How WDW dumped the Middle Class

[OhDannyBoy]

Let's make it simple.

A weekend at Disney is going to cost you at very least 2k. If 2k for a weekend at a theme park seems reasonable, you are likely not who this article is about. If a weekend anywhere for 2k is reasonable, then you are likely not who this article is about. If you can afford 15k on a vacation of any sort, unless it's like a once in a lifetime thing, you are likely (likely, not 100%, but likely) not who this article is about.

For families like mine, the price of Disney is getting harder and harder to both justify and to afford at all. If this isn't you, congratulations, you are LIKELY doing much better than a LOT of the country (countries) right now and likely fall into an upper middle class demographic that this article is not referring to.

Again, I am speaking in generalities and am aware of where I am posting this. This group is REALLY into Disney, which is awesome, but is also the exception and not the rule.

 

[RivShore]

That is still pretty pricey for a value resort and only two people.

Compared to what, though? Any popular US travel destination is going to be similar, especially major cities - 8 nights at a reputable city hotel, all ubering around the city, all food, and 7 days of some kind of entertainment (BW shows, ball games, etc), can you really do that for less than the 4400 they spent at WDW in cities like SF, Boston, NYC? I was shocked last year on a business trip to Boston at the price of food and the most basic lodging (the tiniest hotel room I have ever had the misfortune of seeing). Lodging, food and transportation would have had me over the 4400, if it were 8 days long, with nothing left for entertainment.

 

[DCLMP]

Compared to what, though? Any popular US travel destination is going to be similar, especially major cities - 8 nights at a reputable city hotel, all ubering around the city, all food, and 7 days of some kind of entertainment (BW shows, ball games, etc), can you really do that for less than the 4400 they spent at WDW in cities like SF, Boston, NYC? I was shocked last year on a business trip to Boston at the price of food and the most basic lodging (the tiniest hotel room I have ever had the misfortune of seeing). Lodging, food and transportation would have had me over the 4400, if it were 8 days long, with nothing left for entertainment.

I wouldn't compare a Disney value resort to a reputable hotel. It's bare bones on amenities. Outdoor hallways, no restaurants, and it doesn't even have a gym. Again that has nothing to do with the point of the article...that seems to keep getting lost in this discussion.

 

[comicguy]

If you are taking 15k vacations then your are not in the demographics that has been priced out of WDW. Right?

It seems like everyone on here evaluates the economy based on their own personal circumstances. That is not how economist look at things.

I have to agree.

We are not poor by any stretch but the idea of dropping 15k on ANY vacation is insane to us. Heck dropping 3-4k is crazy. I don't know how anyone in our economic demographic could do it without going into debt.

Just an FYI, we did not "just drop 15k on a vacation", it was actually something we saved for for about 7 years because it is something we really wanted to do.

@DCLMP your right that is not how economists look at the economy but that is how the average person evaluates their place in it

@OhDannyBoy If we don't have money for a vacation, we don't go. We strongly believe no debt for vacations

We are mid class, save for retirement, vacations, and other things like improvements on the house but also want to enjoy our currnt time, retirement is just 5 or so years away for us but you never know what your health will be like in retirement. I would hate to retire and find out that for some reason we could not physically go on that Alaskan cruise and regret not going sooner. We have plans for retirment but we also know you shoukd never count on absolutes.

Travel and WDW are just one of our goals and values. Each person can choose what to do with their money. I just want people to be happy with their choices regardless what they choose

 

[AngusIsMySpiritAnimal]

@RivShore Agree. We live outside NYC so very used to HCoL areas and expectations. Even still, imagine my surprise when our hotel for a summer trip to Harrisburg, PA, near Hershey Park, to attend a show at their farm complex, was OVER $400 a night, no breakfast, at a Best Western Plus! Our suite at the Swolphin will only be a bit beyond that with our AP rate at Xmas. Kids wanted to go to Hershey Park, but with "fast pass" privileges there to make a single day trip efficient enough to be worth it, the cost was approaching Disney money. And so, we saved that money to buy discounted DGCs to spend on our "real" Disney trip. Disney is crazy expensive, no getting around it. But cost creep is impacting vacation destinations large and small all over the country. We hoard points, buy DGCs on discount, and rack up CC cash back until we can offset at least 1/3 of any trip we take to Disney. And then, for the sheer amount of experiences we can have on one trip for a family with a wide variety of thrill tolerances, interests, food preferences, etc, we consider it money well spent. As the kids age, so may our vacations, but right now it's a great escape for us from the grind of a big urban area.

 

[Cfabar1]

I wonder how DVC factors into this... is it affordable for the middle class anymore? - especially if purchased from Disney? Seems like there are many ways to cheaply do disney, but they require $$s (cash up front for GCs, DVC, etc.)

 

[DCLMP]

@DCLMP your right that is not how economists look at the economy but that is how the average person evaluates their place in it

I wouldn't make investment decisions based on that.

Everyone wants to explain how they can afford a Disney trip or justify why they spend the money on a Disney trip yet that wasn't what the article was about. Did anyone actually read it?

 

[DCLMP]

I wonder how DVC factors into this... is it affordable for the middle class anymore? - especially if purchased from Disney? Seems like there are many ways to cheaply do disney, but they require $$s (cash up front for GCs, DVC, etc.)

According to the website contracts start at 23k for 100 points. 100 points won't get you much maybe a week in a studio off season. Then there is the maintenance fees of 1500+ year. I would say no it's not affordable for the middle class unless it's one of the middle class earners that is rich in assets... but then are you really middle class?

I think it's only beneficial if you buy it when you're young, and most young families don't have cash for that. I had a young coworker that bought into it and took out a loan. They were not a high earner. I have no idea how that worked out for them or if they regret it. I personally don't think it's something you should go into debt for.