With all the price increases is it worth even going?

[_19disnA]

We used to go to Disney maybe every 3-5 yrs in the past since the rides/shows never changed that much. It was just one of the places in our vacation rotation. When we last went in 2019 were amazed at how crowded & expensive everything had become. The cost of a Disney vacation has increased far more then most other places we enjoy. The value is no longer there as someone else mentioned. During the week it was wall-to-wall people in several areas of the parks which even made walking around a challenger nevermind the length of lines to the most popular rides. Seems like Disney has made NO attempt to widen narrow paths over the years when clearly far more people go then in the past.

We have no plans to return and will spend our vacation $$$ elsewhere.

 

[TwoMisfits]

what is the rationale between waiting to go to 2024 because of price increases? prices won't go down. it will stay the same best case scenario, but almost 100% it will go even higher in 2024. unless you mean waiting longer to save more money??

Unfortunately things won't go cheaper. that won't happen. nothing will get better.

Both not bankrupting the family and probably saving for the vacation they want.

If you have a $5K vacation budget - aka $1K/person/year (as an example), and Disney costs $9K now for the vacation you want to have, you don't bankrupt your family by just doing that same vacation every year and you don't annoy your family by trying to make it a bare bones lousy experience every year. You wait til you can make it the trip you want, and you skip that trip and try to do something very inexpensive in the middle years...til you decide you can't ever afford the trip you want and still be happy and you move on from Disney to a good trip in your budget.

Aka - how one gets eventually priced out when rapid price increases happen...

 

[kanerf]

I work in D.C. and believe me all of the prices for everything here have gone up as well. I believe the days of under $100 hotel rooms and meals for less than $20 per person are long gone.

 

[DaviVascaino]

Both not bankrupting the family and probably saving for the vacation they want.

If you have a $5K vacation budget - aka $1K/person/year (as an example), and Disney costs $9K now for the vacation you want to have, you don't bankrupt your family by just doing that same vacation every year and you don't annoy your family by trying to make it a bare bones lousy experience every year. You wait til you can make it the trip you want, and you skip that trip and try to do something very inexpensive in the middle years...til you decide you can't ever afford the trip you want and still be happy and you move on from Disney to a good trip in your budget.

Aka - how one gets eventually priced out when rapid price increases happen...

no, I get it.

I suspected you were just saving money. Just want to make sure we are all aware that things will be WORSE in 2024. unfortunately

 

[Beer Me]

Both not bankrupting the family and probably saving for the vacation they want.

If you have a $5K vacation budget - aka $1K/person/year (as an example), and Disney costs $9K now for the vacation you want to have,

Pretty accurate numbers. Minus travel our 2019 trip was about 6k (which pushed the limits of what I feel to be “worth it”) and the same trip now would be about $9,500. Almost 60% inflation in 3 years. Nope.

 

[rchampagne]

Just adding my two cents...
we've done to Disney World 6x in the past 9 years, but last November was probably our last trip. I hated it when they got rid of Magical Express (mostly for the luggage perk). Then Genie+ came along. This past summer, these changes, and the prices, convinced us to try Universal for the 1st time, and we had a great time there. Their deluxe hotel with unlimited express passes was actually cheaper than a Disney moderate. In the past, as soon as we'd return from a Disney trip, we'd start planning the next one. I feel some freedom thinking about other vacations to spend our money on going forward. We may return to Orlando in a few years, but it'll probably be Universal once they open their 3rd park.

 

[Mousetopia]

Everything has changed so much in the past couple years. Is it even worth going? Seems nothing is as good as it was. Prices are higher than ever before and quality and service is lacking. Why spend a small fortune? Just wondering everyones opinions.

If the magic for you is still there without the big spending and fancy dining you can get around the increases.
I bring granola bars etc. for breakfast and have maybe one sitdown. Paying for table service isnt what it used to be with poor menus, lower quality ..switches to prefix to max profit, etc. So focus on best of the CS options. Dont buy Genie plus. You dont need it if you tour smartly..research that instead of dining.
I am looking forward to creating my own magic in December. Im sure it will be a great trip..but its my last. I just dont want to watch this anymore. ..The degrading of the experience. It is so sad that a family with littles must buy them a pre fix meal in order to go to BOG. Walt never wanted families priced out.

Prices will go down and improvements made..if enough complain and demonstrate dissastisfaction by not going ..I know..that wont happen

 

[PamNC]

with the exception of one night at Halloween Horror Nights in 2021 - I have not been to universal since 1994. Yes, 1994. I'm 100% DISNEY ADDICTED. But, sadly, for the first time, I am considering booking a Universal trip next time. My AP expired in September. Didn't renew. It was a tough decision but although the magic is still at Disney and it is in many ways what you make it, I have noticed a decline in the cleanliness and upkeep of the attractions. Put that on top of the price increases and I'm a bit disappointed in Disney right now. Just for fun, didn't book anything, I went to the universal site and put in a 4 night, 2 day park-to-park ticket and it was right at $900. AND, if I wanted to I could make payments through Uplift (or something like that...can't remember if that's the right name). I've been going to Disney basically my entire life. I remember in the mid 90's early 2000's staying at the Poly and BC with my AP for what it costs now to stay at a value. I know prices go up but what I'm saying here is staying at these beautiful resorts was part of the magic for me. I loved it! different themes, great service ... absolutely was part of the reason I kept going and going. Now, it's insane and I find that if I book a moderate I'm totally splurging. The other thing I've noticed during my 3 trips this year: the fighting between guests and mean and mad people all over the place. I know Disney can't help that but perhaps it's stressing folks out having to pay so much $$. I get that the pandemic caused some aftermath such as cast shortages and I don't fault them there - but - things like the cultural representatives not being at Epcot bummed me out. Glad to hear that's coming back. I'm hopeful improvements will come, certainly not in the form of reduced pricing, but I think they are starting to listen to us. Example: bye harmonious!!! What a joke of a replacement for Illuminations. RANT OVER - sorry - I babbled.

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

It is not worth it for me. My family had a long trip on property this summer. It was the most I have ever paid for a vacation. It was also the least fun I have ever had. 10 years, 7 on property trips, and I am hoping to stay out of walt disney world for at least a decade. As planner and finance department, have zero interest in returning ever, but I will be out voted!

I wish everyone luck with their planning, budgeting, and wdw trips. May the magic remain for all of you.

 

[Mousetopia]

I understand completely. I used to pick a resort knowing the inflated Disney price was justified do to the bubble and amazing customer service and resort experience. This trip Im staying at a moderate for 2 nights for more than AKL savanna view afterwards. ..with no discount happening! Ive never seen this. A moderate should not be a splurge. I am staying at my fave and in my mind Im rationalizing the cost as a farewell visit.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I work in D.C. and believe me all of the prices for everything here have gone up as well. I believe the days of under $100 hotel rooms and meals for less than $20 per person are long gone.

Travel is so expensive everywhere. We paid almost $400/night for a 2 star motel near a national park (all weeknights) last week. I know people complain about Disney prices but every recent vacation we've been on has been incredibly expensive. And we are Best Western people, nothing fancy. I luckily got a corporate rate for our Friday night in Vegas in a hotel several blocks off strip and regular price would have been almost $700, and this isn't wasn't even one of the "good" hotels. We drove to Chicago earlier this year and had to pay for parking, almost $80/night.

 

[Mousetopia]

It is not worth it for me. My family had a long trip on property this summer. It was the most I have ever paid for a vacation. It was also the least fun I have ever had. 10 years, 7 on property trips, and I am hoping to stay out of walt disney world for at least a decade. As planner and finance department, have zero interest in returning ever, but I will be out voted!

I wish everyone luck with their planning, budgeting, and wdw trips. May the magic remain for all of you.

I have been involved in the DiS and in the old days RADP Newsgroup for many years. Never have I seen so so many of us so disheartened and contemplating not returning. I will create a magical trip this last time and go out on a positve note.

 

[Parkhopstacker]

So for me I’m going to Disney world no matter what. And I understand the price increases and am not going to complain too much about that. My issue is that they are not investing enough in Disney World to my liking. Taking too much of the profits of WDW and putting it into Disney+ and the studios to create content (for a DTC media starategy that I don’t agree with).

So for me personally I try to not give Disney my money even though I’m going anyways. So one big thing I do is I spend a lot more time now scouring and working with DVC owners to rent points for my hotel stays. I’m gonna spend the money, so I’d rather it go to the DVC owners instead of to Disney.

Fully aware this won’t make a difference but it is a principle thing that I stand by.

 

[mwmom]

Just adding my two cents...
we've done to Disney World 6x in the past 9 years, but last November was probably our last trip. I hated it when they got rid of Magical Express (mostly for the luggage perk). Then Genie+ came along. This past summer, these changes, and the prices, convinced us to try Universal for the 1st time, and we had a great time there. Their deluxe hotel with unlimited express passes was actually cheaper than a Disney moderate. In the past, as soon as we'd return from a Disney trip, we'd start planning the next one. I feel some freedom thinking about other vacations to spend our money on going forward. We may return to Orlando in a few years, but it'll probably be Universal once they open their 3rd park.

Agree that it opens your mind to other possibilities. We have 4 states left to visit in the U.S., and by trying to hit all 50, we have visited places we never would have gone if we kept going to the same place every year. I can't think of one bad vacation! We have enjoyed each place for different reasons. And, we can travel to many other places without spending Disney prices, even with the cost increases everywhere. Granted, if we go to a place like NYC or D.C. then it might be as expensive, but there are so many places that don't eat up your budget on tickets, expensive hotels, and high priced restaurants. Colorado is a good example for us. We can fly in there much cheaper than MCO, stay at a nice hotel for cheaper than a Deluxe at Disney (yes, I like to stay at nice places, but I can do that for $400 rather than $700 many other places), and spend time in the great outdoors and not spend a dime. Great memories of those trips! Disney will always have a special place in my heart and I do plan on returning at some point, but we have already stretched it to 4 year increments and now it will most likely be longer. As many have said, it is such a personal decision and depends on budget and what interests you have, so many will continue to visit Disney. It will be interesting to watch in the years to come whether the increases and add-on costs (like Genie+) impact sales. I doubt it will, but we shall see!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Prices rarely go down. I used to budget $1500 for two adults/one child in the early 1990's. One week at Hilton at Disney Springs, park tickets, meals, flights and rental car. We built our first house on two acres in 1984 for 50K... We've survived recessions in the past.

Current inflation is crazy and hurting everyone. I suspect it will cause many potential WDW vacationers to reconsider a 10K or 20K vacation week and also think it will hurt cruising and international travel as well. Price inflation of food and fuel are unstainable and 2023 may see a decrease in travel but going forward if things don't change IMO 2024 travel will tank.

Edit: Just to add we are spending five weeks this year at WDW. It is a priority for us!

 

[Praying Colonel]

We have Florida APs and go for occasional day trips, mainly to hang out with DS who lives in the area. But in April we did a 3-day visit with family who were visiting and wanted to do the whole commando-style experience. We tried, and it was just...different. We had fun, but we couldn't do as much as we used to and found we were on our phones a lot more than we used to (or want to).

If I was still in the phase of my life where we did big week-long commando-style family trips, I think we'd go once and wouldn't do a repeat visit. Not as much bang for the substantial buck you have to pay. YMMV.

 

[godfather927]

With 2 young kids that love virtually all things Disney? Absolutely, without a doubt, 100% worth it. Sure it sucks that we have to cough up a bit more money than before, but what would suck worse is the regret I might feel when they get older and no longer get all excited for family vacations, leaving me wishing I would've taken advantage while they were still so delighted by it. Heck I already feel that way a little bit now, after not going for the 2 years we abstained during the pandemic.

 

[DCLMP]

Both not bankrupting the family and probably saving for the vacation they want.

If you have a $5K vacation budget - aka $1K/person/year (as an example), and Disney costs $9K now for the vacation you want to have, you don't bankrupt your family by just doing that same vacation every year and you don't annoy your family by trying to make it a bare bones lousy experience every year. You wait til you can make it the trip you want, and you skip that trip and try to do something very inexpensive in the middle years...til you decide you can't ever afford the trip you want and still be happy and you move on from Disney to a good trip in your budget.

Aka - how one gets eventually priced out when rapid price increases happen...

If it takes me more than 6 months to save for a vacation it's too expensive for me. I do not have the patience for that... I'm officially priced out of Disney deluxe resorts. I will do swan and Dolphin, or SSR if I can find a deal on points, but other than that I'm done. I'm not interested in a value hotel so I'll do something else with my money.

 

[dwg]

I do not think inflation can be blamed for all the price increases that have happened. I believe it is more about increasing profits by charging more for some things and charging for other things where there were no charges before. For instance I have no intention of paying for Genie+ just to get to ride the latest and greatest attraction after paying $300 for two people for a one day pass not including park hopping which would have cost an additional $75 per person. So I already know that I will be locked out of experiencing certain attractions. Then there is the hassle of trying to get dinner reservations at 60 days out and most are all ready somehow booked. On top of that the restaurants menus have reduced selections. Then there is all the customer service cutback that I read on these boards such as adults not being allowed to order from a kids menu or not being able to get an extra serving of bread.

I definitely feel that at least for those who have been going to Disney for a long time the current nickel and diming of everything while at the same time experiencing reduced customer service has taken the joy out of visiting WDW. There have been several articles with quotes from Disney Executives that make them seem oblivious.

Here is one interesting article and recent thread regarding "Legacy" guests and the direction Disney is taking

excuse-me-“legacy-fans”-we-might-just-be-disney’s-only-way-forward.3895209

 

[foolish-mortal]

For us it's no longer worth it. Too much hassle, too complex, too much planning, not enough flexibility, too expensive. We're not really interested in vacationing there anymore. I can see us going for a day if we're going on a cruise or in Florida for a beach vacation. But, it's not a destination for us anymore. I can swallow the big prices when there's enough value in it. But, it's actually less appealing to me now.