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linedropper
09-01-2010, 12:21 AM
Just seems like Disney is getting way to expensive.

DizneyRox
09-01-2010, 06:52 AM
Don't go... It's not a requirement...

gerald72
09-01-2010, 08:10 AM
It's not a place for bargain shoppers

Tinker Fan
09-01-2010, 09:22 AM
Well you can rather afford it or not, it's like anything else. If it's in your budget you will go and if it's not you will do what is in your budget. Threr are alot more expensive trip out their than WDW. We have researched this and found this to be in our budget. If we don't feel we can afford it we won't go.

Missy_Mouses_Dad
09-01-2010, 09:35 AM
We have looked at various options and WDW always wins. As an example, the Wisconsin Dells is 100 miles away, but a room similar to a value resort is $200 a night (when a special runs). DW usually gets a value in the $79-$99 range. Extrapolated out over 10 days that is $1000..or our flight to WDW and back. Would we rather sit at a water park all day, or do WDW. The choice is always simple for us...

vicster
09-01-2010, 09:41 AM
As an example, the Wisconsin Dells is 100 miles away, but a room similar to a value resort is $200 a night (when a special runs). DW usually gets a value in the $79-$99 range. Extrapolated out over 10 days that is $1000..or our flight to WDW and back. Would we rather sit at a water park all day, or do WDW. The choice is always simple for us...

Going to the Dells this weekend and it is definitely no comparison to WDW and can definitely get quite expensive. (Especially when I somehow end up at Ho Chunk...LOL) I'll take Disney any day.

forever a child
09-01-2010, 10:36 AM
Based on our other vacation choices, WDW is really the most affordable. It will cost my DD and I around $2200 - 2500 for a trip to WDW.

We would love to go White water rafting in the Grand canyon (again) for a week but that will run us over $5000 for the group we go with.

We would love to visit our friends in China but that will run us over $3000. And that is not paying for hotel but staying with friends for the week or two that we are there.

I don't know what everyone else chooses for vacations but we either visit family, stay local or go big! Just depends on our budget!

PopPhan
09-01-2010, 10:48 AM
Although costs ARE going up, compared to other vacation destinations - cruises, location trips (Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, etc.) - WDW is not out of line.

DW and I go to WDW in September (value season,) stay in a Value resort (Pop Century,) and fly out of Baltimore (Southwest.) We spend 10 nights and get MYW tickets with Park Hopper and Water Park options and STILL spend under $2000. I consider that a pretty reasonable vacation.

grumpyguy
09-01-2010, 11:43 AM
don't go... It's not a requirement...

love it!!!

IloveJack
09-01-2010, 12:36 PM
I agree with the others. If it's too expensive, just don't go. We had our trip planned when the opportunity to go on a couples retreat came up. We'd love to spend the weekend with our friends, but the retreat is in Gatlinburg (about 250 miles from us), and for the 2 day trip, it would cost over $500, just for the two of us, and it's just Gatlinburg. That's ridiculous that we can spend less than twice that much and go to WDW for 5 days! We'll stick with Disney.

TheVBs
09-01-2010, 03:03 PM
I agree with the others. If it's too expensive, just don't go. We had our trip planned when the opportunity to go on a couples retreat came up. We'd love to spend the weekend with our friends, but the retreat is in Gatlinburg (about 250 miles from us), and for the 2 day trip, it would cost over $500, just for the two of us, and it's just Gatlinburg. That's ridiculous that we can spend less than twice that much and go to WDW for 5 days! We'll stick with Disney.

This is exactly the same scenario we've run into when trying to plan shorter or closer to home trips.

MizMissy
09-01-2010, 03:30 PM
We are going to NYC in October for a long weekend (four nights) ... hotel prices thus far are in the $300-$500 range per night, with flights, food, plus all places have admission charges ... we are going to spend way more than our May Disney trip. And, although my kids are so excited about seeing NYC, I would be so much more excited if we were doing another Disney trip. :secret:

BluewaterBrad
09-01-2010, 03:41 PM
I really feel spoiled, being a WDW freak and residing in Florida since 1973. We visit three to four times a year on average. WDW trips are very inexpensive for us. We have seasonal APs, and take advantage of room discounts. The only thing that can get pricey is when we overindulge on WDW:beer::beer:!:mickey:

DVC2004
09-01-2010, 04:57 PM
It's not going to ever get cheaper either. But I agree you drop a lot of $$ where ever you vacation. To the poster about Wis Dells- we go there too for just a few days at a time and it always costs alot. It costs alot to vacation period.

darthmacho
09-01-2010, 05:19 PM
I think WDW is a bargain, actually. It's the airfare that puts it over the top. I spent about the same for room, entertainment, and souveniers as I do every year on summer vacation. Free dining helped a LOT, but I was willing to pay for the dining plan if I had to.
Again, the difference, was the extra $1200 I spent on round trip plane tickets. Even that price is probably appropriate, but it's just not as gratifying as spending at WDW. :mickey:

dnickels
09-01-2010, 05:20 PM
I think we've kind of become spoiled in the last decade or so with more and more people being able to go to Disney every year, or even multiple times a year. My parents did pretty well for the small town that we lived in, probably upper-middle class by most bigger city standards and they never dreamed of affording Disney every year. We went probably four times from childhood through high school years (so roughly every four years or so), and like I said, we were probably one of the better off families in town.

And because there have been multiple mentions of the cost of vacationing, I would like to put in a little plug for the national parks / forests of this great country. Entrance fee to every national park in the country for the whole family for the whole year: 80 bucks. Campsites: 5-20 bucks a night. Hiking-free. 84 million acres to explore, tens of thousands of miles of trails. I could go on and on. Just because some vacations may be getting out of reach doesn't mean there aren't great options out there. :thumbsup:

tinksmom02
09-01-2010, 10:16 PM
We booked a weekend in Hershey, PA this summer--for $800 we had 2 nights at the Hershey Lodge, and 1 day passes to the park for 2 adults and 1 child. No food and we'd use our own car to get to the Park, which would cost $$ for parking. Sure, there are cheaper places in that area, but we tried that before and were not pleased. :ack:

When talk of Disney came up we cancelled the Hershey trip. Per night, we get more from WDW, for less money.

I've looked into other vacations (would love a nice relaxing vacation on a beach somewhere) but prices are WAY more than Disney, and airfare is worse, too.

We just seem to get more bang for our buck at Disney.

baldburke
09-01-2010, 11:10 PM
I don't think it is getting too expensive, but I do think they may be getting too chintzy. The dining plan used to be a great deal, but they've hacked it up so much that we've completely lost interest. But dollar for dollar, a week at Disney is no more expensive than a week at the beach!

princessjojo
09-02-2010, 08:43 AM
We've looked at the cost of other vacations, and do so often just to add in some diversity. The cost of our WDW vacation does cost us a bit of money, but we don't tend to go every year either and save slowly, but surely between visits. We also vacation every year in Myrtle Beach during the summer, but only because my mom has a home there. Even pulling out that cost, over a weeks time, we can still spend over $1000 and there are days we do nothing but chill in the house or on the beach. We've also looked at cruises and they would cost us significantly more for a week than disney. Just like everything else, it all depends on what you want, just how badly you want it and how hard you're willing to work and save for it. We're paying cash for our trip next spring, money's already there, but we've had to cut our time from 9-10 days to 7. But I still get my Disney vacation!!

Missy_Mouses_Dad
09-03-2010, 10:24 AM
A couple of things we do to help are:

1) I have a jar for paper money. I clear my wallet of singles, fives, whatever and put it in the jar. by the time we go the following year, there is usually $300 or more in singles alone.

2) We always use our debit card and get the points. After a year's time we are able to get a sizable gift card for DD to use for her own spending money at WDW.

3) Take advantage of 0% interest if you charge the trip.

4) If you have to worry about every penny while on vacation, you probably shouldn't have gone in the first place.

1DisneyNut
09-03-2010, 10:59 AM
I would be interested in knowing how many of you that are saying you think WDW vacations are still inexpensive compared to other vacations, are using the promotions such as free dining and NOT paying full price or either have no children or only one and stay in the value resorts. Disney continues to raise the prices significantly each year but are also continuously running significant promotional discounts to attract guests. We don't go to WDW because we compared it to other vacations and found it to be less expensive. We go when we get the desire to go again. We used to go every year but we feel they have degraded the experience by reducing quality while at the same time raising prices. We don't count pennies when we go on vacation. When we go we do what we want, when we want. With all of that said, when we last started planning a vacation to wdw we priced it on their website and a week staying at the Polynesian was something like $6500 with the dining plan. Even at Port Orleans Riverside it was around $5000. We have three children and prefer to stay in a decent resort because we like the amenities. We hate the value resorts with a passion. We go to the beach for a week and stay in three bedroom condos (instead of a tiny cramped hotel room like those at WDW), go to very nice seafood restaurants that actually have great food, visit the attractions and see shows or whatever and still stay below $4000. A couple of years ago we decided we were tired of staying in the small hotel rooms and rented a two bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for the week at $550 a night and that was with a promo discount. That trip ended up costing us around $7250 and that was with a discount.
We ended up getting a free dining pin back in the spring this year that we could use during the summer so we went to WDW about four weeks ago and stayed in Port Orleans Riverside for a week but it was still close to $4000 even with the free dining pin. We have already scheduled a Caribbean Cruise for next summer and are well below $4000 so we are going to stay on the beach in a condo for a few days too or possibly run over to the magic kingdom for a day.
I just don't get how all of you still think WDW is cheap and are saying it costs more to go elsewhere unless you are using the promo discounts, staying in the value resorts or don't have children. There are a multitude of places we can go and have been to, that were in line with or less expensive than WDW.

BrerGnat
09-03-2010, 11:56 AM
Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but we have NEVER paid full price to go to Disney. We've been going on our own dime for 12 years now (since college) and have scored a discount every single time. I will not pay full price for WDW. If it's not "on sale", I just don't go.

That said, of course it is cheaper when you stay at a Value resort. Of course it is cheaper when you have no kids. We used to vacation at WDW (DH and I) prior to having kids for UNDER $1500 per week total including airfare from CA! This was back in the days of airfare around $200 pp round trip. In 2003, they offered a great military promotion, and we stayed at POR for $69/night, DH got a FREE 5 day park hopper, and mine was only $99. That was a CHEAP vacation!

However, times change. Things get more expensive. By comparison, our first trip as a family was this year, over spring break. We had to spend $1700 JUST on airfare for four! We got a 40% discount on the room, and got discounted tickets through our base's MWR. This trip was a big deal to us, though, so we splurged on the resort and stayed CL. We also went over PEAK season, so the rates were high. Still, we managed an 8 night vacation, in a deluxe resort CL at Peak Season, with 7 day park hopper w/WP & More option, and ALL our food and souvenir expenses for around $6500 total. I felt that it was a good value for what we got, and WHEN we traveled. The trip would have cost HALF that amount had we been able to travel in "Value" season. But, that was the choice we made. Was it expensive? Certainly. Could we afford it? Yes.

I think WDW does an excellent job at making vacations affordable for almost everyone, by offering tiers of resorts, and different pricing during different times of the year. I personally find their "value resort, value time" pricing downright CHEAP. But, that's not the type of vacation I want to go on anymore. It works for LOTS of people, though, and I think that's great!

darthmacho
09-03-2010, 03:56 PM
I would be interested in knowing how many of you that are saying you think WDW vacations are still inexpensive compared to other vacations, are using the promotions such as free dining and NOT paying full price or either have no children or only one and stay in the value resorts. Disney continues to raise the prices significantly each year but are also continuously running significant promotional discounts to attract guests. We don't go to WDW because we compared it to other vacations and found it to be less expensive. We go when we get the desire to go again. We used to go every year but we feel they have degraded the experience by reducing quality while at the same time raising prices. We don't count pennies when we go on vacation. When we go we do what we want, when we want. With all of that said, when we last started planning a vacation to wdw we priced it on their website and a week staying at the Polynesian was something like $6500 with the dining plan. Even at Port Orleans Riverside it was around $5000. We have three children and prefer to stay in a decent resort because we like the amenities. We hate the value resorts with a passion. We go to the beach for a week and stay in three bedroom condos (instead of a tiny cramped hotel room like those at WDW), go to very nice seafood restaurants that actually have great food, visit the attractions and see shows or whatever and still stay below $4000. A couple of years ago we decided we were tired of staying in the small hotel rooms and rented a two bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for the week at $550 a night and that was with a promo discount. That trip ended up costing us around $7250 and that was with a discount.
We ended up getting a free dining pin back in the spring this year that we could use during the summer so we went to WDW about four weeks ago and stayed in Port Orleans Riverside for a week but it was still close to $4000 even with the free dining pin. We have already scheduled a Caribbean Cruise for next summer and are well below $4000 so we are going to stay on the beach in a condo for a few days too or possibly run over to the magic kingdom for a day.
I just don't get how all of you still think WDW is cheap and are saying it costs more to go elsewhere unless you are using the promo discounts, staying in the value resorts or don't have children. There are a multitude of places we can go and have been to, that were in line with or less expensive than WDW.

You make some great points about cost. I still think WDW is a great bargain, yet since I have to save for years to get there, it's hard not to admit that cost is an issue. Again, though, for me the difference is usually the added cost of airfare, longer stays, factoring two kids, and high food costs. The free dining saved me at least $1500, I have to admit.
As for the room, I've spent much more for a lot worse, but I admit the deluxe resorts are actually out of our reach right now because of cost. Thank god for moderates. Wish they had more in this category!
Maybe some day...:mickey:

TheVBs
09-03-2010, 08:56 PM
Well, I'm thinking it's obvious that if you opt for a $550 a night room, you're price tag is going to go up in comparison to other destinations, unless you're paying that same amount for your hotel elsewhere. That is how you want your WDW vacation to be and that's fabulous.

We're a family of four, we have always stayed at ASMu and had fantastic experiences there. Granted, we spend very little time at the resort. We do go during value season, which has the bonus of making it more affordable, less crowded and there are usually milder temperatures. So we pay off season rates and about every other visit we're usually able to take advantage of the free dining plan.

Therefore when we go to other destinations we are able to make value comparisons. We still love going to other destinations, and we don't necessarily pay more for the entire trip - but what we get for our money at WDW is often more. I think the best way I've seen someone put it is "More bang for our buck."

We could opt to spend more for a deluxe hotel or villa, and that would certainly impact the comparison. But, we can't think of a single reason to. We love our value resort. :mickey:

Scrod
09-03-2010, 11:09 PM
We've done everything from value to deluxe, actually have found we enjoy the value resorts. I don't know what my kids would do with a week at the beach, they would go nuts from boredom after 4 hours.

brownie
09-04-2010, 11:54 AM
I don't think it's way too expensive. You can adjust when you go, how long you stay, and how many days you spend in the parks. It can be quite reasonable, especially if you can get free dining thrown in. It still does require a chunk of change, and we can't swing it every year at the moment (at least not spending 8 days!)

DizneyRox
09-04-2010, 12:48 PM
DVC Dues - ~ $800 yr (used almost two years of points this year)
Tickets - ~ $700 (2 APs)
Dining - ~ $1100

That's about $3400 for two people (1 @ 2 didn't really cost anything)

Next year we're doing a cruise at about $2500 (for three people) total. Neither of the above includes airfare, so all in all, the cruise still seems like a pretty good value. No way we're going to spend $900 on shore excursions, we only need a taxi to Charlotte Amalie. We'll surely spend more on "souvenirs" on the cruise, but that's the plan quite honestly.

The problem with Disney right now, is it's getting a lot harder to dine reasonably. I used to maintain that dining was a fairly good value, however the last trip was a different story. Value is gone on dining, and I don't mind paying for quality, but the quality isn't there, the selection isn't there, etc.

It's been a while since we've cruised, but every time we've been, we've always said wow, that was a lot of fun, we need to do that more often. The value has always been there, I would be shocked to see that change. If we were first time cruisers, maybe a different story.

BrerGnat
09-04-2010, 02:36 PM
DVC Dues - ~ $800 yr (used almost two years of points this year)
Tickets - ~ $700 (2 APs)
Dining - ~ $1100

That's about $3400 for two people (1 @ 2 didn't really cost anything)

Next year we're doing a cruise at about $2500 (for three people) total. Neither of the above includes airfare, so all in all, the cruise still seems like a pretty good value. No way we're going to spend $900 on shore excursions, we only need a taxi to Charlotte Amalie. We'll surely spend more on "souvenirs" on the cruise, but that's the plan quite honestly.

The problem with Disney right now, is it's getting a lot harder to dine reasonably. I used to maintain that dining was a fairly good value, however the last trip was a different story. Value is gone on dining, and I don't mind paying for quality, but the quality isn't there, the selection isn't there, etc.

It's been a while since we've cruised, but every time we've been, we've always said wow, that was a lot of fun, we need to do that more often. The value has always been there, I would be shocked to see that change. If we were first time cruisers, maybe a different story.

Cruises are a GREAT value for the money. That is why so many people do them. I love cruises. :thumbsup:

I'm curious, though. Are you taking a DISNEY cruise? Or not? Reason I ask is that I find Disney cruises INSANELY overpriced. Comparing apples to apples (same room types), DCL is "too expensive", I think.

And, also, depending on your vacation style, cruises can be MORE expensive than a comparable Disney vacation. I'd love to go on another cruise, but there is no way that I am going to cram my family into an inside cabin, at under 200sq ft. for a week. I will only do it in a larger, balcony cabin. And, that costs $$$...no matter which cruise line you go on.

Still, I find cruises to be one of the best ways to vacation. I've not been on one recently, though, and have heard the same sorts of stories of cutbacks, "nickel and diming", and food quality (on ALL lines) being WAY down from the past, which makes me hesitant to do another one.

DizneyRox
09-04-2010, 09:25 PM
Not Disney, however if they went to the Caribbean in the summer it may have been considered. You are right, they are insanely overpriced! It's somewhat ridiculous actually.

The above $2500 gets us into an E1 on RCCL, which is an outside balcony room. E1 may be wrong, I'm sure it's outside balcony, I wouldn't have it any other way. We could probably upgrade to a JR suite and still beat our last Disney cost.

Were up for a change. Were not sure what to expect with RCCL, but have never been disappointed (third RCCL cruise) but I do know what to expect at Disney, and I'm willing to take my chances.

IloveDisney71
09-04-2010, 09:53 PM
If you get a PIN code or going during the "off season" you can get a better deal at Disney. If you are willing to stay at a Value or Moderate resort you can also get a better deal on your stay. Disney can be done on a budget or you can go all out and stay at the Deluxe resorts and not worry about going during the off season or waiting for a PIN code. If you eat at the counter service restaurants instead of table service restaurants you can save money. It all depends on what type of experience you want to have while you are there. We've had all kinds of different trips to Disney. We've been during different months of the year. We've had short trips and long trips. We've stayed at Values, Mods, and Deluxe. We've eaten only at counter service, paid out of pocket for table service, and sometimes opted for the dining plan. It just depended on what type of trip we wanted each time we went and what kind of budget we had at the time. I think it's great that Disney offers so many different options.
There are other vacation options out there that are cheaper but there are also vacation options out there that are more expensive. I recently took a trip to a major league baseball game and spent one night out of town for just my husband and I. The cost for tickets, gas, hotel, and food was close to $400. That's just crazy! We had great seats but geez!
I've also been wanting to go to Ireland for years but it's expensive to do everything I want to do there. I guess if I didn't go to Disney for about 4 years I could finally save up enough money for my trip to Ireland.

1DisneyNut
09-05-2010, 11:24 AM
Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but we have NEVER paid full price to go to Disney. We've been going on our own dime for 12 years now (since college) and have scored a discount every single time. I will not pay full price for WDW. If it's not "on sale", I just don't go.


This is my point exactly! I think this is the case for many people, especially those stating what a great value WDW still is and how they think it is inexpensive. They should price their vacation at full rate and see if they think it would still be inexpensive. Because eventually one of two things are going to have to happen, either Disney is going to stop doing the promos all the time and people are going to have sticker shock or otherwise they are going to have to lower the prices back down. The mere fact that they are constantly running promos and have now offered them a year out should switch a light on above someone's head and say "hey, maybe our prices are too high since they won't come unless we run promos".


Well, I'm thinking it's obvious that if you opt for a $550 a night room, you're price tag is going to go up in comparison to other destinations, unless you're paying that same amount for your hotel elsewhere. That is how you want your WDW vacation to be and that's fabulous.

I think you are missing my point here. When we go to other destinations such as the beach, we stay in three bedroom condos at very nice resorts for significantly less than what a "two bedroom villa" at WDW costs. We pay about $350 to $400 a night vs. $550 with a promo or $650 without in a two bedroom instead of three. They are nothing more than condos but at double the rate. I am comparing apples to apples. If we go to Gatlinburg we stay in a three to five bedroom house in the mountains for $350 a night. You can do the same comparison with the value resorts. If you wanted to go to the beach low cost, you could get a comfort inn a few miles up the road for $39 to $49 a night almost anywhere whereas the all star is $99 to $129 unless you use a promo.




Value is gone on dining, and I don't mind paying for quality, but the quality isn't there, the selection isn't there, etc.


I completely agree. Even with the "free dining" we had this last time, we were dissatisfied with the dining. Quality is out the window and selection is dismal. So much so we threw a day of free dining away and left WDW for a day and went over to the beach to find some nice places to eat. We had lunch and then dinner at a couple of places and both were great. The one for dinner was fabulous. Far better than anything we experienced at WDW this time.



I find Disney cruises INSANELY overpriced. Comparing apples to apples (same room types), DCL is "too expensive", I think.


We priced, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean. Disney was almost double the price. We went with Carnival. We priced another trip to WDW at the same time while we were trying to decide and our trip with the cruise is going to be about $1000 less than a trip to WDW.

TheVBs
09-05-2010, 08:04 PM
Well, I'm thinking it's obvious that if you opt for a $550 a night room, you're price tag is going to go up in comparison to other destinations, unless you're paying that same amount for your hotel elsewhere. That is how you want your WDW vacation to be and that's fabulous.





I think you are missing my point here. When we go to other destinations such as the beach, we stay in three bedroom condos at very nice resorts for significantly less than what a "two bedroom villa" at WDW costs. We pay about $350 to $400 a night vs. $550 with a promo or $650 without in a two bedroom instead of three. They are nothing more than condos but at double the rate. I am comparing apples to apples. If we go to Gatlinburg we stay in a three to five bedroom house in the mountains for $350 a night. You can do the same comparison with the value resorts. If you wanted to go to the beach low cost, you could get a comfort inn a few miles up the road for $39 to $49 a night almost anywhere whereas the all star is $99 to $129 unless you use a promo.


Ok, yes, I do see your point now. I misunderstood, sorry about that!

The least we've paid for a value room I believe was $82, most so far is $110. If we found a similar room off-site, i.e. outside entrance to the room, comparable size, etc., we would certainly pay less. However, we wouldn't get the Disney themeing, there would not be a cafe in the hotel or a gift shop, there may not be any pool at all and if there was, it certainly wouldn't compare to what we get even at a Disney value resort. There would be no movie in the evening, dance party or special activities. We would not get free transportation to the parks, we would either have to pay for transport or drive ourselves and pay parking. Certainly, there's a marked difference in the type of service you're likely to receive. So, I guess my point would be that comparing what we get for our money at ASMu to what we'd get at an off-site place, shows that it's not really an apples to apples comparison.

KEYONNAH
09-05-2010, 08:32 PM
I'm one of those people that has to save for a long time to get to go to Disney, but it's worth it. To me when I finally save enough it's a wonderful treat. I've been taking at least one of my nieces or nephews every time. This time it will be my 6yr old nephew. I'm not worrying about the cost. What's more important to me is the look of excitement that was on his face when I told him that he's going with me in April. He's even helping with all the planning.

dnickels
09-05-2010, 11:54 PM
When we go to other destinations such as the beach, we stay in three bedroom condos at very nice resorts for significantly less than what a "two bedroom villa" at WDW costs. We pay about $350 to $400 a night vs. $550 with a promo or $650 without in a two bedroom instead of three. They are nothing more than condos but at double the rate. I am comparing apples to apples. If we go to Gatlinburg we stay in a three to five bedroom house in the mountains for $350 a night. You can do the same comparison with the value resorts. If you wanted to go to the beach low cost, you could get a comfort inn a few miles up the road for $39 to $49 a night almost anywhere whereas the all star is $99 to $129 unless you use a promo.

I don't think you'd find many people who would disagree with you on this point. It's pretty well agreed that Disney Deluxe is a lesser quality than a true deluxe hotel (of course Disney costs just as much if not more), and the trend continues on down through the moderates as compared to other moderate hotels, and Disney values as compared to outside values. The extra cost can be rationalized in a lot of ways, the transportation, not having to pay for parking, the 'magic' for whatever that's worth. I don't know what those things are worth but quite a few people seem to find enough value in them to pass up the comparable or better accommodations off property.

The good thing is that even if it feels like Disney tips us upside down and shakes all the pennies out of our pockets when we set foot on property, no one is forcing us to set foot there in the first place.

If someone doesn't feel like they're getting a decent value for their money there's an easy way to solve it. Doing anything else just keeps sending the message that customers find appropriate value in Disney's pricing.

Like someone said way back at the beginning, if it feels too expensive for what's being delivered, don't go. :thumbsup:

azcavalier
09-06-2010, 09:07 AM
We also have never paid full price for a WDW vacation. We always find some kind of discount, whether it's free dining, or just the AAA discount. This year (in 25 days, actually), we're having my DW's family reunion. 14 people (7 adults, 7 kids...well, four of the kids are "adults" according to Disney, as they're over ten years old). Anyway, we're staying at POR for seven days, and we've gotten the free dining plan. Seven days at POR, with free dining and a seven day Park Hopper for 14 people? Just under $9000 (exculding travel costs, though most of us live close enough to drive). Do the math....that's less than $100 per day, per person, for food, room, and Park Hopper tickets. That ain't bad at all. This last summer we went to Virginia Beach for three days with my family, and it cost us more than that for food and the hotel, not including other things we did (museums, souvenirs).

1DisneyNut
09-06-2010, 09:46 AM
Like someone said way back at the beginning, if it feels too expensive for what's being delivered, don't go. :thumbsup:

Apparently a lot of people have decided the value isn't there and aren't going. The crowds have been way down and were down when we were there a few weeks ago. I completely agree too and that is why we aren't going to WDW as much anymore. We used to go twice a year and when the value started dropping a few years ago we went from twice a year to once every few years. Instead we are going on trips to the beach, cruises and weekend trips to various places. We are still spending about the same on vacationing, we are just doing it elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, we love WDW but we feel like the value just isn't there anymore. As I had thought, if you read through this thread everyone that feels like they are getting a great value and the price isn't bad clearly state they used one of the promos with the most prevalent being free dining. We used to go during the peak summer season when they didn't have any promos so we had to pay full price and we felt like we were getting a lot of "bang for our buck". Now even with the promos the quality and value has degraded so much it just doesn't seem that great. Thinking it is too expensive or thinking you are not getting value are too completely different things. I don't mind spending the money to get the service I desire but when I pay for it I expect the value for the expense to be there.

BrerGnat
09-06-2010, 12:47 PM
I think, sometimes, the "value" of a WDW vacation (or, frankly ANY vacation) is something untangible that you really can't define.

For us, as an example, our trip to WDW this year was very special. It was our kids first trip there, and it was our chance to really spend some quality time together as a family prior to my DH's deployment. DH works long hours and is often away from home. Having an ENTIRE WEEK where we could ALL be together, to me, is priceless. It never happens in our daily life. Our vacation cost upwards of $6000. But, it was worth EVERY PENNY. My husband, at the end of it, said to me "I don't know how much that just cost us, and I don't care. That was one of the best weeks of my life."

He is currently 4 months into a 7 month deployment. The memories from that trip are what my kids focus on when they think about their daddy.

During that trip, even when we came across something negative, my thought process never strayed far from "I'm so happy right now and feel so lucky that we are able to be here." Disney ALWAYS gives me that feeling. Always. You can't put a price tag on that.

TheVBs
09-06-2010, 12:51 PM
Well, in all honesty, I don't know of any vacation destination that doesn't have off season rates or specials sometimes. We don't pay full rate anywhere we go. Disney offering off season rates and specials at certain times of the year is right in line with any other location. And, if it's working for them and bringing in more people than it would otherwise, why wouldn't they do it? Obviously people are still paying to go in peak, non-discount season as well.

But, I think you summed it up perfectly, it's not the price tag as much as the perception of a good value. We think Disney is a great value and will continue to vacation there every other year, with different destinations in between. We feel that Disney gives us more for our money at their hotels and theme parks. Most importantly however, we have some of the most amazing family moments there that are priceless.

So, absolutely, if you don't feel you're getting good value, you should choose a destination that you feel is worth putting your money towards. We all have to make that choice.

TheVBs
09-06-2010, 12:53 PM
I think, sometimes, the "value" of a WDW vacation (or, frankly ANY vacation) is something untangible that you really can't define.

For us, as an example, our trip to WDW this year was very special. It was our kids first trip there, and it was our chance to really spend some quality time together as a family prior to my DH's deployment. DH works long hours and is often away from home. Having an ENTIRE WEEK where we could ALL be together, to me, is priceless. It never happens in our daily life. Our vacation cost upwards of $6000. But, it was worth EVERY PENNY. My husband, at the end of it, said to me "I don't know how much that just cost us, and I don't care. That was one of the best weeks of my life."

He is currently 4 months into a 7 month deployment. The memories from that trip are what my kids focus on when they think about their daddy.

During that trip, even when we came across something negative, my thought process never strayed far from "I'm so happy right now and feel so lucky that we are able to be here." Disney ALWAYS gives me that feeling. Always. You can't put a price tag on that.

:ditto: I love what your husband said! That's exactly how we've felt after our trips. :mickey:

princessjojo
09-08-2010, 10:25 AM
Cruises are a GREAT value for the money. That is why so many people do them. I love cruises. :thumbsup:

I'm curious, though. Are you taking a DISNEY cruise? Or not? Reason I ask is that I find Disney cruises INSANELY overpriced. Comparing apples to apples (same room types), DCL is "too expensive", I think.

And, also, depending on your vacation style, cruises can be MORE expensive than a comparable Disney vacation. I'd love to go on another cruise, but there is no way that I am going to cram my family into an inside cabin, at under 200sq ft. for a week. I will only do it in a larger, balcony cabin. And, that costs $$$...no matter which cruise line you go on.

We are "on the same boat" quite frankly. With 2 teenage boys, DH and myself, a standard oceanview room on a cruise ship is quite cramped so we look for adjoining rooms, but still won't fork out the cost of DCL, even when/if we were able to use DVC points. Won't say I wouldn't do it, but it's not my first choice. It all goes back to how badly do I want this and where am I willing to sacrifice. We will probably still take the cruise, but will think long and hard before we book.

Yes, the cost of my dues can seem a lot, but when broken down, $800 for a week in a 2br villa is a really great deal at the right time of year, and even if I have to use 1 1/2 years of points, it's still a lot of room for the money. But yes, they do take my money in ticket prices and dining. Oh well... BTW I looked at what the cost of a comparable condo would be where we vacation on the beaches of NC & SC and would be $1500-$3500 for the same length of time and not generally any packages or discounts to ease the pocket pain... Sure am glad my parents have homes along our beaches.

baldburke
09-08-2010, 11:26 PM
Apparently a lot of people have decided the value isn't there and aren't going. The crowds have been way down and were down when we were there a few weeks ago.

Okay, so you just went but now you are going to say it was too expensive? It just sounds like sour grapes to me. Maybe you are trying to convince yourself so you can justify not going anymore.

Anyway, have you been living in the US since....well, anytime? Except for the fake real estate boom mid-decade, the country has essentially been lousy the last ten years. And this is especially true of the last three or four years.

Many people are just trying to hold on to jobs. Some are having to cope with the idea of earning less and stretching it further. I don't think it is any surprise that Disney is down because all leisure and travel are down across the board. Hawaii and Las Vegas are reeling from their lost tourism dollars!

Disney might not be for everyone, but we appreciate the opportunity to go when our vacation fund will allow.

1DisneyNut
09-16-2010, 07:59 AM
Okay, so you just went but now you are going to say it was too expensive? It just sounds like sour grapes to me. Maybe you are trying to convince yourself so you can justify not going anymore.


Actually I have been saying there was less and less value at WDW for several years now, beginning before the recession. However we have still been several times since. We used to go twice a year, dropped to once a year and now we are just going to skip the next year or two. Next year we are going on a cruise. I don't get the "sour grapes" statement. If we wanted to go to WDW we could go next week or anytime we want. We just feel we aren't getting what we are paying for anymore. Of course I have been going my entire life so I have witnessed the erosion of service and quality first hand. Honestly what irritates me the most is as you pointed out the economy has been terrible the past decade but in case you haven't been keeping up, disney has continued to increase the prices EVERY single year without missing a beat. At the same time, they have to continuously run promos like free dining which more than offset the price increases to attract customers. The point I have been trying to make is most everyone that is stating what a great value they think wdw still is are taking trips using these promos. Take the promos away (which will happen as soon as the economy recovers) and see if you think it is still a great value. Ten years ago we used to go during peak season in the summer without any promos, paying full price and it was a great value. Now the rooms are over priced, the dining is mediocre at best, they have eliminated shows and services.

azcavalier
09-16-2010, 09:12 AM
Actually I have been saying there was less and less value at WDW for several years now, beginning before the recession. However we have still been several times since. We used to go twice a year, dropped to once a year and now we are just going to skip the next year or two. Next year we are going on a cruise. I don't get the "sour grapes" statement. If we wanted to go to WDW we could go next week or anytime we want. We just feel we aren't getting what we are paying for anymore. Of course I have been going my entire life so I have witnessed the erosion of service and quality first hand. Honestly what irritates me the most is as you pointed out the economy has been terrible the past decade but in case you haven't been keeping up, disney has continued to increase the prices EVERY single year without missing a beat. At the same time, they have to continuously run promos like free dining which more than offset the price increases to attract customers. The point I have been trying to make is most everyone that is stating what a great value they think wdw still is are taking trips using these promos. Take the promos away (which will happen as soon as the economy recovers) and see if you think it is still a great value. Ten years ago we used to go during peak season in the summer without any promos, paying full price and it was a great value. Now the rooms are over priced, the dining is mediocre at best, they have eliminated shows and services.

Ahh....but as the economy recovers, as they start doing away with promos, people will stop coming because without promos, it will be too expensive, so Disney will have to cut prices, thus increasing the value.

It will all even out. Right now they're trying to even it out with promos while times are tough. IF we get to the point where times aren't as tough, they'll still want the parks full. What good does an empty park do for Disney? None, whatsoever. Yes, they're in the business of making money, but if they can't get people in the parks, then they're not making money. Their pricing will reflect the demand for their product.

You've been going for years and say that service and quality have declined. I can't disagree with that, because i've only been going for eight years. In those eight years, I haven't seen a decrease in either quality OR service. The only thing i've noticed is menu changes.

LudwigVonDrake
09-16-2010, 08:12 PM
"is getting way to expensive"?

Too late! :D

Jared
09-16-2010, 08:59 PM
Just seems like Disney is getting way to expensive.
Disney charges prices it expects people to pay at a rate that allows the company to make large profits. The bigwigs care not about the average person, struggling now just to feed their family. As long as enough folks agree to pay the exorbitant prices, nothing will change. Reality stinks sometimes.

I rarely say this, but I agree with DisneyRox.

BellesRose
09-17-2010, 12:23 AM
Unfortunately, it's just getting worse. Disney now offers a special "in-room" package that makes you a Princess. After looking at it, I fell in love. I'm not the "princess" type of girl, but it's pretty amazing. I figured it would be at least $100 but I could treat myself for my birthday. It turns out that it's almost $500. I know millionaires that would not spend that on a crown and some goodies. It's all greed, plain and simple. Even if I had the money, I couldn't justify the price, especially not when so many people in our country are struggling. I understand that Disney is a company and is there to make money, but I have to admit that I am still a bit disappointed.

BrerGnat
09-17-2010, 11:50 AM
Unfortunately, it's just getting worse. Disney now offers a special "in-room" package that makes you a Princess. After looking at it, I fell in love. I'm not the "princess" type of girl, but it's pretty amazing. I figured it would be at least $100 but I could treat myself for my birthday. It turns out that it's almost $500. I know millionaires that would not spend that on a crown and some goodies. It's all greed, plain and simple. Even if I had the money, I couldn't justify the price, especially not when so many people in our country are struggling. I understand that Disney is a company and is there to make money, but I have to admit that I am still a bit disappointed.

Uh, this is a Premium Experience. How can you complain that it's "all greed, plain and simple?" This looks like quite an ornate collection of "goodies". For $100, I'd expect cheap plastic stuff. They have to make a profit, after all. I think a price point of $500 is about right, considering the high cost of something as simple as an in room flower arrangement...

Sorry, but I feel no sympathy for people who are upset that they can't "afford" to spend $500 to "feel like a Princess." THAT is something that people do PURELY when they have throw away money. It's not anything that we should criticize Disney for profiting from.

It's actually one of those things that I have to give them credit for. There IS a market for this type of thing, and they are exploiting it. Good for them! If it puts gobs of money in their pockets, and it's something that is PURELY optional, then more power to them for offering it, and more power to those people who will plunk down the dough to make it happen.

Cinderelley
09-21-2010, 01:44 AM
I have to agree with the original poster. Disney is getting expensive. I am able to go when I would like to, but I know many others who can't afford it - no matter how much they try to scrimp and save. Those same people couldn't afford the Wisconsin Dells or New York City as others have talked about. Those places are expensive also. Comparing WDW to them does not mean it isn't expensive.
One of my friends goes to a small town just north of Phoenix for one weekend with her husband and that is their vacation. They could never afford any of the trips that some take for granted. I took her to WDW one year. She thoroughly enjoyed herself, but I bet in the end, the time she spends with her husband in a small town for a lot less, means a lot more to her.

Mogie
09-21-2010, 11:35 AM
It is expensive but oh so worth it, and there are many ways to minimize your cost.

-Try a value resort for under $100 per night.
A) Use the buses, avoid paying for a car and parking.

-Dont get the park hopper and plan on only 1 park per day.

-Use the dining plan. Fill in the gaps by packing your own food.

-Book your flights way in advance. Try to use miles if you have any saved.

-Go during a time when park crowds are at its lowest.
This will allow you to:
A) go on every ride in the park with very short waits 5-10 min.
B) Shorten your trip to only 4 or 5 days enough time for a trip to 1 park per day and youre done.

Buy souvenirs online on the disney store ahead of time and pack them with you to give to your kids. Avoid buying souvenirs in the park.

Frog
09-21-2010, 12:39 PM
so, disney knows what it has and is doing... and are good at getting us to pay a bit more than we might want...
the part that bugs me is that i feel somewhat picked on because my fam is five, and on top of that, my career choice will not let me go any time other than peak.. Oh well, we just go every seven years instead of every year!

TheVBs
09-22-2010, 08:21 AM
My wife said "Not going is not an option let's figure something out". So we did.

Love this! :mickey: She sounds like me when it comes to our every other year trip to WDW.

princessgirls
09-22-2010, 10:29 AM
My husband and I think Disney is a pretty good deal, and if you are trying to get the most bang for your buck, go during Value Season or when there is some sort of promo, such as the "free" dining.

Truly, I think it can be affordable. We like to do a few things during the year, so staying at a Deluxe resort is out of the question for us, but I'll take a week at the Pop, if it means I get a week in Disney with all the magic!!
The airfare does add another $1,000 to the trip, but I don't rent a car once I'm there and that saves, and TIME is MONEY.
Dollar for Dollar and planning your trip at the right time of the year, I think you will see that it is a good value for all you get.
Julie:mickey:

BigRedDad
09-22-2010, 11:36 AM
There are many ways to do WDW on the VERY cheap. You just have to be willing to settle.

#1 Camp instead of staying in a room. If you get a group of a couple people, you can put 2-3 families on 1 site. Example: $50 per night x 10 nights = $500

#2 Bring your own food and don't purchase WDW food. You have to eat at home, you can do the same camping. Saves a ton. Example: $0 difference than being at home.

Based on this and having to purchase 4 tickets for ~$1200, this is a vacation for 4 to WDW for 11 days for $1700. That is pretty darn cheap. Now, if you don't like this idea, then your standards and desires are different.

Cinderelley
09-22-2010, 11:37 AM
There are many ways to do WDW on the VERY cheap. You just have to be willing to settle.

#1 Camp instead of staying in a room. If you get a group of a couple people, you can put 2-3 families on 1 site. Example: $50 per night x 10 nights = $500

#2 Bring your own food and don't purchase WDW food. You have to eat at home, you can do the same camping. Saves a ton. Example: $0 difference than being at home.

Based on this and having to purchase 4 tickets for ~$1200, this is a vacation for 4 to WDW for 11 days for $1700. That is pretty darn cheap. Now, if you don't like this idea, then your standards and desires are different.

I wouldn't call $1700 on the VERY cheap.

There are many people who like this idea, but can't afford $1700. Whereas in June, I went camping with some of my kids' friends' families. The tent site was $11/night x 10 nights = $110. They brought their own food = $0. No tickets to purchase, although it was $30 pp for the horseback riding one day = $120 for 4. That total is $230 compared to $1700. Additionally, the camp site was a 3 hour drive - compared to a 6 hour flight to WDW - even cheaper.

Yes, WDW is great, and I enjoy going. But no matter how you slice it, it is an expensive vacation. Even taking the accommodations out of the equation, the price of tickets for a family of four costs more than some people make in a month. There are much cheaper alternatives which provide just as much quality family time.

1DisneyNut
09-22-2010, 12:51 PM
My husband and I think Disney is a pretty good deal, and if you are trying to get the most bang for your buck, go during Value Season or when there is some sort of promo, such as the "free" dining.

Truly, I think it can be affordable. We like to do a few things during the year, so staying at a Deluxe resort is out of the question for us, but I'll take a week at the Pop, if it means I get a week in Disney with all the magic!!


Many of us have kids in school. Value season is pretty much out of the question. We went once during fall break in October but now middle October is usually excluded from many of the promos just for that reason. We don't particularly like the value resorts either and can't stay in them with a total of five family members anyway other than the over priced "family suites" at ASM.




There are many ways to do WDW on the VERY cheap. You just have to be willing to settle.

#1 Camp instead of staying in a room. If you get a group of a couple people, you can put 2-3 families on 1 site. Example: $50 per night x 10 nights = $500

#2 Bring your own food and don't purchase WDW food. You have to eat at home, you can do the same camping. Saves a ton. Example: $0 difference than being at home.

Based on this and having to purchase 4 tickets for ~$1200, this is a vacation for 4 to WDW for 11 days for $1700. That is pretty darn cheap. Now, if you don't like this idea, then your standards and desires are different.

I wouldn't camp anywhere and especially not at WDW. You hit the nail on the head with "Now, if you don't like this idea, then your standards and desires are different." :D $1700 to sleep in a tent and use a public shower sounds ridiculous to me and I wouldn't even give it consideration. I understand some people love camping but it just isn't my cup of tea. Camping seems more like torture to me and I absolutely hate it. Conveniences, amenities, quality with value are top of the list with us when we go on a vacation.


I wouldn't call $1700 on the VERY cheap.

There are many people who like this idea, but can't afford $1700. Whereas in June, I went camping with some of my kids' friends' families. The tent site was $11/night x 10 nights = $110. They brought their own food = $0. No tickets to purchase, although it was $30 pp for the horseback riding one day = $120 for 4. That total is $230 compared to $1700. Additionally, the camp site was a 3 hour drive - compared to a 6 hour flight to WDW - even cheaper.

Yes, WDW is great, and I enjoy going. But no matter how you slice it, it is an expensive vacation. Even taking the accommodations out of the equation, the price of tickets for a family of four costs more than some people make in a month. There are much cheaper alternatives which provide just as much quality family time.

I completely agree. We have been researching and found many things we want to do that are a much better value than WDW at this time. Don't get me wrong, I love WDW as much as anyone here. I just don't like what corporate disney is doing with the place.

BrerGnat
09-22-2010, 01:45 PM
It boils down to this:

If YOU think Disney World is "too expensive", then it IS, for YOU.

thrillme
09-22-2010, 02:55 PM
I've done Disney SEVERAL times but lately it seems like there's an "expense" to "value" ratio that I'm having an issue with...the "value".

I think there are ways to visit Disney "cheaper" than the standard packages. But their "standard" packages have been going up. There's ALWAYS a way to do things "cheaper" if you really work at it. But I cannot envision "camping" in Florida in the Summer...

IF you have the ability to visit when DISNEY wants you to visit (not necessarily when the kids are out of school)...then you can get some really good deals. Otherwise it can be pretty crazy. Last year I tried to plan one...I was used to spending about $2500...the last time It was coming out to over $4000. Eventually the price came down but not until I scheduled something else.

The values are nice but I don't like the "double beds"...The moderates are nice but...again the "double bed" issue (except for CSR and I was not impressed with that hotel at all). If the moderates would replace with Queen beds I'd be more inclined to up their value.

The food has become more costly by quite a siginificant jump (what used to be $19-25 is now over $30) and the quality and service just doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be...in addition you have to call in 6 months ahead of time to get "reservations" :mad:. (oh heavens I HATE this reservation thing). Believe it or not when we "first" started going...the food was very good and you could walk up and get in within an hour or less.

The "magic evenings" we used to pay a miniscule $12 for to stay and play...it was GREAT...now everybody in the resorts can do this...it's no longer a "value" of staying in the resort...now there are tooooooo many people staying late because it's FREE.

Again...there ARE ways to do Disney on a "dime". But they take a lot of work and research to figure it all out (knew one gal who was staying in Florida for an extened time...she went to every "time share" lecture she could get into...collected a bunch of tickets...her husband had quarters paid for by his company...so all they had to do was pay for food and parking...can I tolerate even ONE time share lecture...no).

But in "general"...I feel like the cost of packages have gone up, price of tickets have gone up, price of food has gone up, price of hotels have gone up...so YES...the cost of Disney has gone up. If you really want to go...you have to be open to new "avenues".

In addition too...Just getting to Florida is a pain. If you plan on flying airlines are charging MORE and charging for your luggage too. SHEESH...this isn't "directly" a Disney issue...but still a cost.

YES the cost has gone up quite a bit and it's becoming more "challenging" to plan it.

1DisneyNut
09-22-2010, 03:44 PM
It boils down to this:

If YOU think Disney World is "too expensive", then it IS, for YOU.

Technically, I believe a better title for this thread would have been "Disney World is becoming a poor value" instead of "too expensive". Because of the title of this thread, many of you automatically think those of us commenting on the expense can't afford to go because it is too expensive. If you read many of the posts, you will see that most of us, including myself, are saying the value isn't there anymore. We can, and do go to WDW but every time I plan a vacation there it just seems over priced and the quality and service has been diminishing. I realize it's a choice to go or not to go; everything in life is a choice. We are just discussing the value or lack of value found at WDW these days. These posts stating things like "If you think it is too expensive, then it is for YOU" are unproductive and rather off base for our discussion. All they do is point out the obvious, if you can't afford to go you don't go.

Ian
09-22-2010, 03:54 PM
Technically, I believe a better title for this thread would have been "Disney World is becoming a poor value" instead of "too expensive". Because of the title of this thread, many of you automatically think those of us commenting on the expense can't afford to go because it is too expensive. If you read many of the posts, you will see that most of us, including myself, are saying the value isn't there anymore. We can, and do go to WDW but every time I plan a vacation there it just seems over priced and the quality and service has been diminishing. I realize it's a choice to go or not to go; everything in life is a choice. We are just discussing the value or lack of value found at WDW these days. These posts stating things like "If you think it is too expensive, then it is for YOU" are unproductive and rather off base for our discussion. All they do is point out the obvious, if you can't afford to go you don't go.Nice response overall. ITA and just wanted to echo your sentiments.

We used to religiously visit WDW three times a year at least, but we're down to one at this point. The value and quality of the experience just isn't there anymore.

I wonder ... once this recession is over (and no, I don't mean the "fake" over they're claiming now ... I mean really over), will things change? Will Disney slowly start to add things back? Will attendance and guest spending stay sluggish such that Disney realizes they were off base in blaming everything on the economy? Or will it just be business as usual?

badkitty
09-25-2010, 11:21 PM
There are many ways to do WDW on the VERY cheap. You just have to be willing to settle.

#1 Camp instead of staying in a room. If you get a group of a couple people, you can put 2-3 families on 1 site. Example: $50 per night x 10 nights = $500

#2 Bring your own food and don't purchase WDW food. You have to eat at home, you can do the same camping. Saves a ton. Example: $0 difference than being at home.

Based on this and having to purchase 4 tickets for ~$1200, this is a vacation for 4 to WDW for 11 days for $1700. That is pretty darn cheap. Now, if you don't like this idea, then your standards and desires are different.


Nice plan but only works if you are within driving distance and doesn't have anything to do standards and desires! ;)

GrandFlo
09-26-2010, 04:30 PM
For us Disney is very expensive because.....

1. DS is going into HS and we can no longer take him out of school...so there go the really good room only deals.

2. Anytime school is out for us, the airfare is crazy...ie over $3000 rt for three during President's week ( but that's another issue....my anger at JetBlue and so now we drive)

3. We like to stay at the GF...it would be easier financially if I didn't feel the need to stay here...we may split between a value and the GF next time.

All that being said...compared to other vacations we have taken, for us we find that we get the most value for our money by going to Disney. It is the vacation destination we most enjoy, so it is worth the money to us.

Sorry for the rant.....:blush:

tinka
09-26-2010, 04:40 PM
To be completely honest with you, I have researched every other vacation imaginable. We have 2 teenagers and we have looked at going to Virginia Beach, Cruising, Acadia National Park, Maine and multiple other trips. When compared to Disney if you count gas for driving, meals,hotel and things you would do while on another vacaion...Disney is pretty comparable. We had decided to go on a cruise next year, and once I looked into the options, we decided Disney was actually cheaper!

caryrae
09-27-2010, 04:47 PM
We just returned from a 2 week trip in Egypt and just the airfare alone for 2 adults was $2800. We only spent $500 for the 2 weeks because we stayed with my SIL. Even though we had a nice time, I would much rather spend that money on a Disney trip.

vicster
09-27-2010, 04:50 PM
We just returned from a 2 week trip in Egypt and just the airfare alone for 2 adults was $2800. We only spent $500 for the 2 weeks because we stayed with my SIL. Even though we had a nice time, I would much rather spend that money on a Disney trip.

But what a great experience - EGYPT!!!

princessgirls
09-29-2010, 11:20 AM
Nice response overall. ITA and just wanted to echo your sentiments.

We used to religiously visit WDW three times a year at least, but we're down to one at this point. The value and quality of the experience just isn't there anymore.

I wonder ... once this recession is over (and no, I don't mean the "fake" over they're claiming now ... I mean really over), will things change? Will Disney slowly start to add things back? Will attendance and guest spending stay sluggish such that Disney realizes they were off base in blaming everything on the economy? Or will it just be business as usual?

Business as Usual!
Just my opinion, but I don't really see things changing anytime soon.
On a bright note, I did price out a trip for us in March and it was expensive, and the same trip in August was $1,000 cheaper. I got to go with the cheaper way, as we are a family that likes to do a few different trips in a year.
Julie:mickey:

luvdiznee
09-29-2010, 11:54 AM
Just seems like Disney is getting way to expensive.

And they probably don't plan on cutting any prices. :thedolls: