How WDW dumped the Middle Class

[tigertides]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html

Great and very fair critique how Disney (along with corporate America) has essentially gone all-in to satisfy wealthy Americans. Yes, we have always known this to be true, but this has accelerated in last 10 years.

Some highlights from article

• Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 5-10% not even 20% of Americans
• Walt Disney himself printed in the the 1960s employee handbook he wanted everybody to be treated like a VIP. That mantra is dead.
• They feature 60 year old lady from Virginia who had awful trip in July. Spent $8000, stayed off site. Melted in heat. And did 7 rides in 12+ hours. She had ECV which broke down, didn't help things.
• Also feature wealthy visitor from California who paid for Premier Pass, and had best trip ever in Winter peak season, rarely waited in line.

I have replied with how affordable vacations can be, but it DOES require ALOT of planning.

 

[DCLMP]

I don't want to create an account to read the article. Yeah I feel dumped.

We used to stay at deluxe resorts, buy the dining plan, AP's go multiple times a year and have a great time. I guess I could still go and stay in a value resort, but meh. There are better vacations for the money its costs. I spent two weeks in Japan this year and was considerably cheaper than a one week trip to WDW in a value resort.

 

[disney212]

Disney has gotten more expensive like everything else. We are in no way in the top 5%. We still go at least once a year, most years more. We also don't drive fancy cars, we work full time, don't have fancy phones. We choose where to spend our dollars. Does it take time to plan yes but I planned trips the same way a decade ago. We live 900+ miles from Florida and fly. It takes planning but it's still doable.

 

[MyDogTink]

I don't want to create an account to read the article. Yeah I feel dumped.

We used to stay at deluxe resorts, buy the dining plan, AP's go multiple times a year and have a great time. I guess I could still go and stay in a value resort, but meh. There are better vacations for the money its costs. I spent two weeks in Japan this year and was considerably cheaper than a one week trip to WDW in a value resort.

You may be able to access the article here

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/...e_code=1.hk8.XhM3.rOJvRY4OWwi_&smid=url-share

 

[Brian Noble]

Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 1%

I'm not sure how he gets to this. This is a grand total of about 3.5M people in the US. The annual attendance at WDW and DLR, total, runs close to 80M. Even if 1/4 of that is international (and it is probably less) I'm pretty sure that every US resident in the top 1% is not spending an average of 17 days in a Disney theme park every single year.

It might come down to what "afford" means. If it means "I can go to Disney for a week and buy whatever I feel like without thinking twice about the money," then sure, I guess. But clearly people who are not in the 1% find ways to go.

 

[reddog21]

Is it just me or does the nytimes put out one of these articles every few months as clickbait.

Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 1%, not even 5% of Americans

This is such a ridiculous uneducated comment.

 

[leebee]

It's sure not as 'financially easy' to go to Disney as it used to be, but it can be done. I juggle credit cards for airfare points and Disney points. I buy Disney gift cards when I can get them at 5%-15% off. This all takes time and planning, but last May we took DD/SIL/GS to Disney for 5 nights. I had enough SW points to fly us all direct and enough Disney VISA points to cover the room, juggled credit cards to get two park tickets basically for free. It can be done, but man, it's not straightforward anymore.

 

[o&smom]

You may be able to access the article here

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/...e_code=1.hk8.XhM3.rOJvRY4OWwi_&smid=url-share

Thank you!

 

[RivShore]

I'm not sure how he gets to this. This is a grand total of about 3.5M people in the US. The annual attendance at WDW and DLR, total, runs close to 80M. Even if 1/4 of that is international (and it is probably less) I'm pretty sure that every US resident in the top 1% is not spending an average of 17 days in a Disney theme park every single year.

It might come down to what "afford" means. If it means "I can go to Disney for a week and buy whatever I feel like without thinking twice about the money," then sure, I guess. But clearly people who are not in the 1% find ways to go.

Perhaps it's because he did not actually say it in the article???

From the article:
A Disney vacation today is “for the top 20 percent of American households — really, if I’m honest, maybe the top 10 percent or 5 percent,” said Len Testa,

Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 1%, not even 5% of Americans

Please show us where you quoted this from? Maybe it was elsewhere in the article?

ETA:
Thanks @tigertides for trying to correct your initial misleading bullet point, but it is still saying the opposite of what he said which was that the top 20% could afford it or maybe just the top 5-10%...(see above). Why are you purposely being misleading?

Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 5-10% not even 20% of Americans

 

[MattB2G]

Is it just me or does the nytimes put out one of these articles every few months as clickbait.

This is such a ridiculous uneducated comment.

Yes, probably with someone who is upset with Disney for something. Every park in the USA has gotten more expensive and restrictive, and some of them are dumps. Universal has gotten just as expensive in the last few years as well.

 

[tvguy]

One of the things I have learned in over 20 years on the DIS, what people can AFFORD in regards to Disney, and what they DO are two unrelated things. Things I could never do. People taking trips with their credit cards maxed out. I have NEVER taken a vacation where everything........that could be.......was paid for before the trip. We are taking a big trip next month, took 14 months to pay off, but other than incidentals, it is paid off.
Disney and others don't care IF people can afford them, just that they will choose to come.
So far, people refuse to be responsible financially.

 

[robinb]

$8,000 for 2 adults and 3 kids (at least 2 of them “Disney adults” ) for 7 days all-in doesn’t seem like a lot to me. Then again, we are on the upper part of Len’s range. I understand that’s a lot of money in general but it’s not a lot for a WDW vacation. I guess that’s the whole point of the commentary.

I’m glad that she had a good time despite the setbacks. Her grandkids are adorable.

 

[focusondisney]

Did we need 2 threads discussing the same article?

https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...-place-on-earth-if-you-can-afford-it.3972327/

 

[Miffy]

I'm not sure how he gets to this. This is a grand total of about 3.5M people in the US. The annual attendance at WDW and DLR, total, runs close to 80M. Even if 1/4 of that is international (and it is probably less) I'm pretty sure that every US resident in the top 1% is not spending an average of 17 days in a Disney theme park every single year.

It might come down to what "afford" means. If it means "I can go to Disney for a week and buy whatever I feel like without thinking twice about the money," then sure, I guess. But clearly people who are not in the 1% find ways to go.

Yes, I am one of them. I'm definitely not in the top 1% or even 10% yet somehow I manage to go to WDW and pay for it (not put it on a credit card and take years to pay it off). So, yes, of course, it's possible. But you have to do a certain amount of planning and reading in advance.

That, btw, is true of any trip anywhere unless you're going on a tour. But even that would require a certain amount of planning.

 

[Brian Noble]

"I'm totally responsible but all of these other people are not" is tiresome. At best.

I also don't think it is so much "People go into debt for a Disney trip" as "People go into debt." This USA Today survey concluded that 45% of families take on debt to go to WDW.

What fraction of households have credit card debt for any reason? The St. Louis fed says: 46%.

 

[RivShore]

"I'm totally responsible but all of these other people are not" is tiresome. At best.

I also don't think it is so much "People go into debt for a Disney trip" as "People go into debt." This USA Today survey concluded that 45% of families take on debt to go to WDW.

What fraction of households have credit card debt for any reason? The St. Louis fed says: 46%.

That just proves the point that 45% of the 46% of households with CC debt went into debt solely due to Disney!!!!! I kid, I kid!

 

[Miffy]

"I'm totally responsible but all of these other people are not" is tiresome. At best.

I also don't think it is so much "People go into debt for a Disney trip" as "People go into debt." This USA Today survey concluded that 45% of families take on debt to go to WDW.

What fraction of households have credit card debt for any reason? The St. Louis fed says: 46%.

Perhaps wrongly, I've assumed that you're responding to my post, however, that wasn't my point at all. I was just trying (and failing?) to say that I am absolutely not in the top 20% of earners in the US and yet I manage to go to WDW.​

 

[Mle8308]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html

Great and very fair critique how Disney (along with corporate America) has essentially gone all-in to satisfy wealthy Americans. Yes, we have always known this to be true, but this has accelerated in last 10 years.

Some highlights from article

• Len Testa (from Unofficial Guides) acknowledges that WDW trip in 2025 can only be afforded by top 5-10% not even 20% of Americans
• Walt Disney himself printed in the the 1960s employee handbook he wanted everybody to be treated like a VIP. That mantra is dead.
• They feature 60 year old lady from Virginia who had awful trip in July. Spent $8000, stayed off site. Melted in heat. And did 7 rides in 12+ hours. She had ECV which broke down, didn't help things.
• Also feature wealthy visitor from California who paid for Premier Pass, and had best trip ever in Winter peak season, rarely waited in line.

I have replied with how affordable vacations can be, but it DOES require ALOT of planning.

The top 1-5% are not vacationing at Walt Disney World. It's the middle class, they make it work, even with increasing prices. And Disney knows this.

 

[iTsNotToast]

It's a bit sensationalist although I definitely agree the costs are crazy high. That doesn't mean you still can't make it work. Hell, the amount I've learned from this forum can save you tons of money!

 

[Brian Noble]

Perhaps wrongly, I've assumed that you're responding to my post, however, that wasn't my point at all. I was just trying (and failing?) to say that I am absolutely not in the top 20% of earners in the US and yet I manage to go to WDW.

Not you; just a general sentiment that is starting to emerge (and one that pretty much always does in these threads).