Our family has visited WDW once a year since 2002. I doubt we’ll be going back again. Between the price increases, Genie and unruly crowds the magic is gone. Next vacation is to Grand Canyon, then Yellowstone. WDW has been dropped from our list.
It’s the worse tendencies of pay-to-play from videogames, where you have a free game but need to spend a lot of money to unlock skills or advance fast without endless grind. Except at Disney, you’re already spending a lot but now they ask you to spend even more.
It’s purely a cash grab, since the fast pass system was free and egalitarian, but giving a slight edge to those staying at the resort. It was, if anything, too successful. The bad part is people playing into their hands, as long as people are willing to pay, they’ll keep doing it. That Genie’s out of the bottle.
Something needs to change asap. Iger and the board need to experience WDW as a guest would. Including all the hoops you now have to jump through in order to go to the parks. Let them try to make their way through MCO with carseats, strollers, luggage, etc, because Disney decided to get rid of Magical Express. Or get up at 7am to make plans for each day of their vacation. Maybe then they’d understand why diehard fans think the magic is gone.
It doesn’t matter to me WHO is the cause.
It needs fixing or more “guests” will wake up to the fact that there are other places to go besides WDW on vacation. Aruba perhaps?
Hmmmm…
Disney once made a mistake with our tickets when my wife and I were at the parks. I got a replacement ticket, but could only exchange it one day in advance. Several years ago, I exchanged that ticket on December 23, used two other tickets I had, and bought an additional one for my family of four (2 adults and 2 teenagers) to enter the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Eve Day. That meant no 30 days of planning Fast Passes, but less than one day. Using the app and those Fast Passes, we never waited in line for more than 15 minutes, rode rides multiple times, got onto the mine ride, and watched two shows at the castle. And I didn’t pay anything extra for services like Genie+. At this rate, I’ll never be able to recreate such a day. And we haven’t been back since.
This new pricing model simply costs too much with less benefits. I don’t know what guests Disney spoke to to come up with this model, but they have missed the mark. Really sad.
My wife and I are visiting in March to use some unused tickets. We’re making every effort to not use Genie+ and Lightning Lane. We’ll see how it goes. Since we’ve been there several times we know which attractions are worth waiting in line for. We’re determined not to pay double for each day’s visits which is what Disney is aiming for. I feel sorry for young families with a limited budget. Disney simply isn’t structured for you. You can’t help them at Wall St.
Disney has finally priced us out. Not that I couldn’t try to afford to go on a Disney Vacation but why spend all that money with no perks that you used to get?
We’ve opted to start doing special events and after parties. Less waits and more things to see and do without constantly being on the phone or being up charged for each detail. My wife does like Disney Springs, so we sometimes get rooms at a Downtown Disney resort. Much cheaper and some with better perks for their guests.
Had a lot more pleasant experiences at Universal and other parks as of late.
Eliminate the Genie and the Lightning Lane and let the rich wait in line with those of us who save up for our once in a while trip. It’s just not fair to pay money to cut the line. What would Walt say?
Its not fair, but if you want to enjoy your first trip a necessary evil. We were able to do everything we wanted in a day with genie+ and lightning lane purchases.
My family has been to Disney over 130 times since 1996. We could go on a whim without any problems with tickets or hotels, now its way out of our price range and availability to go. Most likely it will be a long time before we could afford the the time and great expense to go back
I’ve made the mistake of waiting to go to WDW until my children were old enough to remember it. Now I’m afraid they’ll never get to experience it between the crowds, prices, and all the extra stuff that has been coming with it. I sure hope it changes.
The only way anything will change is for people to stop going there. It doesn’t affect those with money who can afford to pay for the privileges, only those who have saved and then get screwed with extra charges or waiting in ridiculous lines.
We have DVC at Beach Club Villas, and after what my family experienced at WDW in December, we are putting our points in Interval International and going somewhere other than a Disney resort. It was the worst trip, and we’ve been going since 1991.
Unhappy guests, longest lines we’ve ever encountered, and for the first time ever, we were unable to experience some of the attractions. We absolutely refuse to pay additional fees for Genie+ or Lightning Lane after paying all-time highs for tickets and being unable to purchase annual passes.
The magic is gone, and I don’t think it’s coming back. I feel bad for those who are having to experience WDW like this.
When a company makes things too expensive for a family with an annual combined income of $210k, something is seriously wrong.
Comments for Disney Sets Controversial Service Back to Highest Price Ever
Bill
Our family has visited WDW once a year since 2002. I doubt we’ll be going back again. Between the price increases, Genie and unruly crowds the magic is gone. Next vacation is to Grand Canyon, then Yellowstone. WDW has been dropped from our list.
Doug
My wife and I went to Hawaii for 10 days from Florida for the same price my son, his wife, and two sons went to Disney World for a week.
Will
What did you think was going to happen when Chapek was fired and Iger returned? These were all Iger’s policies.
Alejandro
It’s the worse tendencies of pay-to-play from videogames, where you have a free game but need to spend a lot of money to unlock skills or advance fast without endless grind. Except at Disney, you’re already spending a lot but now they ask you to spend even more.
It’s purely a cash grab, since the fast pass system was free and egalitarian, but giving a slight edge to those staying at the resort. It was, if anything, too successful. The bad part is people playing into their hands, as long as people are willing to pay, they’ll keep doing it. That Genie’s out of the bottle.
Steve
Everybody should be apologizing to Chapek about now.
JW
Something needs to change asap. Iger and the board need to experience WDW as a guest would. Including all the hoops you now have to jump through in order to go to the parks. Let them try to make their way through MCO with carseats, strollers, luggage, etc, because Disney decided to get rid of Magical Express. Or get up at 7am to make plans for each day of their vacation. Maybe then they’d understand why diehard fans think the magic is gone.
Cuyo
Eh, no.
Bill
It doesn’t matter to me WHO is the cause.
It needs fixing or more “guests” will wake up to the fact that there are other places to go besides WDW on vacation. Aruba perhaps?
Hmmmm…
JW
Something needs to change ASAP.
Brent
Disney once made a mistake with our tickets when my wife and I were at the parks. I got a replacement ticket, but could only exchange it one day in advance. Several years ago, I exchanged that ticket on December 23, used two other tickets I had, and bought an additional one for my family of four (2 adults and 2 teenagers) to enter the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Eve Day. That meant no 30 days of planning Fast Passes, but less than one day. Using the app and those Fast Passes, we never waited in line for more than 15 minutes, rode rides multiple times, got onto the mine ride, and watched two shows at the castle. And I didn’t pay anything extra for services like Genie+. At this rate, I’ll never be able to recreate such a day. And we haven’t been back since.
This new pricing model simply costs too much with less benefits. I don’t know what guests Disney spoke to to come up with this model, but they have missed the mark. Really sad.
LL
My wife and I are visiting in March to use some unused tickets. We’re making every effort to not use Genie+ and Lightning Lane. We’ll see how it goes. Since we’ve been there several times we know which attractions are worth waiting in line for. We’re determined not to pay double for each day’s visits which is what Disney is aiming for. I feel sorry for young families with a limited budget. Disney simply isn’t structured for you. You can’t help them at Wall St.
Shawnee Smith
Ì live here
Genie is horrible
Horrible
DisLad
Disney has finally priced us out. Not that I couldn’t try to afford to go on a Disney Vacation but why spend all that money with no perks that you used to get?
We’ve opted to start doing special events and after parties. Less waits and more things to see and do without constantly being on the phone or being up charged for each detail. My wife does like Disney Springs, so we sometimes get rooms at a Downtown Disney resort. Much cheaper and some with better perks for their guests.
Had a lot more pleasant experiences at Universal and other parks as of late.
Steve P
Eliminate the Genie and the Lightning Lane and let the rich wait in line with those of us who save up for our once in a while trip. It’s just not fair to pay money to cut the line. What would Walt say?
Cuyo
This comment right here speaks the truth!
I didn’t reply to Steve for some reason.
James Lytle
Its not fair, but if you want to enjoy your first trip a necessary evil. We were able to do everything we wanted in a day with genie+ and lightning lane purchases.
Peter
My family has been to Disney over 130 times since 1996. We could go on a whim without any problems with tickets or hotels, now its way out of our price range and availability to go. Most likely it will be a long time before we could afford the the time and great expense to go back
Amanda
I’ve made the mistake of waiting to go to WDW until my children were old enough to remember it. Now I’m afraid they’ll never get to experience it between the crowds, prices, and all the extra stuff that has been coming with it. I sure hope it changes.
Susan
The only way anything will change is for people to stop going there. It doesn’t affect those with money who can afford to pay for the privileges, only those who have saved and then get screwed with extra charges or waiting in ridiculous lines.
Jo
Nah. I’m good. Think I’ll go to Hawaii instead. Would be cheaper and I won’t have to spend 2/3 of my day waiting in line for a broken down ride.
Marci
We have DVC at Beach Club Villas, and after what my family experienced at WDW in December, we are putting our points in Interval International and going somewhere other than a Disney resort. It was the worst trip, and we’ve been going since 1991.
Unhappy guests, longest lines we’ve ever encountered, and for the first time ever, we were unable to experience some of the attractions. We absolutely refuse to pay additional fees for Genie+ or Lightning Lane after paying all-time highs for tickets and being unable to purchase annual passes.
The magic is gone, and I don’t think it’s coming back. I feel bad for those who are having to experience WDW like this.
When a company makes things too expensive for a family with an annual combined income of $210k, something is seriously wrong.
Comments are closed.