Fill in the blank: WDW admission costs less than or roughly the same as ___________.

Less than the cost of a Democratic president in the next election! Beware of ticker snakes.
 
ok for my family of 7 we are spending a total including rental car and spending money and gas and hotel about 5,000

so I guess I could by my teenager a used car for that



note to spend a night at the jersy shore it is 155 per night for one room though!!! :grouphug:
 
KelNott- I can give you a local example- a week at WDW (values, 6 day base tix, and dining plan plan) costs less than a week in Ocean City, MD. (not including travel expenses)
Your family is right- MYW tickets are expensive- they are the one part of the WDW vacation that is really expensive. But the other factors (the meal plan and nice, clean, & convenient hotel rooms) are actually much less expensive than they would be at other vacation destinations. A room comparable to ASMO (clean, family themed resort with multiple pools and maid service...) in OC, MD would be way more than $77 or $99 per night. And I wish I could go to OC and eat out every meal for $40 per day for me and $12 a day for my kids. So - maybe you could try to get them to see the value of the whole Disney vacation rather than just focussing on the tickets.
 


Isn't that just like family members. You plan an awesome reunion and all they can do is complain? Are you sure we're not related??!!

Tell them where the reunion is going to be, give them all the info. and let them decide for themselves.

No one says they have to go to the parks. Let the more budget minded ones hang out at the hotel, swim and visit.

If they continue to complain, say well I did my best this year; but I'm sure when YOU are planning the next reunion you will probably do much better! :thumbsup2
 
Speaking of Las Vegas, Cheaper than 2 tickets to see Celine Dion at Caesars Palace.

Every time I think about checking out her show, I think "Heck! I could buy an AP!"

Dh would probably sleep thru it anyway :goodvibes

Cheaper than most things we do.

Cheaper than a day at our local waterpark.

Cheaper than a day at Six Flags.

Cheaper than Schlitterbahn Waterpark.

We still do the zoos and museums, but for fun, we skip the local stuff and use our money for WDW.
 


Touched on in a previous post - perceived value.

Take my sister and me for example ... given the choice of spending $235 per person ($47 X 5 days) at Disney or Vegas ... she'd pick Vegas each and every time. Me, I'd pick Disney. :confused3 I think she may have been adopted.

She's had 1 trip to Disney and did not enjoy it all. :faint: She and her family went in January a couple years back, no crowds at all but she just didn't enjoy Disney.

Now Vegas is another story. She loves it and can't wait to go back.

You can adopt me, I'll be part of your family!! I could be a long lost cousin. :teeth:
 
KelNottAt said:
Thanks, everyone.

Yes, I see your points about only needing 1 Plus and buying it separately. I agree, good strategy.

Likewise, I agree that the total cost is really the factor for everyone to consider. But, since these people will be staying for free (on us) in a DVC villa, their main expenses are admission, meals, and transportation.

This question focused on admission because it's really the only thing that separates a WDW vacation from other types of trips we're considering. That is, meal and transportation costs exist no matter where we vacation. For comparison purposes, family members will either pay for WDW admission, OR allocate that budget to accomodations elsewhere. (Am I explaining that in an understandable way?)

Thanks again! :thumbsup2 :wave:

OMG, you're paying for their accomodations and there is still an issue? I don't care where else you go, accomodations are a big chunk of any trip budget, and they will still have to pay for entertainment. Perhaps agreeing that 1 or 2 dinners can be at the villa- a pasta night and maybe a cookout night too? That would save two dinner costs which might be substantial. If I were you I would put together two packages for them- one showing what they will actually have to pay- figure breakfast in the villa, counter service lunch, table service dinner, park tickets, water park 1 day tickets, souvenirs and snacks if you want and transportation. Then make a second package quote including the aforementioned things PLUS the cost to stay in a villa in dollars. Maybe that will illuminate some people as to what your gift of accomodations is worth. Good luck, and if you can't convince them, we'd be happy to be your family ;)
 
Do you really want to pay an extra $40-$50 bucks for a few hours in a crowded water park where you stand in line and maybe go down the slide 5 times? Also, you really don't need the parkhoppers. We upgraded ours to the parkhoppers w/ waterpark because it was a free upgrade. After being there though, I would not do it if I was paying for it. That will save a bunch right there.

There are some amusement rides set up at a mall parking lot near our home for the 4th of July week. A wristband to ride everything (all of about 10 rides, if that) is $20! There's also a bunch of amusement rides at a huge park where a fireworks show is going to be. Last year we spent $30 on tickets for the kids and that got them about 5 rides each. It's was an extra $5 to go in some type of haunted thing for 1 minute. Compared to that, your prices are a bargain, especially if you take off the waterpark and parkhopper option.

Also, you could have everyone purchase their tickets from ticketmania.com which would save more $$ than buying directly from Disney.
 
If they haven't been to Disney before, can you show them things that might appeal to them? Certain rides or attractions? It seems to me that Disney has something for all ages. Rides, shows, restaurants, even the landscaping and buildings are fantastic. Heck, the bus drivers are friendly and funny.

I can't imagine a more fun place to have a family reunion. There are so many attractions that appeal to all ages. I would think if they have kids or grandchildren, that just watching the kids experience WDW and seeing it thru their eyes would be all the fun they could ask for.

We think WDW is a fantastic value. I know I am getting top notch entertainment, safe rides, cleanliness, great service. We do lots of different family vacations and I think for the $ we have enjoyed our Disney vacations more than any of the others. DH, who is a topnotch tightwad, had to be dragged there the first time because of the cost. That was two years ago. We went again this summer and now he keeps telling everyone "I used to think it was expensive but the more I see of what Disney has put into the parks, the more I realize it's a bargain."

Good luck
WisMom
 
IDoDis said:
Do you really want to pay an extra $40-$50 bucks for a few hours in a crowded water park where you stand in line and maybe go down the slide 5 times? Also, you really don't need the parkhoppers. We upgraded ours to the parkhoppers w/ waterpark because it was a free upgrade. After being there though, I would not do it if I was paying for it. That will save a bunch right there..

I disagree- I think that the waterparks are what you make of them. To me, a day of floating in the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon is EASILY worth $40. Watching my kids play in the kids water area would be great. If you don't want to make it all about the thrills you don't have to and from what I understand water parks are now doing EMH so you could take advantage of that and really get your money's worth that day. Another thought- don't know where you're staying but if you're at Yacht & Beach and will have Stormalong Bay access, that would be the one case I might think of skipping the water parks- that pool really does justify it's own day!

I would contemplate not getting the parkhoppers if that savings can convince people to go. We've always been big advocates of having them but last trip we used them maybe once in 10 days in the parks and this time we'll have 11 days in the parks and we just dropped the hopper option because we realized we weren't going to use it. Dh and I decided that if our chosen park was too crowded we would just take it as a sign to visit Downtown Disney or spend some relaxing time at the pool with the kids. Also, we used Tour Guide Mike our last trip and will use him again this trip so our lines were so minimal that we didn't really need the hopper unless we found ourselves dining in a different park that day, which is easy enough to plan around



IDoDis said:
Also, you could have everyone purchase their tickets from ticketmania.com which would save more $$ than buying directly from Disney.

Unless you have to buy them through WDW to get dining package or something (not sure how it works with DVC, sorry) I would agree that this might be a way to save some money. I know if you join the www.mousesavers.com email list that there is usually a link to buy tickets at a further discount for members of that newsletter. Good luck, I think that your family is lucky to have someone as special as you to plan such a cool reunion! :wizard:
 
Well, a one day admission to Hersheypark is $41.95. I love Hersheypark, but let's be honest, it's no Disney! I'd rather pay the extra $5 for a day at the MK!!

When we go to Ocean City, Maryland, a room costs us roughly between $150-$230 a night in the peak season. If you multiply the more expensive by 6 nights, that's $1380 just for the room. Add in the Boardwalk rides (at $2.50 a pop...that's what we paid for a ride on the Tilt-a-Whirl!), the food (a bucket of Thrasher fries is $8...but well worth it ;) ), gas to get down there and back, and we've easily spent close to $2000 for a BEACH vacation! For the same amount (or a tad bit more), I'd rather go to Disney!!
 
As much as I love Disney and recognize that it's worth the price to go, I know that some of my family would not see it that way. No matter of working out the budget or proving it's worth would make a difference. They just would not think it worth it.

I forsee your family reunion taking place elsewhere this time.
 
HM said:
As much as I love Disney and recognize that it's worth the price to go, I know that some of my family would not see it that way. No matter of working out the budget or proving it's worth would make a difference. They just would not think it worth it.

I forsee your family reunion taking place elsewhere this time.


Don't you think that free deluxe accomodations are worth going for? Unless that opportunity is available somewhere else, I would think that would be a strong persuasive factor.
 
ZPT1022 said:
Don't you think that free deluxe accomodations are worth going for? Unless that opportunity is available somewhere else, I would think that would be a strong persuasive factor.

I must have missed the bit about staying there free? Who's paying for the accomodations?

OK--- I went up a bit and found that part. ( I replied before reading down all the way). This must not be a huge family we are talking about. Now if I were paying for the resort, I'm sure I'd be able to get my family to go.
 
HM said:
This must not be a huge family we are talking about.

Well, it may not be huge to you, but it's big to me:
11 adults
11 children (9, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20)

I'll be using DVC points to provide four 2Br villas for 5 nights.

HM said:
Now if I were paying for the resort, I'm sure I'd be able to get my family to go.

I like your style. Unfortunately, I don't have the guts or the will to "work" at getting them to go. I'll present the examples and comparisons (like listed in this thread) once, then I'll drop it. If the group decides on someplace else instead, no biggie. (In a way that might be better - I won't be "in charge.")

As much as I hate to say it, you were probably right in your first post. We'll probably end up somewhere else...mainly b/c $700 per person scares people away from WDW even when accomodations are free. ($200 air + $250 adm + $150 DDP + $100 incidentals.)

Thanks. :wave2:
 
We were in NYC the other day. A 1/2 liter bottle of water (16.9 oz) cost $1.50 at one stand and $2.00 at another. A small soft ice cream cone from the ice cream man was $3.00. The cost of a large water and Mickey bar are cheaper at WDW.
 
Disney is cheaper than an Oklahoma University football ticket. I think the lowest price O.U, ticket is about $63. I like football but I get a very good view on tv and can save that $63 for Disney.
 
Maybe I am the crazy one, but free nights in a 2 bdrm at WDW (doesn't matter which villa, they are all beautiful) and some are actually unhappy about the cost of tickets and dining. Kelley, you sound wonderful to offer this, but if they are complaining now, IMHO DO NOT TAKE THE GRIPERS!!!! If they are looking the gift horse in the mouth now, I am sure they will find a million things not to be happy with while you are there. I know the sentiment of loving Disney and wanting to share that love with your family, but, unfortunately, no amount of pixie dust will "fix" some folks. All they see are lines, or prices, or something negative. In the end, you have spent tons of points, worked your fanny off to make all these plans, and some will do nothing but make it negative for you. If they think it is too expensive for them, then I would accept that as an omen and not force the issue. Perhaps, you could take the younger kids of those not wanting to go (maybe sell the extra res, if borrowed points) and share the Magic with them. Whatever you decide, I will think Happy Thoughts for you and hope a lot of pixie dust is scattered your way!

Best of luck.

Sharon
 

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