Seems the rest of the travel world is catching up to Disney

RivShore

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Reservations and daily visit fees coming to every popular destination soon, it seems:

https://nypost.com/2024/06/12/lifes...-will-begin-requiring-reservations-in-august/

You’ll soon need a reservation to swim at this popular beach — it’s the latest in a global effort to get mass tourism under control​


By Social Links for Alex Mitchell
Published June 12, 2024, 7:55 p.m. ET

Son of a beach.

One of the nation’s most scenic swimming holes is pushing back against mass tourism by requiring visitors to make reservations at peak times this summer.

Sand Harbor State Park on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe is rolling out the concept as a way to “reduce traffic congestion” on local roads and “alleviate overcrowding,” officer Tyler Kerver of Nevada State Parks told ABC News.
A Lake Tahoe beach is pushing back against overcrowding with a reservation system.A Lake Tahoe beach is pushing back against overcrowding with a reservation system. Gado via Getty Images

The hyper-saturated strip of sand — near the fictional Corleone compound of “Godfather” fame — is just one of many destinations that have recently put roadblocks in place to try and slow the post-Covid travel surge.

As a method of discouraging overcrowding, for example, Venice, Italy recently implemented a controversial entry fee. The Indonesian island of Bali, also exceedingly popular, has launched a new tourist tax, though it’ll be much more affordable than the one charged by the island nation of Palau, which socks international arrivals with a $100 charge upon entry.

In Hawaii, the government is mulling a $25 tax for the toll tourists put on natural resources, while a growing number of national parks are requiring guests to book a specific time slot for their scenic drive, often with a reservation fee attached.

At Sand Harbor in Tahoe, the scheme will be phased in starting August 17th through October 13th, and will be in effect on weekends and holidays only. Visitors should expect that to expand next year, Kerver said.
 
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Yes they are catching up!!! Last year the wife & I discovered on the way home that it was cheaper to stay onsite at a WDW moderate resort than it was to stay at a beach front hotel in Fort Walton beach. And one condo that will remain nameless was more expensive than the GF. No joke.
 
Am I the only one who sees the strange, middle part of this post talking about “WW III” & “New Nostradamus”, etc?
It’s bizarre.
 
Am I the only one who sees the strange, middle part of this post talking about “WW III” & “New Nostradamus”, etc?
It’s bizarre.
LOL, that's some poor formatting of the copy and paste - links to other articles. I will try to edit them out, though I do want to read about the new Nostradamus now! LOL
 
Makes sense. Allows them to raise prices while not hurting locals.

They just have to be careful to not charge too much if tourism is a major portion of their local economy. Can't kill the golden goose.
 
Makes sense. Allows them to raise prices while not hurting locals.

They just have to be careful to not charge too much if tourism is a major portion of their local economy. Can't kill the golden goose.
Exactly. Disney travel has proven to be pretty inelastic even with the ever increasing prices. Not sure many other tourist spots will/can have the same power.
 
Makes sense. Allows them to raise prices while not hurting locals.

They just have to be careful to not charge too much if tourism is a major portion of their local economy. Can't kill the golden goose.
I feel like Disney is pricing out the middle class entirely. We own DVC and a week for our family (7 including spouses) would be well over $12k for tickets, meal plan and flights…and that’s with not having to pay for rooms. Pretty disheartening
 
I feel like Disney is pricing out the middle class entirely. We own DVC and a week for our family (7 including spouses) would be well over $12k for tickets, meal plan and flights…and that’s with not having to pay for rooms. Pretty disheartening
The middle class could never afford Disney though. I grew up in a middle class/blue collar area (early 90s) and I could count on one hand how many of my classmates had been to WDW.

Also, the parks are fuller than they have ever been so it’s hard to understand who is going if it’s unaffordable.
 
I feel like Disney is pricing out the middle class entirely. We own DVC and a week for our family (7 including spouses) would be well over $12k for tickets, meal plan and flights…and that’s with not having to pay for rooms. Pretty disheartening
If my quick math is right, that's less than $250 per person per day - that covers airfare, a full day of entertainment and all food. Doesn't sound too crazy in the inflated 2024 we all live in.
 
The middle class could never afford Disney though. I grew up in a middle class/blue collar area (early 90s) and I could count on one hand how many of my classmates had been to WDW.

Also, the parks are fuller than they have ever been so it’s hard to understand who is going if it’s unaffordable.
And airfare in the 70's-80's took up a much bigger chuck of the travel budget than today.
 
If my quick math is right, that's less than $250 per person per day - that covers airfare, a full day of entertainment and all food. Doesn't sound too crazy in the inflated 2024 we all live in.
The FULL DAY of entertainment. I have been known to spend $250 for a mediocre seat to a 3-hour show on Broadway. At least the bathroom line helped me reminisce about Disney queues 🤣
 
Disney has always priced some folks out. No one seems to mind until they are the ones on the wrong side of the line.

And as long as the parks are "full enough" for management, prices will only go up.
Is no one here enjoying good old capitalism? Lol. Just had a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a coke from a local restaurant that was $20. Nothing makes sense anymore. I swear this same meal was $10 only 18-24months ago. Everyone is trying to turn you upside down and shake all the money out of your pockets.
 
The middle class could never afford Disney though. I grew up in a middle class/blue collar area (early 90s) and I could count on one hand how many of my classmates had been to WDW.

Also, the parks are fuller than they have ever been so it’s hard to understand who is going if it’s unaffordable.
The middle class definitely went to Disney - esp if they drove there. We honeymooned there in the late 1990s as early 20somethings because it was so much cheaper than going to Hawaii or Europe. Now those trips are the same price as Disney.
 
Some national parks require advance reservation for entry or to hike popular trails. Yosemite is one example. You wanna watch the synchronized fireflies in Great Smokey Mountains, need a reservation.
 
I just had to book yesterday at 9am a reservation just to enter Rocky Mountain National Park in a specific 2 hour window for one day in mid-August.
 












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