Is Disney worth the price increase?

Lilly&Co · February 2014

Yikes.

https://www.cnn.com/2014/02/24/travel/disney-magic-kingdom-price-increase/index.html?sr=fb022414disneyland2p

Lilly&Co · February 2014

I guess I am out of the Loop, I didn't even consider park price. We are going possibly in July, I just didn't realize this. Had momentary sticker shock.

zbeesma86 · February 2014

it's 'the happiest place on earth'- they charge it, people will pay it.

I haven't been since my jr year of high school. can't wait to take Z!

rosesandpetals · February 2014

When you're talking about Disney prices, I doubt $4/day is even noticeable for families visiting. But I wonder how much extra money it will bring in for Disney. $4/day pp must be a ton of extra revenue.

penguingrrl · February 2014

Wow, that's a lot more expensive than I thought Disney was! I mean, I knew it was pricey, but I figured $40 for a one day pass, which is still high IMO.

That said, my last vacation was my honeymoon in July '06. I have no idea what a family vacation would generally cost. $500 per day in entertainment sounds really high though. DH and I went to Italy for 7 days and paid $3,000 including airfare, food, hotels and entertainment and felt like we were going hog wild the whole time we were there.

penguingrrl · February 2014

amy052006 said:

A 7 days ticket is $324 for an adult, or about $46 a day. That's my point -- people see the one day price, have no idea, never looked into things because the assume it is beyond their means, and don't even realize the actual cost.

Ah, that's much better. Still more than I would want to spend, but I loath amusement parks.

Andrewsgal · February 2014

I hate amusement parks too, but honestly I don't consider disney one. It is just so different than any amusement park I have been to. I am glad we booked before the price increase. It's not much but would be about $100 difference for us.

penguingrrl · February 2014

Andrewsgal said:

I hate amusement parks too, but honestly I don't consider disney one. It is just so different than any amusement park I have been to. I am glad we booked before the price increase. It's not much but would be about $100 difference for us.

How is it different? I've never been. DH has been twice and swears I would hate it lol! He has no desire to go back, even with the kids.

alli2672 · February 2014

Wow. I had no idea it was so expensive. I had been thinking about taking the kids to Disneyland when we went out to LA for my sister's wedding, but probably not for $500.

My memories of Disney as a kid are mostly of being really disappointed. Then again, I am a huge fan of most amusement parks and a full-on roller-coaster junkie.

penguingrrl · February 2014

LalaMama81 said:

penguingrrl said:

Andrewsgal said:

I hate amusement parks too, but honestly I don't consider disney one. It is just so different than any amusement park I have been to. I am glad we booked before the price increase. It's not much but would be about $100 difference for us.

How is it different? I've never been. DH has been twice and swears I would hate it lol! He has no desire to go back, even with the kids.

Agree w/ AG. I dislike basic amusement parks, thrill rides, boardwalk type amusements. I know it's obvious I'm a big disney groupie, but it's a full submersive, themed wonderland. The attention to every single level of detail from the color of the pathways to music to lighting is astounding. We do plenty of traveling and I love seeing the world - but there is something magical about going into a fantasy world for a few days or a week and forgetting about real life. Many rides (not all) aren't just cookie cutter rides themed to a disney movie. They're engineered from the ground up specifically for that attraction, theme, character, etc. They spend billions on new technology and upgrades and generally it shows.

Seriously, I could go on and on and on. Cheesy or not, when DD1 saw the castle the first time as we walked down main street - all of the adults with her had tears in their eyes. You could just tell how special it was.

Gotcha. I'll admit that I've heard that there aren't that many rides and rides are the only tolerable part about an amusement park to me lol! And then only if there's no line. I don't do lines.

Didn't know about all the technology they have. I know very little about it other than what DH said. He went when he was 5 then again when he was 16. He said it was fun but not memorable and he didn't see a need to go back.

notkateanymore · February 2014

Honestly, Disney isn't really about your husband...LOL It's really for your kids. So maybe you can save some money and not take him.

Andrewsgal · February 2014

The best part about Disney is my kids. Their reaction to the magic is one you will never see anywhere else. I can't even describe or explain it. You will never know until you go with a child. Sure DH and I would rather be on the beach alone, but its not all about us. They grow up so fast and one day my kids won't even want to vacation with me let alone enjoy the magic that is disney.

penguingrrl · February 2014

I guess my point is that he didn't see it as magical, even at 5! We may take the kids someday. But they'll be teenagers before a big vacation is in budget since we are prioritizing retirement savings and buying a house for the next 5+ years (we're so crazy behind on those things that that will keep us from traveling much; woohoo for the other costs of a PhD; no school debt and no consumer debt, but behind on life savings goals). And there are other vacations that are higher on our list, so I wouldn't be surprised if we never got to Disney. It's on the list somewhere if we ever have the chance, it's just really low.

notkateanymore · February 2014

KateMW said:

Honestly, Disney isn't really about your husband...LOL It's really for your kids. So maybe you can save some money and not take him.

I just don't see how you guys aren't okay with the fact that Disney isn't everyone's ideal vacation?

No, I'm OK with it 100%. It's not my ideal vacation! But saying you're not going to take your kids to Disney bc your husband didn't like it when he was 15...yeah, that's just silly. My ideal vacation is far from Disney. I go bc my child loves it.

penguingrrl · February 2014

I should add that my ILs adore the place. The two times DH went there were the only family vacations his family ever took. His parents love it, his sisters loved it. They can't imagine going elsewhere for a family vacation lol!

notkateanymore · February 2014

penguingrrl said:

I should add that my ILs adore the place. The two times DH went there were the only family vacations his family ever took. His parents love it, his sisters loved it. They can't imagine going elsewhere for a family vacation lol!

Now that's as crazy as never going.

Andrewsgal · February 2014

Hav=Fath said:

Andrewsgal said:

The best part about Disney is my kids. Their reaction to the magic is one you will never see anywhere else. I can't even describe or explain it. You will never know until you go with a child. Sure DH and I would rather be on the beach alone, but its not all about us. They grow up so fast and one day my kids won't even want to vacation with me let alone enjoy the magic that is disney.

But you make it sound like it's the only way to make a childhood magical, it's not. What about all the parents that will never be able to afford a dream Disney vacation? It's amazing that Disney is so wonderful, I'll probably be there one day but to make it sound like every child will just die if they don't get there is over the top. IMO.

Where did I say it was a necessary part of childhood? Oh wait I didn't. I do think its stupid that people are like I would rather go to the beach so no Disney for my kids or DH doesn't want to go. I do shit everyday I don't particularly want to do. I don't want to go watch DD for an hour at dance tonight, but DD loves it. Part if beings parent is sucking it up and doing shit for your kids. Disney is awesome because it is so magical, just like DDs dance recital is awesome because she is so proud of herself.

Andrewsgal · February 2014

Hav=Fath said:

Also, you people make going to Disney world a whole of a lot more stressful than it is. It's not rocket science.
I would hope so. The fact that there are Disney message boards and we have so many posts trying to figure it all out... makes it seem like a huge big unwanted chore.

You kill me. Half the time you dote on Hadley like she is the most precious child in the world, and now it is too much of a chore to plan a Disney trip because you would rather be at the beach?

eaglesfan700 · February 2014

It is true, I am a Disney hater. I will admit it wasn't as bad as I thought, and the kids did love it. I hate amusement parks too, but from going once during a moderately busy time (March) we learned some tips so that IF we go back, we know what we would do differently.

It is unlike any other vacation. Sure it is expensive, but as others have said, the attention to detail is phenomenal

eaglesfan700 · February 2014

amy052006 said:

eaglesfan700 said:

It is true, I am a Disney hater. I will admit it wasn't as bad as I thought, and the kids did love it. I hate amusement parks too, but from going once during a moderately busy time (March) we learned some tips so that IF we go back, we know what we would do differently.

It is unlike any other vacation. Sure it is expensive, but as others have said, the attention to detail is phenomenal

The other thing is -- and you are also a beach person, so you get this -- is that it is just so damn child friendly. The beach is too, sure, but I still stress if my kid has a meltdown in a restaurant. Meanwhile, your kid can stand on his his head and have an epic fit to last a lifetime in Disney world, and no on gives a shit. Someone else's kid is doing something worse. It's so easy because really the expectation of child behavior are minimal. So I'm not stressing, and I think as a result the kids are actually more laid back and go with the flow.

Yes! Plus we know our kids and know they need downtime. We don't spend an entire day in a park. Also MK during the day makes me stabby. If we go back, we know we will get Park hopper tickets so we can do one park in the am/early afternoon, go back to the hotel for pool time and then do MK at night

eaglesfan700 · February 2014

Hav, I feel you on not feeling like you MUST take her. I am just saying if you do, stay on-site and really do it right. You won't regret it

penguingrrl · February 2014

Andrewsgal said:

Hav=Fath said:

Andrewsgal said:

The best part about Disney is my kids. Their reaction to the magic is one you will never see anywhere else. I can't even describe or explain it. You will never know until you go with a child. Sure DH and I would rather be on the beach alone, but its not all about us. They grow up so fast and one day my kids won't even want to vacation with me let alone enjoy the magic that is disney.

But you make it sound like it's the only way to make a childhood magical, it's not. What about all the parents that will never be able to afford a dream Disney vacation? It's amazing that Disney is so wonderful, I'll probably be there one day but to make it sound like every child will just die if they don't get there is over the top. IMO.

Where did I say it was a necessary part of childhood? Oh wait I didn't. I do think its stupid that people are like I would rather go to the beach so no Disney for my kids or DH doesn't want to go. I do shit everyday I don't particularly want to do. I don't want to go watch DD for an hour at dance tonight, but DD loves it. Part if beings parent is sucking it up and doing shit for your kids. Disney is awesome because it is so magical, just like DDs dance recital is awesome because she is so proud of herself.

Even if it's cheaper than it appears on the outset, it's still in the multiple thousands on dollars including airfare. That's a lot of money for something I'm lukewarm on. Especially since we haven't had so much as a weekend away in 8 years. When we can finally afford to take a family vacation it will be somewhere we'll all enjoy, not somewhere I'm sucking up for the kids. We're planning to go to Williamsburg next summer because we're all interested in that (the girls are obsessed with Felicity from AG).

I think it's also different if you have a large vacation budget. If you are only going to have 3 or 4 family trips ever Disney isn't everyone's priority. And we're likely to have that few because of how far DHs education put us back as far as life financial goals.

Mrs.Hizzo · February 2014

amy052006 said:

Also, you people make going to Disney world a whole of a lot more stressful than it is. It's not rocket science.

We aren't planning to go for another two years, but at the moment it's feeling like rocket science. It's like Disney intentionally complicates things that shouldn't be complicated. But I also realize it's probably just me.

Mrs.Hizzo · February 2014

Hav, I will say that for someone who pities the neighbor children because there are no toys or play-sets evident in their yards, you're being awfully contentious about Disney. No, of course therapy isn't in the futures of the kids who don't get to go, and yes, it's an expensive trip that some families can't afford to take. But, if I'm understanding correctly, you've never been, right? So you're arguing about something you have absolutely no experience with.

notkateanymore · February 2014

You're not playing devil's advocate so much as trying to prove all the people that bug you on this board are being crazy about something...

Mrs.Hizzo · February 2014

Hav=Fath said:

Mrs.Hizzo said:

Hav, I will say that for someone who pities the neighbor children because there are no toys or play-sets evident in their yards, you're being awfully contentious about Disney. No, of course therapy isn't in the futures of the kids who don't get to go, and yes, it's an expensive trip that some families can't afford to take. But, if I'm understanding correctly, you've never been, right? So you're arguing about something you have absolutely no experience with.

I am playing devils advocate, all I am saying that in my opinion it's not the end of the world if a kid doesn't get to Disney! The ladies here make it sound like you'd have to be a lazy parent not to go... I just don't think it's as big of a deal if you don't. I've been saying all along that the plan now is to take her when she's 4... although listening to the extensive planning that's required makes me cranky.

It's not required. When my mom and I took the kids to Disneyland over TG, we didn't plan a damn thing, really. We decided to go on the spur of the moment, we booked Embassy Suites because it was reasonable and had a free hot breakfast and shuttle to the parks, we bought our tickets the night we arrived, we hit Target when we got there and bought fruit and chips and peanut butter, and we packed a lunch in every day so that we didn't have to eat at a restaurant. We had a fine time just winging it. But, two days of park hopper tickets for the boys and I cost me $600, and I realized that there were some things I could have done differently to make things go more smoothly. Plus, Disney World is a whole different animal from Disneyland, logistically, so to me it makes sense to avoid frustration where I can.

Also, I was so "meh" about Disney when my kids were Hadley's age. I said I would only go when and if they started begging me, because it sounded like pure torture. At 2.5, Hadley doesn't care. When she's five or six, she will care, and you'll be researching the hell out of every single thing you're rolling your eyes at right now. I'd bet money on it. You'll do it because you're the kind of mom who takes joy in everything she takes joy in, and when Princess Fever hits, you will not be immune.

bumpuser8448316 · February 2014

Walt Disney World is the most awesome place to go event if you don't have kids. I would scrimp and save if I had to in order to afford to take my kids

bumpuser924057 · February 2014

I have never been to Disney World. And just look at how I turned out! =P~ The posts lately really do make it sound seriously overwhelming. DH and I used to travel a bit before we had kids, and I had no problem putting together see-it-all vacations with six hotel rooms in seven days and crazy itineraries that took us all over, but all of the acronyms and links and meal plans and whatnot that have been discussed make this sound like the biggest pain in the ass on earth. I mean, I've been to Disneyland a few times. It was fun. I wouldn't say I ever remember it being "magical." I do remember a lot of waiting in lines and a lot of walking on tired feet and my dad complaining about how expensive the food was.

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