Ticket Price Increase at Disney World

[s8film40]

$45 for "Preferred" parking (which at MK, is fairly worthless), is a slap in the face.

Paying for this is just stupid. If you're going to do that just pay for valet at the Contemporary or even the other two monorail resorts. It's not only cheaper but more convenient.

 

[Nick]

Paying for this is just stupid. If you're going to do that just pay for valet at the Contemporary or even the other two monorail resorts. It's not only cheaper but more convenient.

Only someone that is on a forum like this would think to use valet at Contemporary, though. That's why the "Premium" sells. Tourists generally don't know any better.

 

[MrRoamer]

Well it's probably important to note my perspective has changed since having a kid. Having a 3 year old with you inherently makes things more complex all on it's own. That being said all the other parks are just so much easier and more pleasant to visit. Part of this is the crowds at Disney, which ironically is good reason for these increases part of it is also how poorly Disney manages these crowds and then also the MM+ system is a pain. We avoid going to Disney as much as possible for these reasons, but there are a few things my son likes so we don't want to just cancel it outright, but at this point it almost doesn't seem worth it.

I feel almost exactly the opposite of you. After my son was born, I feel like we get way more out of Disney and have been going more and more. Yeah the crowds can be pretty brutal and sometimes there are some grumpy times, but we all love going to Disney. It is a bit pricey, but we know our way around, how to work everything, and how to just chill and not rush (which is the biggest deal). I used to feel like we always had to plan ahead and rush around especially back before FP+ when I had to run to get our paper fast passes. Now with FP+, we can see what all is open and be surprised if a big ride opens up. The only real big downsides in my opinion are the Child Swap and Security are vastly superior at Universal.

At this point in my life, I really don't care much for Universal. I feel like they are charging too much, I have had a nightmare of a time with paying for our passes, the crowds are insane, and the rides that they are building don't interest me. Add on top that there is almost absolutely nothing at Universal that my son can do other than Barney (maybe he can do Kang and Kodos now?), it just doesn't seem worth the hassle. It also felt like we were walking around a lot more trying to find a ride to ride because of the wait times and the app being consistently incorrect.

It's amazing how much one's perspective can change in a relatively short time frame. I have been die hard Universal since 98, now that Disney has finally woken up it makes me remember why I loved it so much as a child.

 

[s8film40]

I feel almost exactly the opposite of you. After my son was born, I feel like we get way more out of Disney and have been going more and more. Yeah the crowds can be pretty brutal and sometimes there are some grumpy times, but we all love going to Disney. It is a bit pricey, but we know our way around, how to work everything, and how to just chill and not rush (which is the biggest deal). I used to feel like we always had to plan ahead and rush around especially back before FP+ when I had to run to get our paper fast passes. Now with FP+, we can see what all is open and be surprised if a big ride opens up. The only real big downsides in my opinion are the Child Swap and Security are vastly superior at Universal.

At this point in my life, I really don't care much for Universal. I feel like they are charging too much, I have had a nightmare of a time with paying for our passes, the crowds are insane, and the rides that they are building don't interest me. Add on top that there is almost absolutely nothing at Universal that my son can do other than Barney (maybe he can do Kang and Kodos now?), it just doesn't seem worth the hassle. It also felt like we were walking around a lot more trying to find a ride to ride because of the wait times and the app being consistently incorrect.

It's amazing how much one's perspective can change in a relatively short time frame. I have been die hard Universal since 98, now that Disney has finally woken up it makes me remember why I loved it so much as a child.

I think part of the issue for us is we usually take short 2-4 hour trips. So the long waits for security, dealing with parking trams and other things usually account for nearly half our time at the park. There are definitely things my son likes at Disney, we enjoy it too it's just one of those things were we know we want to go but dread dealing with it all. It also doesn't help that by contrast Legoland, SeaWorld and Universal are just so vastly better at handling these things. It's like night and day. A 3 hour trip to Disney will usually get us two rides while the same to Legoland could easily be 5+ rides and some time at the playground. We also find lots to do at Universal, but he's a little tall for his age (42") so that really helps.

 

[MrRoamer]

I think part of the issue for us is we usually take short 2-4 hour trips. So the long waits for security, dealing with parking trams and other things usually account for nearly half our time at the park. There are definitely things my son likes at Disney, we enjoy it too it's just one of those things were we know we want to go but dread dealing with it all. It also doesn't help that by contrast Legoland, SeaWorld and Universal are just so vastly better at handling these things. It's like night and day. A 3 hour trip to Disney will usually get us two rides while the same to Legoland could easily be 5+ rides and some time at the playground. We also find lots to do at Universal, but he's a little tall for his age (42") so that really helps.

Yeah we generally don't do 2-4 hours, usually more around 4-8 hour days just because it takes 45 minutes to get out there. The trams and security can be a nightmare though, we generally walk instead of taking the tram for everything except MK and AK. Epcot there usually really isn't any reason not to walk. Out of all the parks that really could use the scanners that Uni has Disney would be #1 with all the bags that go through there. Hopefully that is something on the list that is being looked at but they don't have many areas as conducive for it as the Rotunda is.

 

[Chris]

My thoughts are how long before theme parks return to a "per attraction" purchase option? I mean, divide the cost of admission to the available hours the park operates for that day and do the math!

Why the hell am I paying $20 for an hour long parking experience at DLR? Ok, Universal Hollywood parking is $25 but the experience from parking booth to main gate is about 20 minutes. I understand that prices need to be reasonable to help control flow pressure....and in California...its bad. Not to mention in California, the theme parks do not compete against each other in parking costs...but they do compete in main gate admission. Standard parking costs in the San Fernando Valley are super high compared to those of Orange County. I can understand how preferred parking for MK in Orlando would be erroneous due to the distance of the two areas.

I have only had one time where DLR allowed cars to park for free and bypass the booth during peak hours because the line for Mickey and Friends structure was about to extend onto the 5 freeway and they are forced to relieve pressure.

 

[Scott W.]

This parking increase

My thoughts are how long before theme parks return to a "per attraction" purchase option? I mean, divide the cost of admission to the available hours the park operates for that day and do the math!

Why the hell am I paying $20 for an hour long parking experience at DLR? Ok, Universal Hollywood parking is $25 but the experience from parking booth to main gate is about 20 minutes. I understand that prices need to be reasonable to help control flow pressure....and in California...its bad. Not to mention in California, the theme parks do not compete against each other in parking costs...but they do compete in main gate admission. Standard parking costs in the San Fernando Valley are super high compared to those of Orange County. I can understand how preferred parking for MK in Orlando would be erroneous due to the distance of the two areas.

I have only had one time where DLR allowed cars to park for free and bypass the booth during peak hours because the line for Mickey and Friends structure was about to extend onto the 5 freeway and they are forced to relieve pressure.

I've always stayed close enough to DLR to walk to the parks and not experience the nightmare of parking but WDW doesn't have that same luxury which is making staying on site becoming more and more tempting.

Free parking on site is a $22 discount on each night stayed in WDW providing I'm visiting a park that day.

 

[Imperius]

Until preferred parking for MK is past the monorail or ferry, who is stupid enough to pay it?

 

[Scott W.]

Until preferred parking for MK is past the monorail or ferry, who is stupid enough to pay it?

Rich Disney people and plenty of them exist.

 

[shiekra38]

My thoughts are how long before theme parks return to a "per attraction" purchase option? I mean, divide the cost of admission to the available hours the park operates for that day and do the math!

Why the hell am I paying $20 for an hour long parking experience at DLR? Ok, Universal Hollywood parking is $25 but the experience from parking booth to main gate is about 20 minutes. I understand that prices need to be reasonable to help control flow pressure....and in California...its bad. Not to mention in California, the theme parks do not compete against each other in parking costs...but they do compete in main gate admission. Standard parking costs in the San Fernando Valley are super high compared to those of Orange County. I can understand how preferred parking for MK in Orlando would be erroneous due to the distance of the two areas.

I have only had one time where DLR allowed cars to park for free and bypass the booth during peak hours because the line for Mickey and Friends structure was about to extend onto the 5 freeway and they are forced to relieve pressure.

That would be disastrous for them

 

[s8film40]

My thoughts are how long before theme parks return to a "per attraction" purchase option? I mean, divide the cost of admission to the available hours the park operates for that day and do the math!

I figure at some point they’ll go to dynamic pricing for fastpass. You want a free fastpass you need to book it at park opening or closing, want one mid day that’ll be $20 each.

 

[Mad Dog]

Standby times at WDW are getting really bad. Looking at posted wait times, and Touring Plans actual wait times, almost every day is like peak holiday times now. Disney must be doing a major daily adjustment to staffing and lines adjustment in relation to that day's attendance, whereby guests are always going to have a long stand by wait in line, regardless of the season.

 

[Imperius]

I’m just glad it’s only the wife and I when we go to Disney. I’m usually able to continue refreshing fast passes all day to get on rides, but that means doing all 4parks every time we’re there which doesn’t bother me.

 

[Joel]

Only someone that is on a forum like this would think to use valet at Contemporary, though. That's why the "Premium" sells. Tourists generally don't know any better.

How much is valet there? Also do they not care if you aren't a guest of the hotel?

 

[s8film40]

How much is valet there? Also do they not care if you aren't a guest of the hotel?

Last I remember it was $25 they might have had a price increase since then but if so probably not too much. No you don't need to be a guest, as long as you're paying for valet they won't turn you away.

 

[jtsalien]

Standby times at WDW are getting really bad. Looking at posted wait times, and Touring Plans actual wait times, almost every day is like peak holiday times now. Disney must be doing a major daily adjustment to staffing and lines adjustment in relation to that day's attendance, whereby guests are always going to have a long stand by wait in line, regardless of the season.

It's bad. Before you could chalk a lot of it up to FP+ mucking up lines. Buts it's actually legitimately very crowded frequently now. As hard as it is to believe, almost every park needs capacity. The coming additions are badly needy and it won't be pretty until they do.

 

[fryoj]

Standby times at WDW are getting really bad. Looking at posted wait times, and Touring Plans actual wait times, almost every day is like peak holiday times now. Disney must be doing a major daily adjustment to staffing and lines adjustment in relation to that day's attendance, whereby guests are always going to have a long stand by wait in line, regardless of the season.

It's odd that Uni is coming up with new ways(virtual queues) to keep guests out of line and spending money, while Disney is finding ways to cut costs and keep guests in line. You'd think guest satisfaction scores would tell them they'd be better off keeping extra staff on and rides running at full capacity, but I'm not a multi-billion dollar corporation, so what do I know.

 

[s8film40]

It's bad. Before you could chalk a lot of it up to FP+ mucking up lines.

I think that's still a big part of the problem. I went on Star Tours without a FP and walked right by a pretty significantly long FP line. I kind of wonder if they're not using the system to make the parks seem artificially more busy than they really are. At the same time as you say it is definitely legitimately crowded, I just wonder if it would seem a little less crowded if there were things for guests to do in between waiting for FP's.

 

[jtsalien]

I think that's still a big part of the problem. I went on Star Tours without a FP and walked right by a pretty significantly long FP line. I kind of wonder if they're not using the system to make the parks seem artificially more busy than they really are. At the same time as you say it is definitely legitimately crowded, I just wonder if it would seem a little less crowded if there were things for guests to do in between waiting for FP's.

It's all anecdotal evidence, so neither one of us can really prove our point. I just can't walk around the parks lately and feel like lines should be short. There's simply too many people. Specifically in your ST example, maybe RNRC went down. And now tons of people have to use a FP on something else. Or just simply the fact that there's literally nothing else to resere in that barren park right now.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think that's still a big part of the problem. I went on Star Tours without a FP and walked right by a pretty significantly long FP line. I kind of wonder if they're not using the system to make the parks seem artificially more busy than they really are. At the same time as you say it is definitely legitimately crowded, I just wonder if it would seem a little less crowded if there were things for guests to do in between waiting for FP's.

Touring Plans have been talking about this a lot in the past two years. Though there has been a slight uptick in attendance, TP is speculating it's mainly caused by the staff & loading cuts/adjustments. Yes, it's crazy. You'd think any smart business would want people to have more free time to shop and eat, and thus spend more money. "My" personal guess is that Disney, besides wanting to cut labor costs, wants people to have to extend vacations so they can get the full ride experience, and maybe not have the time to make a side day trip to Universal.....And concerning fastpass,last year on my trip to the four Disney parks during the May so called off season, many of my fastpass waits were pretty long.