Bookings for WDW packages significantly down according to Pete Werner?

[Gill H]

Disney have openly admitted several years ago that they are overcrowded, so they have been deliberately chasing people with a lot of money - offering extras such as dessert parties and special viewings. They have been quite blatant that they actually want lower visitor numbers but higher spends.

It takes us (2 adults) five years to save for a WDW holiday. It did before our first visit in 2010 and again in 2014.

Currently saving for Tokyo and looks like it will cost about the same as WDW.

[Spike1911]

I do think it’s at a tipping point now and just look at how visitor numbers are increasing at Disneyland Paris so I think people are starting to reconsider Florida. I think those in the USA who visit out of state a couple of times a year are hit the hardest though.

[Dutchdisneyfan]

Could it also be that people wait until 2021 and all the rides are open?
We are going next year but friends of us wanted to go next year to for a 'one time only trip".
We told them it might be better to wait 1 or 2 years extra.

[GALE88]

It will be interesting to see what happens with pricing and offers over the next few years. As we probably won’t be going back until 2022 I’m hoping they don’t inflate too much more!

[TAGG]

Waiting for the Disney Police...

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by colin39

Tbh we havent been to disney, other than 1 afterhours last year in 3 years , why spend all that money, plus majic bands , the time and effort faffing about for fast passes fighting the crowds and still spend hours trying to do rides. Let alone pating to park, ya need a fast pass for the carparks lately

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Absolutely our position. Too expensive generally, too much tight fisted gouging on extras such as parking, too much planning (DDP and Fastpass). For us, the fun has simply gone , given that it reminds me now of Hi de Hi in the way that you have to be so regimented...and in any case, there are many things in Florida that we prize more highly.

The good news is that this greed has caused us to look elsewhere and find some awesome things that we might not otherwise have tried, had we not been effectively priced out in that I cannot justify it when I cannot see value.
We have now driven all the way from a Mobile Alabama to Key West and then back up as far as Daytona Beach. We have had wondrous times, whilst not visiting a Disney theme park on any of our last 5 Florida vacations.
We will undoubtably return to Florida... but probably never again to Disney. In any case, there are simply too many other States to touch base in... 17 So far.

[scoobydooby]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

Did Disney get too greedy?

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Yes. Just this.

[Bradz]

Going next year (2020) and unfortunately I cannot justify paying for Disney tickets. We did 2013 (4 weeks) & 2017 (3 weeks) and I would love to go to Animal Kingdom as Avatar had just opened as we were leaving.
The kids are 10 & 14 so we will be doing Universal, DC, Seaworld & BG.
It really is a shame but is £1720 (14 days ticket x4) really worth 7 visits to WDW?

[Picklepuppy]

We’re going next August on-site for 3 weeks and I think it’s worth the money or I wouldn’t go! I for one hope that the predictions are right and bookings are down so it will be quiet when we go! I love Disney and the way it makes me feel, no other holiday destination gives me butterflies and happy tears like Disney and for me that is priceless. I have other places in the world I love to go but no where feels like Disney.
I don’t go because it’s good value, I go because I love it. They could charge what they want and I would still find a way

[NewtoOrlando]

Originally Posted by ely3857

I don’t think any of us would disagree that prices are increasing beyond what can be justified.

I say justified yet we’ve booked and paid a bloody fortune for next year but tactically we’ve gone for a delux and free dining as we are thinking realistically this is our only/last chance at a delux as free dining is squeezed out. Might be wrong but without free dining we couldn’t afford to stay onsite anyway so we made our decision and we’re paying (a lot!) for it.

I do think Disney are fast on their way to out pricing us.

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This is pretty much us next year. Having one last blow out with my parents, have booked a deluxe for the first time (YC) over the mods that we would usually stay in. We won’t be back for a long time, Florida yes, Disney no. We only ever do 5 nights onsite but compared to what we paid in 2016 to now it’s crazy. We just can’t justify the cost anymore, with what we’re paying for Disney alone next year we could have 2 holidays in the canaries!

I’m really looking forward to it next year and staying in a lovely hotel with my mum and dad, but at the end it’s a wrap for us.