Walt Disney World

[Brianfo]

My wife and I will be taking 2 small children to Walt Disney World in Florida in 2 weeks. I get to go as a bonus thru my work. We are staying at the Hilton. My question is what is the weather like down there in January? Any good ideas on what to see and do with twins that are 2 years old? I am kind of looking forward to it. A chance to get out of Iowa in January. Oh well, enought blabbing. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Yeah, your biggest mistake was timing. Any time of year that the kids are out of school is just a horrible time to be in the parks. The week before Thanksgiving? Awesome. Week after? No worries. Week of? Not a ****ing chance.
.

I learned my lesson about going during Thanksgiving about 15 years ago.....never the hell again. Not only are all the Parks packed and it's wall to wall crying kids.....but when you leave on Sat/Sun morning and head north on either 75 or 95 it's like rush hour in LA. You are lucky if you manage to go 45 MPH for 75 miles.

We have gone the first week of December for the past 8 years....and been happy. It's not so crowded and you don't get rammed by the damned Double-Wide Stroller crowd or the person who never learned how to use the ECV correctly.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

I learned my lesson about going during Thanksgiving about 15 years ago.....never the hell again. Not only are all the Parks packed and it's wall to wall crying kids.....but when you leave on Sat/Sun morning and head north on either 75 or 95 it's like rush hour in LA. You are lucky if you manage to go 45 MPH for 75 miles.

We have gone the first week of December for the past 8 years....and been happy. It's not so crowded and you don't get rammed by the damned Double-Wide Stroller crowd or the person who never learned how to use the ECV correctly.

Few things are as shitty as an amusement park, any amusement park, on a holiday weekend. Hell, any weekend generally sucks. I remember my mom took me to the Six Flags near St. Louis over the 4th of July weekend once when I was a kid. It was awful. Hot as ****, completely packed, and the lines took forever. I think I was able to get on four or five rides all day. After that we went during the week. I think that was the genesis for my lifelong hatred of crowds and hot weather.

The last summer I was stationed up at Great Lakes, I finally could afford to move off base and rented an apartment about 10 minutes from Six Flags Great America in Waukegan. My buddy and I got season passes, and we'd go a couple of nights a week. That was great. Go for two or three hours, and if you miss something, hit it the next time. The temperature was reasonable and it wasn't crowded at all. The season pass basically paid for itself after the third visit.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by BigRichard

With all the technology we have now why is that no amusement park can make it so you don't have to wait in lines... have some sort of paging system and you only can queue for one or two rides... if you don't show up within 5 minutes your spot is gone and goes to the next lucky bunch. I see that as a win win for everyone... nobody has to wait in lines and it would allow parents more time to buy other shit that makes the park money.

Could you imagine a big name park stating that you never have to wait in lines anymore?

Please apply to be the CEO of Disney.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by BigRichard

With all the technology we have now why is that no amusement park can make it so you don't have to wait in lines... have some sort of paging system and you only can queue for one or two rides... if you don't show up within 5 minutes your spot is gone and goes to the next lucky bunch.

Disney already had that system for years. It was called Fast Pass. Now they changed it and are charging for it. But you still get to skip the lines for the rides and shows that you pick.

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Disney already had that system for years. It was called Fast Pass. Now they changed it and are charging for it. But you still get to skip the lines for the rides and shows that you pick.

Yeah we could book 3 rides a day with the fast pass when we went two years ago. You schedule your party for a block of time like 9:00 to 9:25 and show up in that time frame.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

Yeah we could book 3 rides a day with the fast pass when we went two years ago. You schedule your party for a block of time like 9:00 to 9:25 and show up in that time frame.

I was last at Disney world in 2017. I remember We stayed on property for one night so we were able to book rides like a month or so in advance. Once in the park, Used the app and it was wonderful. I must have booked 10 or so fastpasses per day.

Last time I was at Disneyland was around 2015 and they still used the paper fast passes. Those were great too. Not sure what system Disneyland is using these days?

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I went to Disney World for one day during Thanksgiving weekend. Was one of the worst days of my life. 1.5 to 2 hrs to wait for rides. We probably went to the wrong park since we don't have kids, but my GF wanted to see that castle.

If I ever do it again certainly going at a less busier time and going to Universal Park.

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

NEVER, EVER go to Disney on Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve/Day. If you do you are just torturing yourself.

This! What were you thinking?

[mr. tegu]

It’s readily apparent how much worst the new genie + lightning lane system is than the previous fast pass system. It’s one thing to take a free product like fast pass that works well and charge for it, but they not only started charging for it, they also made it substantially worst.

I know they would get complaints from people that they didn’t like having to book rides 30-60 days in advance, and perhaps that’s part of the reasoning on the change, but the people who wouldn’t prepare before aren’t going to prepare now either. I heard dozens of people in the parks each day being clueless as to what lightning lane is and using genie +. It’s surprising to me, but thousands of people go to Disney World each day without much of any planning and preparation.

And on the new system if you want a popular ride, you still have to reserve it at a very specific time, (7 am day of if staying on property) and if you don’t, you don’t get a reservation for the ride because they are booked within minutes. So that aspect still hasn’t even changed. Poor planners are still not getting ride time reservations.

[alpha_omega]

It's long so, under the spoiler.


Has the cost of Disney World become unaffordable for the average American family?

Recent guests of Walt Disney World complain that price hikes have gone too far

Spoiler!

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has been a go-to destination for generations of American families, but the skyrocketing costs of admission, accommodations, and even spending inside the park are leaving many visitors wondering if a Disney vacation is now only reserved for the rich.

A family of four from New Jersey reached out to FOX News Digital after taking a recent trip to Disney World, saying they had sticker shock over what they spent on their visit and noticed changes at the park from times past.

Gone is the Magical Express that previously served as a courtesy shuttle, so the family shelled out $200 for private transportation to get to and from the airport.

Park hopper tickets cost $2,550 for the five days they attended. Their four nights of lodging inside the resort cost $3,780 for the parents and two kids.

Once inside the park, they spent $300 on Genie plus passes for their entire trip to skip lines in order to avoid spending all their time waiting for rides. The parents said they paid $950 on sit-down meals and another $700 or so for snacks and souvenirs. All told, the cost of the visit rounded out to $8,480, and airfare pushed the price of their vacation upwards of $10,000.

"I feel like Disney is pricing people out, can the average working American family really afford this?" the mother said in remarks to FOX Business. "I've been coming to Disney since I was six years old. I'm 39 now. My kids thought Disney was magical and so for me the cost was worth it, but I see that it's not the same Disney it was."

It's not all magic
Jason Cochran, editor-in-chief of travel site Frommer's, says disenchanted Disney World guests are not imagining things and that the park has changed.

Cochran has been going to Disney World since 1972, and has written Frommer's guidebook for Disney World, Universal and Orlando since 2006. He says that even the most devoted Disney fans are starting to revolt over a combination of ever-escalating prices, lower quality experiences, and frustrations in navigating a visit.

"Disney has not publicly, but very apparently privately made the decision that it wants to court guests that spend more per day than guests used to spend," Cochran told FOX Business. "In order to do that, it's done a number of things both to maximize the profit that it's making on a day-to-day basis and also to increase the prices of access for guests."

Disney World raises its prices nearly every year far beyond the rate of inflation, he says, so that isn't new. In fact, the price for visiting the park for just one or two days has not changed from last year, but rates have gone up on most other options, according to Cochran. For instance, the price of multi-day tickets for four days now starts at $447.70, up from $434.83, and can go as high as $596.74 on busy days.

In addition to doing away with the free airport shuttle, the park got rid of parking trams at all its Orlando parks except the Magic Kingdom. Speaking of parking, that is no longer free at resort hotels, and will set visitors back $15 to $25 per night. For those not staying at Disney, a parking pass for the day starts at $25 per day and goes up to $50 for a premium spot.

At the same time, Disney has scaled back its entertainment. Cochran says the company has not brought back many of the 32,000 employees it let go during the pandemic, and has instead eliminated positions.

Cochran says Disney World is still "packed" so it is too early to tell if the park could see a drop in traffic due to the changes, especially because all amusement parks are seeing a surge in demand as vacationers emerge from the pandemic. But he says that with the uptick in complaints he is seeing, "my hunch is it is not going to be good for the brand long term."

Walt Disney World Resort has high ratings on Tripadvisor, with 4.5 out of 5 stars from 33,750 reviews. But several of the recent reviews were also peppered with similar complaints, with folks expressing frustration over the requirement to make reservations in the park ahead of time, the cost of $5 water and absence of refillable park cups, and long wait times.

"What has happened to Disney? They seem to be trying to extract as much money out of people as possible," one person wrote, adding, "Walt would be turning in his grave if he knew the current situation. We will never be visiting Disney again after this holiday. Shame on you Disney, you should be ashamed.

The real cost
FOX News Digital traveled to Orlando and interviewed other Disney World visitors to hear first-hand about their experiences at the park.

Justin, from Salt Lake City, Utah, said he and his wife have been bringing their kids to Disney for nearly 20 years, and that the rise in costs has been "incredible." He said that with their multi-day passes, the cost of tickets alone for their family of six was close to $3,500, and that they spent another $2,700 inside the park itself.

The software salesman recalled his parents taking him to his first trip to Disney World in 1987, and said he always wanted to bring his kids, but now he worries whether they will be able to do the same for their own children.

Justin said he now wonders if a Disney World vacation has "become something that's only for the wealthy, or the upper-middle class."

"I think there's a lot of families that just can't, simply can't afford… to have that experience, and that's kind of sad," Justin said. "Because in the way Disney started out, I think it was meant to be for everyone."

Cochran agrees that Disney is now out of the price range of many families.

"My concern is that more and more people are putting this on credit cards," he said, urging folks to save up for the trip ahead of time.

"There's a lot of families in the middle class and working class, blue-collar families who are still going to be spending that money because they want to give it to their kids," he added. "I think Disney takes advantage of that."

The Walt Disney Company did not respond to FOX Business' multiple requests for comment.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyl...merican-family

[Spott]

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

It's long so, under the spoiler.


Has the cost of Disney World become unaffordable for the average American family?

Recent guests of Walt Disney World complain that price hikes have gone too far

Spoiler!

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has been a go-to destination for generations of American families, but the skyrocketing costs of admission, accommodations, and even spending inside the park are leaving many visitors wondering if a Disney vacation is now only reserved for the rich.

A family of four from New Jersey reached out to FOX News Digital after taking a recent trip to Disney World, saying they had sticker shock over what they spent on their visit and noticed changes at the park from times past.

Gone is the Magical Express that previously served as a courtesy shuttle, so the family shelled out $200 for private transportation to get to and from the airport.

Park hopper tickets cost $2,550 for the five days they attended. Their four nights of lodging inside the resort cost $3,780 for the parents and two kids.

Once inside the park, they spent $300 on Genie plus passes for their entire trip to skip lines in order to avoid spending all their time waiting for rides. The parents said they paid $950 on sit-down meals and another $700 or so for snacks and souvenirs. All told, the cost of the visit rounded out to $8,480, and airfare pushed the price of their vacation upwards of $10,000.

"I feel like Disney is pricing people out, can the average working American family really afford this?" the mother said in remarks to FOX Business. "I've been coming to Disney since I was six years old. I'm 39 now. My kids thought Disney was magical and so for me the cost was worth it, but I see that it's not the same Disney it was."

It's not all magic
Jason Cochran, editor-in-chief of travel site Frommer's, says disenchanted Disney World guests are not imagining things and that the park has changed.

Cochran has been going to Disney World since 1972, and has written Frommer's guidebook for Disney World, Universal and Orlando since 2006. He says that even the most devoted Disney fans are starting to revolt over a combination of ever-escalating prices, lower quality experiences, and frustrations in navigating a visit.

"Disney has not publicly, but very apparently privately made the decision that it wants to court guests that spend more per day than guests used to spend," Cochran told FOX Business. "In order to do that, it's done a number of things both to maximize the profit that it's making on a day-to-day basis and also to increase the prices of access for guests."

Disney World raises its prices nearly every year far beyond the rate of inflation, he says, so that isn't new. In fact, the price for visiting the park for just one or two days has not changed from last year, but rates have gone up on most other options, according to Cochran. For instance, the price of multi-day tickets for four days now starts at $447.70, up from $434.83, and can go as high as $596.74 on busy days.

In addition to doing away with the free airport shuttle, the park got rid of parking trams at all its Orlando parks except the Magic Kingdom. Speaking of parking, that is no longer free at resort hotels, and will set visitors back $15 to $25 per night. For those not staying at Disney, a parking pass for the day starts at $25 per day and goes up to $50 for a premium spot.

At the same time, Disney has scaled back its entertainment. Cochran says the company has not brought back many of the 32,000 employees it let go during the pandemic, and has instead eliminated positions.

Cochran says Disney World is still "packed" so it is too early to tell if the park could see a drop in traffic due to the changes, especially because all amusement parks are seeing a surge in demand as vacationers emerge from the pandemic. But he says that with the uptick in complaints he is seeing, "my hunch is it is not going to be good for the brand long term."

Walt Disney World Resort has high ratings on Tripadvisor, with 4.5 out of 5 stars from 33,750 reviews. But several of the recent reviews were also peppered with similar complaints, with folks expressing frustration over the requirement to make reservations in the park ahead of time, the cost of $5 water and absence of refillable park cups, and long wait times.

"What has happened to Disney? They seem to be trying to extract as much money out of people as possible," one person wrote, adding, "Walt would be turning in his grave if he knew the current situation. We will never be visiting Disney again after this holiday. Shame on you Disney, you should be ashamed.

The real cost
FOX News Digital traveled to Orlando and interviewed other Disney World visitors to hear first-hand about their experiences at the park.

Justin, from Salt Lake City, Utah, said he and his wife have been bringing their kids to Disney for nearly 20 years, and that the rise in costs has been "incredible." He said that with their multi-day passes, the cost of tickets alone for their family of six was close to $3,500, and that they spent another $2,700 inside the park itself.

The software salesman recalled his parents taking him to his first trip to Disney World in 1987, and said he always wanted to bring his kids, but now he worries whether they will be able to do the same for their own children.

Justin said he now wonders if a Disney World vacation has "become something that's only for the wealthy, or the upper-middle class."

"I think there's a lot of families that just can't, simply can't afford… to have that experience, and that's kind of sad," Justin said. "Because in the way Disney started out, I think it was meant to be for everyone."

Cochran agrees that Disney is now out of the price range of many families.

"My concern is that more and more people are putting this on credit cards," he said, urging folks to save up for the trip ahead of time.

"There's a lot of families in the middle class and working class, blue-collar families who are still going to be spending that money because they want to give it to their kids," he added. "I think Disney takes advantage of that."

The Walt Disney Company did not respond to FOX Business' multiple requests for comment.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyl...merican-family

I was just there on Saturday and even though admission and parking are free because my brother-in-law is an employee, it was still an expensive day at the park. They are a money printing machine.

[ThaVirus]

I've long thought the parks were way overpriced. I'm local so I can avoid all of the frill and yet a day at the park is still pretty expensive.

I can't imagine the bill for a family of four+ who comes from out of state. It has to be close to $5k all things considered, even when thrifting where you can. Those traveling internationally have to be approaching $10k.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I've long thought the parks were way overpriced. I'm local so I can avoid all of the frill and yet a day at the park is still pretty expensive.

I can't imagine the bill for a family of four+ who comes from out of state. It has to be close to $5k all things considered, even when thrifting where you can. Those traveling internationally have to be approaching $10k.

My dad, sister, and her 2 daughters are going here in a couple weeks. It's costing the 4 of them somewhere between $5,000 - $6,000 for what I believe is 3 or 4 days at the parks.

[BigBeauford]

We dropped about $7k on a 4 day 5 night stay (upcoming).

[notorious]

Someone could buy my family the full package for Disney World and I wouldn’t go.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

My dad, sister, and her 2 daughters are going here in a couple weeks. It's costing the 4 of them somewhere between $5,000 - $6,000 for what I believe is 3 or 4 days at the parks.

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

We dropped about $7k on a 4 day 5 night stay (upcoming).

Yeah.. I love Disney World and a ton of stuff the Orlando area has to offer, but even I couldn't justify spending so much on a Disney trip.