Some disturbing Disney pricing info

[cindyfan]

Trip in May used a room only bounceback. Trip a couple weeks ago used a PIN received in the mail.

Yep!!! I have found Bounceback room-only works out to be the best discount! I usually grab that one too! And the time of year and days of the week help! I really hate that they increase it so much for the weekends!!!

 

[KatyWDW]

True. However, 10 years ago they had 4, same as today, yet admission prices have basically doubled, where as federal minimum wage hasn't increased at all in that time.

I don’t disagree. I remember paying somewhere around $500 or so in 2009ish for an AP and now it’s pushing $900. Big difference. I also just saw the new price increases for MK food options and was blown away. $38 for breakfast at crystal palace is out of control. I probably would have found a different option when we booked our ADRs months ago.

 

[MillauFr]

$38 for breakfast at crystal palace is out of control.

Agreed that it is out of control. The problem is that even at $38 it is probably still packed. Not sure how else Disney can control crowds without raising prices?

 

[cindyfan]

Jan 9-13, 2018 (yes, this year) I paid, with taxes, less than $410 for 4 nights. In August of this year I paid $210/night plus taxes for Wilderness Lodge. If you know where to look, the deals are still out there.

January and August, yup, you can get deals. For those that are only able to go in July, no way. But we're doing Universal in January, so it's our choice.

No idea what annual pass discounts there are anymore. I refuse to pay $1,000 for an AP. We've never paid more than $230 per night at Universal, and those resorts are on par with Disney Deluxe digs, in some cases, superior. Certainly much better perks.

Totally agree! If you look you can find deals, and I know where and how... ..... but the times are SO LIMITED! with different prices per day, etc. If you pull in a weekend it bumps it up so much!! The difference can be and additional $50+ per night just to stay on a Friday or Saturday at a value.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Just checked for giggles. We're staying at Hard Rock for 9 nights in Januray. $2,200. Polynesian for same dates - $5,391. Both standard view.

 

[KatyWDW]

We found a DVC rental for a poly standard view room in January for 7 nights for $1900 last year - we passed on it and went with BLT in Oct instead but you can find good prices.

 

[focusondisney]

January and August, yup, you can get deals. For those that are only able to go in July, no way. But we're doing Universal in January, so it's our choice.

No idea what annual pass discounts there are anymore. I refuse to pay $1,000 for an AP. We've never paid more than $230 per night at Universal, and those resorts are on par with Disney Deluxe digs, in some cases, superior. Certainly much better perks.

Not really true that you can’t get deals in July. As a matter of fact, currently Disney’s bounceback offer is free dining in 2019. All of summer is included — June 28 thru Sept 7.

I pick my destination first & my hotel after that. I get extreme motion sickness & can’t do roller coasters or simulators. I would never pick Universal as my destination because I can’t do very much there. So the cost of admission is like throwing money in the trash for me. Disney parks offer much more for me to do & enjoy, so I actually get more value for my money.
So what the resorts at Universal offer or cost is irrelevant to me personally.

Everyone has different needs & preferences for their vacations. I have worked in a hospital for over 40 years, including one that is brand new. I have never seen any hospital room that looks like these new Disney hotel rooms. I have never stayed at a value so can’t comment on those. But I think the new rooms at the YC are gorgeous.

Now all that said, I do think the prices are getting crazy. I also never pay full price. I get APs because we make more than 1 trip a year. We get discounts on food & purchases with the AP, Visa or Tables in Wonderland. I book hotels with public or bounceback offers, Disney Visa, travel agency or AP discounts. We are in our 60s & just a few years from retirement. I am enjoying our trips now but I don’t know what we will afford in retirement. I remember the commercials not so long ago that advertised a family of 4 in a value resort for $1000, then $1500. They don’t even dare show the prices now. I keep waiting for them to hit the price ceiling, but judging by the crowds, it hasn’t happened yet.

 

[Farro]

Disney is expensive.
Some people won't be able to afford it all.
Some will budget by staying off-site.
Some will stay at Universal and go to the Disney parks once or twice during their trip.
Some will still stay on-site every year and love it.
Some will stay on-site every year, complain and say they won't go back (but do).
Some will stay on-site but limit their trips to every few years (that's us!).
Some would never go to Disney no matter what.

That's life!

 

[Brett Wyman]

Disney is expensive.
Some people won't be able to afford it all.
Some will budget by staying off-site.
Some will stay at Universal and go to the Disney parks once or twice during their trip.
Some will still stay on-site every year and love it.
Some will stay on-site every year, complain and say they won't go back (but do).
Some will stay on-site but limit their trips to every few years (that's us!).
Some would never go to Disney no matter what.

That's life!

/endthread

Everyone is different. Who knew?!

And you forgot...Some will stay at Deluxe Villas religioulsy with rented points for the cost of a moderate. But IM GLAD more people don't. More choices for us.

 

[Disneylover99]

Yep. We stayed standard at the Poly in August 2017. 2 adults, 1 child. 4 nights/4 day tickets +1 day extra we used on Blizzard Beach. $1,981. We spent $800 on food and extras. But it was our first trip and did 3 meals and some snacks a day.

Edited: pulled my charges and it was $237/night

Was that for August 2016? I know we paid that price in 2016 and paid $266 in 2017. I expect next years prices for that deal to be over $300 per night.

 

[cruiser21]

January and August, yup, you can get deals. For those that are only able to go in July, no way. But we're doing Universal in January, so it's our choice.

No idea what annual pass discounts there are anymore. I refuse to pay $1,000 for an AP. We've never paid more than $230 per night at Universal, and those resorts are on par with Disney Deluxe digs, in some cases, superior. Certainly much better perks.

If you know where to look you can get great deals in August. That being said Florida in August is not my idea of vacation...unless you enjoy being hot and miserable.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Yep. We stayed standard at the Poly in August 2017. 2 adults, 1 child. 4 nights/4 day tickets +1 day extra we used on Blizzard Beach. $1,981. We spent $800 on food and extras. But it was our first trip and did 3 meals and some snacks a day.

Edited: pulled my charges and it was $237/night

Cheapest rate for standard room for 2018 without discount is 534 a night.

 

[NYCgrrl]

No, she is comparing prices 35 years ago to prices now - to demonstrate that Disney is not alone in either price hikes or inflation.

Thank you for succinctly stating the point I was making.
Oh and for the record I was NOT the seller of that 2 mil residence, LOL. Sold it about 2 years after we bought it during the divorce. Made a nice profit but nothing like that. I still track it though as it helps to keep me focused on what is and isn't important to me.

True. However, 10 years ago they had 4, same as today, yet admission prices have basically doubled, where as federal minimum wage hasn't increased at all in that time.

Don't forget that 10 years ago almost exactly to the day, the economy tanked. That event certainly had an effect on how entertainment companies like Disney placed themselves in the market place. As I recall they even lowered prices in an effort to get warm bodies on premises.

 

[Captainkidd76]

We found a DVC rental for a poly standard view room in January for 7 nights for $1900 last year - we passed on it and went with BLT in Oct instead but you can find good prices.

Well that's totally different. DVC rentals are completely separate from Disney. We stayed in a studio at the Poly in 2017 by renting points. We always used to rent, but it's gotten more difficult over the years. If you can find points in the $12-$14 range, it's a great deal.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Thank you for succinctly stating the point I was making.
Oh and for the record I was NOT the seller of that 2 mil residence, LOL. Sold it about 2 years after we bought it during the divorce. Made a nice profit but nothing like that. I still track it though as it helps to keep me focused on what is and isn't important to me.


Don't forget that 10 years ago almost exactly to the day, the economy tanked. That event certainly had an effect on how entertainment companies like Disney placed themselves in the market place. As I recall they even lowered prices in an effort to get warm bodies on premises.

Disney has never lowered prices. They do obviously run discounts periodically, but rack rates have never gone down.

 

[cadien]

The problem is the number of people in the US that move for economic reasons is way down. Not sure why that is? We are desperate for workers here. They keep raising wages to attract more people. Not sure how wide the spread has to get before more people start moving. It is a real problem here.

Like one poster already said, part of the issue is the risk. But also it needs to be a place people want to move for more reasons than a job. I love your area. I'm from your area. I have family in your area. But the cost of living these days is nuts. That $100,000 doesn't go far at all. On the flipside, where I live now it's negative unemployment and a super low cost of living, but it's all rural with terrible weather, so people look twice at that too. There are many intangibles.

 

[ramee]

Was that for August 2016? I know we paid that price in 2016 and paid $266 in 2017. I expect next years prices for that deal to be over $300 per night.

2017. I don’t believe that includes taxes tho. And we stayed Sunday-Thursday for lower rates. But I never compared with a Friday and Saturday quote.

So that sounds about right. If I go back in the next couple years, I want to go in May during the Garden festival. I won’t see those rates again, regardless!

 

[jhoannam]

If you know where to look you can get great deals in August. That being said Florida in August is not my idea of vacation...unless you enjoy being hot and miserable.

We are going in mid-August... when do these great deals come out? Are these prices for late August?

 

[shh]

I have never seen any hospital room that looks like these new Disney hotel rooms. I have never stayed at a value so can’t comment on those.

Values are the ones that look like hospital rooms to me - not the mods/deluxes.

 

[Sleepy425]

Totally agree! If you look you can find deals, and I know where and how... ..... but the times are SO LIMITED! with different prices per day, etc. If you pull in a weekend it bumps it up so much!! The difference can be and additional $50+ per night just to stay on a Friday or Saturday at a value.

My $210/night was Thurs, Fri, Sat. Same price for any night with the agency exclusive I booked. Same thing with my value stay.