We also went to Disney this Spring. I think it's a matter of what you want/like and how old your kids are. I personnally would rather spend my $50 at Epcot than the M.K., but since this was the kids' last visit to Disney with the family, they wanted to see some stuff in the M.K. that they had missed, and that was fine. Like you, we purchased one-day tickets, which of course is the most expensive way to go. (One day M.K., one day Universal.) There are more flexible plans available, and everyone planning to go should buy a recent guide book and throughly research options. The best one-day deal, IMO, was Typhoon Lagoon, about $30/person.

I was not impressed at the value for the buck at MGM. However, Epcot and MK to me, are still a great deal (just wish they would update the tired old Ellen Degeneres stuff in the energy pavilion - cute once or twice but then...time for new material). I love both of these parks immensely. You should only go to Animal Kingdom if it's an overcast cool day. Otherwise, it's a waste because you don't see any animals at all.

I like MK and Epcot. Universal was more fun to us than MGM. We did like Tower of Terror and a couple of other attractions, but not many. We used Hopper passes and really liked it so we could leave and go to another we liked better.

I felt like I was in a Disney store more than a park. Sadly to say but I expect that the bean counters have more to say about what goes into a new park than the amagineers do these days. I think that if you looked at the total area of any of the Disney parks that at least 50% is for retail sales of Disney products, and I resent paying $50 per person to go to a mall with a few rides! Disney is not about family entertainment as it once was its about making money. As I said in my first post, I enjoy MK but the other parks are as much of a mall as a park. I first visted WDW in Oct. of 1971 and again in Dec. of that year an at least 4 other visit prior to this last trip. I guess I wouldn't be so upset with Disney if I could buy one ticket and move from park to park like it was in the old days, which allows you to enjoy the best that they have to offer without purchasing a multiday pass for three times the money. I have lots of grand children that I would like to take to Orlando in the coming years, but my money will be spent at Universal and Busch Gardens before Disney in the future.
Bill

Bill:

If you buy a ParkHopper pass you can go from park to park.

Mommabear

Mommabear,
I think he meant for a one-day visit. I think they didn't offer one-day park-hoppers when I was there last. I seem to remember park-hoppers only being available on 3-day packages and up.

I checked on the best place I've seen for info, short of going there, and it appears that one-day tickets are only for specific parks.

I also checked Disney, and there is no one-day park-hopper.
Disney Ticket FAQ

Here is a link that might be useful: Ticket FAQ

I've considered Disney as a vacation spot but just reading about the prices makes me cringe. Everything seems so outrageously overpriced....I could easily travel to the Caribbean and stay in a luxury resort for the cost of a week of Disney. At least thats how it appears when I look at prices online.

We've been two times and love it. We have gone with kids about 10 and with kids about 14/15. Thinking of going again this summer.

We bought passes and I wouldn't do it after the first time unless you know what you are going to do and can use them all. We wanted to go back to the water parks which are the least expensive, and we could have saved by purchasing the tickets there. With the passes you are paying for the more expensive stuff, which is great if you want to see it all.

We also love Downtown Disney, it is especially nice in the evening. If traveling with teens you give a little freedom to roam get a hotel close so they can walk over. Also, when in Disney City there is a great place called Quest which is several stories of virtual games,etc. It is expensive but really fun if kids like that sort of stuff.

It's always been expensive, yet there are tons of people going there, it's a fun place.

Latest link to get a discount card --- for anyone planning a trip in the near future to Orlando...

There may be savings to Disney on it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Discount Card link

But they allow too many people in at the same time. We were there last year at the MK and had to leave. We couldn't even move it was so crowded! It was scary.

I've been to Disney many times growing up & still as an adult I love going back. The last time I went I stayed at a Disney hotel - the Carribean but we went when it was way too crowded - Thanksgiving. This fall we are taking my 5 yr old daughter for the 1st time. She is so exceited & especially about anything Princess, so have to book that Princess Bkfst soon. This time we are doing it all up, staying at one of their main reosrts that are connected by monorail (The Polynesian)- I didn't like using the bus system from the other hotel. Our room will overlook the Magic Kingdom castle. I am so excited!

Michie

Way over priced tourist trap.Mickey mouse is a dirty rat!

We have bought multi-day passes in the past and they are good indefinitely. You don't have to use them on the trip that they are purchased on (but you do have to keep up with them over the years) and if prices go up in the future, you have a really good deal. We always bought the longest multi-day passes we could get and then used them over a couple of trips. We never used a pass for the water parks if it was cheaper to purchase a day ticket.

Been several times, and yes it is pricey. But the entire family always enjoy ourselves. Still one of our favorite vacation destinations.

This is what I have experienced today.
I paid 80 dollars each for my family at Adventure.
Waiting almost all day long. After I passed the line, I have to go to another place to get a ticket for Harry Potter Tour. I picked up my ticket at 11:30 AM for 6:10PM entrance. All day, I took three rides after waiting more than 50 Minutes each. Every ride connects to shops. The whole park has more shops than other amusement stuff. Even though, this is all about business, I don't see much enjoyable things with my kids. We didn't enjoy at all. Too much waiting, too many shops, and not enough things to enjoy. Now I'm confused what I can enjoy with Kids except waiting. We will look for something else such as mountains or oceans. Comparing to the amount of money we spent, this is not worth while at all. It seems this is a huge business after controlling most of kids by disney channel or media influence. What is real purpose to visit Orlando?
Having fun with family won't happen here, just business propoganda for Kids, There is no spirits for any family trip here, but sucking money from average people.

Been many times over the past 39 yrs...

The unbiased opinion to your question, which I see in terms of capitalism, is no, they charge what the market will bear. They have a completely over-the-top uniqueness that affords this luxury.

To answer it personally, I spent some time considering it last month and decided my personal finances didn't justify it. I can use the same amount of money to have fun all summer. But if I had more money this year, I would be going when school lets out. It really is fun, feels like there is no "real world" while you're there.

I've done it all sorts of ways. The most enjoyable, psychologically, is to do a plan that includes everything you know you want - hotel room you like, number of meals per day, added activities like golf. If you can get over the shock of, and the actual expense before you go, it's a much better and smoother experience. You will feel very pampered.

sungil woo, if you had done more research before your trip, you would have learned about fast pass, probably have been able to buy the entrance tickets and harry potter tickets ahead of time, had a chance to hear from others about their experiences, seen pictures, etc... You may have decided you would not enjoy it, or you may have known more about how to make the most of your time there. They did not take any money which you did not give willingly, prices are in print for all to see.

I feel Disney, as well as many other family entertainment activities, are too expensive. If we go to Disney, we prepay for the meal plan because otherwise your food bills kill the magic. It takes self discipline to refrain from over purchasing at the shops, especially when you are with children. In NY, we go to local fairs that have 3-5 rides and they charge $5 per ride or $25 for a wrist band. That's absurd and makes Disney seem like a good value.

I got a Disney credit card and charged everything I possibly could on it for about 6 years, paying the balance each month of course. I even tried to charge my mortgage, that didn't fly! I racked up a ton of points and was able to buy 5 - 7 day passes (including the waterparks) with my points ONLY! Still had a few hundred dollars left to put on a card for spending at the parks.
We went the middle of May. Seriously the best time to go! It was 85 - 89 each day, the longest we waited for any ride was about 10-12 minutes!!!! We stayed at Windsor Hills condo for $70 a night, ate a big breakfast, carried dry snacks in our backpacks, purchased very little food at the parks, ate a later dinner back at the condo. With a little planning, it can be affordable.

Disney World is getting to expensive. I think that most amusement parks are doing the same thing as well. Amusement parks should not have to be 300+ for one day just to visit because that is way to expensive for how poorly the economy is doing right now.

Hi
has anyone ever taken the underground tour ?? They take you around through the miles of tunnels after the park is closed . I particularly enjoyed the tours of the greenhouses . To me it was far more interesting than the parks lol The "landscape theory is a marvel in itself lol gary

Considering that we took our oldest son there about 14 years ago, take this for what it's worth: we felt that MK was mostly people coming from all around the country to pay $$$ to stand in line all day in the hot sun with crying kids for a 5 minute ride. I seem to recall that we rode three rides all day -- the "unpopular" ones like the spinning teacups because the "cool" rides were already booked up at the beginning of the day. MK just lets in FAR too many people each day. The food is terribly expensive as well. It just wasn't a fun vacation, so we've never gone back.

14 years ago is a long time ago! I have been twice in the last five years.

First of all -- go "off-season". We would go late Oct, early Nov and it was perfect. Not crowded and the weather is fantastic. Mid-late Jan is also great.

They also offer free dining during this time. Disney has some of the best restaurants! There dining is nothing like typical theme--parks.

Lastly, they now offer RF bands with your Fast-passes built right in. This cuts down on waiting in lines immensely.

We have nothing but fantastic memories of DW.