I think there is also increased expectations on the Disney experience. People want new, cooler rides, more shows, better food, better service. All of it costs money. I wish I could compare the trip of my childhood to my experiences now. As a kid, of course it was magic. But if I could go back in time and do it as an adult, I don’t know that I would be as impressed. All the advances in experience cost big $$
@@MelissaNicholson-x5i I just booked a Monday through Saturday staying at Caribbean Beach. No park hopper or anything like that, 3 adults, 1 infant, $5K including flights. Late April
Crowds will be lower but prices will increase. And that's exactly what they want. Less people paying a lot more. Not only does their revenue stay the same, they save tens of millions on stuff like maintenance, food and staffing.
I can't help but think that Walt Disney would be ashamed of what is happening since he created Disneyland as a place families could go and have fun together.
I used to do Disney but I’m a Universal pass holder now. Been one for 6 years and have seen the crowds at Universal increase every year. Everything is better there from the rides to the hotels, and to the way you’re treated. Passes are cheaper and you get better hotels at 100s less.
ok "the way you're treated" is a massive stretch and this is coming from a fellow uoap holder. The customer service, while very fake and commercial, is definitely far more accommodating at disney. Universal, they're allowed to be mean and apathetic too often.
How much longer can Disney deny that numbers are dropping because of their greed? People don't like being treated as cash cows and having to keep paying more for less. Fast pass, gone. Magical express, gone. Extra magic hours for all onsite guests, gone. Free magic bands, gone. Package delivery to your hotel, gone. Standards of cleanliness in the parks and hotels has declined. The new Disney model is pay more, get less.
The only time I go to a disney park is when I'm in Tokyo. The main reason? Tickets are ¥8400 (~$56) for a day ticket, and you don't even need to stay at a disney resort to do it. And while I'm there, I can visit other parts of Tokyo, get my fill of whatever else I want to do, and I can do a 10 day trip for ~$3500 per person, with more than just disney.
@@normabates5958 I'm playing tour guide for 9 other people next year. We're spending 10 days, and the total cost per person is going to be roughly $3500. That includes airfare, lodging, $60-$100 per day for food, rail pass, and paying me $75/day to play tour guide. It's honestly not bad, all things considered...
I’m Mexican I was here for Xmas on Disneyland is completely full they are a huge company not only Disney they have Star Wars, Marvel and Fox (the Simpsond)
Disney also cutting out a huge portion of its customers with disabilities services. Its just saddening. If they fix this i think they could see an increase as well. Because right now the current situation is horrible.
As a prior DAS user for both visible and non visible mental disability (tics, ADHD, anxiety, and a few others) standing in long lines for long periods of times makes me jolt randomly from tics, I start shutting down mentally and get snappy, and feel pretty horrible and get a massive headache from the whole thing. Today I was denied access after having it for a few years because of the question “do you cause a major interrupt other guests in line?” Or something along those lines, but I said no because I was being as honest as possible bc I don’t make loud noises and I am able to not hit others in line. They then denied me… the problem is I just renewed my passes this December under the assumption that I would be able to get them again no problem… but apparently not. They said that I can have other ppl in my party wait in lines till I join them near the end… but then I need to A. Have a pretty large party, and B. Have to go talk to a cast member every single ride and have them walk me to the party… I have really bad social anxiety so just making the online appointment sucked, let alone having to talk to a cast member each and every time.
@@dsplays1 im a former das pass user as well for similar reasons all of my disabilities are invisible though and once i actually shut down an attraction due to loosing my medication on it. so if they ask me that😂 i mean i think i caused a scene. i’ve also almost passed out in lines and sometimes if i feel faint can start to talk loudly bc of ringing in my ears. so…. idk what theyre looking for here. its so rediculous honestly theyre going backwards not moving forward in being more inclusive and accessible its disgusting
@@dsplays1i dont think anyone is getting das pass maybe 1 out off 50 get one based on people i haven spoken to in the park both myself ( have qualified fot one for over 10 years till now as i have been disable since i was 18) and my significan other who has one leg were both deninded.
we've been going every year since '18, '25 will be the first year were we will not be able to afford to go, and this is with our household income increasing by 25%. its insane
I’ve been an annual passholder for 30+ years. Prices have actually started to hurt. At least if the crowds are smaller while we were paying these crazy prices, it might be justifiable, but if they keep raising prices anyway…. We’ll come less.
As a Canadian, I’d already be paying 30% more with the exchange rate. As much as I’d love to take my grandkids to Disney, I can’t see it happening. My last trip was in 2018.
I think Universal is about to crush Disney because Universal has the new cultural touchstones. They have Harry Potter and when Epic opens, they will have Nintendo.
If the Pokemon rumors are true, it's going to be hard to deny they have a major problem. Disney announced they would have an Avatar or Star Wars movie release every holiday season, that already fell apart with their destruction of their IPs.
Epic Universe is going to smoke the now tired, and ridiculously overpriced Disney parks. They nickel and dime us to death - literally everything has been jacked up. This says nothing about the customers being neglected and constantly taken for granted. They’ve made it unpleasant to go. I’m excited to visit Epic Universe.
The fact that you can stay at a BRAND NEW MASSIVE EPIC hotel for like a third or half of disneys premier hotel just shows Disney only cares for money not experience
Prior to retiring which was hastened by Covid, we went to Disneyworld to celebrate my 45th, 50th, 60th and 65th Birthdays. Now at 70 it seems to be cost prohibited. It's like they basically said we weren't wanted anymore. Between the room costs going up (this is the first time in over 30 years we would consider staying offsite) and the incredible increases just ticket prices, the bite out of our budget seems just too large. We watch vlogs and it seems they don't want us but they do want international guests as there are things they pay less for. I resent it. Our daughter and her friends who all emigrated from Boston University to Los Angeles go to Disneyland every Saturday after Thanksgiving. this has been going on 15 years so far. This may be the last. She is vegan and getting food was easier last year than this year. A vegan ice cream sundae was $21. It seems like the people they want to come are those that can pay an extra $499 just to go to the front of the line. What used to be the happiest place on earth has become the place for the 1%.
Agreed. For the money I’d have to pay for another Disney trip, I’d rather book a trip overseas to go somewhere I’ve never been before. As much as I’d love to the the grandkids there, I just can’t see it happening at this point.
There are definitely fewer guests. I just got back from a WDW trip and found the crowds to be significantly lower than other years at the same time. Wait times for popular attractions like Seven Dwarfs were about half the usual. Crowds at the All Star Music Resort were also noticeably lower.
My wife and I purchased the Annual pass for all Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. theme parks in the USA. This includes their existing theme parks on the east coast but also includes Knott's Berry Farm, Great America, and starting in January Six Flags theme parks. The pass was $395 for the year. This includes admission, parking, food and drink. we purchased the pass in August 2024 and is good until Dec 31, 2025. So far it has been a fantastic value especially not having to worry about the cost of food in the parks. We recently went to Winterfest at the Great America theme park in San Jose California. Not only was it very family friendly but the Snoopy ice skating show and tree lighting experience were amazing. For those looking at value for your vacation dollar I highly recommend it.
As a kid Disney was a highlight of a Florida vacation. A fun day or two before hitting the Everglades and the Keys. It's now a campaign. Having to plan your lightning pass and when you ride what. No thanks. Plenty of other places to spend my vacation dollars without all the work. Anyone remember an E-ticket? Those were the Disney times.
I just got back from Disney and universal. We bought universal annual passes this year because Disney was so pricey, but my wife loves Disney so we went for a day. It was one of the best days of our trip. It was absolutely full of people at magic kingdom. No matter how much they raise prices people will still go. As much as I also wish the prices would come down I don’t see it stopping and there will still be people lined up ready to pay it. Universal was so much more chill and I’m glad we got the annual passes there. But in all honesty there’s way more to do at Disney if you have a young child. My kid is 3, and there were more things for him to do in magic kingdom alone then there are at both universal parks. Both places are very different. I actually love the parks so much I’m looking into getting a controls engineering job there and relocating to Orlando, but will see. I have an interview on Monday for universals new epic park master of building controls. Will see fingers crossed.
I priced it out for just me and my fiance in January. A 5 night stay at Caribbean beach, 2 park hopper tickets, 2 dining plans and if we wanted the new expensive lightning lane the grand total was Almost 7,000$ for two people!! Absolutely insane. Renting Dvc points are the biggest money saver but they are hard to plan around as they aren’t as available. We went last year and the year the before and we stayed for 4 nights and we never had to spend more than 2,000 on the hotel, the tickets, and food. I want to go back so bad but it’s ridiculous at this point.
The spirit of Uncle Walt is about to teach a lesson. I hate watching them strangle the golden goose. You guys are lucky with Disney World. Disneyland is hurting. There’s Whatever Land (used to be Tomorrow Land), instead of a real land. There’s a giant TuffShed (those sheds are great, just not in Disneyland!) next to the Mansion. Farley the Fiddler is gone. A lot of shows are gone. And the food has been deteriorating since 2016. So not only are the charging outrage prices, but they’re not providing quality food either. It’s heartbreaking.
My kids begged to go to Disney for years . Our kids are 11 years old and 7 years old. We went early this year and they weren’t impressed . They no longer talk about going to Disney and were more excited about when we went to the beach lol They didn’t seem impressed at all with Magic kingdom even though they had never been to any amusement park anywhere . That same week after Disney we went to Sea World for a day and they loved it! They talk about Sea World often!
I once saw a Universal employee in full costume, walking through the park eating a hotdog and smoking a cigarette. Universal will always be the guilty pleasure/trash can it is. Even when it’s a shiny new can.
IMHO, Disney is being incredibly short-sighted. Short term, Disney may be able to milk the rich families and maintain income with fewer people. They can build nothing but DVC and luxury hotels and milk those who can afford them. What they're not considering is that many of those rich families didn't start out that way. Families struggle when they're young, but go up the income brackets as they advance in their careers. An apprentice plumber becomes a master and eventually takes over the business. An adjunct professor gains tenure and becomes a department head. Young families who have to watch their budgets become older families who want to spoil their kids and then their grandkids. And their kids tend to start off with enough advantages to do well by the time they have kids of their own. If those young families can't afford a Disney vacation, then Disney won't become a family tradition. Memories will be made at Universal or Dollywood or even overseas (yes, Europe can be cheaper than Disney) and *those* will be the trips older families with more income seek to recreate and recapture the magic of. By dropping so many of the magical touches that made Disney so special, they are becoming just another theme park, with a reputation for being overpriced. Those kids who spent their summer and Christmas vacations somewhere else won't be taking *their* kids to Disney as often as they can afford, they'll be going to the wonderful places they traveled to when *they* were kids. Disney is seeking short-term gain but forgetting to invest in their future.
The 'Disney Experience' was supposed to be a luxury experience. 20 years ago, it was possible to ride as many rides as you could and still meet characters and get food for a reasonable price. The ticket price definitely shows "luxury" but nothing else does.
I hope you’re right! The last time I was able to ride my favorite rides multiple times with hardly any line (other than during the pandemic), was at least 15 years ago.
I hope so too. My husband and I turn 60 in June and are going for the week between our birthdays. It would be so nice to have some breathing room. And maybe ride our favorites more than once!
As a DVC Member it’s getting tough. But I’m still going once a year. We don’t eat there anymore, not even a dole whip. The splurging has ended as with Many I’m sure
All you have to do is run a search for available rooms at the resorts to see Disney is booked, as always, and not having issues with revenue. They actually NEED fewer bodies in the parks, so a balance on price and finding what the market will bear for price is happening.
As a DVC owner with a lot of points, we stopped going to parks when we were ripped off on the horrible Genie+, paying top dollar for it at Xmas, and still hardly being able to secure any big rides. It was massively oversold. We have not been back since, have no plans to attend a park again.
@ I haven’t cancelled it, I still have it. Hotel only stays - Hawaii last summer, Vero next. It’s also very easy to rent out of you need to. I could sell it no problem. DVC is a good product if you pay for the hotels regularly but buy resale, not direct.
I’m thinking they’ll still be crowded. Why not take advantage of empty parks?😊 my family and I have been saving up for three years to our trip next year. August 2025! Two week trip; one week at Disney and one week at Universal! We’re staying on site at Universal for the two weeks.
We have booked a trip for next year for my one daughters 50th and my youngest daughters 10th birthday, but will be the last trip to Disney as I can take my youngest daughter many other destinations to build memories for a whole lot less money! Will be so sad to say good bye to Disney but have to be responsible with money
Instead of our bi annual Disneyland trip this year we took our daughter to Seattle for a week (we live in Phoenix).... We flew, saw some great museums, had some delicious food, and it was an absolute fraction of the price compared to driving to Disneyland and spending only 2 days there.
Just left Disney world ,we’ve gone several times the past 3 years. Not going back for a while. A coke bottle went up to $5.19. And everytime I was at the register I ended up paying 100-200 everytime. Time to put my money into more reasonable family experiences.
My mom & I are planning to visit Disney World in November 2028 to celebrate Mickey & Minnie’s 100th birthday then. I doubt that Disney World will ever be empty next year.
I have an universal related question: how on earth have they managed to fund two new hotels without making a Harry Potter theme hotel?! They added to the Harry Potter, wizarding world and that’s one of the biggest draws at universal and it didn’t occur to anyone to make a full immersion hotel for people? super huge missed opportunity - who wouldn’t want to stay in one of the hogwarts houses dormitories?!
@ 😆 everyone who has been to universal studios and visited hogsmeade can go into hogwarts!!! And go through the secret wizard wall that leads to diagon alley. But maybe she did restrict hotel plans, I don’t know - however, anyone, anytime, can takea wiz and be selected for their hogwarts house on the wizarding world website, so anyone can be a Wizard 🧙♀️
I started playing rollercoaster tycoon touch on my phone a few weeks ago. In order to keep the park clean and enjoyable for customers, I literally have to raise prices. I have to raise it to expensive, not keep it right below very expensive. The point is, the admission prices is a way to control the crowd size.
Disney has lost its luster and has unfortunately now developed a reputation for being a money hole. Families simply can’t afford it. I’m glad I got to go during the magical years.
Overcrowded Parks… only way to rectify that is to keep raising prices to filter out the income classes. If they lowered prices, it would have too many people, longer wait times, etc
We were in EPCOT in Orlando on Tuesday December 10th, 2024 low season weekday. Schools were not closed and it was no national holiday. It was so crowded that we had to stand in lines for an hour for restaurants. Parking lot was packed. It took a long walk to finally find our vehicle. It was packed. So can you tell me what you are talking about? Should we believe our eyes or our ears?
You are comparing one day out of 365 that you happened to experience. You have no idea what was going on, who was in town or any of the metrics as to why that particular day was crowded. AJ is using factual data about attendance.
@@jeffmorrison2915 what stats do you want? Disney is a public company. You can see their revenue down to the day with a simple google search. Or you can take AJ’s word for it since she literally makes videos about Disney for a living and most likely knows more about attendance than a one time visitor basing the whole year from a one time experience.
Will be busier next year. This was the quiet year to go. Next year universal opens so more reason to book a trip to Orlando, more reason to stay for a week. Most people were holding off this year to see when that would open, and so I have no doubt crowds will rise in 2025
Went there earlier this year with my family. Prices have increased, quality of business has decreased (there’s not that magical feeling anymore) and yet the crowds were insane. More than the previous years I’ve been there around the exact same time of year. That was it for me. No more Disney trips in the foreseeable future. Until people stop going, they will keep squeezing clients for every last dollar
Good points! We’ve been devoted Disney park fans, taking our family at least once a year and sometimes 2 or 3 times in a year, even as the kids got families of their own. Time between trips have gotten longer as the last couple of trips had something missing. Probably because it’s way too complicated and stressful now. Prices are also through the roof.
Orlando Airport still expects to break their all time record for passengers by the end of the year. Maybe less people than the post pandemic surge years? Maybe. Empty? Absolutely no chance.
Just got back after a 16 day holiday and the magic is definitely still there ! I went when I was 12 & 14 and am now 43 and just been with my kids . What I will say is there gonna have to up there game as universal studios seem to be taking over when back when I was a kid there was only Disney and MGM studios and the likes of Wet & wild & Water Mainia . But Disney is still very magical no matter what age you are but it’s very very expensive now unfortunately
As a former disney employee they need to lower the prices...I miss back in 2005 things were so manageable and affordable...I understand things have happened but man like...trying to take my family and split the costs just to pay for everything is hard...but they know they can do better Alllllll around 😑😑🙅🏾♂️🙅🏾♂️🤦🏾🤦🏾
I thought former Disney employee can take their family for a lots of Disney parks for almost free . It is sad that it is not truth. Disney is becoming very greedy
Instead of a spaceship earth lounge I wish they would update spaceship earth. I rode it two years ago and it’s very clearly not been updated since I rode it 40 years ago. To say the ride is tired is a huge understatement. I like the concept of it but maybe time to update the flagship attraction in the park?
My families last stay in Disney World was in 2019. My entire family of 17 - 21 members usually stay for 7- 10 days and would use the park hoppers and more with meal plans and it was great and great value. But as a family mine and my 5 siblings and theirs its no longer worth the expense. And have started planning other experiences in other states.
My mother and I usually do a January long weekend trip every year. Sat-Tuesday. We just couldn’t justify the cost this year with the rise in cost of everything else such as groceries.
Yeah, even with a Floridian discount, going to ANY of the parks will never be possible for the average person. I started paying attention to people that have explained how to still get our Disney property fixes for free / cheap by starting at Disney Springs and hitting up the free and affordable attractions.
I think that the crowds will increase because of Epic Universe overflow. I'm curious what's going to happen at Disneyland. It feels like it's been getting more crowded for years and shows no signs of slowing down!
Well, I’m glad I got to go 4x! I thought someday I’d be able to do vacation club, and be an annual pass holder but times got tough. But good on the people who can still do it. ❤
We're taking our 7 year old to WDW in a month. Initially, I wanted to stay on site like we've always done, but it was just so expensive. Instead, we're doing only 2 days at Disney and going to Universal for the rest of our trip. The two days at Disney are almost half of the entire trip expense. TWO DAYS at Disney costing almost as much as an entire week staying in a Universal suite and three days at Harry Potter. It's insane.
Disney deserves to go broke for this gross injustice. Closing the rivers of America AND the last project Jim Hanson ever worked on (muppetvision) UNFORGIVABLE!
Disney may be struggling to get people into the park because the average American family can no longer afford a trip. It was also really interesting that the star wars hotel they had was closed because guests wouldn't book rooms at such a ridiculous price....so instead of reworking the hotel to a more affordable stay, they closed it. Kinda like taking your ball and going home. Without purchasing those skip the line passes an all day trip can yield about 4 to 5 major rides and thats a wrap.....
We are going in Feb with our DVC. I looked to see what other DVC rooms are available for the 1st half of the year and there is very limited availability for Deluxe studios and 1 bedroom villas. I expect it to be pretty busy.
I am so SICK of all these new lands. It's part of the reason why the prices continue to rise so frequently. If - and that's a big IF - I ever go back to Disney World, I will not be staying on property. Other hotels/resorts in the area have free parking, breakfast and if I get hungry I'm not stuck buying Disney's overpriced food.
We happened to go the past three years in a row in February. Amazing each year. Crowds weren’t bad anytime we were there. Won’t be going back until 2027 though. Fingers crossed they’ll be done with the Indiana jones and encanto. Can’t wait to see those.
My husband and I are going in April. We wont be buying food in the parks. I am okay with the less crowds as it will be my first trip to Disney World. I think ill enjoy this much more 😊
I think it's fairly common to see people do disney and universal in the same trip even if for a day or two. With that being said, epic Universe is due to open in May so I'm betting more people are waiting until that opens to take make the trip so the first quarter should be pretty quiet
"Reimagining of Epcot" hmmmm... Communicore looks nothing like the original renderings, but with the time and money they spent on it, it should have looked better! I don't consider Mickey & Minie's Railway a new ride because it replaced the nostalgic and very well-themed Great Movie Ride. Maybe my 4-year-old kids would prefer it, but anyone who went on the GMR from its glory days would be horrified to see the eyesore change. IMO, in the past 20 years Disney has invested well in Animal Kingdom, hasn't invested much in HS or MG and has invested terribly at Epcot. There's a big chance Epic Universe will do what Volcano Bay has done to Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach (put to shame). Nothing new coming to the parks in the next two or three years. I think 2026 will be a wake-up call for the Disney Spreadsheet Suits who call all the shots.
When you have to constantly be on your phone to get in virtual queues, schedule your meal reservations, and other things, it makes enjoying your vacation impossible. Not to mention paying MORE for EVERYTHING and getting LESS of EVERYTHING. Consumers are tired of shelling out their hard earned money for significantly less magical experiences.
I wondered what they were building! We just got home from a Universal/Disney trip and noticed the cranes in the near distance. Our mears driver (hi, Tommy!) mentioned a large road installed recently near the grand floridian. I did'nt go there this trip so I can't confirm this.
Let's see...Disney at $104 - $194 per day ... or Knotts Berry farm for $58 a day. Goodbye Disney. I can only handle so much corporate greed. $8 for a pretzel? Walmart is another corporate giant...but at Sam's Club I can get a hot pretzel for $1.50. Disney figures since you are there, might as well see how far they can go to charge you for bread right?
Compare Europe. Efteling theme park pricing. In 2025 : 53€ day ticket (parking 15€) Efteling is a REAL storytelling theme park. (3 years older then Disneyland Anaheim) It also has a couple of the best dark rides in the world. On a busy day, there is still a feeling of free space, just because the park's surface is about twice that of Disneyland. PLUS, 100 times more trees. Balancing space / # of visitos / overall day experience , is producing a higher level of well-being in the visitor's perception. Combine that with affordable tickt price, and it's a winner. (Take note: Efteling is NOT a share-holder runned company)
I think that Walt Disney's (the man) goals for DIsney has been departed by those who run the parks. They have gotten greedy and now many who would want to go (AS WALT INTENDED), cannot go. and now we are seeing more and more of the knit picking fees that Disney has created. I dont think this falls into the spirit of the man who created this magic! We were there in 2022 during the 50th (got many tips thanks to you guys!) and had a wonderful time. It didnt feel as crowded to us as it couldve been but plenty were there! I will say we also had a DAS pass for our son who has sensory issues. This was a BIG help for us and while it took work to get it approved, it was well worth it! I truly hope the folks who run these parks (From the top) will try to tap into Walt's original idea that EVERY family ought to be able to enjoy this park!
Went to DW last February. It was not too busy. The admission price was ridiculous and the real wallet attack was food and beverages. The attack on the wallet continued once inside the park. Never again.
I booked 2 years ago to go in April from UK, before closures were advised, i already know 2 other families also coming then. Also booked b4 we knew about updates in the park. The price for flights, park tickets and parking is ridoculous. £11,000
Went in May this year-- me and my adult daughter. We did do 1 character meal and ate at Sanaa and Sci Fi but our tickets were standard 3 day with no add-ons. We drove and stayed off property -- trip total all in was still almost 3K for 1 week. We still love it but wont be back until 2027 or 2028 once all the newness ✨️✨️✨️ is available
I swear it will never be empty. I just got back and it was so insanely packed, more than I've ever seen it. 50 min for even Dumbo and small world! My arm was injured from a woman ramming into it. Feet together standing room for fireworks. It was madness, so awful. A sea of people, even the train was an hour wait. I wish wish one visit, any month was just a little more enjoyable with less people, id pay anything.
Supply and demand. Parks were mobbed so they increase the price until a balance is found. Profits maximized and customer experience is better, because now, normal families can’t afford to go anymore. We just came back from Saeworld and it is really a nice park. Not nearly so cash hungry.
Don’t see this happening. I just got back from a few month’s in Orlando. Went to the parks and they were packed. I read how the parks have not been crowded. I did not find this the case. I’m not at all happy with the constant price increases, but it’s not going to deter me from going. Will just have to make adjustments on dine in restaurants inside the parks and watch my spending.
Ive visited the parks many many times over the past 40 years. The last time was in 2022. All I can sadly say is that Disney is beyond broken and the magic is gone.
Exactly why I'm not coming to Disney when I'm over in florida in May. The tickets are way too expensive, me and my family have just been to Disneyland Paris for 6 days travel accommodation tickets and food for less than disney tickets, florida alone
Prices. It's the prices. If we could afford to go...we'd go. Twenty years ago, 3 adults and 1 kid could get a 4 day pass for $742 total! Today...$1800. Roughly 150% more for the same experience. Not including hotels, not including food. It is financially impossible for many people to go there anymore. Until they adjust pricing down, the problem will persist.
I live in Florida. Crowds are increasing at universal and dwindling at Disney. I hear people say allllll the time Disney is too expensive they don’t want us there anymore, so we’re going to universal. And with epic coming. Forget it.
How about the fact they’ve made it almost impossible for the average family income to go.
I think there is also increased expectations on the Disney experience. People want new, cooler rides, more shows, better food, better service. All of it costs money. I wish I could compare the trip of my childhood to my experiences now. As a kid, of course it was magic. But if I could go back in time and do it as an adult, I don’t know that I would be as impressed. All the advances in experience cost big $$
What's a normal family?
Well, I'm in a family of 6, but the normal family is a family of 3
@@MelissaNicholson-x5i I just booked a Monday through Saturday staying at Caribbean Beach. No park hopper or anything like that, 3 adults, 1 infant, $5K including flights. Late April
@@Cavscout101 should have used the word average. Average family of 4 with a middle class income
Crowds will be lower but prices will increase. And that's exactly what they want. Less people paying a lot more. Not only does their revenue stay the same, they save tens of millions on stuff like maintenance, food and staffing.
Yep.
Well said. This is Disney today. Their goal exactly.
But the things the quality guests still low…
not a good thing
And it’s a better experience for the people there
I can't help but think that Walt Disney would be ashamed of what is happening since he created Disneyland as a place families could go and have fun together.
im sure the park is still filled with families having fun together.
@@DoraemonhandleHe specifically wanted it to be for ALL families.
Trust me..."families are having fun together". Every day I help families plan their Disney magical travel experience.
@@Doraemonhandleonly people are rich! That can bring there family
@@jerseygirl2364those families are rich! The typical family liked ours haven’t been back to Disney for a long time time
I used to do Disney but I’m a Universal pass holder now. Been one for 6 years and have seen the crowds at Universal increase every year. Everything is better there from the rides to the hotels, and to the way you’re treated. Passes are cheaper and you get better hotels at 100s less.
thanks for making space for others!
Lol Yeah, no. I'm an AP at both and have been for years and you're delusional.
ok "the way you're treated" is a massive stretch and this is coming from a fellow uoap holder. The customer service, while very fake and commercial, is definitely far more accommodating at disney. Universal, they're allowed to be mean and apathetic too often.
@@AngelinaDeveaux oh man, I’ve been so many times and never witnessed an employee be mean lmao
@@alysialiv7867they probably told her to act like an adult at one point and now they're all horrible monsters at universal
How much longer can Disney deny that numbers are dropping because of their greed? People don't like being treated as cash cows and having to keep paying more for less. Fast pass, gone. Magical express, gone. Extra magic hours for all onsite guests, gone. Free magic bands, gone. Package delivery to your hotel, gone. Standards of cleanliness in the parks and hotels has declined. The new Disney model is pay more, get less.
They have more than enough visitors. Thats why they keep raising prices.
But their attendance ISNT dropping. So. They don't have to deny anything that isn't happening. People are still going regardless.
Extended hrs and early entry are still there along with their moonlight magic
@@austinamidon2625 Only for deluxe guests.
I totally agree. We were really disappointed. It is not worth the price anymore. I strongly recommend doing literally anything else with your money.
The only time I go to a disney park is when I'm in Tokyo. The main reason? Tickets are ¥8400 (~$56) for a day ticket, and you don't even need to stay at a disney resort to do it. And while I'm there, I can visit other parts of Tokyo, get my fill of whatever else I want to do, and I can do a 10 day trip for ~$3500 per person, with more than just disney.
I knew I wasn’t crazy reminding Tokyo Disney being cheaper… I was stationed in Japan while in the Navy in 08-10
Is Tokyo an expensive place to visit in general? We’d love to go there?
@@normabates5958 I'm playing tour guide for 9 other people next year. We're spending 10 days, and the total cost per person is going to be roughly $3500. That includes airfare, lodging, $60-$100 per day for food, rail pass, and paying me $75/day to play tour guide. It's honestly not bad, all things considered...
@@normabates5958in my opinion? No more expensive than any other big city
Yup, my bf is Navy and we’ve heard this!!!
The only thing empty in that park will be my pockets
If you're complaining about it why even go??? People like you are just adding fuel to the fire
Ya people gotta boycott and stop going
@@jonathanc.6925bro they were simply making a joke, chill.
@@M4RIXLU7A_for real
@@jonathanc.6925 Why do you....... feel attacked ?? Wierd ... :-) ... unless you are a Disney shareholder, otherwise very wierd ? :-) :-)
Crowds are low because they keep raising prices. This isn’t rocket science yet they keep increasing everything that no one can afford to go lol
i truly hope thats the case when i go next week!
@@Doraemonhandle Good for you.
I’m Mexican I was here for Xmas on Disneyland is completely full they are a huge company not only Disney they have Star Wars, Marvel and Fox (the Simpsond)
Fr I went and a single pen 10$😱
Disney also cutting out a huge portion of its customers with disabilities services. Its just saddening. If they fix this i think they could see an increase as well. Because right now the current situation is horrible.
Movies are horrible
@@Patrick-yh5ydthey don’t live from new films mostly they live for older films and films that are already successful
As a prior DAS user for both visible and non visible mental disability (tics, ADHD, anxiety, and a few others) standing in long lines for long periods of times makes me jolt randomly from tics, I start shutting down mentally and get snappy, and feel pretty horrible and get a massive headache from the whole thing.
Today I was denied access after having it for a few years because of the question “do you cause a major interrupt other guests in line?” Or something along those lines, but I said no because I was being as honest as possible bc I don’t make loud noises and I am able to not hit others in line. They then denied me… the problem is I just renewed my passes this December under the assumption that I would be able to get them again no problem… but apparently not. They said that I can have other ppl in my party wait in lines till I join them near the end… but then I need to A. Have a pretty large party, and B. Have to go talk to a cast member every single ride and have them walk me to the party… I have really bad social anxiety so just making the online appointment sucked, let alone having to talk to a cast member each and every time.
@@dsplays1 im a former das pass user as well for similar reasons all of my disabilities are invisible though and once i actually shut down an attraction due to loosing my medication on it. so if they ask me that😂 i mean i think i caused a scene. i’ve also almost passed out in lines and sometimes if i feel faint can start to talk loudly bc of ringing in my ears. so…. idk what theyre looking for here. its so rediculous honestly theyre going backwards not moving forward in being more inclusive and accessible its disgusting
@@dsplays1i dont think anyone is getting das pass maybe 1 out off 50 get one based on people i haven spoken to in the park both myself ( have qualified fot one for over 10 years till now as i have been disable since i was 18) and my significan other who has one leg were both deninded.
we've been going every year since '18, '25 will be the first year were we will not be able to afford to go, and this is with our household income increasing by 25%. its insane
Cause inflation is also increasing 25% while providing you less product. It’s not just Disney. 🤷🏻♀️
I’ve been an annual passholder for 30+ years. Prices have actually started to hurt. At least if the crowds are smaller while we were paying these crazy prices, it might be justifiable, but if they keep raising prices anyway…. We’ll come less.
Disney wants you to come less, as long as you still pay for the pass.
Exactly because AP's do not spend in the parks like regular out of town guests do.
@@mollyfrank679 Actually, we do! We live 4 hours away and we always stay on property for 5 nights, 3 times a year. The mouse owes me!! LOL
@@mollyfrank679 but we are in disney buying all year.... food , merch and so on. its not one time one week like most.
thanks for making space for others!
As a Canadian, I’d already be paying 30% more with the exchange rate. As much as I’d love to take my grandkids to Disney, I can’t see it happening. My last trip was in 2018.
I think Universal is about to crush Disney because Universal has the new cultural touchstones. They have Harry Potter and when Epic opens, they will have Nintendo.
Families are still going to go to Disney World. I don’t think there are many 5 year olds that can/ want to ride the coasters at Universal.
Mario is very busy
As expensive as disney tickets though
If the Pokemon rumors are true, it's going to be hard to deny they have a major problem. Disney announced they would have an Avatar or Star Wars movie release every holiday season, that already fell apart with their destruction of their IPs.
Epic Universe is going to smoke the now tired, and ridiculously overpriced Disney parks. They nickel and dime us to death - literally everything has been jacked up. This says nothing about the customers being neglected and constantly taken for granted. They’ve made it unpleasant to go. I’m excited to visit Epic Universe.
Yeah right haha
The fact that you can stay at a BRAND NEW MASSIVE EPIC hotel for like a third or half of disneys premier hotel just shows Disney only cares for money not experience
Prior to retiring which was hastened by Covid, we went to Disneyworld to celebrate my 45th, 50th, 60th and 65th Birthdays. Now at 70 it seems to be cost prohibited. It's like they basically said we weren't wanted anymore. Between the room costs going up (this is the first time in over 30 years we would consider staying offsite) and the incredible increases just ticket prices, the bite out of our budget seems just too large. We watch vlogs and it seems they don't want us but they do want international guests as there are things they pay less for. I resent it. Our daughter and her friends who all emigrated from Boston University to Los Angeles go to Disneyland every Saturday after Thanksgiving. this has been going on 15 years so far. This may be the last. She is vegan and getting food was easier last year than this year. A vegan ice cream sundae was $21. It seems like the people they want to come are those that can pay an extra $499 just to go to the front of the line. What used to be the happiest place on earth has become the place for the 1%.
Go to Tokyo it will probably cost the same anyway plus you can enjoy all of the rest of Japan.
Agreed. For the money I’d have to pay for another Disney trip, I’d rather book a trip overseas to go somewhere I’ve never been before. As much as I’d love to the the grandkids there, I just can’t see it happening at this point.
I would never pay $21 for a Vegan Ice Cream! 🍦 nope 👎 I’m vegan 🥑 not going
@@saltwaterjoyskelleyjoyce-f8114 A 1000+ places in the world to go !
There are definitely fewer guests. I just got back from a WDW trip and found the crowds to be significantly lower than other years at the same time. Wait times for popular attractions like Seven Dwarfs were about half the usual. Crowds at the All Star Music Resort were also noticeably lower.
What month did you go?
@ The first week in December.
My wife and I purchased the Annual pass for all Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. theme parks in the USA. This includes their existing theme parks on the east coast but also includes Knott's Berry Farm, Great America, and starting in January Six Flags theme parks. The pass was $395 for the year. This includes admission, parking, food and drink. we purchased the pass in August 2024 and is good until Dec 31, 2025. So far it has been a fantastic value especially not having to worry about the cost of food in the parks. We recently went to Winterfest at the Great America theme park in San Jose California. Not only was it very family friendly but the Snoopy ice skating show and tree lighting experience were amazing. For those looking at value for your vacation dollar I highly recommend it.
Wow I didn’t even know that was an option, that is a really cool package!!
Huge fan of the cedar fair pass!
Dinsey world
As a kid Disney was a highlight of a Florida vacation. A fun day or two before hitting the Everglades and the Keys. It's now a campaign. Having to plan your lightning pass and when you ride what. No thanks. Plenty of other places to spend my vacation dollars without all the work. Anyone remember an E-ticket? Those were the Disney times.
I just got back from Disney and universal. We bought universal annual passes this year because Disney was so pricey, but my wife loves Disney so we went for a day. It was one of the best days of our trip. It was absolutely full of people at magic kingdom. No matter how much they raise prices people will still go. As much as I also wish the prices would come down I don’t see it stopping and there will still be people lined up ready to pay it. Universal was so much more chill and I’m glad we got the annual passes there. But in all honesty there’s way more to do at Disney if you have a young child. My kid is 3, and there were more things for him to do in magic kingdom alone then there are at both universal parks. Both places are very different. I actually love the parks so much I’m looking into getting a controls engineering job there and relocating to Orlando, but will see. I have an interview on Monday for universals new epic park master of building controls. Will see fingers crossed.
I priced it out for just me and my fiance in January. A 5 night stay at Caribbean beach, 2 park hopper tickets, 2 dining plans and if we wanted the new expensive lightning lane the grand total was
Almost 7,000$ for two people!!
Absolutely insane.
Renting Dvc points are the biggest money saver but they are hard to plan around as they aren’t as available.
We went last year and the year the before and we stayed for 4 nights and we never had to spend more than 2,000 on the hotel, the tickets, and food.
I want to go back so bad but it’s ridiculous at this point.
The spirit of Uncle Walt is about to teach a lesson. I hate watching them strangle the golden goose. You guys are lucky with Disney World. Disneyland is hurting. There’s Whatever Land (used to be Tomorrow Land), instead of a real land. There’s a giant TuffShed (those sheds are great, just not in Disneyland!) next to the Mansion. Farley the Fiddler is gone. A lot of shows are gone. And the food has been deteriorating since 2016. So not only are the charging outrage prices, but they’re not providing quality food either. It’s heartbreaking.
The fact that I had to wait nearly over more than 10 years to go to Disney again should be quite telling.
My kids begged to go to Disney for years . Our kids are 11 years old and 7 years old. We went early this year and they weren’t impressed . They no longer talk about going to Disney and were more excited about when we went to the beach lol They didn’t seem impressed at all with Magic kingdom even though they had never been to any amusement park anywhere . That same week after Disney we went to Sea World for a day and they loved it! They talk about Sea World often!
Epic Universe will Put Disney to SHAME 😂
I once saw a Universal employee in full costume, walking through the park eating a hotdog and smoking a cigarette. Universal will always be the guilty pleasure/trash can it is. Even when it’s a shiny new can.
They said that when Harry Potter opened too. And Disney said, hold my 🍻 and blew Universal's numbers out of the water...again. 😉
@ Epic Universe Just told Disney “ HOLD THIS KEG “
True cant wait to see it!
@ going after the first year it opens
IMHO, Disney is being incredibly short-sighted. Short term, Disney may be able to milk the rich families and maintain income with fewer people. They can build nothing but DVC and luxury hotels and milk those who can afford them.
What they're not considering is that many of those rich families didn't start out that way. Families struggle when they're young, but go up the income brackets as they advance in their careers. An apprentice plumber becomes a master and eventually takes over the business. An adjunct professor gains tenure and becomes a department head. Young families who have to watch their budgets become older families who want to spoil their kids and then their grandkids. And their kids tend to start off with enough advantages to do well by the time they have kids of their own.
If those young families can't afford a Disney vacation, then Disney won't become a family tradition. Memories will be made at Universal or Dollywood or even overseas (yes, Europe can be cheaper than Disney) and *those* will be the trips older families with more income seek to recreate and recapture the magic of. By dropping so many of the magical touches that made Disney so special, they are becoming just another theme park, with a reputation for being overpriced. Those kids who spent their summer and Christmas vacations somewhere else won't be taking *their* kids to Disney as often as they can afford, they'll be going to the wonderful places they traveled to when *they* were kids.
Disney is seeking short-term gain but forgetting to invest in their future.
The 'Disney Experience' was supposed to be a luxury experience. 20 years ago, it was possible to ride as many rides as you could and still meet characters and get food for a reasonable price. The ticket price definitely shows "luxury" but nothing else does.
Im 74, I have been to the parks lots of times from Europe when my children were small. It was affordable and still magical. I hate it now ☹️😳😵💫
I hope you’re right! The last time I was able to ride my favorite rides multiple times with hardly any line (other than during the pandemic), was at least 15 years ago.
I hope so too. My husband and I turn 60 in June and are going for the week between our birthdays. It would be so nice to have some breathing room. And maybe ride our favorites more than once!
As a DVC Member it’s getting tough. But I’m still going once a year. We don’t eat there anymore, not even a dole whip. The splurging has ended as with Many I’m sure
All you have to do is run a search for available rooms at the resorts to see Disney is booked, as always, and not having issues with revenue. They actually NEED fewer bodies in the parks, so a balance on price and finding what the market will bear for price is happening.
This video is really informative, u have great narration skills!
Man I hope you are right! Would like to see less wasted guests in the future on the weekends.
As a DVC owner with a lot of points, we stopped going to parks when we were ripped off on the horrible Genie+, paying top dollar for it at Xmas, and still hardly being able to secure any big rides. It was massively oversold. We have not been back since, have no plans to attend a park again.
How difficult was canceling the dvc? They peppered us to join for hours feb 2020. Crazy tense sales pitch
@ I haven’t cancelled it, I still have it. Hotel only stays - Hawaii last summer, Vero next. It’s also very easy to rent out of you need to. I could sell it no problem. DVC is a good product if you pay for the hotels regularly but buy resale, not direct.
@wakeywarrior where can I find resale? Will disney know & affect it?
I’m thinking they’ll still be crowded. Why not take advantage of empty parks?😊 my family and I have been saving up for three years to our trip next year. August 2025! Two week trip; one week at Disney and one week at Universal! We’re staying on site at Universal for the two weeks.
Finally someone following who doesn’t actually hate Disney 😆
We have booked a trip for next year for my one daughters 50th and my youngest daughters 10th birthday, but will be the last trip to Disney as I can take my youngest daughter many other destinations to build memories for a whole lot less money! Will be so sad to say good bye to Disney but have to be responsible with money
Instead of our bi annual Disneyland trip this year we took our daughter to Seattle for a week (we live in Phoenix).... We flew, saw some great museums, had some delicious food, and it was an absolute fraction of the price compared to driving to Disneyland and spending only 2 days there.
Just left Disney world ,we’ve gone several times the past 3 years. Not going back for a while. A coke bottle went up to $5.19. And everytime I was at the register I ended up paying 100-200 everytime. Time to put my money into more reasonable family experiences.
My mom & I are planning to visit Disney World in November 2028 to celebrate Mickey & Minnie’s 100th birthday then. I doubt that Disney World will ever be empty next year.
I have an universal related question: how on earth have they managed to fund two new hotels without making a Harry Potter theme hotel?! They added to the Harry Potter, wizarding world and that’s one of the biggest draws at universal and it didn’t occur to anyone to make a full immersion hotel for people? super huge missed opportunity - who wouldn’t want to stay in one of the hogwarts houses dormitories?!
Because JK said no, as there would never be muggles visiting Hogwarts.
@ 😆 everyone who has been to universal studios and visited hogsmeade can go into hogwarts!!! And go through the secret wizard wall that leads to diagon alley. But maybe she did restrict hotel plans, I don’t know - however, anyone, anytime, can takea wiz and be selected for their hogwarts house on the wizarding world website, so anyone can be a Wizard 🧙♀️
You only build a new hotel, if you NEED the capacity. Overdoing capacity, is loss of capital.
I doubt Disney World will be empty in 2025, it's never empty
Eh, I already heard friends say the crowds are INSANELY smaller. Like very big difference😊
I want like to go if the crowds are lower.
Hollywood had more wait times than the other parks and I went the 6-9th
I started playing rollercoaster tycoon touch on my phone a few weeks ago. In order to keep the park clean and enjoyable for customers, I literally have to raise prices. I have to raise it to expensive, not keep it right below very expensive.
The point is, the admission prices is a way to control the crowd size.
Disney has lost its luster and has unfortunately now developed a reputation for being a money hole. Families simply can’t afford it. I’m glad I got to go during the magical years.
There’s still will be crowded because people still love Disney even though can they complain about it
Yeah, but they'll spend less.
Overcrowded Parks… only way to rectify that is to keep raising prices to filter out the income classes. If they lowered prices, it would have too many people, longer wait times, etc
We were in EPCOT in Orlando on Tuesday December 10th, 2024 low season weekday. Schools were not closed and it was no national holiday. It was so crowded that we had to stand in lines for an hour for restaurants. Parking lot was packed. It took a long walk to finally find our vehicle. It was packed. So can you tell me what you are talking about? Should we believe our eyes or our ears?
Agree!!!
😢😢😢😢😢😢
You are comparing one day out of 365 that you happened to experience. You have no idea what was going on, who was in town or any of the metrics as to why that particular day was crowded. AJ is using factual data about attendance.
@ show me the stats and then I’ll call it factual.
@@jeffmorrison2915 what stats do you want? Disney is a public company. You can see their revenue down to the day with a simple google search. Or you can take AJ’s word for it since she literally makes videos about Disney for a living and most likely knows more about attendance than a one time visitor basing the whole year from a one time experience.
Wasn't there a video stating 2024 was going to be empty because everyone's going to wait until next year?
They do this video every year regardless of what they think might happen.
Will be busier next year. This was the quiet year to go. Next year universal opens so more reason to book a trip to Orlando, more reason to stay for a week. Most people were holding off this year to see when that would open, and so I have no doubt crowds will rise in 2025
Walt Disney world
Went there earlier this year with my family. Prices have increased, quality of business has decreased (there’s not that magical feeling anymore) and yet the crowds were insane. More than the previous years I’ve been there around the exact same time of year.
That was it for me. No more Disney trips in the foreseeable future. Until people stop going, they will keep squeezing clients for every last dollar
I agree, after the pandemic, the Disney difference is not there anymore.
@@DanielleHerrmanThis. Before the pandemic I remember having a real good time. Now not so much
Good points! We’ve been devoted Disney park fans, taking our family at least once a year and sometimes 2 or 3 times in a year, even as the kids got families of their own. Time between trips have gotten longer as the last couple of trips had something missing. Probably because it’s way too complicated and stressful now. Prices are also through the roof.
Good, I'll be there first week of Feb. Going alone, gonna go on as many rides as possible
Orlando Airport still expects to break their all time record for passengers by the end of the year. Maybe less people than the post pandemic surge years? Maybe. Empty? Absolutely no chance.
Maybe in 2025 all those record breaking people will be going to Epic Universe...
MCO handles a lot of traffic besides Disney. Lot of people live in central Florida and MCO is really their only option.
Just got back after a 16 day holiday and the magic is definitely still there ! I went when I was 12 & 14 and am now 43 and just been with my kids . What I will say is there gonna have to up there game as universal studios seem to be taking over when back when I was a kid there was only Disney and MGM studios and the likes of Wet & wild & Water Mainia . But Disney is still very magical no matter what age you are but it’s very very expensive now unfortunately
As a former disney employee they need to lower the prices...I miss back in 2005 things were so manageable and affordable...I understand things have happened but man like...trying to take my family and split the costs just to pay for everything is hard...but they know they can do better Alllllll around 😑😑🙅🏾♂️🙅🏾♂️🤦🏾🤦🏾
I thought former Disney employee can take their family for a lots of Disney parks for almost free . It is sad that it is not truth. Disney is becoming very greedy
Instead of a spaceship earth lounge I wish they would update spaceship earth. I rode it two years ago and it’s very clearly not been updated since I rode it 40 years ago. To say the ride is tired is a huge understatement. I like the concept of it but maybe time to update the flagship attraction in the park?
be careful what you wish for. If Disney 'Updated' this, they would turn it into a Buzz Lightyear dark ride.
@ Given the current state of the ride that would be a significant upgrade.
My families last stay in Disney World was in 2019. My entire family of 17 - 21 members usually stay for 7- 10 days and would use the park hoppers and more with meal plans and it was great and great value. But as a family mine and my 5 siblings and theirs its no longer worth the expense. And have started planning other experiences in other states.
My mother and I usually do a January long weekend trip every year. Sat-Tuesday. We just couldn’t justify the cost this year with the rise in cost of everything else such as groceries.
Just got back. It was so crowded, we could barely move. Empty? Don't think so.
They are talking about next year! Did you watch the video?
@@nancyfarkas3592 Yes I did. Disney prices increased this year too and the parks are not empty. The idea that they will be empty in 2025 is silly.
They been saying these parks will be empty "next year"..nope...still crowded.
Yeah, even with a Floridian discount, going to ANY of the parks will never be possible for the average person. I started paying attention to people that have explained how to still get our Disney property fixes for free / cheap by starting at Disney Springs and hitting up the free and affordable attractions.
I knew the sewage backup in Disney World was from Bob Igar talking.
Literally can’t wait for another trip
I think that the crowds will increase because of Epic Universe overflow. I'm curious what's going to happen at Disneyland. It feels like it's been getting more crowded for years and shows no signs of slowing down!
Well, I’m glad I got to go 4x! I thought someday I’d be able to do vacation club, and be an annual pass holder but times got tough. But good on the people who can still do it. ❤
We're taking our 7 year old to WDW in a month. Initially, I wanted to stay on site like we've always done, but it was just so expensive. Instead, we're doing only 2 days at Disney and going to Universal for the rest of our trip. The two days at Disney are almost half of the entire trip expense. TWO DAYS at Disney costing almost as much as an entire week staying in a Universal suite and three days at Harry Potter. It's insane.
Disney deserves to go broke for this gross injustice. Closing the rivers of America AND the last project Jim Hanson ever worked on (muppetvision) UNFORGIVABLE!
Wall e and eve together forever 💖♾️
Disney may be struggling to get people into the park because the average American family can no longer afford a trip.
It was also really interesting that the star wars hotel they had was closed because guests wouldn't book rooms at such a ridiculous price....so instead of reworking the hotel to a more affordable stay, they closed it. Kinda like taking your ball and going home.
Without purchasing those skip the line passes an all day trip can yield about 4 to 5 major rides and thats a wrap.....
We are going in Feb with our DVC. I looked to see what other DVC rooms are available for the 1st half of the year and there is very limited availability for Deluxe studios and 1 bedroom villas. I expect it to be pretty busy.
They have proven how unimportant amusement parks carnivals and circuses are.
I am so SICK of all these new lands. It's part of the reason why the prices continue to rise so frequently. If - and that's a big IF - I ever go back to Disney World, I will not be staying on property. Other hotels/resorts in the area have free parking, breakfast and if I get hungry I'm not stuck buying Disney's overpriced food.
We happened to go the past three years in a row in February. Amazing each year. Crowds weren’t bad anytime we were there. Won’t be going back until 2027 though. Fingers crossed they’ll be done with the Indiana jones and encanto. Can’t wait to see those.
My husband and I are going in April. We wont be buying food in the parks. I am okay with the less crowds as it will be my first trip to Disney World. I think ill enjoy this much more 😊
I am so excited for all the new stuff! I will be saving up my Disney Visa rewards points for all of 2025
I think it's fairly common to see people do disney and universal in the same trip even if for a day or two. With that being said, epic Universe is due to open in May so I'm betting more people are waiting until that opens to take make the trip so the first quarter should be pretty quiet
Imagine if they overhauled Coronado Springs and made it Encanto themed.
"Reimagining of Epcot" hmmmm... Communicore looks nothing like the original renderings, but with the time and money they spent on it, it should have looked better!
I don't consider Mickey & Minie's Railway a new ride because it replaced the nostalgic and very well-themed Great Movie Ride. Maybe my 4-year-old kids would prefer it, but anyone who went on the GMR from its glory days would be horrified to see the eyesore change.
IMO, in the past 20 years Disney has invested well in Animal Kingdom, hasn't invested much in HS or MG and has invested terribly at Epcot.
There's a big chance Epic Universe will do what Volcano Bay has done to Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach (put to shame).
Nothing new coming to the parks in the next two or three years. I think 2026 will be a wake-up call for the Disney Spreadsheet Suits who call all the shots.
Park will be just as crowded, and we'll still be paying more for less.
The Disney cruises are the most value positive way to access the legendary Disney experience.
When you have to constantly be on your phone to get in virtual queues, schedule your meal reservations, and other things, it makes enjoying your vacation impossible. Not to mention paying MORE for EVERYTHING and getting LESS of EVERYTHING. Consumers are tired of shelling out their hard earned money for significantly less magical experiences.
I wondered what they were building! We just got home from a Universal/Disney trip and noticed the cranes in the near distance. Our mears driver (hi, Tommy!) mentioned a large road installed recently near the grand floridian. I did'nt go there this trip so I can't confirm this.
Let's see...Disney at $104 - $194 per day ... or Knotts Berry farm for $58 a day. Goodbye Disney. I can only handle so much corporate greed. $8 for a pretzel? Walmart is another corporate giant...but at Sam's Club I can get a hot pretzel for $1.50. Disney figures since you are there, might as well see how far they can go to charge you for bread right?
Compare Europe. Efteling theme park pricing. In 2025 : 53€ day ticket (parking 15€) Efteling is a REAL storytelling theme park. (3 years older then Disneyland Anaheim) It also has a couple of the best dark rides in the world. On a busy day, there is still a feeling of free space, just because the park's surface is about twice that of Disneyland. PLUS, 100 times more trees.
Balancing space / # of visitos / overall day experience , is producing a higher level of well-being in the visitor's perception. Combine that with affordable tickt price, and it's a winner. (Take note: Efteling is NOT a share-holder runned company)
I think that Walt Disney's (the man) goals for DIsney has been departed by those who run the parks. They have gotten greedy and now many who would want to go (AS WALT INTENDED), cannot go. and now we are seeing more and more of the knit picking fees that Disney has created. I dont think this falls into the spirit of the man who created this magic! We were there in 2022 during the 50th (got many tips thanks to you guys!) and had a wonderful time. It didnt feel as crowded to us as it couldve been but plenty were there! I will say we also had a DAS pass for our son who has sensory issues. This was a BIG help for us and while it took work to get it approved, it was well worth it! I truly hope the folks who run these parks (From the top) will try to tap into Walt's original idea that EVERY family ought to be able to enjoy this park!
Went to DW last February. It was not too busy. The admission price was ridiculous and the real wallet attack was food and beverages. The attack on the wallet continued once inside the park. Never again.
I booked 2 years ago to go in April from UK, before closures were advised, i already know 2 other families also coming then. Also booked b4 we knew about updates in the park. The price for flights, park tickets and parking is ridoculous. £11,000
Went in May this year-- me and my adult daughter. We did do 1 character meal and ate at Sanaa and Sci Fi but our tickets were standard 3 day with no add-ons. We drove and stayed off property -- trip total all in was still almost 3K for 1 week. We still love it but wont be back until 2027 or 2028 once all the newness ✨️✨️✨️ is available
Well done, AJ!
Disney cruises in Australia are approximately $1500 per person for a three day cruise. Way to expensive.
I think once Epic Universe opens at Universal Studios, and Disney World crowds will be back. People are just waiting for that new park.
Thank you, AJ.
I swear it will never be empty. I just got back and it was so insanely packed, more than I've ever seen it. 50 min for even Dumbo and small world! My arm was injured from a woman ramming into it. Feet together standing room for fireworks. It was madness, so awful. A sea of people, even the train was an hour wait. I wish wish one visit, any month was just a little more enjoyable with less people, id pay anything.
Tickets for WDW are more expensive than my round trip fare AND hotel stay combined…
After booking our dinning reservations for our trip in January 2025 I think Disney crowds have not been affected.
I don’t think so..we normally go when it’s not busy and this year the hotels are already sold out so we have to find somewhere else to stay!
#1 reason: way to darn expensive to go there with a family. Airfare, hotel, ticket passes for each day at the park. It's crazy pricey.
Supply and demand. Parks were mobbed so they increase the price until a balance is found. Profits maximized and customer experience is better, because now, normal families can’t afford to go anymore. We just came back from Saeworld and it is really a nice park. Not nearly so cash hungry.
If only Tokyo Disney sea could be as empty as Disney world....
Don’t see this happening. I just got back from a few month’s in Orlando. Went to the parks and they were packed. I read how the parks have not been crowded. I did not find this the case. I’m not at all happy with the constant price increases, but it’s not going to deter me from going. Will just have to make adjustments on dine in restaurants inside the parks and watch my spending.
We don't go anymore to Disney parks... But we still love Disney cruising ❤
Ive visited the parks many many times over the past 40 years. The last time was in 2022. All I can sadly say is that Disney is beyond broken and the magic is gone.
Exactly why I'm not coming to Disney when I'm over in florida in May. The tickets are way too expensive, me and my family have just been to Disneyland Paris for 6 days travel accommodation tickets and food for less than disney tickets, florida alone
Prices. It's the prices. If we could afford to go...we'd go. Twenty years ago, 3 adults and 1 kid could get a 4 day pass for $742 total! Today...$1800. Roughly 150% more for the same experience. Not including hotels, not including food. It is financially impossible for many people to go there anymore. Until they adjust pricing down, the problem will persist.
Yeah but the real question is WHEN are they shutting down Muppet*Vision3D
I live in Florida. Crowds are increasing at universal and dwindling at Disney. I hear people say allllll the time Disney is too expensive they don’t want us there anymore, so we’re going to universal. And with epic coming. Forget it.