Deluxe Resorts A Little Out Of Control?

[ellie05]

It is only an opinion to state that Disney is out of line with their pricing. You can't compare just room to room as that is not the only thing we pay for at a Disney resort. I got her point, I just don't agree.

Above you said "location location location" so what specifically you are paying that is worth so much more Disney resort? Other that FP window.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I guess I am insane, because I am full prepared for rack rate at CR for thanksgiving week.

To each his own.

 

[MillauFr]

I dont think anyone is suggesting Disney supply lodging to meet their expectations and/or needs. I, for one, am only voicing my opinion that Deluxe Resorts and ticket prices are very high compared to similar themed vacations.

But the deluxe prices are not high if you use the right travel agent. I went in late August and they were selling rooms at the Poly for $189 per night.

 

[ellie05]

But the deluxe prices are not high if you use the right travel agent. I went in late August and they were selling rooms at the Poly for $189 per night.

The only reason said travel agency can give such deals if because they set it up as a "conference" and it is only for a very limited time. If the poly was $189 no one would be saying anything.

 

[Disneylover99]

But the deluxe prices are not high if you use the right travel agent. I went in late August and they were selling rooms at the Poly for $189 per night.

Was that last August? Or a few years back?

 

[MillauFr]

That was 2014. For this August I got a quote for 3 adults & 1 youth, 6 nights at the Poly, 6 day park hoppers for $3,394.14. I haven't done the math to figure out what the nightly rate is but it is still a screaming good deal.

 

[Disneylover99]

That was 2014. For this August I got a quote for 3 adults & 1 youth, 6 nights at the Poly, 6 day park hoppers for $3,394.14. I haven't done the math to figure out what the nightly rate is but it is still a screaming good deal.

It's $266 per night this August.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Supply and demand.

1. There are not enough on- or off-site rooms for every man, woman and child in America to go to Disney, let alone the world, even over time.

2. The supply of on-site rooms is limited.

3. The supply of near-park rooms is more limited still.

Market rate is what the market will bear. If you think the rate is ridiculous, you have options. Disney sets rates on a macro basis, not against the desires of discrete family units and individuals.

 

[Lisann]

I always stay deluxe (mostly) and the prices are outrageous, completely outrageous. But I love the deluxes and everything about them. However, I split the cost three ways with my sisters. And we save for a long time. I will tell you, though, it's getting to the point that we cannot afford the deluxe resorts...even splitting the room three ways. Yes, I agree with the OP. I think the threshold is getting close...

 

[Nancyg56]

I always stay deluxe (mostly) and the prices are outrageous, completely outrageous. But I love the deluxes and everything about them. However, I split the cost three ways with my sisters. And we save for a long time. I will tell you, though, it's getting to the point that we cannot afford the deluxe resorts...even splitting the room three ways. Yes, I agree with the OP. I think the threshold is getting close...

I think that we will see if the market has had enough when further discounts are released.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

No one owes you a luxury vacation. No one owes you a vacation. It's a privilege, not a right. But to answer 500 dollars for a luxury hotel in Flordia sounds about right. I could show you 10 hotels that charge over 1500 dollars a night.

 

[davale4]

We used to stay every year at the GF RPC for many years. When they built the VGF we decided to buy because we knew we would be priced out at some point. I'm so glad we did because I refuse to pay over $1000 a night for a room. We thought we were going to miss RPC but we don't. However, we do miss the people that work there that we saw every year and our kids used to look forward to seeing them.

 

[ajh88]

We have stayed at the Poly for our trips for the past 6 years. Yes, it's expensive, but I don't know if I would agree with out of control. All lodging seems to have increased - I used to budget about $75/night for our hotels on our drive down and back (like Holiday Inn types) - now I'm fortunate to spend less than $150.

We paid $300/night in downtown Dallas last summer for a Hampton Inn (nothing special but nice enough). We are going to Chicago this summer for 2 nights - 1st night is $250, 2nd night is $450 at the SAME hotel. Another Hampton Inn, but right where we need to be. If we had waited another week, both nights would have been over $400.

I suppose I'm becoming desensitized to hotel prices - staying deluxe is a priority to us, so we budget for it. If someday the price outpaces what we are willing to pay, we will evaluate other options.

 

[michelepa]

Thank You....I think I might look into renting DVC points...that seems to be the alternative consensus here...I have never done that before; so it seems a little daunting to me...off I go to research!

I look into renting DVC points every trip. I must be doing something wrong with my calculations because the cost is really high and never seems close to a deal.

I'm wondering if 3 or more families are squeezing into these villas and splitting the cost.

On another note, i see the other side of these Disney trips that are so "affordable".

People actually withdrawing from their IRA's and taking out home equity loans not just once but a couple times to go on these Disney trips. Indeed, it is always for Disney trips.

I don't get it.

When I walk around Disney i'm always wondering how many people here can really afford to be here. It's sad.

For the first time, this past spring break, i decided to stay at a non Disney property since it would be me, DH, DD and DS would then join us mid week and with two teens and a non park lover husband i just didn't want us all to be on top of each other and Disney villas were cost prohibitive.

We stayed in a 3 bedroom condo at WBC that was more in the Disney bubble than most of the Disney hotels as far as location and per night cost less than POR. The condo was fabulous. We could get up and do whatever we wanted in the condo without disturbing sleeping family ~make coffee, make breakfast, take a shower, run a load of laundry, watch tv. The bedrooms are nicely spread out. Getting ready was also easy with a sink in and out of the bathroom areas.

I really felt this place was a steal, especially compared to POR where we stayed the first night of the trip and it didnt even have a proper closet. Sorry, I do not see the appeal of that place at all and if that's the best moderate hotel Disney offers than people are really getting ripped off.

I am booking WBC for next year since we are going again to watch DS play with his high school baseball team at ESPN the week before Easter.

 

[hmcater]

That's why we love our magical rate for Labor Day, pretty much pay for a deluxe what we would for a moderate. We wouldn't be able to stay deluxe otherwise!

 

[Regan117]

It doesn't bother me. You can't really compare anything at Disney to anything anywhere else. They have a monopoly on the accommodations because of you want to stay on property, you're staying with them. Unlike Maui, where you can stay on the ocean kind of anywhere.

We don't have an issue with the deluxe rates. We frequently get good AP rates. I just booked club level Savannah view at AKL for August at $350/night. That's cheap, I think.

 

[michelepa]

That's why we love our magical rate for Labor Day, pretty much pay for a deluxe what we would for a moderate. We wouldn't be able to stay deluxe otherwise!

Us two that's how I was able to stay at GF with DD end of August. It was horribly hot and hurricane weather sometimes but that deep discount was so worth it!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I look into renting DVC points every trip. I must be doing something wrong with my calculations because the cost is really high and never seems close to a deal.

When deciding whether it's a deal or not, are you comparing it against the cost of staying off-site or are you comparing the cost to rent points against the cost to book that room/villa with cash? If you are comparing it against the cost of staying off-site, then yes, it is still expensive compared to what you can pay at non-Disney resorts. But renting points is a significant savings over booking the same accommodations without points. We're staying for 9 nights at BLT in September. I originally had us booked in a garden wing garden view room at the Contemporary. It was over $4,000. I then decided to rent points to stay at BLT. I upgraded to a theme park view studio and paid a little under $3,000. There aren't any TPV Studios left available through the WDW website so I can't give you the exact cost comparison, but for our dates there is a lake view studio available for $5,200 (all prices are including tax). So renting points can be a significant savings if you want to stay on-site in a deluxe resort.

I know I could stay off-site and save more money, but I like the convenience and atmosphere of staying on-site. We've stayed off-site for a couple short trips and it just isn't the same vacation. And I don't raid my IRA or take out a home equity loan to afford my trips. I wouldn't book unless I had enough in my regular savings to pay for it. I enjoy traveling and I enjoy being able to travel without having to scrimp on every last aspect of the trip in order to afford it. So I live frugally in my everyday life. When my DD is begging for me to buy her something, or to go out to eat, and I say no, I remind her by saving money we get to go on really nice Disney trips.

 

[michelepa]

When deciding whether it's a deal or not, are you comparing it against the cost of staying off-site or are you comparing the cost to rent points against the cost to book that room/villa with cash? If you are comparing it against the cost of staying off-site, then yes, it is still expensive compared to what you can pay at non-Disney resorts. But renting points is a significant savings over booking the same accommodations without points. We're staying for 9 nights at BLT in September. I originally had us booked in a garden wing garden view room at the Contemporary. It was over $4,000. I then decided to rent points to stay at BLT. I upgraded to a theme park view studio and paid a little under $3,000. There aren't any TPV Studios left available through the WDW website so I can't give you the exact cost comparison, but for our dates there is a lake view studio available for $5,200 (all prices are including tax). So renting points can be a significant savings if you want to stay on-site in a deluxe resort.

I know I could stay off-site and save more money, but I like the convenience and atmosphere of staying on-site. We've stayed off-site for a couple short trips and it just isn't the same vacation. And I don't raid my IRA or take out a home equity loan to afford my trips. I wouldn't book unless I had enough in my regular savings to pay for it. I enjoy traveling and I enjoy being able to travel without having to scrimp on every last aspect of the trip in order to afford it. So I live frugally in my everyday life. When my DD is begging for me to buy her something, or to go out to eat, and I say no, I remind her by saving money we get to go on really nice Disney trips.

I was always comparing Disney deluxe hotels to deluxe villas but found both to be outrageously expensive. I never looked outside the bubble until this last trip. The numbers were not that different for a family of 4 staying in deluxe room and renting points through David for a villa, in fact some cases the point rental calculator was higher than the hotel room at a discount. So, I thought maybe posters stating great deals on renting points for villas were actually adding the rate of three deluxe rooms and comparing that to the three families staying together and paying for one villa. Which would make sense why the numbers don't work for family of four. No worries though, if I'm not using the Labor Day deal for August I will be staying at WBC!

 

[Dakota731]

There are a lot of hotels in New York City and Los Angeles that I can't afford either but that's life! Unless we want a society where we all make equal incomes no matter how hard we work or our education levels, and all hotel prices are the same so that it's fair for everyone, then not much you can do about it. They wouldn't be charging it if they weren't getting it, so wait for a 40% off pin like we did or free dining if you have a big family to make it worth your while. There are accommodations at Disney for almost every family size and budget, you just have to do your homework.