How high is too much for you?

[epcotty]

As it is I don't often go there myself (at the most 3x a year, 1 day each time). I always get a multi-day no expiration ticket as I'm within driving distance and it's cheaper that way. But they definitely have gotten a lot greedier in more recent years, taking advantage of their popularity. The price has gone up so much more than inflation and much more than it used to (it used to go up only about $2 a year. Since 2005, it's been constant big price hikes so now it's really overpriced if you compare it inflation-wise to earlier years. At least this year at the other parks besides MK they raised it $1 but then that doesn't apply to multi-day tickets. But I still go as I like it so much, but I try to get a better deal as I said.

 

[funcinderella]

That is an interesting point! I am the complete opposite of you. I live in southern NJ so we have a ton of stuff to see around us. We do day trips to the beach and boardwalk, as well as to NYC. We take weekend trips to The Poconos a few times a year. I think it is well worth it to get away on several smaller trips rather than just one time on a big trip.

i Live in NJ as well, and it's funny, we had rented a house in point pleasant (granted this was like 8 years ago) on the boardwalk, and while we liked it, the house alone was $3500, not to mention how much we spent on the boardwalk each night! My Mom and I were like, we could do disney for two weeks for what we spent here! And the next year, we did! A week at the poly and a week at the beach club.

That said, prices have gone way up since then. My kids still love disney and will take it any day over a beach vacation (they are 12.) For me, it is still a value; we have dvc, so stay on points at key west. And we bought the $399 premium pass deal for DVC'ers, and will get one trip this year, one next summer, and a weekend trip in january. My kids eat nothing, so I refuse to pay an adult price for them at disney restaurants. Therefore, we always rent a car and eat either counter service or off site. So it is still a value for us, but when we cant somehow get a deal any more on tix...we might go less often....

 

[powellrj]

They have slowly made us change our vacation plans. We use to be a family that would fly down every year. Then airline prices became too high and we started driving. We use to stay on-site and eat all of our meals there too and then they priced us out of dining first when all my kids became WDW adults and priced us out of on-site when values went to over $100 a night during High season. Now ticket prices have forced us out of going to WDW every year. We last went to WDW 2 years ago with all the kids. Last year just the kids went to Universal. This year DH and I may go for a day or 2, but he has said he would rather not go at all and just stay at the Marriott resort and enjoy that this trip.

 

[DizneyNutz]

I've had an AP, TIW card for food and gone twice a year solo for the past 3 years. I've loved it.

My oldest will be starting college in 2014. I will not be renewing my AP or TIW card then. I will also not be able to afford to go to Disney twice a year at that point.

I will try to swing my 5 day once a year trip solo but it will definitely be different. Probably value resort or offsite instead of a moderate, driving down instead of flying, maybe only 1 TS instead of the 3 I do each trip now. And definitely less spent on souveniers.
So they haven't totally priced me out of my solo trips yet - they will just have to be reduced.

But family wise - they probably have. My family aren't huge Disney World fans. The only reason I was able to get them to agree to our upcoming trip is because it's my birthday present this year.
They actually prefer Universal. Problem with Universal is I can't ride of most the rides there.
My youngest does like Disneyland though so I'm thinking we'll go back there in a few years instead of Walt Disney World, combining that trip with a visit to the sister who lives near San Diego and then that would most likely be the last family Disney trip. Kind of sad when I think about it. Good thing it's a few years away.

It's not too late to get them hooked into Disney Cruising. Totally different experience and the kids would get into that I am willing to bet.

 

[mrsltg]

It's not too late to get them hooked into Disney Cruising. Totally different experience and the kids would get into that I am willing to bet.

Disney cruising is a different vacation than Disney parks, for sure, but it's anything but inexpensive or even what most would consider "reasonable." We took one DCL 7 day nine years ago. The cost for three of us (2A1C) in a balcony cabin in September was $3500. I can cruise in a suite on Celebrity or HAL for the same price with the same three people, and we'd have to get another cabin for the two girls who have joined our family since (two suites, a little under $7k). A DCL cruise for our family now, in a five person room, or even looking at two cabins (definitely not suites) is anywhere from $8-12k with the low end being an inside. In comparison, we vacationed at WDW in June of 2012. We had connecting preferred rooms at CBR, with dining plan and ten day hoppers. Our total was $7000 (and some change). That was a ten day vacation vs. a seven day.

Unfortunately, DCL, while lovely, is incredibly expensive. They're obviously filling the ships so they are right to charge what the market bears, but I don't think they are the price range of many, many folks. Of course, the same could be said for WDW, but you have more control over how much you spend based on lodging and dining options.

 

[mesaboy2]

Disney cruising is a different vacation than Disney parks, for sure, but it's anything but inexpensive or even what most would consider "reasonable." We took one DCL 7 day nine years ago. The cost for three of us (2A1C) in a balcony cabin in September was $3500. I can cruise in a suite on Celebrity or HAL for the same price with the same three people, and we'd have to get another cabin for the two girls who have joined our family since (two suites, a little under $7k). A DCL cruise for our family now, in a five person room, or even looking at two cabins (definitely not suites) is anywhere from $8-12k with the low end being an inside. In comparison, we vacationed at WDW in June of 2012. We had connecting preferred rooms at CBR, with dining plan and ten day hoppers. Our total was $7000 (and some change). That was a ten day vacation vs. a seven day.

Unfortunately, DCL, while lovely, is incredibly expensive. They're obviously filling the ships so they are right to charge what the market bears, but I don't think they are the price range of many, many folks. Of course, the same could be said for WDW, but you have more control over how much you spend based on lodging and dining options.

I agree. If a land-based Disney vacation is too expensive, DCL is hardly a cheaper alternative.

 

[Jennasis]

I haven't been priced out...yet (thank GOD!). But we can only afford to go every other year. A yearly $1500+ vacation (for two adults during value season AT a value resort for 5 days) just isn't in the cards. We were VERY fortunate last year to be able to bump up our visit to a full week thanks to my DH's uncle who owns DVC and gave us his points to use. He MAY be letting us use them again next year...we'll see.

 

[josiegracesmom]

We are paying more this year for 5 nights than we paid last year for 7. It makes me sick to my stomach, but my daughter loves it, and we do as well. I guess we will have to keep shortening our trips...

 

[TandLMommy28]

We already only go every other year and now that might be too often. As it is, when we priced our 2014 trip, it was the exact same price as 2012... The problem is that 2@12 was 7 nights and 2014 I priced a 6 night trip. That means to keep the same budget, we are losing a full day of vacation. If that happens every two years.... That's just crazy to me.

Plus, 2014 is the last trip when I have two kids to pay for. In 2016, we will have a Disney adult and the new baby will be three (can't blame Disney for the new baby, but he is an added expense on our trips!). So we are rapidly pricing ourselves out of Disney. The other thing, for me, is that these rapidly growing children are becoming more expense in every day life, leaving less money for vacations. Example: my little dancer now dances competitively and that's not cheap. Again, it's not Disney's fault that my daughter dances but kids grow up and get more expensive and its another factor in us have to rethink Disney as our favorite vacation destination.

 

[2Tiggies]

We are paying more this year for 5 nights than we paid last year for 7. It makes me sick to my stomach, but my daughter loves it, and we do as well. I guess we will have to keep shortening our trips...

Same story here. To be honest, we are probably at our limit for how much we pay. The Disney packages even with promotions are so much more expensive than they were even a couple of years ago, but add to that the enormous increase in flight costs, and the fact that we can no longer sneak a few term time days to tag onto a school break from next year, we are at our limit as things stand. We have left 18 months instead of the usual 10-12 between our last trip and our next trip and this is mostly due to the cost

 

[inkedupmomma]

We are at our limit this year..but a SPOILED limit! Dxdp, 11 nights at POFQ 10 day PH. This is for 2 adults, 1 disney adult (13) and 1 child.. and an infant this time around. I'm positive next year and following years will be very different

 

[scoolover]

If the price stays close to the inflation rate, I will go every few years as I do now.

 

[DavidNYC]

We just get more creative with our trips. For example, one year we'll go Dec. 8-14 and the next year Dec. 1-7 and get an annual pass. Then maybe skip a year and repeat. With the AP and TiW, it saves a lot of money over two trips with 7-day tickets.

 

[Bellamouse]

I feel like our Disney trips are getting cheaper, but only because I found this board and have learned how to do Disney on a budget (and we don't bring sandwiches for lunch either ). We used to stay offsite at the Radisson for $97 a night, and we thought that was a good deal compared to onsite. Now we are paying less staying at a much more beautiful timeshare for 7 nights than we paid for 4 nights at the Radisson. And we buy 10 day NE tickets that average our daily cost to a little over $33/day. We used to buy tickets at the gate for just the number of days we were going. We do fly, and that's a big expense, but we priceline the car and that's only $120 a week. For those that think driving is a pain, I think it's a luxury not to have to wait in line for busses and I love being able to zip back and forth to our room, or from park to park in 15 min or less. And it's MUCH easier to get to the different resorts for dinner reservations in the evenings with a car. I would HATE to take the busses. The one time we stayed onsite (ugh - I pretty much hated onsite!) we still rented a car. So that doesn't really factor into the onsite/offsite equation for us. I don't see onsite busses as a plus at all. Sounds miserable to me.

The food is the biggest expense since we do F&W and one TS every day (including signatures) and a dinner show, but because we save so much on the room we can still afford the TS meals. We do eat breakfast in the room, but we would do that no matter where we went. I like eating my own breakfast as I eat certain special things that are hard to get in restaurants. But when we eat out, we eat whatever we want and don't budget for food ever and we still never go above $1000 a week for the food. So a week in Disney costs us basically $2700 for two. Including absolutely everything. $1300 per person a week for 7 days all inclusive anywhere is hard to do for that price, unless you rent a cabin in the woods, drive there and do 100% of your own cooking. So while I don't think it's exactly cheap, it is only 2 of us and we both still work so I think it's still reasonable. Our trip to Europe next year will cost 3 times that much at least, and a trip to Hawaii for a week would cost at least double. So in the scheme of things, for us it's still reasonable. Only Mexico might be cheaper, but I've been there twice and I don't care for it. So for us it's not an option.

We also vacation in Sanibel Island, and we usually go with another couple and split the cost of a condo. But that trip is still only very slightly less than Disney, only because I cook most of the time when we go there - only go out a couple times during the week. But that's less of a vacation since I have to do so much work. I enjoy Disney more.

We have also vacationed in DC, and that can be pretty inexpensive (priceline), and I know there are other cities that are reasonable, but we just love F&W so that calls me back every year.....

Editing to add, this year DH and I both asked for Disney gift cards for our birthdays, and we got $700 in gift cards between the two of us ($100 was actually a gift from a client, not a birthday gift but still). So that is a big chunk of our $1000 food budget right there. I think it just takes careful thought and planning and research and it can be doable without going to extremes like packing peanut butter sandwiches.

Editing to add one more thing - two years ago we rented a 3BR/2.5BA townhome for $490 a week in Emerald Island and split that with another couple, so it only cost us $245 for the week for that trip. And it was a very nice townhome, not a dump. I found all that stuff here on the Disboards, without which I NEVER would have found all the great bargain tips and ideas. So thanks, Disboards for keeping WDW doable for us!

 

[Disneylifeforme]

We are by no means "rich" and I find that we can take out family of 4 to Disney as cheap as we can go any where else. It's all about planning and making smart choices. The meal plan is a great option for us because we enjoy the meal time, and my family hardly ever it's out so its a treat. Our first year we overspent with different things but we cut so of those out and the next year moved up from a value to a moderate resort for almost the same. We love the free off park activities and do a few each trip, so plan right and it can be done with ought breaking bank

 

[rotlex]

It is getting very frustrating to say the least. We love our Disney vacations more than anything, and so far are still visiting yearly, but I don't see that happening for very much longer. Frankly, if we don't get a decent bounce back this year, dining or discount, next year will be the first year we will not go out of the past 7.

When I look at how much it has increased over the years it's quite alarming. As an example, two years ago we did a 10 night stay at the WL for roughly $3500. This year, were staying at FQ for two less nights, and paying nearly the same. Granted, our son is not free any longer and our daughter is an "adult", but it's getting out of hand. That's a LOT of money for a week or so and we even drive from PA every year to save on the air fare.

We think about DVC every year, but frankly, I just don't find it a deal at all. Maint fees rise, points get changed around in different seasons, and the initial out lay could be 10 years of vacations anywhere else. Bottom line is that once our 2nd child has had his fill, we will probably be done with Disney and start opting for more outdoor type vacations. Heck, I can buy a coupld of kayaks, fishing gear, a camper and some mountain bikes for what one year of visiting Disney is starting to cost.

 

[Patience]

I think Disney is still a decent bargain IF you can travel during value seasons and IF you can get either a good room discount or free dining.

We paid right $1987, I think, for our 7 day, 6 night package at Pop in Oct. 2011 with 6 day MYW tickets and free dining upgraded to regular dining plan. There were four of us, two adults, one teen under 18, and a child. This year, we paid $1900 ( after 5% Target red card discount) for a 5 night, 6 day stay in September at POR royal room with free dining. So one less night and one less person but we are staying moderate this time. Last trip, we drove and this trip we are flying because with only three people and an awesome sale on Southwest, it was worth it to fly.

Now, we are also going to Destin, Florida in March for a week. We are staying in a beautiful house right on the beach in a gated community. We are renting directly from the owners whom we are friendly with and they are charging us minimal rent. The trip will still cost us $1500, excluding travel costs, and we will only eat out once or twice for dinner (not to save money but because we don't want to battle the spring break crowds). There will be 5 of us that trip and if we ate out every meal and were being charged full price for the beach house, Disney would probably be cheaper, although the accommodations would not be nearly as nice.

 

[Nancyg56]

So you're firmly in the "will pay whatever they charge because it is Disney" camp.

I am not sure that I think this is a fair comment. As a family, we price vacation destinations and many times, even factoring in airfare, WDW is the best value for us. I agree that prices have increased, but in my area everything went up as well. For example, my family spent a long weekend in Hampton Beach two years ago. I fainted at the hotel costs. For a decent place with a pool ( not many of those on that strip) the cost made me faint. It was still cheaper than RI oceanfront hotel, but very very expensive. Add gas, food, the boardwalk arcades, YIKES! I could have flown to FL, stayed in an oceanfront resort, fed my family for a week, and still saved money.

Rydin'-hy ranch is another destination that prices out higher than a WDW vacation if you take advantage of eh discounts, and it is cheaper than many other destinations.

I think that it is necessary to add all of the costs in to the budget and then compare the cost with what is included in that cost and you compare apples to apples. SImply looking at ticket prices is not the way I price my vacations.
If I did that, SIx Flags would be , but we all know how I feel about that theme park and it's wallet sucking machine.

I agree. If a land-based Disney vacation is too expensive, DCL is hardly a cheaper alternative.

I know! My heart skipped a beat when I started looking at that. My DH wants to take DGD on one, and we have decided to wait until she is a teen for that one.

We are by no means "rich" and I find that we can take out family of 4 to Disney as cheap as we can go any where else. It's all about planning and making smart choices. The meal plan is a great option for us because we enjoy the meal time, and my family hardly ever it's out so its a treat. Our first year we overspent with different things but we cut so of those out and the next year moved up from a value to a moderate resort for almost the same. We love the free off park activities and do a few each trip, so plan right and it can be done with ought breaking bank

I think that is what we all do. I have to consider the overall value, and not parcel out individual segments.

 

[luvmy3]

We are fortunate enough to be able to afford WDW vacations with all the increases. I can't put an exact dollar amount on when we'd be priced out, I guess it will depend on whether the cost is worth what we get out of the vacation. My kids are getting older, and we do like to mix it up so WDW won't always be worth the cost for us. This trip could be our last, or it could be years from now.
I also agree with the pp who mentioned Jersey Shore. For what we spend to stay down there we can spend not all that much more and go to Disney. I'd say WDW is the better bargain in that case (and I LOVE the beach!).

 

[BeerMe]

I don't even notice the increases