Is it just me....

[maxiesmom]

I just saw on another site that they took away the no expiration option on the tickets yesterday. If true isn't this another attempt to squeeze every penny out of their guest. My plan for next visit was to buy 10 day no expiration tickets so I could have 2 future visits at today's prices. They are probably planning on breaking the 100 dollar mark in the next few months and want to take away the ability to save a few dollars for the future by eliminating it now. As far as cedar point being expensive the entire industry follows disneys lead when disney raises prices they all do shortly after, not because they need to but because disney sets what they can get away with

If you were only using the tickets over 2 trips, non expiring tickets wouldn't have saved you much, if anything. We booked a bounceback during our trip in December, so I checked to see if it would have saved us money to upgrade the 5 day hoppers we had to 10 day non expiring hoppers then and there. It wouldn't have.

 

[Disney-Kim]

YES, I agree Disney's prices have gone nuts. I posted this a while back and got a little jumped on just like you are....but we have been going to Disney for many many years and the prices this last 2 yrs have gone really high for rack rate.
yes, there are discounts...but for many of us the discounted prices are the same as rack was just a couple years ago. I am not talking 5-10 yrs ago...I am talking 2-3....

In comparison.....we paid about $360 per night for a garden view jr suite at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki this year, for about $100 more a night we could have had the ocean view. ok thats $460 night for an ocean view jr suite at a 5 Diamond top rated in HI hotel...ocean front. this was a AAA rate.

now Disney....$428 a night for the Polynesian Garden view, $575 night for lagoon view...this is with 30% too

 

[gratefulfred]

If you were only using the tickets over 2 trips, non expiring tickets wouldn't have saved you much, if anything. We booked a bounceback during our trip in December, so I checked to see if it would have saved us money to upgrade the 5 day hoppers we had to 10 day non expiring hoppers then and there. It wouldn't have.

In september i checked the price of a 10 day non exp park hopper with water park and it came to $57 a day. In five or six years when they are way past the $100 a day tickets i'm gonna really regret not getting these

 

[pjhootch]

There is a difference between discussing and complaining, I guess. Nothing wrong with discussing how expensive Disney is getting. Everyone on these boards likes going or is planning to go, so probably not many Disney haters around.

I've always liked going and have taken budget trips and blow out trips. It depends on finances and mood. However, I do like to feel like my money is well spent. That is entirely subjective, no doubt. It is impossible to quantify "value" in the same way for all of the individuals on this board.

What is nuts for me to pay is clearly worth it for someone else. I won't pay for water unless someone is dehydrating. Even then, I may make them walk around looking for a water fountain! If I have to break down and buy a bottle of water, they better save that puppy and fill it up at the next fountain!

I really do think the room prices are getting out of line once you get beyond the value resorts at the rock bottom value season. I think the sit down restaurants are outrageous for the quality of the food that is served, but sometimes we go to the nicer restaurants just to enjoy the ambience and we deal with the price.

As for where we've stayed off site, I barely remember now. Embassy Suites, Quality Suites, The Safari place... Comfort Suites. We started out as a family of 2 adults, one older child and twins 10 years younger. Now we are all adults and have to book 2 rooms- we just adjust.

Naturally we expect Disney to be in the money making business, and no one is better at sucking the money than the Mouse. Being patient, doing research and not getting caught up in the frenzy of buying unnecessary trinkets all help save money.

 

[PrincessAlways]

As an AP holder, I go to WDW 4-6 times a year. I love WDW but for the first time we stayed offsite this past Oct/Nov. I always swore I would never stay offsite. However, we loved it so much, we have decided all of our trips will be offsite from now on. I came straight back and booked a one bedroom villa at Bonnet Creek for my upcoming May trip. I normally stay at the moderates, but if I can get a one bedroom villa with a fully equipped kitchen cheaper than I could even a value room (much less my preferred moderate) why wouldn't I. Even with the discounts Disney is offering now, my current reservation for a one bedroom at Bonnet Creek is still cheaper. I think Disney has finally ran us to offsite. I prefer having a rental car to using Disney's crowded buses and have an AP, so don't have to pay for parking. We can get better, but cheaper meals right offsite. With Disney's increasing prices for room and meals, staying onsite has lost it's appeal. I don't agree with the poster who says his 2 y/o daughter is going to stay 2 y/o for the next two years. Cheating Disney is wrong and is not the answer. Those of us that think Disney prices are too high need to speak out by spending our resort dollars and meal dollars elsewhere. Maybe then Disney will lower their prices.

Very well said!! I'm an AP holder too. Haven't stayed offsite in quite awhile, but this may be an option for the future. I'm trying to set up an April trip & waiting for AP rates is making me crazy!

 

[pmaurer74]

While I think that the deluxe pricing is going overboard I am surprised that you can stay on property at moderates and values so cheap! Because we like the deluxes we are considering getting a DVC. I do remember though being able to stay club level for the price of a standard view room just two years ago.

 

[stargazertechie]

I think what makes it so hard is knowing that just five years ago or ten years ago, you paid so much less for the same things.

The prices for rooms have gone up much higher than I would have thought in a very short time. Back in 2001, I was able to stay in a room at AKL for $140 a night.

The average price of gas in January 2001 was $1.45/gallon. The average price of gas this week this year is $3.30/gallon That's a 127% increase

The rack rate of a standard room at AKL the last week of January this year is $313 a night. That's a 124% increase.


I don't think it's as crazy as everyone thinks it is.

 

[Laketravis]

The average price of gas in January 2001 was $1.45/gallon. The average price of gas this week this year is $3.30/gallon That's a 127% increase

The rack rate of a standard room at AKL the last week of January this year is $313 a night. That's a 124% increase.


I don't think it's as crazy as everyone thinks it is.

Comparing a commodity to a recreational purchase is inaccurate.

I could offer that a 52" flat panel LCD was $2400 just three years ago and less than $800 now - a 66% decrease, but I don't think you'd accept that as a fair comparison.

Try comparing Disney hotel rate increases to the rest of the hotel industry for the past 36 months. I'm confident you'll find Disney's increases have outpaced the rest of the hospitality industry.

 

[maxiesmom]

Try comparing Disney hotel rate increases to the rest of the hotel industry for the past 36 months. I'm confident you'll find Disney's increases have outpaced the rest of the hospitality industry.

That is still not a good comparison. I can't think of another place that owns so many resorts on their own property, that people stay at just to go visit parks owned by that same company. There really isn't anything that compares.

 

[fla4fun]

As far as cedar point being expensive the entire industry follows disneys lead when disney raises prices they all do shortly after, not because they need to but because disney sets what they can get away with

Disney is not always the first to raise ticket prices, at least here in Orlando. Sometimes Universal does it first, and at least once, Sea World did it first. One year, Universal did it first, Disney upped them a dollar higher than Universal, so Universal raised their's another dollar! And then here came Sea World a couple weeks later, matching them.

The big difference is that Disney increases across the board, where Universal tends to raise the one day, but not necessarily raise the multi-day. That is why their prices seem to be more reasonable - most people don't buy a one day ticket to Universal or Disney.

 

[DisOrBust]

The room rates are crazy and WDW doesn't care as it "weans" the public off discounts. Well it's weaned my family off WDW.
Last spring break was the first time I ever stayed rack rate. Normally we stay at BC but I just could not justify it so we were at POR. The place was a ghost town. Our building was maybe 50% full. Rooms were available at any resort any level during our vacation on site but not at Bonnet Creek. They were book solid for 3 months prior.
We were AP holders and have gone 15 times or so now I don't see us returning any time soon.

 

[jecon]

Just an FYI... My dad always talks about how we stayed in the Contemporary Tower for $78 a night in 1979. I think w had a Bay Lake view. In today's dollars, that would be $246 and the 2013 rack rate for the room is $513 during a non peak time. Hmmmmmm

 

[maxiesmom]

Just an FYI... My dad always talks about how we stayed in the Contemporary Tower for $78 a night in 1979. I think w had a Bay Lake view. In today's dollars, that would be $246 and the 2013 rack rate for the room is $513 during a non peak time. Hmmmmmm

You can't just compare the cost now with the cost then. Supply and demand plays a big part in how much a resort can charge. Another huge factor is back then there was only ONE Disney park in Florida. One! Looking at it that way, you are getting more for your money now than you did back then.

 

[PKT531]

I think it's gotten pretty crazy. We only started going in 2008 and the increase of the room rates, tix and dining plan have been alot.

We stayed at the Poly for like 7 nights, with hoppers and reg. dining during July for around $4K. 2 adults, 2 kids. Its WAY more now and we can never stay at the Poly again.

 

[sadossey]

If you think Disney is expensive try pricing a ski vacation. I can take my family to WDW for a week for less than $2000 including on site lodging, food and tix. A week at a ski resort with lodging, food, and lift tix would cost a lot more. Probably closer to $4-5k. And they definitely won't drive you around or pick you up at the airport. Now, I love skiing but for my family we just can't afford that and after our first Disney trip last year we are hooked and think it's actually a pretty good value for our $. We did POR last year and doing Pop this year, Deluxes are too much for us but we are ok with that.

 

[TJA]

Last spring break was the first time I ever stayed rack rate. Normally we stay at BC but I just could not justify it so we were at POR. The place was a ghost town. Our building was maybe 50% full. Rooms were available at any resort any level during our vacation on site but not at Bonnet Creek. They were book solid for 3 months prior.
We were AP holders and have gone 15 times or so now I don't see us returning any time soon.

Ditto -- we also went at spring break last year with a AAA discount at WL and BC. Both resorts were "empty like it was slow season" according to the CM's there. I'm also an AP holder and wondering if disney will release a room deal for easter this year, or leave most resorts empty like last easter. The deluxe prices during this easter frame are NUTS and I'm not surprised the rooms are empty.

 

[Shaden]

If you think Disney is expensive try pricing a ski vacation. I can take my family to WDW for a week for less than $2000 including on site lodging, food and tix. A week at a ski resort with lodging, food, and lift tix would cost a lot more. Probably closer to $4-5k. And they definitely won't drive you around or pick you up at the airport. Now, I love skiing but for my family we just can't afford that and after our first Disney trip last year we are hooked and think it's actually a pretty good value for our $. We did POR last year and doing Pop this year, Deluxes are too much for us but we are ok with that.

Yea, this really is some great perspective.

We are going on a little weekend trip, with some friends, sleeping 6 to a "Suite", for 2 nights, 260/person plus food, transport, rentals (we own, but well, that was pricy too). Grand total it will be about 800/couple non rental, 1000/couple with Rentals. And thats a crappy, 1000ft Verticle Ski spot. Basically $2800 for 6 people for 2 nights 3 days. Lol


Maybe thats also why I don't think disney is too pricey ?

 

[Cap'nJack'sMum]

I didn't read all of the replies, but taking a vacation to somewhere other than Disney puts things into perspective. Last summer we took a vacation to the Black Hills. We stayed in a motel, it was $200/night during the week and $250 on weekends. This was not during their peak season. The room wasn't as nice as POFQ/POR/CSR. It didn't have a restaurant. It didn't have a television. We stayed there because it was "in the middle of everything". To pay the same thing for a Mod that has more amenities, and is "in the middle of everything" *at WDW* is worth it to us.

Heck, when I go to visit my father in a small town in the midwest, we pay $170/night, and it's not even close to as nice as POP!

 

[WILDERNESS FAN 55]

WOW A lot of exaggerating on here about "spring break being empty" Disney wouldn't be raising prices and would be giving bigger discounts if that were true from last year.(IMO 30% deal right now is pretty damn good besides but from the stories sounds like it should be 60%) I'm thinking they did just fine. The quality of Disney entertainment is what brings people back.They know they are going to get a lot in return for their $. If people want to stay off site...well there has always been offsite hotels if that's what you want. BUT it's not a WDW vacation offsite it's just a vacation.

 

[Coyotesweat]

Hmm. Well, to stay in downtown Austin the cheapest rooms are about $65 at the super 8. I am staying at Pop for about $85 a night. Super 8 does have wifi and a seasonal pool (not open now), but has no kiddie pool, no arcade, no restaurant, no free buses to attractions, no fridge, no room safe, and no Disney. And Pop rooms are much nicer than Super 8. Cheapest rooms in popular destinations like New York and SanFrancisco are way more. Went to SF about 15 yrs ago and spent $79 a night for a room with the shared bathroom down the hall and considered myself lucky!

It is all relative. Personally, I think it is a good sign that more people like me can finally make that Disney trip they gave been putting off so they could pay the rent! And I don't mind sharing the park with others who have finally made it sort of to middle class! (I count myself, though I do not yet make the median income, but can pay my bills and afford value Disney if I work overtime and sell some stuff!). Better off than many!