want to do Disney on the cheap

[~bs]

there's nothing they really can do about it if demand is way greater than supply unless they build a new park.... but im pretty sure they wont because during economic recessions, they take a beating. I remember them being in severe financial trouble before.

If their primary concern was about the "guest experience" and not "shareholder experience", then they would limit number of ticket sales to levels that wouldnt involve crazy crowds.

[disneysteve]

there's nothing they really can do about it if demand is way greater than supply unless they build a new park.... but im pretty sure they wont because during economic recessions, they take a beating. I remember them being in severe financial trouble before.

If their primary concern was about the "guest experience" and not "shareholder experience", then they would limit number of ticket sales to levels that wouldnt involve crazy crowds.

Agreed. We (the guests) all see the crowding as a problem. Disney, so far, doesn't seem to. At some point, it's going to catch up with them, or at least I hope so. And I speak as both a guest and a shareholder. They need to do something to reduce the crowding.

They did just recently change the ticketing system and claim that that may help the problem but it's too soon to tell if that will actually work.

The other problem is that when Galaxy's Edge opens at the end of this year, people will be flocking there to see that including, most likely, a lot of people who never go to Disney World. It will probably have the same effect that Wizarding World had at Universal. I know my family went to Universal for the first time after that opened. A lot of Star Wars fans will be making their way to Disney after this opens.

[~bs]

there's only so much that ticketing systems and streamlining processes will work at the end of the day, too many people will result in crowding. Only real solution is to reduce tickets sold or jack up prices (which has the effect of making it so only the rich can afford it). if it does come back to bite them, it will be during a recession, but with the recession will probalby come lower prices and less crowds, so people may be drawn to coming back for that reason. So yeah, i really dont think it'll come catch up with them. disney is disney, the power of the brand is unshakable.

And anytime a new attraction opens, that attraction gets slammed, resulting in frustration for everyone.

[Like2Plan]

there's only so much that ticketing systems and streamlining processes will work at the end of the day, too many people will result in crowding. Only real solution is to reduce tickets sold or jack up prices (which has the effect of making it so only the rich can afford it). if it does come back to bite them, it will be during a recession, but with the recession will probalby come lower prices and less crowds, so people may be drawn to coming back for that reason. So yeah, i really dont think it'll come catch up with them. disney is disney, the power of the brand is unshakable.

And anytime a new attraction opens, that attraction gets slammed, resulting in frustration for everyone.

I agree. Disney has started to add some new things, but they are still so far behind.

For example at WDW, I wasn’t able to get fast passes for 7 Dwarfs mine Train or Slinky Dog Dash for the past couple of visits.

Very hard to get fast passes: Peter Pan, Frozen, toy story mania, soarin’

Many of the fast passes you could get— you didn’t really need.

With so many attractions closed permanently at EPCOT and Disney Studios you have more people competing for fewer Attractions.

My hope is is that Star Wars land will ease some of the crowding, but who knows.

[~bs]

the long term,but extremely costly solution really is another park in the US. I doubt disney would make the investment because it would make their financial position that much more precarious during recession. They'd rather just lose potential customers than gain a lot more by expanding.

I think star wars land may temporarily reduce crowding at other areas of the park, but the park itself will stay at around capacity.

[bennkar]

Figured I would resurrect this thread.

I know going on vacations was ... ummmm... frowned upon this past year, but me and the GF went to Orlando and WDW for 2 weeks this past November. These were the first vacation days I took during 2020. Wearing masks all day in the parks was less than ideal, and no Fast Pass was a down side, but the lines were generally less than normal. Getting around the parks was much less crowded, no fighting to get through crowds this year. There were hand sanitizer stations all over the place in the parks and we made sure to use them. We got to see rides shut down and sanitized a few times. And eating at the parks: There were workers going about cleaning up tables as soon as someone left, and the tables were setup so only every other table was occupied. So overall we felt fairly safe and a lot less crowded while eating.

While it was our first time there since 2018 the biggest change (to me) was while we were in the time share locations, the places were near ghost towns. I was able to stay for 2 weeks for free (2 weeks - 2 locations for one week each). And I was able to wrangle two more free timeshare weeks for next year.

On the financial side, the cost for a 7 day park pass, parking, food, and souveniers was less than $1,000 for me (about the same for my GF). Not a super cheap vacation, but for WDW yes it is.

I don't know what it has been like over the holidays, but I am sure glad I made the trip this year.

[Like2Plan]

Bennkar,

How cool! I am glad you posted this report. I cancelled all my WDW trips for 2020 and I really missed going. It was very difficult to let go of the idea of going especially during the holidays when everything is so nicely decorated. I was curious how it worked out for those who did go. (Sounds like it worked out pretty good). I'll be trying again this upcoming fall of 2021. (Fingers crossed).

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Figured I would resurrect this thread.

I know going on vacations was ... ummmm... frowned upon this past year, but me and the GF went to Orlando and WDW for 2 weeks this past November. These were the first vacation days I took during 2020. Wearing masks all day in the parks was less than ideal, and no Fast Pass was a down side, but the lines were generally less than normal. Getting around the parks was much less crowded, no fighting to get through crowds this year. There were hand sanitizer stations all over the place in the parks and we made sure to use them. We got to see rides shut down and sanitized a few times. And eating at the parks: There were workers going about cleaning up tables as soon as someone left, and the tables were setup so only every other table was occupied. So overall we felt fairly safe and a lot less crowded while eating.

While it was our first time there since 2018 the biggest change (to me) was while we were in the time share locations, the places were near ghost towns. I was able to stay for 2 weeks for free (2 weeks - 2 locations for one week each). And I was able to wrangle two more free timeshare weeks for next year.

On the financial side, the cost for a 7 day park pass, parking, food, and souveniers was less than $1,000 for me (about the same for my GF). Not a super cheap vacation, but for WDW yes it is.

I don't know what it has been like over the holidays, but I am sure glad I made the trip this year.

How was it so cheap for 7 day pass and food? wow. impressive I didn't know timeshares did 1 week free.

[disneysteve]

How was it so cheap for 7 day pass and food?

A 7-day pass is about $525.

$25/day for parking x 7 is $175.

That leaves $300 for food or about $42/day. We spend less than that, more like $30/day. That leaves a bit for souvenirs.

So yeah, $1,000 for 7 days is quite doable.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

A 7-day pass is about $525.

$25/day for parking x 7 is $175.

That leaves $300 for food or about $42/day. We spend less than that, more like $30/day. That leaves a bit for souvenirs.

So yeah, $1,000 for 7 days is quite doable.

Got it. LOL I think I always multiply everything by 4. So it would be $4000 for four of us or so. Plus car. How do you spend so little on food?

[disneysteve]

Got it. LOL I think I always multiply everything by 4. So it would be $4000 for four of us or so. Plus car. How do you spend so little on food?

There are some economies of scale. For example, you only pay parking once, not 4 times, if you're all in the car together.

As for food, the biggest way we save is staying offsite. We eat breakfast in our condo. We eat a few lunches and dinners offsite at area restaurants paying normal prices rather than Disney prices. Once or twice during our visits we'll cook dinner ourselves. We carry some snacks with us in the parks. We drink free tap water. When we are eating onsite we share some things. We've learned what servings sizes are big enough to do that. It's really not hard to stick to $30-35/person/day for food and drink (not counting alcohol).

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I found it honestly easier to just uber between parks if in a rush and take the transit if not. I also found that we tended to not bounce between parks because it seemed like a pain unless we had something very specific to do. Next time I am unsure if I really want to pay for parking. That $25 can pay for a lot of ubers plus the car. I also think it was easier to stay on site. Not sure if I want to stay off site. I liked the extra hours. I also think it would be different if we went more often and didn't feel like packing stuff in. I think it would be more pleasurable.

[bennkar]

A 7-day pass is about $525.

$25/day for parking x 7 is $175.

That leaves $300 for food or about $42/day. We spend less than that, more like $30/day. That leaves a bit for souvenirs.

So yeah, $1,000 for 7 days is quite doable.

We got our tickets for 7 days at $465 each. Otherwise your numbers were right for the parking, food (we would take power bars, a sandwich & water bottles, then eat at one sit down meal each day in the afternoon / evening) at about $30/day, and maybe $150 overall for souvenirs. Of course we need to go to local grocery stores to stock the time share for the evening meals and our days not in the parks. And less than a tank of gas for the 2 weeks and that was about it.

[bennkar]

How was it so cheap for 7 day pass and food? wow. impressive I didn't know timeshares did 1 week free.

They didn't use to offer anything like this for sitting through the time share presentations. But the last two years this was the offer. I can keep saying NO as long as needed for a free week.

Funny story on this issue. This year at my mother's time share week (my 9th year there) I wasn't going to go to any presentation, and then during the check in I was told I wasn't allowed to go to one as I had done these in the past too many times and never signed up. OK, no problem, it was what I was going to do anyway. So what happens? We plan to enjoy a rest day Tuesday, then about 11:00 that morning I get a call from the front desk offering to have me go to a presentation and the offer is another free week . After a little hesitation I agree and go to it at 1:00. And then after a quick pre-presentation we go to the sales building and the salesman goes to the back like they always do and instead of returning to go over the numbers another person comes up and says I can't be offered another time share and instead they would need to sign me out right away. I wasn't mad, but thought, "darn, almost was going to get something for my time". They go to check me out and I am shocked as I get what they offered me (a certificate for a free time share week) and then an extra $50 of resort certificates to use anywhere on site (that was never mentioned before). All that for about 30 minutes of my time.

At my other time share location I used the free certificate I got last year. During the arrival sign in they wanted to have me go through one of their presentations. That took maybe 3 hours, but whatevah... I was able to get a free week at that one too.

So for 2021 I have three free time share weeks to use.

[bennkar]

I found it honestly easier to just uber between parks if in a rush and take the transit if not. I also found that we tended to not bounce between parks because it seemed like a pain unless we had something very specific to do. Next time I am unsure if I really want to pay for parking. That $25 can pay for a lot of ubers plus the car. I also think it was easier to stay on site. Not sure if I want to stay off site. I liked the extra hours. I also think it would be different if we went more often and didn't feel like packing stuff in. I think it would be more pleasurable.

Currently there are no extra hours for staying on site. Who knows when that will change. I understand the parking fee is stiff, but nothing like the difference between staying on site and staying off site. To get an equivalent room/suite on site would probably cost 2.5 times as much as I would pay for what I get. I dunno - if I insisted on flying down I might consider staying on site. But driving down makes it a no-brainer for me.

Since we go yearly I don't see the value in the park hopper option. I think it takes too long to go between parks. Though I will say the new skyliner service between Epcot and Hollywood Studios is fast and in fact fun to do. We did a round trip one day (without going in a different park) just to see what it was like. I enjoyed it though the GF not so much. She didn't like the swinging in the breeze, but I was ok with it.