Just back and not happy

[sethschroeder]

the locals supported WDW after 911 when many people were afraid to travel.

Ever order from Amazon? Ever go on Ebay? Go to the Walmart lately? Eat at a chain restaurant? Well your more of a sellout than Disney is then as your actions likely killed off a few local businesses....

Times change and business change with them end of story, not saying one is right or wrong just that almost any tourist destination is going to worry more about the tourists than the locals as they know where the money is coming from.

I used to live in a tourist area of Wisconsin and know all about the local vs tourist fight that can erupt prior to people remembering where 50%+ of the economy would come from in the area....

 

[Jennasis]

You will also get to pleasantly enjoy paying their overly inflated, overly priced dues each and every year. It doesn't take to many points these days to have your DVC dues higher then your home property tax. Can someone smell ripoff, cause I sure can. Mmmmmmmmmmm smells good.

My DVC dues are around a shade less than 1/4th of what my property taxes are (in NC on a 25 acre farm).

 

[Burnedout]

Because some of us plan their vacations more than a year in advance and are stuck for awhile.

Because if we didn't spend an exorbitant amount of time planning our vacations someone will post we should have.



TLTR

All I deciphered was that pins in bags equal scrapers. I always carry my pins in bags. I also carry my credit cards in a baggie too. It also is not fake.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

All I deciphered was that pins in bags equal scrapers. I always carry my pins in bags. I also carry my credit cards in a baggie too. It also is not fake.

More than I got.

 

[babydoll65]

Sometimes people have unrealistic expectations, or think of solely the "good old days". My last time to Disney was not fun and it had nothing to do with Disney. I have ESRD (Kidney failure) and the last time I went (December of 2012), my water overload was so bad that I couldn't walk 50 feet without being out of breathe. I am now on dialysis and planning my next trip for the end of July (before a hopeful kidney transplant) and thanks to dialysis I feel almost normal again.

Iv been working with kidney pts for 26 years and have tried to explain to them that a wdw trip is doable. I hope you have a wonderful trip,watch your fluid intake and good luck with your transplant

 

[itchin2go]

No, no, no. RD doesn't work as well.

I would actually like to know more about this. In what way does it not work as well? I'd like to hear more about your experience. (in all sincerity - no sarcasm, a legitimate request for more info ..... )

 

[Bob Roberts]

My DVC dues are around a shade less than 1/4th of what my property taxes are (in NC on a 25 acre farm).

How many points do you have? I think its atrocious that 500 points these days cost in the neighborhood of $3,000 per year in dues. 500 points gets you 2 weeks tops if you plan right. Total rip off.

 

[Luckybee]

I never understand how people make this point. If price is an issue, stay at Pop Century or one of the All Stars. The rooms are usually under $100 a night and you get most of the same incentives as deluxe. MDE and the park buses are worth it alone for that price.

Ummmm how about the fact that you cant come close to comparing what you get onsite with offsite properties. Let's face it if any of the D hotels didn't have the parks with the incentives to offer they would all be at a much lower price point in all categories.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I would actually like to know more about this. In what way does it not work as well? I'd like to hear more about your experience. (in all sincerity - no sarcasm, a legitimate request for more info ..... )

The SB lines are longer.

Usually we are able to do Soarin' twice and TT twice before 11 AM when we move over to enjoy the WS. Didn't happen this time for both it was one each. We stepped off Soarin' at approximiately 9:30 and the SB line was already at 65 minutes.

I love Maelstrom. We wandered over at 11:30 when it opened. We've done this dozens of times then go to lunch at Noon. I've never seen a long line at opening and it is almost a walk on there because it moves pretty quickly. I truly thought that at that time FP+ wouldn't affect Maelstrom because who would pick it over the other Tier 1 options (no fourth FP+ at the time)? We ended up waiting 36 minutes and I was shocked to see people coming in the FP+ line at a steady clip and since they get right on, the SB line moved slower than normal. Why were people using there Tier 1 pick for Maelstrom? I checked the MDE app while in line. Guess what? Only Maelstrom and a M&G were left.

Yes it was crowded. I'm used to that. I am not used to waiting in long SB lines at opening.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Ummmm how about the fact that you cant come close to comparing what you get onsite with offsite properties. Let's face it if any of the D hotels didn't have the parks with the incentives to offer they would all be at a much lower price point in all categories.

I agree. It is all about percieved value.

 

[NYDisGuy]

Ummmm how about the fact that you cant come close to comparing what you get onsite with offsite properties. Let's face it if any of the D hotels didn't have the parks with the incentives to offer they would all be at a much lower price point in all categories.

You can stay at the All-Star for $70 a night right now in August. You really think that it would go much lower than that? Doubt it, although that would be impossible to tell since tourism keep the surrounding hotels competitive just by sheer volume.

 

[sethschroeder]

You can stay at the All-Star for $70 a night right now in August. You really think that it would go much lower than that? Doubt it, although that would be impossible to tell since tourism keep the surrounding hotels competitive just by sheer volume.

Heck last September in Iowa I had to pay $85 at a Hotel 8 off the interstate just to sleep on our way to Kansas.

 

[Luckybee]

You can stay at the All-Star for $70 a night right now in August. You really think that it would go much lower than that? Doubt it, although that would be impossible to tell since tourism keep the surrounding hotels competitive just by sheer volume.

I have to be honest ...the All-Star category is not the market I usually look at. That said out of curiosity I just ran an expedia check using the week of August 10th since you mentioned August. There were 61 properties in the All Star category in Orlando that were priced at less than $50. per night.
More interestingly at the other end of the spectrum were the following :

Waldorf - $ 189
Ritz - $ 206
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress -$ 159
Reunion Wyndham- $ 145
Omni Champions Gate -$ 103

contra those with :

Grand Floridian - $ 602
Polynesian-$309
Boardwalk- $274

Nuff said I think

 

[maxiesmom]

I have to be honest ...the All-Star category is not the market I usually look at. That said out of curiosity I just ran an expedia check using the week of August 10th since you mentioned August. There were 61 properties in the All Star category in Orlando that were priced at less than $50. per night.
More interestingly at the other end of the spectrum were the following :

Waldorf - $ 189
Ritz - $ 206
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress -$ 159
Reunion Wyndham- $ 145
Omni Champions Gate -$ 103

contra those with :

Grand Floridian - $ 602
Polynesian-$309
Boardwalk- $274

Nuff said I think

What has value can be different for different people. I place a high value in being on site, in having Disney pick me up at the airport, take me back again, and take care of me in between. Some people may value a larger space more. Neither of us is wrong. That is the beauty of a free market--the goods are offered to you, and you get to pick what you want.

A lower price doesn't necessarily equate a lower or higher value.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I have to be honest ...the All-Star category is not the market I usually look at. That said out of curiosity I just ran an expedia check using the week of August 10th since you mentioned August. There were 61 properties in the All Star category in Orlando that were priced at less than $50. per night.
More interestingly at the other end of the spectrum were the following :

Waldorf - $ 189
Ritz - $ 206
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress -$ 159
Reunion Wyndham- $ 145
Omni Champions Gate -$ 103

contra those with :

Grand Floridian - $ 602
Polynesian-$309
Boardwalk- $274

Nuff said I think

We usually stay deluxe and I'm not sure those comparisons are fair. You can walk to two parks from BWI and GF and the Poly are on the monorail/boat line. The Disney hotels are still overpriced but it's hard to compare them like that I think.

As far as the rest of the Disney resorts that only have bus service to the parks, I think there is value for many people in having Disney transportation (both ME and in resort). Once you are renting a car anyway, then those offsite prices start looking better

 

[Gracie09]

You will also get to pleasantly enjoy paying their overly inflated, overly priced dues each and every year. It doesn't take to many points these days to have your DVC dues higher then your home property tax. Can someone smell ripoff, cause I sure can. Mmmmmmmmmmm smells good.

My dues are less than one months worth of property taxes on my house on 1/3 acre in northern nj. That's for around 300 points.

 

[Minnesota!]

OP - I get you. We feel the same way. The parks are sub-par and a mere shadow of how they once were. Which is why we have given up on the parks. A WDW vacation, going forward, will be resort only. We did it this last March and LOVED it. Allowed time to showcase the other things at WDW that have not been spoiled by greed. We love the hotels, love the resort activities, and love DtD.

For theme park experience, Universal will get our money. WDW has lost that niche for us

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Minnesota, you might also like trying a DCL if you haven't. It brings the Disney Magic to you resort style, and their private island is amazing. A phenominal cruising experience. Recommend Dream or Fantasy for newer ships although the Magic had spectacular entertainment (hilarious even for us adults in the adult only areas) and exceptional dining, and all the refurb areas were amazing, but some of the bathrooms and cabins are showing a bit of age. Fantasy is the most incredible ship I've seen and I have yet to get on her, but Dream was 100% spectacular. Just thought I'd offer that in case you wanted a different way to experience Disney resort magic and hadn't tried a cruise yet. When I got off of our Magic last month I actually felt like I had fulfilled 100% of my DCL hopes (minus some minor complaining about the rooms from other family but was fine for us). I left the ship feeling like I had accomplished and gotten time to do everything I had wanted out of a Disney cruise and that is was 95% PERFECTION. I definitely didn't have that feeling after leaving the parks this last time...

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I have to be honest ...the All-Star category is not the market I usually look at. That said out of curiosity I just ran an expedia check using the week of August 10th since you mentioned August. There were 61 properties in the All Star category in Orlando that were priced at less than $50. per night.
More interestingly at the other end of the spectrum were the following :

Waldorf - $ 189
Ritz - $ 206
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress -$ 159
Reunion Wyndham- $ 145
Omni Champions Gate -$ 103

contra those with :

Grand Floridian - $ 602
Polynesian-$309
Boardwalk- $274

Nuff said I think

Isn't it obvious to those who regularly go to WDW that when you book a WDW resort you are paying for proximity to the parks? Not for luxury or high-end amenities. Anyone can choose to stay offsite and pay far less and get better amenities, but many would still rather pay for the proximity. Those resorts wouldn't cost that much if nobody paid it.

 

[Minnesota!]

Minnesota, you might also like trying a DCL if you haven't. It brings the Disney Magic to you resort style, and their private island is amazing. A phenominal cruising experience. Recommend Dream or Fantasy for newer ships although the Magic had spectacular entertainment (hilarious even for us adults in the adult only areas) and exceptional dining, and all the refurb areas were amazing, but some of the bathrooms and cabins are showing a bit of age. Fantasy is the most incredible ship I've seen and I have yet to get on her, but Dream was 100% spectacular. Just thought I'd offer that in case you wanted a different way to experience Disney resort magic and hadn't tried a cruise yet. When I got off of our Magic last month I actually felt like I had fulfilled 100% of my DCL hopes (minus some minor complaining about the rooms from other family but was fine for us). I left the ship feeling like I had accomplished and gotten time to do everything I had wanted out of a Disney cruise and that is was 95% PERFECTION. I definitely didn't have that feeling after leaving the parks this last time...

Thanks for the heads up! We have toyed with it in the past, but DH isn't really interested in cruising and I have severe anxiety on boats - but I sure want to try it out! I might look into it and just face my fear, lol!