Is Disney World Still Worth the $?

[Anonymous]

The Star Wars Hotel was the biggest disappointment imaginable according to all the videos I saw. You were supposed to feel like you were in Star Wars but they staffed the place with college kids wearing what looked like nurses' scrubs and then had half a dozen actual actors roaming around every so often for immersion. But apparently paying those six actors was just too expensive so they scrapped the whole thing! Unreal

[Anonymous]

We went 2 years ago. Magic kingdom was awesome for me. 4 parks in a week was too much in spite of getting the genie plus or whatever it was called. We didn't research how to use it and wasted our money. The pass was $30/day and the tickets were $170/day holiday season. What my kids remember and liked the most was the free cable car ride between resorts and parks and the Guardians of the Galaxy ride. I asked my kids if they want to go to Disney again and they said no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you can argue that Disney doesn’t require more detailed planning than most other trips. For example, on a trip to NYC, our plans might be: breakfast at 8 am, natural history museum 10-5, dinner at 6, show at 8 pm. But we don’t also have to figure out, in detail, which gallery of the museum to visit at what time, reserve it, etc. We enjoyed DL and I think it can be worth doing once. But yes, it was a lot of detailed planning.

I think Disney requires less planning. You do have to do some research to identify what rides and shows you want to prioritize - but that’s because there are so many! It’s like looking at the menu of a delicious restaurant ahead of time to see what you want to eat. Then you book your 3 advance rides per day, and you’re all set. All you do is show up for nonstop fun in the best designed entertainment late stage capitalism has to offer.

If you don’t LIKE it then you will find any of the planning burdensome.

[Anonymous]

We tacked on a day at Disneyland over the summer to a trip to Southern California. One day was super fun. I can’t imagine going for multiple days to Disney world, but we are from the west coast originally and I feel like Disney world is more of an east coast thing. So that’s another option - do Disneyland for a day along with other activities in socal.

[Anonymous]

To me, no. In my head, it was a destination to take our kids to ONCE. The rest of the family talked me into going one more time. That's it.

The first vacation, in particular, was lovely, but even in the three years between that trip and the next, the prices went up and the quality went down.

Sometimes, I think doing things once allows them to remain sort of magical. So, that's my vote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t do it once when your kids are the right age you’ll regret it. If you do it a second time you are a fool.

I didn’t do it with my kids, who are now about to graduate.

I have regretted many things in my life, but not spending a fortune on an ersatz saccharine mouse-based vacation is not one of them. We had great trips to Thailand, Morocco, Italy etc instead.

As for adults who go without children, well, they are beyond redemption.

you sound like my delusional, narcissistic relative. When I suggested to his kids that we take all the cousins to Disneyworld their faces absolutely lit up with joy. Then he started to spout this claptrap about how Disneyworld is a filthy American lower class capitalist blah blah blah. His kids looked crushed.

Actually we gave our kids the choice, eg Italy or Disney. I just asked my son about it now (10 years later) and he said he had no regrets about his decision.

I have no problem with people going to Disney. In fact, I prefer it since it keeps all the culturally-impoverished vulgarians penned up in Central Florida where they can’t get in my way. What annoys me is the idea that you are denying your kids by not taking them. Whereas in fact you can have much more interesting non-corporate experiences.

Lol. God you’re insufferable. I know you think you’re being clever, but being a humorolous snob isn’t impressive. The funny thing is that I know my kid is being raised to be cultured and educated so I have no qualms about also enjoying mainstream entertainment!

[Anonymous]

Disney World is very expensive, especially if you get all the add-ons to make the experience easier and more memorable (lightning lane passes, character meals, onsite hotels, dining packages for Fantasmic, concerts, etc). Every time we go, I marvel at how many new ways Disney has found to make people part with their money. Like some of the other posters, we have also traveled quite a bit internationally, mainly to Europe and Australia. All had a lot of appeal to us and our children. However, Disney World is unique, convenient, and fun, and there are plenty of people for whom it is "worth the $." It has international appeal and offers special deals (free dining, 4 free hotel nights, discounted 14 day tickets) to visitors from the UK and Ireland, for example. When attendance slacks off and deeper discounts are offered domestically, we'll know it stopped being worth the premium cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t do it once when your kids are the right age you’ll regret it. If you do it a second time you are a fool.

I didn’t do it with my kids, who are now about to graduate.

I have regretted many things in my life, but not spending a fortune on an ersatz saccharine mouse-based vacation is not one of them. We had great trips to Thailand, Morocco, Italy etc instead.

As for adults who go without children, well, they are beyond redemption.

you sound like my delusional, narcissistic relative. When I suggested to his kids that we take all the cousins to Disneyworld their faces absolutely lit up with joy. Then he started to spout this claptrap about how Disneyworld is a filthy American lower class capitalist blah blah blah. His kids looked crushed.

Actually we gave our kids the choice, eg Italy or Disney. I just asked my son about it now (10 years later) and he said he had no regrets about his decision.

I have no problem with people going to Disney. In fact, I prefer it since it keeps all the culturally-impoverished vulgarians penned up in Central Florida where they can’t get in my way. What annoys me is the idea that you are denying your kids by not taking them. Whereas in fact you can have much more interesting non-corporate experiences.

Lol. God you’re insufferable. I know you think you’re being clever, but being a humorolous snob isn’t impressive. The funny thing is that I know my kid is being raised to be cultured and educated so I have no qualms about also enjoying mainstream entertainment!

Meh, leave that PP alone. It's clear how horrifically miserable they are.

[Anonymous]

I don't think disney is worth a 10-15k trip of a lifetime that you save up for years for and have astronomical expectations for.

I absolutely think it is worth going/taking your kids but while fun it is also a stressful experience, particularly if you plan for park day after park day with no breaks and people frequently end up disappointed because they are exhausted and frazzled. I think a well executed 2-3 days at disney (maybe stretched over 4-5 nights at a budget property resort) is awesome and def worth it at least once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Star Wars Hotel was the biggest disappointment imaginable according to all the videos I saw. You were supposed to feel like you were in Star Wars but they staffed the place with college kids wearing what looked like nurses' scrubs and then had half a dozen actual actors roaming around every so often for immersion. But apparently paying those six actors was just too expensive so they scrapped the whole thing! Unreal

My kids went to the star wars hotel and loved it.