I work as a private tutor. I charge by the hour. In the last two years I have increased my rates by around 6% each year. Why? Because I can. Demand exceeds supply. Why wouldn’t I? I’m not a charity. I’d rather work fewer hours for the same money, so I increased my rates.
Writ large, this appears to be what Disney is doing. They’re not a charity, either.
They are kings of upselling. And I’m a sucker for it. I love the dessert parties and DAH — they make planning easier, and the trips less stressful. In the grand scheme of things — I speak as a solo traveller — they’re not that expensive.
I feel it’s still possible to have a WDW vacation at relatively low cost. If you stay in value hotels, eat at QS restaurants, and have the cheapest park tickets, it’s really not crazy expensive. You still get three FPPs like everyone else. (Well, except the Club Level people who can pay $50 a day for an extra three.) You still get to see the same fireworks and parades.
I’m relatively new to Disney, so I don’t know how much “better” things were in the past. All I know is that the two WDW vacations I have had so far have been the best vacations of my life. And I can’t wait for the next two. I’m hooked. And I have no complaints.
I came here to say the same thing, mikejs78! My family and I love Broadway shows, so even with price hikes it’s hard to say Disney is not worth the money when it’s an entire day of rides and shows.
That being said, it does still add up quickly when you stay for a week and factor in hotel and transportation costs. But I’m not ready to complain about ticket prices yet.
Sure. But Disney can’t control transportation costs. Hotel costs are high in Disney, I’ll grant you that… But you can still find deals and do that relatively inexpensively if you want (offsite hotel, value from Priceline or discount travel agency, etc…)
I’m Canadian and the currency is somewhat a factor. But for those of us who can afford to spend a lot on a vacation, it’s not going to prevent us from going to WDW again. For example, we spent over $7,000 CDN on a 11 day trip to Orlando last year (6 days at WDW) for a family of 4. We’re going again this year for 11 days and plan to stay at the same resort. The only change is that we are going to WDW for 5 days instead. I anticipate that this trip will cost a little more, but that won’t really change our behaviour.
I think it comes down to how much people earn (regardless of where they live) and how much discretionary income they have for things like vacations. Paying an extra 10 per cent this year versus last year is not a big deal to me. However, for those on a strict budget it may result in cutting more corners at WDW, taking a shorter trip or going somewhere else this year. It’s unfortunate, but a reality.
The Backside of Magic did a comparison with ski resort tickets this past week, and Disney compared very favorably with those, especially on a per-hour basis. Also, you won’t get frostbite or accidentally kill yourself at Disney. Usually.
I have seen two people die on two separate occasions on the slopes, and many, many injuries (and I['m not even Ski Patrol). SO if you factor all that in, the cost/benefit analysis definitely favors WDW.
I’m sorry, but I can take a family of 4 to Europe for much less than the equivalent Disney cost. This is a once in a lifetime trip for most. In fact, I remember reading that a significant portion of WDW guests(70%?) were on a first or second trip and had no plans for returning.
Maybe that’s why the parks are getting more and more crowded. If you say, “ok, this will be expensive, but we are only going to do it once,” you can justify that price point.
Yes. I don’t really pay super close attention to crowd calendar. But I do use all the things you mention, 1st and foremost chat and forums. I go years between trips, so it’s really just about keeping a little Disney alive.
