I've never minded paying for what I perceive as value, but I hate feeling like I haven't paid enough

[GatorChris]

 

[luv2cheer92]

The value is very, very, very much still there for me, so I will gladly continue to go. And I will continue to go on all the other trips I take each year to other destinations as well.
But I go to Disney because I like Disney, so going to Universal (which I love and go yearly as well) or other places will never be a substitute, unless they start adding Disney. I will never understand people saying, we'll just go here instead, if I can't get Disney there, then it is not gonna work for me.

 

[mom2rtk]

The value is very, very, very much still there for me, so I will gladly continue to go. And I will continue to go on all the other trips I take each year to other destinations as well.
But I go to Disney because I like Disney, so going to Universal (which I love and go yearly as well) or other places will never be a substitute, unless they start adding Disney. I will never understand people saying, we'll just go here instead, if I can't get Disney there, then it is not gonna work for me.

It won't work for everyone. But it will work for some. My daughter already had a love of all things Harry Potter and very much wanted to go. So it was easy for me to start developing an interest of my own. We split time this summer and will do the same when we go back in January.

 

[JakeAZ]

The value is very, very, very much still there for me, so I will gladly continue to go. And I will continue to go on all the other trips I take each year to other destinations as well.
But I go to Disney because I like Disney, so going to Universal (which I love and go yearly as well) or other places will never be a substitute, unless they start adding Disney. I will never understand people saying, we'll just go here instead, if I can't get Disney there, then it is not gonna work for me.

I have to say, if the day ever comes where Disney pushes you over the edge, it’s going to send shockwaves through their executive ranks.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I have to say, if the day ever comes where Disney pushes you over the edge, it’s going to send shockwaves through the Disney executive ranks.

They would've if they didn't bring rD back haha. Thats like 95% of my trips.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

It took me a minute to thoroughly understand and appreciate your post, but this really all does come down to one's perception of value. Disney can keep raising prices because some people will pay the higher prices. This also gives Disney the option to run "discounts" if they need more heads in parks or beds. Psychologically, people have no problem paying a higher price than before if they think they are also getting a deal (maybe the prices went up 50 percent, but they get a coupon for 20 percent off). Also, people forget incremental changes in things, which is why Disney can get away with raising the prices little by little every year.

Ultimately though, I don't think Disney is really that much different than most other companies that raise prices and/or change offerings. It just seems more prevalent because there are so many different options and so many different ways to take a vacation, at substantially different price levels.

 

[luv2cheer92]

It also has a lot to do with how people do their trips. A high majority of the changes/removals over the past few years have been things that I never did or took advantage of. So while they are things that some people will miss, it has had no bearing on my trips.

 

[niclodn]

I feel the same. I don't have kids so I've enjoyed being the fun aunt and taking my nieces and nephews and their kids on Disney trips for the past 20-ish years. My youngest niece was promised a trip when she turned 5 last year. Because of everything happening in the world that trip has been postponed until next summer. I've decided this will be the last big "hurrah". It will be myself, my mom, my niece and both of her daughters (a 10 year old who I have already taken to both DL and WDW) and the now-6 year old. Two other friends and their families will be there at the same time - 7 adults and 9 kids between the ages of 1 and 13 altogether. I am splurging on a 2-bedroom villa at BC for us so we can take advantage of EMH (and due to location since my mom is not very mobile and will need to use a scooter/wheelchair) and will most likely spring for Genie+/LL as well. This will be the last trip for awhile - at least the last one that includes extended family and deluxe accomodations. We will find other places to visit/spend our money and I'm certain Disney will not care one iota. As a devote Disney fan, it makes me more than a little sad.

 

[Darcy03231]

I became disillusioned back in 2015. That was the last time we spent a full week at WDW. Last trip was a couple of days after a cruise in 2017. I did have a trip planned with my neighbor and her kids for last year that was canceled, but we haven't rebooked yet. I don't have any monied tied up in it so I'm in no rush to rebook. Most likely the trip will look completely different anyway. We originally planned to stay on-site, but with all the changes we'll most likely stay off-site, rent a car, and not be tied to WDW for everything like we would have been with ME and an on-site stay.

 

[Newbie500]

I will continue to go to Disney until I believe that what is offered is not worth the cost. I'm not there yet.

 

[Marionnette]

I will continue to go to Disney until I believe that what is offered is not worth the cost. I'm not there yet.

I think that's true for everyone. My tipping point has been reached. While I'm not going to say "never", I will say "not for a very long time". The perceived value for my dollars just isn't there any more. As with anything in life, YMMV.

 

[JakeAZ]

Ultimately though, I don't think Disney is really that much different than most other companies that raise prices and/or change offerings

While I agree with this, I think Disney is able to push farther, in large part, due the brand loyalty they've developed over the years. To me, this is why it feels dirtier. They spent years building up the loyalty and now they appear to be taking advantage of it at every turn.

I'm very aware it will, more than likely, pay off for them, at least in the short term. But somehow it feels different this time.

The whole dynamic in our family group text has changed from the excitement of our upcoming trip, to jokes about things like how much we have budgeted for the bathroom lightning lane.

 

[MrsPete]

I agree with you. I am not mad about it, more sad.

Agree. We've had so much fun in our Disney trips -- they were very expensive, but we could justify the cost. I had expected to share the same things with our new grandson, but I don't think we will -- even though we are much better off financially, the costs have soared to the point that the costs are not reasonable.

We are DVC

I've never been enchanted with DVC /have never seen it as a good value, but I do feel for you guys now. You've bought into something very expensive, and now the sands are shifting under you.

 

[Sinder]

Theres no shortage of folks distraught with the escalating costs with little to show for it.

My question is what is anyone doing about it?

I'm not going to pay the escalating costs anymore. I just took what will be my last WDW vacation for the foreseeable future. For me the value of a Disney vacation no longer matches what it costs our family to go. With each increase, and the take-aways to charge you for a "better" version, the less I want to give them any more of my vacation dollars.
I am under no illusions that me not going anymore will do anything to Disney. There will always be those who are willing to pay whatever it takes to experience a WDW vacation. I have paid all I'm going too, it's just not worth it anymore.
I know I am not doing anything that will effect Disney's bottom line, but I'm not interested in that anyway. I'm doing what effects my bottom line.

 

[JakeAZ]

I'm doing what effects my bottom line

Exactly

 

[jknc]

Anyone think room demand is down? I got an email from David’s DVC that rooms dropped $1 a point for 2022.

 

[Marionnette]

Anyone think room demand is down? I got an email from David’s DVC that rooms dropped $1 a point for 2022.

Or maybe competition is driving his price down? It seems like an unusual move for 2022, what with the 50th celebration going on thru the year and how Disney has been raising rack rates without much in the way of discounts.

I wonder if this means he's paying owners $1 less or of he's taking the financial hit

 

[_19disnA]

My question is what is anyone doing about it?

We are planning future vacations to places other then Disney. It has just gotten too crowded and too expensive to be worth the hassle. Rides don't change that often and they let so many people into the parks that ride lines are way too long. FastPast/Genie won't solve the ride capacity issue.

 

[DavidNYC]

Ultimately though, I don't think Disney is really that much different than most other companies

And there’s the problem. They used to be different. They’re not anymore. But they still market themselves as being different with all of this heightened magical language which now feels more Orwell 1984 than Walt Disney. They take more and more away and charge more and more for less and keep telling you how all of these changes are wonderful for you. And people are finally seeing through the false front and disingenuousness of it all and when Disney is now seen through that lens - it loses everything that made it “Disney”. You don’t see anything like this from Universal and when their Epic Universe park opens and they have a third gate - Disney is going to have its hands full.

 

[overdisney]

In the past we drove as flying there are no direct flights and it is cheaper for us to drive but now it costs to park at the resort. We started staying less days because resort rates went up. We started bringing snacks because prices went up. Now Disney wants to charge for FP which once was a perk. Now unless you are at a deluxe resort you don't get extras hours. They cut early hours from 1 hour to 30 minutes. We can't cut costs anymore to justify Disney--- so adios Disney