Some disturbing Disney pricing info

[VH103428]

I think if you want to go to Disney, you will make it work. The prices are going to continue to go up because we continue to go. You can get upset about the price but you shouldn't allow it to ruin your trip.
There are a ton of choices for resorts at all prices. We have paid $45 a night to camp at Fort Wilderness in a tent, stayed off-site, and on-site from Value to Deluxe. In January we will stay at Pop for under $100 per night.
My kids love Pop. We request the VIP Cleaning service and have not had any cleanliness concerns.

 

[JKCDA]

Btw, someone mentioned you can't rely on thing such as pin codes to keep costs down. You can't. But you can't rely on an off site hotel waiving their fees, as another poster mentioned happened to them. If you check and add in the fees, many of them cost more than a Disney value.

I agree with this - my last offsite was 5 years ago and I stayed at a hotel on Irlo
Bronson. We paid something like $40 a night - the hotel was trashy on the outside but the rooms had been renoed and were awesome. I am staying onsite in a value this coming April, and I’m paying $110/night at ASM. The same offsite hotel is now $122 for the EXACT SAME ROOM I had 5 years ago, except now they’ve done the outside of the hotel too.

 

[cruiser21]

Neither. I don't see a reason to be angry all. If you're angry then you should be going elsewhere vacations are suppose to make you happy

I agree. I think there's a lot of addicted, obsessed people on this board that can't let go. Try something new for a few years. Go back or don't go back. Maybe after a few years away doing different things you won't want to go back. You really can't do anything about the pricing so why get angry about it. There's so many great places to visit in the US or abroad.
'

 

[AngiTN]

This is how I feel as well. So many people are complaining about their vacation to Disney. People who went when it was so "inexpensive" and things were "better" seem to hate it but still go and complain instead. I don't understand why. I'm sure there are vacations to suit everyone, it doesn't mean that you can't go back eventually when you may find it better again. I go on many different types of vacations and so far Disney is still my favorite. If that changes I'll go somewhere else more.

I've begun to believe that some people just thrive on having things to complain about. Complaining makes them happy, even if it means they have to be miserable first. Leave me shaking my head trying to figure it out. Folks will moan and complain all while booking their next trip. It's like they can't be happy, or just don't want to find anything joyful so they don't.

We just had 2 very interesting groups at Disney the same time with us. One traveled stayed with us. They made no advance plans, aside from booking a room (we shared a 2 bedroom). Didn't buy their tickets till the day they got there. Were perfectly happy with the FP they found or waited in lines. I booked a few FP for all of us once they got tickets but everything was done on the fly, last minute. This group was happy their whole trip.

Another group was there the same days, again little advance planning, they stayed off site. However, they hated every second of their trip. Left parks after an hour most days because they found them too crowded. They ended up staying at their resort and using the pools there instead. Miserable the whole time.

We all were there the same exact days, went with little planning and didn't even stick to recommended parks but we had polar opposite trips. I believe mindset was the primary reason

 

[cruiser21]

I've begun to believe that some people just thrive on having things to complain about. Complaining makes them happy, even if it means they have to be miserable first. Leave me shaking my head trying to figure it out. Folks will moan and complain all while booking their next trip. It's like they can't be happy, or just don't want to find anything joyful so they don't.

We just had 2 very interesting groups at Disney the same time with us. One traveled stayed with us. They made no advance plans, aside from booking a room (we shared a 2 bedroom). Didn't buy their tickets till the day they got there. Were perfectly happy with the FP they found or waited in lines. I booked a few FP for all of us once they got tickets but everything was done on the fly, last minute. This group was happy their whole trip.

Another group was there the same days, again little advance planning, they stayed off site. However, they hated every second of their trip. Left parks after an hour most days because they found them too crowded. They ended up staying at their resort and using the pools there instead. Miserable the whole time.

We all were there the same exact days, went with little planning and didn't even stick to recommended parks but we had polar opposite trips. I believe mindset was the primary reason

Some people like Disney and some people hate it. Neither one is wrong. I don't necessarily think it's bad planning or mindset. It's just not for everyone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yours is a choice also. I have not been complaining about how much I paid for my trip just that I didn't get a discount and that getting a discount is not as easy as you make it out to be. It works great if you don't care where you stay or when. That is my only point.

Being flexible is in no way the same as not caring.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Because as someone previously stated, many times discounts come out simply to fill rooms and are released too late for some to book. I don't blame Disney for that. It's just smart business. Personal preference. I won't buy airfare or park tickets until hotel is booked. I book the hotel early.

Mmm, not really. Yes, discounts are offered to entice people to visit especially when occupancy rates are predicted to be lower than ideal, but they're typically not offered in response to lower occupancy rates. Discounts are determined well in advance, and released sequentially.

 

[Captainkidd76]

I've begun to believe that some people just thrive on having things to complain about. Complaining makes them happy, even if it means they have to be miserable first. Leave me shaking my head trying to figure it out. Folks will moan and complain all while booking their next trip. It's like they can't be happy, or just don't want to find anything joyful so they don't.

We just had 2 very interesting groups at Disney the same time with us. One traveled stayed with us. They made no advance plans, aside from booking a room (we shared a 2 bedroom). Didn't buy their tickets till the day they got there. Were perfectly happy with the FP they found or waited in lines. I booked a few FP for all of us once they got tickets but everything was done on the fly, last minute. This group was happy their whole trip.

Another group was there the same days, again little advance planning, they stayed off site. However, they hated every second of their trip. Left parks after an hour most days because they found them too crowded. They ended up staying at their resort and using the pools there instead. Miserable the whole time.

We all were there the same exact days, went with little planning and didn't even stick to recommended parks but we had polar opposite trips. I believe mindset was the primary reason

Though I agree with you, that's not what I'm doing here. Just stating observation and opinion. There are those that will defend anything Disney does, but to try and use that as the basis for your argument is just saying "Ok, I give up. This person is just wrong because they don't share my feelings."

 

[Planogirl]

Though I agree with you, that's not what I'm doing here. Just stating observation and opinion. There are those that will defend anything Disney does, but to try and use that as the basis for your argument is just saying "Ok, I give up. This person is just wrong because they don't share my feelings."

I agree! I could easily say that some people won't ever admit that anything could be wrong at WDW but that really doesn't contribute to this conversation. I find reading about the pros and cons to all of this interesting but just gloss over comments that people are wrong whichever side they come from.

I want to add that I find some of the discounts mentioned here pretty amazing. I've looked everywhere I can think of and never find such good deals. It must be when we travel.

 

[ellbell]

Though I agree with you, that's not what I'm doing here. Just stating observation and opinion. There are those that will defend anything Disney does, but to try and use that as the basis for your argument is just saying "Ok, I give up. This person is just wrong because they don't share my feelings."

I am in no way defending what Disney does. I'm indifferent to what Disney does because to keep it doesn't matter. They are a corporate business with their own interests who raises prices on a luxury item. I make the choice to spend my money on Disney while some people will buy a yacht. I think the price of a yacht is disgusting but some people like boats.

The difference is I didn't buy a yacht and say well the price of that yacht is disgusting the people who made that yacht are crazy and then continue to buy a second yacht.

 

[mom2rtk]

My biggest concern is not the price increases but the crowds. How else can Disney reduce the crowding other than raise prices? I don't see Disney ever moving towards a lottery system that only allows entrance if your number gets picked.

They could add more capacity in the form of additional character meals around the resort.

 

[jbhodj]

 

[Captainkidd76]

I am in no way defending what Disney does. I'm indifferent to what Disney does because to keep it doesn't matter. They are a corporate business with their own interests who raises prices on a luxury item. I make the choice to spend my money on Disney while some people will buy a yacht. I think the price of a yacht is disgusting but some people like boats.

The difference is I didn't buy a yacht and say well the price of that yacht is disgusting the people who made that yacht are crazy and then continue to buy a second yacht.

Yeah, I get what you're saying. My only point is, there's nothing wrong with being in the middle. I love Disney and will continue to go as long as I can. At the same time, I see nothing wrong with having an open, civilized discussion about some of the things that I don't love about them. Is it going to change the way things are done? Of course not. But what harm is there in talking about it? If people start posting rude comments one way or the other, I just pass over them. No big deal.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Disney is already overcrowded. Could you imagine if prices were lower? I know people who want to go but it's out of their budget or they just refuse to pay those prices. I'm sure there are lots of people in that boat. If Disney didn't raise prices the parks would be even worse!!!

I know lots of people who don't plan a thing when going to Disney and have an awesome time. They stay offsite, they buy their ticket at the window, they don't get FP+ and they STILL have a great time. Some people plan, stay onsite, do ADR's, do FP+ (or they don't do any of that) and they hate their trip. Disney isn't for everyone and that's ok. Some people on the boards believe if you do Disney THIS way or THAT way (or if that person had listened to them on how to do Disney) they would have had a great time. Not true. Some people just don't like Disney or theme parks and never will.

Disney is catering to the once in a lifetime or one time guests. I work with quite a few surgeons with deep pockets. They take their kids on an obligatory once in a lifetime Disney trip. They stay onsite, in a large suite at a deluxe resort, they do deluxe dining, VIP tours, etc. and they despise Disney after having spent almost 20K on a vacation. They just do it because they feel obligated to take their kids to Disney at least once. Imagine not liking that kind of vacation. lol

 

[DisBuckMan]

Disney is already overcrowded. Could you imagine if prices were lower? I know people who want to go but it's out of their budget or they just refuse to pay those prices. I'm sure there are lots of people in that boat. If Disney didn't raise prices the parks would be even worse!!!

I know lots of people who don't plan a thing when going to Disney and have an awesome time. They stay offsite, they buy their ticket at the window, they don't get FP+ and they STILL have a great time. Some people plan, stay onsite, do ADR's, do FP+ (or they don't do any of that) and they hate their trip. Disney isn't for everyone and that's ok. Some people on the boards believe if you do Disney THIS way or THAT way (or if that person had listened to them on how to do Disney) they would have had a great time. Not true. Some people just don't like Disney or theme parks and never will.

Disney is catering to the once in a lifetime or one time guests. I work with quite a few surgeons with deep pockets. They take their kids on an obligatory once in a lifetime Disney trip. They stay onsite, in a large suite at a deluxe resort, they do deluxe dining, VIP tours, etc. and they despise Disney after having spent almost 20K on a vacation. They just do it because they feel obligated to take their kids to Disney at least once. Imagine not liking that kind of vacation. lol

Agree with all of this.

We have really scaled back our planning for our Disney trips over the last two or three years. No ADR's made before we arrive on property. Minimal FP's. We will be at WDW in 30 days for a trip we've had booked for 8 or 9 months, and we have zero ADR's or FP's planned. Quite honestly, we dig just going with the flow. Low pressure vacationing. I have too much stress at work to worry about whether or not I'm ok making *this* FP when I already have *this* ADR planned and whatnot. Even my 13 year old son prefers this style to having everything planned out for the entire vacation. No disappointments this way.

We've always loved Disney, but we love it even more since we began treating it like an actual vacation.

 

[cadien]

Great Wolf! My friend saw an ad and was going to take her girls. Great rate!!!! I asked her if she had costed it out. Not yet. They did not go.

The resort costs just as much, but their locations make it pay off. They just opened one in Minneapolis. Half a day's drive. Both Anaheim and Orlando are $500/person to fly. Suddenly it's a bargain.

 

[cindyfan]

I get the whole "choice" argument and everything increases in price, etc.
But ..... the fact still remains..... what was affordable, even as little as 5-10 years ago for our family, is NO LONGER AFFORDABLE because of the ridiculous price increases.

 

[tex1989]

Things cost more, it's a fact of life. Some things,shelter, food, water, clothes you have to deal with and pay the price because well you need them to live. Beyond those things it becomes all about choice. You choose what you will spend your money on. I mean in 1984 I bought a new truck and gladly paid $8400 for it, same truck today cost around $35K and I would not touch it with a ten foot pole! In 1977 through 1981 I paid about $250 a semester for 12-15 hours of college at a state school in Texas that included parking, a yearbook, and tickets to football games. Same bill today $8K plus! So the point is everything costs more! Now I cannot sit around and reason about why it costs more, I mean I do not work for the individual companies that produce goods and services so I can evaluate their cost structures, profit requirements and overall business models. What I can do is decide whether the goods and services being offered are something I as a consumer am willing to pay for. Then I either pay the price or don't.

We as Americans have been lead to believe over the course of our lives that we deserve certain things, it's part of our birthright that we should have what we want. Ad's push the idea everyday that we deserve a new better phone, or a vacation to fun and exotic places. Regardless of our financial condition and whether we can afford it or not, we deserve it!

So as I have said in other threads on the topic, my wife and I still find value in a WDW vacation. We spend what we can afford and enjoy ourselves greatly. We do other vacations as well and have a farm 2 hours from home that we enjoy spending time at. We do not sacrifice for WDW vacations, we budget for them. So until one day when we are to old, or to tired, or to financially limited to go to WDW we will continue to go. At that time we decide for whatever reason to stop then we will. But it is our decision just as it is every other single persons decision as to how they will spend their money. Getting upset about what it costs is fair, but at this point in my life I know there are many things I will never do or never own because they cost too much. Fortunately at this time Disney is not in that category.

 

[MillauFr]

They could add more capacity in the form of additional character meals around the resort.

If I were Disney I would start adding additional character meals. Do they have Star Wars character meals yet? Just think how much they could charge for those. Plus I'm sure they'll roll out some after hours mixed drink tasting at the tavern in the new Star Wars land. They could probably charge $100+ a person.

 

[MillauFr]

The resort costs just as much, but their locations make it pay off. They just opened one in Minneapolis. Half a day's drive. Both Anaheim and Orlando are $500/person to fly. Suddenly it's a bargain.

Didn't they already have a Great Wolf lodge in Bloomington at 494 and Cedar? Did they open another one somewhere?