Anyone else who might be priced out?

[Lovetherodent]

We don't go every year. My husband doesn't love it the way I do. He'd rather go somewhere else (although he did humor me this Christmas season), so I've been celebrating kids' college graduations with a girls trip over spring break. Those aren't every year events, thank goodness. Just booked our spring break 2020 (oldest is getting her master's!) and almost blanched at the price. Granted, I'm hoping to be able to snag an early March discount, but if I don't, the price (and lack of another graduation) will mean it could be another long stretch before we return.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

For some staying at a value resort isn't a vacation because vacation is more than just the parks. I like to have a hot tub, a nice restaurant, more space, etc. We aren't RD to close people. We spend time at the resort. The resort is part of the vacation. If it comes down to a value resort vacation at Disney being the same price as a 4-5 star resort elsewhere I'm going with the 5 star resort at another destination.

Like a PP stated, it's not that I can't financially afford it....it's the mental part of it. Why pay this for Disney when I can pay this elsewhere and get so much more. Sticker shock. And I have two kids ages 19 and 13. One room doesn't work for us anymore so add in two rooms and imagine the sticker shock! Like I said in my PP, if we do Disney we stay onsite or go somewhere else. It's just what we want for our vacations. So for now we will go to other places until Disney starts giving out better deals. We also aren't Star Wars fans so that doesn't entice us. None of us have ever watched a Star Wars movie actually.

 

[JoJoGirl]

For the first time in over 25 years and many, many APs, I’m starting to question whether Disney is worth the price they want to charge. I adore the parks, attractions, resorts, and the general ease and safety of getting around. But the crazy crowds, reduced resort amenities, drop in service levels, and new price increases are adding up.

I’ve insulated myself from ticket price increases until 2022 by stockpiling a couple of AP vouchers (at old prices) onto my account. The rise in resort prices will just have to be stomached until then, but no more deluxes unless they are steeply discounted. I just booked POFQ for next May at over $300 per night after-tax for a midweek stay. My eyes are still watering.

I can’t imagine buying another AP at the new prices, let alone what they will be in 2023! Disney will probably go from being a 3-4x a year trip to once every few years.

 

[MsThumper]

Disney seems overpriced for what you now get. ...Prices are so high and parks are so crowded it isn't the 'value' as in years past regardless of where you stay. Constantly raising prices on everything (tickets, parking, hotels, food......) in order to apparently manage attendance isn't working. None of us wanted to stand in line for any ride with lines over 60 minutes once we used up our 3 daily Fast Passes. Our general impression it was too expensive, too crowded and too hot to have any interest in going back. We can take TWO vacations at many others places we enjoy a lot more for the price of ONE Disney trip.

Well said. My thoughts exactly.

 

[MsThumper]

Deleted, duplicate

 

[Tallis]

For the first time in over 25 years and many, many APs, I’m starting to question whether Disney is worth the price they want to charge. I adore the parks, attractions, resorts, and the general ease and safety of getting around. But the crazy crowds, reduced resort amenities, drop in service levels, and new price increases are adding up.

I feel the same way, and in the same situation. Except that we haven't stockpiled any APs. We just have the weekday one that is on monthly payments. Even though the monthly payments are super cheap, like $20 month, starting last year I began to really question if it's worth it or not. The ticket price is nothing for us, but the resort prices are skyrocketing. And there is no way I'm going to Disney and stay off site. We will just skip it first. Cruises are all inclusive and cheaper.

 

[Frozen2014]

Agree...it's sad how expensive Disney is...and yet it is so packed. Not sure how the average family affords going for multiple days.
We went once to WDW and once to Disneyland and are planning a 3 day trip next August after our cruise. We love Disney but it definitely is not a cheap and we've mostly been switching to cruises (which is our other love). I hope to one time to go for a week at a time to Disney but TBH, the 3 day trip is enough for DH as there is only so much he can take. For me, I can go longer. It is though such an immersive amazing vacation and really nothing like any other. Would love to book a Deluxe for the monorail convenience, but we stick to value at WDW (and offsite across the street for Disneyland)...and even those are not that 'cheap'.

 

[Nancyg56]

For some staying at a value resort isn't a vacation because vacation is more than just the parks. I like to have a hot tub, a nice restaurant, more space, etc. We aren't RD to close people. We spend time at the resort. The resort is part of the vacation. If it comes down to a value resort vacation at Disney being the same price as a 4-5 star resort elsewhere I'm going with the 5 star resort at another destination.

Like a PP stated, it's not that I can't financially afford it....it's the mental part of it. Why pay this for Disney when I can pay this elsewhere and get so much more. Sticker shock. And I have two kids ages 19 and 13. One room doesn't work for us anymore so add in two rooms and imagine the sticker shock! Like I said in my PP, if we do Disney we stay onsite or go somewhere else. It's just what we want for our vacations. So for now we will go to other places until Disney starts giving out better deals. We also aren't Star Wars fans so that doesn't entice us. None of us have ever watched a Star Wars movie actually.

Exactly. A vacation that means I am cramped in a space meant for two adults and perhaps two kids is no vacation for me. If I rent a home offsite, it is completely offsite and would not include WDW in my travel plans. I am never cooking on vacation, so I won't compromise the cost of food. I want space, nice restaurants.

I am not saying I am not heading back, I have a tentative trip booked for December, however I am really waffling on it and if I cancel, I think I may add a few additional destinations before I am back to WDW.

 

[Tallis]

Agree...it's sad how expensive Disney is...and yet it is so packed.

I think the crowds play a giant part in us rethinking at current prices. If it was less crowded, I would probably pay and never question it. I'm just not standing in a 3 or 4 hour line to go on a ride that I can't get FPs for. It gets worse every year and the slow times have disappeared. There are less packed times, but it's still crowded with long waits.

 

[Poohbear03]

For some staying at a value resort isn't a vacation because vacation is more than just the parks.

For some staying at a value resort isn't a vacation because vacation is more than just the parks. I like to have a hot tub, a nice restaurant, more space, etc. We aren't RD to close people. We spend time at the resort. The resort is part of the vacation. If it comes down to a value resort vacation at Disney being the same price as a 4-5 star resort elsewhere I'm going with the 5 star resort at another destination.

Like a PP stated, it's not that I can't financially afford it....it's the mental part of it. Why pay this for Disney when I can pay this elsewhere and get so much more. Sticker shock. And I have two kids ages 19 and 13. One room doesn't work for us anymore so add in two rooms and imagine the sticker shock! Like I said in my PP, if we do Disney we stay onsite or go somewhere else. It's just what we want for our vacations. So for now we will go to other places until Disney starts giving out better deals. We also aren't Star Wars fans so that doesn't entice us. None of us have ever watched a Star Wars movie actually.

This is us. Like I said my husband tolerates Disney not his thing at all that is why Value is out for us. We don’t do Parks all day and the resort is part of our vacation.

 

[SarahC97]

I think the crowds play a giant part in us rethinking at current prices. If it was less crowded, I would probably pay and never question it. I'm just not standing in a 3 or 4 hour line to go on a ride that I can't get FPs for. It gets worse every year and the slow times have disappeared. There are less packed times, but it's still crowded with long waits.

I find it hard to believe the argument that the price increases are about crowd control because even during the times that there are actually fewer people there, they reduce ride capacity and staffing to make it feel the same wait-wise whether there are 40,000 people in the park or 80,000. That's what makes it hard to think that it's not simply price gouging on Disney's part. They charge it because they can. You're paying more but getting less. It's frustrating because it feels unnecessary.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

We love Disney (well except for dh) but there are so many other beautiful destinations to vacation at. We are Canadian and just returned from an all-inclusive 7 night stay in Cuba. The resort was gorgeous enough to rival any deluxe Disney has to offer. We had 6 pools, a clear pool-like ocean, 24 hours a day food and alcoholic drinks. Flights and airport transfers were included. The cost was $3200 cdn for 4 adults. Last year dd and I went to Disney in June for 7 nights. We stayed at All Star Music, 3 park days, flights and food and paid about $3500 cdn with the currency exchange but that was only for 2 people. Also, we booked with Undercover Tourist as the Disney website was even more expensive.

 

[ksdave]

As you can see in my signature, we used to go to the themeparks, both UO and WDW, every year, sometimes even twice a year. Since the time my kids started college back in 2008, this has been drastically reduced, and, recently, my wife have been doing cruises for our big vacations, with long weekends to places like Biltmore, Charleston, etc. in between. When my DD invited us to meet her, SIL, and first grandchild in WDW this coming September, I was shocked when I saw the prices of the resorts and the themepark tickets now! Our week-long cruises are a much better value than even a few days at WDW, even when we stay in a suite on the cruise! If it was not for the granddaughter, I really doubt we would ever do a WDW trip again. At least not until they lower the costs.

 

[maxiesmom]

Hi everyone. I was really looking forward to booking another trip for next year but now I am not sure. I love Disney World and only stay onsite however, my husband doesn’t share my love and it has been hard enough to convince him to go in the past and now that prices are even higher it might be a hard sell. Most all of my our stays have been moderates, he definitely won’t stay at a value and deluxe resorts have always been pricey for our budget but now the new moderate prices are much more. I am not looking forward to sharing the new prices....just wanted to vent a little.....I knew there would be a price increase, I was just hoping it wouldn’t be this much.

Have you checked out the Swan and Dolphin? You do lose a few Disney perks, but the location is great and the cost is typically around a Disney moderate. I think the highest I have paid is around $270 a night. Usually it is quite a bit cheaper. And if you can prepay the whole thing they charge you less.

Or have you looked at renting points for a DVC? I get that for some the values are not their thing, and that is ok. Just looking at ways you could maybe still get your fix and not go value.

 

[Tallis]

I find it hard to believe the argument that the price increases are about crowd control

I wasn't trying to make that argument, or any argument. Just stating the fact that it's always crowded makes me less likely to want to pay for the experience in the future.

 

[erc]

Hi all. We should remember that every year a thread like this gets started. WDW has always priced out the middle class. I have been going off and on since 2003 but never every year, because that is not realistic. I used to always stay off-site because even in 2003 the on-site resorts were insanely priced compared to off-site. But I have come to appreciate the bubble that Disney creates and is part of the premium that you pay to stay on-site. I think the last year we stayed offsite was when some poor worker was shot and killed in a Checkers in Kissimmee just a short walk from where we were staying. I understand that the odds of being a victim of violent crime are very low, but I wanted no part in even thinking about it while on vacation. Maybe some of the off-site resorts provide their own bubbles, but you also don't get the typical Disney worker customer service. In conclusion, this isn't a new issue. The prices are going up with the stock market. WDW is not just an American vacation destination. It is an International vacation destination. The richer the world gets, the more expensive it will be.

 

[SarahC97]

I wasn't trying to make that argument, or any argument. Just stating the fact that it's always crowded makes me less likely to want to pay for the experience in the future.

Oh, I wasn't trying to say that was your position (sorry if it came off that way)! Just sharing thoughts and I totally agree with you.

 

[MarkinNM]

There are tons of great places that will give you way more bank for your buck than a Disney vacation.

BINGO!!!

We LOVE Disney and they are starting to price themselves out of an instant vacation decision with all of the sudden price increases. When we decided to go back to Disney, I did not realize that it has been 10 years since our last venture to WDW. But in that time we have been all over the Caribbean, France, Ireland, and the UK/Scotland and sadly some of those trips were even cheaper then a week at WDW......We decided to stay state side this vacation and my wife suggested WDW, I looked at the prices and said why not, but did indeed suffer a bit of sticker shock.......Plus WDW to me is a bit more special when we go every 5 or so years as some of the changes are huge in that time frame. Dont know if I could take Its a small world every year............ With all of the sudden price increases WDW is making it easier to go elsewhere in the future.......

 

[Burgundy Rose]

I feel you, @Poohbear03. I went to Disney World for the first time with my ex boyfriend last year, followed by a cruise on the Disney Dream. It was, honest to goodness, HEAVEN. It was our dream to go and part of me thought that it'd never live up to my expectations. It didn't - it blew them out of the water. I've never been happier in my entire life than I was during those three weeks.

When I'm on holiday, I like to go big so we did mostly TS restaurants, Victoria and Albert's, went to Universal, took frequent Ubers, drank cocktails, bought souvenirs, the works. It was magnificent to not think about money for those three weeks and just indulge. However, it was certainly a budget and took two years to save up for, but those are memories that will, truly, last a lifetime.

I've personally decided that I'm not going to go on anything that isn't this level of quality again. I don't want to spend money on okay holidays ever again - the budget might not be as big for those but in the end they're keeping me a little bit further away from Disney World. I'd rather go without for a few years and splurge on an amazing holiday than have it happen maybe once a decade because I've been to less interesting to me holidays in between. I'm the only person I know who does that - all my friends go on holiday at least once a year to a moderately priced place and have a good time, but none has done something as expensive as Disney World cost us.

The price increase is awful but there are very few places on earth that make me THIS happy so however long it takes, I WILL go back. I have to.

 

[Timothy02359]

We went from annual passholder`s with multi trips per year to one trip every 2 or 3 years due to crowds and increases.