Doom And Gloom Thread

[La2kw]

I had a moment yesterday when I suddenly saw the forest for the trees, and it really scared me. Part of it relates to DVC. I'll explain.

Yesterday I went to book a flight to Orlando for an upcoming trip. The fare was almost double what it was when I booked the same flight less than a year ago. Obviously, the price increase relates to the higher cost of fuel.

I love Walt Disney World, but I also love Disneyland. When points for the Grand Californian Villas go on sale, I had been planning on buying some so I'd be able to have guaranteed stays there. But now I've reconsidered. For some reason, the prices for me to fly to California actually aren't that much worse than for me to fly to Orlando. However, with the explosive growth of China and India, the demand for oil isn't going to be decreasing, and the supply isn't going to be increasing. Therefore, the price is going to keep going up. How much longer will I be able to afford to fly to California? For that matter, how much longer will I be able to fly to Orlando? Within a few years, will air travel be only for the super rich?

I've got more than 30 years left on my VWL contracts. But I don't know for how many more years I'll be able to afford to travel to Florida. This is very disturbing, but I think it's real.

I wonder if Disney is thinking about all of this. I'd think that this could affect expansion plans. Why build more things if soon only locals will be able to get there? Is anyone else worried about this?

I also have thought the same thing, with one difference. I live in Southern California, so I will still be able to visit Disneyland regularly. I am seriously considering selling my DVC points in Florida and repurchasing at the GC. With the cost of everything increasing, I can see tourism dropping off in Florida, since so many people do have to fly or drive to get there. Disneyland is in a hugely populated city, so there are plenty of people within an hour or two to keep it busy. Besides, us Southern Californians love our Disneyland and I doubt if high gas prices would keep us away. I can't see being able to afford getting to Florida for the next 40 years or so if fuel prices continue to increase, even though we love WDW and our OKW there.

This is another reason I think DVC Hawaii isn't going to happen anytime soon. Airfare to Hawaii was outrageous already from California, and with fuel prices increasing and two airlines who used to fly to Hawaii going out of business last month, I think Hawaii will also be hurting soon.

There was an interesting article along these lines a few months ago at this link:http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky091807a.htm

 

[jakenjess]

For us it's actually the price of park tickets that is the bigger concern. We usually have enough TrueBlue points for at least one free flight, and JetBlue's fare's certainly aren't outrageous. But now that our kids are both considered "adults" in Disney's eyes, the price of four park tickets is crazy. I like to go the AP route, as I think that's the best value, but with the kids now in middle school and with all of their activities it's more difficult to plan two or three trips in a year's time frame or to stay for longer than a week at a time. We're in limbo right now as far as our next trip.

 

[Grandbuddy]

For us it's actually the price of park tickets that is the bigger concern. We usually have enough TrueBlue points for at least one free flight, and JetBlue's fare's certainly aren't outrageous. But now that our kids are both considered "adults" in Disney's eyes, the price of four park tickets is crazy. I like to go the AP route, as I think that's the best value, but with the kids now in middle school and with all of their activities it's more difficult to plan two or three trips in a year's time frame or to stay for longer than a week at a time. We're in limbo right now as far as our next trip.

Look at the 10-day parkhopper with water park fun and more. If you do an all-day waterpark activity (all in the same waterpark - you can come and go just as you can in the amusement parks), it doesn't count against your 10-day hopper. You could actually get 20 days of activities out of one of these tix. Bought one each for wife and self and a grandchild a couple of weeks ago, and looking forward to several trips of NOT having to buy tix, over a two to three year period.

(If you're a AAA member, you can get a discount, buying from them. Unfortunately, I didn't decide until mid-trip, and just upgraded the tickets I had bought upon arrival.)

 

[jakenjess]

Thanks, I'll check into that. I have been thinking the 10-day no-expiration would be an option, but they are very expensive. At this point, though, that may be the best way to go.

 

[RLRDA]

As several posters have mentioned, I think we've all been spoiled to one degree or another by discount airlines and cheap flights. Southwest used to have cheap(er) flights from Providence to Orlando much more frequently than they do now -- now it's pretty much never! I'm talking the Ding Fares for $49-$59-$69 one way. They still offer cheap flights....just not to Orlando. We booked our Fall trip and got R/T non-stop flights for about $200 per person. To me that still seems reasonable, but to someone else it may not. I've checked other airlines that don't have non-stop service and the price is much higher - not sure why that is. In the future we'd most likely take longer, less frequent trips.

 

[eva]

Look at the 10-day parkhopper with water park fun and more. If you do an all-day waterpark activity (all in the same waterpark - you can come and go just as you can in the amusement parks), it doesn't count against your 10-day hopper. You could actually get 20 days of activities out of one of these tix. Bought one each for wife and self and a grandchild a couple of weeks ago, and looking forward to several trips of NOT having to buy tix, over a two to three year period.

(If you're a AAA member, you can get a discount, buying from them. Unfortunately, I didn't decide until mid-trip, and just upgraded the tickets I had bought upon arrival.)

That's the way we go. Before we were using the old Hopper Passes. We had 7-day ones that last us three trips. We just bought 10-day non-expire a couple weeks ago. We only used one day on that trip. So they will go for at least 4 / 1-week trips.

 

[Disney Doll]

In my early 20's, I can remember paying $300-$350 to fly to Orlando.

I just booked for next January on AirTran out of Westchester NY airport...$99 down and $83 back.

I'm not too worried about it yet...I think things go through fluctuations. I think come September/October, you'll see gas prices drop again.

In January we'll have a new President and he/she will fix it all.

 

[lugnut33]

Thanks, I'll check into that. I have been thinking the 10-day no-expiration would be an option, but they are very expensive. At this point, though, that may be the best way to go.

Just bought (2) 10 day park hopper plus water park for $457ea from Undercover Tourist. First time I'm trying this so I hope it works out good. I think it will. We should return with 6 park days left and 8 water park days.