BREAKING: Walt Disney World Introduces Date-Based Variable Pricing for Genie+ Service

[Jrb1979]

Well it can decently priced when they run deals plus their AP is more reasonably priced.

Right now USO is running a 2 day get 2 days free

And their hotels are quite reasonably priced IMO. We found Endless Summer great (we paid $134/night in May) and their transportation amazing. We did do one night at Royal Pacific for the EP for 2 of our 3 days we were at the parks and we do know that the rack rate for right then was a bit higher than it has been found to be. ETA and I should add that your family of 3 would all get EP included in the cost of your hotel stay if you stated at one of the three highest level hotels.

In any case USO isn't for everyone and it's totally fine for it not to be, it really shouldn't be much like Disney shouldn't be for everyone. But I would say "not exactly cheap" may be a stretch in a description

You're right, not all parks are for everyone. I will say what I find fascinating is how much many here and Disney fans in general aren't interested in other parks, the top ones in the US still hit over 3 million guests a year. This past weekend Cedar Point was hitting 2 hour waits on most top coasters.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

$22 per person today, Monday, again. Today is not a weekend and is not part of a holiday week. Wondering if $22 is going to be the new base.

 

[wilkydelts]

$22 per person today, Monday, again. Today is not a weekend and is not part of a holiday week. Wondering if $22 is going to be the new base.

But, but, but, I thought last week was extra cause it was Fall Break.

 

[Figvention]

Lower income people have never been able to afford Disney. People seem to only become concerned with people not being able to afford Disney when they are the ones who aren't able to afford it. There have always been and always will be people who can never afford to go to WDW..

The “Lower income people have never been able to afford Disney” is 150% untrue. 25 years ago two poor and very recent college grads/married couple paid for our own honeymoon at Port Orleans French Quarter for 6 nights with meal plan and 4 days park tickets. We lived in a what would be at best labeled at a starter home in a crumbling mid west city and drove 10 year old cars. Over the next 10 years our income scaled with price increases as we advanced in our careers and we went once a year or so. Over the last 15 the cost of WDW has exploded and our need to fund our retirement has grown at an equally sky rocketing pace. We can no longer justify the cost and the yearly trips are just not worth it as a value for the money spent.

All that being said… my wife and I were both “working class poor” who saved our nickels and dimes to afford the yearly vacations. We didn’t go out to eat, made clothes last a little longer, and never invested in all the newest tech. It was a stretch to pay for some years after kids come into the scenario, but we always found room in the budget somewhere. Our kids now in the same educational (with about an equal amount of debt), relationship, family, and economic buckets we were at that age… they couldn’t dream of affording Disney right now. The lack of real wage growth over the long term and Disney’s astronomical price increases have priced the working class out of the vacation experience.

It’s very untrue true to say that the working class have never been able to afford a first class vacation experience at WDW, 10s of MILLIONS of families have done so, history didn’t start in 2020.

BTW, my Dad was a working class Union mechanic and my mom stayed at home, we went 3 times when I was a kid

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We can no longer justify the cost and the yearly trips are just not worth it as a value for the money spent

I hate to tell you this but you're in a different category if you went to Disney every year. Working class poor is usually defined as working but being under the poverty line.

Some of the people I know my age were trying to figure out how to pay for groceries or care for their kids, they were low income. Regardless of the cost a vacation was out of the question a yearly one to Disney laughable a a realistic idea.

You may have opted to funnel what income you could to a yearly Disney trip but you were always in a different category if you were. Many low income people just don't have additional income and priorities have to be elsewhere.

 

[Uncle Coaster]

I travel all over. I still love Disney. In anything I enjoy I don’t mind spending money but to just keep paying more and more and more and more is pretty nuts. I work pretty hard for the money I make and I don’t like to just to throw it away or being juiced for every little penny. Maybe you have endless money to throw away. I don’t. Again I don’t mind paying but it’s getting pretty nutty. I’ll pay for ills or whatever they are called for rides I haven’t done but for me paying to ride the genie rides I have rode forever and paying more each time is nuts.

I hope you find a balance that works for you.

I don’t have endless amounts of money and it has never been in my budget to go to Disney as often as I want or to do all I want to do when I get there. I’ve never stayed deluxe and only stayed at a moderate when someone else covered the room cost. I’ve never paid for a tour or eaten at a signature dining or purchased more than a $20 souvenir in my life. I did buy g+ last time for family and friends and felt like I got my money’s worth.

We all have different value points and should be finding what works for each of us individually. That’s all I was trying to say.

 

[cakebaker]

The “Lower income people have never been able to afford Disney” is 150% untrue. 25 years ago two poor and very recent college grads/married couple paid for our own honeymoon at Port Orleans French Quarter for 6 nights with meal plan and 4 days park tickets. We lived in a what would be at best labeled at a starter home in a crumbling mid west city and drove 10 year old cars. Over the next 10 years our income scaled with price increases as we advanced in our careers and we went once a year or so. Over the last 15 the cost of WDW has exploded and our need to fund our retirement has grown at an equally sky rocketing pace. We can no longer justify the cost and the yearly trips are just not worth it as a value for the money spent.

All that being said… my wife and I were both “working class poor” who saved our nickels and dimes to afford the yearly vacations. We didn’t go out to eat, made clothes last a little longer, and never invested in all the newest tech. It was a stretch to pay for some years after kids come into the scenario, but we always found room in the budget somewhere. Our kids now in the same educational (with about an equal amount of debt), relationship, family, and economic buckets we were at that age… they couldn’t dream of affording Disney right now. The lack of real wage growth over the long term and Disney’s astronomical price increases have priced the working class out of the vacation experience.

It’s very untrue true to say that the working class have never been able to afford a first class vacation experience at WDW, 10s of MILLIONS of families have done so, history didn’t start in 2020.

BTW, my Dad was a working class Union mechanic and my mom stayed at home, we went 3 times when I was a kid

There's a huge difference between the working class and low income or truly poor. You were college grads and 25 years ago, that meant something and college debt wasn't a thing as it is today. You had potential earning abilities and you clearly, by your own description, had options to save money. You chose not to eat out, buy fewer clothes, less high tech gear. When I talk about lower income, I'm talking about people who don't know if they can pay the bills next month, will there be food on the table or what to do they do if they get sick or their kids get sick. I'm talking about people who don't have the luxury of having income TO budget. I'm not talking about Union workers who have job protections, health benefits and paid vacations with retirement plans or college grads on a budget.

My husband was a lifelong Union member, worked the same Union job for 35 years so we were definitely a part of the working class- but that doesn't mean poor- not even close. My kids are all teachers- college educated not part of the "working class" but earn less than my husband did by far yet still firmly middle income and we found ways to afford Disney and still do. Labels really don't mean much when describing income levels and it really matters what you think those terms mean. Working class simply means working what is usually an industrial or manual job, non college educated. These are not low paying jobs, not poor people. They just aren't college educated- like my husband. Working poor is a different thing entirely.

My parents were working class poor. I didn't know it as a kid, but they struggled to pay the bills, fought to get food on the table every week. Vacations for us were long drives home to visit family once a year. It never occurred to me to even think of a trip to Disney. It was so far out of the realm of possibility, I never even wished for it. That's the poor I'm talking about- the poor who never even have the dream to go, not those who have the luxury to scrimp and save. What bothers me, is people only scream Disney is for the "rich" or they're pricing out families when it's their family that might be priced out- they didn't care much when it was others who could never go, regardless of the prices. If you're choosing whether to buy high tech gear or go to WDW, you are most definitely not poor.

Lastly, personally not being able to justify the cost because you don't think the value is there is one thing, but that is not the same thing as not being able to go because of your income levels. That's a choice- you don't think it's worth it. You COULD go, you choose not to. Big difference between that and the money just isn't there.

 

[lowlight]

There's a huge difference between the working class and low income or truly poor. You were college grads and 25 years ago, that meant something and college debt wasn't a thing as it is today. You had potential earning abilities and you clearly, by your own description, had options to save money. You chose not to eat out, buy fewer clothes, less high tech gear. When I talk about lower income, I'm talking about people who don't know if they can pay the bills next month, will there be food on the table or what to do they do if they get sick or their kids get sick. I'm talking about people who don't have the luxury of having income TO budget. I'm not talking about Union workers who have job protections, health benefits and paid vacations with retirement plans or college grads on a budget.

My husband was a lifelong Union member, worked the same Union job for 35 years so we were definitely a part of the working class- but that doesn't mean poor- not even close. My kids are all teachers- college educated not part of the "working class" but earn less than my husband did by far yet still firmly middle income and we found ways to afford Disney and still do. Labels really don't mean much when describing income levels and it really matters what you think those terms mean. Working class simply means working what is usually an industrial or manual job, non college educated. These are not low paying jobs, not poor people. They just aren't college educated- like my husband. Working poor is a different thing entirely.

My parents were working class poor. I didn't know it as a kid, but they struggled to pay the bills, fought to get food on the table every week. Vacations for us were long drives home to visit family once a year. It never occurred to me to even think of a trip to Disney. It was so far out of the realm of possibility, I never even wished for it. That's the poor I'm talking about- the poor who never even have the dream to go, not those who have the luxury to scrimp and save. What bothers me, is people only scream Disney is for the "rich" or they're pricing out families when it's their family that might be priced out- they didn't care much when it was others who could never go, regardless of the prices. If you're choosing whether to buy high tech gear or go to WDW, you are most definitely not poor.

Lastly, personally not being able to justify the cost because you don't think the value is there is one thing, but that is not the same thing as not being able to go because of your income levels. That's a choice- you don't think it's worth it. You COULD go, you choose not to. Big difference between that and the money just isn't there.

All I can think of is you not knowing that being union doesn’t mean a thing. There are people in my union earning 40k a year and some earning 200k a year. My parents were poor, but not food stamp poor. Share a bed with my brother poor, probably earned under 50k a year for a family of 4 in the 80s. We did Disney.

 

[Disturbia]

So we’re going at the end of Dec. MK park passes are sold out today. So is the $22 now tending only on sold out days?

AK and Epcot might see a big inflow of people and might need one as well on those days. I’m thinking Christmas will be $30+

 

[Jrb1979]

So we’re going at the end of Dec. MK park passes are sold out today. So is the $22 now tending only on sold out days?

AK and Epcot might see a big inflow of people and might need one as well on those days. I’m thinking Christmas will be $30+

I don't think it will go up that high yet. They still have all those that pre-paid for Genie+. They don't want to make a huge discrepancy in price. IMO there won't be big changes in price til January

 

[set88]

So we’re going at the end of Dec. MK park passes are sold out today. So is the $22 now tending only on sold out days?

AK and Epcot might see a big inflow of people and might need one as well on those days. I’m thinking Christmas will be $30+

The wording was $22 max for October, so I'm guessing the max for November and December will be higher. I had been thinking $25, but I wouldn't be shocked to see $30 on Christmas Day.

 

[snikki]

I don't think it will go up that high yet. They still have all those that pre-paid for Genie+. They don't want to make a huge discrepancy in price. IMO there won't be big changes in price til January

I don't think Disney really cares about the discrepancy in prices. You can pay much more or much less than someone else for same hotel room for the same night. It doesn't make them keep hotel prices consistent at Disney. I think prices will go up in November since the wording said "$22 max for October."

 

[gottalovepluto]

So we’re going at the end of Dec. MK park passes are sold out today. So is the $22 now tending only on sold out days?

AK and Epcot might see a big inflow of people and might need one as well on those days. I’m thinking Christmas will be $30+

I concur. If Disney wants to push this I see Nov topping out at $25, Dec at $30. I’d budget $30 and be happy if it’s less.

 

[Disturbia]

I’m also hoping for a fireworks LLI$ instead of trying to book the dessert party NYE.

 

[NavyDad]

The “Lower income people have never been able to afford Disney” is 150% untrue. 25 years ago two poor and very recent college grads/married couple paid for our own honeymoon at Port Orleans French Quarter for 6 nights with meal plan and 4 days park tickets. We lived in a what would be at best labeled at a starter home in a crumbling mid west city and drove 10 year old cars. Over the next 10 years our income scaled with price increases as we advanced in our careers and we went once a year or so. Over the last 15 the cost of WDW has exploded and our need to fund our retirement has grown at an equally sky rocketing pace. We can no longer justify the cost and the yearly trips are just not worth it as a value for the money spent.

All that being said… my wife and I were both “working class poor” who saved our nickels and dimes to afford the yearly vacations. We didn’t go out to eat, made clothes last a little longer, and never invested in all the newest tech. It was a stretch to pay for some years after kids come into the scenario, but we always found room in the budget somewhere. Our kids now in the same educational (with about an equal amount of debt), relationship, family, and economic buckets we were at that age… they couldn’t dream of affording Disney right now. The lack of real wage growth over the long term and Disney’s astronomical price increases have priced the working class out of the vacation experience.

It’s very untrue true to say that the working class have never been able to afford a first class vacation experience at WDW, 10s of MILLIONS of families have done so, history didn’t start in 2020.

BTW, my Dad was a working class Union mechanic and my mom stayed at home, we went 3 times when I was a kid

Every situation is unique but my parents couldn't afford to take us in the 90's. They had a vacation fund and planned a couple of trips but un-planned expense came up like medical bills or a new furnace came up and we were never able to go until I was an adult and could pay my own way. I lived in a small town in PA and only 2-3 of the wealthiest families in our two could afford to go.

The interesting part to me is that myself and a bunch of my friends who also could not afford to go in the 90's, we have all spent the last decade or so taking our families to WDW pretty regularly.

 

[Miffy]

Guilty as charged. I don't like price increases anymore than anyone else but I value the experience more. As long as Genie+ is in such demand that it's affecting the value of it, then I think raising prices is appropriate. There really isn't a good alternative to fix the immediate problem. I'd rather pay more for a good experience than pay less and get one that isn't what it could be. I don't buy the money grab claim- they're a business and charging what the market will bear is what they should be doing.

Actually, there is a good alternative--limit the number of G+s sold.

Sure, that might not be "fair" but raising the price isn't fair either. I'd rather have the fairness go in the direction of something random than favoring the guests who have more money to spend.

However, knowing the way Disney's been lately, money is ruling every decision. I just wish the posters on this board would quit encouraging them.

 

[TwoMisfits]

The wording was $22 max for October, so I'm guessing the max for November and December will be higher. I had been thinking $25, but I wouldn't be shocked to see $30 on Christmas Day.

I wouldn't be surprised by $50 for Christmas Day and New Year's Eve...$40 for Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, and Christmas Eve/Boxing Day...and $30s for most of the holiday season...

 

[wilkydelts]

I concur. If Disney wants to push this I see Nov topping out at $25, Dec at $30. I’d budget $30 and be happy if it’s less.

I was going to say the same thing. If I’m going Christmas weeks I would actually plan $35 and hope to be wrong.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I was going to say the same thing. If I’m going Christmas weeks I would actually plan $35 and hope to be wrong.

My family is going the week of Christmas and we're budgeting for $50 and will be happy if it's less. The wording makes it seem that $22 is the high for October, not in general.

 

[snikki]

I was going to say the same thing. If I’m going Christmas weeks I would actually plan $35 and hope to be wrong.

Personally I would budget $50 for Christmas.