Disney Too Expensive?

[Jamesh22]

I wonder how crowds are looking in California ?

I did Disney and Universal in Early September.

I would describe DLR as slightly more managable than my last visit but that place never seems to get quiet and doesn't sound like what I'm hearing about Orlando.. I did manage a record amount of rides though.

Universal was quiet. The only real line was Mario Kart, everything else was 0 to 20mins all day. The park also didn't look in great shape, a lot of attractions need serious work/new cameras and overall I didn't think USH was as good a value for money as DLR.

 

[Mad Dog]

Another ominous sign from WDW is that DHS had a few days in the past five weeks when the Touring Plan crowd lines rating was a one, two or three. Even on the days when the weather was OK. That hasn't happened since SW land was built. Before, even if the rest of WDW was slow, DHS would still have a level 7 crowd or higher.....This is the weekend to watch at WDW. Historically, the past 7 years, crowd levels for the three day weekend should be 8, 9, or 10, for the Columbus Day weekend, and a lot of schools have extended Fall breaks. If that doesn't happen, and continue strong numbers all week long, then there's definitely trouble in WDW town.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Speaking of pricing... it's the start of the fiscal year so a few items have gone up in pricing today. $0.25-$1.00 increases for food

 

[OrlLover]

I think it’s great news for anybody who wants to visit the parks and hasn’t been able to the last couple of years due to pricing and being overcrowded.

However it doesn’t look great on Disney’s spreadsheet either. Clearly it’s time to actually invest a little and maybe crowds will come back if they know something new is coming.

 

[SkiBum]

So, Disney frustrates me with their slow developments and builds and usage of Genie+. However, in our local news, Disney stepped up to help some grandparents rectify a mistake. This is when Disney reminds me of Disney again. Maybe other companies would have done the same but this still a good way to provide a magical ending.

Quick edit: It was in our local news but actually occurred in Illinois. Those crazy Illini.

Grandparents mistakenly buy $10K worth of Disney+ gift cards instead of Disney Parks for family trip

An Illinois family’s Christmas vacation to Disney was nearly ruined after the grandparents mistakenly bought $10,000 worth of Disney+ streaming services gifts cards instead of Disney Parks gift cards.

www.fox19.com

 

[Jake S]

So, Disney frustrates me with their slow developments and builds and usage of Genie+. However, in our local news, Disney stepped up to help some grandparents rectify a mistake. This is when Disney reminds me of Disney again. Maybe other companies would have done the same but this still a good way to provide a magical ending.

Quick edit: It was in our local news but actually occurred in Illinois. Those crazy Illini.

Grandparents mistakenly buy $10K worth of Disney+ gift cards instead of Disney Parks for family trip

An Illinois family’s Christmas vacation to Disney was nearly ruined after the grandparents mistakenly bought $10,000 worth of Disney+ streaming services gifts cards instead of Disney Parks gift cards.

www.fox19.com

the thing I appreciated most about working in the Disney parks is the empowerment I felt as a rank and file cast member to make things right. obviously this was many years ago, but it felt sincere that Disney was committed to making things right for their guests.

 

[Skold]

That really is good news but it really is on them for coming up with such a convoluted and confusing system in the first place. The fact that they did that makes me think that they realize this. Hopefully they take steps to rectify it now.

Oh...

(I realize that is for APs but c'mon!)

 

[wutisgood]

So, Disney frustrates me with their slow developments and builds and usage of Genie+. However, in our local news, Disney stepped up to help some grandparents rectify a mistake. This is when Disney reminds me of Disney again. Maybe other companies would have done the same but this still a good way to provide a magical ending.

Quick edit: It was in our local news but actually occurred in Illinois. Those crazy Illini.

Grandparents mistakenly buy $10K worth of Disney+ gift cards instead of Disney Parks for family trip

An Illinois family’s Christmas vacation to Disney was nearly ruined after the grandparents mistakenly bought $10,000 worth of Disney+ streaming services gifts cards instead of Disney Parks gift cards.

www.fox19.com

Disney probably didn't want to lose out on a group that would cancel their vacation and probably sell off the gift cards off to get as much as the could back. I mean I guess its good they had someone in management make an obvious decision but its not like they are giving out free perks.

 

[IzzyB]

Disney probably didn't want to lose out on a group that would cancel their vacation and probably sell off the gift cards off to get as much as the could back. I mean I guess its good they had someone in management make an obvious decision but its not like they are giving out free perks.

But they do on a regular basis. Disney magic is absolutely real. The employees have way more power to give free things away and make things right. Disney wins in this category. I have witnessed and been a part of Disney Magic SO many times. Everything from things that cost them nothing (being pulled from the crowd walking down a path to ride Frozen ride at Epcot via Fast Pass) to being given a free chocolate covered pretzel when my kids were watching them make it and they gave them one for free. To an even bigger things where they gave the local Girl Scouts free Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique package. Yes, they were doing soft openings, but they did NOT have to give us the full package. We got the bag, the crown, the sash, free parking, park hopper passes for 3 people, etc. My daughter felt extremely special that day and it didn't cost me anything outside of gas/tolls to get there and food I wanted to get. They did this for two days fully booked the entire salon for only Girl Scouts and all free. They could have walked us back (no park tickets), made us pay parking, and only allowed 1 adult per child, but they didn't. And they did this in August when the parks are still busy.

There is just no comparison when it comes to the Magic of Disney to any of the other parks. I have always felt Uni nickled and dimed you. Like dumb things with you having to pay for parking the first visit on an AP. I have paid for 5 top tier Uni passes and still have to pay parking the first time, it is annoying. I get it is in their terms of service and I am well aware of it and was at time of purchase, they make it clear, but still annoying.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

But they do on a regular basis. Disney magic is absolutely real. The employees have way more power to give free things away and make things right. Disney wins in this category. I have witnessed and been a part of Disney Magic SO many times. Everything from things that cost them nothing (being pulled from the crowd walking down a path to ride Frozen ride at Epcot via Fast Pass) to being given a free chocolate covered pretzel when my kids were watching them make it and they gave them one for free. To an even bigger things where they gave the local Girl Scouts free Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique package. Yes, they were doing soft openings, but they did NOT have to give us the full package. We got the bag, the crown, the sash, free parking, park hopper passes for 3 people, etc. My daughter felt extremely special that day and it didn't cost me anything outside of gas/tolls to get there and food I wanted to get. They did this for two days fully booked the entire salon for only Girl Scouts and all free. They could have walked us back (no park tickets), made us pay parking, and only allowed 1 adult per child, but they didn't. And they did this in August when the parks are still busy.

There is just no comparison when it comes to the Magic of Disney to any of the other parks. I have always felt Uni nickled and dimed you. Like dumb things with you having to pay for parking the first visit on an AP. I have paid for 5 top tier Uni passes and still have to pay parking the first time, it is annoying. I get it is in their terms of service and I am well aware of it and was at time of purchase, they make it clear, but still annoying.

I don't know how many times I've been given or seen people receive free food items at the QSRs at WDW whenever they're backed up (and typically just a few minutes behind)... whereas Universal won't even know if their mobile order service works that day lol

I love Universal, but they're way behind the mark from a guest-facing perspective compared to WDW. I'm sure Uni treats TMs far better than WDW, but that's not how guests perceive it. Universal doesn't see as much backlash since they're on a constant construction boom compared to WDW's bland future.

 

[IzzyB]

I don't know how many times I've been given or seen people receive free food items at the QSRs at WDW whenever they're backed up (and typically just a few minutes behind)... whereas Universal won't even know if their mobile order service works that day lol

I love Universal, but they're way behind the mark from a guest-facing perspective compared to WDW. I'm sure Uni treats TMs far better than WDW, but that's not how guests perceive it. Universal doesn't see as much backlash since they're on a constant construction boom compared to WDW's bland future.

I mean a good example of this is a I was at a corporate buy out at Universal. I wanted to try a couple different foods and just wanted a shrimp and tater tots at Simpsons. I feel Disney would have just gave me an order of tater tots and thrown in a shrimp for free. But Universal made me take a full sample meal. It was ridiculous I had to throw out all that food. Universal is more this is the rules the employees must follow at all times and Disney is more, do what you need so customer is happy, just don't give away all the food.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I mean a good example of this is a I was at a corporate buy out at Universal. I wanted to try a couple different foods and just wanted a shrimp and tater tots at Simpsons. I feel Disney would have just gave me an order of tater tots and thrown in a shrimp for free. But Universal made me take a full sample meal. It was ridiculous I had to throw out all that food. Universal is more this is the rules the employees must follow at all times and Disney is more, do what you need so customer is happy, just don't give away all the food.

It's definitely a management thing, not individual TMs fault. At WDW, even though training isn't as significant as it once was, it still highlights the importance of making those small moments guests will remember.

 

[IzzyB]

It's definitely a management thing, not individual TMs fault. At WDW, even though training isn't as significant as it once was, it still highlights the importance of making those small moments guests will remember.

Agreed. When he said he couldn't, I didn't give him grief, more in my mind said how this is dumb. I am not about to try and get an employee in trouble for doing their job.

 

[UNIrd]

This happens everywhere though. At one of the snack locations in Disneyland, we got a turkey leg, a cheesy pretzel bread, a large fountain Sprite, and asked for a cup of water. The response we got was they "weren't allowed to give cups of water." We would have to purchase a bottle. A bottle of Dasani at that... for $5.50.

Nobody wants to drink Dasani. Ever. Under any circumstances... Let alone when you literally have the ability to give a cup of water from the fountain for free.

 

[IzzyB]

This happens everywhere though. At one of the snack locations in Disneyland, we got a turkey leg, a cheesy pretzel bread, a large fountain Sprite, and asked for a cup of water. The response we got was they "weren't allowed to give cups of water." We would have to purchase a bottle. A bottle of Dasani at that... for $5.50.

Nobody wants to drink Dasani. Ever. Under any circumstances... Let alone when you literally have the ability to give a cup of water from the fountain for free.

Wonder if that is a DL thing or a shift in policy. As long as Disney owned the place in DW I was always able to get hot or cold cups of water. We needed a lot of warm ones to heat up my sons food and we just couldn't go to non-Disney owned stands.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I have always felt Uni nickled and dimed you. Like dumb things with you having to pay for parking the first visit on an AP. I have paid for 5 top tier Uni passes and still have to pay parking the first time, it is annoying. I get it is in their terms of service and I am well aware of it and was at time of purchase, they make it clear, but still annoying.

This is what I always come back to when people complain about the value of a Disney trip compared to Universal. I’d actually argue that service (in terms of friendliness and recovery, at least) are making huge strides at Universal, but that “nickel and dime” feeling hasn’t gone away yet. I don’t want to be barraged with Express Pass advertisements after paying to get into the park. I don’t like trying to look at a digital menu and getting interrupted by an animated Coke ad. And I REALLY hate being harassed by timeshare salesmen when trying to just enjoy a day I already paid for. Add stuff like the first-time parking charge or random little maintenance issues outside of the rides (when’s the last time every parking garage escalator/moving walkway was working, for example?) and I really don’t understand how anyone can definitively say Universal is a better value. If all you’re interested in are rides (of which, maybe only two have really hit in the last 9 years) then totally, but at least the Disney parks respect you and your wallet after you’ve paid to get in.

 

[Mad Dog]

The only sector where I experience Disney is more expensive is that their on site hotels are significantly more expensive than Universals, and offer less value for the amenities offered. . Kind of a tossup on most everything else.

 

[Jake S]

This happens everywhere though. At one of the snack locations in Disneyland, we got a turkey leg, a cheesy pretzel bread, a large fountain Sprite, and asked for a cup of water. The response we got was they "weren't allowed to give cups of water." We would have to purchase a bottle. A bottle of Dasani at that... for $5.50.

Nobody wants to drink Dasani. Ever. Under any circumstances... Let alone when you literally have the ability to give a cup of water from the fountain for free.

Just to clarify: This was at a snack cart? I was under the impression they don’t have running (drinking water) or disposable cups at those locations.

 

[Jerroddragon]

At least at Disneyland they let you get free water at all restaurants and there are some water fill stations as well

 

[SkiBum]

The only sector where I experience Disney is more expensive is that their on site hotels are significantly more expensive than Universals, and offer less value for the amenities offered. . Kind of a tossup on most everything else.

I suppose one could argue that UNI's Express Pass is more expensive than Disney's but I would counter that by saying that Express Pass is managed so much better than the far cheaper Genie+. Yes, the parks are expensive and close to costing as much as a luxury vacation. My position was more that Disney still does things that benefits a family that the park/company didn't have to do.

One thing always stands out to me about all of this. Choice. I make the choice of where to go and at which hotels to stay. Honestly, both UNI and Disney trips are getting very expensive. It is close to a tipping point for me but not there yet. We enjoy the parks but we mainly go now to escape winter for one week. For the remainder of the year, we are looking at national parks, day getaways, state parks, etc. which are generally far cheaper.