Disney primarily for the wealthy? NYT Article

[Anonymous]

Disney has become terrible over the past two decades. It's too expensive, too crowded, and too commercial. It's all about their "content platforms"--it used to be about fun. Now it's all about "planning your trip." It's turned into unpleasant work for parents. We left early the last time we went, and will never be back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disney has become terrible over the past two decades. It's too expensive, too crowded, and too commercial. It's all about their "content platforms"--it used to be about fun. Now it's all about "planning your trip." It's turned into unpleasant work for parents. We left early the last time we went, and will never be back.

It’s not unpleasant for me at all. I love planning our trips and I am always planning the next one. We have so much fun, my teens are really into and having fun with us and forget all about their phones and school and sports and just have a great time.

[Anonymous]

So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine the wealthy choosing Disney unless they are hicks with bucks

+1 million

Or the idea of planning another kind of trip is just overwhelming for them so they just go with the packaged experienced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

International visitors. Disney is more about international than US visitors at this point. The next time you're going to somewhere in Latin America, the Caribbean or even Europe look around and see how many people get off the plane having just visited Disney. A trip to the US is often just (or at least mostly) about Disney for international visitors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

Exactly. It’s the classic Yogi Berra “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

As a regular Disney goer, I can assure that many many people there are not 1%ers or even 10%ers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine the wealthy choosing Disney unless they are hicks with bucks

+1 million

Or the idea of planning another kind of trip is just overwhelming for them so they just go with the packaged experienced.

You're idea of who the wealthy are is off. The top 10% of household income is around $178,000 a year. Top 5% is $261,000 as of 2022.

Surprise! You're wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

Exactly. It’s the classic Yogi Berra “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

As a regular Disney goer, I can assure that many many people there are not 1%ers or even 10%ers.

Clearly, but the point of the article is to say that more visitors to Disney are now wealthy and Disney is centering their experience in a way it didn't in the past.

[Anonymous]

You can go to London, stay in nicer accommodations, eat better food, not wait in lines, take your kids to large play places and slides, and see some real Norman castles for less money. Or go take your kid hiking and lake swimming for far less.

Having grown up in Orlando I really did used to have a fondness for the parks. But the magic just isn't there anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

International visitors. Disney is more about international than US visitors at this point. The next time you're going to somewhere in Latin America, the Caribbean or even Europe look around and see how many people get off the plane having just visited Disney. A trip to the US is often just (or at least mostly) about Disney for international visitors.

I have been wondering how all the trump stuff is going to affect that. We typically go to Disney in Jan/Feb, and there are so many groups there from the southern hemisphere. Big tour groups, school groups, large family groups, etc. I just cannot imagine being a South American parent right now saying "Sure, you can take my teen to Florida for a school trip."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can go to London, stay in nicer accommodations, eat better food, not wait in lines, take your kids to large play places and slides, and see some real Norman castles for less money. Or go take your kid hiking and lake swimming for far less.

Having grown up in Orlando I really did used to have a fondness for the parks. But the magic just isn't there anymore.

Took my kids to London this summer. They enjoyed it. They also enjoyed Disney and I assure you that London was NOT cheaper.

[Anonymous]

We will never do Disney. If it was expensive, but the experience was enjoyable I would consider it. But the fact that it costs thousands AND you still have to wait an hour+ per ride? No way. Waiting in line is something I absolutely hate. There's no way I'm PAYING to spend my vacation waiting in line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Disney is for the rich only. Only 1% of America is rich. Disney is too overcrowded to be enjoyable.

Something is not adding up.

Exactly. It’s the classic Yogi Berra “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

As a regular Disney goer, I can assure that many many people there are not 1%ers or even 10%ers.

Clearly, but the point of the article is to say that more visitors to Disney are now wealthy and Disney is centering their experience in a way it didn't in the past.

This would come to a surprise to my family in the late 80s/early 90s. At that time Disney was also known for being for rich families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can go to London, stay in nicer accommodations, eat better food, not wait in lines, take your kids to large play places and slides, and see some real Norman castles for less money. Or go take your kid hiking and lake swimming for far less.

Having grown up in Orlando I really did used to have a fondness for the parks. But the magic just isn't there anymore.

Does London have GoG and Space Mountain

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We will never do Disney. If it was expensive, but the experience was enjoyable I would consider it. But the fact that it costs thousands AND you still have to wait an hour+ per ride? No way. Waiting in line is something I absolutely hate. There's no way I'm PAYING to spend my vacation waiting in line.

You don’t wait an hour …