Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation

[Cfabar1]

Disney under Eisner was very different... Big emphasis on themed entertainment/shows....

Iger would rather build the rides and have them run themselves.... See Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railroad vs. Great Movie Ride.... the difference can't be more stark!

Eisner wanted low Cap Ex and could tolerate higher operating costs.... That has flipped as labor costs have gone up! Danger is, Disney can't really compete with the big amusement parks - that's not what Disney does well - what they do is immersive/experiential.... ROTR is, objectively a boring ride, but the theming creates something incredibly immersive and special, and something that could only be crafted by the Dream-makers at Disney....

 

[DodgerGirl]

Every year around as it gets close to Spring we see the start of Disney Parks raising prices to begin the new springtime season. Because Disney Parks get a lot of visitors and Spring is the busiest season for Disney Parks in general because there's holidays like Spring Break and Easter and a lot of people go during Easter because Easter is less crowded. And the reason you see a lot of kids at the parks is during the weekends there is no school but when schools start Spring Break the kids are out and that's when families visit. One Disney Park that is known for price jumps during the springtime is Disneyland and they first began their first price jump was in the spring of 2004 and once that happened we started seeing a change in Disneyland's ticket pricing and every year it continues. But I think Disneyland is focusing on selling their kids tickets for kids ages 3 to 9 because as more families visit they want to bring their kids and by buying the kids ticket for the kids is useful. But a logical and smart idea would be for Disney Parks to lower it's prices and it would help a lot and here's how it should be as follows,
Walt Disney World,
Magic Kingdom $20 Adults $30 Kids 3-9
Disney Hollywood Studios $30 Adults $20 Kids 3-9
Epcot $20 Adults $19 Kids 3-9
Animal Kingdom $60 Adults $40 Kids 3-9
Disneyland,
$20 Adults $19 Kids 3-9
Disney California Adventure $18 Adults $30 Kids 3-9
And with smart ticket prices like this Disney Parks could easily work miracles and more visitors would be coming

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

I do think Disney is cutting off their nose and ruining their reputation these past five years under Iger/Chapek/Iger. Cutting ME and upselling everything, making more and more nights hard ticketed events that cost more than a day ticket, cutting live entertainment that added to the charm of wandering through the crowds, dessert parties, Villain's Lair nonsense at BLT when it used to be free to go up there -- the experience is much more programmed and expensive in jarring ways with reduced entertainment and attraction opportunities due to breakdowns and shorter hours.

Disney has always been expensive, but it was one big hit when booking/paying for a package, and you were pretty much done -- especially during free dining times. The big draw, for me, was knowing you were taken care of. You got free magic bands and luggage tags way in advance to get you hyped for the trip. You took Magical Express and you and your luggage were whisked away to your resort with no stress about coordinating rides and car seats and timing an Uber/car service. You had the dining plan with credits on your magic band and then just swiped away for your meals, not dealing with the bill at every snack encounter. You walked up to rides and just waited, or had your FPs ready to go. It sucked to wait in line, but EVERYONE was waiting in line, so you didn't feel cheated that a whole bunch of other folks were jumping ahead of you. The rides worked! You didn't have major headliners down every day in every park.

Now everything is a la carte, and while you don't HAVE to buy Fastpass/Genie/Lightning Lanes or go to MNSSHP/MMVMC, or do character dining and dessert parties or BBB, it sure seems like NOT doing them means you're standing in lines in the heat with not much to do while folks whiz by with the plaids.

I think the reduced park hours really stink, too. The heat is so unbearable during much of the day. The parks used to be open way later, which helped disperse crowds and allowed you to ride/see things without spending a fortune on extras to facilitate your day. Both water parks were open in summer and helped with other options if you were peopled out in the parks.

As for the strollers, I do agree that people use them more/longer in ages, but I don't blame them. When you're paying $800 for a family of four per day to just enter a park, the kids tiring out at 2 p.m. and leaving is not feasible. Whether you're hot and tired or not, you're going to get your money's worth and keep on trudging! It's miserable, but I get it. It costs too much to just "pop in" for three hours and leave. I'd be pushing my gigantic kids around, too!

 

[New Mouse]

The dumbest move in all of their moves was charging for lightning lane.

There were so many ways to just blend this into the existing price structure, yet they chose the path of showing people how much they were going to take from them instead.

Honestly, where did these guys go to business school? I'd probably avoid those places if I were looking for a degree.

 

[Minnie1222]

I think this is why the execs are worried.... They are terrified about what they're going to have to do to reset when recession inevitably comes.... A big recession is not going to sell the Grand Floridian standard room at $1,000 a night without a big discount!

It won't solely be a Disney problem when the recession hits, many of us will also be terrified.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

As for the strollers, I do agree that people use them more/longer in ages, but I don't blame them.

All this stroller talk up-thread is… uhh… strange to me. Should we also talk about how ECV usage has increased too? No, and stay out of people’s business.

I agree with everything you said!

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

The rides worked! You didn't have major headliners down every day in every park.

This is an insidious consideration that I never used to weigh but has me nervous for our upcoming trip. With BTMRR down, it’ll be a big letdown if we can’t also ride Tianna’s. I haven’t bought park tickets yet.

 

[reddog21]

The dumbest move in all of their moves was charging for lightning lane.

There were so many ways to just blend this into the existing price structure, yet they chose the path of showing people how much they were going to take from them instead.

Honestly, where did these guys go to business school? I'd probably avoid those places if I were looking for a degree.

How do you figure, it sells out constantly and there new premier pass is also selling out.

It's est. that disney made close to 1 billion dollars since inception only to go up since the inception of premier pass. I'll sign up to this busisness school any day.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

How do you figure, it sells out constantly and there new premier pass is also selling out.

It's est. that disney made close to 1 billion dollars since inception only to go up since the inception of premier pass. I'll sign up to this busisness school any day.

Agreed. And Disney isn't the only one where you pay extra to make your day simpler by skipping long standby lines. Most of the other major theme parks have it. Heck, people pay extra to get on a plane quicker and sit in the front, people pay extra to take toll roads that shorten their drive, people pay to use express lanes around major cities to avoid the heavier traffic in the regular lanes - all kinds of extras people are paying for to make their day more efficient. I don't like the cost of LL, but it's the way of things in our lives right now, and it makes money for those selling it. And in the long run, it's optional if I don't wish to buy it.......

 

[New Mouse]

How do you figure, it sells out constantly and there new premier pass is also selling out.

It's est. that disney made close to 1 billion dollars since inception only to go up since the inception of premier pass. I'll sign up to this busisness school any day.

Because long term reputation and public opinion matters. Had they just rolled it into the ticket price, everyone would have been annoyed in the short term but would have forgotten about it by now.

Instead people talk about how Disney charges for everything when they used to have free fastpass. There is value to being able to advertise free things, even if your base price is higher.

Saying it was a good move because it made them a billion dollars. You wouldn't even need a high school economics degree to make the move like they did.

 

[Tatebeck]

I'm not sure LL is inherently a bad idea. It is definitely making them money, but it just looks bad because they used to have fastpass for free. If they never had fastpass then I don't think it would get nearly the stink that it does. Thinking back on it I don't know why they ever decided to have free fastpass at all, unless it was to get people used to a shorter line option that they could then start charging for later. It doesn't really make business sense to increase operating costs for an option that doesn't make money.

If they didn't have lighting lane, they would likely have raised prices even higher for tickets. Who knows how much, $25 more per day, $50 more per day, even more? I personally like it as it gives another option that you can pay for if you value your time.

But, one area that it may be hurting Disney is that it makes shorter trips more feasible. We had some family members join us for the last 3 days of our last trip. For the first part of our trip we went to some parks, took it slow, didn't buy LLMP (just a couple LLSP rides on guardians lol), and it went fine. But once they got there we did LLMP and LLSP for the last few days. around $170 extra per person, but it let us do basically EVERYTHING (except for the kiddiest rides) in all 4 parks in 3 days pretty easily. You can now come for 3 or 4 days instead of a week if you use LLs and just want to do all the rides. So with around the cost of one extra park day, a family could be able to buy LLs to decrease their trip by several days.

So I think they should give more benefits and extras to people who stay at the Disney hotels/DVC to make sure their own hotels stay filled up. Even longer early entry, more extended hours, maybe a free LL per day, or 1 day of LLMP per trip for example. They should probably look at how the ticket packages price out as well. Make 1-3 day tickets crazy expensive per day and then give a big discount the longer you book for.

But then I also think a about how a big discrepancy is the price difference and pass options for Florida residents vs people traveling to WDW. Someone who is already paying for a flight, and possibly paying for onsite hotels, is getting a much worse deal than someone who just happens to live nearby. A yearly pixie pass that gives access (for what around 200 days through the year) is around the cost of 2 park days for an out of state visitor! A little over $2 per possible park day vs around $200 lol. I would look at getting rid of the pixie pass, or at least severely limiting how many reservations the lower tiers of the passes a park gets each day. They clearly make way more money on a guest buying a ticket package vs a cheap florida-only annual pass.

 

[ChipTheRescueRanger]

Another thing Disney need to be careful about is handling International guests. As the dollar grows stronger due to tariffs and so on. It will make It harder for non US based guests to travel to the USA.

Part of the reason disney should be worried is they have taken away the little magical moments that gave guests that feel good. Citizens of Main Street cavalcades. The things that spontaneously happed. The last few years its felt like so much has been taken away and with prices going up the value has been sucked out.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Another thing Disney need to be careful about is handling International guests. As the dollar grows stronger due to tariffs and so on. It will make It harder for non US based guests to travel to the USA.

Part of the reason disney should be worried is they have taken away the little magical moments that gave guests that feel good. Citizens of Main Street cavalcades. The things that spontaneously happed. The last few years its felt like so much has been taken away and with prices going up the value has been sucked out.

UK guests in particular still get ticket deals that often come with things not available to those in the U.S. (like certain dining plans and more ticket days) to compensate costs. They aren't going to put in entertainment because they think an international guests wants them, the parks (for better or worse) have not suffered much at all without having those (Epcot really is impacted). It can mar someone's view of WDW but it's not stopping people from coming. Just speaking generally here as times change so do what guests value or want. Remember a few years before the pandemic the "Instagram" walls were heavily promoted within the parks as Disney realized there was a growing group of visitors who want those and for social media.

 

[Anthony1971]

But, for now, the parks do occupy that rite-of-passage/status-marker position, and that gives them significant pricing power.

Siva ko!

This I will 100000% agree with.
But it was not always this way was looking at past pictures recently to get rid of a lot... Actual pictures. Pre 2000 Disney also had above but starting in the very very late 90's the tides starting turning. Early 2000's saw very low attendance. It took many years to build the customers back up. I personally think the tides are starting to turn again as it is well known attendance is down. I also sort of hope (I am fine with less crowds) Disney does not forget what it learned from the past. Disney keeps building DVC as they learned it does give them paying guests during bad times.
The biggest lesson of all is the reason Disney invests in older franchises also advertises DVC as Multi generation.... They need Parents/ Grand Parents to bring Kids so when the kids grow up they will bring their kids and or go without kids. If this Cycle stops Disney will have very low attendance.

 

[ChipTheRescueRanger]

UK guests in particular still get ticket deals that often come with things not available to those in the U.S. (like certain dining plans and more ticket days) to compensate costs. They aren't going to put in entertainment because they think an international guests wants them, the parks (for better or worse) have not suffered much at all without having those (Epcot really is impacted). It can mar someone's view of WDW but it's not stopping people from coming. Just speaking generally here as times change so do what guests value or want. Remember a few years before the pandemic the "Instagram" walls were heavily promoted within the parks as Disney realized there was a growing group of visitors who want those and for social media.

Our ticket deals are good. But Dinning plan is linked to rack rate of rooms. Slight discounts compared to US but you have to stay 7 nights + to get them.

I was talking about entertainment in general not just from an international guest. A lot of the things I hear people moaning about is lack of things that break up a day. Just look at the crowds the Dapper dans can still pull.

Disneyland for example still have citizens of buena vista street. Characters appearances at random times. The entertainment budget feels like it stayed in Cali.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Our ticket deals are good. But Dinning plan is linked to rack rate of rooms. Slight discounts compared to US but you have to stay 7 nights + to get them.

What comes in a dining plan is what I was speaking to, it can differ between what is available to U.S. guests and free dining is also linked to rack rate of rooms.

I was talking about entertainment in general not just from an international guest. A lot of the things I hear people moaning about is lack of things that break up a day. Just look at the crowds the Dapper dans can still pull.

Yeah which is why I said it can mar their opinion but they are still going. It's just not something that unfortunately stands the test of time because people are still visiting and in good enough numbers and with higher costs of tickets, food, hard events, and get ahead of the line offerings without what it was when streetmosphere was plentiful. I'm not agreeing with having less in the parks, just saying it's not really something Disney has to watch out for when attendance and profits show otherwise.

Disneyland for example still have citizens of buena vista street. Characters appearances at random times. The entertainment budget feels like it stayed in Cali.

DL is a locals park, they are structured differently and the vibe feels different there (not always a positive IMO). DL is more sensitive to how locals feel about things because they are so much of their audience (locals including southern CA areas) but don't take that to mean if they didn't think they could do away with X and be fine overall with guest attendance and profits that they wouldn't do it, they would.

 

[ChipTheRescueRanger]

What comes in a dining plan is what I was speaking to, it can differ between what is available to U.S. guests and free dining is also linked to rack rate of rooms.

Are the dinning plans not the same now. We had the option of 3 this year. The first one is what they offered Values. what isn't a standard plan.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I just looked up 2024 "middle class" income. There are varying examples but low around 60K and high 160K depending on state. Simple math taking that average as 110K. After taxes that should be around 85K. No allowance for 401K, health insurance and other deductions. Mortgage, car, food etc and there is not much left.

A one week trip for a family of four is at least 10K (being frugal) and more likely 15K (just a bit less frugal). Spending amount is my opinion, but having made dozens of trips, being a DVC 30 year member I believe I have some street cred.
Are families really spending 15-20% of their net income on Disney trips? I would say the number of middle income families visiting is dropping. Those annual visits are no longer sustainable. Wealthier families have many options for vacations. Disney should be worried that they have bitten the hand that has fed them since opening day IMO.

52 year WDW veteran here.

 

[wabbott]

Statement from Disney released this morning.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-offers/

February 10, 2025

Disney Parks Offers: Everything You Need to Know​

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Are the dinning plans not the same now. We had the option of 3 this year. The first one is what they offered Values. what isn't a standard plan.

View attachment 937071

As far as I could find on the website they don't have the first QS option only the second/middle one. There used to be 3 tiers available.

In the past years the UK packages often had more included in the dining plan options, I think in many years past it was tips included beyond the time that they stopped including it in the U.S. ones but IIRC there were more meals or just a variation included for the UK deals. Most of the time the Boards seem to glean what could be available for the U.S. peeps by when the UK ones would come out and the UK packages would have validity dates far beyond what is available to the U.S.