Disney outpricing me!

We own DVC and find ourselves spending more time at the resort and eating off-site. One of our sons lives in Orlando because he's in a graduate program, so we use our DVC more as a nice place to stay while visiting him. I never thought I'd be happier leaving to eat but like others have said the food is expensive and boring. If I'm going to pay $50 plus for a steak I'd rather go to the Capital Grille. I think the parking is outrageous and we don't have to pay.

I'm going in January with a friend who has never been there, and unless my deployed son returns and really wants to go, this is my last trip.
I've been in love with WDW since my first visit in 1971 (Disneyland before that), but the cost and crowds and little petty things like charging for parking now has done me in. The food is not very good, but it's expensive, the ticket prices are outrageous, as are the resort prices. Really? $650/night for the Poly in the off-season AND charging for parking? Too much, and it happened too soon to make it palatable for me.
I'm planning this last trip for 4-5 park days, and will enjoy it. And then walk away because I can go to Europe for a month (and have) for less than the cost of a trip at a value resort at WDW.

I just spent a month in Italy renting very nice apartments and having a fabulous time with great restaurants- for a bit under $2000. Makes it hard to spring for a Disney trip.

Although for every family that drops out, there's probably at least two behind them to pick up the slack. Disney isn't hurting for money for sure and wouldn't go down even if all of Intercot decided to protest.

How do you spend your entertainment and leisure dollars? Disney and Universal are somewhat unique because they crossover between entertainment and leisure, but for entertainment you have things like sporting events, concerts, movies and other ways to pass your time. Then for for leisure you have all modes of travel including hotels, rentals, timeshares and outright ownership if you choose that path. Brands run the gamut from the Dallas Cowboys to Hilton to Ticketmaster and Regal Cinemas, plus of course our beloved Disney.

I know we don't see it here, but unless you are sneaking in snacks and using coupons, it's darn near impossible to do a movie for a family of four for under $100. Let alone if you want to do a professional sports event like football. Baseball you couple maybe do for four on a strict budget and the cheapest seats for under $200 with parking and food, but I would guess for football you are up over $500 for a single game. Let's not even talk season tickets!

The same is true for hotels, property rentals and airfare. Don't fool yourself that airlines aren't making money despite offers of cheap seats between fees and add-ons. Heck, we pay a pretty penny to rent a beach house every year. Sure it's close to the beach and has lots of room for our guests, but we're only renting it for one week out of about 13 between Memorial Day and Labor Day and it keeps going up every year.

We could go on and on from things like grocery bills to tuition to whatever else suits your needs. Nothing is getting cheaper! So beat up on Disney if you like, but why complain about it here? I'd have to imagine the average age of Intercotees is in their 50's, plus or minus 5 years, so it's maybe mostly made up of people between say 45 to 65. I doubt the millennials have big numbers here. They probably get most of their info via social media. There maybe be some older folks here, but again my guess is that most lie between 45 and 65. I guess what I'm getting at is that we are just a very small subset of people that partake in Disney's universe. Why spoil this universe, Intercot, with complaints about pricing? I'm here to enjoy Disney, not bash them.

We could go on and on from things like grocery bills to tuition to whatever else suits your needs. Nothing is getting cheaper! So beat up on Disney if you like, but why complain about it here? I'd have to imagine the average age of Intercotees is in their 50's, plus or minus 5 years, so it's maybe mostly made up of people between say 45 to 65. I doubt the millennials have big numbers here. They probably get most of their info via social media. There maybe be some older folks here, but again my guess is that most lie between 45 and 65. I guess what I'm getting at is that we are just a very small subset of people that partake in Disney's universe. Why spoil this universe, Intercot, with complaints about pricing? I'm here to enjoy Disney, not bash them.

I’d have to agree with the bulk of what you said except maybe the age group. I have no idea really but I’m 37 (elder millennial!) new Florida resident turned passholder and I found social media repetitive and useless for Disney news. Especially the blogs which I’m guessing get a lot of their info here. I see info posted here than within hours exact quotes go up on several blogs.

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baldburke;2523895 wrote: Although for every family that drops out, there's probably at least two behind them to pick up the slack. Disney isn't hurting for money for sure and wouldn't go down even if all of Intercot decided to protest.

How do you spend your entertainment and leisure dollars? Disney and Universal are somewhat unique because they crossover between entertainment and leisure, but for entertainment you have things like sporting events, concerts, movies and other ways to pass your time. Then for for leisure you have all modes of travel including hotels, rentals, timeshares and outright ownership if you choose that path. Brands run the gamut from the Dallas Cowboys to Hilton to Ticketmaster and Regal Cinemas, plus of course our beloved Disney.

I know we don't see it here, but unless you are sneaking in snacks and using coupons, it's darn near impossible to do a movie for a family of four for under $100. Let alone if you want to do a professional sports event like football. Baseball you couple maybe do for four on a strict budget and the cheapest seats for under $200 with parking and food, but I would guess for football you are up over $500 for a single game. Let's not even talk season tickets!

The same is true for hotels, property rentals and airfare. Don't fool yourself that airlines aren't making money despite offers of cheap seats between fees and add-ons. Heck, we pay a pretty penny to rent a beach house every year. Sure it's close to the beach and has lots of room for our guests, but we're only renting it for one week out of about 13 between Memorial Day and Labor Day and it keeps going up every year.

We could go on and on from things like grocery bills to tuition to whatever else suits your needs. Nothing is getting cheaper! So beat up on Disney if you like, but why complain about it here? I'd have to imagine the average age of Intercotees is in their 50's, plus or minus 5 years, so it's maybe mostly made up of people between say 45 to 65. I doubt the millennials have big numbers here. They probably get most of their info via social media. There maybe be some older folks here, but again my guess is that most lie between 45 and 65. I guess what I'm getting at is that we are just a very small subset of people that partake in Disney's universe. Why spoil this universe, Intercot, with complaints about pricing? I'm here to enjoy Disney, not bash them.

I'm not really sure what anyone's age has to do with anything. My parents no longer go to Disney. (The same parents who got me hooked on it.) My boys only go when I ask them to go. One is a homebody, and the other thought it was way overpriced a few years ago. They won't continue to go after I'm gone. My DD may make occasional trips, but her next planned trip isn't for 3 years - by her choice. The grandkids definitely won't be brought up on Disney like I had originally foreseen. Instead, they will see the real world, not just pavilions around Epcot.

As far as why complain here, it's a Disney discussion board. Why wouldn't they complain here? Discussing Disney is what it is for. While we may not all agree on a specific point of view, everyone has a right to make their point heard.

How do I spend my entertainment dollars? I pay $20 a month to play an online game. No movies. No sports. No TV. No concerts. Not interested.
If I'm doing something with my kids, we'll go out shooting, to an escape room, laser tag, a painting or pottery place. Any of those are cheaper for all of us than a one day ticket at Disneyland or Disney World for one person. We usually have a sit down dinner prior to or after our activity. Those meals are also cheaper than a meal at Disney.

My leisure dollars - over the next couple of years, I have week long trips planned to Colorado, Idaho, a Caribbean cruise, South Dakota, New Orleans for Mardi Gras, two trips to California, a trip to Disney World,and a trip to universal when nintendoland opens. Other than the trip to Universal, I know the other trips will cost much less than a trip to Disney World. I am not sure how much the Universal trip will cost. I expect to have as great of a time on each of those trips as I would at Disney.

Disney isn't hurting for money now. They can float along on their reputation for a long time. After a while though, their reputation won't be that shiny, and people will start going elsewhere.

If you are comparing Disney to the Cowboys, then you really are in trouble. Overpriced, not worth it. Cowboys are horrible to boot.

I just wanna say that this will be my last trip to Disney I'm only going because my son fiancé has never been but it's gotten extremely expensive took me 3 years to save up for this vacation in 2003 we went with a family of 4 to Disney to cost me 1700 dollar me and my son used to go every year we are big Disney fans love love love me some Disney but now in 2019 for a family of 3 it's cost me 2900 but I think what really did me in with vacationing at Disney is when I seen an article in the Tampa Bay news saying that Disney is suing for outrageous property tax and I just can't believe it

3k? Wow, I'm thinking that's not bad. Disney has gotten crazy expensive, especially if you are doing the resorts. And they don't even let you have the bar soaps and shampoos anymore.

showmethemouse;2524269 wrote: I just wanna say that this will be my last trip to Disney I'm only going because my son fiancé has never been but it's gotten extremely expensive took me 3 years to save up for this vacation in 2003 we went with a family of 4 to Disney to cost me 1700 dollar me and my son used to go every year we are big Disney fans love love love me some Disney but now in 2019 for a family of 3 it's cost me 2900 but I think what really did me in with vacationing at Disney is when I seen an article in the Tampa Bay news saying that Disney is suing for outrageous property tax and I just can't believe it

No offense, but with the inflation rates we have been living with, $1,200 in 16 years is really not all that bad. I understand what you are saying, and you are paying for 3 now rather than 4...What is the difference in flight costs? Bet the percentage increase is 'in the ballpark.'

My first trip, with my ex (not at the time LOL,) was also in 2003 and we paid $77/night for Caribbean Beach for the two of us. Now, see what $77/night will get you there -- NOTHING! Even Value resorts are in the $125/night range.

I still believe that you are getting your money's worth on trips. It may not seem that way right now, with all the destruction/construction going on (big reason I have 'banked' an Annual Pass) and everything that is closed, but there is still so much to see and do there.