Is WDW good value?

[eliza61]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but this seemed like the best place!

Maybe it's just a UK perspective, but everything at WDW seems to me to be relatively expensive compared to equivalent things outside of WDW.

E.g. Hotel rooms, restaurants, merchandise, tours.

But yet, we all still pay for them.

So, does this make it "good value". I.e. Is it a quality product that makes this premium justified?

What I like is that you can pick and choose the parts that are of value to you.

1) deluxe resorts are a horrible value. They are artificially expensive, the product is not comparable to outside offerings. Quality and service is mediocre at best.

2) value resorts. great value.

So if you want the best bang for the bucks. value resorts get you that.

Same with the restaurants.
1) park restaurants are absolutely horrible (IMO) food is mediocre at best, quality is hit or miss. One meal can be fantastic, the next time its shoddy. very poor value.

2) resort restaurants better value. food tends to be better and less expensive.

Parks As usual, here is where Disney excels at. entertainment, atmosphere and attractions are great. throw in the fact, the longer you stay the less per day the price is.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Definitely not. If the tickets weren't so expensive for a short stay, I might feel otherwise. As is, the best way to get your "money's worth" is to stay longer than a week, preferably offsite. The per day cost of such a 10-14 day stay starts to creep down then, but you still wind up paying too much in total.

Worth it? Every now & then, YES.
Good value? Nope.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I think it can be. We are usually able to get discounts on our hotel rooms (from cast member friends or by going during less-popular times) so they are more reasonable. I don't think I have ever paid the full rate. As someone with food allergies, it's worthwhile to pay a little more at a Disney restaurant to have food preparation with attention to cross-contamination (not always the case at other restaurants, even high-end ones). I think what each person has to decide is whether it is a good value for YOU and your family. It may not be, but for my family I would say it is.

TP

 

[msmama]

I guess it depends on what it is exactly that you value.

I'm a single mom so taking my son to Disney is relaxing for me. We've done it before, we know what to expect, it doesn't take much thought. Everyone is friendly (I've never met an unhappy CM, especially if I've given them a smile) and helpful and I know I don't have to worry about anything. I don't have to drive in an unfamiliar place and there is always something close by to eat. I know if I need help there is someone that will help me (whether it's reservations, forgetting something or needing a doctor, whatever).

I'm willing to pay more for that convenience, so my "value" may be different than yours.

On an upcoming day trip to Atlanta, for example, I know I'm going to end up spending way more than probably necessary simply because I feel I have to in order to get the same safety and convenience "value" I get at a Disney park.

 

[NYDisGuy]

It's good value if you get deals and don't pay rack. I disagree that restaurants and hotels are horrible, that's ridiculous. Go to NYC and try to find a meal or hotel that fits your budget to expected value. And there's not alot of things to do there besides typical tourist sightseeing. If you think that going to a secluded location on a mountain will get you more bang for your buck, so be it. But there is a ton of stuff to do at Disney and the food choices are still unique. Offsite may also sound great but it takes you out of the immersion of Disney unless you stay at one on property but those tend to be similar in price to the moderates.

 

[polineedyan]

I think its too expensive. Then, I try to plan a week at Busch Gardens and found out its pretty comparable. Its pretty difficult to take a family of 4 anywhere for a week with food, room, and tickets for about $1600. I can do it at Disney.

 

[EMode]

Not for families of 5 or more.

 

[eliza61]

It's good value if you get deals and don't pay rack. I disagree that restaurants and hotels are horrible, that's ridiculous. Go to NYC and try to find a meal or hotel that fits your budget to expected value. And there's not alot of things to do there besides typical tourist sightseeing. If you think that going to a secluded location on a mountain will get you more bang for your buck, so be it. But there is a ton of stuff to do at Disney and the food choices are still unique. Offsite may also sound great but it takes you out of the immersion of Disney unless you stay at one on property but those tend to be similar in price to the moderates.

are you kidding NY, I was just in October. Stayed at the waldorf Astoria for 279 a night. that's 40% cheaper than the Grand Floridian or Yacht club. Better hotel, better food

The secluded mtn comment was really funny to me. I went to PARIS, which last time I was there in 2013 was definitely not "secluded". My hotel was a true 4 star deluxe and 1/3 the price of the mouseworld. In fact I went for 7 nights almost for the same price as a Disney vacation. The big difference was the airfare. LOL we won't even talk about the food. It's Paris nuff said.

Are you talking cheaper? because sorry first of all Disney deluxes are only "deluxes" because of the location. It's hard to compare them to the real world.

Restaurants the same. sure the eateries around time square are over priced. but simply go to citysearch and you'll find tons of places to eat that are great and not over priced and you assured of getting a decent meal. definitely can't say that about the Magic kingdom restaurants.

Don't even get me started on Vegas. I just booked a trip for the 26th of December to the 30th.
staying at the Bellagio. 800 bucks per person INCLUDING r/t airfare from philly. 2400 total including taxes and fees. My second choice was Paris, Paris and that was a couple of hundred bucks cheaper.

We tried pricey out a trip to Disney same time period. staying at the Poly Lagoon view was an absurd 819/night. not including taxes or airfare. total trip for the hotel only without any airfare or tickets was 3685.00 Never stayed at the Poly but highly doubt the quality will be the same as the Bellagio. I do know the food will be cheaper. I did go on Travelocity and the cheapest price I got on Disney poly including airfare, was 3950. Once again that almost 2K more.

Edited to add: both of these prices where Pre deals. One can get deals at other places also. the difference is many people can't go to Disney WITHOUT a deal.
I love the mouse world but it is not a good vacation (dollar wise) deal.

 

[Angie789]

They were given a FP to use anywhere and ended up using it on the Speedway.

This is the saddest sentence I have ever read on the DISboards.

 

[NYDisGuy]

are you kidding NY, I was just in October. Stayed at the waldorf Astoria for 279 a night. that's 40% cheaper than the Grand Floridian or Yacht club. Better hotel, better food

That's great but if i'm going to Disney i'd rather be on property, but to each their own.

The secluded mtn comment was really funny to me. I went to PARIS, which last time I was there in 2013 was definitely not "secluded". My hotel was a true 4 star deluxe and 1/3 the price of the mouseworld. In fact I went for 7 nights almost for the same price as a Disney vacation. The big difference was the airfare. LOL we won't even talk about the food. It's Paris nuff said.

And what are you doing in Paris? Sightseeing, events, shows etc. This all costs money. The hotel's value is equivalent to the theme park which is MDE, EMH, Free parking, busses/boats/monorail/walking distance etc. The hotel in a city is for sleep and maybe a run of the mill breakfast

Are you talking cheaper? because sorry first of all Disney deluxes are only "deluxes" because of the location. It's hard to compare them to the real world.

Where did I say cheaper? But to dismiss the value of a deluxe is laughable. The boardwalk has an amazing location, great restaurants and comes with all transportation amenities which add up in the "real world".

Restaurants the same. sure the eateries around time square are over priced. but simply go to citysearch and you'll find tons of places to eat that are great and not over priced and you assured of getting a decent meal. definitely can't say that about the Magic kingdom restaurants.

Don't even get me started on Vegas. I just booked a trip for the 26th of December to the 30th.
staying at the Bellagio. 800 bucks per person INCLUDING r/t airfare from philly. 2400 total including taxes and fees. My second choice was Paris, Paris and that was a couple of hundred bucks cheaper.

That's because Vegas want's you there so you can gamble thousands of dollars. You're going to spend money in vegas, you don't have to spend alot in Disney once you get tickets and if you eat moderately. Let's not even talk about the shows there that run you a couple of hundred a night. That's apples and oranges.

We tried pricey out a trip to Disney same time period. staying at the Poly Lagoon view was an absurd 819/night. not including taxes or airfare. total trip for the hotel only without any airfare or tickets was 3685.00 Never stayed at the Poly but highly doubt the quality will be the same as the Bellagio. I do know the food will be cheaper. I did go on Travelocity and the cheapest price I got on Disney poly including airfare, was 3950. Once again that almost 2K more.

Again, you're comparing two different experiences. You will probably gamble that 2K in vegas so are you really that much ahead? And Poly is worth if for some. Location, views, ambiance etc. You can compare Bellagio to anywhere and it would be worth it but to exclude gambling/shows is silly unless you plan to sit in your room and stare at the ceiling.

Edited to add: both of these prices where Pre deals. One can get deals at other places also. the difference is many people can't go to Disney WITHOUT a deal.
I love the mouse world but it is not a good vacation (dollar wise) deal.

To each their own. Not a good vacation is in the eye of the beholder. You can stay at All star, eat counter service and use Disney transportation and it would be a GREAT value compared to other vacations. The value of deluxe hotels are with the amenities and location of the hotel. I thought Grand Floridian was better than the Four Seasons in Hawaii when I went last time. Others may laugh me off the board for that comment but it was MY experience and what I value that counts.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

It just depends on who you are, where you are and what you enjoy. For my family, I think it is a good value for the following reasons:

1. We can drive to Disney, so our transportation costs are minimal. In trying to think of something fun to do this summer, I priced air fare from our local airport to San Antonio (I've heard there are lots of fun things to see/do there). Over $1600 for my family of 4 - and that was with the SW deal. $1600 covers our whole year of seasonal passes with more than $300 left over.

2. As Florida residents and a military family, we get pretty good room discounts at WDW. Even with our military discount at moderate chain hotels (HI Express, Country Inn & Suites, Hampton, Residence Inn), we usually wind up paying about $100/night. In the off-season at Disney, we can stay at a Mod for less than $150/night - and not have to drive anywhere.

Even amongst our driving vacations, I think Disney winds up being fairly reasonable for us and has a lot of entertainment value for the money. We don't "sit" on vacation - we live near the beach so going to the beach for a week has less than zero appeal to us, nor are we campers or hikers. We like to see stuff. Museums, amusement parks and national parks almost all have admission fees.

For our vacation style, Disney does wind up a pretty good value for us.

 

[bdoyledimou]

to go to our local theme park (Canada's wonderland) for one day It costs
$20 to park
$230 in meals (5 lunch and 5 dinner)
$400 entry <--5 seasons passes.

that's a pretty expensive day out for 5 people -- and it doesn't include hotel or airfare.

 

[TwoMisfits]

A good value - no. But, value isn't everything in vacation and life experience calculations. There's a reason that Mastercard commercial about "priceless" is so true to so many. Now, Disney is not "priceless" to me, so I do look for the value it gives me. When I found it a better "value" in the 90's and 00's, I went every year - now I go every 2-3 years or so, when Disney builds something amazing or when I miss it enough (this will be my 1st 3 year break since 1995. I'll be enjoying NFL next fall when it's no longer the "new" draw that it is (and hopefully Diagon Alley the following year when that has died down as well...something's value is not only in its price, but it does have an effect - Disney has been testing how high it its prices can go lately and still be perceived as a good "value" for many (since it will always have the few who put it in the "priceless" category)...

 

[eliza61]

To each their own. Not a good vacation is in the eye of the beholder. You can stay at All star, eat counter service and use Disney transportation and it would be a GREAT value compared to other vacations. The value of deluxe hotels are with the amenities and location of the hotel. I thought Grand Floridian was better than the Four Seasons in Hawaii when I went last time. Others may laugh me off the board for that comment but it was MY experience and what I value that counts.

I'm not laughing at you at all. Iwas just responding to your comment about getting values if you're out in the mountains some where. I don't vacation in the mountains or remote locations at all.

I don't gamble so Vegas has never come close to what I spend at Disney. we mainly go for the shows and the resorts.

YOU said that ny hotels are more expensive than Disney Deluxes and that's not true. Like I said I routinely stay at the Waldorf and the mandarian oriental cheaper than Disney.

Sure the experiences are different. If you look at my original post you'll see I did mention that the values were great for the price. I kinda broke it down by categories to try and keep it apples to apples. Many have mentioned Disney transportation, that holds no value for me since I drive almost every where. Once again, I tried to keep it to general categories like hotels, food and entertainment.

So comparing those to other places, Disney IMO is the weak link in the chain. love the place but not the best use of my vacation dollars

 

[havaneselover]

Good value to me means you could raise the price moderately and I would still want to go.

Busch gardens Williamsburg is a good value to me (partly because I live an hour away and season passes are rEasonable). WDW was in 2009 when I stayed at the cr for $240/night and used no expiration 10 day park hoppers I purchased for $360 or so each. Disney cruise used to be a good value but it isn't anymore IMO. Very subjective/dependent on circumstances.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It's good value if you get deals and don't pay rack. I disagree that restaurants and hotels are horrible, that's ridiculous. Go to NYC and try to find a meal or hotel that fits your budget to expected value. And there's not alot of things to do there besides typical tourist sightseeing. If you think that going to a secluded location on a mountain will get you more bang for your buck, so be it. But there is a ton of stuff to do at Disney and the food choices are still unique. Offsite may also sound great but it takes you out of the immersion of Disney unless you stay at one on property but those tend to be similar in price to the moderates.

Yeah, food in NYC is also expensive, but then again I don't recall anyone calling that a "good value" either.

As for onsite vs off, I consider offsite Disney trips a poor value. Onsite trips even MORE so. Obviously, they aren't such a poor value as to keep me from ever going. But, even offsite is more expensive than anywhere else I go within the US.

 

[MJ6987]

Wow, some really interesting points and opinions here. Consensus seems to be not good value....but we keep going anyway! Disney have got it worked out for sure!

 

[eliza61]

Wow, some really interesting points and opinions here. Consensus seems to be not good value....but we keep going anyway! Disney have got it worked out for sure!

I think what you'll find is that many of us have found ways to Make it work. For me it's a given and take. I think the TS restaurants especially those in the parks are a very poor value. Buffets are outrageously expensive and the quality is poor so we stopped doing them long ago.
If I'm going to eat a chain restaurant quality meal, I usually have enough points on my cc yearly to get 500 or so dollars in gift cards. we eat offsite.

Some folks will wait for free dining.,stuff like that

 

[JillianMarie]

"Value" is, at best, a subjective term. So, it's impossible for anyone to say across the board 'yes, this is a good value' or 'no this is not a good value' because it's based entirely on individual subjective variables. People are going to sit and compare notes and crunch numbers for pages and pages and the reality is that everyone has a different threshold as to what 'good value' even means.

 

[kim929]

When pricing out my Disney vacation I always grumble at the price, then I price out other options. I Just priced 2 nights at universal for 3 of us it was going to be a 1000.00. That is not worth it.