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What The What?!?!?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by VegasGroove, Aug 11, 2015.

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  1. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    Okay, so I am fine-tuning 2016 travels. I have Vegas in February and Bermuda in September (via Anthem of the Seas). Might sneak in another Vegas trip in November. But June, my birthday month, I am thinking of mixing it up a bit. Traditionally, I spend my birthday in Vegas. But I got to thinking - I miss WDW. I stopped going when my son told me, "mom, no more WDW" - he was 13 at the time and had 6 straight years of it for summer vacation.

    So, I start checking out some of the hotel offerings. We would always stay along International Drive, but if I went now I would want to stay on-property. I checked out the hotel rates for all WDW properties and damn-near threw up! :eek:

    Boy, Vegas has truly spoiled me.
     
  2. joesmom

    joesmom Low-Roller

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    It gets worse and worse every year. They fill up all the time and they are purposely raising park prices and hotel prices to make it less affordable to keep the number of people in the park lower. They said that there are so many that the experience is becoming less desirable so they are upping the price to make the same money or more and keep the numbers down. Here is an interesting article on the history of the cost of going to disney - very sad as it isn't a place for average families anymore. I think Walt would be disappointed.

    http://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20150221/29975/price-hike-disneyland-ticket-timeline-and-why-price-rose-again
     
  3. sam_marques

    sam_marques Vegas Vlogs Youtube / TeamClareVlogs

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    I know!!! We are booked for next October for 2 weeks onsite at Saratoga Springs and it will be our last trip! We did our first family trip to Vegas in July (it's usually solo or girlfriend trips) and I thought my DH and DS would prefer Disney but no, they loved Vegas!! So now I can more use of my room and food comps lol
    We will still go to Florida but just not disney I don't think.
     
  4. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    Thanks, joesmom. That article is really interesting and informative. The parks were overcrowded way back when, I cannot imagine the hoards of recent years.

    And I'm cured now - I no longer miss WDW (well, a little). And I guess when it all comes down to it, I'd rather have the neon than the mouse.
     
  5. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    The outrageous prices of WDW is what pushed us into taking our now annual family vacations in Jamaica. WDW wanted to just kill us on hotels because I have three kids so we had to upgrade the room, etc, etc. I can stay at a 5 star Hilton in Jamaica for $319 a night all inclusive including the waterpark. I am lucky that my kids are more into water and the ocean and such over the more commercialized experience of WDW. I would like to try it out on maybe a daytrip at some point, but cannot justify doing a whole trip on resort.
     
  6. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    I did a hasty search. To do a similar length trip to WDW that I do Vegas I'd be in for 3 grand before I even consider flight and food. I consider the flight a wash as I'd pay for that any way. Doesn't make me feel so bad if I take a beating on my bankroll. And if I want a picture with Mickey I can just walk out to the Strip. haha
     
  7. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    You do have to factor in the the value of a pic with a clean Mickey or with a Mickey Mouse that has been soiled by the LV strip! Decisions, decision, haha
     
  8. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    I prefer the bootleg Mickey that is handing out his mixtape.
     
  9. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Man, I am such a dork. I sat here trying to figure out the "WDW" airport code ... duh.

    We try to watch $$$, but at the end of it all, it comes down to experiences, and it's hard to put a quantification on an experience. Vegas might -- might -- be cheaper than, say, Cabo or Kauai, but not everything in life -- to our way of thinking -- is about grinding out every dime. Now if Vegas ticked off our every box every time, it would be a different story. And I know a lot of folks feel it does.
     
  10. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    All while keeping his eye on his backpack stashed nearby w a bottle Wild Irish Rose inside.
     
  11. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    I'm with you on it being about the experience. For those that have kids, I don't fault them for taking their kids to Disney once or twice. But I see friends of mine that go every year and sometimes multiple like a lot of us do Vegas. I enjoy that I can do Vegas 2 or 3 times a year for cheap. I've done Oktoberfest in Munich 3 times. Certainly more expensive than Vegas but totally worth it. I just can't do it every single year.
     
  12. natedog666

    natedog666 17 and 20 Expert

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    When asked this time my kids didn't even want to go to Disney in LA this time, been to four parks in three countries...they are a bit jaded. They chose Universal Studios instead because of the fast and furious ride...it was bleh for me but they liked it.

    Also with all the people now you are forced to buy the VIP tickets otherwise you are in line all day...so tickets are at least 2-300 bucks each person....
     
  13. TxFoldEm

    TxFoldEm Tourist

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    We just went to WDW in May, it was our 7th trip. Our first trip was our honeymoon in '96 and it was awesome! We went back 6 years later in 2002... then again in 2004 and 2005. We had our daughter in 2007 and took her in 2011, 2013 and just a couple of months ago for her 8 birthday.

    The last trip in May was actually the first time I felt I didn't get my money's worth. Yeah, Disney World has always been on the expensive side, but this last trip was the most expensive. When we honeymooned there in 1996, our total cost (including airfare) was $2,500. That included park tickets, resort fee, and all our spending money there. We stayed at CBR on our honeymoon and stayed again this past May. I like the resort actually... We've stayed at AKL, Boardwalk, French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside. We've always stayed on property as it really lends to the "Disney Experience".

    Anyway, back to my point... the last trip, I left disappointed. I always felt it was expensive but got our money's worth. Not so this time. Even my wife was a little disappointed. The prices have gone way up in the past 2 years it seems. I'm not just talking about Park Tickets, but all of it. My daughter saved her money so she could buy some cool stuffed toys. I about choked when I saw the prices of stuffed animals this trip - A LOT higher than 2 years ago.

    At Epcot, they closed down one of the buildings for innoventions - it's just empty building where you can sit down. They haven't done much with Epoct in the last 10 years or so (since Soarin'). It appears they just don't have that much interest in adding to Epoct - big disappointment. Even in the lines to Soarin' where the kids can have fun with those "splat paintings" - several of them were NOT working at all.

    I wasn't happy with the fact that they closed down Pleasure Island (Adventurers Club and Comedy Warehouse), but I was wiling to give them a pass on it... They also got rid of the opening act to Beauty and the Beast - the group called "4 for a dollar".

    The autograph store in Hollywood Studios is no more. We loved to visit that store and when walked in this last trip, it wasn't there! Just some customer service rep

    Outside the Hall of Presidents, there was a gift shop we enjoyed buying things from - now gone.

    Disney said that their operating expenses were down last quarter - no joke... they're closing stuff!

    Also, we learned that they are changing the Maelstrom ride in Norway (in Epcot) to a "Frozen" Ride, after the movie. It seems like this day and age they are more interested in cross marketing their movies. It almost feels like now, that WDW exists solely to push their movies.

    Sorry for the rant. The last trip was okay, nothing bad happened and my daughter had fun, but it was the first time I left there feeling I didn't get my money's worth.

    My wife said it best when we were leaving Disney World, it seems now-a-days like they're more interested in making money than magic. Of course we know they always wanted to make money, but they hid it well with all the "magic".

    Anyway, it may actually be awhile before we go back.
     
  14. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    It's so sad when Disney has to raise prices to keep crowds manageable. The average family would eventually be priced out of the market.

    Hope there will be a solution to this. Maybe families can make trip reservations based on some kind of calendar that shows dates that are blacked out and dates that are still open.
     
  15. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    When we're in Orlando, we prefer Universal (because - Harry POtter. And alcohol :) But we only go to Orlando when we have to for business (and we alternate parks- go to a different one each trip, every couple of years). Of course, we're only going to Vegas when we need to for business these days too - too many other places in the world we want to try:thumbsup:

    (I have a couple of friends who love Disney - one married at Disneyworld, the other visits them around the world when she's traveling for business - was just in Hong Kong:eek: Whatever floats your boat - just glad there are so many options these days!)
     
  16. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    High end ski resorts sell limited tickets to keep crowds down. I see no reason (other than greed) that a place like Disney couldn't do the same....
     
  17. NYNYGirl

    NYNYGirl VIP Whale

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    Yes rates at WDW can be very high. This is why we go every couple years because we still like to stay on property. And unfortunately we love the resorts such as; Animal Kingdom, Polynesian and Boardwalk Inn.
     
  18. Rodent Pack

    Rodent Pack S.S. Minnow

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    VegasGroove...Very interesting post. I've had some of these very same thoughts.

    joesmom...Thanks for the link.

    I've had this very dilemma with WDW. Some of my best family memories have either been from my childhood involving trips to Disneyland with my parents...late 50's through early 70's and then Disneyland and WDW with my children. I've long since forgotten about the money that these trips have cost, but I've not forgotten the wonderful times we've spent together at these parks.

    The bonding experience between my wife, children and the parks have been so great that both of my children have had the experience of working at WDW participating in the WDW college program and now, after graduating, my daughter moved to Orlando to work at WDW for a year before starting her masters program.

    That being said it's always an internal debate whether to take about four 3-4 day Vegas mini-vacations or one 9-10 day WDW vacation.

    Aw, hell...in a blink of an eye I'll be fertilizer and it won't really matter :angel:
     
  19. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    We're going on a trip for 5 in November. 7 days. $5500 total with a meal plan. Only $750 of that was airfare. We could probably do 5 trips for two to Vegas at that price! [emoji33]
     
  20. PaulBowdry

    PaulBowdry Low-Roller

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    If anyone is active duty military or retired WDW sells four day passes with the hopper option for 177 dollars. I don't stay at any of the WDW resorts. I pass out at the end of the day after walking five miles so I wouldn't really enjoy the resort that much. I like that tower of terror to clean out the arteries. I feel the plaque loosening up in my arteries after that one. Lol. My doctor didn't find it funny.
     
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