What is going on with resort guests?

[Deb & Bill]

Disney has more than upped there prices according to the economy! They have increased prices,cut value seasons,increased weekend rates,charge for options that used to be free on tickets etc.Lets take the price of a 3 day ticket park hopper no exp ticket in 1985(68.00).That won't get in for one day at one park anymore.Disney is a great place, but if you start looking at there financial history greed is definetly present!

1985 was 25 years ago. Lots of the people on the DIS weren't even born yet or they were in Kindergarten. There have been a lot of changes in the world including a large increase in minimum wage.

 

[LaurenLC]

The more you give, the more people want.

 

[flicx]

1985 was 25 years ago. Lots of the people on the DIS weren't even born yet or they were in Kindergarten. There have been a lot of changes in the world including a large increase in minimum wage.

Minimum was about 3.50 to 3.65 in 1985 I believe and what about 7.50 now.Forgot to mention parking at 2.00 in 1985 compared to 10 or 12 now. Just stating percentage wise disney is way ahead of the game!

 

[THERESA522]

All I have to add is that going on a vacation is a luxury, not a right! If you can afford to go, you pay for what you can afford. If you can't afford it, you don't go!

Disney is a private company, not a not-for-profit! There is no other place on earth like it. Should you pay more for this type of vacation? I think so! But the funny thing to me is that any time I look to do something different each year with the kids, Disney is the CHEAPEST place I can take them for 5 days! I can go with hotel, park tix, meal plan and flights for less than $2,000! I don't think that's bad at all!

 

[flicx]

This is my last post on the subject.I have a family who has gone to the magic kingdom from its opening in 1971.I have collected the tickets and keys from my stays there over the years.Most of these still have the prices on them.Our family used to go every year,now it is every 2 or 3 because disney chooses to raise there rates faster than an average working mans wages. Yes vacations are a luxury but at the current rate disney is increasing prices disney will soon be unaffordable to the average family.Yes vacations are a luxury but I can't blame people for expecting more from disney as they sure expect alot more from you finacially!

 

[Aisling]

This is my last post on the subject.I have a family who has gone to the magic kingdom from its opening in 1971.I have collected the tickets and keys from my stays there over the years.Most of these still have the prices on them.Our family used to go every year,now it is every 2 or 3 because disney chooses to raise there rates faster than an average working mans wages. Yes vacations are a luxury but at the current rate disney is increasing prices disney will soon be unaffordable to the average family.Yes vacations are a luxury but I can't blame people for expecting more from disney as they sure expect alot more from you finacially!

I agree with you. I also love Disney and will continue to go, but it's true that their prices aren't proportional to the rate of the cost of living inflation. I'm not blaming them, but I'm acknowledging the truth of it.

 

[honeybunches]

excuse my ignorance, but what is a towel animal?

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

All I have to add is that going on a vacation is a luxury, not a right! If you can afford to go, you pay for what you can afford. If you can't afford it, you don't go!

Disney is a private company, not a not-for-profit! There is no other place on earth like it. Should you pay more for this type of vacation? I think so! But the funny thing to me is that any time I look to do something different each year with the kids, Disney is the CHEAPEST place I can take them for 5 days! I can go with hotel, park tix, meal plan and flights for less than $2,000! I don't think that's bad at all!

How do you do it for that price!!!!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

Minimum was about 3.50 to 3.65 in 1985 I believe and what about 7.50 now.Forgot to mention parking at 2.00 in 1985 compared to 10 or 12 now. Just stating percentage wise disney is way ahead of the game!

Parking is $14 now.

Those who think a Disney vacation isn't worth the price will find somewhere else to vacation.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

excuse my ignorance, but what is a towel animal?

During their free time the Housekeepers take small towels and turn them into little animals by using pieces with glue and etc. For whatever reason some people really like them and might be upset if they don't get one, when the reality is not all Housekeepers have the time to make them. Personally I don't care if my family and I get them because it won't make or break our trip.

 

[Aisling]

Those who think a Disney vacation isn't worth the price will find somewhere else to vacation.

That's obvious.

Some of us think it's worth the price but still inflated outrageously when compared to the cost of living increases.

 

[Mr_G3]

I'm coming to this party late, and I don't wish to judge what anyone has posted, but I will say this: when you make your choices and pay for what you can afford, you shouldn't expect anything more. If pixie dust lands on you, there is nothing wrong with taking the free upgrade . If you are brave enough to ask for a free room upgrade (I wouldn't), I don't think it's appropriate to complain about receiving no for an answer.

I once got bumped to first class on a flight. I didn't ask to sit there, but the agent GAVE those tickets to us to fill the flight, so we took them. I know it made other people angry that we sat in first class for coach price, but that wasn't our fault; we even offered to sit in coach so two other passengers could have the better seats, but the agent at the gate said we should keep them and not feel guilty. I've never heard of anyone asking to sit in first class for coach price, but if they did, I'm fairly certain the answer would be "no." How is that any different than booking standard room and then asking for preferred?

Disney, like all other companies in the travel and entertainment business, has rules. Those rules are in their own best interest, as they should be. They are also in the best interest of ALL of their guests, because if I don't pay for something and just decide to take it anyway, I am taking it FROM Disney or one of the other guests. I don't want to be on the wrong end of that situation, so I won't put another guest on the wrong end, either. In that sense, this IS a situation where wrong and right are clearly delineated. Breaking those "rules" eventually drives costs up for everyone.

I don't make a lot of money, and it would have been nice to come to WDW twenty years ago, but I couldn't. I am fortunate enough to be able to take my family to Disney now, but breaking rules that cost other people money or inconvenience, even, is not something I would do. If I couldn't (or didn't want) to pay Disney's prices, I wouldn't blame Disney or their paying guests. I would just have to work harder or save longer or not go. I really don't see any justification for skirting the rules that are established to guarantee that a company survives and that their customers are treated fairly.

 

[scanmom]

I have asked for an upgrade..once. It was at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel in California. But.. I asked how much would it be to upgrade to a park view room...not can I have it for free. The CM at the front desk went to the back and (I assume) talked to a supervisor. She came back and told me the upgrade would be complimentary! I asked her if she was sure, because I wasn't expecting that, and she said yes, the standard rooms were actually overbooked, and so we would get the upgrade for nothing.
Actually, last summer at the Dolphin we ended up being upgraded to 2 balcony rooms because when we arrived at our waterview room(s) they totally REEKED of cigarette smoke and I went down to the front desk and told them that this was unacceptable. The FD lady said "well, it is a nonsmoking room", and I told her it smelled any way. She said that sometimes people smoke in non smoking rooms and there was nothing they could do about that. I told her that I had booked 2 non smoking rooms, and that is what I expected. Since there were not 2 rooms together in my category, she bumped us up. She didn't seem very happy about it, and I really didn't care about the upgrade (although I loved sitting on the balcony)... I just needed the rooms to not be smoky.

 

[Mr_G3]

flicx, I do agree that Disney pricing has outpaced some parts of the economy, but if you look at the industry they are in, their price increases are not out of line. Travel costs far more now than it did 25 years ago, but those price increases aren't all profit. Like most companies, Disney has costs for things like insurance and employee benefits. Their expenses have skyrocketed, just as they have for everyone else.

I'm no expert, but I think we can blame some combination of government regulations (or the lack thereof?), lawyers, radical environmentalists (as opposed to the other kind ), insurance companies, and the health care industry for causing such increases at WDW. Disney is trying to make a profit, yes, but they are more focused on just remaining in business. Lots of smaller companies in their industry have hit the skids...

 

[RMulieri]

Sorry, but as pricy as Disney is...You get a whole lot for your $$$.My summer trip to the Jersey shore cost almost the same and was not nearly even remotely as nice.

 

[KAB1]

Unfortunaltely, I think that this is a good example of what the value system in this country has become. So many people have the "What can you do for me or I'm entitled to it" attitude. I am raising my child to work for what she will get in life, not what can I get for free.

 

[MIDisFan]

Read alot of people complaining about other people looking for more than what they have spent.You know disney has slowly done this from year to year too.Let's face it I bought three day park hopper tickets with no expiration for 68.00 in 1985.These same tickets have tripled in price since then,most peoples salaries haven't. You now also pay extra to park hop and have no expiration on tickets,more,more,more!Rooms have gone up at this kind of rate too.They also have tricked up the calender by lessening value seasons,charging more for weekends etc.I can't fault a person for hoping to get a little extra knowing the history of disney pricing.My grandmother stayed in the contemporary tower when it opened for 25.00 a night.How many times more would you have to pay now! Don't get me wrong I love disney but greed has definitelty become part of the disney plan.Don't be so quick to condemn people for doing basically what disney has been doing for decades trying to get all they can!

You have to wonder, how much of these price increases are due to the very nature of this thread. Someone has to pay for the person who has reused their refillable mug for the last 10 trips, or the extra staff needed in the CL lounge or at the pools. Just like the cost of shoplifting is factored into a lot of the products we buy.

 

[THERESA522]

How do you do it for that price!!!!!!

I don't go unless there's some kind of discount. This will be our 1st stay in a deluxe, but typically we stay in a value for 5 nights, get the regular dining plan and 3-4 base tix - and it's just 1 adult and 2 kids under 10. I also don't pay more than $230 for airfare each, non-stop, round trip on Jetblue from Newark to Orlando.

Regular price on Disney right now, regular season, for this package, WITHOUT discount, is $1,575.14. I don't think that's so bad!

 

[larryz]

Disney has more than upped there prices according to the economy! They have increased prices,cut value seasons,increased weekend rates,charge for options that used to be free on tickets etc.Lets take the price of a 3 day ticket park hopper no exp ticket in 1985(68.00).That won't get in for one day at one park anymore.Disney is a great place, but if you start looking at there financial history greed is definetly present!

Apples and oranges. In '85, all you had was MK and EPCOT. Now, there are four venues, DTD, 15 more hotels, more transportation, more character breakfasts, more employees, more security, more fire protection, more miles of roads that have to be maintained, more topiary to train, more grass to cut, more alligators to monitor (or move)...I could go on all day.

If you get similar city services at home, you're paying for them through income, sales, and property taxes. Because WDW is in a special economic development district, there's nobody living there to pay taxes to pay for those services, unlike most other tourist destinations wedged into a city. That means you have to add all those costs to the daily operating costs at Disney, and you pay your share through admission and resort hotel room rates.

If it isn't worth it to you, don't go. But don't blame it all on "greed."

 

[gogo]

Just wanted to comment on two previous posts. Flix, sorry I don't have your post in front of me for spelling of your nameI agree with what you are saying. Especially, the part where you comment that Disney tries to make a lot of money, which is fine, that is what businesses do, but people didn't acknowlege that you also said that if it is okay for businesses to do this, Disney in this instance, what is wrong with conumers trying to get the most for their money such as asking for upgrades, pool use, etc. Again, no sneaking or dishonesty but legitimate asking.

I've seen over and over that arguments start because people don't read the entire post and only pick one part of it to comment on. Human nature, I guess. I'm sure I have done the same

I'm sure there are people who get upset when they don't receive their something for nothing, but there are a lot of people who aren't afraid to ask for things and if the answer is no, they move on. No need to condemn them for asking. IMO, they are being savy travellers.

The other post is where someone asked, "would you ask to sit in first class for coach price. I don't think this is common at all in the airline industry but it is common knowledge that hotels have a lot of rooms to book and if they are not filled there is sometimes discounts, upgrades, etc., in order to fill the empty rooms. There are books on ways to save on travel. Not as much room on an airplane for this type of upgrade although I know it does happen. Actually, my son and I were also upgraded to first class for free. When another pilot entered the plane to ride to another destination, he was really perturbed that we were sitting in first class. I think he was expecting to have a row to himself. He loudly asked the flight attendant why we were sitting there right in front of us. The attendant, shrugged and said they did this at the gate. In a huff, he had to sit next to another gentlemen. He actually had the nerve to ask me if his seatmates baggage was mine and if so please move it. I was happy to tell him it's not mine. Sorry, long story