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I just saw this thread and went to check the package I bought in 2006. The price then was just under 2K, now it's $3,289.48. 7 nights at Pop Century, 8 day park passes (hopper, water park, and more). That doesn't include air fare or meals. Yikes!
There are many ways to do a Disney vacation, some more affordable than others. If you feel you must do and see EVERY inch of the place in one trip, then yeah, it's going to be more expensive than doing some planning and narrowing it down to the things you and your family are most interested in. Disney world is as affordable as anywhere else for the "middle class" (whatever that is).
We like Park Hopping. For instance, we know from past experience that Animal Kingdom opens at around 8 am most days, and is crazy busy by 1 pm. It is a smaller park than the others and the walkways are narrower. So by noon or thereabouts, it feels really crowded. Also the animals tend to be livelier in the morning. So we go early, stay a few hours, then leave when it gets too crowded.
Rather than spend the whole day at AK, getting hotter and more miserable with longer lines because we've 'got to get our money's worth!' or just going back to spend the rest of the day at the hotel, we leave and head to Epcot (open til 11) or MK (open often until 12 or even later). It's a more relaxed way to do the parks. If there's something you missed for whatever reason your first time at MK (like a parade), you can head back at a different time of day to do it.
I read about 18 pages of this and then skipped. Yes, Disney is expensive. It sits on something like 15,000 acres. Someone has to pay for that. I'm a die hard theme park goer. I love Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and it doesn't compare at all to Disney. Magic Kingdom isn't necessarily made for adults (although the wife and I love it), just like Epcot isn't designed for younger kids.
Walt designed DW from the get-go to be an artificial experience - one look at Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom should tell you that. Disney has spent billions to give you that experience, and people have spent even more to enjoy that experience. I think the latest Fantasyland expansion is costing them something like $250M? The proposed Avatar section of Animal Kingdom has a $500M budget, or so I hear. It's possibly overstated, but could very well be understated. I doubt anyone will truly know. Universal spent $250M on the Harry Potter section, and they're already expanding it.
If you find Disney to be too expensive, there are absolutely other theme parks to be had if that's your forte. Busch, Seaworld, the Cedar parks...all have their merits. But Disney tends to be in a class all it's own, and it's absolutely true that you pay for what you get. A week at Disney will cost you a healthy chunk of money. Do what we do - save up for it. We go every other year on average, sometimes longer. We went last October and we're going in November again for Food and Wine at Epcot, but for 4 days - we'll skip Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, which cuts down on time. It'll probably run us about 3-5 grand depending on where we stay (onsite - I don't feel like renting a car or dealing with getting in and out of the parking lots, etc).
I read about 18 pages of this and then skipped. Yes, Disney is expensive. It sits on something like 15,000 acres. Someone has to pay for that. I'm a die hard theme park goer. I love Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and it doesn't compare at all to Disney. Magic Kingdom isn't necessarily made for adults (although the wife and I love it), just like Epcot isn't designed for younger kids.
Walt designed DW from the get-go to be an artificial experience - one look at Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom should tell you that. Disney has spent billions to give you that experience, and people have spent even more to enjoy that experience. I think the latest Fantasyland expansion is costing them something like $250M? The proposed Avatar section of Animal Kingdom has a $500M budget, or so I hear. It's possibly overstated, but could very well be understated. I doubt anyone will truly know. Universal spent $250M on the Harry Potter section, and they're already expanding it.
If you find Disney to be too expensive, there are absolutely other theme parks to be had if that's your forte. Busch, Seaworld, the Cedar parks...all have their merits. But Disney tends to be in a class all it's own, and it's absolutely true that you pay for what you get. A week at Disney will cost you a healthy chunk of money. Do what we do - save up for it. We go every other year on average, sometimes longer. We went last October and we're going in November again for Food and Wine at Epcot, but for 4 days - we'll skip Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, which cuts down on time. It'll probably run us about 3-5 grand depending on where we stay (onsite - I don't feel like renting a car or dealing with getting in and out of the parking lots, etc).
Sorry to nit-pic but Disney owned property is actually more like 30,000 Acres. ~45 Square miles. That's a lot of land.
I'm not sure why anyone feels the need to complain about Disney. If you don't like it, don't go, problem solved.
I read about 18 pages of this and then skipped. Yes, Disney is expensive. It sits on something like 15,000 acres. Someone has to pay for that. I'm a die hard theme park goer. I love Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and it doesn't compare at all to Disney. Magic Kingdom isn't necessarily made for adults (although the wife and I love it), just like Epcot isn't designed for younger kids.
Walt designed DW from the get-go to be an artificial experience - one look at Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom should tell you that. Disney has spent billions to give you that experience, and people have spent even more to enjoy that experience. I think the latest Fantasyland expansion is costing them something like $250M? The proposed Avatar section of Animal Kingdom has a $500M budget, or so I hear. It's possibly overstated, but could very well be understated. I doubt anyone will truly know. Universal spent $250M on the Harry Potter section, and they're already expanding it.
If you find Disney to be too expensive, there are absolutely other theme parks to be had if that's your forte. Busch, Seaworld, the Cedar parks...all have their merits. But Disney tends to be in a class all it's own, and it's absolutely true that you pay for what you get. A week at Disney will cost you a healthy chunk of money. Do what we do - save up for it. We go every other year on average, sometimes longer. We went last October and we're going in November again for Food and Wine at Epcot, but for 4 days - we'll skip Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, which cuts down on time. It'll probably run us about 3-5 grand depending on where we stay (onsite - I don't feel like renting a car or dealing with getting in and out of the parking lots, etc).
The bold statements are the key IMO. Find out what is most appealing to your family, and plan accordingly. If you are bringing younger kids, you would probably be better off just doing MK and skipping the rest, then coming back to Studios or EC when they get older. You really only have to pay for the parks you think will most interest your family. And as others have said, there are many ways to save on accommodations transport, etc.
The bold statements are the key IMO. Find out what is most appealing to your family, and plan accordingly. If you are bringing younger kids, you would probably be better off just doing MK and skipping the rest, then coming back to Studios or EC when they get older. You really only have to pay for the parks you think will most interest your family. And as others have said, there are many ways to save on accommodations transport, etc.
I disagree. We have a couple of nieces and nephews who never liked the Magic Kingdom and always preferred Epcot and the Animal Kingdom. It really depends on the kids.
Just to be clear on tickets, you pay for days, not specific theme parks. Skipping certain parks will not necessarily save money. Also, once you stay 4 days, you pay relatively nothing for days 5-10.
I disagree. We have a couple of nieces and nephews who never liked the Magic Kingdom and always preferred Epcot and the Animal Kingdom. It really depends on the kids.
Absolutely, this is why I say it should be discussed with them before the trip so that one doesn't waste time or money going to the parks they aren't interested in. Either way, everything doesn't have to be done in one trip.
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