Vacation elsewhere?

[pinkerbell]

Will some of the changes Disney has made, such as room rates changing within your stay, dining surcharges, pass confusion (one park one day, hopper, water park and more, expire, no expire UGGGHHH!), multiple dining plans costing more offering less to name a few make you reconsider a disney vacation in the future?

 

[Kitka]

Will some of the changes Disney has made, such as room rates changing within your stay, dining surcharges, pass confusion (one park one day, hopper, water park and more, expire, no expire UGGGHHH!), multiple dining plans costing more offering less to name a few make you reconsider a disney vacation in the future?

I actually prefer the fact that the room rates change within our stay now, so we're not stuck paying for a high holiday rate if we start our vacation on one

I guess the only thing I'm really disappointed in is the changes of the Dining Plan, but it's not enough to keep me away.

But of course, we're always looking at other types of vacations between Disney trips.

 

[pinkerbell]

Thanks for keeping it positive.. and pointing out a PRO about the room rates! :

 

[creativeamanda]

Most other hotels charge a per-day rate. I wasn't surprised Disney did it, too.

 

[eliza61]

Will some of the changes Disney has made, such as room rates changing within your stay, dining surcharges, pass confusion (one park one day, hopper, water park and more, expire, no expire UGGGHHH!), multiple dining plans costing more offering less to name a few make you reconsider a disney vacation in the future?

I wasn't sure how to vote on this one. I've been exploring other vacation venues this year and you know what. So far Disney is coming out pretty good. Don't get me wrong it's still expensive but here are some of the other places I've been exploring

1) Beach. Every beach along the east coast (NJ, Ocean city Md, Virginia Beach) all want at least $1500 just for accomadations on the Beach, most have been ~2000 and I'm not talking Hiltons or 4 seasons. Now I know you can get hotels off of the beach but I don't want to have to drive all week long to get to a beach. In NJ they have the nerve to charge you a weekly beach tag fee, just to sit on the beach.

2) Washington DC. Once again, a hotel around the monuments and museums is running $200/night and up. You can get places in Md & Va. cheaper but then you have parking issues. Oh I forgot most hotels charge you parking fees whether you move the car or not. Restaurant prices are just as expensive as Disney

3) Cruises are nice but not really as all inclusive as they seem. You have to pay for shore excursions.

4) Great Adventures: Excuse me, the one in NJ is almost the same price as a day park pass at the world and let's not even get into the cost of the food there.

I've come to the conclusion: Vacationing anywhere is just plain expensive. So if anybody can tell me where they are vacationing cheaply, and getting the same value, Please let me know


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1706813

 

[pinkerbell]

Eliza61
thanks so much for sharing your research and remindging me of some of the add ons (car parking in DC @ the hotel your staying at)

I'm a little further north in MA, we will be getting a house at the cape with another couple... our price is only $1000 for a week but that is NOT the average price.. It is often 1500 -2000 like you mentioned and HIGHER, let's not even discuss the Vineyard prices, and once again, the cost of food, I saw a grilled cheese w/ tomato four yrs ago for over $10.00, yes that is the extreme, but This post is helping me put things into perspective. And renting a house means no mousekeeping!

 

[tipsytrtle]

we're looking into a rental on the outer banks for the 1st week in october, most everything is open, the weather is still warm and the rental prices drop significantly..... what would rent for 2000.00 is renting for 750.00 for the week.... and a lot of the homes have hot tubs and ocean views.
not disney but still a nice laid back vacation..

 

[simonkodousek]

We go to WDW once every other year, and the years in between we have another trip. This year we are staying in a condo on Sanibel Island. But, I have to say, if the prices keep increasing like they are we won't be going back that often.

 

[Tricia1972]

I voted No, I will voice my concern and hope that they react. However, I wanted to clarify how I am voicing my concern.

I am going to voice my concern by taking dollars from Disney and spending them elsewhere. Holiday surcharges for dining really bug me. I had planned on five meals that will be surcharged - not only two on Easter Sunday, but two during the week after Easter. I fully expected the surcharge on Easter Sunday, but I am so annoyed about the week after I am moving everything around, and am making sure that all meals I am canceling are not going to be replaced with eating at a different Disney location.

It just upsets me that Disney is doing this, so I am choosing to remove ALL of my money that Disney could have had. Will someone else pay this money to them, sure. Will it be me - no. When I cancel my reservations I will also make sure I let someone know why I am canceling.

 

[jenjersnap]

Eliza61 nailed it for us too. My vote is that I have been exploring other options (though I have also sent three letters to Disney over the past 18 months too, keep hoping they will react but feel sure they will not) and I've found that Disney World is a pretty good value for us, a family of five. I have my bitter moments but I accept the "exploitation" ... Disney has brought my family much joy the past 4 years in return.

I am in the midst of planning our first trip to Disneyland and San Diego and finding the costs of the San Diego portion of our trip are makes-my-stomach-hurt-expensive since we want to stay near the beach.

We'd love to take a cruise but ... family of 5, forget it, the suites are so pricey. We need to wait until our kids are old enough to book two cabins.

But I will continue researching for better "value" vacations when previously I was satisfied to just plan the next Disney trip.

 

[christa112]

I think a Disney vacation is very affordable if you ask me. I don't stay in Deluxe Resorts, because I don't think it is necessary for our family. For a family of 5 to stay at a hotel, including park tickets and 2 meals a day it comes to roughly $3,000.00 to 3,500.00 including airfare is not bad to me at all.

My family went to Sesame Place for the day last summer and it cost us alone just to walk through the gate $200.00, not including food, or parking. I thought that was the biggest rip off ever. The park was dirty and the water slides smelled like urine. My skin was crawling knowing that my kids were running around barefoot with that smell!!!

 

[Tina G]

I love Disney but it really can't be compared to other types of vacations. In many ways, Disney isn't a true "vacation". We're usually more tired after a Disney vacation than we were before we left, unlike the shore where you spend your days relaxing on the beach and things are more laid-back.

Personally, I don't understand those who choose Disney for every vacation. I like to be more well-rounded in my experiences and want that for my family as well. We are on a 2-3 year cycle with Disney. The years in between we try to do other things. I love Disney but don't want to be addicted to it. I want the times we go to be a special experience and something to be looked forward to.

One of my neighbors went for the first time a few years back around the time we did. Since then they've gone every year. Last year they went over spring break and then were planning a different summer vacation to Niagara Falls. The mom told me that after she priced the NF vacation, she realized they could do Disney again for the same price so they did. But the way I look at it, their family would have probably had a better, more enriching experience going to someplace like NF, than back to Disney for the second time in 6 months.

Don't get me wrong, if you have the money and want to go to Disney every month, that is your choice. I'm just saying that if normal families are planning yearly vacations and have a wide variety of places they want to go, I don't understand why you would constantly keep going back to Disney. As I said, I am a Disney-lover but there's a big world out there to explore and I want my family to experience as much of it as we can!

 

[ssawka]

I'm not happy with some of the changes either, but I want to enjoy Disney while my DD is still young. It won't last forever!

 

[eliza61]

Personally, I don't understand those who choose Disney for every vacation. I like to be more well-rounded in my experiences and want that for my family as well. We are on a 2-3 year cycle with Disney. The years in between we try to do other things. I love Disney but don't want to be addicted to it. I want the times we go to be a special experience and something to be looked forward to.
!

I think the issue here for us Tina, isn't so much as well roundedness (is that a word? ) is that generally 1) we only have so much vacation income per year. 2) We just have such a great time at the world with so much to do.

We went on a vacation a few years back (when the dollar was half decent) with my parents to London and Paris. While the adults adored it, I will say my sons were a bit bored after a few days of museum hoping. My 9 yo thought the coolest thing about the vacation was the hotel pool, definitely not what I wanted to hear after shelling out 7 grand. We love the beach but 6 days is about my limit and if it rains we're pretty much screwed.

Now that the budget is being squeezed I really think about overall value and alot of times that ends up being Disney. I am looking into some cruises and I want to try the grand Canyon.

 

[TDC Nala]

I didn't pick anything from the poll. I don't LOVE what's going on at WDW, but it's not a dealbreaker. I'm not the typical vacationer either. I go many places in a year.

I own DVC, have an annual pass, won't be using the dining plan and don't have a problem with the DDE gratuity (I will have a problem if it ever occurs that I get terrible service and I will take that up with someone when the time comes.) I only pay for me, not for a family. I won't be eating at buffets during holiday/peak pricing but I don't feel the need to notify WDW as to why not. It's not that big a deal. There are lots of other places to eat.

I work in Washington, DC and I can't park there either.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And once again, I can't vote because my choice isn't provided
Yes, I love Disney - but I also already vacation other places (okay, fine, one other place - I'm a creature of habit).
I don't feel I'm being exploited - it's my choice to visit Disney or not, to spend my money there or not. When I plan a Disney vacation, I know what it involves financially.
I don't see any need to voice my (non-existent) concern to Disney; it's a business I can choose to patronize or not; on the other hand, if I were a stockholder, any contact I initiate over my 'concerns' would be complimentary
And, as I said, I already vacation more than one place, so to claim I'm 'already looking at other places' would be misleading, at the very least.

 

[starbox]

Pre-DDP we went to Orlando every year but never spend 100% of our time in Disney parks. The DDP was really good at getting us to stay and eat in the parks - and I am sure we spent much more money - even on small incidentals that we'd have picked up at a CVS or grocery store that we now bought in resort gift shops.

I won't use DDP anymore - and the overall effect will likely be that I end up visiting Seaworld (Discovery Island), Universal (can't wait for Harry Potter!!!!), and other cool Orlando-area attractions some of the time while I stay in my DVC property.

 

[pinkerbell]

I think the issue here for us Tina, isn't so much as well roundedness (is that a word? ) is that generally 1) we only have so much vacation income per year. 2) We just have such a great time at the world with so much to do.

We went on a vacation a few years back (when the dollar was half decent) with my parents to London and Paris. While the adults adored it, I will say my sons were a bit bored after a few days of museum hoping. My 9 yo thought the coolest thing about the vacation was the hotel pool, definitely not what I wanted to hear after shelling out 7 grand. We love the beach but 6 days is about my limit and if it rains we're pretty much screwed.

Now that the budget is being squeezed I really think about overall value and alot of times that ends up being Disney. I am looking into some cruises and I want to try the grand Canyon.

Once again Eliza61 we are on the same wave length...
BC (before Children) I was a world traveler, now that we happily carry around two children with us, It is much easier to go to Disney and view the world in small amounts (meaning the world showcase) and also enjoy kid time (MK, AK, HS) and down time (waterparks) while we sit in chairs and they play in the sand

We cruised yrly BC and I recommend the Cruise Critic Board, we have have not cruised in FIVE YRS! UGH, but will next yr as our youngest will be old enough for the kids group activities. We did Celebrity every yr and really enjoyed it, but just yesterday I saw a very family focused advertisement for Carnival... It's a great tiem to have children since many idustries are focusing on them and the family dollar.. The cruiseline then offered a complimentary meet and great on the 2nd day or something for all Cruise Critic groups over 20 people, i think, and many had kids and highly recommended the activities, they had to pull their kids out of them Kicking and protesting, so to speak just to do a fmaily activity

good luck

 

[disneymom06]

Pre-DDP we went to Orlando every year but never spend 100% of our time in Disney parks. The DDP was really good at getting us to stay and eat in the parks - and I am sure we spent much more money - even on small incidentals that we'd have picked up at a CVS or grocery store that we now bought in resort gift shops.

I won't use DDP anymore - and the overall effect will likely be that I end up visiting Seaworld (Discovery Island), Universal (can't wait for Harry Potter!!!!), and other cool Orlando-area attractions some of the time while I stay in my DVC property.

You read my mind!

While I am still planning a trip for Easter, I have decided to stay off site for the first time in years. So goes my cash to more off site establishments. As our annual passes expire, the children are now suggesting other Orlando area attractions.

 

[RMulieri]

I wasn't sure how to vote on this one. I've been exploring other vacation venues this year and you know what. So far Disney is coming out pretty good. Don't get me wrong it's still expensive but here are some of the other places I've been exploring

1) Beach. Every beach along the east coast (NJ, Ocean city Md, Virginia Beach) all want at least $1500 just for accomadations on the Beach, most have been ~2000 and I'm not talking Hiltons or 4 seasons. Now I know you can get hotels off of the beach but I don't want to have to drive all week long to get to a beach. In NJ they have the nerve to charge you a weekly beach tag fee, just to sit on the beach.

2) Washington DC. Once again, a hotel around the monuments and museums is running $200/night and up. You can get places in Md & Va. cheaper but then you have parking issues. Oh I forgot most hotels charge you parking fees whether you move the car or not. Restaurant prices are just as expensive as Disney

3) Cruises are nice but not really as all inclusive as they seem. You have to pay for shore excursions.

4) Great Adventures: Excuse me, the one in NJ is almost the same price as a day park pass at the world and let's not even get into the cost of the food there.

I've come to the conclusion: Vacationing anywhere is just plain expensive. So if anybody can tell me where they are vacationing cheaply, and getting the same value, Please let me know


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1706813

Amen! PS I lived in NJ my whole life and positively hated that they charge for the beaches!!!