Disney World is BROKEN!

[Seeker615]

I think if you are a frequent visitor you don't feel the rush that a family would on a once in a lifetime trip. You want to be sure your kids see it all and do it all.

The commercials make it seem like you can run up to the characters and hug them and everyone is happy and lines are easy to navigate. The reality is so different.

My best vacation to the world was 1998. It was in September and the weather was great, lines were short and characters were everywhere.

My most recent trip was for the Mickey's Christmas party. The first hour was a nightmare (between 5pm-6pm) It was crushing and frustrating. Once 7pm rolled around it was very manageable but I can't imagine people trying to visit when crowds were like that. It would be very hard to enjoy yourself and really immerse yourself in the parks when you can barely navigate.

I am all for planning but with the new fastpass plus and having to lock in rides and shows and meals it really takes the spontaneity out of some things and with young kids I can see this being a real hassle.

 

[jimmysmom74]

I don't understand the thought process that charging more will decrease attendance. Resort Prices have doubled in the last 10 yrs, and the days of 45% discount pins are dwindling away. People still come. Increasing prices more would just cut out any chance for the middle class to be able to afford an already hefty tab. Walt would be appalled at the over privileged being the only ones able to enjoy his dream.

However, the problem I have is the lack of progress. People spending more money should make building more rides in a timely fashion possible.

I personally think the increase in attendance has to do with the fact that parents that remember their first trip to WDW are wanting to experience the magic again through their children's eyes. Adults in their 30s now with kids were among the first children at WDW. Plus grandparents want to bring their grand kids just like they did with their children. That's how our family and many others we know are currently. For me, it is amazing to see my DS with that same amazement that I remember having as a child. This generation of parents has a unique perspective of WDW.

 

[redsbe]

"I am all for planning but with the new fastpass plus and having to lock in rides and shows and meals it really takes the spontaneity out of some things and with young kids I can see this being a real hassle. "

We have experienced great WDW visits with little detailed planning - no FP, no pre-booking of shows or meals. Yes we did some research to determine which were the best days to visit certain parks and which rides/shows were priorities, best places to eat and and made use of RD, but our trip and days were not planned down to the hour or minute and had lots of spontaneity. It all depends on what experience you are looking for and how you like to travel and visit WDW. If anything we have cut back on the detailed planning with recent visits. As to FP+, in the future yes we would take advantage of it, but not depend on it or expect that a major part of our WDW experience is based on MB or FP+

 

[MichelleVW]

We felt the same way until we flew down to visit my relatives on the Gulf Coast for a week. On the surface, it seemed cheaper. Then we added up the cost of meals, the cost of day trips, the cost of museums and entertainment...

It came out to MORE than a Disney trip!

The thing we didn't appreciate about Disney is that the entertainment is all included. We don't have to pay almost a hundred dollars for a family of four to visit a museum for half a day.

The Audobon Aquarium of The Americas, for example, charges $22.50 for each person over the age of 12, and if you want to see the IMAX film, that's an additional 5 dollars each. Oh, you want to visit Ship Island instead? That's 27 dollars for each person over the age of 10.

We personally find Disney quite reasonably priced, for what it is.

Same for us...I price other trips and I can pretty much always do Disney cheaper!

 

[carmelhp]

Yes, thank you. That is my point. No need for people who DO pay in cash for trips to come in and declare it -- I know those people exist. However, we are a society who by and large exists on debt. Our US Government leads the way.

If there were only people at WDW who paid for vacations in cash, the parks would be empty.

EUREKA! Lobby for a law to be passed that theme parks have to take cash only. There's the solution, right there.

 

[Eoghann]

Broken is a rather emotional and extreme description that tries to assign the problems one group has experienced to everyone (and it seems from the thread not everyone experiences them).

But more fundamentally Disney doesn't care what you say on this message board. Or on their Facebook page or Twitter. They are making financial decisions and their direction will change only when their financials are impacted.

If you are having as little fun on these trips as you suggest... stop going. Because you're wasting your money. If enough people feel the same way (and stop going) things will change. Otherwise they won't.

Maybe that will seem dismissive to some, but it is just cold, hard reality. If you keep going and giving them money you are expressing an opinion far stronger than any negative comment on a message board.

So you either... adapt your visiting style to enjoy it (assuming you are either willing to do so or there is some adaptation that would make it enjoyable). Or stop going.

The rest is just sturm und drang.

 

[snoopy352]

Same for us...I price other trips and I can pretty much always do Disney cheaper!

We stay for a week on the beach on the gulf coast, eat all our lunches and dinners out, and spend a fraction of what a week at disney costs. not sure if you and magpie are eating at shula's every night or what, but unless you are frivoloulsy spending big bucks every day at these museums and staying for just a couple hours, i am having trouble with this. Using just one example, Disney meals are priced 80% higher than comparable meals outside of the parks/resorts.

 

[redsbe]

Same for us...I price other trips and I can pretty much always do Disney cheaper!

I made the same point several months ago (before the whole FP+ crisis really emerged) when some posters complained about how expensive a WDW vacation was getting and perhaps it was time to go to Hawaii or Europe.

My point was that major trips for families, especially those involving long airflights, are all expensive and in many cases more so then WDW. For us the lower costs of flying to Orlando compared to many many locations is a significant aspect of travel planning and budgets.

Now if you are looking for a different type of vacation then certainly go elsewhere. And although WDW vacation is still expensive, much travel is, yet with some planning you can reduce the costs of a WDW vacation. May be hard to believe but there is some economic value in a WDW vacation.

 

[Eoghann]

My point was that major trips for families, especially those involving long airflights, are all expensive and in many cases more so then WDW.

I have parents in Scotland that I like to go and see occasionally. We can't do it very often though because just the plane tickets alone for our family set me back most of $5,000.00

Then start factoring in the terrible exchange rates and it gets ugly fast.

 

[Tardisblue]

broken is a rather emotional and extreme description that tries to assign the problems one group has experienced to everyone (and it seems from the thread not everyone experiences them).

But more fundamentally disney doesn't care what you say on this message board. Or on their facebook page or twitter. They are making financial decisions and their direction will change only when their financials are impacted.

If you are having as little fun on these trips as you suggest... Stop going. Because you're wasting your money. If enough people feel the same way (and stop going) things will change. Otherwise they won't.

Maybe that will seem dismissive to some, but it is just cold, hard reality. If you keep going and giving them money you are expressing an opinion far stronger than any negative comment on a message board.

So you either... Adapt your visiting style to enjoy it (assuming you are either willing to do so or there is some adaptation that would make it enjoyable). Or stop going.

The rest is just sturm und drang.

+1

 

[redsbe]

We stay for a week on the beach on the gulf coast, eat all our lunches and dinners out, and spend a fraction of what a week at disney costs. not sure if you and magpie are eating at shula's every night or what, but unless you are frivoloulsy spending big bucks every day at these museums and staying for just a couple hours, i am having trouble with this. Using just one example, Disney meals are priced 80% higher than comparable meals outside of the parks/resorts.

Yes we all know WDW meals and food is more expensive, but I believe the point that was being made was the added cost for day long activities, shows and attractions etc... that are all built into the WDW park ticket cost which you can get down to $35 per day , but other places those activities are extra. Yes you can travel cheaper, but for a comparable experience to WDW? At WDW you are paying for the complete experience, not just sitting at the pool or beach every day and all day.

 

[CWdreamer]

We stay for a week on the beach on the gulf coast, eat all our lunches and dinners out, and spend a fraction of what a week at disney costs. not sure if you and magpie are eating at shula's every night or what, but unless you are frivoloulsy spending big bucks every day at these museums and staying for just a couple hours, i am having trouble with this. Using just one example, Disney meals are priced 80% higher than comparable meals outside of the parks/resorts.

When you go the beach, you are not in an amusement park, which will charge more, so that that is not really an apples to apples comparison.

We go to many other amusement parks and the meals at WDW are not out of line with those. Typically I budget $100 per day for food/snacks/drinks every time I go to any theme park and that is no different than my budget at WDW.

 

[crostorfer]

fify

I absolutely hate it when people do this. Don't "fix" what other people say. I meant my words. You do not speak for me Sir or Ma'am.

 

[undertheradar]

The truth is that it is vacation, a time to relax and enjoy. The idea that I have to devote months of planning to get my money's worth is a total fail. Long gone are the days of deciding where you want to eat on the day you want to eat, how do I know which park I'll be in 6 months out? This used to be a simple destination that has simply not grown at the same pace as the size of the crowds.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm reminded of Yogi Berra's reason for no longer visiting Ruggeri's in St. Louis:

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

 

[vital]

Every single one of our trips has been bought and paid for before we ever left the house. In fact, all of our vacations have been and always will be. If we don't have the money, we don't go on vacation. And that has happened!

Ditto!

 

[jbish]

Oddly, I'm reminded of my 16yo who despairs over the fact that the rest of his family actually likes popular music. "People like you destroy music, with your plebeian tastes and blind willingness to throw money at whatever's popular, instead of supporting real artists!"

"Quiet son, I'm playing 'Let it Go' again!"

"Aaargh!"

Gotta love teenage angst.

 

[redsbe]

The truth is that it is vacation, a time to relax and enjoy. The idea that I have to devote months of planning to get my money's worth is a total fail. Long gone are the days of deciding where you want to eat on the day you want to eat, how do I know which park I'll be in 6 months out? This used to be a simple destination that has simply not grown at the same pace as the size of the crowds.

Then take a WDW to relax and enjoy, and stopping needing or worrying about booking meals and FP+ months in advance if that is an issue or stress for you. I can easy plan and enjoy a WDW vacation with little concern or all the advance planning, including not having one sit down meal booked and no FP+.

On any vacation if your focus or concern rests on trying to get your money's worth then that is no vacation regardless of where you are.

The idea that the only way to "enjoy" a WDW vacation is to make sure you get value and thus must plan every detail months in advance, simply is not the case unless you obsess over every detail and every penny spent - which can happen with any vacation.

If you want to relax and not worry about costs and values, why not spend your vacation in your backyard?

 

[undertheradar]

Then take a WDW to relax and enjoy, and stopping needing or worrying about booking meals and FP+ months in advance if that is an issue or stress for you. I can easy plan and enjoy a WDW vacation with little concern or all the advance planning, including not having one sit down meal booked and no FP+.

On any vacation if your focus or concern rests on trying to get your money's worth then that is no vacation regardless of where you are.

The idea that the only way to "enjoy" a WDW vacation is to make sure you get value and thus must plan every detail months in advance, simply is not the case unless you obsess over every detail and every penny spent - which can happen with any vacation.

If you want to relax and not worry about costs and values, why not spend your vacation in your backyard?

My vacation will be stress free, DCL is getting my money!

 

[Spriesty]

The single day ticket price increases at Walt Disney World have far outpaced inflation. Yet the multi-day tickets have actually become cheaper. This has resulted in an increase in attendance despite the massive increase in single day pricing.

Just look at the gate prices between 10 years ago and today:

January 2004:
1 day ticket - $52 ($64 in 2014 dollars)
7 day ticket - $329 ($406 in 2014 dollars)


January 2014:
1 day ticket - $95 (83% increase from 2004, 48% increase accounting for inflation if both prices were in 2014 dollars )
7 day ticket - $309 (6% DECREASE from 2004, 24% DECREASE accounting for inflation if both prices were in 2014 dollars)

This is WAY different than the pricing I looked up a couple days ago. You may want to check that your 7 day tickets in 2004 are correct, or are only regular tickets compared to hoppers, water parks, or even non-expire tickets. Here is the information I found and posted in another thread:

I just googled the price differences in the last 10 years. 2003 vs 2013.

A 5-day park hopper in 2003 was $229. In 2013 it was $348. A 52% price increase.

There are also resorts listed, one in each category, Value, Mod, and Deluxe. To summarize: Value resorts went up 61%, Mods went up 85%, and Deluxes went up 88%.

That much of a price increase, during a very rough economical time for our country.

P.S. I don't want to take any credit for the above info, I found it easily in an article on mice chat, but I'm unsure if I'm allowed to link that website. A quick google search and you could find it with no problem.

If a 5 day park hopper is $229, I don't see a basic 7 day pass being $329, without any options. Since I was curious, I looked it up. It looks like $329 is the price for a 7 day park hopper plus ticket when purchased at the gate in 2004. Pricing a 7 day park hopper for 2014 from the WDW website is $392 (not including the "plus" portion, which allowed 4 trips to a water park, Pleasure Island, or Wide World of Sports in 2004 that WILL NOT be included in your 2014 7 day hopper). Your pricing is skewed. In order to compare apples to apples, you need to compare the same type of ticket, which you did not.