We all know it, we all hear about it, we’ve all seen it—a vacation at Walt Disney World has become very, very expensive and also offers less attractions, perks, and goodies than it once did. That’s kind of a cliché at this point, but the devil, as they say, is in the details.
Walt Disney World sign via Orlando Streets YouTube
“Bright Sun Travels” is a YouTube channel that offers “Quality, Honest Travel reviews” and promises “at least one new video each month on a range of experiences from Disney, unique hotels around the world, and cruise ships!” and delivers all sorts of interesting views from the point of view of a traveler who wants to get the most quality for their money, regardless of price range. They are openly okay with pricey offerings IF they are worthy of the cost, but quite insightful on those that are not and provide all the details.
In this video, entitled “Disney World Has Gotten Too Expensive” they set a very specific goal—to visit WDW in the way Disney would like guests to do—stay on property, use Disney transportation, dine only at Disney restaurants, and of course visit the theme parks and experience the various add-ons to get more attractions ahead of the crowds. The results are quantifiably instructive as to the truth—when we all say or presume things have gotten much more expensive of late, we perhaps don’t realize just HOW bad/crazy/costly they are now.
Examples abound. Even staying at a moderate hotel and not buying fancy merchandise or high-end dinners, what a family can expect from a WDW visit nowadays is shockingly costly compared not only to the recent past but to alternative vacations you might take elsewhere.
Cinderalla’s Castle in Walt Disney World via 4k WDW YouTube
First up, getting to/from WDW from Orlando International Airport. In the absence of the much beloved Disney’s Magical Express, the alternative paid service by bus from Mears for two people round trip? $67.20. Sure, it is cheaper than Uber, but it is much less direct making several stops and eating up your vacation time and extending your flight fatigue.
Bright Sun chose the Port Orleans for his hotel because he considers it the best of the moderate priced resorts on property and because his family used to stay there in olden times. He gives a great travel review and likes the hotel and its amenities a lot. His discounted rate for a king bed room? $280/night with tax. Breakfast in the hotel’s dining hall? $27.24 for two.
Disney Port Orleans Resorts in Walt Disney World via Disney Parks YouTube
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Onwards to the parks, specifically Magic Kingdom which he notes is the most expensive. Even with variable seasonal/demand pricing, his two one-day passports cost $154 per person, or $328.02 for the couple with tax for the one day. He also notes that in, for example, late November those day tickets go up as high as $184 per person.
NOW he goes into the complex, crazy, and pricey world of whatever they’re calling the line-jumping scheme (with a great history of the various versions and the evolution of the pricing structure.) He paid on his day (because it also varies from season to season) $23 each or $46 for the two people in addition to the basic park admission. He explains how daunting the crowds were and how it basically turned them off to doing much of anything because even with the special pricey purchase, lines this crowded day were long and painful.
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Lunchtime? Sure! Columbia Harbor house where a shrimp skewer, chicken strips, and a clam chowder were shared between them for $31.70. How about a cold-brew at Joffrey’s to stay awake? $7.20! Popcorn? $5.50 for a small box.
They really wanted to do Tron, announced in 2017 but only recently finally finished and opened as we all know. EVEN though they tried to reserve a spot per instructions, there were NO slots available on the app for free…but hey, for $20…EACH you could ride that ONE attraction! With tax? $42.60 for a 60-second attraction for two.
Tron Lightcycle via Disney Parks YouTube
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Dinner? Reservations at Skipper Canteen where they got a mix of apps for their meal and found the food pretty bland and uninteresting, despite great atmosphere and service. Shrimp and Rice and a seasonal soup for his lady, a chicken dish for him. Dessert? A shared chocolate/banana desert and the total pre-tip price? $67.63 and after tip? $83.75. Remember, that’s for two apps, one entrée, and one desert amongst them.
SO…being fair and only including one-way on the Mears bus since this was a one-day experience and not the whole trip, the total cost for the two of them for ONE day in ONE park at ONE hotel with everything we’ve mentioned? As Bright Sun says, “A Jaw-Dropping $886.34!”
He THEN made the comparison with a random year from the not-that-distant past—2017—and, while only having to replace similar menu items with some that had changed, came up with the SAME day costing back then only 7 or so years in the past? $567.90! About a $320 difference—a 44% increase. And by the way? Inflation since 2017 was only 24%. AND in that computation, the free stuff then (bus ride, fastpass, etc.) now amounted to $150 of the difference. And this is without any added merch, formerly free Magic Bands, or any other additions that you might have made back then with an extra $320 in your pocket.
Skipper Canteen via Attractions Magazine YouTube
And this was ONE day, so to be fair with the multiday-pass discounts, he then estimates a family of three, two adults and one child, spending 6 days of which 4 are spent at the parks. That’s around $4,000 for the super-cheap All-Star Music resort, $4500 at Port Orleans where he stayed, $5688 at Beach Club, one of the cheaper upscale resorts. Obviously the fancier your food choices, the addition of special after-hours parties or more merch will go even more into the stratosphere.
Now remember, this guy does travel stuff all over, and he points out that recently he priced a trip to the French Riviera with roundtrip air from JFK and all the trimmings at $3462! Bali? $4660! Even a Disney cruise in a fancy balcony cabin compares favorably.
Disney Cruise Line via Disney Parks YouTube
In conclusion, he makes the point that other critics have said if this is your once-in-a-lifetime visit that maybe you just eat the higher prices and go enjoy the best trip you can…but that begs the question I ask: Once upon a time families planned annual visits, and if now those are just plain not worth the expense or unaffordable and other destinations are out there for less, the short-term profits the parks and resorts are surely seeing with these price increases may lead to long-term customer alienation, both when they compare other destinations beyond Orlando and, certainly, when Epic Universe opens to lure them to the competition.
What that will do to sales of DVC plans which will lose their “we go every year so it is a good value” proposition remains to be seen, too.
Best approach is stay offsite, go on off-season, do not use Genie+ Or Lightning Lane, eat the cheapest restaurants or fast casual and maybe try one expensive meal at a premium restaurant. Occasionally sneak in a lunch in a backpack with sandwiches, snacks, and bottled water and soda (they don’t make you throw it away at security screening). Buy a multiday multipark pass. Do not get park hopper add-ons. Park hopping is a waste of precious time. Just do one park per day. Except in the winter or early spring, it is way too hot and humid to last dawn to dusk.
Alternatively, you can enjoy Universal, SeaWorld, and other tourist attractions in Orlando an option. Many discounts on Groupon.