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

[Minnie1222]

LOL, If it was up to people on this board we would end up back at ticket books.

...and then they would complain about Greedy Disney making them pay for individual ride.

 

[RickNJane]

A related story today.

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-plans-costs-impact-cbff9fbe?mod=hp_lead_pos11

Rising Costs Take Their Toll on Less-Affluent Americans’ Travel Plans
International travel remains strong, but some are scrimping on U.S. vacations

By Allison Pohle and Alison Sider
Feb. 28, 2025 - 9:00 am EST

Some families are getting priced out of spring break.

Rising costs for leisure travel are weighing on a growing share of would-be vacationers to delay spring and summer bookings. Consumer sentiment has started to slide, weighed down by tariff threats, persistent inflation and layoffs in the public and private sectors.

People signaling plans to go on vacation dropped to the lowest level since 2021, according to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index released this week.

The share of Americans citing personal financial reasons and the overall costs as reasons they aren’t traveling hit 12-month highs, according to market-research firm Future Partners, which polled 4,000 travelers in January.

This doesn’t mean people are scrapping trips altogether. Wealthy Americans continue to spend big on far-flung international travel. The Future Partners survey found that travel will be a high budget priority for more than half of respondents in the next three months.

Airlines have been charging higher fares in recent months. Last year, carriers flooded some routes with added seat capacity and then had to offer deep discounts to fill them. Now they have pulled back some flights, and the more restrained supply has bolstered prices.

The average round-trip airline ticket during the spring-break period from mid-March to mid-April is $820 for domestic cities, up 7% from last year, and $1,440 for international destinations, up 2% from last year, according to AAA booking data.

Julie Drake typically travels with her husband and children over spring break. This year, they will stay home. The 40-year-old nursing consultant from Rockford, Ill., hoped to make use of a discount for a Disney cruise, and started looking into options last year. But airfare for four averaged about $3,000, for flights from Chicago to San Diego or Miami.

Drake considered driving to Milwaukee, or even to Detroit, to fly from there, but the cost savings didn’t add up. The cost for four round-trip flights and cruise tickets on their spring break dates would total $10,000, she said. Her family gives priority to travel and making memories together, but can’t justify the trip with current prices.

“With all of the uncertainty in our country right now, I have a fear of spending a large amount of money when we don’t know what the future holds,” she said.

Airlines say they aren’t worried about waning demand.

“There is nothing that discourages us about either the short-term trajectory or the full-year trajectory,” said United Airlines Chief Financial Officer Mike Leskinen. The strong U.S. dollar has bolstered appetite for international travel, both for business and leisure customers. But domestic leisure demand, often the most price-sensitive customer segment, isn’t as sparkling.

Families have gotten creative about cross-country travel to make the numbers work.

Emma O’Sullivan, an attorney at a nonprofit in New Mexico, took her family of four, including two small children, on a two-week Amtrak trip across the country last summer. They took the train from Albuquerque, N.M., to Chicago, then on to Buffalo, N.Y., and Boston to visit family. The three train segments for four coach passengers cost under $1,000, which she said was less than driving and staying in hotels along the route.

This summer, they will likely stick closer to home, either visiting family in Los Angeles or taking a short trip to the Grand Canyon.

To O’Sullivan, it is worth the time spent mapping out how they can “do this in a way that’s affordable and comfortable and still be connected to our loved ones,” she said.

Financial stress may be having a bigger chilling effect on lower income consumers, some analysts said.

Mark Fioravanti, chief executive of Ryman Hospitality Properties, called out price sensitivity in the company’s earnings call last week. Attendance for the company’s Christmas programming was up compared with last year, but those consumers were more price-sensitive than the company expected, which led to a decline in overnight stays compared with 2023, he said. The company owns the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Ten

Philip Bradford, a 35-year-old urban planner, typically travels to two new countries each year, but doesn’t have any trips booked right now.

Bradford recently moved to Washington, D.C., from the West Coast, but lost his job after self-funding the move. His priority for this year is paying off debt and, ideally, saving up to buy a house. Still, Bradford hopes to fit in an international trip this year, potentially to Thailand.

“I love travel; it’s my main hobby, but there are things that are a little bit more important right now,” he said.

Write to Allison Pohle at allison.pohle@wsj.com and Alison Sider at alison.sider@wsj.com

I believe the story is true, but as I posted before, you could not tell that people are cutting back here at DLR. It is jammed, way busier than predicted. Been that way all week. All hotels on property seem full, at least there is a metric crap ton of activity going on in the lobbies. Cars are lined up way down the street to enter the parking garages even at 11:00 in the morning. It is extremely busy inside the bubble.

 

[RivShore]

...and then they would complain about Greedy Disney making them pay for individual ride.

Back to Walt's original plan of the ultimate in Nickle & Diming! "That greedy Walt must go" the Disboards of yesteryear would have said!!!

 

[HokieRaven5]

LOL, If it was up to people on this board we would end up back at ticket books.

It’s funny that in a roundabout way we’re partially back to the way things ran under Walt. Buy for access to the park, and you can pay for access to the rides.

Walt was an excellent marketer/capitalist and he and the TWDC cultivated an aura of personality around him that tugs at the heartstrings. When he lived was the perfect time and opportunity. That and his deal with ABC that helped fund Disneyland that put him in the homes of families all over the country.

 

[BorderTenny]

I wonder what the long term plan is for Beauty & The Beast… It feels so tired…

It's newer than Indiana Jones, which was outdated before it opened. We've been pretending they're filming stunt work for Raiders since after Last Crusade was released.

 

[LAS2AMS]

It's newer than Indiana Jones, which was outdated before it opened. We've been pretending they're filming stunt work for Raiders since after Last Crusade was released.

I get why it sticks around: it’s still an extremely popular, well liked show with a huge capacity that’s typically completely full. In a park where Frozen Singalong and Muppet Vision hung around as long as they did despite their lack of popularity (both attractions have been gone from DCA for nearly a decade), because there’s so little to do at DHS… that matters.

But it’s ridiculous that it’s literally the same show they’ve put for 35 years. Yes, they’ve “sanitized” it for modern audiences… but c’mon, they call out Karen Allen’s name as if most of the audience knows who she is.

It’s ridiculous they didn’t replace it with something more relevant years ago. I guess when Dinosaur is converted to Indy, and Monsters land replaces the Muppets it’ll go… which means it’ll be around for 40 years.

 

[BayTower2010]

I get why it sticks around: it’s still an extremely popular, well liked show with a huge capacity that’s typically completely full. In a park where Frozen Singalong and Muppet Vision hung around as long as they did despite their lack of popularity (both attractions have been gone from DCA for nearly a decade), because there’s so little to do at DHS… that matters.

But it’s ridiculous that it’s literally the same show they’ve put for 35 years. Yes, they’ve “sanitized” it for modern audiences… but c’mon, they call out Karen Allen’s name as if most of the audience knows who she is.

It’s ridiculous they didn’t replace it with something more relevant years ago. I guess when Dinosaur is converted to Indy, and Monsters land replaces the Muppets it’ll go… which means it’ll be around for 40 years.

Not so sure about that capacity comment. The last 2 times I was at the show there were less than 50 people in that big venue.

 

[Minnie1222]

Not so sure about that capacity comment. The last 2 times I was at the show there were less than 50 people in that big venue.

The last 2 times I was there, the theater was about 75% full.

 

[BostonEd]

We've been pretending they're filming stunt work for Raiders since after Last Crusade was released.

but c’mon, they call out Karen Allen’s name as if most of the audience knows who she is.

What are y'all talking about? I saw the show last year, and I don't recall any attempts by the performers to make it seem like they were practicing stunts for a movie being filmed, nor do I remember any reference to Karen Allen.

 

[LAS2AMS]

What are y'all talking about? I saw the show last year, and I don't recall any attempts by the performers to make it seem like they were practicing stunts for a movie being filmed, nor do I remember any reference to Karen Allen.

Which show did you see ? The whole show is structured as if the audience is watching a live filming. I saw it again last August for the first time since the late 1990s and was chucking at how little it had changed. I almost soiled myself when Karen was named dropped.

 

[BostonEd]

Which show did you see ? The whole show is structured as if the audience is watching a live filming. I saw it again last August for the first time since the late 1990s and was chucking at how little it had changed. I almost soiled myself when Karen was named dropped.

That's about the same amount of time since I last saw it and also noticed it did not seem to change much. I guess I just missed the Karen reference. In terms of the "live filming"... is that the story behind what we're witnessing? I guess I gloss over that as well and just enjoy the stunts.

 

[BrianL]

That's about the same amount of time since I last saw it and also noticed it did not seem to change much. I guess I just missed the Karen reference. In terms of the "live filming"... is that the story behind what we're witnessing? I guess I gloss over that as well and just enjoy the stunts.

They always refer to the two lead performers as "Harrison Ford's stunt double" and "Karen Allen's stunt double." It is only said once.

I kind of miss when they picked people out of the audience, and then the big dude would knock one of them out so hear he flipped head-over-heels! It's amazing that they got away witht that for so long....

 

[LAS2AMS]

That's about the same amount of time since I last saw it and also noticed it did not seem to change much. I guess I just missed the Karen reference. In terms of the "live filming"... is that the story behind what we're witnessing? I guess I gloss over that as well and just enjoy the stunts.

Yes, they continually say “action,” and “cut.” It’s kinda hard not to notice. But it’s a good alternative to MuppetVision to take a nap, so I understand!

 

[LAS2AMS]

They always refer to the two lead performers as "Harrison Ford's stunt double" and "Karen Allen's stunt double." It is only said once.

I kind of miss when they picked people out of the audience, and then the big dude would knock one of them out so hear he flipped head-over-heels! It's amazing that they got away witht that for so long....

Yeah, but I doubt anyone under 50 knows who Karen Allen is.

Wasn’t that an actor planted in the audience?

 

[BrianL]

Wasn’t that an actor planted in the audience?

What? No, of course not. There just happened to be a lot of trained stuntmen visiting WDW, and they'd always manage to pick one - or so I assumed....

 

[Minnie1222]

In the past few years, I've been going to WDW with several newbies so I get to watch Indiana more than necessary. The show is probably boring for us frequent visitors, but it's absolutely mind blowing for the newbies, especially the ones who are familiar with the scenes from the movie. They are mesmerized with all the fires and explosions, lol.

 

[LAS2AMS]

In the past few years, I've been going to WDW with several newbies so I get to watch Indiana more than necessary. The show is probably boring for us frequent visitors, but it's absolutely mind blowing for the newbies, especially the ones who are familiar with the scenes from the movie. They are mesmerized with all the fires and explosions, lol.

It’s a unique attraction in such that it’s the last major show to feature high energy stunts. These shows use to make up the crux of DHS and UO.

That said, it’s stale and should’ve been replaced years ago. I get people love nostalgia but they don’t make movies today like they did in 2000, let alone 1989 when the show opened. Or 1979 when it was being filmed…

 

[greeneyedchick]

It’s a unique attraction in such that it’s the last major show to feature high energy stunts. These shows use to make up the crux of DHS and UO.

That said, it’s stale and should’ve been replaced years ago. I get people love nostalgia but they don’t make movies today like they did in 2000, let alone 1989 when the show opened. Or 1979 when it was being filmed…

Universal Orlando does have the Jason Bourne Stunt Spectacular which is a lot of fun and uses a lot more high-tech special effects in the show. It would be cool if Disney could change up their stunt show or at least change the dialogue to aknowledge that effects are now done with CGI and that the show is to demonstrate how movies used to film effects.

 

[Brian Noble]

Jason Bourne Stunt Spectacular

In the nomenclature of the Unofficial Guide: This is Not To Be Missed. We thought it was exceptional.

 

[Minnie1222]

Agreed the Bourne Stuntacular is an amazing show. This is why I don't like the Disney vs. Universal comparison. I see them as six, soon to be seven, unique parks in Orlando. Each park has its own stellar and mediocre moments. The most ideal situation is to visit them all.