Posted on 03/19/2018 9:18:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Opening the menu at the California Grill at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort overlooking the Magic Kingdom, I expected to giggle at the affordability of everything. I’m a New Yorker. Nothing out here in the sticks costs as much as it does back home, right? Instead, I found $19 glasses of wine and a $75 rib-eye. If you’re a person of average means, a trip to Disney World could leave you bippity-boppity broke.
Disney World, that enchanted land of middle class dreams, isn’t so middle-class anymore. So why is it more popular than ever? Fort Mickey is exhibit A for why “the dwindling middle class” has shrunk — because so many have moved up to the upper-middle and upper classes. Disney World is booming because America is booming.
When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, ticket prices were roughly $20 in today’s dollars ($3.50 back then). In 2018, a single weekend day at the Magic Kingdom will cost you $129. Don’t worry, kiddies, for you it’s only $123. Parking is another $22. With plane fare, accommodation, meals, car rental, and so on, a family of four can expect to spend close to $5,000 for a week’s vacation, and that’s if you take it easy on the souvenirs.
All of those left-wing columnists who fret about one-percenters and inequality seem not to have noticed, but the way capitalism is showering wealth on this country is as spectacular as Disney’s nightly fireworks show. If you can afford to drop $700 to $1,000 a day on vacation, you’re doing well. And tens of millions of us are. This month at the Magic Kingdom, my family discovered routine two-hour wait times for both the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
If you eat nothing but junk food, sure. There are plenty of nice table service restaurants. They are pricey, though, and you need to make your reservations months in advance.
“Every crowd has a silver lining.”
Is their a website for this crowd calendar?
I’d like to go to Vegas knowing it’s not hip hop week.
Disney knowing it’s not gay week.
Virginia beach knowing it’s not black biker week.
Any beach town knowing it’s not flaming homo week.
etc...
Because it's extraordinarily entertaining....if you plan well.
yea i know i spelled ‘there’ wrong.
It is an amazing experience.
The whole thing.
$$$
The last time I went there, there were as many South Americans there as North Americans.
I know...I've been there, and didn't have to wait much at all.
My kids asked to go to the Harry Potter thing at Universal. Is that place a madhouse too?
“I’d rather take my kids out to the wilderness, to camp, hike, fish and shoot.”
You’re a good parent. Instead of being mindlessly entertained, your children will learn skills, self reliance, & how to think independently outside of the common `culture’.
Brazilians, in groups of any size... *shudder*
This is complete BS based on the people I saw in the parks last time I was there a year ago.
Have been going for the last 15 years or so and thank God all my kids have grown out of it.
Saw a lot of well off folks, but lots of rich FOREINGERS and tons of domestic white trash with really BAD tattoos that must be spending the tax “refunds” they get despite paying no taxes.
You're limited to only 3 or so per day, and not everyone uses it for some reason. By planning things out, I can manage to hit just about every ride in s park in one (long) day...except for Epcot, it's so large I take two days there.
I live in the Tampa area and we have season passes. It’s a great value and lots of fun, but you won’t convince the “Disney is Satan” crowd. If you look for the bad, you surely will find it. If you go to have fun, you will find that as well.
I spent a week there in the 1990’s on a business trip, studying the way they did service. It was a remarkable week. They have the whole environment set up based on providing the right service at the right time and anticipating the needs of the customers.
Some people walked away cynical—feeling like Disney manipulates their customers. We did a real deep visit behind the scenes, and the training was incredible.
I found it fascinating. It changed the way I did my job. But, I went back a few years ago and I was looking at every experience, trying to find the “tricks.” Everything that you see, hear, and smell is carefully choreographed. Knowing that takes some of the fun out of it.
Way back in 1987, my folks flew the family (just three of us) to Florida for a week-long vacation before I graduated from high school. We went to Disney World/Epcot, Kennedy Space Center, and Boardwalk and Baseball.
Boardwalk and Baseball was a hell of a lot more fun than Disney World. It didn't last long, as it closed in 1990, but it was a blast. Not crowded, easy to get on rides, better rides, better food, and lower prices.
Disney World/Epcot was miserably crowded.
https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/crowd-calendar/
I'm considering a trip in mid-Ssptember, but may wait until next year when Star Wars Land opens.
Comparing the park admission price in 1971 to today is a bit of comparing apples to oranges. Prior to the early 80’s you had to pay both admission to the park AND buy tickets to get on the different rides (remember the coveted E-tickets?). Now the entry fee is significantly higher but you get unlimited rides on whatever you want to go on. Not a fair comparison to just compare park entry price from then to now.
I love Disney World, could pitch a tent and live there...but won’t be going again as long as they adhere to their extremely liberal policies. As for lines...I never had any problems using their fastpass program (or whatever it’s called!) and I always carefully chose the month and week I attended. Love it there...too bad it has strayed so far from Walt’s initial vision. He wanted everyone to be able to attend, for one thing.
I haven't been to it, but I presume the crowds are similar.
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