Do you ever get sick of...

[Becky2005]

I agree..I know it *IS* expensive for someone like our family since my DD is an adult price, etc... BUT looking at the ticket price (and this was BEFORE MYW), I didn't think it was anymore expensive than our local Six Flags!! I haven't gone there in ages due to the fact that I have younger kids and can't see spending $50/day (it's probably even MORE now - last time I looked it was over $50!) for them to not be able to do most of the stuff. This is a jaded view as it opened when I was a teen and that is when I went (cost was about $35 Then! ROFL!).

Now, we are staying at the Contemporary and that is an expensive hotel but since we are driving even on the way down trying to find a decent hotel that will fit our family of 6 (I don't want 2 rooms due to the kids ages!), most of them by the time you add tax, etc... is around $100 (some even start out higher than that BEFORE you add tax).

For us, yes it's a lot of money but I'm hoping (it's our first family visit) that basically it will be worth the cost in the end and from what I've researched, I think it will. I don't think it's so much more expensive though than doing some of the other things we have done in life (and we COULD go cheaper if we choose but this time around we aren't doing that).

 

[Bracho]

It is very expensive to visit there and there is no way around that, and sometimes one can feel as if they are not getting what they should be out of the experience but for those of us who love the place... we don't see it that way.

I don't care what I have to pay, I'm going and to me.. it's not all that expensive because I get so much out of every trip. The magic I feel when I'm there, the memories of past trips and the memories I make or will make on future trips, the fun..... it's worth every penny to me and always will be....."BUT"....

I don't get sick of people complaining, each person sees Disney in a different way, we LOVE Disney here on the DIS, but to a family of 6 where both parents working and making enough money but just enough money may have to save for 2 or 3 years to go might say it's very expensive and they would be right.. for them.. but to say that they should stop saying it's to expensive (when it is) or they shouldn't go if they don't like the price isn't acceptable either. No one has the right to say they shouldn't go to Disney... the way we feel about the place.... I don't think so.

If we get tired of hearing or reading about it then don't... STOP.. reframe.. DON'T LOOK.. keep moving.. remember we as Disney lovers have the magic within.... saying don't go and Disney Magic just don't mix!!

Now I could be wrong.........

 

[Hippychickali]

I think the point though, Bracho, is that complaining does absolutely nothing. If you think it's expensive you have 2 choices, go or stay home. Yes....believe it or not everyone does have this choice. I don't see why it's unacceptable to suggest that if you think that WDW is overpriced than don't go.

Ali

 

[kirbsam]

I think over priced is different than expensive. I agree that even if you go budget all the way it is still expensive. by the time you factor in airfare, or gas, tickets and accomodations it does get expensive. the point of the OP is well taken. As I go through more and more threads about people complaining about one thing or the other, I find my posts getting more and more sarcastic about all of the whining. It is disney; It is not perfect; It may be the coolest thing going right now; it is expensive; you may run into a rude person or rude cm; you may have to wait in line for longer than is posted; you may not get seated right when your ps says; a ride may be broken down or under rehab; your room may not be ready; a kid may cry at the table next to you; you might not have a perfect view of illuminations; someone may sit in the middle of the row at mickeys philharmagic; you might not get cindy ps's; enjoy yourselves. none of this really matters. you are at wdw.

 

[Hippychickali]

Kirbsam, thank you! That is the truth - expensive maybe but overpriced no.

Ali

 

[eleanor]

I day at a ball game or a basketball game for a family is what I think is overpriced. A ticket to Disney is much greater value than a 3 hour sporting event.People pay 2or 3 hundred dollars to go to one game including food,parking etc. Way too much money.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I agree Esmerelda!
Disney magic is priceless and for those who love it, it is worth every penny. Cheap, a disney vacation is not! But not overpriced. It is comparable to anything else you want to do these days! Enjoy it!

 

[nataliesdaddy]

no I do not get sick of how expensive WDW is. It would be nice if it cost half the price it does. We could spend more time that way. We could go more often.

But that is where the problem is. The parks would be wall to wall people if it were any less expensive, abd it would be even more of a pain in the wazoo. I have been during XMAS before and frankly it is a genuine pain inthe butt if you want to try and get much done in the way of doing a bunch of rides.

If costs were less it would be like Xmas all year round and I would no longer go. Disney is insane enough as it is during regular season.

Frankly, I would like to see them raise prices. It would increase the operating efficiencies of the parks. The staff would be less likely to be overworked. The facilities would be less likely to be overstrained. The parks would be able to maintain lower attendance levels with the same or more profitability. The lower attendance would enhance the experience for those that did go.

Granted we would go for shorter lengths of time, or go less frequently, but we would know it would be an even more enjoyable experience. BECAUSE, I have gone during off season before and WDW is a total blast then!!!! I have ridden various rides back to back with no lines or little to no lines and it is great !!!!! But Disney would go bankrupt if the parks were like that all the time unless they upped prices.

 

[Hippychickali]

For the latest rant, refer to post #76 on this thread.

Ali

 

[bytheblood]

For the most part, I agree. While I do feel that some of the food is over-priced and under-flavored (lack of quality), Disney itself is priced fairly.

 

[skiwee1]

I have 3 kids and never thought WDW was overpriced or expensive. We pay less staying at the Poly then we do staying beachfront at the ocean ever year. I have always thought WDW to be a bargain when comparing it to any other vacation destination we go to.

 

[andrabell]

A bit of perspective, DH and I live just north of Atlanta. Our road trip to Savannah in July 2002, we spent $450. "Wow! How cheap is that?" you say. Not really. Our trip was a grand total of 3.5 days and that was just for the food and petrol and not OTT food either, just basic local restaurants. We stayed for free at the Mulberry Inn with DH's hotel reward points.

Our 10-day Disney road trip, Thanksgiving 2003, came to about $1500 with 4 day park hoppers, MVMCP tickets, food, petrol and spending money, again using reward nights to stay for free. I'd say Disney was definitely the better value, especially since it included some blow-out dining experiences including dinner at Citrico's!

So yes, vacationing costs money, but it's the reward for working hard, life is too short NOT to go to Disney. The complaints are rather tiresome. Don't like the prices, **** and stay home and leave more magic for the rest of us.

 

[Hippychickali]

The complaining is starting again . . .

Ali

 

[Aidensmom]

Some people think that the annual pass should be a lower price because other parks have lower annual pass prices. But Disney World is FOUR parks!! I can go to Busch Gardens, ride all the rides I love twice, and still be done with plenty of time to spare. I can't do that at disney! There is soo much more at disney then at any other theme park, that just walking the streets is great, so much magic. I have to keep my head on a swivel the whole time. I am just glad that I am a FL resident, if I wasn't then I think I wouldn't be able to afford some of the higher prices. I can't see spending $60 for a one day, one park pass, but $350 for annual pass is fine, because it will pay for itself so quickly, it is amazing how fast it would get its value.

I will admit I am one of those people who finds a Disney annual pass too expensive. I can get a 2 year Busch Gardens pass (which we currently have) for less than half what I can get a 1 year pass to Disney, and I can get a 'fun card' for my son (who doesn't need the free parking or food and merchandise discounts you get with the regular pass) for about $55. Yes, Disney is four parks, but there are plenty of us out there that don't have a spare $350/person to spend. We love Disney, and when there is a good Florida Resident special that we can afford we do go to the parks, but a lot of times we have to settle for just hanging out at DTD. All theme parks make the majority of their money on food and merchandise sales (I just read an article on that in the paper this week), so I think they could offer better AP prices to be a little more comparable with other places. Maybe it doesn't matter financially to a lot of people, but that will probably be the only way my family could ever get AP's for Disney, though we can afford them to other places.

Food prices are pretty comparable at all the parks (though Disney definately has a few restaurants at the resorts that are outside the reach of a lot of people). Merchandise is fairly comparable too, though some of the other parks do put stuff on "clearance" fairly regularly. I would not agree however that eating lunch at Disney is the same price as eating at regular restaurants for most people. If you are someone who actually pays that much to eat everyday, I think you should realize how blessed you are.

Overall, I think people should just expect higher prices at theme parks and not complain. That is the way they all are, they are a business and that is how they make their money. Those new attractions that we all love do not come cheaply....

Also, keep in mind where you live when you talk about costs....cost of living varies widely by your location and you may make twice as much in some states doing the same job as you would in others....we don't all have the same "normal" prices to compare Disney to.

 

[WaltD4Me]

It's expensive, but it's not over-priced.

ITA with this statement! Just about ANY vacation is expensive if you ask me, however many places are expensive AND overpriced.

When we were at MGM there was a short, but HEAVY total downpour, everyone got drenched, it only lasted about 10 minutes, but dumped alot of water. We had not even shook off all the water off ourselves and we saw CM's out squeeging the sidewalks, drying off benches and the tops of the garbage cans! I looked at my mom and said "Disney is worth every nickel." and she agreed. A small thing? Maybe, but Disney's attention to detail, big and small, makes it what is, bar none.

I think part of the reason THINK Disney is so expensive and/or overpriced, is that mostly you pay for everything up front. When you go to say, a resort on a beach, your upfront cost is just travel and room, but once you get there, you start paying for all the extras, scuba diving, jet skii's, boat rentals, whatever...you know what I mean, but with Disney, you usually add in your entertainment (park tickets) into the upfront cost so it does seem like more, compared to all the extras you add in after that fact on other types of vacations. One of the things I love about going to Disney is that once I get there, if I wanted to, all I'd basically have to worry about paying for is food and have a fantastic time!

I've been to plenty of dirty, uninspired, showless, character-less amusement parks that cost very near to price of Disney...nothing compares. Period.

 

[CarolynU]

I want to go and so I pay the price. I feel that Disney provides a totally unique magic which enables me and my family to escape from the everyday stresses of ' real ' life for the length of our stay. Yes it costs, and when my kids were small and I wasn't working we could only afford to go once every 4 years, and eat counter service, but our memories are priceless. Now they are grown up we still vacation at Disney as a family and take their partners. Would we still be doing that if Disney hadn't been such wonderful value for money? I doubt it. For us nowhere else comes close. Don't get me started on our rip off airfares though!