We go to Disney World every day and partake in rides, food, merchandise, character interactions, and just about everything that Disney World has to offer.
Cinderella Castle
But, we know that going to Disney World isn’t always a walk in the park — especially if it’s your first time. That, combined with the fact that Disney World isn’t exactly cheap, might be why the House of Mouse has just been awarded a rather unfortunate title.
According to a survey of 5,000 people created by the team at Casino.org based on Tripadvisor’s top 10 US attractions, roughly 60% of all surveyed feel that Disney World is America’s biggest rip-off.
Disney World
The article details that at $109 a ticket per person for simply the most basic of tickets, it is understandable that Disney World ranks number one as the biggest tourist attraction rip-off. Not only that, it is noted that Disney World is Florida’s number one biggest rip-off!
Hollywood Studios
We aren’t sure how we feel about this knowledge but we understand the results. That’s why we here at Disney Food Blog are all about offering you tips and tricks to make your vacation as enjoyable as it can be while finding you ways to save money!
Slinky Dog Dash!
If you go to Disney World as often as we do, think about investing in an annual pass, as it’ll save you money on tickets, visits, merchandise, and food in the long run. We also like the Disney Dining Plan when it comes to saving money on food!
Annual Pass
Stay tuned to Disney Food Blog as we keep on the lookout for all the latest tips, tricks, and deals to make your vacation the best it can possibly be!
Read About This Latest Disney Discount!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
How do you feel about the pricing at Disney World? Let us know in the comments down below!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Casinos are not a rip off? interesting concept. At least after a day in the Magic kingdom you can say you have been on some rides and watched some show. Casinos cant say you have anything .
My daughter and I visited WDW for 10 days for the 50th Anniversary. We went to Universal for one day , 2 parks, with the extra $89 Express pass each, and the total for 1 day for 2 people was $580. There is no way our Disney passes plus Genie+ came near that. We paid to less than $100 each per day for tickets. Universal used to be inexpensive, often buy 2 days and 3 free, but that’s long gone. Plus we paid ride-sharing both ways, so an extra $40+. Even one day in our Family suite 1 bedroom, 2 bath, big kitchen room at the All Star Music, added to our ticket prices wouldn’t add up to the daily cost we paid for Universal. Also, when people complain about food prices at Disney, my daughter pointed out that we always got more than we could eat, and that the prices weren’t that bad considering. Having a nice kitchen was a plus, we could eat leftovers and that saved money. We loved the pizza at the food court. And we realized that a whole pizza was about the price of 2 slices, so ordered the whole pie. That left more money for Dole Whip!
I don’t necessarily think Disney World is a rip-off. I think if you budget wisely, you can have a very enjoyable trip. There are many options to cut costs that won’t adversely affect your vacation. A day at Magic Kingdom for $108 gets you more fun time than tickets to a Broadway show in NYC at $300 for 2 1/2 hours.
I also don’t think Universal is more expensive than Disney. We stay at Dockside Inn (a value hotel) and pay $100/night for a standard room that is larger in size than Disney’s moderate rooms. Their food court is very good and less expensive than Disney’s. Our value hotel has a gym (if you’re so inclined to use one on vacation). The pool is large and perfect. The pool restrooms are larger and better than any of Disney’s pool restrooms. Transportation is 100% better than Disney’s.
You can visit either resort and not feel like you’re being ripped off. The way you spend your money is your choice.
I don’t consider Disney World a rip-off, but as a DVC member and an Annual Passholder, I have a different perspective than someone who goes to Disney World once every few years, or even less than that. I generally go 3 times per year, and if I can’t do a particular ride or see a particular show, it doesn’t bother me because I know I’ll be back in a few months and I can do it then. People who are taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip have a greater sense of urgency to experience everything and get their money’s worth. One piece of advice you’ve heard from DFB and All Ears that I wholeheartedly agree with: embrace the kids meal whenever you can, assuming you didn’t buy the Disney Dining Plan. You’ll get plenty of food for almost half the price.
I think it’s great that Disney World got such a terrible rating. That might reduce the crowds on the days we go to the parks.
DFB, please let’s not give any credit to a survey done by casino.org.
While nobody will disagree that a trip to WDW is expensive and inflation there has exceeded general inflation, let’s take a step back and think about what people will pay for concert or sporting event tickets. People will pay $250+ for a concert ticket for a show that last 2-3 hours. At least with a ticket to a Disney park you get at least 10 hours of entertainment.
To the 60 %, maybe you should go to your local “Fun Park” and knock yourself out on the Tilt-a-Whirl.
Our daughters did ALL of the planning for our “Once in a Lifetime” family, Disney vacation.
We treated 7 people to Parkhopper passes for 4 days. ( We saved $150 by purchasing passes with Target gift cards, & 2 people had paid passes from our last Disney trip, many years ago. )
We paid for 3 rooms, for 4 nights, at the Contemporary hotel “garden” hotel.
The total was $12,000 for passes & hotel rooms.
Everyone was on their own for food expenses.
ALL had a wonderful time!
I would have appreciated a reduced price for park passes, due to my husband’s, physical disability. We spent 4 hrs./day in each park & went on 3 rides/day. 1 of the days, we spent at the hotel, due to exhaustion.
Most food prices were exhorbitant. We purchased many food items, from stores, before arriving. We did find a few “deals”.
My husband rented a scooter for the 4 days we were there, but had to pay for 5 days. I thought that was unfair, too.
Overall, we were thrilled with our trip.
We would do it, again, if prices were more reasonable.
I don’t mind too much the cost of the Park ticket. It’s that Genie+ and paying for specific rides that kills me!
The survey is about perception and not reality and also how do you put a price on the experience!
But one thing, please don’t tell people the Dining Plan saves money because for most people that is not true. We have you used the Dining Plan many times and liked it for the convenience but unless you always buy the most expensive items on the menus it will NOT save you money. It also sometimes forces you to eat more food than you like. At some restaurant my girlfriend just wants to eat an appetizer for her well and that is not covered under the dining plan so she is forced to order a meal which she doesn’t want or we end up with extra credits. The Dining Plan especially with the new changes to it, is more expensive and cuts down on your flexibility when ordering food. thanks
This is a common complaint that we hear from certain family members too. But they forgot that you can bring in your own food, you don’t have to pay for character greetings, or that the parks are super clean and where else can you take your toddler to teen and above and have fun! It really is all about perspective on what you think your time and money is worth.
Color me unimpressed by a survey that has “casino” in the name. Disney is full of excitement and wonder but you need to go with the eyes of a child – you have to bring out your inner child and explore. If you go into it expecting only a bunch of rides, food, and bottled water then of course you are going to be disappointed. There are the cast members ready to help you at any moment, there are the performers that appear in various places, the parades, and the behind-the-scenes visits like the rhinos and elephants at Animal Kingdom. I’ve been to both Los Vegas and Atlantic City, and neither of them have made the wonderful memories we’ve collected from Disney. Oh, and FYI, DFB makes it even more amazing to visit.
Vacation, for a lot of us, is a splurge, a luxury. Yep, a luxury. We don’t live close enough to justify annual passes. We don’t have enough funds to fly every other month to anywhere let alone Walt Disney World.
You want a vacation to live up to the hype. No matter where you decide to go. Poor planning and high expectations can lead to real disappointments. I love WDW, but IMO, it is not what you see on TV; nothing ever is.
If you want to have a successful vacation anywhere, do your homework. WDW is complicated, expensive, and contains a lot of pitfalls. If you’ve never been, start figuring things out at least 2 years ahead of time. Especially the money. There are lots of blog spots and websites that provide information & tools.
My best advice: Being flexible is a must. Some times things just don’t go like you want them too. Have some back up plans for days that aren’t going well.
I’m a Disney vet and I still do a lot of research before I go. I want to get the most for my time and money. I think most of us do.
Lastly, casino or not, everything is a gamble, nothing is free.
It’s not the tickets that are the rip off to me and my wife. It’s the cost of ONE NIGHT in any of the hotels on property. Seriously. We still go – but we used to stay at CBR, now we have to stay at Pop Century. The hotel prices are INSANITY.
Just looking at who did the poll (ok survey) I was wondering who they asked? A trip to a casino for many people would be the rip off…everything is extra unless you’re a gambler. I have to agree with Vivian and Janet.
The one thing I would say is that some people go to Disney with sky-high expectations that no one could fulfill.
Where I live in Florida cupcakes cost more here than in Disney and are a lot smaller. Of course a survey by an organization named Casinos is going to ask the “right people” what they think. People who go to casinos are not going to have the same tastes as people who go to Disney.
Then why are there so many people still going to WDW if it’s a rip off?? 😂
Ever since they shorten park hours for everyone but deluxe resorts or after-hour ticketed events, introduced Gene+ etc. Basically, monetizing anything that would improve the guest experience Disney became a money pit. Some people might call that a rip off.
Casinos??? Talk about a rip-off. Why would they comment on theme parks? Strange. I’ve been to casinos at times. No comparison to Disney World.
Iconic venues and services like Disney are always considered competition to others and surveys can be written to help themselves. Most businesses run on profit margins and delivery is the key! Disney founded the magic and others just can’t compare. Disney’s recent media and political jabs are rounding out their toll so I am not surprised. Disney prices have gone up too much to fast and the impact of covid’s employment is still with us however resort and park updates along with steadfast pricing would be the best route for Disney over the next two years. Nothing compares to the magic of a Disney Experience! Let them try it’s ok but Disney fans know always First and forever lasting is the Disney Experience!
Considering a concert may be 2 hours for 300.00 plus per person. Or even much higher! Any show at Vegas starts at 100.00. Per person for how long 90 min. Disney is open from 8am to 11 pm on most days and can stay 109.00 a day for non stop entertainment. Also, when you buy 3 or more days price goes way down!!! Disney is not a terrible value at all compared to other places. Don’t go hog wild with souvineers and food then complain.
Ms. Vivian your price is incorrect at universal. The only way you got under $100.00 at Disney is because you were there for a lot of days . If you visited Universal for 5 days you would have paid less than the 10 days at Disney. And I am not a big universal fan. I grew up at Disney. Also universal has payment plans for all their AP. Disney only offers to Florida residents. Also most of Disney discounts are for almost so called non busy time. And dinning plan do you homework in most cases you spend more money.
I have loved Disney since as long as I can remember. I’ve always been fascinated with
“The Man behind the Mouse”. To see what it has become is heartbreaking. It IS ridiculous with the prices. I’ve randomly looked at the value resorts and have seen their rooms be $300+! How is that value? They’ve taken away the fast passes and have forced you to be on your phones instead of enjoying the day. The cost of the Genie+ also fluctuates and so does the lightening lanes. I’ve seen some lightening lanes be up to $22! For a family of 4-5 to pay that extra after everything else is ridiculous! I won’t pay for Genie+ as it’s another reminder of something that has made Disney be “extra” and it no longer is. We are also DVC members and to see things that have been discontinued for us is just one more thing. And lets not get me started on having to “waitlist” a room but yet there are rooms available to pay, I’ve already paid a lot of money for my membership.
How is this Disney a ripoff?. Did the survey also include other entertainment options? Heck parking at the las Vegas sphere starts at $100 and to watch a 1 hour movie is $79.00
Stupid survey. A 1-day ticket into a Disney theme park is less than a 1-day ski lift ticket at a number of Sierra-Nevada or Rocky Mountain ski resort. A good orchestra seat at a Broadway musical costs anywhere from $300-600 (on average with Hamilton more). A center seat for U2 at the Las Vegas Sphere is $1200. Disney seems like a good deal. High quality entertainment is expensive.
I already wrote a comment, but I don’t see it.
Let’s not forget Walt’s dream he wanted ALL people to come and visit and enjoy and share his dream. And most of all he wanted it to be affordable for everyone, not for just the higher bidders.
I understand inflation but again you
Don’t have to make the nicer things out of reach.
To Amber, yes we stayed at All Star Music for 10 days, so yes, our ticket prices were closer to $85 a day, our family suite was $350 a night because it was a one bedroom, 2 bath, kitchen room. Regular price of one room was half that at $175 a night. But also keep in mind that we were there for the 50th Anniversary and that is probably the most crowded and expensive time for WDW. But as I said, we went to Universal for one day excursion during our stay at Disney to see all the new Harry Potter things that are there since we last went to Universal years ago. But I DID pay just under $600 for the two adults for a 2 park pass plus Express Pass plus tax for both of us. Plus rideshare to get there too. Universal was making money on the fact that Disney was celebrating their Anniversary. One day admission for 2 parks and Express passes per person TODAY on their website is $174 and $109 for Express Pass to two parks. We didn’t buy a Dining Pass at Disney, but as I said, we thought the prices were not horrendous, going to nearly any restaurant here in Portland will cost a minimum of $15 a person, and we found plenty of places to eat generously for that. When we wanted to splurge, we did, loved Be Our Guest and Space 220. It’s part of the experience. Even my husband sees the ads on TV and thinks the price of the rooms is too expensive. So I looked up the prices of rooms at the Coast, 90 miles from Portland, and most were in the $250-400 per night, just to be at or near the beach, which Oregon has 350 miles of shoreline. Sorry, but we enjoyed our suite, the food, the experiences of the 50th Anniversary at WDW. But saying Universal is cheaper is incorrect. Even adding Genie+ with a ride or two comes to less than 1/3 of the Universal Express Pass, that a not a ripoff to me.
WDW has priced-out the middle class. Even at a VR ‘s the mark up has been outrageous. Glad we took our girls twice when they were younger. We won’t be going back.
Vivian,
If you stayed at the Universal hotel and got a multi-day pass, it would have been cheaper than Disney, although they are both overpriced. $350 for a budget Disney hotel is crazy when it was half that price 10 years ago. They are trying to suck every dollar out but fluctuating prices and then charging extra for Genie. To ride a popular ride for 60 seconds, I have to wait 90 minutes or pay an extra $22 per person. For a family of five it costs $10,000 a week which I can spend over in Europe. And for the people saying it costs $600 for a Broadway ticket, you are being scammed. I live in NYC and can see any show for $150.
It’s sad how some people want everything, but don’t want to pay anything, or they want it for cheap. Yes Disney is expensive, but so is everything else now a days. But some people still want price from 10-20 years ago. In my experience, people I know that think Disney is a rip-off, are the ones who just can’t afford it, so they just complain how expensive is as if it is a given right and they are entitled to go to Disneyland or Disney world at bargin basement prices. And I also know many people that don’t think it is worth, but they don’t complain and whine about it, they just don’t go. And then there are those who compare Apples to Oranges where they compare Universal and many other amusement parks to Disney. DIsney cost what it cost, so all the haters need to get over it and keep to themselves.
This is comical. Casinos stay in business by draining people’s money. With Disney World at least you get a great vacation. Gambling is like throwing money down a rat hole.