Interesting Dis article. Is Disney Really a MORE Expensive Destination?

[Harmacist]

We were shocked how the price of food at WDW hasn’t increased like it has in our local city. Eating quick service was just same price or often cheaper than what we get at home eating out. So I agree with this point in the article.

Another comparison I have is a night out attending a concert or sporting event is often just as much as a day at Disney and the food is always more money at those venues.

Disney really seemed to raise the prices of food, if I remember, between 2015-2020 and then took the foot off the gas for price increases since then. They were kind of ahead of the inflation curve.

I think QS is more than reasonable with pricing, especially when you compare to food prices at other enclosed venues like sporting events, other theme parks and concerts. I would say it borders on bargain but I don't want Disney to get any ideas. TS is more overpriced IMO but there are still a handful of restaurants/dishes that I would pay the Disney prices even if they were at home.

 

[Darcy03231]

Disney really seemed to raise the prices of food, if I remember, between 2015-2020 and then took the gas off the price increases since then. They were kind of ahead of the inflation curve.

I think QS is more than reasonable with pricing, especially when you compare to food prices at other enclosed venues like sporting events, other theme parks and concerts. I would say it borders on bargain but I don't want Disney to get any ideas. TS is more overpriced IMO but there are still a handful of restaurants/dishes that I would pay the Disney prices even if they were at home.

DH and stopped at Arby's yesterday on the way home from a medical appointment. He got three sliders, I got two, two fries, two drinks came to about $20.00. That's about what a quick service meal costs in the parks.

 

[barkley]

Plus a season pass costs a few bucks more than a one day ticket, and you can buy the djning plan for cheap and eat free at every visit. I remember WDW in the 70’s, with the different tickets for rides.

I still have a complete ticket book! we also still have 1 day left on my son's 14 day non expiring park hopper we bought back in the early 2000's when he was around 4 (he's now 28). we've made those old non expiring tickets pay off using them multiple times over the years.

 

[DodgerGirl]

In all honesty when it came to family destinations for family vacations Disneyland and Walt Disney World used to be the top theme parks for family vacations and every family would go to Disney Parks every year or every summer but when 9/11 happened it really affected the travel industry completely and with new rules on travel safety and airline safety people saw vacations not worthy of planning and going on. Disney Parks started raising prices around 9/11 because they saw a high loss of travelers not going due to the new travel safety rules. But in the spring of 2004 Disneyland began raising it's ticket prices when they had their first price jump and when it happened families stopped making trips to Disneyland every year and ever since then Disneyland has never been the same since with it's high ticket pricing and there is little hope that Disneyland will lower it's ticket prices in the future. What I think Disney Parks is trying to do is save itself by giving people additional add-ons with their resort stays such as Extra Magic Hour discounts at character dining restaurants and Lightning Lane options. And they think in general that this is the way to gain an audience. When it comes to dining at a Disney restaurant the reason why some restaurants are pricey "especially the character oriented ones" is because they want families to enjoy a special dining experience but have you noticed that the kids menu items are the most priciest of all the food at Disney Parks. And when you get the general picture children do not have a big menu and most only eat things like macaroni and cheese and cereal for breakfast and I cannot see how a kids size hamburger at Disney Parks can be pricey. What I think Disney Parks need to do is have special preview days where families can get in the park for free and they would have unlimited rides and discounts at shops and restaurants and it would be smart for Disney Parks to consider for the summer and Christmas. And what I really think what could work for Disneyland is a ticket wristband "Similar to what Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has" and if you have a ticket wristband it would enable you as the first person to go on rides before everyone else goes on and have the chance to meet all characters first and any remaining tickets that you still have on your wristband can be still used for a future visit or can be traded for a Disney gift card or Disney Store purchase and it would be a clever and smart system for Disneyland to use and if it worked the other Disney Parks would use this system and follow suit

 

[kydisneyfans]

Disney is an easy trip to save on, as a result it is one of the cheaper places to travel for me. 26% back with my citi card buying Disney gift cards at Meijer this week. By the time one does a show, go carts, mini golf, etc in a place like Gatlinburg, the costs add up to a 1 day ticket in the offseason. Orlando is a cheap destination from the local airports. Car rentals are cheaper. Park food cost isn't bad at all. I did 4 days in Colorado last summer and it was similar in cost to a 7 day trip to Disney/Orlando for me, with higher hotel costs and more than double to rent a car adding up.

 

[Minnie1222]

What I think Disney Parks need to do is have special preview days where families can get in the park for free and they would have unlimited rides and discounts at shops and restaurants and it would be smart for Disney Parks to consider for the summer and Christmas.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Yes, hand's down. In the last few years, I've done Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Williamsburg/Busch Gardens, and 2 game conventions (GenCon in Indianapolis, IN and Origins in Columbus, OH). Disney would be higher than all of these spots, at prime season to prime season and low season to low season comparisons - it's one reason we went to all these spots (that, and I'm checking off all the trips I planned in 2020 Covid that I didn't take - 2026 has the next one - NYC, the last one, is still left for 2027 or later.

Next year, I'll check out if central PA (Hershey/Gettysburg/Lancaster) is also cheaper, and looking at the hotel prices I've already locked in with free breakfasts, I'm almost certain it is.

I should add we also did a Universal Florida trip in our post Covid years to see family - that one was probably closest to rivaling what Disney would cost us, just b/c it had similar flights and hotels (tickets were cheaper, and food was also a little, but that was the closest to matching cost to Disney)...