Price increase show discussion

CampbellzSoup

Son. Husband. Father.
Joined
Oct 4, 2014
Just wondering where you guys are in relation to the price increase discussion....

Has the last round of price increases done it for you as it has for the team? For me I’m still in the game without complaints as I figure it’s going to go up every year not down so I just kind of accepted that this is my hobby and like anything I.e. electronics, vacations, sports game it’s going to go up...

Also they just added a whole bunch of cast members who they have to pay $15.00 soon to...did anyone think Disney would increase their salary out of the kindness of their heart? No way it’s us paying the salary adjustments.

I’m sure one day they’ll price me out too but I’m wondering where you guys stand on this
 
As I haven't been in 7 years come this November, I guess that speaks for where I HAVE been, not just AM. It was a sad combination of the increasing prices on everything, the increasing crowds, increasing rudeness of the people in those crowds, increasingly having to rush, and push/be pushed just to get anywhere, increasing lack of care about show and guest experience that I felt, my decreasing enjoyment and feeling of being in "my happy place", and not feeling the peace and magic as much anymore that did it for me. Going to the parks started to fee like I was going to do battle, instead of going to enjoy myself, relax, and be happy and at peace, at least for me. And it cost more and more to do anything, and I had to plan and think more and more, and constantly change plans, and rethink things, and be "on point" all the time - especially because I was usually with others, who looked to me as their "Disney Guru" (a name they gave me), and counted on me to always be in the know, and "save the day" when plans had to change and adapt. Even though I'd always enjoyed the planning, and it was part of the whole experience for me, it started to feel like stress, and work, and it fatigued the heck out of me, both mentally and physically.

Still very sad about it, and I have TONS of memories. It is bittersweet for me having those memories, and knowing that times I had no longer exist, at least not for me. But I did have plenty of them - pretty much went annually (sometimes blessed to go twice in a year!) from '93 - '12.

Please - no flames - these are simply MY thoughts and feelings about MY experiences and thoughts. If anybody else enjoyed, and still enjoys, their visits - I am MORE than happy for you!!
 
Last edited:


I think I have a unique perspective as I started following the Dis mostly for DL content but also to plan for WDW since I have never been. Here I am three years later and I keep putting WDW off. The other day, my friend (who I would most likely go with) and I were chatting and it came up, asking if we are ever going to do it, and I still am unsure if it's "worth" it, I can't seem to pull the trigger. The summer are WAY too hot, and the thunderstorms, hurricane season concerns, and then you have to try and skirt all kinds of random crowds from race weeks, spring breaks and holidays. Blah!

To say nothing of this 180 day nonsense, I have never, ever planned a vacation that far in advance. Not even close.
Then there is the price, and it's too high. I price it out and price it out and it's crazy, I can't understand it.

And then to be honest, some of the Dis ranting about this and that affects me about decline of customer service, etc. Maybe they have done me a favor by managing my expectations. The other thing that happened in the last year is the Dis started cross promoting DL to the WDW fanbase and did a bunch of comparison shows to get WDW fans motivated to come West, and it was a HUGE downer for me. I know they are focusing on the alluring parts, but I hear things like DL Fantasmic is better, the Buzz is better, the Space Mountain is better, the Pirates is better, the SW is better, they have slews of dark rides we don't, RSR, Indy, GOT, etc, better nighttime parades, the Halloween overlays are better, better Halloween parties. Then there are a slew of things that are basically a wash and neither coast has an advantage. And the steam just completely goes out of me when I look at the price tag.

And then I think, but man I HAVE to see this castle. I WANT to get lost in the World Showcase. I gotta see it but I just can't get over all these obstacles.
 
Last edited:
WDW is wayyyyyyy better than DL lol ;o) (queue huge tangent discussion!)

On a serious note, having done both many times (we live West Coast) we now really only go to WDW. The 'rack rate' prices have been high for a number of years, we tend to try and go at low peak times and take advantage of discounts that make it palatable. However, there is no getting around the fact it is expensive whenever you go. It requires a sacrifice and dedication. That said, once you are there it is awesome and worth the effort. My family loves staying onsite at the monorail resorts, so it gets pricey for 5 real quick! However, we are now at the stage of doing split stays, 1 week offsite and 1 week onsite to make it more economical and we find the balance is good for us. This helps us keep the magic but also some money in our pocket!

That said, with all the publicity about low attendance for GE at DL I am very tempted to go there for a weekend instead of WDW!!
 


I still love WDW and will continue to go to WDW. I may look at decreasing the frequency though. I am looking at my first Disneyland trip next year.

Yes Disney is expensive but pretty much everything is these days. People my age would rather spend money on concerts, and going out every night. That’s not me. I’d rather go on vacation.

Disney I think is reaching a tipping point for a lot of people though. As seen in the last few quarters, the attendance isn’t growing like it once was. Revenue is still up of course but that’s because they keep raising prices.

You can’t have both things in terms of crowds and low prices. People want lower prices but then they also want lower crowds. That’s not how it works.

Yes some of the show has decreased in the past years but I still find amazing cast members and don’t see crazy guests all over the place when I go. That’s not to say that doesn’t happen. I have seen rude or mean guests and less than stellar cast but not as much as some talk about it. I don’t find it much different than my daily life. There are always going to be people having a bad day or that just aren’t nice.
 
I think this last round of increases was a breaking point for a number of people (if not to end trips at the very least have a significant impact on how often they go, for how long, etc.)

and I think this for a few reasons:
- Just $ wise it was a significant increase, especially for annual passes. Plus the onsite hotels keep going up and up
- Came after the adding of parking fees at resorts which rubbed people the wrong way
- They added more complications with having different prices depending on what day your vacation starts
- This is all on top of more and more upcharge events, (at least somewhat) shorter park hours, more hard ticket events, etc. ..... not to mention sharp increases in food prices, especially buffets, over the past 5 years or so

I just think a lot of people feel a trip to Disney isn't as good as it used to be (less of the Disney "magic", not as consistently good CMs (I still feel there are a ton of amazing ones but you hear more negative storeis - I am sure Social Media doesn't help), more crowds (until recently) etc.... and then on top of it the prices went up so much

So just a feeling of getting less for more money and now not worth it. Also the dollar has increased in value making international travel "cheaper" for us - but also made going to WDW more expensive for those not in the U.S.
 
Yes Disney is expensive but pretty much everything is these days. People my age would rather spend money on concerts, and going out every night. That’s not me. I’d rather go on vacation.

That's the story of my 20's. I could never understand how people could drop so much cash at some dive bar or carry a car loan with payments higher than my rent, yet I even mention a Disney attraction and they freak out because it's just SO EXPENSIVE. Literally, they'd spend more than a 3 day park hopper on drinks and entertainment in one evening. Yet, for the same money, I could spend a weekend at Disney parks AND buy food, ride a bunch of great attractions, see all sorts of different shows, parades, etc. It's all just a matter of what's important to you and how much you're willing to spend to have it.

Even now in my 40's I have one particular longtime friend who's never been because he couldn't imagine spending over $100 each for himself and his wife for an admission ticket to a theme park. He does have some sweet looking rims, though. :cool:
 
We are booked for an extended stay at Fort Wilderness via a camper rental early next year. As such, that is my target to renew (scratch that...purchase a new AP since my old one expired). Most everyone on the boards here knows we are local to WDW. That being said, the cost increases have me really chewing on this purchase at this time. I am leaning heavily towards a Fort Wilderness vacation with no WDW parks. That doesn't mean that other attractions (SeaWorld) couldn't be on the agenda as it's been many years since we've been there.

For me, I am in a holding pattern and will wait until that upcoming trip to make my decision. The heaviest factor is the Rise of the Resistance ride and the accolades I am expecting to hear. Also, coordinating this purchase with a 1 year window of "anticipated" opening new attractions/shows will factor in as well.
 
Last edited:
Yes Disney is expensive but pretty much everything is these days. People my age would rather spend money on concerts, and going out every night. That’s not me. I’d rather go on vacation.

Agreed. Concerts are upwards of $100 now, and it’s 2 hours of entertainment. I don’t know any stadium/auditorium with free parking either. Want a beer while enjoying the show? $20.

Almost all recreational and social activities are expensive. Maybe not Disney expensive, but it all adds up.

Disney moved to date based pricing, just like Ticketmaster moved to ‘dynamic’ pricing. The cost of your ticket is based on the demand of the show. I took my niece to see the Jonas Brothers last week and each ticket cost me almost $300 directly from TM on the day they went on sale. They weren’t even great seats.

I could have bought her and I those mid-day magic tickets for our next trip instead. I just chose one unnecessary luxury over another at that time.
 
I think I have a unique perspective as I started following the Dis mostly for DL content but also to plan for WDW since I have never been. Here I am three years later and I keep putting WDW off. The other day, my friend (who I would most likely go with) and I were chatting and it came up, asking if we are ever going to do it, and I still am unsure if it's "worth" it, I can't seem to pull the trigger. The summer are WAY too hot, and the thunderstorms, hurricane season concerns, and then you have to try and skirt all kinds of random crowds from race weeks, spring breaks and holidays. Blah!

To say nothing of this 180 day nonsense, I have never, ever planned a vacation that far in advance. Not even close.
Then there is the price, and it's too high. I price it out and price it out and it's crazy, I can't understand it.

And then to be honest, some of the Dis ranting about this and that affects me about decline of customer service, etc. Maybe they have done me a favor by managing my expectations. The other thing that happened in the last year is the Dis started cross promoting DL to the WDW fanbase and did a bunch of comparison shows to get WDW fans motivated to come West, and it was a HUGE downer for me. I know they are focusing on the alluring parts, but I hear things like DL Fantasmic is better, the Buzz is better, the Space Mountain is better, the Pirates is better, the SW is better, they have slews of dark rides we don't, RSR, Indy, GOT, etc, better nighttime parades, the Halloween overlays are better, better Halloween parties. Then there are a slew of things that are basically a wash and neither coast has an advantage. And the steam just completely goes out of me when I look at the price tag.

And then I think, but man I HAVE to see this castle. I WANT to get lost in the World Showcase. I gotta see it but I just can't get over all these obstacles.
I agree with when it comes to the Dis comparisons. The bias they display is truly irritating to me, a WDW fan and came very close to forcing me to unsubscribe because it was harming their credibility as sources of information. I am sure that DL and CA are great parks, and I hope to one day see and enjoy them, but they can't be perfect. The most telling is when they were still doing the Best and Worst of DL and they only did one segment on the worst. However, I eventually realized that whenever DL is not in the discussion the gang are entertaining and give solid advice. So I stuck around.
 
Last edited:
It’s been 4 years since I haven’t renewed my AP.. it’s just as much about the decline in Customer Services as it is in the Cost factor. When I heard they were not running attractions at full capacity during slow periods, it just justifies my decision... It used to be a really Beautiful place to be with your family... now it’s a money grab with no Soul
 
The shine has definitely worn off for me. Crowds are the #1 reason but price is catching up quickly.

Last trip, I bought one AP for me and just regular hopper passes for DW and DD. Previously, we all had APs. And I bought mine before the price hike. Had I not, I don't think I would have even gotten that one. At the new price, it isn't worth it.

Phil mentioned the hike in food prices. That's significant, especially snack items. Disney is famous for having great and unique snacks, but the prices have gotten ridiculous. And you can't tell me "prices go up everywhere" because it just doesn't work. Something that used to be $2.50 at Disney and maybe $1.75 offsite is now $4.95 at Disney (and smaller than it used to be) and $2.00 offsite. Disney price increases have nothing at all to do with normal inflation. I used to like getting a Mickey ice cream sandwich, a Rice Krispies treat, a Dole Whip, a caramel apple, whatever. Now, I skip pretty much all of that stuff because I'd go broke getting it all. I'd rather use the money toward our meals since those have also gone up way more than real world prices.

Disney hotel prices don't affect us as we stay offsite, but it's an important point. Disney hotel prices continue to climb plus they added a parking fee on top of it. The prices we pay offsite really haven't changed for 10-20 years. We can still rent a 3-bedroom condo for $85/night. Maybe it was more like $75 10+ years ago. When I see people paying $300 or $400/night and more to stay onsite, I think they're nuts.

Souvenir prices are another problem area. We have a HUGE collection of Disney memorabilia, much of it from the parks and resorts. Today, we hardly ever buy anything. One thing I specifically collect is pin-back buttons (if you follow me on Twitter you'll see my daily Disney Button of the Day posts). They used to be $1 each. Now, they have a series of cute buttons that are half the size they used to be and come in a 2-pack for $10. I've bought none of them. They just aren't worth 5 times what they used to charge.

All of that said, I'll repeat that the #1 problem is CROWDS. I would happily pay the higher prices if Disney would actively do something to control the crowding. The parks just aren't as much fun when they are constantly packed.
 
Agreed. Concerts are upwards of $100 now, and it’s 2 hours of entertainment. I don’t know any stadium/auditorium with free parking either. Want a beer while enjoying the show? $20.

Almost all recreational and social activities are expensive. Maybe not Disney expensive, but it all adds up.

Disney moved to date based pricing, just like Ticketmaster moved to ‘dynamic’ pricing. The cost of your ticket is based on the demand of the show. I took my niece to see the Jonas Brothers last week and each ticket cost me almost $300 directly from TM on the day they went on sale. They weren’t even great seats.

I could have bought her and I those mid-day magic tickets for our next trip instead. I just chose one unnecessary luxury over another at that time.

I think comparing Disney to other things and discussing if Disney is the same value as it used to be are two separate things

Disney can still provide an amazing experience and if you are able to navigate the parks well you can definitely get a lot done for your $120/day tickets. But it isn't 100% entertainment all the time there is walking from thing to think and waiting in line, etc. that you don't really have with a concert or musical or whatever, so hard to compare the per minute cost. But yeah, a lot of things are expensive and have gotten more expensive

But I think more comparing value of Disney in the past to what it is now, it has seen a large price increase over the last decade and people also report a more negative experience (due to crowds, do to being more complicated, etc.) - so price increase with quality that hasn't necessarily matched. So I can understand thinking it isn't "worth it" anymore compared to what you used to get for your Disney spent money
 
I still enjoy the atmosphere of the parks but having done the attractions so many times, they no longer hold much appeal for me. But the attention to detail, the overall theming, and the awesome landscaping around the parks and resorts still make it worthwhile from my perspective. All of that comes at a cost and while I continue to pay the price, I won't disagree with anyone who feels it is too expensive.
 
We have been priced out of the Disney Hotel. We now go to Universal hotels where we get a better product for a better price. I went to Universal for three years and went to Disney Springs only. I have come back to an Disney ap this year. But only a silver pass and I mainly came back to enjoy Galaxy edge. Next year I will reconsider Disney. But Universal tends to treat their AP holders better with Discounts and special nights and things for just passholders.

When I went to Universal AP I looked at the price of their pass versus my After 4 Epcot. Which was about the same at the time. Plus I had some not so great Experiences at Disney at the time. And Universal is so much more relaxed with the planning.
 
My family has gone to Disney World yearly for many years, but a week-long Disney trip has finally exceeded the top of my family's budget. (sob) We are adjusting and will just get a smaller Disney fix but maybe more beach vacations!

I agree with the person above that comparing a Disney vacation to an entertainment/sporting event isn't apples to apples. My family does spend $100 a ticket to see a play from time to time (we have tickets to see Wicked in a few weeks!), but that's one evening and there's no hotel or travel expense.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!







Top