Disney Hotel Prices are Out of Control!

[MakiraMarlena]

if you believe Disney resort prices are too high, then you won't stay at Disney resorts. Lots of other options offsite, at many different price points. You can even rent an entire house for what it might cost to stay at the Allstars, if that floats your boat. Disney don't care, so long as their resorts still book to near capacity. Which they do, despite the prices. although if you are annoyed that you had to stop staying at Disney resorts and move offsite, you may be more prone to take out your resentment on those who will still pay for Disney.

 

[Lewisc]

if you believe Disney resort prices are too high, then you won't stay at Disney resorts. Lots of other options offsite, at many different price points. You can even rent an entire house for what it might cost to stay at the Allstars, if that floats your boat. Disney don't care, so long as their resorts still book to near capacity. Which they do, despite the prices. although if you are annoyed that you had to stop staying at Disney resorts and move offsite, you may be more prone to take out your resentment on those who will still pay for Disney.

Some of the posters think if enough people share their opinion and skip Disney resorts Disney will have to lower rack rates.
Those people live in Fantasyland. Disney will just further reduce the number of rooms.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Some of the posters think if enough people share their opinion and skip Disney resorts Disney will have to lower rack rates.
Those people live in Fantasyland. Disney will just further reduce the number of rooms.

I surely don’t believe that. I actually say more power to Disney. If people are willing to pay then they have every right to charge what they do. But I do believe Disney will hit a breaking point and the economy will eventually have a down turn and then Disney will be forced to offer really good deals to fill their rooms. Just like they did about 10++ years ago. I don’t wish it on them but I think it’s inevitable. What goes up must come down. When that happens I’m sure I’ll take advantage of the deals.

 

[disny_luvr]

Yes the resort is part of the vacation for us. We don't go to Disney for 10 days to be in the parks from 8-10 every day. We enjoy our resort and use the amenities. That's why we won't stay offsite when we do Disney because the resort is part of our vacation experience. If I can only afford offsite I'll pick another destination.

100% this! In fact, I’m traveling home from a Midwest trip as I type this. The resort experience is such a big part of our vacation that we’ll save up and skip years to stay at the resort we want to, which is what we did this year. We’ll travel back to Disney next year, stay on property and enjoy the resort as much as the parks.

 

[bryanb]

I surely don’t believe that. I actually say more power to Disney. If people are willing to pay then they have every right to charge what they do. But I do believe Disney will hit a breaking point and the economy will eventually have a down turn and then Disney will be forced to offer really good deals to fill their rooms. Just like they did about 10++ years ago. I don’t wish it on them but I think it’s inevitable. What goes up must come down. When that happens I’m sure I’ll take advantage of the deals.

I'm also not hoping for the economy to falter, but agree that it will be easy for Disney to adjust if/when they ever need to. In the meantime, the only correct choice is to keep prices high so long as 90% of the rooms are still being filled. The moment that occupancy rates take even the slightest dip, it will be easy to add a few extra promotions to keep the resorts full.

For now, Disney is having no trouble. If the rooms were any cheaper, there wouldn't be any rooms to book at all. For now, for every trip I don't take or stay off-site, there are other people with their credit cards in hand, ready to take my place. It's easier to say that Disney is being greedy or that we're all delusional Kool-Aid drinkers (and that gets a lot of likes on here), but it's just supply and demand.

 

[Lewisc]

I surely don’t believe that. I actually say more power to Disney. If people are willing to pay then they have every right to charge what they do. But I do believe Disney will hit a breaking point and the economy will eventually have a down turn and then Disney will be forced to offer really good deals to fill their rooms. Just like they did about 10++ years ago. I don’t wish it on them but I think it’s inevitable. What goes up must come down. When that happens I’m sure I’ll take advantage of the deals.

Disney is constantly tweaking rates. Most of us weren't expecting the fall discounts and included dining promotions. Disney now offers some inventory to Priceline for sort of opaque bookings via express deals.

Big down turn in the economy. Disney is likely to reduce inventory by scheduling rooms, buildings and possibly entire resorts for rehab.

edited to add
I can see Disney requiring a non-refundable deposit and possibly even full pre-payment as a requirement for future deep discounts. Disney could either do it directly or offer more rooms to third party sites like Priceline which impose those conditions.

 

[AngiTN]

Yes, because if you believe Disney's resort prices are too high, you are a hater.

That is not what I said was ridiculous.
People who think they are not are not brainwashed.
To state they are. Ridiculous

 

[Captainkidd76]

That is not what I said was ridiculous.
People who think they are not are not brainwashed.
To state they are. Ridiculous

Huh?

 

[AngiTN]

I’ll echo others- hotel prices are up everywhere. Someone mentioned Mackinaw/Mackinac- dear Lord, those prices are high for summer weekends, especially the island. There’s a city in Michigan we regularly visit (mainly for nostalgia)- the hotel we stay at is regularly $150+ on a good day, and it’s not modern in the slightest (once again, we love it for nostalgia). A trip I took to “DC” (really North Bethesda) last spring? $250 per night plus fees and taxes, and $50 per night to park your car. Nashville a few months ago? We were lucky to get a room for $300. (The only cheaper option with parking was a hostel, which, fine, but not for this trip.) My extended family spent just under $500 per night for a cabin near Pigeon Forge this summer. (This was actually a good deal, cause there were 9 of us.)

On the flip side, we paid around $80 at a hotel in a non-tourist area while driving back from Florida. My family has paid around $100 per night when they stay near us- also not a major tourist location.

Anyways, we stayed on sit at DW in May, I hadn’t been to DW in 12 years. My husband had never been. We stayed on site because I know how that works. I knew things had changed, but the general concept was still the same. We may consider staying off site in the future if we go again in a few years, or if we go with a large group or split our trip between DW and OS, but we’ll have to weigh the pros and cons.

Exactly
Think Disney prices are high, I say get out more. You'll think they are just peachy. For the most part

 

[Captainkidd76]

Exactly
Think Disney prices are high, I say get out more. You'll think they are just peachy. For the most part

There are far superior hotels in New England at the casinos. On the weekend rates are crazy at $499. That's still about $300 below rack rate for the GF. Even 4 star hotels in Boston run about $299 per night. It's even been said in the official guide for years, Disney hotel prices are much higher than in the real world. Don't expect the same level of luxury or service at a Disney resort as a hotel that's priced the same in the real world.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Exactly
Think Disney prices are high, I say get out more. You'll think they are just peachy. For the most part

I don't think it has to be one or the other.

I can still think Disney's overall price for onsite can be high and see that other destinations out there they've raised too. OR that places have just become that more touristy in feel and thus they can raise the price and still get the business.

But I also stayed for $19 room rate (excludes taxes and fees) for a Thursday and a Sunday night (with Friday and Saturday being higher) at Excalibur in Vegas. I quote room rate because that's what we've been discussing. May not be the Ritz that's for sure but the room was quite fine by us and honestly when we looked around at some other hotels and their pools Excalibur had a very good set up and those other hotels were a lot more expensive even on the non-peak days. I mean if going to a crowded, can't even move, full of drunken people is your idea of fun have at it lol (I'm not speaking to you just talking out loud). We liked the 4 pools (though 1 was an adult only paid pool) that were available to us.

 

[vacationer1954]

Yes, because if you believe Disney's resort prices are too high, you are a hater.

That's not what was said. rotlex said if you don't believe prices are too high then you are "brainwashed" - that's the word rotlex used.

If you think that anyone who sees the value in the resorts, as they are, is "brainwashed", then, yes, you are a hater.

 

[Captainkidd76]

That's not what was said. rotlex said if you don't believe prices are too high then you are "brainwashed" - that's the word rotlex used.

If you think that anyone who sees the value in the resorts, as they are, is "brainwashed", then, yes, you are a hater.

I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roomate.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

after 9/11 when a lot of vacationers were afraid to get on a plane, WDW was closing down entire resorts (POFQ) and halting construction on others (what is now Art of Animation). Back then, you could go stay at the Polynesian for less than they want right now for the Allstars.

If something like that happens again, you are going to see some major discounts. but now? They don't need to offer them.

 

[SaintsManiac]

It's just amazing what Disney gets away with on the deluxe rates. Don't get me started on the club level thing, either.

 

[Tess]

after 9/11 when a lot of vacationers were afraid to get on a plane, WDW was closing down entire resorts (POFQ) and halting construction on others (what is now Art of Animation). Back then, you could go stay at the Polynesian for less than they want right now for the Allstars.

If something like that happens again, you are going to see some major discounts. but now? They don't need to offer them.

Remember those days well--we had Polynesian Concierge (n/k/a Club Level) for under $250 per night (thinking around $239) and prior to 9/aa it had inched nearer $350 per night. Heck, we stayed at AK for a night soon after it opened for $129 per night. We go back to the early 90s in our CL stays--Oh for those prices again given today's rates!

 

[snappy]

It's just amazing what Disney gets away with on the deluxe rates. Don't get me started on the club level thing, either.

Yes! If I am paying those prices I will opt for a true 5 star.

 

[Captainkidd76]

It's just amazing what Disney gets away with on the deluxe rates. Don't get me started on the club level thing, either.

It's slow, but the amount of people willing to pay the asking prices is shrinking. It's natural progression. First you price out the low income. Then you price out middle income, but that's tougher because it's different all over the country. However, as someone who swore he would never stay off property, let alone ever skip a year at WDW, they lost me. We're far from wealthy but we do well and are comfortable. I won't pay it anymore. Not just because the price is too high, but I don't see the value in a WDW vacation as much as I once did. But that's another issue.

 

[Beer Me]

I think Disney prices are too high... but I’m usually convinced to pay for it anyway. To some of you I’m sure that sounds irrational but to me it isn’t. Mainly it’s about time and convenience.

I have precious few hours of vacation to enjoy. If I stay onsite a get 60 day FP window, EMH and close proximity to the parks with transportation provided. All of those add up to time savings, less time in lines and less time in transport. Let’s say it adds up to (conservatively) 2 hours a day NOT in line or in traffic - what price do you put on that?

My favorite are the Epcot resorts. Factor in time savings PLUS the somewhat intangible benefit of walking to Epcot and HS which to me is a very enjoyable way to spent time in and of itself. I would prefer walking even if the boat (or bus, etc) took the exact same amount of time.

So more hours doing stuff I enjoy and less stress and doing stuff I don’t really like. It’s worth quite a bit to me.

But still, every trip we plan I’m taking everything into account. Prices are pretty ridiculous. I’m not die hard “onsite or nothing”. The good neighbor hotels especially are looking more appealing these days.

 

[AngiTN]

There are far superior hotels in New England at the casinos. On the weekend rates are crazy at $499. That's still about $300 below rack rate for the GF. Even 4 star hotels in Boston run about $299 per night. It's even been said in the official guide for years, Disney hotel prices are much higher than in the real world. Don't expect the same level of luxury or service at a Disney resort as a hotel that's priced the same in the real world.

Again, find me someone that pays Rack Rate at Disney. I dare say they do not.
I don't go to the places you have mentioned so no clue what or how they compare. Price you've quoted here seems about the same to me. Not cheaper
I'm only comparing to what I paid on a drive across country last week. Or what we pay when we stay overnight in Knoxville or Nashville. Any of those are within the same exact range as Disney and most, have way fewer services. The only exception was the Resort in Scottsdale. DH mentioned when we walked in that it was just like going to a Disney resort. Even had a scented lobby, views, etc. That was the only room that equaled Disney's resort services and was less expensive based purely on the promo I booked with. Their rack rate was much higher.

As other have said over and over again, don't like the prices. Easy. Don't stay there. What is the big deal? Some are ok with them, some aren't. Neither side is right or wrong (or brainwashed)