Disney primarily for the wealthy? NYT Article

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cost is outrageous. We are in the “wealthy” tier but it’s too much for us. However, the market tells us that it is not for the wealthy. Or, not just for the wealthy. That place is busting at the seams.

We went last summer for a wedding. The bride and groom weren’t wealthy and they go every year. Same with many of the guests. As long as people are making it work and pay those insane prices, Disney will keep charging them. For us? It’s too high and we’re not going back.

Yes, we would definitely be considered wealthy and I've never been able to justify the cost. I went a few times as a kid back in the 80s, and I loved it, but when I hear about the insane crowds plus the ridiculous prices, it's just not appealing.

So prices are ridiculous, but the drinks last time, I was actually laughing a bit that Disney hasn't quite caught up to the increases at my local bars. So I'm doing all the festivals this year before they catch on.

There's a few things like this at Disney that had me scratching my head. Some things are wildly over-inflated but the food was mostly cheaper than staying home.

[Anonymous]

We went a few times years ago with military tickets and military discount value hotel but it’s now gone up sky high and would go back.

[Anonymous]

Disney adults have ruined the parks. Take a look at any Disney forum to read about the nonsense they pull in order to ride the most rides and max out their experience.
My mother basically thinks I am abusive for not taking my kids to Disney but this article just strengthens my resolve. Sounds terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't completely agree with these articles. No doubt Disney has far outpaced inflation, and the quality inside the parks has gone down. Anyone who spent time in Disney World in the 1980s and 1990s knows the place isn't nearly as special as it once was. They're dirtier and the maintenance is just a joke in comparison.

That all said, you can make Disney World relatively affordable. The only "unaffordable" part of WDW is the tickets. Nobody has to stay on property. And the flights to Orlando couldn't be cheaper. I have an annual pass this year, and I'll probably end up making five trips. I stay off property most of the time and have no problem getting hotels for under $100 a night in places like the Marriott Village.

For the snobs, I do a couple international trips a year, and several ski jaunts. But WDW is easy and always fun, so it balances out my travel very well. And with passes, the incremental cost is quite low.

You should start a thread about Disney World on a budget. We are a family of three and want to do a one or two day Disney World visit before our kid gets too old to enjoy it, and what you are suggesting here sounds good to me. I have just started looking at Disney travel advice online and a lot of it seems geared at a different kind of family having a different kind of experience. I just want to go for one or two days and get the most out of it (ride the best rides while minimizing line time, eat reasonably well without taking on a second mortgage). We don't need premiere pass everything and we have the endurance for one long park day (our kid is older and doesn't need to go back to the hotel for a nap or pool time after a few hours).

But much of the Disney advice seems to assume you are going for at least 3-4 days, that you HAVE to stay on property, that you HAVE to do a lot of these extras like the character meet and greets. I don't know that we need to do any of that for our kid to enjoy it? Also I know my DH will be a lot easier to deal with if we can keep it to a day or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't completely agree with these articles. No doubt Disney has far outpaced inflation, and the quality inside the parks has gone down. Anyone who spent time in Disney World in the 1980s and 1990s knows the place isn't nearly as special as it once was. They're dirtier and the maintenance is just a joke in comparison.

That all said, you can make Disney World relatively affordable. The only "unaffordable" part of WDW is the tickets. Nobody has to stay on property. And the flights to Orlando couldn't be cheaper. I have an annual pass this year, and I'll probably end up making five trips. I stay off property most of the time and have no problem getting hotels for under $100 a night in places like the Marriott Village.

For the snobs, I do a couple international trips a year, and several ski jaunts. But WDW is easy and always fun, so it balances out my travel very well. And with passes, the incremental cost is quite low.

You should start a thread about Disney World on a budget. We are a family of three and want to do a one or two day Disney World visit before our kid gets too old to enjoy it, and what you are suggesting here sounds good to me. I have just started looking at Disney travel advice online and a lot of it seems geared at a different kind of family having a different kind of experience. I just want to go for one or two days and get the most out of it (ride the best rides while minimizing line time, eat reasonably well without taking on a second mortgage). We don't need premiere pass everything and we have the endurance for one long park day (our kid is older and doesn't need to go back to the hotel for a nap or pool time after a few hours).

But much of the Disney advice seems to assume you are going for at least 3-4 days, that you HAVE to stay on property, that you HAVE to do a lot of these extras like the character meet and greets. I don't know that we need to do any of that for our kid to enjoy it? Also I know my DH will be a lot easier to deal with if we can keep it to a day or two.

Not PP but...
1) Park hoppers aren't worth it in a case like yours IMO, which drives up ticket costs, and I've always thought they're only offered either for newbies who don't know or pros who really only want to hit 1-2 things and change parks. Every park has more than enough to exhaust a family with young kids.
2) Lots of nearby hotels are more affordable (and in many cases more luxurious) than the Disney resorts. We recently loved the Hyatt Grand Regency Cypress Resort and its fantastic, massive pools.
3) The 4 parks are all very different than each other, so I'm not surprised people have told you that you really need 3-4 days. Just doing Magic Kingdom means just doing the most intense/popular/crowded park, but skipping it means skipping the most iconic stuff. And as pointed out on 1), it's really hard to do 2 parks in one day (for one thing they're mostly far from each other so it's a lot of burned travel time).
4) Lightning Lanes have to be arranged pretty intensively (immediately buy as soon as you can, start adding to the slate as soon as you use your first one) but make maximizing your time in-park a million times easier.

[Anonymous]

It’s the combination of cost and wait times for us. We went when we had military status for discounted tickets but our teens would rather go to universal studios now. One big difference I noticed between the two is at universal, the lines are more indoors and they include a lot of entertainment during the line. I almost wanted to wait in line longer for the Harry Potter rides because I liked to see all the details in Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, etc. it made me forget I was in line, and made the whole experience more enjoyable. I haven’t been to Disney in awhile but I don’t remember anything like that, just waiting outside in the heat and humidity. The cost benefit ratio was very low in Disney compared to universal studios in terms of being entertained.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hk8.F_tG.sVWX9WZOpUYk&smid=url-share

I found this article quite relevant. As someone who has been to Disney four times, but is by no means a Disney person, I have no desire to do Disney again. The cost is part of it.

These issues are relevant to Universal's Epic Universe as well. Between the Express Pass that costs as much as your park ticket (yet doesn't include the most popular rides), the Power Up Bands, all the wands for the Harry Potter crowd, and the fact that the Helios costs $800 a night and DOESN'T include the benefits you get at other top tier Universal Hotels, the top Orlando amusement parks are starting to look like a trip for the global elite, and the global elite alone.

Lol at the idea that the global elite would go to Disney. It is middle-brow crap for the masses. No one who isn’t culturally impoverished would be seen dead there. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hk8.F_tG.sVWX9WZOpUYk&smid=url-share

I found this article quite relevant. As someone who has been to Disney four times, but is by no means a Disney person, I have no desire to do Disney again. The cost is part of it.

These issues are relevant to Universal's Epic Universe as well. Between the Express Pass that costs as much as your park ticket (yet doesn't include the most popular rides), the Power Up Bands, all the wands for the Harry Potter crowd, and the fact that the Helios costs $800 a night and DOESN'T include the benefits you get at other top tier Universal Hotels, the top Orlando amusement parks are starting to look like a trip for the global elite, and the global elite alone.

Lol at the idea that the global elite would go to Disney. It is middle-brow crap for the masses. No one who isn’t culturally impoverished would be seen dead there. Sorry.

You are very wrong. I'm not defending Disney, but it is very popular with all types of people.

[Anonymous]

We are wealthy people with advanced degrees and are not from the south or Midwest, are not overweight, and we love Disney and so do our kids (now teens.) We go every 18 months or so (among lots of different vacations) and occasionally do a Disney Cruise. It’s not in lieu of other travel, but in addition to. I refuse to go to other theme parks that are not Disney/Universal. Kings Dominion and Hershey - no thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hk8.F_tG.sVWX9WZOpUYk&smid=url-share

I found this article quite relevant. As someone who has been to Disney four times, but is by no means a Disney person, I have no desire to do Disney again. The cost is part of it.

These issues are relevant to Universal's Epic Universe as well. Between the Express Pass that costs as much as your park ticket (yet doesn't include the most popular rides), the Power Up Bands, all the wands for the Harry Potter crowd, and the fact that the Helios costs $800 a night and DOESN'T include the benefits you get at other top tier Universal Hotels, the top Orlando amusement parks are starting to look like a trip for the global elite, and the global elite alone.

Lol at the idea that the global elite would go to Disney. It is middle-brow crap for the masses. No one who isn’t culturally impoverished would be seen dead there. Sorry.

You are very wrong. I'm not defending Disney, but it is very popular with all types of people.

Don’t try to convince her the parks are crowded enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are wealthy people with advanced degrees and are not from the south or Midwest, are not overweight, and we love Disney and so do our kids (now teens.) We go every 18 months or so (among lots of different vacations) and occasionally do a Disney Cruise. It’s not in lieu of other travel, but in addition to. I refuse to go to other theme parks that are not Disney/Universal. Kings Dominion and Hershey - no thanks.

This is us too. I don't like theme parks, I like Disney. Went to Hershey once and never need to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't completely agree with these articles. No doubt Disney has far outpaced inflation, and the quality inside the parks has gone down. Anyone who spent time in Disney World in the 1980s and 1990s knows the place isn't nearly as special as it once was. They're dirtier and the maintenance is just a joke in comparison.

That all said, you can make Disney World relatively affordable. The only "unaffordable" part of WDW is the tickets. Nobody has to stay on property. And the flights to Orlando couldn't be cheaper. I have an annual pass this year, and I'll probably end up making five trips. I stay off property most of the time and have no problem getting hotels for under $100 a night in places like the Marriott Village.

For the snobs, I do a couple international trips a year, and several ski jaunts. But WDW is easy and always fun, so it balances out my travel very well. And with passes, the incremental cost is quite low.

You should start a thread about Disney World on a budget. We are a family of three and want to do a one or two day Disney World visit before our kid gets too old to enjoy it, and what you are suggesting here sounds good to me. I have just started looking at Disney travel advice online and a lot of it seems geared at a different kind of family having a different kind of experience. I just want to go for one or two days and get the most out of it (ride the best rides while minimizing line time, eat reasonably well without taking on a second mortgage). We don't need premiere pass everything and we have the endurance for one long park day (our kid is older and doesn't need to go back to the hotel for a nap or pool time after a few hours).

But much of the Disney advice seems to assume you are going for at least 3-4 days, that you HAVE to stay on property, that you HAVE to do a lot of these extras like the character meet and greets. I don't know that we need to do any of that for our kid to enjoy it? Also I know my DH will be a lot easier to deal with if we can keep it to a day or two.

Honestly, if you're just doing a day or 2 and don't want all the extras that come with WDW, I'd prioritize going to Disneyland in Anaheim as part of a larger trip to southern California.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disney adults have ruined the parks. Take a look at any Disney forum to read about the nonsense they pull in order to ride the most rides and max out their experience.
My mother basically thinks I am abusive for not taking my kids to Disney but this article just strengthens my resolve. Sounds terrible.

Same! My mom, my MIL, my SIL, my neighbors, my co-workers......my answer remains "heck no!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't completely agree with these articles. No doubt Disney has far outpaced inflation, and the quality inside the parks has gone down. Anyone who spent time in Disney World in the 1980s and 1990s knows the place isn't nearly as special as it once was. They're dirtier and the maintenance is just a joke in comparison.

That all said, you can make Disney World relatively affordable. The only "unaffordable" part of WDW is the tickets. Nobody has to stay on property. And the flights to Orlando couldn't be cheaper. I have an annual pass this year, and I'll probably end up making five trips. I stay off property most of the time and have no problem getting hotels for under $100 a night in places like the Marriott Village.

For the snobs, I do a couple international trips a year, and several ski jaunts. But WDW is easy and always fun, so it balances out my travel very well. And with passes, the incremental cost is quite low.

You should start a thread about Disney World on a budget. We are a family of three and want to do a one or two day Disney World visit before our kid gets too old to enjoy it, and what you are suggesting here sounds good to me. I have just started looking at Disney travel advice online and a lot of it seems geared at a different kind of family having a different kind of experience. I just want to go for one or two days and get the most out of it (ride the best rides while minimizing line time, eat reasonably well without taking on a second mortgage). We don't need premiere pass everything and we have the endurance for one long park day (our kid is older and doesn't need to go back to the hotel for a nap or pool time after a few hours).

But much of the Disney advice seems to assume you are going for at least 3-4 days, that you HAVE to stay on property, that you HAVE to do a lot of these extras like the character meet and greets. I don't know that we need to do any of that for our kid to enjoy it? Also I know my DH will be a lot easier to deal with if we can keep it to a day or two.

Honestly, if you're just doing a day or 2 and don't want all the extras that come with WDW, I'd prioritize going to Disneyland in Anaheim as part of a larger trip to southern California.

Or even Paris... Paris is not crowded as long as you avoid British/French school breaks, is accessible by train which is easy from many Parisian neighborhoods, has the castle, the iconic rides, cheaper ticket prices, and is only a couple more hours away than CA.