 here is an very average cost staying in a moderate preferred room.

AIR - $250 Round Trip = $1,000.00
RESORT - $250 a night x 7 = $1750
TICKETS (4) 7 days $1427.00
FOOD $50.00 (pp per day $200) x 7 days $1400.00
MISC. $500.00

Grand Total $6,077 for a 1 week vacation for a family of 4 people over the age of 10.

Other than Theme Park tickets, if you are taking a family of 4 to a popular vacation destination for a week, you are still going to have most of these costs to vacation somewhere else.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

There are lots of people like me who actually LIKE the FP+ and what you're referring to as rationing, because we can actually get on some of the more popular rides without having to get up at rope drop and run through the park to get Fastpasses for the popular rides, or stand in line for an hour and a half.

How do you feel about the attraction tiers?

 

[rangerxenos]

How do you feel about the attraction tiers?

I'm honestly okay with them, though given a preference I'd have no tiers. We are rarely at a park for rope drop, so oftentimes with the old system there were NO Fastpasses left for the most popular rides, so we often had to wait in long lines.

The other thing I look at is the fast pass system is FREE in the Disney parks, whereas if I want the same thing at the Universal parks, I have to pay for it, and even then the really popular attractions are not included (Harry Potter).

 

[rangerxenos]

I'm not completely defending Disney, but honestly if you look at the other amusement parks, their prices are not out of line for your 'bang for your buck'. We have several amusement parks here in New England -- $50 to get in, and $10 - $15 to park. They are a quarter of the size of the Disney parks.

Is Disney an affordable vacation? It's not cheap, but depending on factors like whether you can drive or have to fly, or whether you stay off property or on, it's not nearly as expensive as people claim it is. Up until a few years ago, we always stayed off property, for less than $100 a night at a nice hotel, which provided free transportation to and from the parks. We ate most of our meals outside the park, again, a huge savings. Wasn't any less magical a vacation that staying on property as far as I'm concerned.

We now stay on property because we can and it's convenient, but at the end of the day it's my choice.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

When people stop going wich won't happen.

That's not what I'm reading and hearing.

 

[Mom2Kids2003]

I don't think they are any higher than any other theme parks. We have done Universal as well as many different Six Flags theme parks and food prices were just as high at those and the parks, in my opinion, were not kept up as well or as clean. The local waterparks in my area charge just as much for most of the items you listed. I think when it comes to theme parks, we will always see an increase in costs each year because unless they see a decrease in attendance, there is no business reason for them to keep costs low.

 

[RedAngie]

Say what you want about price. It is very obvious the tone of the boards are turning towards a very negative vibe regarding Disney right now. Words like greed, gouge, rundown, bland, dirty, unkempt, etc keep popping up. You have DVC owners who are selling or regretting having bought and countless annual pass holders dumping future plans of purchasing. These things are really hard to ignore on a fan site! Some of the most vehement Disney fans are now disillusioned. There is a problem in my opinion. Been around here for a long while, haven't seen these levels of complaints ever!

There was the same amount of disillusionment and negative posts (if not more) when FP+ was first introduced. Now there's barely a peep against it. I suspect the same will happen here in a few weeks when people get tired of venting. Then the next ruckus will be when tiered theme park pricing goes into effect.

I recognize that for some, the increase in AP prices is the straw that broke the camel's back. Quite understandable. Some might abandon Disney all together, some will visit less often, and some will continue to go just as often as before.

There's no way I would consider Disney a cheap vacation. It's only cheap when compared to other more costly destinations. But by itself, Disney is not inexpensive.

 

[Gillyrose779]

Hi Joe-

A Disney vacation is cheap? I respectively beg to differ.

For a family of 4 here is an very average cost staying in a moderate preferred room.

AIR - $250 Round Trip = $1,000.00
RESORT - $250 a night x 7 = $1750
TICKETS (4) 7 days $1427.00
FOOD $50.00 (pp per day $200) x 7 days $1400.00
MISC. $500.00

Grand Total $6,077 for a 1 week vacation for a family of 4 people over the age of 10.

As a family of 4 we spend less than this but I just know how to get deals... Even at that price I still think it is a great value for the amount of entertainment you get- shows, rides, parades, fireworks, pool, movie nights and roasting marshmallows (on site) all included - when you compare to the cost of other shows, concerts, sporting events it isn't bad at all.

 

[JOE DELL]

Hi Joe-

A Disney vacation is cheap? I respectively beg to differ.

For a family of 4 here is an very average cost staying in a moderate preferred room.

AIR - $250 Round Trip = $1,000.00
RESORT - $250 a night x 7 = $1750
TICKETS (4) 7 days $1427.00
FOOD $50.00 (pp per day $200) x 7 days $1400.00
MISC. $500.00

Grand Total $6,077 for a 1 week vacation for a family of 4 people over the age of 10.

Yea that's cheap, 7 day rafting trip through the grand canyon $2700 per × 4 is 10k thats with everything. 7 day cruise to Hawaii START at $900 per perperson without air fare. 7 day Italian vacation start around $1500 per without food. Of course you could spend more or less on these trips but you can also spend more or less that 6 grand on a 7 day vac at Disney.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

New
So when Disney finally reaches the number that drives people away the company that has never once lowered a ticket or room price is going to lower prices? Once you have done a lot of damage to your long term customer base they are going to run back? These ideas seem to be what many are suggesting!

If enough guests are driven away that is exactly what will happen. They may not actually decrease the base price, but there will be "discounts."

There was the same amount of disillusionment and negative posts (if not more) when FP+ was first introduced. Now there's barely a peep against it.

That's mostly shaken out...return guests have either adapted to using it, decided to continue attending and not use it at all, or stopped going and switched their loyalties to the park down the road that doesn't have FP+.

This will shake out too, eventually. What we don't know is whether there will be any significant negative impact on WDW regarding the guests who stop coming.

 

[JOE DELL]

If enough guests are driven away that is exactly what will happen. They may not actually decrease the base price, but there will be "discounts."



That's mostly shaken out...return guests have either adapted to using it, decided to continue attending and not use it at all, or stopped going and switched their loyalties to the park down the road that doesn't have FP+.

This will shake out too, eventually. What we don't know is whether there will be any significant negative impact on WDW regarding the guests who stop coming.

I highly doubt this will hurt Disney at all, a few thousand customers lost is nothing in the grand scheme, and most of the people complaining will still go and spend that loot then go home and complain some more how expensive it was as they book there next trip.

 

[monkyby87]

I highly doubt this will hurt Disney at all, a few thousand customers lost is nothing in the grand scheme, and most of the people complaining will still go and spend that loot then go home and complain some more how expensive it was as they book there next trip.

They may feel some impact, but the mere existence of this board proves that they'll always have a fan base and will always have people that want to go. I may alter my plans a bit with pricing changes, but I certainly won't stop going. If these price adjustments are now what's going to drive a certain person away, they likely didn't go to Disney very much to begin with. Disney does very well with international travelers and repeat people, like us. Disney wouldn't have profited very much from the family that goes sparingly and will now not go at all. I know a lot have been grumbling about the price changes, but people are paying and going. Price has only really gone up since the parks were built, and attendance keeps growing. So, that alone tells me they'll be fine.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

The other thing I look at is the fast pass system is FREE in the Disney parks, whereas if I want the same thing at the Universal parks, I have to pay for it, and even then the really popular attractions are not included (Harry Potter).

To be fair, the Disney fast pass system is not equivalent to the Universal Express Pass.....you are not comparing apples to apples. FP is a limited, tiered, pre-booked system while Express is unlimited, non-tiered (though Forbidden Journey, Escape from Gringotts, and Pteranadon Flyers do not participate), and spontaneous. Want to ride Spiderman, Terminator or Rip Ride Rocket 10 times in a day? You can do that with Express Pass.....at your leisure. You won't be able to do that on Big Thunder Mountain.

We have used the Disney FP system, the Universal Express Pass, and SeaWorld's Quick Queue. IMHO, the latter two can, and do, charge because they have a value significant enough that people are willing to pay for.

You can get Universal Express for "free" by booking a night at one of their deluxe hotels (and for that one night stay, you receive two full days of Express). I use "free" in quotes, because the price of the hotel justifies the added inclusion of Express. Disney's FP system isn't "free", either....the cost of implementing the new FP+ is being recouped by the multiple price increases being vigourously discussed on these boards.