What is your line in the sand?

[SmithSmith]

I replied in a lighthearted way and jokingly mentioned FB. I then proceeded to give 3-4 legit reasons someone would continue to visit and/or post.

I also think its possible to avoid an innocent thread that seems to bother you. It has gone on for 14 pages without issues. People are just genuinely responding to what their line would be (if any) A forum is defined as a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged. Positive, negative, indifferent, all should be welcome.

I'm not bothered by this thread.
I contributed to it pages ago.
I do not see the harm in asking why someone still wants to post here.
I'm not, nor am I going to attack anyone's opinion.
If anything I'm trying to understand them better.

 

[SmithSmith]

Why don't you compare like to like? You're comparing food products
(essentials) against discretionary income. Is this really an accurate comparison? Not really.

The poster was talking about the cost of meals at Disney. That is why I pointed out the cost of food.

 

[SmithSmith]

Wish I could say my salary increase has been at the same rate!!!

That's unfortunate. Luckily, my husbands has!

 

[mhconley]

Just wanted to point out other price increases that are on par with Disneys:

Gallon of milk: 2014 $3.76 2009 $3.00 25% increase
Dozen Eggs: 2014 $1.99 2009 $1.49 34% increase
1 lb of butter: 2014 $3.99 2009 $2.78 44% increase
1 lb of ground beef: 2014 $4.29 2009 $2.79 53% increase
1 lb of coffee: 2014 $5.03 2009 $3.67 37% increase
1 lb of bacon: 2014 $5.76 2009 $3.60 60% increase

Try these numbers on for size...
1971

• Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.08
• Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $0.36
• Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.53
• Cost of a gallon of Milk: $1.18
• Standard room at the Polynesian: $29.00
• WDW Adult Admission: $5.75 (11 adventure book)
• Median Household Income: $9,028.00

2014

• Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.49 (613%)
• Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $2.75 (764%)
• Cost of a dozen eggs: $2.00 (377%)
• Cost of a gallon of Milk: $3.55 (301%)
• Standard room at the Polynesian: $436.00 (1,503%)
• WDW Adult Admission: $99.00 (1 day ticket) (1,722%)
• Median Household Income: $53,891.00 (596%)

Martin

 

[SmithSmith]

We (just the two of us) spent 6 days, 7 nights in London at the Marriott County Hall for less then WDW wanted for 8 days at POR.

It is possible. It also depends on what kind of WDW vacation you take.

Hello Des Moines! I'm Davenport!

I'm going to have to write that hotel down. I thought I would need to rent a flat in order to afford London.

However, to travel to Disney costs us $150 in gas. How much did your plane tickets cost?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Hello Des Moines! I'm Davenport!

I'm going to have to write that hotel down. I thought I would need to rent a flat in order to afford London.

However, to travel to Disney costs us $150 in gas. How much did your plane tickets cost?

If you don't have to fly to WDW (lucky you!), your price-per-day is significantly lower.

Having to buy airfare or not could make a huge difference in your expectations, or at least it would make a difference in mine.

If I could drive there within a day's drive, it would cut the cost so much that it would completely change the value equation for us.

Not that my family's airfare is Disney's problem (although airfare in general is certainly something very critical to their business), but it does affect the perception of value IMO.

 

[Suvadoo]

The poster was talking about the cost of meals at Disney. That is why I pointed out the cost of food.

Thanks for the clairification

 

[SmithSmith]

If you don't have to fly to WDW (lucky you!), your price-per-day is significantly lower.

Having to buy airfare or not could make a huge difference in your expectations, or at least it would make a difference in mine.

If I could drive there within a day's drive, it would cut the cost so much that it would completely change the value equation for us.

Not that my family's airfare is Disney's problem (although airfare in general is certainly something very critical to their business), but it does affect the perception of value IMO.

It's at least an 18 hour drive for us, not including stops. We do it in two days. I guess I shouldve added an extra $100 for our overnight stays. Flying would save us significant time but we drive because we have a prius and we like to bring our puppy with us. She stays at Best Friends.

I brought up airfare because another poster and I were talking about it earlier in this thread. The only way to get to London is by flight, and those flights have been hovering around $1000 for awhile now. Add in the rail passes and an Oyster card and your looking at $2500 just in transportation costs for 2 people. While my husband and I could have a complete weeklong vacation in Disney for $2500.

 

[ncdj2013]

They generally have a number of on site dining options as opposed to one food court as well as usually being walking distance to additional options.

Personally not a perk for me, but disney often touts it, so i assume they consider it a perk

The quick service in the deluxe is usually has much less to offer than the QS at a value which is huge. They do have other restaurants usually very pricey. I don't imagine those would go over well at a value.

 

[Mkrop]

@ Mkrop...I don't doubt that is true for many people...I'm just saying that for me (and I think I can speak for family members that have come along), we don't care what has changed between visits...it's all about being back at WDW after a few years away. In fact, if enough has changed, it makes the experience that much better, because we like "Different". I personally have never looked at anything WDW has done and thought I disliked it...instead I have said "We need to do it this way now, because that's how it's done", we have gone with the flow, and just had a great time. I understand some people don't like change...at WDW or anywhere else...I understand that...Of course, I also believe some people would complain regardless just because change is difficult...even when the change is good!

We have been the perfect combo of planner and go with the flow and the recent changes...restaurant fees and now FP+ have made that more difficult for us.

One thing I hate is change for changes sake...the change needs to be good in order for one to embrace it. I like change, change CAN be good but change can also be not for the better.

 

[btk2333]

Hello Des Moines! I'm Davenport! I'm going to have to write that hotel down. I thought I would need to rent a flat in order to afford London. However, to travel to Disney costs us $150 in gas. How much did your plane tickets cost?

Hello Des Moines and davenport I'm in bettendorf! I'm amazed that you drive to wdw!

 

[Luckybee]

It's at least an 18 hour drive for us, not including stops. We do it in two days. I guess I shouldve added an extra $100 for our overnight stays. Flying would save us significant time but we drive because we have a prius and we like to bring our puppy with us. She stays at Best Friends.

I brought up airfare because another poster and I were talking about it earlier in this thread. The only way to get to London is by flight, and those flights have been hovering around $1000 for awhile now. Add in the rail passes and an Oyster card and your looking at $2500 just in transportation costs for 2 people. While my husband and I could have a complete weeklong vacation in Disney for $2500.

Except that you're comparing apples to oranges. Imho Marriott County Hall provides better service and amenities than would any moderate, and the more apt comparison would be with a D deluxe property. Which is the comparison I just made : I looked at the week in May that we'll be in Orlando (lower season for Disney, the start of high in London)...Marriott CH $514 nightly, the D deluxes range from $650 to $690 a night which for a week would cover the air differential (at least for those who fly as opposed to drive to Disney).

 

[SmithSmith]

Hello Des Moines and davenport I'm in bettendorf! I'm amazed that you drive to wdw!

That's interesting. I live right on the Bett/Dav border, so I actually do all my shopping and stuff in Bettendorf. I haven't been west of Elmore in a very long time!

We loved the drive. It was very beautiful. Can't wait to do it again.

 

[SmithSmith]

Except that you're comparing apples to oranges. Imho Marriott County Hall provides better service and amenities than would any moderate, and the more apt comparison would be with a D deluxe property. Which is the comparison I just made : I looked at the week in May that we'll be in Orlando (lower season for Disney, the start of high in London)...Marriott CH $514 nightly, the D deluxes range from $650 to $690 a night which for a week would cover the air differential (at least for those who fly as opposed to drive to Disney).

I think you might be responding to the wrong person.
I wasn't the one who compared POR to the London Marriott.

 

[SmithSmith]

We (just the two of us) spent 6 days, 7 nights in London at the Marriott County Hall for less then WDW wanted for 8 days at POR.

It is possible. It also depends on what kind of WDW vacation you take.

So I took a closer look at the Marriott and the lowest room rate I could find was $400 per night in February. POR doesn't even come close cost wise. What am I missing?

 

[boBQuincy]

A line in the sand? I don't have one for Walt Disney World. We have been going there regularly (more than once a year) since 1998. Many things have changed, some we like, some we don't. Some things we liked have been taken away while others we like have been added. Overall it is difficult to say that WDW is not as magical as it used to be and it is sure far from something we would give up.

Magic Bands, My Disney Experience, FastPass +: they all have + and - just like the systems they replaced. We have two trips booked and are working on a third, I expect they will all be fun and I expect we will continue to visit WDW more than once a year.

Ymmv...

 

[Luckybee]

So I took a closer look at the Marriott and the lowest room rate I could find was $400 per night in February. POR doesn't even come close cost wise. What am I missing?

You're missing what I already said in my post. You're comparing the Marriott CH to a moderate D when it should be compared to a deluxe. The Marriott is a gorgeous lovely property in London with top notch service and amenities. The POR could hardly be considered in the same league by anyone's definition. Matter of fact Im not sure there is a Disney hotel that it could legitimately be compared to.

 

[Luckybee]

I think you might be responding to the wrong person.
I wasn't the one who compared POR to the London Marriott.

No you didn't,.... initially, but you were the one who took issue with the cost analysis....and then in the next post did compare them.

 

[SmithSmith]

No you didn't,.... initially, but you were the one who took issue with the cost analysis....and then in the next post did compare them.

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble following you.

I was asking my Des Moines friend how they could compare the cost of the two hotels because I couldn't find prices for the Marriott that were under $400. I was asking how they could have stayed there for less money than POR.

I'm not, nor have I ever been comparing the amenities. I do not know enough about the Marriott to even discuss that.

 

[Luckybee]

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble following you.

I was asking my Des Moines friend how they could compare the cost of the two hotels because I couldn't find prices for the Marriott that were under $400. I was asking how they could have stayed there for less money than POR.

I'm not, nor have I ever been comparing the amenities. I do not know enough about the Marriott to even discuss that.

Sorry I thought I was clear and I obviously wasn't ..let me try again....the comparison was made between the cost of POR to the Marriott in London by a poster. Then you commented about adding the cost of airfare to the equation suggesting that the cost overall would be better for the Disney holiday. I commented that the original comparison wasn't really a good comparison (imho)because the Marriott is by far and away a better hotel than POR and the comparison should be made with a Disney deluxe, not with the POR because the Marriott in London is closer to a Disney deluxe (imho much better). Therefore with adding in your airfare London could still be had by an equal price if not better when one is comparing apples to apples and not oranges. In other words, to be fair, compare the price of properties at the same level. When one does that then the airfare differential would be covered by the room price differential. Is that a bit better?
On a side note to the poster who got the Marriott for a better price than the POR then you got an absolute steal and congrats !