The 4 Keys to become 5

[AurumPunzel]

Was very surprised this wasn't a key until now, given that I've always viewed Disney as a paragon of diversity, and I've met CMs of many different backgrounds - be it black, Hispanic, Asian, female, LGBT+, you name it. It takes every kind of people to make what Disney's about, and I'm glad they've finally made diversity the 5th key.

 

[Disney Bobby]

drive, stay off site, get the cheapest base tickets, eat off property/bring your own food

If the average family has to do all that to be able to afford it, then it's not affordable.

 

[rteetz]

If the average family has to do all that to be able to afford it, then it's not affordable.

I know I’m only a single person but I’m also a college student and I can make it work and will stay on site. It can be affordable in many ways. No it’s not cheap by any means but you can make it work if you want.

 

[Disney Bobby]

I know I’m only a single person but I’m also a college student and I can make it work and will stay on site. It can be affordable in many ways. No it’s not cheap by any means but you can make it work if you want.

Yeah, bring three of your friends along and pay for everything for them and see how expensive it gets. And make sure two of those friends are really short and will nag you for everything for sale everywhere in the park.

When it's a family with kids, all those suggested ideas definitely make the experience a lot tougher. We go to Disney to relax and enjoy everything Disney has to offer, not tote around food, eat at Cracker Barrel, and drive in from outside hotels. If I had to do all that, I'd rather just stay home. Not really the Disney experience.

 

[jkh36619]

drive, stay off site, get the cheapest base tickets, eat off property/bring your own food

That's not a package.

 

[Disney Bobby]

That's not a package.

Yup. That plan reminds me of Eddie Murphy's stand up routine where we was complaining that his mom couldn't afford real McDonald's so he had to settle for a mama burger with chucks of green peppers hanging out the side of it between 2 slides of wonder bread. "Dat don't look like no McDonald's "

 

[Disney Bobby]

Or the folks that tell you to save money by going to Cosmic Ray's and not order anything, instead, just build a free salad off the bar that is supposed to be for adding lettuce and tomato to the burger you bought.

 

[jkh36619]

Or the folks that tell you to save money by going to Cosmic Ray's and not order anything, instead, just build a free salad off the bar that is supposed to be for adding lettuce and tomato to the burger you bought.

Ha. I have been known to go to Pecos Bills and order one nacho and go to the taco station with extra plates and stretch it into 2 or 3 meals.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

If the average family has to do all that to be able to afford it, then it's not affordable.

That is largely what we do - though we don't bring all our food we do bring snacks and stuff. But we drive from NY and stay off property list times. Get the cheapest tickets we can that will work (did the 4-park pass last time)

Guess it is like anything in life - do what you do to make it work. Lots of vacations are expecting expensive.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Or the folks that tell you to save money by going to Cosmic Ray's and not order anything, instead, just build a free salad off the bar that is supposed to be for adding lettuce and tomato to the burger you bought.

I think there is a pretty big difference between driving instead of flying compared to stealing food to eat, but whatever

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

Yup. That plan reminds me of Eddie Murphy's stand up routine where we was complaining that his mom couldn't afford real McDonald's so he had to settle for a mama burger with chucks of green peppers hanging out the side of it between 2 slides of wonder bread. "Dat don't look like no McDonald's "

"I got McDoooooonald's, and you ain't gooooooot none..."

 

[Alicefan]

Yeah, bring three of your friends along and pay for everything for them and see how expensive it gets. And make sure two of those friends are really short and will nag you for everything for sale everywhere in the park.

When it's a family with kids, all those suggested ideas definitely make the experience a lot tougher. We go to Disney to relax and enjoy everything Disney has to offer, not tote around food, eat at Cracker Barrel, and drive in from outside hotels. If I had to do all that, I'd rather just stay home. Not really the Disney experience.

Amen to that! Which is where I'm at now. I went from being an AP holder that got amazing discounts at the resorts. Staying at AKL for $139 a night, booking 2 table service meals a day where I would budget about a hundred dollars a day for food for 2, staying for a week to going for long weekends, staying off property at places like Rosen Centre because for a hundred bucks you can stay at a really nice 4 star in Orlando with a much more comfy bed so you're saving money AND getting a better nights sleep, and only doing one table service meal a day in order to not make it a trip that you have to save up for all year. It's like they forgot that some people want to go more than once a year or at this point, once in a lifetime if you really want to experience Disney. There isn't a room on property worth more than $300 a night. Disney is dealing in the price range of the one and done crowd and at some point they're going to run out of new visitors to cater to. It's us diehard fans that have been keeping their gates open all these years. Not the once in a lifetime splurge guests.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I think there is a pretty big difference between driving instead of flying compared to stealing food to eat, but whatever

 

[Disney Bobby]

I think there is a pretty big difference between driving instead of flying compared to stealing food to eat, but whatever

My point is that you can make almost anything work, according to how far you are willing to go. Disney is an experience, and a lot of those things degrade that experience. Staying on site can be part of that experience, especially that places like the Poly or Animal Kingdom. The restaurants add to that experience. Park hopper tickets add to that experience. After hours and other parties add to that experience.

But the argument was that Disney didn't offer affordable packages. And like someone else pointed out, all those methods of savings money aren't a package, and definitely degrade the experience. Turns out, "magic" is real, and it costs a lot of money.

 

[Chuck S]

But the argument was that Disney didn't offer affordable packages. And like someone else pointed out, all those methods of savings money aren't a package, and definitely degrade the experience. Turns out, "magic" is real, and it costs a lot of money.

In many resort destinations, "all inclusive packages" are a matter of convenience, and cost more than paying for a similar experience individually. I've never been able to get the cost of the Disney Dining Plans (which DVCers have to pay for separately) to add up, and always pay out of pocket for meals, using available discounts, like AP and DVC discounts, or the TiW card.

Or Carnival cruises alcoholic drink packages, you need to drink like 5 drinks a day to make it viable. Even their regular beverage package is more than spend on sodas out of pocket. And it is usually cheaper to book private shore excursions than the ones offered by the cruise lines. These are all packages of convenience, for which you likely pay more. Now, I do use the shore excursions, but I know it costs more than hiring one privately, and it is a decision I'm comfortable with.

Disney has never been a cheap vacation. I found an old receipt from 1990 the other day, a one week room only stay in a tower room for 2 adults at the Contemporary was a little over $2,000. That was a LOT in 1990 dollars. That did not include meals or park tickets.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

My point is that you can make almost anything work, according to how far you are willing to go. Disney is an experience, and a lot of those things degrade that experience. Staying on site can be part of that experience, especially that places like the Poly or Animal Kingdom. The restaurants add to that experience. Park hopper tickets add to that experience. After hours and other parties add to that experience.

But the argument was that Disney didn't offer affordable packages. And like someone else pointed out, all those methods of savings money aren't a package, and definitely degrade the experience. Turns out, "magic" is real, and it costs a lot of money.

Maybe just how we travel - we always look for value and how to make our dollar stretch whether it is to Disney or anywhere else so we never did "packages" as we couldn't afford them (or didn't think they were worth it). Things you mention (staying deluxe, doing after hours events, having park hopers, etc) aren't things we ever (or at least rarely) ever did anyway

So maybe not via packages specifically but I think if going to Disney is a priority one can still make it work - not cheap but can be done.

And we are probably way off topic so sorry for derailing things

 

[Disney Bobby]

In many resort destinations, "all inclusive packages" are a matter of convenience, and cost more than paying for a similar experience individually. I've never been able to get the cost of the Disney Dining Plans (which DVCers have to pay for separately) to add up, and always pay out of pocket for meals, using available discounts, like AP and DVC discounts, or the TiW card.

Or Carnival cruises alcoholic drink packages, you need to drink like 5 drinks a day to make it viable. Even their regular beverage package is more than spend on sodas out of pocket. And it is usually cheaper to book private shore excursions than the ones offered by the cruise lines. These are all packages of convenience, for which you likely pay more. Now, I do use the shore excursions, but I know it costs more than hiring one privately, and it is a decision I'm comfortable with.

Disney has never been a cheap vacation. I found an old receipt from 1990 the other day, a one week room only stay in a tower room for 2 adults at the Contemporary was a little over $2,000. That was a LOT in 1990 dollars. That did not include meals or park tickets.

I agree. Disney doesn't offer affordable vacation packages. That was the argument. And I also agree about the dining plan. Never been able to make it make sense for us. Always pay out of pocket. I actually think it is less convenient too. I don't want to try to figure out every time I buy some food how it will count against my plan. Also, I love some of the cheaper meals at places like Jungle Nav, and I would feel like I was wasting a meal credit that could be spent at somewhere it gets you more for your money. But sometime I just want to eat my "Taste Like Chicken...because it is" at the Butterfly table and not think "I could have spent that credit at 'Ohana.

Anyway, probably a different discussion anyway, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[jimim]

drive, stay off site, get the cheapest base tickets, eat off property/bring your own food

You said “packages”. What you said above is not a package. A package is usually room ticket package. Which you are already not in the typical everyone can afford range.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

You said “packages”. What you said above is not a package. A package is usually room ticket package. Which you are already not in the typical everyone can afford range.

Well, I didn't say packages and I guess I didn't focus on that word as we never get a package so I was just thinking of a Disney vacation in general which for us looks like (and generally always has looked like) what I described

Which is also how we do most vacations, not Disney specific

 

[jimim]

Well, I didn't say packages and I guess I didn't focus on that word as we never get a package so I was just thinking of a Disney vacation in general which for us looks like (and generally always has looked like) what I described

Which is also how we do most vacations, not Disney specific

rteetz said:
I think Disney would argue they do have affordable packages.

all I’m saying is and also what others know and have said. Disney is not cheap. I can ask any person I work with or know that has been there or hasn’t been there and 100 percent of them will say it’s not cheap. It is deff a step above a typical middle America trip when it comes to needed money.