My Slow Divorce from Walt Disney World

[Blondie58]

It used to be I would get excited when my wife said let’s take the kids to Walt Disney World this year. I would frantically start my research using websites and spreadsheets to estimate the costs.
Today it’s impossible. It is too varying and complicated to get an actuate cost. And why? Too much has disappeared. Gone is the transportation from MCO, tickets that don’t expire,
and now based on the time of year, free parking, room rates with only four ‘seasons’, now seven, and not charging extra for weekends, free fast passes where you can do a least something.

But I don’t blame Disney executives for this, I blame business schools for teaching the American Greed Technology where establishing as many revenue streams as possible is the thing to do.

I do understand that some guests prefer to stay at higher end resorts as compared to the All Stars, great, but the parks should be equal for all.
Having better resources gives one the ability to do more just by paying for it. And those that can’t, don’t.

In the coming months I will be reevaluating the meaning of ‘Magic’.

My significant other is fully divorced based on many things you mention. He is the one that got me hooked on Disney. Right now I am just separated and waiting on the higher ups to bring back the magic. I differ in that I do place blame with the executives.

 

[Dean Kennedy]

It used to be I would get excited when my wife said let’s take the kids to Walt Disney World this year. I would frantically start my research using websites and spreadsheets to estimate the costs.
Today it’s impossible. It is too varying and complicated to get an actuate cost. And why? Too much has disappeared. Gone is the transportation from MCO, tickets that don’t expire,
and now based on the time of year, free parking, room rates with only four ‘seasons’, now seven, and not charging extra for weekends, free fast passes where you can do a least something.

But I don’t blame Disney executives for this, I blame business schools for teaching the American Greed Technology where establishing as many revenue streams as possible is the thing to do.

I do understand that some guests prefer to stay at higher end resorts as compared to the All Stars, great, but the parks should be equal for all.
Having better resources gives one the ability to do more just by paying for it. And those that can’t, don’t.

In the coming months I will be reevaluating the meaning of ‘Magic’.

I think when Art of Animation prices are topping out at over $550 a night with housekeeping every other day. It may be time for at least a long separation.

 

[MillauFr]

I'm not sure Disney can afford to build another park in Orlando when they are diverting all of the resources into improving the parks in California. They really need to give the flagship park some TLC rather than continually cater to the Disneyland crowd who will tolerate nothing short of perfection.

 

[fla4fun]

gone are the days we would wake up and ask the kids which park they wanted to start at!!

This is what I miss most. I used to get up, go out to the bus stop, and whatever bus came in next was the one I jumped onto. I miss the spontaneity so much! It’s one thing I don’t think will ever come back.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I see a lot of these posts, then I visit the parks and they are more packed than ever. I’m gonna need more folks to “divorce” Disney so these wait times reduce

I don't think even that would necessarily make the parks feel less "packed." IMHO Disney has gotten good at using data to reduce its costs. They can reduce staff and other expenditures at given times, even if it means reducing throughput at attractions and resulting in a longer wait. We see a day with low wait times as a feature; Disney sees it as a glitch.

 

[kanerf]

When will we see the first autonomous animatronic CMs. Don't have to pay em, feed em or house em.

 

[john7994]

I think when Art of Animation prices are topping out at over $550 a night with housekeeping every other day. It may be time for at least a long separation.

When you say "topping out", you are talking about the Family Suites I imagine correct?
Was looking at June 28 - July 4th and seeing Values and Moderates (for those available) from $167 to $289 per night and even the Cabins at FT Wilderness at $435. - Not entirely inexpensive to be sure, but certainly alternatives.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm not divorcing and here's why. Just had my first Great Grand Baby! Sept. will be her first trip and the family is so excited to take her. She is one. As she's growing up she won't know what used to be. I strongly dislike Genie + and the ILL's. I absolutely despise the reservation system. I did love Magical Express. But....we are still going and our touring will be very different with a new baby. We will adapt, in spite of complaining about the changes. Since we still want to go, we will learn to make the best of it.

 

[Praying Colonel]

When you say "topping out", you are talking about the Family Suites I imagine correct?
Was looking at June 28 - July 4th and seeing Values and Moderates (for those available) from $167 to $289 per night and even the Cabins at FT Wilderness at $435. - Not entirely inexpensive to be sure, but certainly alternatives.

FWIW, I ran a 1-week stay at Art of Animation for 2 adults and 2 kids, Little Mermaid standard room, no deals or discounts. In mid-September it's about $239/night. Christmas week it's $720/night for a suite (no standard room available), which made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, but I can also see because it's Christmas week.

 

[john7994]

FWIW, I ran a 1-week stay at Art of Animation for 2 adults and 2 kids, Little Mermaid standard room, no deals or discounts. In mid-September it's about $239/night. Christmas week it's $720/night for a suite (no standard room available), which made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, but I can also see because it's Christmas week.

As a corporate traveler, cost is often driven by availability - I was more surprised to see the amount of rooms to book in less than 30 days around the 4th of July.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As a corporate traveler, cost is often driven by availability - I was more surprised to see the amount of rooms to book in less than 30 days around the 4th of July.

From my observation Disney prices their hotels at a lower volatile scale than some other places (although there are more seasons than it was in 2017 if I ran the numbers for the same dates for the All-Stars) however they are priced higher overall than other places so throughout the year their rates are just higher overall.

I think comparing corporate travel to Disney is an apples to oranges and even then availability is only part of the pricing structure other places use.

Disney has rates they publish and unless they take a rate increase as part of their normal rate increase it's that price regardless of how many people have booked it...but it often starts off higher than you'd see from other hotel chains who more often do fluctuate their price based on availability.

Now where you'd see occupancy rates come into place is when/if they release discounts and what places that counts for. We've seen over the years fall become slimmer and slimmer in discounts released and less places counting for discounts as that part of the year used to be less busy but now is not. The pandemic changed things in terms of disrupting the normal discount schedule especially because there's no dining plan package right now but that was also something that fewer places would qualify. That's how Disney signals what they feel about their pricing but they don't raise up the rates based on availability.

 

[john7994]

From my observation Disney prices their hotels at a lower volatile scale than some other places (although there are more seasons than it was in 2017 if I ran the numbers for the same dates for the All-Stars) however they are priced higher overall than other places so throughout the year their rates are just higher overall.

I think comparing corporate travel to Disney is an apples to oranges and even then availability is only part of the pricing structure other places use.

Disney has rates they publish and unless they take a rate increase as part of their normal rate increase it's that price regardless of how many people have booked it...but it often starts off higher than you'd see from other hotel chains who more often do fluctuate their price based on availability.

Now where you'd see occupancy rates come into place is when/if they release discounts and what places that counts for. We've seen over the years fall become slimmer and slimmer in discounts released and less places counting for discounts as that part of the year used to be less busy but now is not. The pandemic changed things in terms of disrupting the normal discount schedule especially because there's no dining plan package right now but that was also something that fewer places would qualify. That's how Disney signals what they feel about their pricing but they don't raise up and down the rates based on availability

Nothing changes with regard to my post, availability drives the rates, holidays tend to be more expensive due to their popularity. Nothing complex about it ...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Nothing changes with regard to my post, availability drives the rates, holidays tend to be more expensive due to their popularity. Nothing complex about it ...

What my comments were about was Disney's prices over the course of the year which are generally priced higher than you'd see elsewhere. That's why the poster had the comment they did about topping out. You might see more fluctuations elsewhere such as one day you check and it's X price, the next day it's Y price, the next day it's back to X price. That's not how Disney does it and as a corporate traveler I assumed that's what you were referring to. They don't fluctuate their pricing like that. Presently 2023 rates for hotels are set to release June 8th.

I have to laugh though...Disney is anything but simple..

 

[john7994]

What my comments were about was Disney's prices over the course of the year which are generally priced higher than you'd see elsewhere. That's why the poster had the comment they did about topping out. You might see more fluctuations elsewhere such as one day you check and it's X price, the next day it's Y price, the next day it's back to X price. That's not how Disney does it and as a corporate traveler I assumed that's what you were referring to. They don't fluctuate their pricing like that. Presently 2023 rates for hotels are set to release June 8th.

I have to laugh though...Disney is anything but simple..

We can definitely agree that Disney is anything but simple!!

 

[DCLMP]

FWIW, I ran a 1-week stay at Art of Animation for 2 adults and 2 kids, Little Mermaid standard room, no deals or discounts. In mid-September it's about $239/night. Christmas week it's $720/night for a suite (no standard room available), which made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, but I can also see because it's Christmas week.

Have you considered renting points. I paid 500 for two nights at BWV and 1170 for 4 nights at SSR. It was an easy process.

 

[DCLMP]

Unfortunately greed is taking over everything, the expectations we once had at Disney have been bastardized over the last five to ten years. What was once a supreme family getaway has turned into a gigantic ripoff. Beginning with no magic express, no fast pass, a space hotel that costs 6K for two nights, no passes that don’t expire, park reservations, genie plus, other rides for more money, there isn’t a lot of magic left in Disney. We used to go every year. Chapek has been a huge part of changing that magical feeling we used to get. Disney stock is down and after all the canceled Disney vacations that were Covid canceled are cashed in Disney will feel the loss of all the regular visitors. Universal is slowly becoming what Disney was, they lost many imagineers to Universal and it shows. You get your fast pass free if you stay in certain universal hotels. Walt would be so disappointed!!

I agree with most of what you said about Disney. I love a couple of days at Universal, but they have more rides that are complete garbage than they do great ones. Hopefully when they open their new park they will get more innovative with their rides. They need something beside screen rides and roller coasters. You should not have to pop a Dramamine every 4 hours to enjoy yourself.

Annual Pass discounts were very scarce at Universal. I don’t plan on renewing mine. Their deluxe resorts are not cheap and if you can’t afford a deluxe you are stuck paying for express pass which cost at least 5 times what genie plus costs.

They’ve never had free transportation from the airport, never had free parking and never had free fast passes. It’s still a cheaper vacation than WDW, but I really don’t see how it’s becoming what Disney was. I think it’s the other way around Disney is becoming more like Universal.

 

[Jrb1979]

I agree with most of what you said about Disney. I love a couple of days at Universal, but they have more rides that are complete garbage than they do great ones. Hopefully when they open their new park they will get more innovative with their rides. They need something beside screen rides and roller coasters. You should not have to pop a Dramamine every 4 hours to enjoy yourself.

Annual Pass discounts were very scarce at Universal. I don’t plan on renewing mine. Their deluxe resorts are not cheap and if you can’t afford a deluxe you are stuck paying for express pass which cost at least 5 times what genie plus costs.

They’ve never had free transportation from the airport, never had free parking and never had free fast passes. It’s still a cheaper vacation than WDW, but I really don’t see how it’s becoming what Disney was. I think it’s the other way around Disney is becoming more like Universal.

That's the thing you don't need express pass to enjoy Universal. I have never bought it and was able to ride everything I wanted to ride with out it. IMO the issue is Disney has it in peoples minds they need a skip the line pass to enjoy the parks.

 

[DCLMP]

That's the thing you don't need express pass to enjoy Universal. I have never bought it and was able to ride everything I wanted to ride with out it. IMO the issue is Disney has it in peoples minds they need a skip the line pass to enjoy the parks.

You don’t need express passes to enjoy WDW either. It’s just cheap at Disney therefore more people buy it.

 

[Planogirl]

You don’t need express passes to enjoy WDW either. It’s just cheap at Disney therefore more people buy it.

I wouldn’t refer to what Disney has as express passes. They are too limited and Disney has no choice in the matter.

I also have never bought Express at Universal and try to stay at Cabana Bay. It hasn’t been hard to ride anything besides Minions.

 

[DCLMP]

I wouldn’t refer to what Disney has as express passes. They are too limited and Disney has no choice in the matter.

I also have never bought Express at Universal and try to stay at Cabana Bay. It hasn’t been hard to ride anything besides Minions.

Why does Disney have no choice in the matter? They went without them for two years. Most people don't buy them at DL. I do find it odd that you can only ride something once maybe Disney will change that in the future.

I'm not why this has turned into a WDW vs Universal thread. They are totally different experiences. I personally enjoy both parks, but I could never make a vacation out of Universal. There is just not enough to do for more than three days. It's not worth the flight across the country for me. I can easily spend a week at WDW, but for most trips, we do both.