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Walt Disney World is expensive. There really is no way to sugarcoat it. But for those of us who have been to Disney World, we know little ways to save some extra cash.
But even that doesn’t help to mitigate the cost entirely. When the trip ends, you hope you get what you pay for: memories that last a lifetime.
Credit: Disney Dining
Related: Disney World Prices Are Going To Start Keeping Some Families Away
There are times, though, when the cost can’t be justified. Heading to Disney World during its busiest times can take the joy out of a trip, as one family found out this spring break.
One mother took to X (formerly Twitter) to complain about her family’s expensive day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. All in all, the family spent $3,758 for one day at the Disney World theme park.
Their day started with breakfast at Hollywood and Vine. What they called a “mediocre” breakfast cost them $223. They followed that up with a visit to Toy Story Land; however, even with a Lightning Lane pass, they were only able to get onto one ride, Toy Story Mania.
@imbrettcooper @Disney @WaltDisneyWorld @RobertIger $3758 for 1 out of 5 days, the long wait times even with the Fast Pass, and the Entire Disney World/Land Property is overcrowded. As a Stockholder, I am truly embarrassed by Disney. Fix this please, TY💖https://t.co/UJ4ZkC3wCD
— Shiny Luck Fairy (@ShinyLuckFairy) March 16, 2024
Related: Disney World is Catering to Its Wealthier Guests, And Everyone Else is Paying the Price
The family of five would pay $175 to purchase Disney Genie Plus for the bay, but they would find that Hollywood Studios was so crowded it was difficult to get on any of the rides.
After Toy Story Land, they headed to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where they dropped another $800 on three lightsabers. The wait time for the two Star Wards rides was 120 minutes, but they could get on one using their Disney Genie Plus Lightning Lane.
After paying $311 for dinner, the family returned to their Disney World hotel, which they were paying $997 a night.
The family paid $3758 for a day at Hollywood Studios, and they could only get on two rides. Some of these expenses could have been avoided, and seasoned Disney World vets know how to get away with a significantly cheaper experience.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-B0eX4ylP1A
Related: Hey Iger, It’s The Prices Keeping Disney World Attendance Down
I’m sure you can do Disney cheaper and more cost-effective, but the fact that you just go to Disney and you waste time and you walk around in an insanely packed, crowded, humid park and you can’t even get on a ride and the only thing you can do is spend money on their mediocre food and their corporate gross products that only further your addiction to their brand, that’s the scam.
While a trip to Walt Disney World is expensive and can be crowded, there are ways to get around paying an obscene amount and to get onto more than two rides in a day. But this just shows that without planning and paying attention to a budget, your Disney experience can be ruined, and you could end up paying thousands and getting very little in return.
What do you think about this family’s experience at Walt Disney World? Have you had something similar happen to you? Let us know in the comments.
Did they need to spend $997a night for hotel & $800 for 3 light sabers, a waste, not Disney fault you didn’t budget
Disney has evolved to similar to the rest of American Business where you will pay more to get less. Too many people have ruined it. Disney keeps upping the prices for everything until the threshold is met, i.e. people won’t come anymore. Until pepple wise up and stop taking little Johnny and Mary to Disney at any expense the greed factor will continue. Bush Gardens and even Universal are a better choice for now. But…..just watch they will have problems eventually similar to Disney. I was there on day one when the Magic Kingdom opened. I have seen it all.
They definitely could have gotten away with it a lot cheaper BUT they wanted the expensive meals and the light sabers which is ok if thats what they wanted……….I dont have a problem with that since the memories with the trip and stories they have will be forever………..I think they could have gotten a suite at music or AOA for 5 but its their business what hotel they stay in , not mine………..I hope they had a great time even if it was so busy.
How can they complain when all the choices they made- where to stay, where to eat, and what to buy- even when to go, were all their own choices! I do understand having to select certain times of year to accomodate kids in school, but if you are going to make expensive choices, you can’t turn around and blame Disney for the cost. What she spent in a day is probably what my family spends on a week (minus the hotel stay but we have DVC and have for 24 years now – which has more than paid for itself over the years). To each his own.
While I do agree that Disney has really outpriced itself and is extremely expensive, this whole story was ridiculous! This family was totally off track. First of all, why go during the busiest time of the year when everything is the most expensive and most crowded and stay in the most expensive hotel then complain about it?? Common, people! Plan for better, don’t eat the expensive stuff, and don’t buy $800 light sabers! We were just at Disney World a couple of weeks ago, we stood in line and elected NOT to buy the Lightening Lane or Genie for anything!
My family of 5 had a very similar experience at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. And we didn’t buy the expensive toys or eat at the expensive restaurants. The rides were so crowded and the park was so crowded that my grandchildren didn’t get to go on a lot of rides. It was truly a great experience for them, even though because we had not been there in a few years and they did not remember a lot from before. I love Disney World and was there the first week it opened in 1971. But it just seems the greed has consumed the corporation.
I have to agree with the comments above. Their choices for food, accommodation and light sabers made up more than half of their cost for the day, they really can’t blame their choices on Disney. It could have been a much more cost effective visit with different choices. However, I do still agree that costs involved in visiting Disney World are now absolutely horrendous sadly.