I understand it for things that cause them to close early like the holiday parties. I was frustrated too last October. We did do
MNSSHP ( never again, ridiculously crowded), but trying to plan another MK day and having to choose between going when they closed early or going on a non party day when I knew crowds would be much worse was a pain. Party seasons are getting longer and longer. They affect park hours and just as importantly, crowd levels.
DAH and MM’s do neither except that it may slightly reduce FP demand for headliners. To not want Disney to offer them because one can’t afford to buy them makes no sense at all to me. Could Disney extend hours for free? Sure, but then instead of a relaxed few hours of not standing in long lines, youd just have more hours in a crowded park. Being frustrated at the price tag I get. Not wanting anyone else to be able to do it, I don’t get. Feeling like you’re a second class citizen because you don’t do them I really don’t get.
It is a matter of priorities as you say. We rarely do sit down dining anymore for lots of reasons, but mostly it’s because I prefer to spend my money on other things. One character meal almost pays for a MM. I cut the cost of a dessert buffet by skipping dinner- that cuts the price by half at least. MM’s include all you can eat breakfast, DAH includes all the snacks and drinks you can eat. We do qs, share meals or buy kids meals and spend a fraction of what we use to spend on food. What law says a churro isn’t breakfast and popcorn and a Mickey bar aren’t dinner? lol