Disney Prices - Do you have a breaking point?

[CinqueTerre]

Over the past few weeks, I've seen numerous threads pop up about how Disney isn't what it used to be, Disney is greedy, Disney is charging too much while not being innovative. However, the same people who are complaining are still visiting the parks which is totally cool. But that means that Disney is doing exactly what they should be doing.

So the question is, is there a price at which you would no longer go to Disney World? And I don't mean cut back on food or souvenirs. I just mean, flat out, not going to WDW anymore.

 

[powellrj]

I think they may have reached it. We don't have a trip planned. DD has a spring break trip planned to Universal. She went last year and had such a great time, they are going back again.

 

[Silock]

Probably not simply from ticket prices. A $5 hike here and there isn't that big of a deal for us, because we buy the long 10 day tickets, usually. So, it averages out very small.

What would be the dealbreaker for us would be significant increases in the price of food and alcohol, because we enjoy the food and beverage offerings at WDW. We could bring our own food and drink, but for us, eating and drinking there is part of what makes it great.

 

[JennyDrake]

Here is my answer/non-answer:

Like PPer, my "break" is not (solely) on the price of admission, but the cost OVERALL of going--and that point is approaching. Allow me to elaborate...work takes me to Orlando 3x/yr where I stay and play at The Mouse for a few days; I am an AP holder.

TS has gotten so outrageous that instead of 2 TS per visit, I only had ONE TS for all of 2013. I'm not much of a drinker and that's a good thing 'cause WDW alcohol prices are absurd.

Even with AP discount, room are getting ridiculous. Only 4 years ago w/ AP rate I could book All Stars for $79/night (I do not go during peak season); contrast that w/ last December when AS WITH AP discount was $134.

The bottom line (literally) is that now I stay 1-2 fewer days per trip, and I eat less, and I drink less. But I still go--I'm just not certain for how much longer.

 

[BudgieMama]

For us, the flights are the biggest deciding factor. We got "cheap" direct flights for two adults during the school summer holidays... They set us back around $2400...

In comparison, 7 nights at SSR, 14 day tickets, free dining for the two of us is around $3000... which we were happy with. It's the flights that would push us to breaking point. We could book a week for next summer at ASMu for the two of us, tickets and free breakfast for $1700 if we could book today (with a $200 gift card thrown in to spend in the parks)... But we wouldn't book anything until flights are released, as we got a bargain this year and couldn't guarantee that next year.

 

[mousefan73]

My pricebreak is when whatever Disney is charging and offering ( excluding park entry) reaches a point where we can take that money and do something just as exclusive And get alot more. Disney reSorts and dining is pricey but try a weekend in any major city with food and you're at the same or more price range. Try a museum weekend in Manhattan for a family, Disney is not too far off If disney comes to the point of one week disney or a club Med for the same, we might give disney up. If a weekHawaii is cheaper than a week Disney by by disney. I know it's apples and oranges but it's comparing a week vacation time and cost.

 

[mousefan73]

BTW we do moderate with FD. 8 nites / nine nights cost our family $3900 that is for two adults and two children. I can see where a family will go all out deluxe and can double or even quadruple that price then they could basically do somethinh else And Disney. But in my opinion that's their own fault for deciding to invest that much money in a Disney vacation but for each their own. Everyone has their own breaking point or priority in where to invest their vacation money

 

[packofprincesses]

We are about to that breaking point! Last year our family of 6 spent a relaxing week at the beach for the same price as JUST park admission to WDW. It really put things in perspective for me!!!

 

[JZCubed]

My pricebreak is when whatever Disney is charging and offering ( excluding park entry) reaches a point where we can take that money and do something just as exclusive And get alot more. Disney reSorts and dining is pricey but try a weekend in any major city with food and you're at the same or more price range. Try a museum weekend in Manhattan for a family, Disney is not too far off If disney comes to the point of one week disney or a club Med for the same, we might give disney up. If a weekHawaii is cheaper than a week Disney by by disney. I know it's apples and oranges but it's comparing a week vacation time and cost.

The price is somewhat relative.

If you happen to live in or near a big city and/or vacation to big cities, $30 entrees, $10 cocktails, and expensive hotel rooms are the norm. Also, air travel to Orlando and airport transfer costs are not all that high compared to a trip to a Caribbean island.

In my opinion, what some people partially ignore in their calculations of vacationing is what alternatives to Disney might cost. It's one thing to visit a beach community and suggest that this is cheaper than Disney, but do your calculations include the cost of scuba diving, parasailing, etc.?

I cannot nor will not suggest that a Disney vacation is inexpensive - it's not - but alternatives to Disney that include movies, museums, ballpark, and other activities other than staring into the ocean are not inexpensive either.

That all being said, what we avoid at Disney are some of the over-the-top extras like spending a day getting our daughter's hair done at Biddy Boddy Boutique (sp?) or purchasing countless photos through Memory Maker. But we are from NYC area and the cost of food is not out-of-line for us, nor are most of the silly extras. However, the $20 ballon on Main Street just seems silly to us.

Disney has always been and will always be expensive….you will never that by the size of the crowds.

My view is this - a vacation should be nicer than the way you live at home. Otherwise, is it really a vacation? But that's just me. To each his own.

 

[Meriweather]

We enjoy our Disney trips so much......we have always wanted Disney to raise their prices, so less people would go

We go 2-3 times a year......alternate between WDW and DLR.
Buy APs, don't get the dining plan, own DVC...............the only thing that gets to me with prices is airfare!! So.....we stay for 2 weeks at at time at WDW to get the most of that money. (We drive to DLR)

 

[nugov2]

To me it is about feeling happy with what we are getting for the money spent. For me park tickets and other experiences are still IMO very much a value and don't mind the gradual price increases. As far as on site stays...way overpriced for what you get and there is nothing they offer that would get me to go from a beautiful home just a small drive away to onsite. The values/motels are not luxurious and offer no amenities that appeal and the deluxes while offering nice accommodations/amenities charge an astronomical price for the size room we need. If they started offering additional FP or similar to Universal(I know they never will), I'd be willing to pay the prices for a 3 bedroom on site. I do think that Universal is putting them to shame as far as growth that matters, but MK will always be a park I want to go to when in the area. As far as the lesser WDW parks none hold that same appeal so unless they start amping it up we probably will move to other attractions in the area with just a day or 2 at the MK. We don't go every year...I had planned every 3-4 years b/c we love to travel, but the new HP has lured us back for a sooner than planned 2015 vacation. I don't know what the $$ breaking point would be, but it is really just feeling like getting my $$ worth...right now it is still there, but getting close to swinging the other way.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I'm still not at the breaking point with ticket prices. I still think the tickets are a decent value.

I am at the breaking point with Disney food and hotel prices.

The food...I don't mind paying for food, and I know whenever you eat out it's overpriced, and especially in a resort or theme park...but the Disney food is just bad (IMHO of course). We've switched to eating mostly QS because if I am going to be gagging on food every third meal, I'll pay less for it, thank you very much. Other than the Signatures and a few TS, it's just not good and I can tell they are value engineering the food and that is never pretty.

Anyway, so I am at the breaking point with food for sure.

Hotels...almost at the breaking point in terms of what you get for the money, but the room discounts help with that.

 

[Suvadoo]

April 2015 will be my last trip to WDW and I'm spending 2 day's of my 5 day vacation at Universal ( this is a first). If I return to Orlando, it will be to visit other area attractions, but not WDW.

For me it's not about the money, it's about the trip experience. I just don't think Disney is providing great experiences for their guests. FP+ has increased frustration levels for both the guests and the CM's. If I want to avoid long lines at the parks, I have to participate in this new system.

I've always hated what smart phones have done to our society. When I go to a restaurant, most people have their faces buried in their phones and don't even speak to their dining companions. Now Disney has created the same situation in their parks. Guests no longer look around to see all the wonderful details. It's not a fun situation.

Basically, every new experience comes with a hefty price tag and all they do is provide guests with premium viewing areas and some desserts. These special events cost nothing and Disney profits tremendously.

Eventually, I think park attendance will flatten and people will stop paying for these events. Until then, Disney has no reason to add new attractions. I'm sad that this has happened, but the WDW consumers are driving the bus.

I will still go to DLR, because it's so much easier the WDW. I still feel carefree when I visit. But if DLR becomes a clone of WDW, as far as magic bands and FP+, I'd probably stop visiting there as well.

I love planning vacations, but WDW has taken planning to new heights of frustration.

 

[jco_direwolf]

I think every price increase and/or reduction in service causes a few more people to stop.

As I see it, I doubt we'll see much of a price increase for a while on the base 1 day ticket. Both US and Disney are right near the glass ceiling of $100 (yes multi-day and discounts makes the per day cost less, but what is generally reported in the media is the single day cost.) I don't think EITHER company wants the "bad press" of "X announced today that the cost of a single day at the park will cost you $100." to be the lead story.

The prices have stopped me from several things.

I use to get the Dining Plan from time to time. By removing the appetizer, tip, and making most places I eat 2 TS credits, the value is very marginal, TiW/DDE is much better now plus it includes drinks.

I use to go to Hard Ticket events basically every one I could make. @$30, it was a good value, and a lot of fun. @$40 I dropped down to once per trip. @$50 I dropped down to 1 per year and stopped making "special trips" for the parties. @$60 I'm doing them as a special thing (<1 per year.) Bottom line is Disney is making a LOT less money off parties off me than they use to. I went from spending $70-100 per trip on them, and making trips to attend them, to going one every couple of years.

 

[Tomh]

JZCubed hit it right on the head.

We used to spend two weeks every summer camping in the Lake George area in NY. Lake George is a little tourist town, and a beautiful place. It turns out, that we can spend two weeks in a moderate hotel in Disney with free dining and 10 day park tickets for about what it cost us to camp for 10 days in Lake George.

Of course, the rental at the campground wasn't that expensive, but by the time you figure in the gas you burn driving around to everything, food at the campground, meals out, ice for the coolers, drinks, miniature golf, admission to the local Six Flags, a boat cruise, etc. etc. etc. it costs just as much as the trip to Disney World.

The difference is, when you go to Disney World, you get an up front price that reflects say 85% of the total cost of your trip, and you spend the remaining 15% once you get there. When you camp in the Adirondacks, your up front cost is perhaps 15% of the total cost of your trip, and the remaining 85% gets spent a bit here, a bit there along the way.

As long as Disney is investing that money into upgrades, and new experiences for me to enjoy, and I can still afford the cost of the trip, I will continue to go to Disney.

 

[Suvadoo]

As long as Disney is investing that money into upgrades, and new experiences for me to enjoy, and I can still afford the cost of the trip, I will continue to go to Disney.

What are the upgrades and new experiences that you are referring to?

 

[isaacsfam]

The short answer is NO. WDW is truly our happy place and we will find ways to save on other things to make sure we can go. We may alter our plans depending on our finances but I can't imagine we will ever stop going. Like someone else said it's good if the prices go up so others will stop going and crowding "our parks"

 

[LoriABil]

The breaking point for me was when a DCL 7 day cruise was less expensive than WDW. Comparing apples to apples (adding in excursions for DCL, DDP for the park) it was $1000 more for our family at WDW.

We took a break from Disney. But we did miss it. So we started staying moderate. Started only going during free dining. Started skipping water parks and "extras."

The next step is a value or offsite. I figure we only have one more trip in us, if that. It's hard to see the value when the price for 5 days is twice as much as a 7 day cruise! Plus, we've never seen Universal.

 

[andyman8]

"Expensive" really does depend on your interests, priorities, and whether or not you can rationalize it. Whenever people spend money, they attempt to rationalize it (knowingly or unknowingly) as money is scarce.

If you ask a group of Disney fans, they'll tell you that $336 for a 3-day PH ticket is an awesome value but most would not agree. For a family of 4, $1,344 could get a lot for a weekend in NYC. At this point though, I've learned to just absorb the price increases 'cause after all I enjoy WDW. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it to me? Of course.

What I've always found incredibly interesting is how price increases affect guest experience. Going back to rationalizing expenditures, often many (particularly first-time) guests will attempt to rationalize their $100 day as $10 per attraction thus if they want to get "their money's worth", they need to hit 10 or more attractions otherwise their money is wasted. Of course, that's not taking into account the various street entertainment, the small nooks and crannies, the characters, music, and all the other fun, but most first-timers neither expect nor care about that. It's just interesting to see. Kind of a shame too as those in a rush to hit every headliner tend to miss some of the small details.

By the way, I've found it interesting to see a number of rather prominent posters on this board suggest that they have not renewed their APs due to price. Most seem to still be planning trips but just not as frequently. I'm lucky enough to be able to have an AP and wouldn't have it any other way but it's just interesting to see.

 

[Aurora0427]

I'm still not at the breaking point with ticket prices. I still think the tickets are a decent value.

I am at the breaking point with Disney food and hotel prices.

The food...I don't mind paying for food, and I know whenever you eat out it's overpriced, and especially in a resort or theme park...but the Disney food is just bad (IMHO of course). We've switched to eating mostly QS because if I am going to be gagging on food every third meal, I'll pay less for it, thank you very much. Other than the Signatures and a few TS, it's just not good and I can tell they are value engineering the food and that is never pretty.

Anyway, so I am at the breaking point with food for sure.

Hotels...almost at the breaking point in terms of what you get for the money, but the room discounts help with that.

Totally agree. We have been 3 times since May 2013, and we refuse to book without a room discount. We are looking at DVC, because with what we have spent, we could have a share at the GFV!