Is WDW good value?

[havaneselover]

"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.

Well, yeah, that's basic economics. I think what's interesting though is if you get a majority of opinions in one direction or the other. And if you could track it over time, you'd have even better information. My guess is more people would have said yes five and ten years ago than now.

 

[gina2000]

Well, yeah, that's basic economics. I think what's interesting though is if you get a majority of opinions in one direction or the other. And if you could track it over time, you'd have even better information. My guess is more people would have said yes five and ten years ago than now.

Totally agree. The US economy has tanked and if you've lost a job or taken a pay cut, WDW vacations now seem expensive especially when you couple it with airfare.

WDW food has been overpriced for some time now especially considering the decline in quality. I can go to any major metropolitan city and eat very well for less. Room prices are high given the amenities offered. And in my opinion, the parks need TLC. Our last trip was 2 years ago and we've decided to spend our vacation dollars elsewhere. If we have grand kids, that's when we'll return.

 

[sean57]

Well when you consider that the average value Disney hotel costs around 100 to 130 a night, and that includes transportation to and from MCO, transportation to and from all the parks, Downtown Disney and other hotels as well as them brining your luggage to and from the airport for you to your room (of course this can take up to three hours to bring a change of clothes in your carry on) i would say it is absolutely worth it and extremely good value.

Not to mention that the experience of staying at a Disney Hotel is incomparable to any other hotel.

 

[Aliceacc]

To me, a "good value" doesn't have to be cheap. It has to be money well spent. When I'm done spending the money, I don't regret it or wish I had been more careful with my money.

Using that as my defintion, then yes, WDW is a good value. Sure, we've saved for two years for this trip. And, yes, we certainly could have vacationed elsewhere for a lot less money. ( Or even chosen to spend less and still vacation at WDW.)

But I think WDW is a good value. I leave WDW hungry for more, happy to think about the next time we'll be able to afford to go. I enjoy the time I spend here, planning my vacations. I enjoy looking at the pictures, and reminiscing about the time I spent there. I enjoy hearing about the trips my students have taken there, and am always a little secretly jealous of the teachers who chaperone the Senior Trip to WDW ( even though I refuse to put in for it; I can't go to WDW without my kids. Philadelphia, Washinton DC, Chicago, sure. But not WDW. Just a little schizo, I know.)

So, while it's not cheap, I think it's a great value.

But the math teacher in me demands that I mention: this isn't exactly an unbiased sample group here on the DIS.

 

[eliza61]

To me, a "good value" doesn't have to be cheap. It has to be money well spent. When I'm done spending the money, I don't regret it or wish I had been more careful with my money.

Using that as my defintion, then yes, WDW is a good value. Sure, we've saved for two years for this trip. And, yes, we certainly could have vacationed elsewhere for a lot less money. ( Or even chosen to spend less and still vacation at WDW.)

But I think WDW is a good value. I leave WDW hungry for more, happy to think about the next time we'll be able to afford to go. I enjoy the time I spend here, planning my vacations. I enjoy looking at the pictures, and reminiscing about the time I spent there. I enjoy hearing about the trips my students have taken there, and am always a little secretly jealous of the teachers who chaperone the Senior Trip to WDW ( even though I refuse to put in for it; I can't go to WDW without my kids. Philadelphia, Washinton DC, Chicago, sure. But not WDW. Just a little schizo, I know.)

So, while it's not cheap, I think it's a great value.

But the math teacher in me demands that I mention: this isn't exactly an unbiased sample group here on the DIS.

Lol very true. I think now I'm at the stage where I ask myself would I go to Disney if I didn't own a DVC? For me it's no. Or I probably would only go once in a blue moon. While I always have a good time, I am always aware that my dollars get me more at other venues.
When I eat a a Disney restaurant I use to say "wow that was a great meal". Now when I ask my family it's more like "eh, it was ok". Consistently. That always makes me feel like I wasted money and time.
A few years back Dh and I took an anniversary trip to the world, since it was without the kids and it was for our 25th we decided to really go first class, we kept trying to pull the plug and stay concierge but just couldn't do it, lol finally my dh said what we were both thinking, "you know the Waldorf is going to be better". Now this is one of those areas that's subjective, for us resorts/hotels are uber important, for others it's just a place to sleep

Now it maybe that we were annual visitors and many things get old with familiarity or it maybe that we've been really going to other places around the globe.

I guess the tipping point was the new fp+ and magic band system which we hate. I asked the kids what they wanted to do for Christmas break, for the first time no one said Disney.

Happy vacations to all

 

[North of Mouse]

Whether it's a good value is very subjective to each family. To us, it's a good value. Some other ticketed venues are almost as much per day as one of the shows at Disney. You also pay to park, buy expensive food, souvies, etc.

Yes, Disney is expensive, and I've always been a relatively conservative person, but I do feel I get my $$$'s worth there. I have gone to other venues where I felt I got ripped off, but never at Disney. We always leave satisfied.

I know this varies by person/family, but this is just my own opinion, and we all have one. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' answer to a question like this.

Expensive and value are two different things. Just an example --- I have 'no' desire to own a Vera Bradley bag - to me (personally) there is no value for the $$$'s spent - others will say the value is there for the money spent - so again I say it's very subjective.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Just for comparison: a couple of weeks ago I took my daughter-in-law and five of my grandkids to Toronto's Centreville Amusement Park on Centre Island.

Parking cost us $20 for the day. The ferry to the island cost us $28 return. Our tickets were $32 each and $24 for the children - including the 2 year old (who is free at Disney).

Food was horrible and expensive. We brought our own.

Of the 22 rides, 4 were closed for renovations or repairs. These are all pretty basic rides, the kind of thing you might see at a fair, although they are permanent. There are a few special rides - the bumper boats, the swan boats, the pony rides (real ponies!) and a simple log flume ride.

So, our tickets were about 1/3 of what we'd pay for a day at Disney (plus the parking and ferry costs). Is Disney three times better? Heck YES!

On the other hand, it was a lovely day, and because we went when school was still on, there was hardly anyone there and the kids had a fantastic time doing the rides over and over and over. And they loved the ferry ride too. So we had a lot of fun and it was a good day.

In comparison, though, I do think Disney is a good value. I think the same when I look at Wonderland, the park north of Toronto. It is cheaper than Disney, but it has very little that we can do as a whole family. And when I take my grandkids, they say "What's the story for this ride?" and all I can say is "Uh...it's a roller coaster." The first time I took them (they'd already been to Disney a couple times before this), my granddaughter was six. She said "You know what would make this park better? Princesses."

TP

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I think it can be depending on where you stay and what kind of deal you can get.

Both our trips were FD during low season. Our package at POR worked out to $388 per night for five of us (4 Disney adults). I don't think I could find a decent hotel, plus feed everyone all day, pay for transportation, and keep them entertained from morning til night for that price at many places!

Now an $800 room at the Poly... well, I personally couldn't find value in that, but others might.

 

[DawnM]

Seems like an odd question.

we all do things we personally put a priority on.

I prioritize Disney, so that is what I like to do for vacation.

Dawn

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?

 

[TravelMommy]

Hotels where we go during the summer are anywhere from $40-$90 more and do NOT have anywhere near the amenities (usually just one pool,limited food choices onsite).
Disney can be a great travel deal stay at value resort, get free transportation to and from MCO, eat CS and get non-hopper, multiday tickets. We have in-laws who spend way more than we do at Disney for a cottage rental at the beach. If you do deluxe only and eat at signature restaurants than the expense will be much greater.
I think those of us who travel to WDW may also over the years know how to get more value from their travel dollars, like getting tips from others on the DIS. Also, travel is important to us and like many have mentioned it has great value to us.


[ps, I forgot to mention, we stayed offsite twice (many years ago, in the mid 90's) and both times we were reminded of the "value" of staying onsite, so for us, those experiences showed us what exactly the "value" we found in onsite vs. (cheaper) offsite hotel]

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Well when you consider that the average value Disney hotel costs around 100 to 130 a night, and that includes transportation to and from MCO, transportation to and from all the parks, Downtown Disney and other hotels as well as them brining your luggage to and from the airport for you to your room (of course this can take up to three hours to bring a change of clothes in your carry on) i would say it is absolutely worth it and extremely good value.

Not to mention that the experience of staying at a Disney Hotel is incomparable to any other hotel.

See, this is where everyone is different. During the Summer when we go, even the "Values" are way more than what you listed. Plus, we drive so we already have transportation. So, as mentioned, it's subjective

Now, because we stay offsite, there are loads of cheap lodging options very close to the parks. Good value there. Unfortunately, there's no way around those park ticket prices since they change the YES program

 

[ronandannette]

Value - Merriam-Webster Online
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/value
the amount of money that something is worth : the price or cost of something. : something that can be bought for a low or fair price. : usefulness or importance ...
‎
How can anybody tell someone else what's valuable or not given that "usefulness or importance" can only be measured by that individual? My family and (most) of my friends would be appalled at what we've spent on vacations; they're not travellers and prefer to put their money into finer houses, more expensive cars, clothes, jewelry and whatnot. Those things mean little or nothing to me - vacations are a very high "quality of life" priority.

That said, they do have to be "affordable" in terms of what you have to work with or you can't go, right? We've spent $1,000.00/day all-in on Disney several times and felt like it was a good value. Same for Hawaii and several other destinations. We've also gotten somewhat more "bang for the buck" doing other types of vacations, but nothing else is Disney - if that's what your heart is set on, you pay what it costs. Personally, our last trip to DL was a one-day pop-in that we really should have done without. $300 just for two park tickets and super heavy crowds combined with lots of seasonal refurbs. That visit DID NOT feel like good value. I also agree with eliza's point about the WDW deluxes. They cost what they cost and I guess that's fair ball, but world-class 4* hotels they AREN'T.

 

[North of Mouse]

Just don't forget - it's 'value' for each person/family, not value in general terms.

That's why 'each' answer is 'correct' for that person!! Your family's value may not be ours, and vice versa!

 

[Angie789]

Everyone has said this already, but value is a relative thing. Nobody but you can answer whether anything Disney is "worth it".

As an example: character meals. If you prioritize high quality food and a relaxed dining environment, then the character meals would offer you poor value - they cost a lot compared to other choices, the food is less than stellar and the environment can get loud & hectic. However, we gladly pay for character meals, because it offers us a different kind of value - an easy way to cross meet & greets of some of our kids' favorite characters off our list without waiting in long, hot lines (and a passable meal thrown in there, too). Character meals free us up to do some other park activities that we enjoy since we aren't trying to hit up all those meet & greets. But I TOTALLY get people who think they are a waste - just different priorities, so different value equations.

 

[dhardawa]

I'm a single mom with two kids. I think it's a good deal compared to other vacations. We're going in October for a week, staying at POR, have free dining, all transportation, and park hopper tickets for $3,000. By the time I figure going elsewhere, renting a car, gas, meals, hotel, entertainment, etc., it ends up costing just as much. I looked into cruises and even cheap cruises were much higher when I figure in getting to and from the cruise terminal, getting there the day before and paying for a hotel so we don't miss the boat, tips, shore excursions, etc.

 

[pumpkinpatchquilter]

This is such a hard question to answer! I have written four wordy responses but still can't seem to articulate a real answer... It's a bit of yes and no. Is it a cheap getaway? If you don't live nearby and have to fly in, I would say no. It's pretty pricey. If I lived in Florida or close enough to drive without giving up two days of my trip to get there and back I'd say yes, Disney CAN be a bargain. We spend a few thousand dollars just on the flight to get down there and then a couple more thousand on the dining plan and a hotel room. We could save in so many ways...but Disney makes staying on property just a GREAT experience and for us, we don't vacation much so it's worth it. It isn't a cheap vacation...but at the same time it isn't so astronomically expensive that it's like a trip to Europe or anything. I don't have to fly over any oceans to get there being that I live in Ohio yes, it costs extra for flight and hotel but it's doable for our family of five who are just normal middle class folks. We are thrift shoppers and yard salers the rest of the year but Disney is our one big family splurge. We spend a little extra if we have it for comfort - moderate resorts, park hoppers, dining plan...things like that, that we could go without if we really wanted to...but figure it's worth the extra to just go ahead and enjoy ourselves and not worry. We spend on average somewhere between $4500 and $5000 to go. To date we have been able to get free dining (and I know it's controversial as whether this is even a bargain or not as you pay more for your hotel room) but this upcoming trip we were given free dining from the get go as we had some creepy critters in our room last visit but they never moved us or did anything about it other than sending someone to the room to verify that YES, we had creepy crawlers in there! LOL It didn't ruin our trip but we were happy to save the $1500 on the dining plan for this trip. I don't think souvenirs are really all that outrageously priced...if you WANT to spend a lot of money Disney makes that very easy to do! But with a little strategic planning and thought you can make the trip very affordable. Though - the character meals are just insane. The food isn't that great and it's around $300 for our family to go to one of those if we were to pay for it up front...it's just crazy. But is it worth basically blowing the money on crappy food to sit in an air conditioned restaurant while your kids favorite characters come sit and talk with them? YES! I love Disney but I live under no disillusion that they are not a money making machine...they get us by getting our kids and we all want to give our kids as much as we can. So while I might say no any other time, Disney is my weakness and we go all out. I think the character meals are really a huge part of our trip and something we really look forward to with young children. Disney is fun for adults too, don't get me wrong, but our most favorite part of Disney is seeing the looks on our kids faces...seeing them having the time of their lives...seeing them light up when they see characters from all the movies they've seen...it's just a really wonderful magical fun family experience and it is really special and almost a milestone to us, that we can give this to our children.

So I guess "value" is all relative to what you are willing to pay. Disney knows many of us will just spend the money for our own comfort - so I suppose that's why some things there are so expensive...but I certainly think with a little advanced planning you could make it a very affordable "bargain" trip.

 

[North of Mouse]

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

This is what the OP asked. Some posters are getting away from this question and instead are discussing whether it is a 'cheap' or expensive vacation.

Disney is 'not' cheap, no matter how you look at it. Can you go with less expense than some - absolutely yes, but still not the OP's question.

Do 'we' think it's a 'value' for money spent? It's a 'real' personal feeling - and yes, to us, it 'is value' for the money we spend there.

 

[momto3gsds]

I think many people judge the value in their children's response to going to such a magical place, to meeting a princess or getting pictures with Mickey Mouse. For them they are paying for moments and memories that are priceless and will last a lifetime.

I agree the costs (especially for a family) is high. But you can save money by staying at a Value Resort, going at off season times and trying to get any special deals Disney might offer.

For me, I think its a good value for my money. There is just so much entertainment and things to do, it really is amazing.