Holy Crap! Disney is EXPENSIVE

[MagnusTheBrewer]

The thing that makes Disney unique in my opinion is the ability to customize packages to your specific needs. As consumers we have been trained to find the best deals by menu shopping ie comparing one package to another based on common offerings. Disney allows you to customize all factors of your stay and many people never think of.

Want a crab salad delivered to you on the sixth hole while playing a round? No problem. Curious about the hardware/software of a ride or tour? Knowledgeable techs standing by. Need a foot massage after a long day of walking/shopping? No problem. Want to arrange all of this before you even get there? No problem.

Just my $.02 from an ex-cast member

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Up until just recently I worked in Imagineering for Disney some years. I also do consulting work for other 3rd parties that build theme park rides, including Universal and Hard Rock. If you want to know why Disney is more expensive than Universal (and the difference isn't all that great) here are the reasons:

When Disney builds an E-ticket ride they'll spend anywhere between $80M to $200M. Universal spends around $30M to $50M on theirs. The difference is in the design, safety, and reliability of their rides. You wouldn't believe the amount of engineering time Disney invests to absolutely ensure guest safety and to ensure their rides have very high operational up-times, often ranging well above 99%. For many of the Universal attractions they're lucky to have 85% up-time.

Yes, I know more people have died on Disney rides. Everone that has done so thus far had a pre-existing medical condition though, like the little kid that died a couple of years ago on Mission: Space. He had a known heart condition. WTF was his mother thinking?

"Tommy? How's your heart feeling today?"

"It's feeling pretty good mom."

"Great. Let's go to Disney today and ride a device that spins you up to 2.5 G's to see just how durable that little ticker of yours really is."

Additionally, Disney invests more in maintenance and park upkeep. Go to Disney and see how clean they keep the place. Then go to Universal and compare. THere's also a huge difference in the entertainment (parades, music, and festivals) both in scope and quality.

You get what you pay for. Universal is not bad at all and the have some great rides. But it's like comparing a Honda to a Mercedes. Nothing wrong with a Honda at all. But it's not a Mercedes by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[PepePeru]

my grandma entered a sweepstakes from Mars candy co. to spell 'MICKEY MOUSE' from the fun-size candy wrappers.
she ended up winning the sweepstakes for 4 people all expenses paid trip to Disney World... so my grandma and grandpa took my younger sister and me...huge ballroom at that A-Frame resort for the 32 winners...i remember a costume dinner...huge bowls full of free candy...it was so awesome when you're 12 years old!
It was really one of the best times I had as a child.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: alien42

Originally posted by: crab
Yeah I'm (and five others) going there over new years, and my gf booked a 2-room villa in the Boardwalk. With the platinum meal plan thing it was just over $2g a person for 6 days...not including airfare. :Q

if you are spending that much why not go somewhere else? you could go anywhere in the US and many places overseas for that much money. disney would be the last place i would want to visit.

my thoughts exactly.
i hope that includes some action from at least 1 of the female characters for that much!

If you've got kids, Disney is great. I enjoyed seeing my kid's reactions to everything more than anything else.

My kids..not so much. They have really no relationship with Mickey and other Disney characters. Disney is about Drake and Josh or Hannah Montanna these days. When they saw Goofy walking around, my 5 year old (at the time) said "Who's that?". It just seems like they're trying to milk characters that don't relate to kids anymore.

Universal however- OMG! The kids went nuts over Scooby, Spongebob, Rugrats, Shrek, Power Ranger....Nickelodeon is the new Disney IMO.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Up until just recently I worked in Imagineering for Disney some years. I also do consulting work for other 3rd parties that build theme park rides, including Universal and Hard Rock. If you want to know why Disney is more expensive than Universal (and the difference isn't all that great) here are the reasons:

When Disney builds an E-ticket ride they'll spend anywhere between $80M to $200M. Universal spends around $30M to $50M on theirs. The difference is in the design, safety, and reliability of their rides. You wouldn't believe the amount of engineering time Disney invests to absolutely ensure guest safety and to ensure their rides have very high operational up-times, often ranging well above 99%. For many of the Universal attractions they're lucky to have 85% up-time.

An E-ticket ride! The colored ticket book was teh sux0r0zs

I will point out that though Disney keeps things clean, MK is showing its age, with signs of dilapidation here and there. Things that really stick out, include the paint coming off of half the characters in Peter Pan, cracks and cobwebs in the corners of buildings in Tomorrow Land, and the smell in the monorail AKA the funky corn chip express! They are renovating all the time though, so it shouldn't be that way much longer.

I could write a book on all the great things cast members have done for us though. I've went so far as to stop by city hall to make certain they get the credit they deserve.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Disney investing 1 billion dollars into California Adventure

 

[Syrch]

I don't believe it, on their commericals it says there are packages anyone can afford. Well see i fall into the anyone category and i have $5 right now. Im going to disney!

Funny enough the familys package cost $1,600. They said thats not expensive we can afford that. I just rolled my eyes.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: destrekor
mm the joy of living an hour away from Cedar Point.

Seconded.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: xboxist
Cedar Point > Disney and Universal Studios combined

Cedar Point owns Knotts Berry Farm, right?

In that case, NO.

The wife and I enjoy going to Disneyland, it has a much better atmosphere than Knotts. Knotts just feels a little cheaper and smaller. The rides however are some of my favorites at Knotts.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA

Originally posted by: destrekor
mm the joy of living an hour away from Cedar Point.

Seconded.

I was just there last Sunday. Good times---although my age is catching up with me. I can no longer handle the bigger roller coasters (even though I was hopped up on Darmamine). Never happened before, but I was getting motion sickness on just about everything. Oh well- the haunted houses rocked and I ate lots of really bad for you foodz

 

[piasabird]

Well there are also some good restraunts and stuff to do there. I think Wolfgang Puck has a restraunt around disney somewhere. Also at Epcot there is a new thing going on where they have been experimenting new ways to grow their own food like a Tomato Tree that grows on a kind of a trestle.

 

[Mill]

I was just there this past weekend. You think it is expensive for Florida Residents?

Two-People -- Parkhopper for three days is 500 fucking dollars for a Non-Florida resident.

Anyway, I agree that the monorail smells bad now. I wonder why that is? It wasn't like that a few years back.

 

[sohcrates]

ugh. we are headed down to disney next week for a wedding and have started pricing out some parks. well over $300 / couple for a 2 day pass.

$25 just to get into "pleasure island"

and it looks like drinks are ridiculously overpriced too.

hmmm...i'm tempted to just sneak in a 6 pack and sit by the pool for 2 days....

 

[JulesMaximus]

My wife and I took our son to Disneyland back in August for his birthday and dropped around $200 for the day including lunch. I think tickets cost us close to $170 and lunch set us back about $20 (which wasn't bad actually), we also bought my son one item that he wanted. It was fun but I think next time we'll just get a season pass since it's only about an hour away from where we live.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Agreed. Disney is expensive these days. Worst part is that they keep adding parks so you feel like you're missing out if you don't visit all of them. The only way to really get your money's worth is to buy the park hoppers and go for 5+ days. Then it's only $350 or so per person for the week.

This summer the wife and I went to Orlando and bought a week-long pass for Universal that was good at Islands of Adventure or the Universal Studios park. They were $86 each. We only ended up spending 2 days there, but felt that we got our money's worth based on the Disney prices... Especially because the park was virtually empty. (we went the week before school was out )

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: SludgeFactory
The way their TV ads have changed over the years pretty much sums up the guilt-fueled shakedown that their theme parks have evolved into. When they went from pitching the attractions and "the magic" to having to convince parents they can somehow afford it:

"It's $1600. We can do that." "Oh yeah."

"Convincing people that they don't really need their money, since 19-something-something."

It's all good marketing. Tell kids "This is the best thing you've ever wanted!" over and over again, and they'll believe it. This tactic works on adults (for some reason), but kids are far more susceptible to it.

I miss the days of Mr. Rogers. If it was done now, it'd have bad electronically generated "rock" music, he'd be called "Action Rogers!" and wear Nike sneakers, with an outfit provided by Gap, and he'd be hawking Lionel train sets from Walmart. Then there'd be a borked marketing campaign for Rogerland, "Where we'll Roger your kids silly!"

 

[DT4K]

It can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be.
That 2k for 6 days that someone mentioned is ridiculously expensive. But that includes staying at one of the most expensive resorts there is, in one of the most expensive units they have, during the most expensive time of year. And it includes paying for the all-inclusive meal package that includes full table service meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Yes, it's $70 for one day in a park. But you can also get a 10 day ticket for $240, making it $24 / day. Or you can add the water parks/disney quest/pleasure island option for $50. So for $290, you could get a ticket that would allow you to visit the theme parks on 10 different days, plus give you admission to the comedy and dance clubs at pleasure island, plus let you go to the 2 water parks several times. So for $290, you could easily keep yourself entertained for 2 weeks.

Some of the hotels are very expensive. The deluxes start around $240/night and go up from there. But they also have the moderate resorts (Port Orleans, Carribbean Beach, Coronado Springs) that are very nice and run between $130-$200/night, or lower if you get a AAA discount or a discount code. Then they have the value resorts, which are very basic, but a lot of fun for the kids and still get you on disney property and give you the perks that come with that for a price of around $70-$100/night.

You definitely pay a premium for food, but it's really no worse than the prices you'd find at any other location that has a captive audience and no competition. Our problem is that we always like to eat at the nice expensive sit-down restaurants. But if you want to eat quick service meals, it's not that bad. A fast food type burger and fries meal will cost you around 8 or 9 dollars instead of the 5 or 6 dollars it would cost you at McDonalds.

As far as Universal, yes the tickets are cheaper, but they also have a lot less to offer. Two parks instead of Disney's 4 theme parks and 2 theme parks. And as someone else mentioned, Universal charges $30-$50 per day EXTRA to get their Express passes, while Disney provides Fastpass for free. So that really makes the Universal tickets cost more.
No, you don't have to buy the Express passes, but if you don't, you'll be waiting in long long lines. And yes, you get free express passes if you stay in a Universal resort, but their resorts start around $250/night and they don't have any less expensive resort options.

 

[alkemyst]

$2000 isn't a stretch really for 6 days up in Orlando even if taking it easy...we stay at $75-100 / night hotels, about $650 with taxes our seasonal FL pass $230x2 bringing the total to $1100 and you haven't bought food for 6 days.

The meal plan is ok...but it's not that great IMHO and pretty limited.

We usually pick up a pass to Sea World at around $80 x 2 for a year at the same time. With the Seasonal Passes you can stretch them to get at least two trips even if you can only take a vacation once a year.

It really depends if you want to go frugally or enjoy yourself fully.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: aphex
Somehow I don't recall tickets being $71/day a few years ago.... ($64 for FL Residents)

We get annual passes for $65 to Busch Gardens

Has it always been this expensive? I could have sworn it was around $40-45 a day just 3-4 years ago.

Back when I worked there in 2003 and 2004 it was $56/day for non-resident visitors (free for me)...IIRC. It has gone up substantially in just a few years.

Disney puts on a helluva production, and they most everything very well. But it's just not affordable anymore, imo.

 

[irishScott]

*sigh*

*enters nostalgic trance about tomorrowland*

I remember the first time I went on Space Mountain. Good times.

I also went there 4 years ago on my High School Chorus Trip and still enjoyed it.

Disney World is all about the theme, not the rides. And even then the rides are fun, if not extreme. It's awesome.

 

[shadow9d9]

Disney is cheap for Florida residents. $70 per night at the pop century hotel. Buy tickets online cheaper when they have sales. Eat twice a day, once at the resort(which actually has great food). Cake.

People go all out on crap they will never use(4 meals a day!?)...

 

[txrandom]

Disney sucks now. I'm still mad at my family for taking us to Disney World.

 

[gar3555]

When I was in 8th grade my fam took a trip to Disney world, we RV'd it down there from Kansas, and stayed in the Disney campground. I thought it was pretty cool back then, and wouldn't mind going back, but not for those prices.

 

[sohcrates]

WOW

Just got back from the Disney Wedding.

I remember Disney being such a magical place when i was younger. i guess it still is, but man oh man do they take advantage of you

Things i noticed which make me angry


1) biometric fingerprint authorization at park entrances (so you cant share a multi-day pass). big brother?

2) Food was TERRIBLE. maybe it's because i *know* what a $85 dinner for two should taste like. Breakfasts averages $11-12 for like a waffle. Ridiculous.

3) No sidewalks anywhere. They force you to basically take a car or bus everywhere. buses are horribly overcrowded.

4) Rides have basically become excuses to put up a gift shop. i feel like over 1/2 of the theme parks are now basically disney "shopping malls"

5) service. again, i travel a lot so i know what 3-4 star hotels and $$$ restaurants should get you. don't get me wrong, people seem friendly, but the service was quite sub-par in just about every aspect of the trip.

6) waiting in line. i had to wait in line for breakfast. for lunch. for rides. i paid $71 to get into a park and had to wait hours just to get on 3 or 4 rides. then waiting in line for a bus. then i couldn't even get a dinner reservation till like 10 pm at night.

7) this is not a vacation it is a "trip". all the parents looked stressed out and exhausted. plus, the hotel encourages you to let your kids use their room key as a credit card! when we checked out and "only" had a few hundred dollars in charges, the hotel worker was surprised. i can see family's dropping thousands here. it is so overpriced!

8) oh yeah, and TOLL ROADS to the airport. $11 to park at parks if you dont stay on disney property. and NO FREE INTERNET at disney hotels. they really do nickel and dime you.


I really think disney has lost it's way, but based on the crowds, no one else realizes it....

/that is all

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: sohcrates
1) biometric fingerprint authorization at park entrances (so you cant share a multi-day pass). big brother?

Makes it fast to get through the line...they have all your info with the pass usually anyway. However, multiday passes are not meant to be shared.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
2) Food was TERRIBLE. maybe it's because i *know* what a $85 dinner for two should taste like. Breakfasts averages $11-12 for like a waffle. Ridiculous.

I think you have really exaggrated the food costs. The top shelf restaurants may have an $11 waffle.

Haven't heard of anyone complaining too much on the food quality though.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
3) No sidewalks anywhere. They force you to basically take a car or bus everywhere. buses are horribly overcrowded.

This I don't get at all.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
4) Rides have basically become excuses to put up a gift shop. i feel like over 1/2 of the theme parks are now basically disney "shopping malls"

Like all theme parks using the filler space in rides for shops/eateries. You don't have to buy and nothing in Disney is high pressure.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
5) service. again, i travel a lot so i know what 3-4 star hotels and $$$ restaurants should get you. don't get me wrong, people seem friendly, but the service was quite sub-par in just about every aspect of the trip.

Very odd you feel that way on the service...Disney is known for going above and beyond.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
6) waiting in line. i had to wait in line for breakfast. for lunch. for rides. i paid $71 to get into a park and had to wait hours just to get on 3 or 4 rides. then waiting in line for a bus. then i couldn't even get a dinner reservation till like 10 pm at night.

Go during less peak times, but still you are looking at many 5-10min waits. Dinner reservations should be made in advance or extremely early the same day. Many places will take reservations 6 months out.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
7) this is not a vacation it is a "trip". all the parents looked stressed out and exhausted. plus, the hotel encourages you to let your kids use their room key as a credit card! when we checked out and "only" had a few hundred dollars in charges, the hotel worker was surprised. i can see family's dropping thousands here. it is so overpriced!

With kids parents always look stressed and exhausted to me everywhere, we don't have any and the other childless couples seem to be having a blast. Again going in summer with all the kids out of school and 1hour+ lines you are asking for a bad time unless you have good spirits and accept it for what it is...a busy time.

Hotel and people in general shouldn't decide how you handle your finances with your kids. You can also turn off the credit portion of the card and even limit it.

Originally posted by: sohcrates
8) oh yeah, and TOLL ROADS to the airport. $11 to park at parks if you dont stay on disney property. and NO FREE INTERNET at disney hotels. they really do nickel and dime you.

I really think disney has lost it's way, but based on the crowds, no one else realizes it....

/that is all

parking fees are pretty much a given now...even hotels other charge a separate fee. You can take free buses into disney usually from any local hotel.

Internet is just a supply and demand thing. If they turned it on for everyone it would create a big problem...

How would you change things?