I’ve been lucky enough to travel all of my life with the furthest reaches of my experience, not limited to the countries of World Showcase. I’ve been privileged enough to visit cities and countryside all over the world, and there is one Disney argument that has always resonated with me as a falsity. Disney is much more expensive than other vacations. As you can imagine, in a position such as this, I am fairly au fait with Disney pricing, and other than a few extravagant merch items, I’m constantly surprised at how the cost of things like food, beverages, and even accommodation in the Disney resorts is competitively placed with other non-theme park vacation destinations. In fact, to take it a step further, it might even be more cost-effective.
Traveling is expensive, there is no doubt about that. When you add up the numbers for flights, accommodation, food, drinks, and transport, it costs a small fortune to leave your hometown. However, having spent a lot of time in both major cities and smaller, more rural areas of the world, my experience is that Disney is not actually a more expensive vacation than many other places in the world. One significant aspect that can add zeros to your bottom line is transport. Either hiring a car or taking public transport around a city can be a substantial added expense, one that is avoidable when visiting both the USA Disney Resorts, thanks to their on-site transportation in Walt Disney World and walking distance options in Disney World.
I often see guests complaining online about the expense of food and beverages at Disney, which is another point that I’ve always struggled to understand. In my experience, the food options are on par with those in most major cities or vacation destinations, and in some cases, I’ve noted that Disney offers even cheaper options than most places I’ve visited. The key to Disney is the variety of culinary experiences it offers, allowing guests to tailor choices to their needs, style, and budget, making the overall experience (and bottom line) what they want it to be.
Accommodation is no different. From value resort rooms to luxury accommodations, I can find a resort room in Walt Disney World for a price that is much cheaper than I can find a similar quality room in London, Paris, or Tokyo. While the park tickets themselves are a rising cost that we all struggle to come to terms with, I’ve never really been able to get on board with the argument that Disney is one of the most expensive vacation destinations. It sure can be, if you want to take advantage of every diamond-tier perk, but does it have to be? No. It makes me wonder if some of us aren’t choosing to be priced out of a more luxurious experience at Disney rather than settling for a more affordable (and available) option.
Let me know what you think. Is Disney one of the more expensive vacation spots you’ve experienced? Comparing equivalent destinations, of course. And, if so, is that due to the way you choose to enjoy your time there, or is the bottom line much steeper than the average in a world where traveling is so expensive to begin with? When you consider the equivalent in another city or country, taking into account your accommodation, food, entertainment, tickets, and transport, is Disney really that much more expensive?
If you are looking for a more cost-effective way to enjoy the Disney Parks, speak to one of our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents for assistance, and visit the Budget Board on DISboards.com.
