Ever feel like you can not afford WDW vacations anymore?

Klayfish said:
I'll go against the anti-Disney overtone, as I usually do. We actually find WDW the best value out there, which is why we keep coming back. We do Disney different than many, and spend a fraction of what most do. So when we price other vacations we're interested in, we simply can't beat WDW. When we buy our AP, we spend a total of 50 days at the parks over the course of the 12 months. When we do the math of how much we pay per day, it's a bargain.
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I agree. I’ve priced other vacations & I find them on par or more expensive. We do splurge on dining & the resort when we go, but we are also just a family of 3. I have friends who spend more than us & stay value b/c they have more kids.
 
For us, WDW was supposed to be a once in a lifetime holiday. We’ve kept going back every few years when budget allows but when I factor in the current costs (flights $800 per person - optimistically - hotel $6000 minimum, park tickets $3000 for a family of five, car hire $800) it is getting out of reach. Holidays in Europe are literally a quarter of the cost at times. For us, any American holiday is expensive though. I’m very jealous of people who can drive to WDW and don’t have to fly for nine hours to get there, but then I guess the same could be said about my close proximity to Europe.
 
So much of it also depends on how you "do" WDW. Do you fly or drive? On site or off? If onsite, value resort or GF? QS or TS or bring food in? It can make a HUGE difference. We drive, stay offsite, pack our own food. With that perspective, it's pretty cheap. On the flip side of that, one of the places we'd LOVE to go back to that's not WDW is Atlantis, in the Bahamas. But we'd have to fly, deal with a 2 bedroom condo at the biggest, and buying food there is difficult and expensive. For a 7 day trip, we'd spend at least $5000, easily. That's just not a value to us.
 
I'm another in "the value I get for the money is not really worth it so much right now" camp. We'll go again at some point I'm sure, but no definite plans. Right now we're much more interested in checking out other parts of the world, and we've been able to do that on-par with or cheaper than our Disney vacations.

It's really not just the price tag. Even if it were 10-20% cheaper I don't think that would make me suddenly book a trip and feel like I'm getting better value. After 5 trips there, we really are just more interested in new experiences (and I don't mean just like oh there's a new ride or two here and a new restaurant) rather than repeating old ones. Our family including the kids has enjoyed our international vacations much more than we like Disney.
 


There are ways to “do” Disney and make it a lot cheaper. The question is, is it worth it to you to do all that.

We have always stayed Value and have stayed offsite. Dh drives for a living and his favorite thing was getting to Pop Century and not touching the car again for a week. But with the paying for parking—is it worth it? And it’s hard to get that offsite.

There are certainly ways to eat cheaper. Offsite or taking your own food. But for many, character meals, mickey bars, getting that coveted ADR are a big part of that Disney experience. Has it priced people out? And taking your own food might be exactly what some want to do or even enjoy doing. Not me! Cooking, preparing, packing food just isn’t a vacation. I do that every day. I don’t mind grilling steaks at the condo after a relaxing day on the beach but after a day in the parks? No way. Food prices increasing is definitely a consideration for probably most in deciding if it’s still a value.

And of course, it depends on the other vacations you are comparing it to. There are a lot of fun, relaxing vacations spots much cheaper than Disney.
 
I've been 3 times as an adult, all while in college and all as a Cast Member, so discounts abounded. Now as an adult who has to pay full price there's just no way I could go every year. I don't know how people go every year, let alone 2 or 3 times. I am planning a trip but it won't happen until spring of 2020. I'll plan on staying onsite that first time with the family, after that, if we go, it'll be offsite. I just can't afford it.
 
I'd feel like a chump if I spent money on a WDW vacation at this point. I cannot reconcile the overcrowded, stale parks with the large price increases, the need to pre-plan unless you want to spend all of your time shopping or waiting in lines, and the ridiculous need to extensively research a destination I began visiting in 1972. Why do I say extensive research? Because the same company that wants to know 180 days out if I want to eat at O'hana or Boma for dinner on Tuesday cannot be bothered to let me know that the monorail will be shut down everyday for most of the day on all of the days of my stay at a monorail resort. Heaven knows the price they charge me won't reflect my inability to access one of the biggest amenities of the resort I've selected.

I don't find it a flaw of my character if I feel that a supposedly first class resort should be capable of sending me a courtesy email informing me about plans they have regarding the resort they're well aware I've booked that are likely to have a deleterious impact on my experience. I'm sure I can look forward to a chorus informing me how it's my responsibility to do my own due diligence to monitor Disney's site for information related to the resort I have booked and label me a commando tourist with my crazy ideas of going to WDW and actually taking part in the attractions instead of wandering aimlessly with a Mickey bar or Dole Whip while enjoying the "ambiance" of others stampeding from shop to shop in search of rose gold minnie ears or whatever the scarce merch craze du jour happens to be.

Holds zero appeal for us anymore.
 


Interesting topic but I will admit to not having read all 6 pages. I look at Disney today the way I first looked at it in 1989 before our first family trip. Will I get my perceived value while on vacation? Notice I did not say get my money's worth or compared to other vacation destinations, but rather my perceived value. As long as I feel like my wife and I are getting that value then we will continue to go. While we have stayed at deluxe, moderate and budget over the years we have no qualms at all staying budget as opposed to deluxe or moderate. We are similar in age and status to the OP in that we are empty nesters and reaching retirement age. Wife is in fact already retired and I am maybe 4 years away from it. We are fortunate in retirement matters due to who I work for and are feeling like we should be okay. Our trips (two to three times a year) are on AP's at a budget resort (with discounts when we can get them) flying on SW airlines using points from a SWA Visa. We can do a trip for $2,000 and the allocated cost of the AP. So what else trip wise could I get for $2,000? Quite a few options I am sure, like a cruise since we live 30 miles from Galveston and we plan to do that in 2019. But we still enjooy WDW a lot, and will continue to go until we don't enjoy it. Our hope is our married kids will produce some Grandchildren before long and we can start taking them. Yes hotel prices are not cheap, but guess what, they are not cheap anywhere. We paid a discounted rate of $149 a night for rooms on the other side of Houston at a Holiday Inn Express when we set up and took care of my Daughters wedding a year ago and our last trip to WDW in September only cost me $160 a night. Granted food was more expensive but as we age the good news is we eat a lot less.

Now does that mean that's all we do? Heck no, we have a farm 2 hours away from home, I hunt, fish, play golf, the wife goes out with friends, shops goes on trips with her friends and we generally keep pretty busy when we are not visiting WDW.

So will we continue to go to WDW? Heck yeah! Why not? we may wind up being the old folks still going on the roller coasters but in my view that's a great way to spend retirement.
 
We just got back from there last night so I guess not, but the value in yearly vacations there upon assessment isn't there. We'll be back, but not like I have in the past.

We were in WDW in August, and the trip was SO bad; our hotel and the food (almost all of it) was comped. We had to make it up to the tots though, so off we went back. I had been a loyalist to the Swolphin, but never again and the lack of amenities at even the nice WDW hotels meant we went offsite. It was wonderful. We did Uber car seats with no problems and our resort (I had stayed before but had forgotten) was the highlight.

A couple of notes from the trip as to why we'll be waiting a bit for another go.

Mickey's Party, until the last hour which was lovely, was a god blessed insert every expletive time. They must have raised the number of people allowed in and we were not evening looking for a good fireworks (way better from the CG) or parade. The lines for candy were insane. DH was NOT waiting however many minutes for $.27 worth of candy. God no.

The kids loved the resort (RG Grand Cypress), the parrot Merlot (their favorite souvenir), and room service. They may be spoiled. We loved the resort too; EXCEPTIONAL service, great bar, super quiet, and one small issue was resolved so fast we were both slackjawed. We had a corner suite with 1 bedroom and 1 living room with a pull out and did not fill cramped at all. The last time we had a 2 bedroom suite and we didn't need it. The resort was incredibly reasonable.

Basically, otw DH home suggested we could always just take the kids to Opryland hotel for a similar experience that the kids would enjoy just as much...and it's right down the road.

There's still lots to like, but not yearly for us. We're taking the kids to the beach for 1 vacation and to Montreal for another next year I think. Not sure what we'll do for our 2 weeks of vacation him and I, but WDW isn't on the list. I'm kinda feeling let down a bit about WDW TBH. When Galaxy's Edge opens though, or after it's been open for a bit, we'll go see what's up with that.

In not so short at all, we can afford it. It doesn't even seem too bad (except that bleeding party!) for the prices we pay, but it's a big world so the value isn't there. The kids LOVE worldcase, so we used it to get them excited to go to Canada and France in the next couple of years. That's pretty cool.
 
We are in the max out the AP for a year then lay low for awhile crowd.
It's not just the ticket cost and Disney nickel and diming that is the problem. Flights are higher. Fuel is higher. Airport parking is higher. Dogsitters aren't cheap. Owning DVC does take the accomodation cost out of it. With AP's and DVC, we can make a couple of trips a year with outlaying transportation and food costs since tickets and rooms are handled. We also have no problem eating breakfast in the room, grabbing a ham sandwich from the fridge, or even cook spaghetti for dinner. Paying $100 for 4 to eat pasta in Epcot is insane-I can spend about 15 minutes in the condo and have the meal made for around $8.

With that being said, we did 10 days in Great Britain in August. We heard nightmares about cost and came back under budget by an unreal amount. We made this trip as were we nearing 6K for a week in the Pacific NW. That trip was to replace a gulf beach trip that was going to be $2500 just for the room.

Fact is, all vacations are becoming expensive. It's up to each family to decide if the value remains.
 
I think the whole idea that the expense is going to be worth it year after year is a bit much to expect. Frankly I think it's a sign of what exceptional value it was that people felt like they could go every year and have it be worth it. We went for the first time last year and thought it was great value--but it was all new to us. We somewhat recently went to Paris and the trip was actually a lot cheaper than we had thought it would be. We loved it. But I imagine if we went every year for five years we would start to feel like we could more effectively use our money elsewhere.
 
kydisneyfans said:
We are in the max out the AP for a year then lay low for awhile crowd.
It's not just the ticket cost and Disney nickel and diming that is the problem. Flights are higher. Fuel is higher. Airport parking is higher. Dogsitters aren't cheap. Owning DVC does take the accomodation cost out of it. With AP's and DVC, we can make a couple of trips a year with outlaying transportation and food costs since tickets and rooms are handled. We also have no problem eating breakfast in the room, grabbing a ham sandwich from the fridge, or even cook spaghetti for dinner. Paying $100 for 4 to eat pasta in Epcot is insane-I can spend about 15 minutes in the condo and have the meal made for around $8.

With that being said, we did 10 days in Great Britain in August. We heard nightmares about cost and came back under budget by an unreal amount. We made this trip as were we nearing 6K for a week in the Pacific NW. That trip was to replace a gulf beach trip that was going to be $2500 just for the room.

Fact is, all vacations are becoming expensive. It's up to each family to decide if the value remains.
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Just out of curiosity, where was the gulf beach trip where the room was $2500?
 
luvsJack said:
And of course, it depends on the other vacations you are comparing it to. There are a lot of fun, relaxing vacations spots much cheaper than Disney.
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Yes, totally agree. For me, a beach vacation wouldn't be fun. Don't get me wrong, I love the beach...but only for 3-4 hours. I couldn't do a week of nothing but sitting on a beach for 8 hours, I'd go insane with boredom, as would my kids (DW could tolerate it a bit more). Plus, I go from pale white to bright red...there's no tan here. :D So if we went to a beach atmosphere for more than a day or two, there would have to be tons of other things to do. That adds up in costs...fast.
 
luvsJack said:
There are ways to “do” Disney and make it a lot cheaper. The question is, is it worth it to you to do all that.

We have always stayed Value and have stayed offsite. Dh drives for a living and his favorite thing was getting to Pop Century and not touching the car again for a week. But with the paying for parking—is it worth it? And it’s hard to get that offsite.

There are certainly ways to eat cheaper. Offsite or taking your own food. But for many, character meals, mickey bars, getting that coveted ADR are a big part of that Disney experience. Has it priced people out? And taking your own food might be exactly what some want to do or even enjoy doing. Not me! Cooking, preparing, packing food just isn’t a vacation. I do that every day. I don’t mind grilling steaks at the condo after a relaxing day on the beach but after a day in the parks? No way. Food prices increasing is definitely a consideration for probably most in deciding if it’s still a value.

And of course, it depends on the other vacations you are comparing it to. There are a lot of fun, relaxing vacations spots much cheaper than Disney.
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Exactly.

Most of my vacation time and money is spent on “travel,” meaning it’s the type of vacation where I’m moving from one location to the next, hauling my bags between destinations, navigating my own transportation... Disney is the only resort-style vacation we do. And, if I’m on a resort vacation, I want it to feel like a resort vacation. I want to unpack my things into my room, my home away from home for the next X number of days, and not have to lift a finger until I check out and return to reality.

Staying on a safe, clean, beautifully landscaped property while other people handle the cooking and cleaning and transportation needs for you IS the resort experience. It’s supposed to be convenient and relaxing. If I have to start doing those things myself, then I’m no longer on a resort vacation. If the resort aspect of a Disney trip is lost for me then what’s left is the parks and, honestly, there’s nothing about some man-made amusement parks that is going to compel me to put in that much money and energy to experience, especially when I’ve already experienced them before.
 
Klayfish said:
Yes, totally agree. For me, a beach vacation wouldn't be fun. Don't get me wrong, I love the beach...but only for 3-4 hours. I couldn't do a week of nothing but sitting on a beach for 8 hours, I'd go insane with boredom, as would my kids (DW could tolerate it a bit more). Plus, I go from pale white to bright red...there's no tan here. :D So if we went to a beach atmosphere for more than a day or two, there would have to be tons of other things to do. That adds up in costs...fast.
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Definitely.

My sister likes to travel the world on cruises and taking guided tours in different ports. It costs a fortune but they prefer it over having to book hotels and rental cars and finding places to see. Me, I don’t like being “guided” lol. But I see the benefit of it too.

We adore beach trips. We spend a portion of each day on the beach. Late afternoon/evening we go eat and then find other entertainment. Amusement parks, water parks, go kart tracks, music venues, visiting local shopping areas. We stay busy but still don’t spend as much as tickets at Disney. But, otoh, my niece and her family go to another area in the pandhandle and she has said a few times it’s as much as Disney.

And I know what you mean about no tanning. Lol. I can look like a lobster quick. I spend my days under an umbrella unless I am in the water.
 
My kids are in college now. And, for at least the last few years, have had ZERO interest in Disney. And, given the price increases, the insane need to "pre plan" every little detail, the fascination has also waned for me. It's very expensive, no matter how "value" you try to do it. And, it's all a trade off. There are a lot of other places to vacation in this world. Going back to the same place over and over makes no sense to me at all, even if it was a "bargain" which Disney is not. Just not that kind of person. I'd rather see other places. I think I've been 15+ times to Disneyland and Disneyworld over the years, and I'm just not seeing anymore trips in my future at this point. Once I've gone 15+ times to each of the literally dozens of other places I also want to see in this world, I might consider it. LOL
 
We swapped a fall Disney trip in exchange for a trip to Germany next month. (did do a MNSSHP weekend with my DD in Sept. though). For 2 adults, flights from Ohio to Frankfurt, rental car and hotel for 5 nights with breakfast every day came to a total of $1658. Of course we will spend money on eating/drinking/shopping and maybe some entrance fees, but still less than that same amount was going to cost us at a value resort with park tickets.
 
AndreaDM said:
We swapped a fall Disney trip in exchange for a trip to Germany next month. (did do a MNSSHP weekend with my DD in Sept. though). For 2 adults, flights from Ohio to Frankfurt, rental car and hotel for 5 nights with breakfast every day came to a total of $1658. Of course we will spend money on eating/drinking/shopping and maybe some entrance fees, but still less than that same amount was going to cost us at a value resort with park tickets.
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AndreaDM - that's a GREAT deal! Did you use a travel agent or find that flight/hotel on your own? I'm envious
 
2TxAgs said:
AndreaDM - that's a GREAT deal! Did you use a travel agent or find that flight/hotel on your own? I'm envious
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I saw it on Travelzoo a few months ago, it was one of their Top 20 deals. I'm obsessed with that site! The travel agency it's through is Gate 1, but was advertised on Travelzoo. I looked at the flights alone (Delta) and just the flights were way more than the package deal!
 
luvsJack said:
There are ways to “do” Disney and make it a lot cheaper. The question is, is it worth it to you to do all that.

We have always stayed Value and have stayed offsite. Dh drives for a living and his favorite thing was getting to Pop Century and not touching the car again for a week. But with the paying for parking—is it worth it? And it’s hard to get that offsite.

There are certainly ways to eat cheaper. Offsite or taking your own food. But for many, character meals, mickey bars, getting that coveted ADR are a big part of that Disney experience. Has it priced people out? And taking your own food might be exactly what some want to do or even enjoy doing. Not me! Cooking, preparing, packing food just isn’t a vacation. I do that every day. I don’t mind grilling steaks at the condo after a relaxing day on the beach but after a day in the parks? No way. Food prices increasing is definitely a consideration for probably most in deciding if it’s still a value.

And of course, it depends on the other vacations you are comparing it to. There are a lot of fun, relaxing vacations spots much cheaper than Disney.
Click to expand...

That's how my mother feels. Renting a condo with a kitchen? This is how she reacts to that suggestion :scared:
To her, if cooking is involved it is not a vacation. She wants the hotel experience when she can just relax and not work. If that means less vacations, so be it.
 
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