We are there

Here's an idea for Disney. Build a remote parking lot on the outskirts of property, sort of like the economy lot at the airport. Charge a daily fee to park there but at a reduced rate from the resort parking - maybe $8-10/day. Let that be for people who need to store their cars during their stay but don't plan to touch it the whole time. Have a paid shuttle service, like the Minnie Vans, to get people to and from their cars at the start and end of their trip. So a 7 night stay might cost you $90 instead of the $170 you'll pay now at a Deluxe. Plus this frees up parking spaces at the resorts for day guests and people who want easy access to their cars.

When this was first announced I joked who wanted to go in with me in buying some plot ofnland and basically do this but as a third party vendor and use Uber to transfer people

Also wonder if people might start parking at MCO and taking ME as would be cheaper
 
When this was first announced I joked who wanted to go in with me in buying some plot ofnland and basically do this but as a third party vendor and use Uber to transfer people

Also wonder if people might start parking at MCO and taking ME as would be cheaper

This is why hotels started charging for parking in Las Vegas. Locals used to park at the MGM grand for free for their flights instead of airport parking.
 
Well, it is good for the consumer in that it is driving each other to increase and improve their offerings .... but all magic comes with a price, deary

I mean, look at smart phones - Apple and Samsung keep trying to one up each other but prices also keep going up and up as the phones are doing more and more[/QUOTE

I don't know, Disney seems to know that they have people addicted anyway and with people already committed with DVC, it seems like they really don't care to improve a lot of their offerings
 


I don't know, Disney seems to know that they have people addicted anyway and with people already committed with DVC, it seems like they really don't care to improve a lot of their offerings

They definitely are with the attractions and new lands, etc. and I think the food has stepped up with things like Sautu'li Canteen ... I think some of the standard things they have fallen back on like maintenance of existing rides
 
I understand the feeling of "being there." We have been going to Disney World since 1999, enjoying 28 trips in 19 years, while we lived in the northeast (Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine). I've always had to "finagle" to be able to take this many trips, but was fortunate in being able to travel with other family members (so sharing an offsite house or using my sister's timeshare), and have a brother-in-law who is a flight attendant and was, for awhile, a cast member. I juggle SW credit cards for air miles and use my Disney VISA religiously. I have always done whatever I could to keep the price of a WDW vacation to a minimum, while having an amazing time. We've also stayed onsite quite often, and always have 1 table service meal a trip. I've always somehow made a Disney trip happen, because although it's expensive, THE VALUE WAS THERE.

I'm not sure the value is there anymore. I remember when a Disney ticket was valid forever, so to made sense to buy as many admissions days as I could afford; if I didn't use all my days on this trip, the admission was there for the next trip. Even after they started making tickets valid for only 14 days, you could still use an unactivated ticket forever, although you'd lose days you didn't use. Now? Even if you haven't activated a ticket with 14 days of validity, if you don't use it by the end of the next year, it's only worth the money you spent and not admission; you HAVE to purchase another, more expensive, ticket. Disney's admission has gone from being valid literally forever to being very limited, so Disney can get more of my money.

In 2003, we paid $72 a night for POFQ. Refillable mugs used to be resort-specific, for soda that was free. Dining plans included appetizers, desserts, and gratuities. The parks were spotless, the bathrooms sparkling, with smiling, helpful, knowledgable CMs everywhere. Food was quality, interesting, imaginative. The restaurants all had location-specific napkins, and the butter served as a disc with Mickey's head imprinted on it. Heck- you could get Mickey-roni and cheese, and if your child wanted to eat from the adult menu or you had a small appetite, you could order a half-portion of anything on the menu, for half-price plus $1. The buses ran frequently, and there was more seating space inside than standing room. Yes, Disney was expensive, but the VALUE WAS THERE. Once you walked through the gates, everyone was on equal footing. You were IN, you were on VACATION, you were in DISNEY WORLD.

Now Disney feels like a class system. Everyone has a basic level, but those with money get more. After hours experiences, paying for extra fast passes, dessert parties, princess and pirate make-overs, hotel costs that are through the roof, parking fees at the resorts, dining plans that are limited for food that has become mediocre and generic. The parks are dirty, the bathrooms often disgusting, the CMs disgruntled and overworked, the lines LONG and often unnecessary. For the past 8-10 years, every time we've been to WDW, I've wondered: Where is the magic, the sparkle, the awe that made Disney what it was. Our trips have become fewer and further between, and every time we go now, I always wonder: Is this our last trip? Disney is becoming just another amusement park, with overpriced food, dirty bathrooms, and lines that are ridiculous. The value certainly isn't there anymore, and I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't be there anymore, either.
 
In 2003, we paid $72 a night for POFQ.

With inflation, $72 in 2003 is $97 dollars today. I'm not sure what POFQ goes for a night these days, but I'd guess you could find rooms there in the $150 range. It is still more, sure, but there are also extra amenities, such as WiFi.

The restaurants all had location-specific napkins, and the butter served as a disc with Mickey's head imprinted on it.

That stuff is cool and I wish they would bring it back. The only reasons why all/most of the restaurants have the same napkins, etc. is to save a few pennies here and there. I don't think it is worth it...I'd rather every place have something special and unique.

After hours experiences, paying for extra fast passes, dessert parties, princess and pirate make-overs, hotel costs that are through the roof

All of the extra stuff is fine, to me. I mean, it is extra. It doesn't take anything away from the "normal" experience.

And I just don't buy the notion that hotel prices are so high.

The DIS just did the 7 in 7 on Coronado Springs. They paid $150 for the room there and it looks like a fabulous room. I've paid $150 dollars for rooms at Double Tree and Hilton hotels in places like Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, and Kansas City that weren't as nice or were just as nice.
 


With inflation, $72 in 2003 is $97 dollars today. I'm not sure what POFQ goes for a night these days, but I'd guess you could find rooms there in the $150 range. It is still more, sure, but there are also extra amenities, such as WiFi.
Part of the problem, though, is that equally nice offsite prices haven't elevated at nearly the same rate as Disney hotels. Just last year we rented a wonderful 3-bedroom, 3-bath townhouse just a few minutes away for $68/night, the same price or less than we've been paying for those houses for the past 15 years.

And even your own example shows the problem. Disney prices have climbed far faster than inflation (or average wage growth).

All of the extra stuff is fine, to me. I mean, it is extra. It doesn't take anything away from the "normal" experience.
Sure it does when the park closes extra early on so many days in order to accommodate the paid hard ticket events. The Halloween and Christmas parties, for example, run on many more nights than they used to. And selling extra fast passes to certain guests reduces the number available to everyone else. There is not an unlimited number available.
 
Sure it does when the park closes extra early on so many days in order to accommodate the paid hard ticket events. The Halloween and Christmas parties, for example, run on many more nights than they used to. And selling extra fast passes to certain guests reduces the number available to everyone else. There is not an unlimited number available.

As far as I know, the Magic Kingdom doesn't close before 9:00 very often. Six times a year, maybe? I was unable to find data with a quick google search.

As for the extra FPs, this is a very small number of guests who qualify for this. And it is pretty expensive. I'm conflicted on how to feel about it, but at least it is very small pool of people that can even buy extra, at this point.

Part of the problem, though, is that equally nice offsite prices haven't elevated at nearly the same rate as Disney hotels. Just last year we rented a wonderful 3-bedroom, 3-bath townhouse just a few minutes away for $68/night, the same price or less than we've been paying for those houses for the past 15 years.

I take your point, but paying $68 for a 3 bedroom house is, by any measure, crazy cheap. I don't understand who could even do that and still make money. $68 x 30 is just over $2,000 a month. Can the mortgage on those places be less than that? And that is assuming 30 full days of occupancy...
 
As far as I know, the Magic Kingdom doesn't close before 9:00 very often. Six times a year, maybe? I was unable to find data with a quick google search.

As for the extra FPs, this is a very small number of guests who qualify for this. And it is pretty expensive. I'm conflicted on how to feel about it, but at least it is very small pool of people that can even buy extra, at this point.



I take your point, but paying $68 for a 3 bedroom house is, by any measure, crazy cheap. I don't understand who could even do that and still make money. $68 x 30 is just over $2,000 a month. Can the mortgage on those places be less than that? And that is assuming 30 full days of occupancy...

Magic Kingdom is closing at 4:30 one day and 6 ~5 days of our 9 day stay, so a total of 6 out of 9 the first week of December.
 
I take your point, but paying $68 for a 3 bedroom house is, by any measure, crazy cheap.
You could look at offsite hotel prices just as well. I'm quite sure you'll find that the inflation rate at the local Marriotts, Hiltons, Holiday Inns, etc. has been considerably less than the onsite inflation rate. I just took a quick look for our dates in November and I can get a room at a very nice Fairfield Inn on 535 for $112/night that includes breakfast and I'll earn Marriott Reward points for my stay. It's even a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel. The same dates at POP are $153/night plus $13/day parking plus we have to buy our own breakfast. And the rooms aren't nearly as nice as what we'd get at the Fairfield.
 
Yes, it's disappointing. These are party days. Money makers for WDW. Those of us who choose not to pay for the party will all be crammed in those 3 days.
That truly bites. So sorry that's happening to you. :( Since the first couple weeks of December was one of my favorite times to go, that would likely be happening to me too.
 
As far as I know, the Magic Kingdom doesn't close before 9:00 very often. Six times a year, maybe? I was unable to find data with a quick google search.
It actually closes a lot more than that. You've got private events and MNSSHP and MVMCP events that close the park down earlier. The number of private events vary from year to year but the number of early closures due to parties is lengthening from year to year. Depending on what week you go though between years the number of days impacted may be the same but still it can be hard to work around the party dates and given that now mid-August-basically mid-December is filled with parties (with the exception of a 7day period inbetween the parties) it's easy to understand how one can be frustrated.

For our trip back in September we arrived on Friday the 8th. They had a party scheduled for Sunday the 10th (cancelled due to Irma), Tuesday the 12th and Friday the 15th. We were leaving on the 17th originally but extended due to Irma until the 18th. Sunday the 17th was also a MNSSHP event night. I had to plan our days around it plus Universal's HHN that started on September 15th as we were spending 3 days at Universal as well-though we did go to Universal in the end on Saturday the 17th (which was originally planned that way) and Sunday the 18th both days were HHN but our other original dates of Sunday the 10th and Monday the 11th were taken out due to Irma (we did our 1st Universal day on arrival day when originally that wasn't the plan).
 
That truly bites. So sorry that's happening to you. :( Since the first couple weeks of December was one of my favorite times to go, that would likely be happening to me too.

Oh, thanks so much. Early December has always been our favorite time to go. We have visited many times over the years and we will manage with the short hours. It just really limits how we visit the parks. It would have been a lot worse when our kids were young and wanted to spend all day/night in the park. We will just work around it and still have a great time. :D
 
Oh, thanks so much. Early December has always been our favorite time to go. We have visited many times over the years and we will manage with the short hours. It just really limits how we visit the parks. It would have been a lot worse when our kids were young and wanted to spend all day/night in the park. We will just work around it and still have a great time. :D
Hope you have a magical trip, pixiedust:, and please think of me if you walk through the castle, and see the mosaic where the Prince is putting the slipper on Cinderella's foot. Or - if you don't go through there, or the walkway is closed, think of me while looking at the Partners statue, please? Would make me happy! :)
 
Hope you have a magical trip, pixiedust:, and please think of me if you walk through the castle, and see the mosaic where the Prince is putting the slipper on Cinderella's foot. Or - if you don't go through there, or the walkway is closed, think of me while looking at the Partners statue, please? Would make me happy! :)

I would be happy to do that for you! Those must be very special places to you. Hope you get to visit soon!
 
I would be happy to do that for you! Those must be very special places to you. Hope you get to visit soon!
Thanx - yes - in brief - MANY friends and I have all touched that slipper in the mosaic to think about/remember those that can't be there with us at that time, for whatever reason. I also started my own personal "moment of silence" while looking at the Partners statue to remember all those who passed due to 9/11, and never made it to WDW.
 
Thanx - yes - in brief - MANY friends and I have all touched that slipper in the mosaic to think about/remember those that can't be there with us at that time, for whatever reason. I also started my own personal "moment of silence" while looking at the Partners statue to remember all those who passed due to 9/11, and never made it to WDW.

What a wonderful tradition. Would you mind if we borrowed it? We were in Disney the week after 9/11. I still get teary when I remember the barbershop quartet singing "God Bless America" on Main Street and all the guests joining in and crying.
 

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