Disney Hotel Prices are Out of Control!

[DGsAtBLT]

Im going off memory, but just over 10 years ago I’m fairly certain we paid $300 something a night for rack rate at the Beach Club so we could get free dining. Ouch.

 

[snappy]

WL was $150 a night when I brought my mom there when we attended a Race for the Cure. She loved the lobby. I had trouble getting her out to a park.

 

[scionchigirl]

WL was $150 a night when I brought my mom there when we attended a Race for the Cure. She loved the lobby. I had trouble getting her out to a park.

It IS a beautiful lobby that smells wonderful, but I HATED walking past the smoking zone each day to get to the bus!

 

[vacationer1954]

I don’t understand why people are surprised that it can upset people when they’re priced out of a place they love.

I think people are surprised by what people get upset about. I want to schedule a date night with my spouse every week working our way through the signature restaurants and then starting over again. But as retirees we cannot justify the cost. It's too expensive. I'm disappointed by that but I don't blame the prices. I blame our limited savings.

 

[SillySallySews]

I love that Contemporary Club level is $1000 a night - it means it's almost always available.

We will be there in less than a week. TPV Atrium CL, CL is sold out and we paid nowhere near $1000/night. Maybe the suites in the Tower Club are that price?

I'd love to know how everyone is going to Europe for less money...

I’d love to know this too because people say it all the time. But even if I get round trip flights for $500 per person (which seems unlikely), I’m still paying more in airfare alone to take my family to Europe, than my entire five night stay at a Disney deluxe on CL with dining and park tickets. I need these Europe travelers to teach me their ways because I’d love to go!

 

[vacationer1954]

We priced out a trip to Scotland for next year and then ditched the idea after seeing the price tag. I showed my spouse how we could move to Florida and buy Weekend Select passes for ten years for the price of that one trip to Scotland.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Okay, but you could go to Disney the exact same way you went to Europe (hd out for cheap airfare, stay at an Airbnb, grocery shop and make your own meals) and pay considerably less than $8,500. So you are comparing apples to oranges. This post is about hotel rates and there is no way you could fly to Europe and stay in hotels for that little.

Well, they are 2 separate kinds of trips. In Europe you don't want to squish into a small (and I mean very small) hotel room. We like to slow travel and that means relaxing and taking our time. You don't "rope drop" Europe! You stop at the road side stands and by the freshest produce you will ever eat and you contemplate the art and architecture that has survived thousands of years. Most hotels in Europe don't have pools but you can find lots of houses to rent with your very own.
I would rather spend my $8500 on 12 days in Europe than the same amount on Disney but, we made a decision as a family to go one last time. I could save money and stay at Pop but with 2 teens it is just tight. We still need that 3rd sleeping space for the only boy and an air mattress really doesn't fit that well. Disney makes sure that if you have older kids or a larger family you must spend a lot more money. I'm doing it but I will b*tch about it the whole time (my prerogative). Hopefully the next time we decide to visit the kids will be employed adults and they can pay their own way.

 

[Samantha Morgan]

1) Discounts are not yet released for that time frame. There should probably be a real discount of 15% to 30% coming out for that time. (Usually the “Sun and Fun”)

2) there may be a cheerleading competition going on at that time frame so the demand is a little bit higher then.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

We priced out a trip to Scotland for next year and then ditched the idea after seeing the price tag. I showed my spouse how we could move to Florida and buy Weekend Select passes for ten years for the price of that one trip to Scotland.

Right now is a great time to visit Scotland. The pound is really down against the dollar and your money will stretch. The first time I visited the UK the exchange rate was $2=£1. It was insanse!

 

[snappy]

Right now is a great time to visit Scotland. The pound is really down against the dollar and your money will stretch. The first time I visited the UK the exchange rate was $2=£1. It was insanse!

I’m in!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

You can definitely do Europe cheaper than Disney. I've priced it out several times. Well I can with the way we like to vacation.

Disney "deluxe", 8 nights, 8 day PH for my family of four is well over 6K and you haven't even added in flights, food or extras. We need two rooms now but I'm not going to add that cost in since not everyone needs two rooms.

Italy flights for four out of JFK can be around 2K but let's say 2200. Airbnb with amazing views in Rome or Amalfi Coast around $1500 for 10 nights. Then add in food and excursions.

Sure I could do Disney cheaper if I stayed value, drove from NJ, didn't get PH and ate all QS. Or stayed offsite, rented a car, packed lunch, cooked all meals and ate in the villa. But that's not how we want to do Disney. I don't do Airbnb's in Orlando. When I go to Orlando it's to go to Disney (or Universal) and be immersed in my vacation destination. I also don’t cook while at WDW. I find it to be a tiring vacation and have no desire to cook at all. So we eat all meals out.

I've never been to Europe but from speaking to people the way I want to do Europe is by staying in the towns and experiencing the culture. So Airbnb it is. Or renting a home by a private company. Living amongst the locals and stopping into a local bakery for breakfast and taking a scenic walk to my destination. Taking the train to your next destination. Buying fresh local ingredients and making food in our Airbnb.

When I vacation (for any destination) I want to do it the way I want to do it. If the way I want to do it isn't in the budget or doesn't feel like a value then we pick somewhere else. Right now the way we like to do Disney doesn't feel like a good value so we are going elsewhere.

 

[maxiesmom]

Nah, not so. I used to go in the early 2000's with my friends. We'd stay 9 nights for about $1,000, all together.

Still a luxury. My family couldn't afford that growing up. My first trip to Disney was when I was 29.

 

[Rob Troxel]

Okay, but you could go to Disney the exact same way you went to Europe (hd out for cheap airfare, stay at an Airbnb, grocery shop and make your own meals) and pay considerably less than $8,500. So you are comparing apples to oranges. This post is about hotel rates and there is no way you could fly to Europe and stay in hotels for that little.

You are wrong! We do Europe for less especially during the last 2 years. The question really is>>Real World or Disney World. Thanks to Disney for offering solid financial reasons to see the Real World.

 

[ww52]

Still a luxury. My family couldn't afford that growing up. My first trip to Disney was when I was 29.

DL for one night as part of a California trip a year after I got married (I was 24 at that time). In a way I don't count that (we actually got a reservation at the DL hotel during our time in LA - no advanced planning. They still had A, B, C, D E tickets then.

First WDW trip was when I was 37 in 1989. Not because I couldn't afford it but my wife was not a Disney fan. We had 3 kids by this point. Stayed at the (then) new GF for I think less than $300 a night. A luxury worth it since we so close to MK with the little ones.

We only stayed at deluxe our 8-9 trips (GF, BC, and S/D) for the convenience of being close to the parks. S/D has made it more affordable with teacher discounts and now senior discounts. I got priced out of BC (which would be our preference).

The point is - you obviously have to pay for that convenience. And I KNOW everyone on herer realizes that price is based on what the market will bear. Not based on what a large number of people would like.

My adult children find it frustratingly expensive and yet my oldest loves it enough to plan on a trip every 2-3 years.

I think it's funny in a way - every time I get on these boards in anticipation of my next trip I run into a thread like this.

To me it's always wistful, wishful, musing - gee, I sure wish Disney was cheaper so I could go more often or stay in more convenient / special accommodations.

Me too. But if it was, then it would far more crowded - and probably eventually get run-down because Disney wouldn't be making enough money to keep it up.

And yet human nature is always the same - wanting more for less. I note that no one is criticizing Disney for ripping us off. And I note that most seem to understand that their competition (Universal) is really a somewhat different market. For those that love Disney, I think Universal is a step down or a second choice.

Yep - Disney has it all figured out pretty well. Which as a data analyst is pretty impressive to me.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

You are wrong! We do Europe for less especially during the last 2 years. The question really is>>Real World or Disney World. Thanks to Disney for offering solid financial reasons to see the Real World.

Yup. There's a big beautiful world out there waiting to be seen and experienced. At a better value than WDW.

Disney has never been our only vacation destination so I've never felt the need to give up how I want to do Disney just so I can make a trip. I've always wanted to see the world so I look around at prices and go elsewhere. I guess it's harder for people to deal with the prices when Disney is all they want to do or they must go every year or multiple times a year to feel satisfied. I love Disney but it's never been the only place I want to vacation. We are every 3 year visitors or so. Our next trip may have a 5 year gap though.

 

[dez1978]

DL for one night as part of a California trip a year after I got married (I was 24 at that time). In a way I don't count that (we actually got a reservation at the DL hotel during our time in LA - no advanced planning. They still had A, B, C, D E tickets then.

First WDW trip was when I was 37 in 1989. Not because I couldn't afford it but my wife was not a Disney fan. We had 3 kids by this point. Stayed at the (then) new GF for I think less than $300 a night. A luxury worth it since we so close to MK with the little ones.

We only stayed at deluxe our 8-9 trips (GF, BC, and S/D) for the convenience of being close to the parks. S/D has made it more affordable with teacher discounts and now senior discounts. I got priced out of BC (which would be our preference).

The point is - you obviously have to pay for that convenience. And I KNOW everyone on herer realizes that price is based on what the market will bear. Not based on what a large number of people would like.

My adult children find it frustratingly expensive and yet my oldest loves it enough to plan on a trip every 2-3 years.

I think it's funny in a way - every time I get on these boards in anticipation of my next trip I run into a thread like this.

To me it's always wistful, wishful, musing - gee, I sure wish Disney was cheaper so I could go more often or stay in more convenient / special accommodations.

Me too. But if it was, then it would far more crowded - and probably eventually get run-down because Disney wouldn't be making enough money to keep it up.

And yet human nature is always the same - wanting more for less. I note that no one is criticizing Disney for ripping us off. And I note that most seem to understand that their competition (Universal) is really a somewhat different market. For those that love Disney, I think Universal is a step down or a second choice.

Yep - Disney has it all figured out pretty well. Which as a data analyst is pretty impressive to me.

I've certainly criticized Disney for their prices. It's ridiculous what they charge per night simply because its disney.

 

[ww52]

I've certainly criticized Disney for their prices. It's ridiculous what they charge per night simply because its disney.

Not ridiculous in the least. It makes perfect sense to me and most people. Sure, I wish it would be cheaper, but until people stop going it will keep getting more expensive.

To me an iPhone is ridiculously expensive. So is a Mac. So I have an Android phone and a PC. And I don't feel I am missing anything.

But Disney? I could do Universal a lot cheaper but I'd feel like I "settled". If/when it finally gets too expensive, then there ARE alternative ways to spend my vacation dollars. Do you really think Disney is not aware of that?

These articles in the press saying Disney priced themselves too high are missing cause /effect. Park attendance is (temporarily) down I think because people perceive this as a "transition" time. A lot of stuff being planned for the 50th anniversary so many people are possibly putting off their trips.

Should Apple (with their billions in cash reserves) lower prices? Of course not - that would be irresponsible of them to their shareholders and their employees.

Or for that matter, ANY company. Out of the goodness of their hearts should ANY company charge less than the they can? Capitalism / free markets have flaws but they work better than alternative forms of economic systems.

Criticizing Disney for being successful really is just as I said - a wish that somehow it was cheaper so we could afford to go more often. It's emotional, not logical.

 

[ww52]

I guess it's harder for people to deal with the prices when Disney is all they want to do or they must go every year or multiple times a year to feel satisfied.

Not surprising - someone found a much more concise way of making the point. (I tend to get very wordy. Just ask my wife!)

 

[dez1978]

Not ridiculous in the least. It makes perfect sense to me and most people. Sure, I wish it would be cheaper, but until people stop going it will keep getting more expensive.

To me an iPhone is ridiculously expensive. So is a Mac. So I have an Android phone and a PC. And I don't feel I am missing anything.

But Disney? I could do Universal a lot cheaper but I'd feel like I "settled". If/when it finally gets too expensive, then there ARE alternative ways to spend my vacation dollars. Do you really think Disney is not aware of that?

These articles in the press saying Disney priced themselves too high are missing cause /effect. Park attendance is (temporarily) down I think because people perceive this as a "transition" time. A lot of stuff being planned for the 50th anniversary so many people are possibly putting off their trips.

Should Apple (with their billions in cash reserves) lower prices? Of course not - that would be irresponsible of them to their shareholders and their employees.

Or for that matter, ANY company. Out of the goodness of their hearts should ANY company charge less than the they can? Capitalism / free markets have flaws but they work better than alternative forms of economic systems.

Criticizing Disney for being successful really is just as I said - a wish that somehow it was cheaper so we could afford to go more often. It's emotional, not logical.

But for what they charge, the quality should be better. I'm not arguing the economics of it, so please don't speak to me like I'm ignorant. What I am saying is, if you are spending 60 on a buffet, then the quality of the food should be better than Golden corrals. I get its "the experience" of the characters, but that doesn't mean they should serve subpar food. If the Poly is going to charge $600/night (or there about) the towels, linens, etc should be of better quality than POP. Its like buying a Porsche. I expect higher quality than out of a 20k honda. I expect a nicer service dept, a nicer waiting area, higher quality materials. Because thats the price I am paying.
I pay for an Iphone bc I like it better than the samsung I had, therefore it is worth it to me. But if all things were equal between the 2 for my experience using them, then I would save and buy an android.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

But for what they charge, the quality should be better. I'm not arguing the economics of it, so please don't speak to me like I'm ignorant. What I am saying is, if you are spending 60 on a buffet, then the quality of the food should be better than Golden corrals. I get its "the experience" of the characters, but that doesn't mean they should serve subpar food. If the Poly is going to charge $600/night (or there about) the towels, linens, etc should be of better quality than POP. Its like buying a Porsche. I expect higher quality than out of a 20k honda. I expect a nicer service dept, a nicer waiting area, higher quality materials. Because thats the price I am paying.
I pay for an Iphone bc I like it better than the samsung I had, therefore it is worth it to me. But if all things were equal between the 2 for my experience using them, then I would save and buy an android.

I agree. But they won’t up the quality because people will continue to pay the prices with what is offered.