Who here thinks Disney World is a total ripoff?

Question

I can't believe the rip-off that is Disney World. I thought it was supposed to be this wonderful place, but they just try to pry every dollar from your wallet, and even burn through your bank account,
seeing that there is an ATM damn near everywhere in the park,
of course camoflauged as a disney character, which somehow makes it all better in the Disney universe. At the hotel we stayed at, we even had to pay to have the characters pose with the kids
which I thought was supposed to be free. Then you had to pay 30
bucks for the picture. An average meal for us 5 was about 40-50
bucks. MIckey Mouse is nothing more than a giant vacuum that sucks every penny you have. It cost money to do everything in Disney except breathe, and I'm surprised they didn't find a way to charge for that. Oh, and you can take a dump for free too,
but after eating that expensive food it better be. Wise up!
Disney is just after your money, every red cent, and uses cute
characters to get it all!

Answer 1

I don't find it a rip-off at all. You can spend as little or as much as you want, pretty much. If you don't want to spend much then you can stay at a Value Resort and get simple base tickets. If you're not worried about money then you can stay at a Deluxe Resort and upgrade to Concierge if you want.

Everything is more expensive than you'd expect it to be anywhere else, but I've never had any problems with hidden charges. I don't know why you had to pay to see the Disney Characters. I've been to Character Buffets and have seen them in the Parks and have never had to pay anything for a photo or autograph.

When you say you spent $40 to $50 for the five of you, do ean all together? Because that's not bad at all. My boyfriend and I alone spend an average of $100 per meal, even just for lunch. All of our dinners were more around $150. And in my opinion every cent spent was incredibly worth it.

My boyfriend and I just got back from our most recent Walt Disney World vacation two weeks ago. We had an amazing time as always. This trip cost us almost $10,000, not including flights. Last year our trip cost almost $9,000. Again, every cent spent- so worth it. I'm already planning our next vacation there. We stay at one of the most expensive Resorts- Disney's Polynesian Resort. We were on Disney's Platinum Plan, and everything was included. EVERYTHING-all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack at any restaurant on property, even ones not included on the regular dining plan,) all recreation (championship golf, mini golf, boat rentals, horseback riding, etc.,) all tours, admission to preferred viewing areas during fireworks shows, a fireworks cruise of our choice, spa treatments, and so much more. And you get what you pay for (and then some in our case.) When we arrived at the Resort the manager came out and told us we were V.I.P. at the Resort for the duration of our stay. We were upgraded to Concierge for free. We had the best view on property- a perfect view of the Magic Kingdom Park, Cinderella Castle, Space Mountain, the Grand Floridian Resort, and the Contemporary Resort. Every night we'd come back to our room after a day around the Parks and there'd be something special waiting for us. The first night there was a huge gift basket full of candies, coffees, teas, snacks, and a signed picture card from Minnie and Mickey. Another night we got a big bar of chocolate with a picture of the Resort on it, and another night we got a Mickey-shaped box made of chocolate filled with all kinds of little chocolate mints.

In my opinion, Walt Disney World is the Happiest Place on Earth, and I'd pay any price to go again. I'm not even rich, or anything. In fact, we had to take out a loan for our last vacation. It's still worth EVERY penny. I can't wait to go back! I'm planning on being married there. It's just such a fun, magical place! It's my favorite place in the world!

Answer 2

Our family has been to Disney World nearly 20 times and we live in Mississippi, not Florida. I would never call Disney World a rip off. You have to look into these things before you go, or you will (or so it seems, you did) have a miserable time. There are ways around the high prices that you pay, and many people take these ways around. You don't need to stay inside Disney World and pay the hotel prices as there are so many cheaper hotels in Orlando and Kissimmee. Many, many people arrange to carry their food in and eat in one of the fast food places or even on a park bench or a table.
Disney is not forcing you to buy their food or souviniers or even pictures. We take our own pictures and do with them as we may when we come home. We also do an occasional character picture with our three year old, but it's not necessary.
Disney World is just not some people. I can't say that we enjoy spending alot of money, but we plan and save and when it's gone, it's gone.
Hope you give it another chance and plan a little better. It really is the happiest place on earth. To this family it is anyhow.

Answer 3

I guess it all depends on what you are willing to spend your money on - my fiance and I had a super cheap time there. Paying only $77 a night for a hotel room, with free transportation all around the whole complex. Wasn't any more expensive then staying in any other decent hotel, yet had the themes, pools and other amenities that help to make it a cute vacation. If you look and watch out for the deals you don't wind up paying huge amount for food or anything else.

I have been both Disney World and Disneyland, both as a kid and an adult, the magic is there if you feel it and are looking for it as a kid would. I have always had a great vacation there, usually with great staff and people who attend are nice.

It has been getting worse over the years, but so has anything that has people in service to others, no one has patience or is wiling to give of themselves in their jobs anymore. Also have to plan your trip - if you go at the high times of spring break and summer - then yes you will be stuck in huge lines and higher fees. If you go at off peak times like end of Jan-Feb and Sept-Nov you will get better rates and shorter lines.

But if you get trapped into every little thing that is suggested to you, then yeah, you will get sucked out of every cent, especially if you continue to give into kids who ask for everything. Parents need to learn to just say no! Take your own pictures, don't let the staff take pictures on their camera - of course you pay when you get someone else to take a picture and not print it off yourself. Wise up and realize that nothing is for free anywhere.

Answer 4

Yes, it is expensive but one think of all there employees they have to pay, the electric and water bills, the fireworks they through, etc... They don't do it for the hell of it but to please ungrateful SOB's such as yourself.
Two Universal cost the same amount of money when there isn't even half the amount of things there as Disney, so wouldn't that make it more of a ripoff?!?!
Three they don't have ATM's every two feet like you make it sound, they only have a few I know MGM only had 2 one OUTSIDE the park and the other ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK inside and out of view of the park and that's all the have.
Four you could have gone OFF property to go eat and get snack foods to bring into the parks with you the next day, because they DO allow you to bring in outside food and drinks.
Five why did you even spend all your money and then complain about it to us... No one told you to do that, so it's your own damn fault!

Answer 5

We're bringing the kids to Disney for the 4th time in 3 years this October. If you compare the cost of entertainment - from dawn til dusk -- it can be a great value. Between the resort (dvc), meal plan, and cost of tickets (purchasing no expiration for three vacations at once); the total cost of our trip will be less than $2000 for the week for a family of 5 including spending money. I pack souvenirs from previous trips, collect the trading pins from cereal box premiums for the year and take my own pictures. Done right, Disney can be a great value! Maybe you'll try again!

Answer 6

People who go to Disney repeatedly have a mental disorder and too much money to throw away. There are so many better places to go in Florida - like the beaches. You can stay for a week in a condo on the beach for 1/3 the price it cost to stay in the horrible over priced rooms at WDW. The crowds alone should be enough to make anyone never go back. I m a 35 yr Florida resident and I live less than an hour away. Its a terrible place to go to especially in the summer.

Answer 7

It's so wierd that you've posted this, because I was just now discussing with my kids where to go on the first vacation we'll ever take. I always felt bad that I didn't take them to Disney World when they were little (they're teens now), so pretty soon we'll be able to afford to go somewhere, and my first thought was Disney, but then we talked about what it was like when my mother took me and my brother there when we were kids. It really stressed her out, because everything cost extra and she didn't have a lot of money, she had put every spare cent we had into that trip. I remember her actually crying in the hotel because we had run out of money, it was bad. So after talking about it for a while, I and my kids decided that the last thing we want to deal with on vacation is "hidden costs". I don't want to be taking out my wallet every half hour, it will be hard enough just to afford the basics (flight, hotel, meals, etc.). So we decided to go to Hawaii instead...and we might just bring my mother with us.

Answer 8

When I was growing up, my parents took me to Disney ONCE. I remembered it forever and cherished it. Nowadays, parents buy the annual passes, and the kids LIVE at Disney on the weekends. It's nothing special anymore; it's almost EXPECTED. Society has started to rely on "pre-packaged" fun for their kids. Buy a ticket, and you don't have to do anything else other than slide your card all day long. Kids don't explore, hike, camp, or do anything that builds their character. Disney even has a "campground" in Orlando where you pretend to "rough it" at a campsite for $100 a night. Are you kidding me?? A dirt campsite with a picnic bench for a 100 bucks a night? I take my kids to sites that have better views and more things to do for $10 a night. Disney's popularity is monstrous due to parents who feel that their kids need to visit this park multiple times over the course of their childhood. Not the case. It teaches kids to not value money, to expect to be on sensory overload, and it helps lazy parents allow a mouse to entertain their kids. Do yourself and your kids a favor. Take them once when they get older so they can have the experience, and then spend time with them they years after doing things with them that don't require buckets of cash but require you to interact with them personally. They'll thank you for it later, and it will make them appreciate the special things, instead of EXPECTING them.

Answer 9

i have been to WDW many, many times and never had to pay for posing with a character. i think you are mistaken on that point. and the picture is optional, you don't have to buy it, and while the kids are posing you are free to take a picture with your own camera. i also don't find the food to be expensive, but i live in Florida, so I'm used to high prices for food. also-to the first answerer (is that a word?) you do NOT have to pay for fast pass, it is free to all guests to help make the lines move quicker. it is universal that makes you pay for that privilege. if you don't like Disney, that's cool, there are lots of other things to do in this country.

Answer 10

Its not as drastic as you flight into WDW, but as an annual passholder at Disneyland, I will swing by the park if I'm even remotely in the Anaheim area. Sometimes just to shop! An expensive habit, but you still get to enjoy the Disney atmosphere... I'd say, if you're not getting to enjoy the rides then there should at least be some heavy shopping going on. Hope you at least get to enjoy the trip. Remember, you're going to the (second) Happiest Place on Earth!