How Disney's Hotels Fake Luxury at Ridiculous Prices
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- I’ve always been fascinated by Disney’s deluxe resorts. Some, like the Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, and Boardwalk Inn, are absolutely stunning-and they better be, with room rates averaging roughly $700 USD a night. But here’s the twist: these glamorous facades are just elaborate costumes masking a well-established framework.
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Disney realized its real cash cow weren't the nostalgic folks who romanticized the Disney fantasy, but actually the ones dumb enough to idealize the Disney fantasy as a luxury product.
for a little while that strategy can work.
Please don’t say stuff like this. You are the dumb one. I have a masters degree, and we were celebrating a milestone in our family so we opted to stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. As someone who actually travels all around the world in Many luxury hotels, the Disney one met expectations. I can compare because I actually travel. What have you done travel wise? So who’s dumb?
My family and I would travel to Disneyland at least once or twice a year from Silicon Valley every year since our so turned 4 in 2004, and always stayed at the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian. However in the middle 2010’s the prices for decent rooms with a view ballooned to ridiculous prices for rooms that weren’t anything special, ending up being close to $1K per night with fees. That was scary close to the price of a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel! 😂 It’s not an issue for us to afford it, but my wife and I just hated the idea of getting ripped off that bad. We switched to the newly remodel Sheridan Hotel on Harbor Blvd. - easy walking distance to the park. Way nicer room, 1/3 of the price. The price the average family pays for a full-tilt 3 day weekend at Disneyland now with a room, tickets, meals, Lightning Lanes, etc is crazy!
Ironically, that money could buy them a ticket to Europe or Asia and see the real thing Disney tries to mimic .
Well said lol
Gen X native Floridian. We had been annual pass holders and all in on the Disney Bubble prior to Covid. I have legitimately been to Disney World over 150 times in my life. We had been in the habit of going to Food & Wine Fest as Mom’s annual birthday trip but this year the price for a room and 4 day ticket were $5200. This was BEFORE transportation to get there and BEFORE all the $$$ we typically spend at food & wine. Also before all the photos and fast passes.
We instead book a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean with a suite and complete food & drink package. It comes with complimentary hotel stays pre and post cruise and go port will take us from hotel to port. The hotels offer a complimentary breakfast buffet so in total we are covered for 10 days, all transport and food and drink and we’re at $3700.
It’s insane, and I’m sad that I didn’t realize our last trip to Disney was likely our actual last time going there. It’s just priced us out. 😢
I’ve only been going to DW for 30 years…at least once a year. We live in Coral Springs.
I am absolutely done with them since our last visit 2 years ago.
Same old thing, ridiculously higher prices.
" have legitimately been to Disney World over 150 times in my life."
WOW!!!
@@DrawciaGleam02 to be fair. I’m also 3 years older than it!
I have heard the pricing now is that disney doesn't want repeat guests because they don't spend as much in the park as someone who has the mentality that this is the only time they are ever going be here.
What cruise line and cruise ship did you get a weeklong cruise in a suite only for $3700? I need to get in on that
Cast member here with a PSA:
You (almost always) don’t have to stay at the resorts to see the resorts. Drive yourself to the Grand Floridian. Or the Polynesian or the BoardWalk or wherever. Walk around. See the lobby, the pools, the grounds. Eat at the cafes or restaurants if you want. The beach at the Polynesian pipes in the show music during Magic Kingdom’s fireworks. You don’t even have to show that you’re going to Walt Disney World on that vacation. You can just _go._
Apart from eating at a hotel, why would I want to see a hotel lobby ? Can I swim in the pool - probably not if I'm not a guest. Can you sit on the beach ( or will a 'gator grab you 🙂 ). I just don't see a hotel as a holiday destination if I'm not staying there.
@@CzechboundI used to live in Orlando as a kid and we’d always go to the resort pools during the summer and never got kicked out. Maybe it’s different now (this was about 15 years ago)
@@DillingerR I'm imagining if you can use the pool when not staying at the hotel, there is a hefty fee. But if I was overpaying for a hotel there, I wouldn't want non-guests using it.
@@DillingerR From what I understand they now require a wristband to get into the pool areas.
@@Czechbound It is a nice break from the parks and most of the WDW resorts are fun to walk around. They have shops and most are nicely decorated for the holidays.
I think Disney has been riding the coattails of the goodwill and nostalgia they fostered in previous decades and coasting for a long time now. I truly think they’ve lost sight of what made them work and believe they can keep riding that residual wave well into the future. More and more people are catching on though, and they’re slowly but surely pricing themselves out of even “a once in a lifetime” family vacation. You talk about convenience costs but I think they’ve mostly eclipsed what the average person is willing to pay even for convenience, especially when a lot of those “conveniences” are becoming pay to play extras. You’re always going to have the outliers and the big fish but you can’t build a company like Disney off those potential guests especially when they’re more likely to know what true luxury is.
The same can be said for their movies. They found it easier just to buy out the competition. Pixar, Star Wars, etc. This is a tactic that many companies have resorted to when they were no longer able to organically grow. Their core competency becomes acquisition. They stifle innovation internal and ultimately fade away. Look for a new disruptive player to emerge and start eating Disney's lunch.
@@ajazvo Great point. John Oliver did a great piece on the rise of conglomerates and how they end up making goods and services s**ttier and more expensive for everyone, when you might suspect the opposite. That was like seven years ago now. Looking like he was right.
Disney is killing themselves on purpose. The final straw for me was changing Splash Mountain. I won't go back. We started going to Universal and while it too can be expensive, at least I feel like they appreciate their guests and they appreciate their history. Disney hates its customers and hates their own history. Its bizarre.
@@ajazvoanyone remember when Sears stalled in the 80s and bought out Dean Whittier, Caldwell Banker, and introduced Discover Card? They seem to be doing great today.
The resorts in Florida have a very dark unspoken history. It's not a surprise to be that massive renovations took place only for it to be underwhelming in comparison to the imagination and innovation back in it's original design of its time. Take that into serious consideration when there were only 3 resorts close to Magic Kingdom, which at the time was in the middle of nowhere
Disney is sitting on a maintenance timebomb in the parks because of its cash shortage.
always good business when u save money on the thing that does make you money because your other business aren't doing good
Disney makes most of its money through its parks. Does that include the hotel revenue/expense as well?
@@nomimalone7520 Yes
Disney is turning into modern day Las Vegas. Deferred maintenance, mediocre service, and over charging for everything and taking out any themed properties.
They have cash flow
Having worked in 5 star hotels, I can assure you, this is all true! “Luxury” ski resorts charge $1,200 per night for a basic hotel room because they’re selling you an aspirational lifestyle. For starters, they pretend to be famed and legendary buildings, but they’re really just cheaply built, contractor grade buildings with some nice finishes. I have stayed at Hampton Inns that have much stringent cleaning standards, than most of these “luxury” destination resorts that are cleaned by international students who could careless if they use the same rag they used to clean the bathroom to wipe your drinking glasses. Oh and they tell their underpaid and overworked staff to go above and beyond and put the 5-star touch in every interaction and try to spend little to nothing to create memories for the guests that will keep them coming back year after year for their winter ski vacation. They’re short-staffed and over worked and they want you to write a nice note or send their kids a drawing drawn by you. They want you to use “elevated” language and exude class and a refined demeanor because it costs them nothing, rather than giving away free bottles of wine and charcuterie boards, or, god forbid, comp someone’s night!
> who could careless
You mean *couldn't* care less.
I really hate how much pressure these kinds of business models put on their staff. If you expect them to give exceptional service, you need to give exceptional pay!!! This isn't commerce this is exploitation
@realleon2328 yeah, quality costs. It'll tighten those profit margins a bit but It'll last longer when the guests who can tell the difference stay instead of leaving the frauds for the genuine article.
Such a joke. It’s basically the mass-consumerism ultimate-greed combination that has ruined everything, not just hotel industry. And anyone under 40 has no clue life was ever any different.
I wish I could go back to 1980s Polynesian resort, that place was beautiful. And super affordable, it's crazy to think that my lower middle class family of 4 could stay there for a week (we did have to drive from Maine to Florida, but that I blame my dad for watching National Lampoon's Vacation too many times.)
I stayed there in the 80’s and it isn’t that different. The beach has a net now, there are villas in the water, and the pool is bigger, but the hotel is still very similar.
@@ryancappo the price though, is not
Late 80's and early 90's was peak WDW. Both in terms of the quality of the product and the price paid.
Amen to that - was a different time.
@@sarasays...850 Disney made a conscious effort to weed out lower middle class. There used to be blogs on buying a Disney stuffed toy at a yard sale and bringing it with you to surprise your kid to save money. Disney does not want those customers anymore. That is why when they had started using wristbands they started having people with ipads at the park entrances to ask you where where you from and how much you made. They wanted the bigger spenders only. Is what it is - the Magic is long gone.
$800 to sleep, shower, and sh-- shave, no thank you. 😅
I could easily pay that and not lose a minute of sleep,.... however,...there is no ''f ''ing way I would. $ 119 to $149 per night is my max.
1. Proximity to parks/ transportation options like monorail or skyliner
2. Better pools with SLIDE and HOT TUBS
3. Better dining options/ Character dining
4. Bigger rooms with appliances
5. Views of fireworks/ eletric water pagent/ Savanah/ Bay lake etc
6. Concierge levels
This is just off the top of my head but I like to enjoy the resort I stay at. To some people it's more than just a bed.
@@alvis-rd2ht for 800 bucks a night they better have some REAL luxury. Which they don’t.
@@Heifer2997 Look I agree but its Disney youre gonna be a premium
@@Heifer2997 Just as an example : Real luxury in that mythic far past, included day & night butler service ... Without, no place on earth could call itself 'luxury' class.
I hate to be the guy that Brings Universal into the conversation and makes it another "Disney vs Universal" thing. But I just couldnt help but notice how much better and cheaper the Universal hotels were compared to Disney during my last visit.
Like Cabana Bay had a WAY better Mid-Century Modern look than the Contemporary Refurbishment. And it cost one fifth the price, was cleaner, and had better service.
Agreed. I've never been one to spend a lot on a luxury hotel but the hotels at Universal were much more affordable and provided everything I needed. And the theming was very nice and the service was good. What more can I ask for?
We stayed at Universal and just went to disney for 2 days during our stay. A short drive but worth the cost saving
The competition is great! It'll force Disney to improve to remain competitive.
@@oblivieon1567 I hope so!
@@nashwagemakersi got an entire Universal vacation (plane tickets, Universal hotel, and park tickets) for the same price that Disney asked JUST for the hotel.
This is a problem in just about every market segment of goods and services. Prices are high but quality and service are mediocre to poor. As a frequent business traveler, one of the issues I have noticed is that business and luxury hotels charge premium prices for their room yet they pay peanuts to their front desk and concierge staff so the traveler is often presented with a grumpy, disinterested front desk clerk that could care less about our experience, especially when there is a problem they need to resolve. They need to hire higher skilled staff and pay them appropriately so the guest is presented with a business class or luxury experience. As a result of the mediocre experience, I am unwilling to spend my personal travel $ at those establishments. Disney, for instance, is resting on its laurels and damaging its brand in many ways. Companies such as Disney deserve the fate that is coming their way.
Agreed, but with one caveat. Cast members st Disney are part of that reason so many people are willing to pay the premium. They have human interaction down to a science. Disney's duration of this face to face service is the factor that will ultimately tip the scales. With so many companies choosing AI bot responses, the house of mouse will most likely stand strong. If they don't maintain this paramount ingredient, the recipe is spoiled.
So tired of the typical corporate moto "fuck you give me money "
Low pay is a universal problem in the US, basically for anyone that isn’t a highly skilled professional, so much of the pie is tapped by the wealthy now, with their (the people bri*ing c*ngress) solution seemingly being mass i***gration so there’s enough desperate people to value the one bedroom apartment with roommates. Plan isn’t going to work that well though.
Yeah your c***ent is removed for the slightest thing now so that what’s up with the c**sorship. Helps get it to you.
I think we're already hitting that "house of cards" point at WDW. Attendance in July (I've been in the parks as a local all summer, not basing it off the flavor of the month of a blog or vlog) has been noticeably lower than in the past decade or so. The price for a vacation at WDW has been rising significantly while projects have been cut drastically both before and after COVID. We can try to keep blaming the COVID years for all the problems currently facing the parks, but post-COVID park attendance came back very strong. Unfortunately, not all the entertainment and offerings previously available came back with the crowds. Just my opinion.
I do not feel the love from a visionless, corporate Disney. When 68% of the "Marks in the Parks" say they are unhappy with the Park experience, word of mouth is going to kill the "Golden Goose" that was Magic back in the day. Save the Goose!!!! (Is Corporate on the line yet?) I sent a letter to corporate on real issues in the parks and heard nothing...I was trying to help....silence speaks volumes. Was offered a settlement check, caused by the lie Disney told, pass holders Blackout dates published were not honored, pitiful, no apologies, and a sad check that did not fix me. Missed Multiple park visits because they lied, they only offered 1/10th of the cost back, so maybe that is their plan to make the Parks worth one tenth of what they charge? Sad. WCDB
Do you really wanna know what is plaguing Disney right now? I'll give you a hint, it's not Iger or Chapek. It's the stock holders. They keep voting to get paid more dividends, and in doing so, they are sucking all the money out of the company. Think about it, you're paying a lot more and getting a lot less. Were is all that money going? Not to the CEO, it's going to the stock holders.
Disney World barely ever adds new attractions when compared to other theme parks globally. Hollywood hasn't added a ride in 4 years. It's been 7 years for Animal Kingdom. Tron and Guardians took 5 years of construction somehow. Most theme parks add or redo at least 1 ride every 2 years.
I’ve been to WDW, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris, personally I rather go on a cruise and see something less contrived.
The same is happening in Paris despite the Olympics Games... Attendance is super low compared to last years (and even more if we compare to pre-covid numbers).. They need to update something in their pricing/offerings because I don't see the current one to be sustainable. Paris has the excuse of important construction works at the Studios park.. but one would think the Olympics would compensate for the last.. and it's clearly not happening!
Disney "Deluxe" resorts do not compete with actual 5-* luxury resorts - they are playing on the prestige factor of staying on-property in a premier location. They are missing most of the "required" features of a true 5-* luxury resort. In addition, they keep "promoting" hotels up in stature. Wilderness Lodge started out as a mid-level hotel - inconvenient to get to, but very nicely landscaped. It is now, magically, a "Deluxe" resort with the corresponding silly prices - even though it does not even have a sit down [adult] restaurant on premise. Well, can't call them silly prices... people pay them, as did we. The Genie+ mess is what drove us away, well, and combined with the overbuilding of DVC with no corresponding theme park capacity. Visits are just an extremely expensive hassle, and you can't guarantee getting on the rides you want, and you certainly cannot get any decent restaurant reservations. We just don't go anymore at all. Universal is vastly cheaper, and a much more relaxing experience.
Five star luxury resorts in the western world that have more amenities and service generally cost more than Disney deluxe hotels - price increases have been crazy
The "deluxe" for Disney is the *_location,_* rather than amenities.
The fact alone that they don't have room service would not qualify them for AAA 5 Diamond status.
I am sorry, but what is remotely prestige about staying at a theme park hotel?
I've stayed at Poly after the renovation and although it was nice and felt very "Disney", it's not on par with our stays at the Four Seasons Orlando.
The “Disney Bubble”-what a great way to explain it. We’ve been twice and the “bubble” makes me feel kind of trapped actually. The resorts are HUGE so walking anywhere within your own resort wears you out. We went to Disneyland the last couple of years and my kids and I both liked the FREEDOM we felt. We could Uber to Disneyland. When we weren’t there-we were a part of the rest of the world which means we could simply walk out of our hotel and grab subway or Starbucks or run to Walgreens for a needed item. Does anyone else feel trapped in the bubble?
Yes this is why I love disneyland!!
@@sayitshay The duality of man
There's a difference between exclusivity and luxury. I reject Disney's contemporary strategy of exclusivity. But before the late 90s, Disney offered somewhat broadly accessible luxury, quality, and top of the industry service.
It has absolutely changed over the years. Disney had to prove themselves in the early days a lot more than they do now.
Remember the Disney Express buses from the Airport to your Hotel? That was nice even when they started charging for it, free was better. Remember Magic moments in the Parks, a free set of Micky ears, free VIP seats to a show, free trinkets and treats, those were special extras unexpected and now sorely missed. Free express passes at the parks, room service everyday without charges or request, indoor Shows, Air conditioned, with seats from a stage with Talented performers, Rides that were open and worked with fewer break downs, those days seem to be gone as Disney slides on every metric. Over half of the current "Marks in the Parks" are dissatisfied with the Park experiences, word of mouth is killing the Golden Goose's Magic. WCDB
Not to mention the hypocrisy of the value resorts and how they are pretty much the cost of what moderates used to be for a lot less options
The last time my husband and i went to disney, it was the last leg of a 2 1/2 week vacation. We spent several nights in various hotels along the way, and honestly, our room at Port Orleans Riverside (our resort for many years), was the worst for cleanliness, decor, and amenities of any room we booked during that vacation. It was by far the most expensive room we had and certainly not worth the price by comparison. We haven't been back since. Most of the perks for booking a Disney property are no longer available (for free) and it is just too sad to witness the obvious decline in standards for what was once a "magical" experience.
We just stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter as part of a multileg vacation and had the SAME observations. Won't be back!
This is SO TRUE. You described perfectly what the Disney hotels are about. And more people need to know to stop getting duped. I recognize that the convenience of being inside is very attractive, but what people need to realize is that they could be staying at a Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria or other much more luxurious, updated and themed hotels inside and close to parks! These hotels offer private shuttles to the parks and have character breakfasts, which effectively replaces 100% the little benefit the Disney hotels may have.
I was DVC member 2012-18. I miss coming home to Old Key West Resort every summer when my children were at ideal Disney age. Back then Disney gave us Magic Bands with a custom box with each of our names on the slot in the box and band. Magic hours midnight till 2 or 3 am. Free parking. Little did I know that was the last of Disney Magic. Now my children prefers Universal Studios and Dollywood. They don’t even like any of the new Star Wars movies or series. It’s sad but Disney is not the same anymore.
Getting the Magic band box was special time for the wife and I, as the children beamed with excitement and expectation. Now they do not go to the parks unless they are humoring their mother and or I. We have memories and hope for a return of magic again, but I fear we are wasting a dollar and a wish on something that is gone and that will not return.
I think peak Disney may have been 2015. My Family's first time - and so much Disney magic. Snow white just saddles up next to my daughter at a fountain and talks to her, and the duck nearby, all in character - no meet and greet line, no reservation, all spontaneous. We went 2017 and 2019, and none of the magic seemed to be there. We moved to Orlando, Florida in 2022. We do not go there, unless relatives come into town and they have to go. Just so expensive with crap service and always having to be on your phone, or schedule everything. Universal however. We got season passes for that. Cheaper and much more "magical moments" than Disney. Being in a parade, no reservations to come to the park, just get up and go, or walk on rides (express pass included after 4 pm for top pass) , and characters walking the streets. So much kinetic stuff going on all the time. And now that Epic Universe is opening soon, it will be interesting how things pan out.
I think you are correct. I took the family in 2016, and both my kids (who were 6 and 3 at the time), and the experience was amazing. We stayed in a deluxe resort, mostly because it was right on the monorail and it would be quick to get back for the kids nap. On site, the characters were amazing. The employees had such amazing attitudes. The park was clean. My biggest complaint was the other park goers, not the employees. We went back in 2022 post Covid---it was different/worse. I actually witnessed an employee yelling at a customer, with the customer yelling back. Many people were aghast…..never seen or ever heard of that happening before. The prices were higher and the experience was much lower in quality. I couldn’t believe it. What a disappointment.
@@an80skid71 _"Snow White just saddles up..."_ I'm trying to imagine Snow White riding a horse in the middle of Disney World.
The backstory about Gilded Age railroad tycoons and hotels isn't as laughable as you seem to think it is. Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway was basically responsible for the building of modern Florida, and Disney mentioning it is an appropriate nod to the state's history. The famous hotels created along the route were the beginning of Florida's critical tourism industry.
As a native Floridian with knowledge about our state’s history, I find this statement to be very accurate. Building in Florida back then was no easy fete. Disney world is built ontop of a swamp, hence why you need to go on a ferry or monorail to enter the magic kingdom. Walt made the right decision in picking the right people to help build something as big and expensive as a Disney park.
I can’t believe there was no Disneyland until I was five years old, but actually, that was perfect timing. I went for the first time at ten when the park was so spanking new and the lines fairly manageable. It was affordable for the large middle class we had after the war, when the government was humming along and taking care of all our vets.
I'm a DVC member for 17+ years. Disney has cut back significantly their late magic hours. Back when we originally purchased DVC there was at least one park open late for resort guests every night. Now it's at best 1 night for MK and one for EPCOT. Late magic hours have been cut to 2 hours while the regular park hours ends earlier and earlier. No more resort or even front of the park package pick up or delivery, so we buy way less. No more magic express from the airport with luggage delivery to your room. Fastpasses now lightning lane has been heavily monitized. The parks are dirty and cast members aren't all 10s like they used to be. That's rare now. Parks are also pretty empty. They were in May for us. Disney needs to fix this or Epic Universe will be a death blow.
I agree that Disney has made cuts that are taking away the value that used to be a part of being a deluxe resort guest. As a travel advisor that specializes in Disney - it has gotten too expensive for a lot of families. They are opting for other experiences. That being said - the hotels are full, from value to deluxe. In fact - the very top suites are usually booked as soon as they are available. I went 5 times last year for at least 4 days each time and at different times of the year and the parks were always busy, including our visit in May. So paying $800.00 a night and not getting much more than a 30 minute head start before other guests - is hard to justify.
fascinating but all of this is so far away from what i consider a vacation: Sitting in nature, hiking , fishing and so on...
$750 per night is crazy! That is a full month's rent for some people.
You would think they could use some of the profits to rescue their aging theme park rides and attractions. Nope, all of that money is going to fund their new television contract with NBA Basketball. 💰🏀📺
Only Disney could screw up a Star Wars themed hotel with their insatiable greed.
They also have the ability to kill a decades long beloved franchise.
My brother and I have had many, many a conversation over the absolute garbage rot that is the SW sequels, so I feel you, man. As for the hotel, it was both greed and Disney's own unique brand of incompetence that ruined it. I highly recommend Jenny Nicholson's video essay on the topic if you're curious to know more.
Hi! I worked on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
I absolutely do not believe Disney handled this in the best way. I don’t think they have done great with Star Wars as a brand since acquisition.
But that “hotel” was not a hotel. It was a whole experience. You simply slept in that room. The lodging point was not the main point of the attraction.
Jenny Nicholson is an outlier in the starcruiser community. The ratings at the time were over 90% satisfaction for everyone that attended the experience. We worked SO hard on that project. The leadership from the General Manager all the way down to other managers were the greatest that Disney has seen in a long time.
The experience was phenomenal. I did it as a guest before I started working there and got to experience the greatness of it.
Criticize the closure and your assumption of failure because of it, but we did not think it was a failure. We broke ground in a never before scene experience and were not given enough time or resources to truly show what it was capable of.
What's important to Disney is pushing a unwholesome narrative. They're willing to take losses for a decade While they brainwash the future generation. You only gotta brainwash one generation and then they grow up and your work is done and that's the new normal, so their willing to take a loss for a while. It's worth it to permanently run your kids
I never for a minute believed their stupid SW hotel was going to work when they wanted several THOUSAND bucks a night. After seeing countless hours of videos by influencers, it confirmed what I suspected: nobody thought it felt like a part of the SW universe. And then came Jenny Nicholson. She destroyed them with a huge 3 hour video discussing her entire trip and how awful it was. That convinced me to forget about Disney permanently. The magic went away a long time ago.
Never understood those Luxury hotels at all. They are nice most the time, but you don't exactly have the time to enjoy them do you? I mean the point of going to Disney World or what ever is to go to the park... not spend time in the Hotel pools or what ever activities they have.
100% this! The exception is that if you plan to spend a few days at a Disney park, you probably do want to build in rest days outside the parks. So you could spend that time In your hotel...but then why not just stay at a cheaper hotel? Unless you just don't care about hemorrhaging money...
I guess it all depends on how people vacation and choose to enjoy the parks. Our last trip was at a moderate resort, with me, my two kids, and our dog. We stayed 10 nights. We went to 2 separate parks each for an afternoon, and paid for 1 after hours event. I spent time at the pool, walking the dog around the beautiful resort grounds, shopping and eating. No before reservations, no fully stacked days. I love theme parks but they are only a small part of what I want to be a relaxing vacation….. my only point is not everyone does Disney the same at all. Many are Go! Go! Go! and plan and reserve for sometimes years- I never book more than a couple months out and am willing to pay a premium for a new ride I really want like Tron. Our last trip definitely felt more expensive and less magical but at the end of the day it was still a fun time.
@@leftfinned Oh I am sure it's fairly fun. Just to me if you want to just enjoy a luxury hotel, do the hotel. If you want to enjoy the parks just get some moderate or cheaply price place to sleep and place your bags in. Trying to mix the two is a bit of waste of money unless your insanely rich.
You can get the same Luxury experience for far less money going to a 5 star hotel almost any where other than near Disney for about half the price.
Y'know, when my wife and I went to WDW for our honeymoon, the best advice I got was to NOT book up all-day every day in the parks. WDW was the "Vacation Kingdom" so take advantage of all the things to do outside the parks as well, including the amenities at your resort. It was the best advice I got for our honeymoon. We had a great couple full-days and half-days between park days just hopping around the resorts, Downtown Disney, doing dinner shows and mini-golf, and stuff like that.
@@MonsterKidCory Not saying you can't do other things while in Florida. Just don't pay for something you don't use. Staying at a luxury hotel and then leaving said hotel to do other things is stupid. It's like paying for an all day pass to Disney and only using it to eat a pretzel and leave the park.
Swan and Dolphin would like a word. It's a deluxe resort without being disney, it's only 5min walk farther from Epcot and Hollywood than Boardwalk and beach, gets extended evening and early entry. You can even see epcot fireworks from some rooms. You can walk to Yacht Club's bus stop to get to Magic and Animal (more convenient than the marriot buses, which are also free if you want). Best part is that it's cheap. It's one of those things that breaks the magic because you can see it from almost all the parks, and it is gloriously hideous. I stayed in the dolphin and as long as these benefits remain, there is no other hotel I'd rather stay at.
Shhh! It’s a secret! S&D are real hotels with actual Marriott service, not just undertrained, underpaid “cast members” pretending to know what they’re doing. And the prices are usually way lower (though they have had odd surge pricing blips in recent years).
This is a great video and the truth rings through it all. I stayed at Pebble Beach Resort for my 60th birthday in 2022, and was shocked to (re-)learn what a REAL deluxe resort experience is. I'm a DVC member and, until covid, I believed their hype about their "deluxe" resorts; I wanted to believe it because of the money we spend @ WDW. I had an inkling that all was no right with DVC/WDW as early as 2011; I stayed at Princeville in Kauai in 1994 and the Contemporary in 2011. The difference between the Princeville and the Contemporary was stark. We paid $400 per night at the Contemporary in 2011 and complared to the Princeville (which was less than $400/night, at the time, for a suite!), the Contempo was an absolute dump.There is no comparison between Disney "deluxe" and a true Up-Scale resort experience. The Disneyphiles of the world need to wake up and boycott this evil empire. #fuckdisney
We really enjoyed our stay at the Grand Floridian Villas about 10 years ago but when I was a kid living in Southern California in the late 60's, we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado and I can vividly recall my dad being aghast that the price of a coke there was a whopping $1!
I live near there in Cali and I've never been lol what's the inflation equivalent?
@@ruthosornio7779 ok, just googled it, and $1 in 1969 is now $8.56!!!
Jenny Nicholson makes a similar point to this in her Star Wars hotel video and I think you're both onto how nefarious this is.
Corporate Disney is unset when "Marks in the Parks" post their frustrations and disappointments, yet the just make it worse, year after year. D23 should offer a new set of unkept expectations and poor ideas. Seems like Disney is were ideas go to die. Universal still has imagination and a vision of a guest driven future, Disney needs to take notes and keep up or they will continue to fall behind with poor performances or none at at when the Unions strike. WCDB
Not at all nefarious it's the stupid people who think they are being cool.
I managed to snag a Hilton Vacation Club room next to Disney World for about $140/night (fees&taxes incl.) The room was 1049sqft. and had a full kitchen and full bedroom.
I got it on Priceline where Disney shows theirs too. All were like $500+/night! It's hilarious to see when put side by side other similar or better hotels for a fifth the cost. You will never convince me of a justification for the cost hike. Transportation or early admission will never be that valuable.
I like to call it "Neo-Luxury", which is a reference to architecture, so it's appropriate here. Often, a revival of an architectural style is called "Neo-Something", like Neo-Gothic. Sometimes the Neo competes with the original, like the Neo-Baroque of the Loire Valley. But usually it's just a slimmed-down version of the real thing. The biggest example of this is Neoclassical (so overused, it doesn't need a hyphen!), which took architecture from Ancient Rome and "streamlined" it. In the US, it's usually used for government buildings. It's Roman without all the details, aka "cheaper". While nobody would look at Washington DC and say they went cheap going Neoclassical, it's nonetheless way cheaper than if they had been more historical.
Some people may look at the Grand Floridian and think it's indistinguishable from the Hotel del Coronado, but I beg to differ. It's Neo-Coronado. (It's actually Neo-Queen Anne, but on a scale unheard of at the time, and probably still.) Disney's version is fine, but I'd certainly never go look at it to admire it, like I did the Del. And it's not the only time. I remember all the fuss over the Grand Californian. "Best hotel Disney has ever built!!!" It's Neo-National Park. It's also nice, based mostly on Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel with a lobby inspired by the Old Faithful Inn. It's neither of those. The Old Faithful Inn is gasp-inducing... and it's cheaper than the Grand Californian. While your DVC explanation makes a lot of sense - and can be extrapolated on down... "Attendance is down? Jack up the price on everything? Oh, now people aren't staying in our hotels? Start charging extra to ride some of the rides!" - another reason Disney's Neo-Luxury sells is because Disney treats its guests like idiots. They call it Luxury and that's that. The sad fact is many do think it's Luxury because it's expensive, and they're paying Luxury prices, so it must be just like all those hotels the rich folks stay in! The fact is, Luxury is in the amenities, and we're not talking about getting into a park an hour early. Disney Luxury vs Real Luxury is like Coach vs 1st Class.
I just wanted you to know I found your explanation of architectural style revivals incredibly interesting, thank you! Do you have any recommendations on where I could learn more on the subject?
There's one exception.
Neo-Russian style is very expensive and festively decorated eclectic, much more complicated than medieval Russian style.
Bigger bulidings, more decorated, frequent use of expensive natural materials, like natural stone and oak
We are going to Orlando for the first time in early February. We will be staying at Sapphire Falls at Universal because it would have cost us over £1000 more to stay at French Quarter at Disney. We are dual income no kids, so if Disney is too expensive for us I can't even imagine how people with kids afford it.We will be visiting one or two Disney parks but will be concentrating on Universal because Disney is just so over the top expensive.
Good luck with that, as if Universal was giving out free admission and free food to their parks...
My parents were part of the Disney timeshare thing. I wouldn’t recommend it. There was one time I boiled water in a kettle to make tea, and when the water was ready, a literal flood of ants poured out of the spout. I never forgot that moment lol.
Epic Universe is going to hurt WDW's bottom line more than Bob Iger and company think it will 😉
Oh, I think they know it's gonna hurt. They're just not admitting it publicly.
@@tulinfirenze1990 and yet they had all this time to prepare a counterstrike for it!?!?! They really should not have dived in head first into streaming 🤔
@@jasonyau326 But, but, they have Country Bears new Musical adventure. 🤣 I have been checking the wait times since it opened and have never seen it posted over the standard show time of 15 minutes. That means they aren't even filling the theater.
Eh, I don't think it'll be too significant
I was shocked staying at the The Grand Californian that the room was so basic and small for the $900 price tag. Next vacation was at UO staying at the HR where the price was $700 less, walking distance to the park and the room was bigger with the added perk of the unlimited express pass
2:17 thank you for bringing this up 😆 I always feel kind of crazy when I look at photos for Disney rooms that are insanely priced
As an Orlando native, I will never understand staying at a Disney owned hotel at Disney World with the prices they charge for "luxury." You can still stay on Disney property at the Waldorf or Four Seasons and get actual luxury for around the same price. We had family stay at the Grand Floridian once and we stayed at the Four Seasons for a week around Christmas. The level of service and amenities at the Four Seasons blew Disney away.
Although in decline for a while now, online sentiment is really starting to turn on Disney
I had a 4-night stay at the Grand Floridian when I last visited Disney World in 1989 and, although it wasn't exactly inexpensive even then, it was still affordable and you got some great perks as an on-site guest. Now, with the prices through the roof and most of the perks that went with staying there taken away, I can't imagine ever being able to stay there again. I can hardly imagine being able to visit the resort again at all!
It’s hard when the business is built off repeat visits yet so many people are being pushed out of that cycle.
I also stay there in 1989 and I thought the best thing was our daughter running around in the grand lobby. The lobby is free.
Last visit was over 10K for four at a value priced hotel, air, transportation, food, tickets and extra costs, Lightening less lanes, and extra phone slave time to save 50% of the line lane standing time (20 minutes in a lightening less lane was common) It was OK if you did not consider how much you were not having fun. (Magic was not even on the table of considered remarks) We as a group have decided to not visit again for years if ever. Universals third gate is a go in 2025 or 2026 for sure.
Fake luxury is a redundancy. People paying to be on the monorail is really not that much different than paying for an extra room or a TV that pops out of the bedframe or whatever. Anything beyond the cost of getting a bed in the right town is discretionary.
I spent a lot of time researching watches and every one over $100 has some story behind it or was in some movie or something, and none of them are more accurate than your basic Casio.
After the quartz crisis, the desirability of watches returned to the craftsmanship and mechanical engineering excellence. Miniaturization of automated complex moving parts that will work for 100 years. Comparing absolute accuracy is missing the point entirely.
My step Grandfather left me a 24 jeweled, four position, Hand made gold pocket watch in a gold hunters case. The sides open up so you can admirer the craftsmanship of in inner workings, it still runs and is withing two seconds a year, made in 1890. Executives at Disney need to reflect on what is possible with craft, time and effort and stop chasing profits at any cost. Appreciation of the beholders of excellence is a great reword, a promise made and kept is its own reword. WCDB
That's a nice comparison. I used to prefer the cheap little Casio for its durability and much smaller size, and it kept perfectly good time. I stayed in what I think was called the World Resort a few times in Orlando (I lived 2 hours away at the time), and got what amounted to a large apartment with multiple bedrooms for half of what Disney was charging for their economy hotels! It meant a little extra driving but since I was a passholder, parking was free (they probably changed that since). Now I probably will never go back to Disney World, as I can't see the value ever matching the crazy current pricing.
I work at a luxury resort, and our prices are significantly cheaper (and we are still the most expensive resort in the area). Its kinda insane
Wifey and I always stayed at the Polynesian Resort, many many times, from the 70’s to 2018 (when I lost her). During those early decades, it was reasonably affordable, very friendly, and very beautiful (it’s still beautiful). You could tell the Cast Members loved working there, and loved making an awesome experience for their guests. Then things started changing. The main culprit (my opinion) was the introduction of the DVC environment. First it was the bungalows, which obstructed the awesome Polynesian Resort view. DVC would soon take over a few of the longhouses. The final straw(s) was turning the Polynesian Resort to the ‘Moana’ Resort and the removal of the Luau Cove/‘Spirit of Aloha’ area, for a DVC property. And Disney was not going to absorb all of these costs, the costs would/will be passed down to the guests. OK, the newer generations are probably all in for all of this, but they will never know of what it once was.
Best Westerns aren't awful.
0:11 Did he just say “architexture”?
Around 7:36 he says railroad magnets
@@deniromorales312 is that like those fancy trains they have in Japan?
@@MrOtistetrax lol yes but I think he meant to say magnates like a successful business person. I've always called them bullet trains but I like magnet train way better .
Speaking as a San Diegan, the key element of The Del that they missed when designing The Grand Floridian was the temporary outdoor ice rink that is actively melting in the SoCal heat while you are skating on it.
We stay at Port Orleans in October of ‘96, 3 ppl flew, stayed 10 days, and pretty much didn’t skimp, and went to all the parks, it was 5 k, I can’t imagine what it would be today. We have no plans to ever go back.
This is my first @reviewtyme video since subscribing. When the notification came in, I was like 'please let it be good'. And it was great! For all the effort, you guys have remarkably low number of subscribers. BTW, thanks for all the catalog of videos that I have been binge watching since I have discovered you!
I think the channel name is not specific/descriptive enough to motivate people to subscribe.
Honestly you couldn't pay ME to go to one of those parks. The golden age is over, at this point the experience sounds like hell, but people keep going back because of the sunk cost imo
If you have 700 dollars a night to blow on resorts you can stay at the Waldorf Astoria which is on Disney property and have some ACTUAL luxury.
$71 billion! I knew those Turkey legs were expensive for a reason
I am married to a Disney Adult. I am mostly fine with it, but I reasoned with my wife that there is little point in paying a exorbitant price for the hotel if it's just going to be a place to crash after days in the parks. If we want to pay for a luxury resort it should be for vacations where we will spend a significant amount of time at the resort.
We stayed at Fort Wilderness in 91 or 92. Was a great trip with lifelong memories.
There's no way I could afford or justify the same thing now for my kids, which is a real shame.
everyone I know who have been to the Disney resort in Hawaii have said it has gone downhill fast. 2k a night only to not have a seat at the pool.
Stayed at Aulani a few years ago. We used our cc points to stay in a 1 bedroom villa (we have 3 kids so it was that or pay for 2 hotel rooms). The resort was nice, but the beach is on a man-made lagoon, so the sand is not great compared to every other Hawaiian beaches I have been to. The kids had a great time and the character breakfast was the best we have had compared to Chef Mickey and Tusker House.
As with all Other Disney properties, they want to keep you “in the Disney bubble”. There is no need to leave the resort. However, Hawaii is amazing and Oahu has so much to offer to visitors, that spending the high price to remain in a bubble for your entire trip to Hawai’i, in not worth it to us. There are so many the great hotel properties in Hawai’i, that offer their guests as much, if not more.
If you are traveling to Hawai’i, and want to stay at Aulani, don’t spend more than a few days/nights there. Explore the island of Oahu and save yourself a lot of money. If you want to pay those prices, there are enough resorts to give you the same, or more luxury for the price, and still get a more memorable Hawaiian experience and vacation.
I went last year and loved it. The building and grounds are a gorgeous testament to Hawaiian culture and art.
Yeah a lot of hype in that place too. We went to Aulani (flagship Vacation Club Destination) 6 years ago and they didn't even have their only outside restaurant serving meals in mid-afternoon.
@@nicolegrimm9904 That's nice but seems counterproductive to go to Hawaii just to see a Disney resort take on the culture of the place you're at.
@@shoobamocha And you stay where exactly when you visit Hawaii? I realize hating on Disney is satisfying for some people, but Aulani has one of the largest collections of contemporary Hawaiian art, and Disney employed Hawaiian artists and tradespeople during construction who integrated traditional storytelling and craft techniques into the resort's design. It's a Joe Rohde project, not just a "Disney resort take," and it's a lot more supportive of Hawaiian culture than staying somewhere faceless and generic like the Four Seasons or Marriott next door. This isn't just my opinion; one of our many non-Disney activities was spending a day hiking with a professor of Hawaiian culture at U. Hawaii, and he made most of these points acknowledging what Disney did with Aulani. But you can keep being condescending if it makes you feel better about yourself.
And here I am, so frugal that the one time in my life I went to Disney, I rented a airbnb room for 400$ for the whole week, did not care sharing the common space anyway, it's disney, you're only in your room to sleep anyway, it was a lot cheaper even with paying 30$ of uber per day to go to and from the park, these prices are insane.
For over a decade now I've felt that DVC is the monster that ate WDW. If I'm not mistaken, the last proper hotel that Disney built was Art of Animation, way back in 2012? Every single property or expansion they've built since then has been DVC?
Coronado Springs is not DVC and is pretty nice and brand new.
@SomeLazyDr Coronado Springs is not brand new. It's been there since 1997. The last refurb/refresh was 2018, and the Tower opened in 2019.
@@amandadadesky5192 ah, good call out! I was thinking the tower but you’re right.
WHY, exactly, would it be "just terrible" if there were a Best Western right next to Disney World? Do you own a lot of Disney stock or something? If so, then yes it would be "just terrible," but for most of us who aren't, forcing them to compete on pricing and services without the exclusivity of "you can't put a hotel near the parks because we own all the land" sounds like it would be a good thing. There are non-Disney-owned hotels literally across the street from Disneyland. Disney now owns the Disneyland Hotel, but there are a bunch of others just as close that they don't own (including, yes, a Best Western) and somehow Disneyland doesn't seem to have imploded because of it.
Considering how much money is invested in all these properties and the amount the revenue the parks and properties bring in you would think Disney executives would be more concerned about making sure to provide a top notch experience and and that they offered an experience far and above what Universal is doing. Instead the parks seem to keep getting crappier. If they don’t change how they run things soon there is gonna be a huge crash.
Ever wonder were all the money is going? It's going to the stock holders and to pay off the massive FOX debt. Trust me, the money is there, it's just not going back into the company like it should.
A photograph of Sean Connery signed by Roger Moore is more valuable than a simple Sean Connery autograph. For those that want to experience "traditional" luxury while vacationing at Walt Disney World, there's always The Four Seasons at Golden Oak or the Waldorf Astoria at Bonnet Creek.
Roger Moore would never have signed a photo of Sean Connery. What celebrity would forge another's signature? Nonsensical argument.
@@frankdirscherl2345 I just read a charming story about a kid who met Moore, and was disappointed that he signed "Roger Moore" and not "James Bond".
That aside, for real, actual luxury, stay far away from WDW.
@@frankdirscherl2345 Google it. It's a Simpsons reference. Season 7, episode 21. Roger Moore signed his own name to Connery's picture. It wasn't a forgery.
@@frankdirscherl2345 ruclips.net/video/8eVKbli4ooE/видео.html
@@chuckoneill2023 Your buddy Frank doesn't get the Simpsons reference.
Very interesting. You didn't mention that Disney saves a ton of money by paying it's workers the lowest possible salaries and hiring part-time help which puts the wage taxes on the worker not the company. Still, you gotta admit they made a vision come true. Personally I have never once wanted to go to Disney; I'd pay to avoid it!, but I guess people with kids feel it is a good way to keep the kids happy at vacation time rather than keep them at home whining and having temper tantrums because they are bored stiff.
Its like Jean Baudrillards descrption of Disneyland and simulacra - they are presenting an imaginary concept of the "luxury" that gives us the illusion that this is the real "luxury" compared to the real world outside of Disney.
What i will say though, is that I have only felt this in recent years - I was shocked by how cheap the features and furnishings of the extortionate Riviera Resort felt when I visited, and to be frank, as someone from the UK it didnt even remotely successfully convey the feel of Southern France. In past years, you at least used to have luxuries such as the Disney Magical Express, merchandise room delivery, and "magic hours" included in your stay.
I don't think that's what Baudrillard was saying.
To be fair, room rates at all the mid-range and high-end hotels throughout California have skyrocketed.
I have always stayed at an airb&b. We get a whole house with our own screened in pool plus themed rooms...all 10 mins from the parks. For so stinking cheap. Its been a no brainer for my family forever.
I was once walking thru the forum at Caesar’s in Las Vegas. The walls looked like marble, and if you touched the wall, you could clearly tell the cold stone feel of genuine marble. But if you ran your hand along the wall above shoulder height, or below knee height, the cold feeling was gone and the room temp feel of plastic was obvious. They had placed real marble in the spot adults were most likely to touch it. But everywhere else it was carefully matched plastic fake marble tile.
I'm in my late 50s. I moved to Florida in the late '80s and I admit having Disney so close was a pretty cool benefit.
However, I learned quickly that Disney is not everything that it's cracked up to be. It's more of an illusion, really. Ridiculous crowds. High food prices. Sub-standard lodging. And don't forget that it's built in a swamp so if you go in the summertime you're just going to be miserable.
Needless to say I never drank the Disney Kool-Aid like many and I'm honestly surprised that people even praise Disney World in 2024.
Now if you really want to be treated to OUTSTANDING service take a Disney cruise. Sure, you're going to pay an ultra premium price however, it is going to blow your socks off and it's nothing like their land-based 'resorts'.
Disney World and Disney Cruises don't even seem like the same company!
Las Vegas is cheaper even with some modest gambling. And the buffets are actually very good there.
But it isn’t fake. All hotels are like this. Better atmosphere, location and service is what makes a room cost more. Luxury is an experience. As long as a person feels a hotel room at Disney is luxurious, it is.
Disney brand is in free fall. Nostalgia is fading. Self inflicted wounds.
i still find it funny most people will judge a guy for buying a 20k car that brings him joy entertainment a hobby something to learn about ect. but find nothing wrong with dropping that for a few days of "memories" lol of what? a 100 year old rat and $20 churros lol
It's ironic that the original hotel in San Diego the Grand Floridian was based off of that houses even royalty from time to time is cheaper to go to compared to the resorts Disneyworld has in Orlando. Mostly because you'd think it'd be the other way around.
Ditto for the Polynesian bungalows. It would be less expensive to actually fly to Bora Bora and stay in one of their genuine overwater bungalows for a week than spend a week at one of the fake ones at the Poly.
@johnm.3279 not to mention that you're ostensibly spending most of your time at the park, not the hotel!
Having grown up in San Diego and knowing the luxury of the Del, that just blows my mind.
Same with the Riviera. You could fly to Nice or Monte Carlo and stay at a luxury resort instead of Florida.
If i were disney, I would immediately triple prices for everything. That would instantly cut down on the rabble ruining the parks and would dramatically improve the experience of the wealthy, who I want as customers, also would improve profitability and the park experience.
Let's not say Disney, but Bob Iger. You would organise a share buyback , sell your options, and retire. 😅
Agree with your assessment. Looking at most of their 3-4 story buildings, they have a motel-like shell, with a themed facade stuck to the exterior. The room rates offset the ‘free’ transportation. As the resort is so spread out over hundreds of acres, you are paying for the convenience of the transportation to and from each park.
I am a Wyndham Timeshare owner. The Wyndham Bonnett Creek Resort is actually on the Disney World Buena Vista Property. I've stayed there several times when visiting both Disney and Universal Studios Theme Parks. Wyndham is the KING of all time share companies and has many properties near Disneyland, also.
Incredibly impressive balance of factual information with humor, opinion with fact, the pros from Disney's perspective & the cons. Just brilliant stuff all around Dom & Luke.
As a DVC member & hotel superfan, I really have no notes. While Hotel Del in San Diego is truly a bucket list resort for hotel fans, it just doesn't have the benefits of a Disney Deluxe Resort, even with how many have been stripped by Diz the past 4 years. Hopefully, Diz will soon hit a reality check & the prices will drop some, but given supply & demand & your explanation on the full-circle DVC stuff, that seems...unlikely.
DVC is at $220 a point, resale is as low as $94 a point, and Disney is not purchasing the contracts? DVC needs good park experiences which are not currently the plan from Corporate, greed and taking from "Marks in the Parks" has lead to a 68% disapproval record today. Attendance is dropping and Universal third gate is opening in 2025. No Magical Express, no free fast passes, no indoor shows, higher prices and more down time, these are realities in Disney parks today. Well on the bright side I can rent points for under $15 a piece, still outside the bubble prices are 50% less than that...What kind of a PR, plan is this anyway?
I was a cast member at the Yacht & Beach Club Resort in college. A number of years later, I got to stay there. It has the second largest sand bottom pool on the world and nicely appointed and decorated facilities. The two most valuable things you get by staying in a Disney Resort in my opinion are these: 1. Proximity. If you stay at a Disney Resort you get easy and convenient transportation to the parks, ice cream parlors, restaurants, and entertainment. 2. Service. Nobody does guest service in my opinion like Disney. They take incredible care of guests. If something ever isn’t particularly pleasant for a guest, they go out of their way to make it right.
I have been to many of the hotels around Disney World, but I have stayed at very few of them. The more expensive hotels have a lot of other amenities and restaurants etc., but they aren't free and you don't need to be staying there to visit them. I think a benefit of some of them is having direct access to the monorail or other transportation, but we have always had a car so it's never been a issue for us. I would rather save thousands stay off property at cheaper and larger rooms and spend a bit on a car and parking.
Great analysis. When I was young I thought the Contemporary Resort was so hideous compared to the other hotels, but then one trip we took the monorail to Chef Mickey’s and on my back to MK I was like, I need to stay here. This is so amazing-the proximity to the park…the steps you save. Who cares how it looks. 😂
I’m a huge Disney Parks fan but I find the best part of their hotel is just enjoying the lobby, eating at a restaurant there and visiting the gift shop, then heading back to the Marriott Resort. The Marriott has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, living room and huge screened in balcony. 3 huge pools and tons of amenities and no joke a THIRD of the price of a Disney hotel.
Disney is and will always be a corporate cult of personality. It blows my mind that families will spend the ludicrous amounts of money required just to stay on property at a what is essentially just another, albeit nicer, sweaty set of theme parks. Though, as a Floridian (and a Disney pass holder myself 😂) it’s still important to recognize that Disney World is one of our state’s most important economic drivers. Let ‘em burn the cash (as long as they don’t buy property. Seriously stop. I can’t afford my insurance. Stop building houses on the water. Stop. Thanks.)
Disney spends a big fortune in advertising so they can charge you so much. You're paying for the brand name.
As someone who stays as 4 different hotels every week I can tell you that Disney hotels are subpar. Just find the cheapest “nice” and clean hotel near the park and you get the exact same experience as if you stayed at the disney resorts.
I think middle and upper class families who can afford it are just too enticed at the prospect of having a complete on-property experience to resist staying in these ridiculous hotels. It's like what Gennaro said about Jurassic Park. Disney can charge anything they want and people will pay it. Eventually they would hit a ceiling and the market would adjust but if Disney can get away with selling a $200 room for $1200 they'll do it.
I can't wait until universals epic universe drops so disneys prices get put into check and realise how screwed they are. Unless like Disney announces a new park which I highly doubt.
I think they have announced plans for a new park of some kind, but I don't think they've given much detail on what it's going to be. I agree that Epic Universe is probably going to become the main Orlando draw, with people maybe popping over to Disney for a day if they can afford it. Universal is way smarter right now.
Even if they announce a new park it is going to take years for them to have it open to compete with Universal. It took them 5 years to create Tron and a new garden behind Spaceship Earth. In my opinion they are going to be screwed for the next 5-10 years, which will probably result in a sale to Amazon or some other corp. Then it is over for them for good.
For a third of the price of fake disney you can take the family to europe to see actual river boats and castles or to nature parks on glamping to see actual nature and waterfalls. ABSURD
We just stayed at the Polynesian on Friday. It's worth it (for us) to take the monorail back from MK in the afternoon to take a nap so our kids can stay up for the fireworks. Then we spend our check out day at the pool. 10/10 would recommend
Epic Universe is going to put a big dent in Disney’s Florida business, offering a brand new destination park at better value. Can’t wait for the real competition.
19:09 I think as long as you have those "Disney adults" whose whole identity seems to rank around their favourite childhood figures, they will continue to spend their money on this brand. And there are alot of those. Maybe not in Europe (Paris) or Asia (Hong Kong), but definitely in North America.
love that he included CAD in the price comparisons. i’m always having to mentally multiply USD by like 1.35 everytime lol
Raised in a hard-working solid middle-class family. Went to Disney 1x as a kid, and the trip was a big deal for us. Stayed on-property at the Ploynesian and we loved it. Today (decades later), I'm not sure that my-then family would be able to afford it. Given its pricing, Disney seems to be targeting wealthier families.
Don't forget all the massive flops, cancellations and changes.
Imo luxury equals limited availability and access. Staying in a resort with thousands of other people isn’t luxury to me
I’ve been a DVC member for almost 20 years. I feel like it’s worth it…I’ve used it to go to the resorts around the world.
Back when I bought it was so much cheaper and I’m only paying dues now.
I've never been to Grand Floridian, but I am literally currently at Contemporary. Having the Monorail station indoors, accessible right next to the character dining (Chef Mickey) is a pretty nifty convenience. Universal has boats that bring you directly to their Boardwalk, but I find the Disney monorail to be preferable in the intense heat and humidity of Summer. For dining, it is complicated. Each Disney hotel makes their food differently than the other Disney hotels do. And likewise the different Universal hotels offer entirely different menus. Your dining experience will change depending on which specific hotel you go to, even if you ordered the same basic menu item from each hotel. The "fancier" hotels don't necessarily have the higher quality food. Honestly the Universal Hotel food isn’t fabulous. Their parks do much better in offering high quality meals (again, depending on which part of the park you dine in). I always look forward to eating at the Universal Parks because I know where to go. Whereas Disney Park food isn't very magical, but some of their hotels (Polynesian, Contemporary, NOT Pop Century) have very memorable, great dishes that stand out in your memory for years, and not because of the character experiences. Room service is better at Disney, but the parking is much more convenient at Universal despite the existence of Disney parking lot trams (especially in the Summer). Universal hotels aim for authenticity, which can be luxurious but annoying in the Summer heat at Loews Portofino Bay hotel when there's no cover from the sun. That's hard to explain if you haven't been there. I think the issue Disney hotels have with providing "luxury" is that so many of their food offerings are pre-packaged so that they are easily distributed to their many, many restaurants. The Mexico pavilion in Epcot is another example of a seemingly luxurious indoor restaurant with perpetual twilight, that suffers from standard food offerings. If you ask anyone, I would guess not very many would say that they love the flavor of Mickey shaped waffles or pretzels. The hotel beds offered by both companies are okay, but don't suit my personal bed preferences. The additional amenities offered by both companies' hotels are largely the same, with gyms, spas, pools, arcades and the like. Nothing particularly spectacular from any given hotel in that sense. Given, I have never been to the Grand Floridian and wouldn't know how that hotel compares to other Disney hotels in Florida. As long as you never look at the Fort Wilderness cabins, you can expect most Disney Hotels to offer the same general level of quality and access to multiple transportation methods to their parks. Is that luxurious? What exactly would it need to become luxurious?
you know its more than odd when 4 and 5 star hotels cost less than disney hotels
Also no one was arguing that Disney resorts being luxurious. It’s always about the theme and the unique benefits. Their service is incredibly slow and cookie cutter, comparable to a Hyatt regency not Ritz Carlton
I've always said Disney's issues are a matter of cold hard cash and not any kind of moral issue. It's never been about the content as much as it is about the outfall of many, intertwining financial choices.
But political rage is easy and large scale economics is hard, so guess what everyone yells about...
Anyway, thanks for articulating these ideas clearly.
Most of the online theme-park vlogger types are clued in to this, I think--that it's all about money. Though their commenters often aren't.
I think that before he left the first time, Bob Iger made a huge mistake by choosing to buy 20th Century Fox. It was all in the service of Disney+, but they haven't really figured out how to make that money back, and the company's been saddled with crushing debt that it has to service somehow ever since. More than anything else, that's probably why they haven't been able to respond to Universal's theme-park expansion bender in kind. Guess where they just *did* open a massive expansion--the Tokyo resort, which is insulated from Disney's finances because it's owned by OLC.
@@MattMcIrvin Absolutely, 100%. Disney+ is just hemorrhaging money and has been since they started it, and they haven't had any big box office hits to pad the issue any. Again, not for agenda reasons, but just a generally depressed theater market coupled with movies that haven't been particularly noteworthy. I don't even think they've been bad, as such, they just haven't been anything new or inspiring, and again that comes down to money. Groundbreaking is risky, and Disney hasn't wanted to run ANY risks for a long time. So it's constantly returning to the well that's been a 'reliable thing' instead, and the rule of diminishing returns is now a major problem.
To some degree, I think they've painted themselves into a corner. They've leaned so hard into this 'wholesome family entertainment' branding so hard that even their supposed 'adult content'... that is to say, content aimed at adults... like the Star Wars stuff comes off as lackluster and meh because they are simply afraid to take any risks whatsoever.
Surely luxury and Disney are two entirely different things.
3:34 I hate to gripe on this but as someone who grew up in the region, this is the single largest piece of propaganda spread around by the mouse and friends. Anaheim wasn't large, but it was still a well-established city that was nearly 100 years old when Disneyland opened it's gates. Yes, it was mostly agrarian as a lot of The OC was at the time, that's why the other big park is called Knott's Berry Farm as it was literally a berry farm. The specific land that was purchased to be developed into Disneyland was an orange grove, But Anaheim as a city very much existed and Walt was taking advantage of how the city was not nearly as organized as LA so he could do as he pleased.
As someone who lives in SD and goes to Vegas pretty regularly, there's zero reason to go to Disney for anything. ESPECIALLY luxury.
His disdain for the Best Western chain at 11:50 was weird & misplaced to me. There are some very well-operated Best Western hotels I've stayed in California and Oregon, and unlike any American Disney hotels in the 21st century, they were good values too. I'd rather have my kid finish college debt free than blow many thousands at Disney's American hotels & timeshare resorts.
And one can still hang out in Disney's hotels. The Animal Kingdom Lodge & the Grand California have beautiful spaces and some excellent restaurants where one can enjoy the impressive theming without staying there.
I spent 29k for a one week vacation for 4 people at the beach club what a total waste of money