Are any Disney guests average income people?

[Starport Seven-Five]

Sigh. Can that even be done now? I guess with staying offsite and penny pinching?
lol Even then I wonder. Those were definitely the days!

Only way I can think of getting under that number with a family is credit card rewards points. We have done some crazy low budget trips on those (but we could have used those points elsewhere).

Value resorts are at double that old rate right now and transport from the airport is not included. If I chose a rental car vs a shuttle service then I have to pay to park at the hotel.

Minor correction: Magical Express doesn't go away until the end of the year.

 

[GeneralTso]

Disney has ALWAYS been an expensive vacation. There have been some awesome Disney budget travelers out there who share their tips and can do family vacations for thousands less than typical.

I truly believe Disney is actively working to price out "budget" vacationers. They need the whales to come in and spend like there's no tomorrow. Thing is, there a lot of families that can do that and are. All the complaining about the price of special parties and events, yet they sell out.
I see this most at Disneyland where locals are absolutely being squeezed out. Disney does not want large families bringing in their coolers full of peanut butter sandwiches and treats. They want people buying $4 bottles of water and $11 popcorn. Spending $100 for lunch at one of the restaurants.

So for all that are feeling the squeeze--it's valid. It's sad but true.

 

[MikeTaylor]

I read somewhere that stuffed inside the infrastructure bill is that cash value for Reward Points and cash back from credit cards will be considered income and have to be claimed for taxes.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Disney is a Want… if one wants it.. there’s ways to budget for it.
I’m pretty sure there are middle/average income earners still going.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I read somewhere that stuffed inside the infrastructure bill is that cash value for Reward Points and cash back from credit cards will be considered income and have to be claimed for taxes.

U mean THATS what’s in it… that should be the worst .. laughable

 

[Salf777]

well according to many the main complaint Disney received was that the parks were too crowded. Well if you want less crowds, new attractions, more shows, more nighttime spectaculars and less people there is only one way to accomplish that and it’s charge more. Fortunately at this point in my life I go to Disney whenever I want but I remember years ago my wife and I had what we called a “mouse fund” we would put a certain amount away each week from our weekly budget and also at the end of the day would put away any change or singles we had. We then would even say hey if we don’t buy coffee out we can put an extra few dollars away and if we did things like bring our own popcorn to movies we could save money. Yes these may seem extreme to some but the point is we wanted to go and saved and did everything we could. And of course prices then were cheaper than they are now everything was but never once did it cross my mind to think that Disney was charging too much. That’s what it cost and if I wanted to go I would pay the price. we would stay in what we could afford but preferred staying on property so we would save more and/or go less.

 

[Pickles516]

well according to many the main complaint Disney received was that the parks were too crowded. Well if you want less crowds, new attractions, more shows, more nighttime spectaculars and less people there is only one way to accomplish that and it’s charge more. Fortunately at this point in my life I go to Disney whenever I want but I remember years ago my wife and I had what we called a “mouse fund” we would put a certain amount away each week from our weekly budget and also at the end of the day would put away any change or singles we had. We then would even say hey if we don’t buy coffee out we can put an extra few dollars away and if we did things like bring our own popcorn to movies we could save money. Yes these may seem extreme to some but the point is we wanted to go and saved and did everything we could. And of course prices then were cheaper than they are now everything was but never once did it cross my mind to think that Disney was charging too much. That’s what it cost and if I wanted to go I would pay the price. we would stay in what we could afford but preferred staying on property so we would save more and/or go less.

To be honest man, the fact that you’re going the “utilize radical savings techniques like not buying popcorn at movies and making your own coffee” route just kinda illustrates that you’re way out of touch with what it’s like to be a present-day working class American. Not trying to sling mud, just respectfully pointing out that things are different for people now.

 

[Salf777]

To be honest man, the fact that you’re going the “utilize radical savings techniques like not buying popcorn at movies and making your own coffee” route just kinda illustrates that you’re way out of touch with what it’s like to be a present-day working class American. Not trying to sling mud, just respectfully pointing out that things are different for people now.

Not trying to sling mud but I’m way out of touch? This is the problem I have a different point of view so I’m out of touch if I’m way out of touch with the way things are now I’m thankful for that why because I worked hard and saved I didn’t complain. Things are different now yes they are for me so I’m not one complaining about prices

 

[Pickles516]

Not trying to sling mud but I’m way out of touch? This is the problem I have a different point of view so I’m out of touch if I’m way out of touch with the way things are now I’m thankful for that why because I worked hard and saved I didn’t complain. Things are different now yes they are for me so I’m not one complaining about prices

It’s not really a problem unless you deem it a problem for some reason. Nobody said you didn’t work hard. I said you don’t have any point of reference for what it’s like to be working class person in America right now and, by your own account, that’s true. By definition, that is what it means to be out of touch with a group of people. It’s not a value judgement, it just is what it is.

 

[Salf777]

It’s not really a problem unless you deem it a problem for some reason. Nobody said you didn’t work hard. I said you don’t have any point of reference for what it’s like to be working class person in America right now and, by your own account, that’s true. By definition, that is what it means to be out of touch with a group of people. It’s not a value judgement, it just is what it is.

Oh I’m sorry obviously you know what I do and anyone else who has my same opinions. We are out of touch. We don’t work we had everything handed to us. Life was so much easier. Life has always been hard for working class Americans difference is some don’t blame the times for their own inability to get ahead. It’s ironic the whole point of my original post was to say we did what we had to if we wanted to go and not blame the cost of where we wanted to go and you come along and say “you have no idea what it’s like for working class Americans” totally missing the point. We didn’t have to go to Disney but we wanted to so if we had to do these things to afford a better trip we did. Disney is not a right as people like you seem to think that life is so hard and different now you want to blame every establishment because you can’t afford it it must be that they are charging too much. Might want to look at your own position before reading one post from someone and saying they are out of touch. But you go ahead from your high horse and sit there and continue to disparage us out of touch people and we will go on living our beautiful lives in our ivory towers because we came from a time when it was so easy to get ahead in America. Boy I love my life heck I think I’ll take a last minute trip to Disney fly first class and stay at the Grand Floridan and take the new VIP tour they have. Can’t everyone do this why was a working class American in the past yes only us not now because it’s different now.

 

[Turksmom]

I believe @Pickles516's point was that in the past, saving in the ways suggested by @Salf777, meant that Disney vacations were affordable at more income levels. To pay for a Disney vacation now, the number of movie popcorns and pizzas you would have to forego isn't realistic. You have to have a high enough income to have things you can cut out to stretch your vacation dollars and you have to have at least a base amount of money for vacation to begin with.
I was able to pay for my college with no loans (in the late '80s/early '90s) by working one full time and two part time jobs. My DD21 is attending the same school now and there is no way she could pay the tuition the same way. Times do change

 

[Pickles516]

Oh I’m sorry obviously you know what I do and anyone else who has my same opinions. We are out of touch. We don’t work we had everything handed to us. Life was so much easier. Life has always been hard for working class Americans difference is some don’t blame the times for their own inability to get ahead. It’s ironic the whole point of my original post was to say we did what we had to if we wanted to go and not blame the cost of where we wanted to go and you come along and say “you have no idea what it’s like for working class Americans” totally missing the point. We didn’t have to go to Disney but we wanted to so if we had to do these things to afford a better trip we did. Disney is not a right as people like you seem to think that life is so hard and different now you want to blame every establishment because you can’t afford it it must be that they are charging too much. Might want to look at your own position before reading one post from someone and saying they are out of touch. But you go ahead from your high horse and sit there and continue to disparage us out of touch people and we will go on living our beautiful lives in our ivory towers because we came from a time when it was so easy to get ahead in America. Boy I love my life heck I think I’ll take a last minute trip to Disney fly first class and stay at the Grand Floridan and take the new VIP tour they have. Can’t everyone do this why was a working class American in the past yes only us not now because it’s different now.

You seem to be reading a whole lot of things that I’m not writing.

 

[josa3279]

I believe @Pickles516's point was that in the past, saving in the ways suggested by @Salf777, meant that Disney vacations were affordable at more income levels. To pay for a Disney vacation now, the number of movie popcorns and pizzas you would have to forego isn't realistic. You have to have a high enough income to have things you can cut out to stretch your vacation dollars and you have to have at least a base amount of money for vacation to begin with.
I was able to pay for my college with no loans (in the late '80s/early '90s) by working one full time and two part time jobs. My DD21 is attending the same school now and there is no way she could pay the tuition the same way. Times do change

I
I think that the OP was making a statement about how expensive Disney is and what they did to save for it Hello! read half the comments on this board and people are talking about how they have to do without to afford their Disney vacation. To generalize someone as out of touch is the whole problem with the board today. I’m in a different situation so others are out of touch. That’s what’s truly offensive. You made an eloquent post about how things are truly different right now. Where this other person just turned around and called him out of touch oh that’s the very problem with so many things today. Someone’s unhappy with their life so they try and pull people down to their level rather than have an intelligent discussion they resort to calling people out of touch these boards are supposed to be a place where people can exchange ideas and talk about how they see things not get insulting

 

[Pickles516]

I
I think that the OP was making a statement about how expensive Disney is and what they did to save for it Hello! read half the comments on this board and people are talking about how they have to do without to afford their Disney vacation. To generalize someone as out of touch is the whole problem with the board today. I’m in a different situation so others are out of touch. That’s what’s truly offensive. You made an eloquent post about how things are truly different right now. Where this other person just turned around and called him out of touch oh that’s the very problem with so many things today. Someone’s unhappy with their life so they try and pull people down to their level rather than have an intelligent discussion they resort to calling people out of touch these boards are supposed to be a place where people can exchange ideas and talk about how they see things not get insulting

You seem to be making a lot of assertions that I never said anywhere.

 

[josa3279]

I think your reply is leading people to make assertions. Your opinion is certainly valid and welcome but see I look at the other guys post like this. A cup of Starbucks is what $5 now so two people giving up one Starbucks a day is $10 a day saved. Then they go out to dinner once less a week that’s let’s say $50 a week saved those 2 small things works out to $6250 a year. That’s a decent Disney trip for 2 people in my mind. Unless I’m out of touch too. You comment was honestly rude and condescending. You called them out of touch instead of saying hey I disagree with you and here’s why. I’m happy to hear anyone’s point of view and from what the other guy said I can think and say yeah I could see how he could save over $6000 a year very easily if he wanted to. Then I read your comment with no explanation and I think wow that guy is in a bad place and not happy with his life

 

[Pickles516]

I think your reply is leading people to make assertions. Your opinion is certainly valid and welcome but see I look at the other guys post like this. A cup of Starbucks is what $5 now so two people giving up one Starbucks a day is $10 a day saved. Then they go out to dinner once less a week that’s let’s say $50 a week saved those 2 small things works out to $6250 a year. That’s a decent Disney trip for 2 people in my mind. Unless I’m out of touch too. You comment was honestly rude and condescending. You called them out of touch instead of saying hey I disagree with you and here’s why. I’m happy to hear anyone’s point of view and from what the other guy said I can think and say yeah I could see how he could save over $6000 a year very easily if he wanted to. Then I read your comment with no explanation and I think wow that guy is in a bad place and not happy with his life

I’m actually really happy with my life, and it’s interesting that people take being out of touch with previous generations, later generations, or people with different economic experiences as an insult. If we’re looking at your own example, it comes from an assumption that the average working class couple is eating out frequently and getting 2 Starbucks a day. That isn’t reality for most working class people. If your vision of being a working class person in America today is daily Starbucks and a few dinners out a week then, yes, you are out of touch with what it means to be working class in America today. That’s not an insult, it’s just not how most people live their lives, and to be unaware of that is ok.

 

[josa3279]

I’m actually really happy with my life, and it’s interesting that people take being out of touch with previous generations, later generations, or people with different economic experiences as an insult. If we’re looking at your own example, it comes from an assumption that the average working class couple is eating out frequently and getting 2 Starbucks a day. That isn’t reality for most working class people. If your vision of being a working class person in America today is daily Starbucks and a few dinners out a week then, yes, you are out of touch with what it means to be working class in America today. That’s not an insult, it’s just not how most people live their lives, and to be unaware of that is ok.

Now that’s a valid response! That’s something I can think about. Even if it comes from a rude and condescending place. That’s not an insult just a statement on how you may be unaware that you can sound rude

 

[cdh]

I’m curious, how are things different now? I want to say that my question is, in no way, meant to be snarky….sometimes it’s hard to read tone in posts. I don’t know what it’s like to be 25 in 2021 but I know what it is like to worry about finances. I don’t think that I’m out of touch but I am in a different situation than when I was younger. I guess that people who started out without much money and eventually established some level of financial security don’t like being treated as if we are out of touch.

Like salf777 my family grew into being able to afford Disney but that came with sacrifice. I know what it’s like to worry about bills. However, we made some really tough choices. The truth is that we didn’t enjoy worrying about bills and we did everything that we could to get out of that situation. Now, like salf777, we can go to Disney and not worry about the cost but it took years of sacrifice to get to this point.

One thing that I wonder about is whether or not people in situations like ours will choose to afford Disney. I’m usually fairly frugal, that comes from childhood poverty, and I don’t like to pay more than I think something is worth. If Disney was charging me 40 percent more and I was getting 40 percent more then I’d be happy to pay it. Right now they are charging more and giving less and I am not sure if my family will choose to go or not. Like I said before we are frugal but Disney was the exception because it truly felt magical.

Here is one example, a few years ago you could get a fast pass for fireworks viewing. Today, to get the same benefit, for my family of three it’s about $300 for a dessert party to view the fireworks in the same area that use to be free. I’ve been to those dessert parties….IMO they aren’t that special. They have bunches of small desserts and cheap beer/wine. There is always some jerk that tries to push their way in front of us. To me it’s not worth it and I won’t pay it but, if I’m being honest, I’m super annoyed that they’ve made this change. They could have asked me to pay for new things and I wouldn’t have minded but charging for things that used to be free is a different story. I know that someone will point out that the dessert parties were never free and that’s true but now the fireworks viewing is only available if you pay for the party. That wasn’t the case a few years ago.

 

[Pickles516]

I’m curious, how are things different now? I want to say that my question is, in no way, meant to be snarky….sometimes it’s hard to read tone in posts. I don’t know what it’s like to be 25 in 2021 but I know what it is like to worry about finances. I don’t think that I’m out of touch but I am in a different situation than when I was younger. I guess that people who started out without much money and eventually established some level of financial security don’t like being treated as if we are out of touch.

Like salf777 my family grew into being able to afford Disney but that came with sacrifice. I know what it’s like to worry about bills. However, we made some really tough choices. The truth is that we didn’t enjoy worrying about bills and we did everything that we could to get out of that situation. Now, like salf777, we can go to Disney and not worry about the cost but it took years of sacrifice to get to this point.

One thing that I wonder about is whether or not people in situations like ours will choose to afford Disney. I’m usually fairly frugal, that comes from childhood poverty, and I don’t like to pay more than I think something is worth. If Disney was charging me 40 percent more and I was getting 40 percent more then I’d be happy to pay it. Right now they are charging more and giving less and I am not sure if my family will choose to go or not. Like I said before we are frugal but Disney was the exception because it truly felt magical.

Here is one example, a few years ago you could get a fast pass for fireworks viewing. Today, to get the same benefit, for my family of three it’s about $300 for a dessert party to view the fireworks in the same area that use to be free. I’ve been to those dessert parties….IMO they aren’t that special. They have bunches of small desserts and cheap beer/wine. There is always some jerk that tries to push their way in front of us. To me it’s not worth it and I won’t pay it but, if I’m being honest, I’m super annoyed that they’ve made this change. They could have asked me to pay for new things and I wouldn’t have minded but charging for things that used to be free is a different story. I know that someone will point out that the dessert parties were never free and that’s true but now the fireworks viewing is only available if you pay for the party. That wasn’t the case a few years ago.

I’m 100% with you regarding my stance on Disney. My issue is not, and has never been, that Disney is expensive. That’s a given. My issue, like yours, is that if I’m going to spend a whole bunch of money, I want to feel like I spent that money on a unique experience. I’m not saying Disney should be cheap, I’m saying that for a lot of people Disney is like a “once in a lifetime” experience and should feel that way if people are going to be spending the money to be there.

In terms of things being different now than in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, etc. - that’s a really broad and deep topic that is probably beyond the scope of this thread. Some things to look at though are wage stagnation, inflation, disproportionately rising housing costs, interest rates and lending practices and job security.

A quick anecdotal example, what was the cost of your starter home(this is a rhetorical question, I don’t expect anyone to answer)? Our starter home cost half a million dollars. That’s a vastly different experience than my parents for example who paid $25,000 for theirs with a $2,000 down payment at something like 2% interest.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I think your reply is leading people to make assertions. Your opinion is certainly valid and welcome but see I look at the other guys post like this. A cup of Starbucks is what $5 now so two people giving up one Starbucks a day is $10 a day saved. Then they go out to dinner once less a week that’s let’s say $50 a week saved those 2 small things works out to $6250 a year. That’s a decent Disney trip for 2 people in my mind. Unless I’m out of touch too. You comment was honestly rude and condescending. You called them out of touch instead of saying hey I disagree with you and here’s why. I’m happy to hear anyone’s point of view and from what the other guy said I can think and say yeah I could see how he could save over $6000 a year very easily if he wanted to. Then I read your comment with no explanation and I think wow that guy is in a bad place and not happy with his life

Sure, but that's for two people, the op said families which more often than not have children maybe 2, maybe 3 maybe 4 etc.

With that amount of savings you wouldn't go very far at all, in fact you would probably stay at home.