Need to vent about how expensive WDW is now

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know this article is a few months old but it still applies to this conversation:
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/03/international-travel-surges-domestic-airfares-hotel-rates-lag.html

And I can personally attest to it as the hotels we selected for Belgium and Luxembourg increased within 1 months time of checking between September and October of 2023 for a May 2024 timeframe. Obviously the closer you get the more you can expect to pay but we were still 7 months out at that time that we booked.

To the point mentioned in the article about United ramping up international routes I just saw an article a few days ago discussing United and American Airlines is requesting the DOT to approve non-stop routes from NYC to Tokyo (with AA) and from Houston to Tokyo (with United).

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

OP - We are in the same boat . My twins are seniors this year also so going to college next year . We too are going for spring break because we are all free at that time thankfully! We are staying at Coronado for the same price as club level in the tower we are paying in February for my daughters danceteam trip . Of course the discounts end March 24th and we will just miss those . I feel your pain on paying so much but we are doing it because who knows when we can all take another trip together. I’m trying to pay for airfare with mainly points . We will have a scaled back Christmas too . It’s worth it though to have us all together one one more trip before life takes my babies in different directions. I hope you and your family enjoy your trip !

 

[marcar12]

I always find it amusing (and sad) when folks complain about how expensive WDW has become, and then say they will stay at the Contemporary. Why not save 70-80% and stay at a nice Marriott property at Flamingo Crossings?

I always find it amusing (and sad) when folks complain about how expensive WDW has become, and then say they will stay at the Contemporary. Why not save 70-80% and stay at a nice Marriott property at Flamingo Crossings?

I apologize for making you sad. The point of my post wasn't to complain about how expensive the Contemporary specifically is (or even to say that we are planning to stay there again in 2025), but rather just to point out how much more expensive the exact same trip would be today, even though it has only been 2.5 years since our previous trip. We actually aren't planning on staying at that resort next time and we don't know how many days the trip will be, but I was simply venting about the huge price jump in a short period of time.

 

[marcar12]

Frankly, I'm shocked that it's only 38% more over 4 years. The way that Disney has been jacking up prices I would have expected a much higher difference.

It's actually only over 2.5 years. From March 2021 to now, Nov 2023.

 

[Kerry1957]

Staying off property is not the same thing as staying in a Disney resort....
The Bonnet Creek JW is too far removed to make staying enjoyable, IMHO...
If I have to get a LYFT of have a rental car to do anything, that's not vacation, its not enjoyable

I think I understand your point; we each choose how to balance cost vs. experience.

As AP holders, my wife and I get to Disney 3-4 times a year. I have no problem driving my rental car less than a mile to get onto Disney property. We don't need (or even want) 24/7 Disney immersion. I would rather go more often, spending less for each individual trip. The same logic applies to other vacations; I go to Europe twice a year but fly coach (either cash or miles) instead of going once a year or two years in first class.

Many folks on these Boards feel very differently than I do, and that's fine with me. There isn't an obvious right or wrong way to Disney.

 

[john7994]

I think I understand your point; we each choose how to balance cost vs. experience.

As AP holders, my wife and I get to Disney 3-4 times a year. I have no problem driving my rental car less than a mile to get onto Disney property. We don't need (or even want) 24/7 Disney immersion. I would rather go more often, spending less for each individual trip. The same logic applies to other vacations; I go to Europe twice a year but fly coach (either cash or miles) instead of going once a year or two years in first class.

Many folks on these Boards feel very differently than I do, and that's fine with me. There isn't an obvious right or wrong way to Disney.

I like Minnie Vans, and we drive to Disney and stay on property ..

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I like Minnie Vans, and we drive to Disney and stay on property ..

Yeah, me too! I don't drink often, but when I'm on vacation, I want to enjoy a drink with my dinner or a beer at the pool.
How does a DUI driving back to the cheap off-property hotel factor into the off-property CBA?

 

[john7994]

Yeah, me too! I don't drink often, but when I'm on vacation, I want to enjoy a drink with my dinner or a beer at the pool.
How does a DUI driving back to the cheap off-property hotel factor into the off-property CBA?

We don’t even need to be drinking, but likely is helpful when we do. From the experience to the CM to the park / destination appropriate music playing … it’s just nice ..

 

[wabbott]

Many folks on these Boards feel very differently than I do, and that's fine with me. There isn't an obvious right or wrong way to Disney.

Indeed. I observed on another thread how some guests like the premium hotels with big swimming pools and other amenities, where we are just the opposite. We would rather spend the money on a meal Narcoossee's or Brown Derby and a bottle of Fess Parker or MacMurray Estate to go with the meal.

 

[marcar12]

THANK YOU to everyone who has commiserated with me and given me tips for my trip. I truly appreciate you listening to my vent and also providing me with some advice!

I feel like a lot has been said that I would like to reply to, but it would be a very long post. So here are just a couple of things I would like to add and ask!....

Yes our 2021 trip was during Covid. That was an interesting experience and probably made it easier to get a room during Spring Break 2021, but I don't think it effected the prices very much.
One true factor for us is that we have 4 kids, and now 3 of them are age 10+, so obviously that increases the cost some. But for our March 2021 trip, we stayed in a rented 2-bedroom DVC room (so it was actually BLT, not Contemporary itself, sorry for that confusion.) And this next time we will need the same size room.

If anyone has any tips on how a family of 6 can stay comfortably but for the best price, I would so appreciate hearing your tips (2 of the kids are teens, 2 will be pre-teens, so having 2+ bathrooms is pretty important). I obviously already know about renting DVC points which has made a huge difference for us in the past. We have truly been spoiled in the past by a 2-bedroom DVC room at BLT, but we are NOT planning to stay there again this time. I am hoping to still feel comfortable with 6 people in one room and stay on property (we stayed off property once in 2012 and learned during that trip why staying on property is so preferred.)

Does renting DVC points ever go down in cost? Would that be a possibility at all if crowds go down in 2024? I don't know what to expect there.

We have done many other types of vacations in the last 10 years... we went to San Diego (LOVED IT), Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Seattle, Estes Park CO, and more. So we very much understand that there are less expensive ways to have a fun time, but something is just magical about Disney and the planning involved is something I absolutely love (none of our other vacations have kept me busy with planning for a full 12 months, haha!) So we will be going. But man, lots of sacrifice will be necessary to make it happen.

 

[40ariel]

We are planning to stay offsite this trip which will be much less expensive. We will be able to stay in a large one bedroom with a kitchen and a balcony for much less than a studio on property. It is not my first choice, but I have a budget and I just couldn't get the numbers to work staying on site. We will see how it works out!

 

[Fraeli]

Just to clarify because I see this all the time and it's a major misunderstanding...

Drury Plaza is a Disney Springs Area Hotel and yes it qualifies for early entry to WDW theme parks.

The Good Neighbor Resorts are a different set of resorts and actually do NOT qualify for early entry or any other WDW perk.

Thank you for pointing that out. You are absolutely right.

 

[wabbott]

THANK YOU to everyone who has commiserated with me and given me tips for my trip. I truly appreciate you listening to my vent and also providing me with some advice!

I feel like a lot has been said that I would like to reply to, but it would be a very long post. So here are just a couple of things I would like to add and ask!....

Yes our 2021 trip was during Covid. That was an interesting experience and probably made it easier to get a room during Spring Break 2021, but I don't think it effected the prices very much.
One true factor for us is that we have 4 kids, and now 3 of them are age 10+, so obviously that increases the cost some. But for our March 2021 trip, we stayed in a rented 2-bedroom DVC room (so it was actually BLT, not Contemporary itself, sorry for that confusion.) And this next time we will need the same size room.

If anyone has any tips on how a family of 6 can stay comfortably but for the best price, I would so appreciate hearing your tips (2 of the kids are teens, 2 will be pre-teens, so having 2+ bathrooms is pretty important). I obviously already know about renting DVC points which has made a huge difference for us in the past. We have truly been spoiled in the past by a 2-bedroom DVC room at BLT, but we are NOT planning to stay there again this time. I am hoping to still feel comfortable with 6 people in one room and stay on property (we stayed off property once in 2012 and learned during that trip why staying on property is so preferred.)

Does renting DVC points ever go down in cost? Would that be a possibility at all if crowds go down in 2024? I don't know what to expect there.

We have done many other types of vacations in the last 10 years... we went to San Diego (LOVED IT), Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Seattle, Estes Park CO, and more. So we very much understand that there are less expensive ways to have a fun time, but something is just magical about Disney and the planning involved is something I absolutely love (none of our other vacations have kept me busy with planning for a full 12 months, haha!) So we will be going. But man, lots of sacrifice will be necessary to make it happen.

This blog looks to have some pertinent info on Pop Century/Art of Animation.

https://www.mousehacking.com/blog/disneys-pop-century-resort-vs-art-of-animation-resort

 

[pigletto]

I love to stay onsite as much as the next person and I have stayed at 75% off the resorts at this point. But my budget simply didn’t increase at the same rate as the costs at Disney did. Add in the fact that I’m Canadian and automatically paying 30% more because of exchange and I just hit a point where it doesn’t make sense to stay onsite.

This next trip we are considering will be 6 adults ( my kids, their partners, myself and my husband). We can’t squish into one hotel room and frankly wouldn’t want to. Even renting points for a two bedroom anywhere is breathtakingly expensive. So we either get three separate rooms onsite (oldest couple paying for their own) or we look offsite.

I can get a three bedroom unit at Bonnet Creek for less than the cost of one of those rooms. That leaves thousands in the budget for food, party tickets, ubers. I would love to stay onsite again when its just my husband and I but I won't with a large group.

 

[cvjw]

The price of renting DVC points doesn’t generally go down. Unless you luck into a last minute special on a confirmed reservation or find someone with expiring points they want to get rid of for cheap. The problem with last minute points is that using them can be an issue - DVC books up months in advance.

If you want to stay in a 2 bedroom at BLT, you need to book at least at the 7 month mark. It is a popular villa type. For good reason. Great location and great room layout.

 

[LordG]

Marriott was be really proud of the swan and dolphin because lately they have been more money that the GF!

They also black out a lot of dates to Bonvoy points….. the JW bonnet creek is consistently less money lately

Not when you use hotel discount sites that move hotel inventory. I may be new here but I know hotels.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Indeed. I observed on another thread how some guests like the premium hotels with big swimming pools and other amenities, where we are just the opposite. We would rather spend the money on a meal Narcoossee's or Brown Derby and a bottle of Fess Parker or MacMurray Estate to go with the meal.

When you go to Narcoosee’s sit at the bar with Sergio. He is amazing, and makes the meal better

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Not when you use hotel discount sites that move hotel inventory. I may be new here but I know hotels.

If you say so

 

[LordG]

If you say so

I do

 

[snowwite]

It works by not going to a park every day of the trip. Some folks can't afford to and find ways to enjoy FL and the area that cost a lot less on "down days"...

We do that and we like it. We have some favorite local restaurants and have explored some other places as day trips. Last time my daughter and I went to Tarpon Springs which is a cute little Greek town and the food is fantastic. We went to an arts festival in Gulfport and would go back for a longer visit. We’ve explored Winter Park, Windermere and Winter Garden. We loved Clearwater beach. There are parts with palm trees right on the beach. Most of the time we stay off site and get a house for 8 days for less than 2 nights in a moderate resort. We have a private pool so we hang out there most of the time. This visit we will have a 5 bedroom house. We probably will not even go upstairs . It was a bargain and my kids didn’t want to take time off work to go so it’s more than we need. We will shop at Aldi and eat some meals in or picnic. You can definitely still have a great time and stay in your budget.