What will be your breaking point? Resort fees?

We will continue to go until either a) we stop enjoying it or b) the bottom line exceeds our perceived value or what we are willing to pay.
 
Consumer confidence is growing and leading to unprecedented demand for for Disney. As long as this continues to be the case, Disney can and will continue to raise prices on everything and introduce new fees for everything from parking to VIP-type limited capacity experiences. While consumer confidence may and most likely will wane, Disney will remain in high demand due to the opening of SWGE and the 50th anniversary of WDW. These “upcharges” are here to stay for the foreseeable future unless some kind of cataclysm keeps people from wanting to travel to WDW. Until then everyone will adjust. Some by staying away, some by limiting their involvement in Disney, and some by (as was previously eluded to in this thread) grabbing their ankles and relaxing their muscles. For us it’s a mix of the last two. Our upcoming trip is 5 days on-site and we will be shelling out for both EMM and the FEA dessert party. We are countering this by not renting a car and only getting 2 day base tickets, no park hoppers.

Another one of my theories is that Disney is purposely making DVC more appealing to their repeat visitors by closing the price gap between recurring regular resort stays and upfront costs of a DVC membership in an effort to convince people (like me) who have no real desire to stay in a deluxe villa that they will save more over the long haul as compared to the price of moderates and maybe even value resorts, thus locking them into Disney vacations virtually for life.

Sorry for the long-windedness of it all. Again, just a theory.
 
I truly believe what goes up must come down. Disney will hit a wall. Either the economy will take a hit or God forbid something awful happens that keeps people from traveling or something else. But it will come eventually and they will have to offer great deals again.
 
I truly believe what goes up must come down. Disney will hit a wall. Either the economy will take a hit or God forbid something awful happens that keeps people from traveling or something else. But it will come eventually and they will have to offer great deals again.

Few things are certain, but one thing that is is that winning streaks don’t last forever. The market that Disney operates in will eventually correct itself. It always does.
 


For fees, it will come down to total price. I may not like parking and resort fees, but if the prices were still doable, I would still pay them if the price (inclusive of all fees) is acceptable. The real issue is that a room that cost me $79/night last year (with AP discount) is now $113 (with AP Discount and Parking Fee). The Values are reaching the point where I can no longer afford to stay in them. They have some deals on Deluxes (significant AP Discounts), but unfortunately, I can't afford them even with the discounts. For the parks, my breaking point would probably be if they dump Free FastPass for a Universal style ExpressPass or if the Silver/Gold Annual Passes became too expensive to continue.
 
As dvc members who always use points there really isn’t a breaking point. We come twice a year for between a week and two weeks, have the advantage of always staying in at least a one bedroom, usually use ME and have the tables in wonderland card because we eat out in signature restaurants most nights. Also we may go to parks one day so the ticket prices are irrelevant. We are very lucky to afford it I know. As long as the value of our stays exceed what we pay in maintenance fees for our 1400 points we are ahead.
 
Since we only go every 4-5 years there is no actual breaking point I can yet see. Although if the hotels keep going to ever more stratospheric prices then offsite is always an alternative. A day in a park still costs less than most hockey or NFL games and it last 8-10 hours instead of around 3. Entertainment is entertainment.
 


I don't have a financial breaking point, I just can't handle if the crowds continue to grow increasingly larger. For me fewer people due to rising costs would be a good thing, I do realize I'll get a lot of heat for that statement, but it's the truth. I would rather pay more and not have to fight huge crowds than save money and barely be able to enjoy any of it.
 
I don't have a financial breaking point, I just can't handle if the crowds continue to grow increasingly larger. For me fewer people due to rising costs would be a good thing, I do realize I'll get a lot of heat for that statement, but it's the truth. I would rather pay more and not have to fight huge crowds than save money and barely be able to enjoy any of it.

Ditto. I won't wait in 30+ minute lines and if that's all that's left, I'll stop going. That's one reason we like staying on site at Universal, free Express Pass. And their hotels are nicer (IMHO) anyway.
 
I don't have a financial breaking point, I just can't handle if the crowds continue to grow increasingly larger. For me fewer people due to rising costs would be a good thing, I do realize I'll get a lot of heat for that statement, but it's the truth. I would rather pay more and not have to fight huge crowds than save money and barely be able to enjoy any of it.

Actually I totally agree with this!
 
I adjusted years ago by buying DVC. If I don't want to stay there anymore I can sell the points, rent them, give them away, or use them for cruises.

I'm trying to imagine how crowded WDW would be if they reduced the prices. Supply and demand. they are getting plenty of demand even under the current prices.
 
We've been adjusting already for the past 7 years since we started bringing our first child. We did a couple deluxe trips but wanting to keep going we now stay mod when we travel as a family of five, and even though I don't care for the values, when there are fewer of us I stay at Pop. We give up some of the extras and we only go when we can get a great deal on flights and such. This trip though a couple of our nights at Pop are equal to what we paid at CBR (w/discount) our first stay 4-5 years ago and that's really bothering me. The rates have gone up significantly with less discounts available and the added parking fee now makes it cheaper to just stay offsite. If they start allowing dogs at all resorts I'm offsite for sure. The rise in costs is just too much too fast for us to keep going with any regularity.
 
I’ve already started adjusting due to crazy increase in room rates. We used to go 2x a year. We started going once a year awhile ago, with the exception of this 12 mo period. We went in Dec, and going again August. We always went in Jan & Aug, but cut out Jan trip. Last Aug we went to DL instead of WDW.
We don’t rent car for WDW so parking fee doesn’t affect us except the principle has turned me off.
For the first time in future I’m thinking of the Disney Springs resorts. They have good bus service, running continuously every 30 min.
Resort fee will def. push me over to Disney Springs. With ever increasing room rates and park tickets it’s getting ridiculous.
 
I haven’t been since they started allowing dogs. Which resorts allow them and how many people are actually bringing them along? I can’t see that having much of an effect on my vacation unless I start stepping in poop on my way to the pool.
 
This will likely be our one and only trip staying n a resort and even now we are are cutting things in order to afford it. With parking on site and then parking at the parks its an additional $196 for 8 nights and 4 days at the parks. That sucks on top of the rising costs of the resort alone.

I have a feeling some (or one) of the promotions Disney will come up with in the next few years will be free parking....
 
This will likely be our one and only trip staying n a resort and even now we are are cutting things in order to afford it. With parking on site and then parking at the parks its an additional $196 for 8 nights and 4 days at the parks. That sucks on top of the rising costs of the resort alone.

I have a feeling some (or one) of the promotions Disney will come up with in the next few years will be free parking....
If you are staying in a Disney Resort you don’t have to pay to park at the parks.
 
I think it's just the overall price, it keeps going up and up and not getting anything more for it. We have not been since 2009, this will be our only trip as a family of 5 most likely for several years, and next time we won't stay onsite at all. We love it and the perks, but we can stay at FIL timeshare free, so it makes more sense to do that. This year in fact we are doing a split, half on and half off, works out perfectly for us. We booked early too so no parking fee for us this time, except when we are offsite and pay to park at the actual parks.

I think too while we love Disney there are so many other things we want to do and see, that when it is so expensive for us to go to Disney, we can do a lot more NOT at Disney for the same price.
 
Here's my biggest issue...we used to get resort parking for nothing. We used to be able to see all sorts of characters in the parks. We were able to use the parks for 12+ hrs each day/night. We used to be able to find unique dining in different places. We used to be able to find unique items at various resorts. Now? We pay to park at resorts that we are paying top dollar at, while those who choose to just eat there and then head to a park for the day pay nothing. The characters we used to see in the parks are now reserved for the special parties....used to be able to see the various evil queens around the parks but not anymore..have to pay addtl to get them at a special after hours party, and that's not even the MNSSHP..it's an extra party within that party!!! Now that there are after hours events, or just after hours, those that pay for a day in the parks find shorter public operating hours. With Disney adding so many holiday parties, and starting them sooner and sooner, people aren't able to see MK fireworks other than one night, possibly two, a week. Dining used to be fun..now there's a certain sameness to all the restaurants. And those resort unique items? No more. I used to be able to find some great things over at AKL...that you didn't find anywhere else. No more.

And now Disney is building yet another DVC resort, with plans for a SW resort and yet another close to Epcot's entrance. Seriously? But no new parks? Nothing to spread out the crowds? If I could see us getting something for the addtl money we're spending, then fine. But, I tend to see that I'm actually getting less.
 
And now Disney is building yet another DVC resort, with plans for a SW resort and yet another close to Epcot's entrance. Seriously? But no new parks? Nothing to spread out the crowds? If I could see us getting something for the addtl money we're spending, then fine. But, I tend to see that I'm actually getting less.

I agree 100% with everything you stated. The last part about adding new rooms with no new parks is why I find it comical when people state the reason Disney keeps raising prices is to cut down on crowds.
 
Here are my views:

When you add up all of the pluses and minuses here is what I see:

Pluses:

1. Great family location and activities.
2. Disney "usually" does the right thing.
3. Disney doesn't sit on their laurels. They upgrade within the parks on a usual basis. Always something new to see.
4. Quality of experience is usually excellent in the parks.
5. Good choices in Resorts.
6. Good range of food options.

Minuses:

1. Cost. Gawd, it is amazing how much Disney charges for things. It is becoming a place for only the rich to enjoy. That's wrong. It wasn't what Walt wanted for his vision.
2. Waiting in line. Even Fast Passes are becoming less of a perk. And available Fast Passes are becoming less available.
3. Charging for parking. When you add up the cost of parking at the parks during the day and the cost of parking at night at the resorts you end up with a significant price for most people's budget for a vacation. Poor value. That's wrong.
4. In room security checks at Disney Resorts. Pure theater. In my opinion, it won't make a difference. In many cases Disney is now making people feel more unsafe. Think about it. Why would you want to go visit somewhere whose policy is to protect you from some unidentified threat? Doesn't seem safe to me. They don't even share the policy with people before they check in (other than the fine print in the terms and conditions). Something really wrong with that.
5. Disney Vacation Club. Had been for the middle class. Now, DVC is for the rich. And if you have been a member, you can't afford some new locations such as the Poly Bungalows, for example, with points or cash.

In my mind, the minuses are starting to take over the pluses. For those who love Disney they will always find a way to get there and justify it. But being pragmatic, it is starting to feel less of a vacation attraction but a way for Disney to get into our pockets. Walt Disney had wanted this for all to enjoy. It is becoming less of that over time. I also am feeling a bit more unsafe at WDW because of the room checks.
 

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