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[Nala_84]

Sorry, don't get me wrong ! I did not say that Disneyland Resort Paris is extremely or unjustified expensive!

But if you look from my point of view it is not cheap at all! I'm a student (college) and don't have a job at the moment, so I must save all the money I get to my birthday and christmas for travelling to DLRP. We had to take my parents (in the same room) with us so that we can afford going there - finally - for fully four days to Newport Bayclub, which is really great!!

But you're right that you can't compare the Resort to other theme/entertainment parks at all. Phantasialand or Europa Park here in Germany are really great and have good shows, too. But Disney is a complete different world and that's so special that it's justified to be a bit more expensive.
BUT, and that's what I meant: It's not cheap for everybody, not every person or family can afford going there because you could sometimes get a 7-days-holiday at the sea instead of 2 or 3 days at the Resort! And I don't think Walt himself would have liked this coz he definitely wanted to create a theme park where everyone can go and enjoy, even poor families. He didn't even want to take money from the people at the beginning, wasn't it like that?

In my opinion prices should really stay like they are at the moment and shouldn't increase more and more. I looked at a brochure from summer 2004 - there a 2-day/2-person trip at Newport Bayclub costed 180 Euros, today it's 214 Euros. So it's 34 Euros more per person (increased in 3 years) which could be all my dinig money during the trip.
But anyways - it IS the greatest theme park ever !

[davewasbaloo]

Sorry, don't get me wrong ! I did not say that Disneyland Resort Paris is extremely or unjustified expensive!

But if you look from my point of view it is not cheap at all! I'm a student (college) and don't have a job at the moment, so I must save all the money I get to my birthday and christmas for travelling to DLRP. We had to take my parents (in the same room) with us so that we can afford going there - finally - for fully four days to Newport Bayclub, which is really great!!

But you're right that you can't compare the Resort to other theme/entertainment parks at all. Phantasialand or Europa Park here in Germany are really great and have good shows, too. But Disney is a complete different world and that's so special that it's justified to be a bit more expensive.
BUT, and that's what I meant: It's not cheap for everybody, not every person or family can afford going there because you could sometimes get a 7-days-holiday at the sea instead of 2 or 3 days at the Resort! And I don't think Walt himself would have liked this coz he definitely wanted to create a theme park where everyone can go and enjoy, even poor families. He didn't even want to take money from the people at the beginning, wasn't it like that?

In my opinion prices should really stay like they are at the moment and shouldn't increase more and more. I looked at a brochure from summer 2004 - there a 2-day/2-person trip at Newport Bayclub costed 180 Euros, today it's 214 Euros. So it's 34 Euros more per person (increased in 3 years) which could be all my dinig money during the trip.
But anyways - it IS the greatest theme park ever !

I understand Nala, I had to go without DLP between 1995 and 1999 because of being a poor student and then starting out my adult life.  It works that way.  I would rather DLP keeps going up in price if the quality goes up and we get new attractions.  And the rate of cost increase is really minimal when compared with the cost increases on concerts and the like.  

Also, Walt was not in favour of doing DL for free.  In fact some of his attractions were very expensive.  The Jungle Cruise would be like spending 7 euros a ride to get on today. And I remember living near DL was a once a year treat in California for most people.  That's the breaks.  I would love a 5 bedroom home for my family, but I know I have to save for it.  A Disney trip (and indeed any holiday) is a luxury, not a right.  And I really think some of the problems DLP had in the early years was it had to drop it's prices (and quality).  And it has been hurting from it ever since.  Now DLP is back on the right track, and although I would love for it to cost less, I know to the get the quality I want and expect, it will ultimately cost more.  So I save accordingly.

As a student I went on 1 holiday (to DLp for Space Mountain - I won a competition and also borrowed money to do it).  That's a part of being a student.  You make the sacrifices when you are young so you can reap the rewards later.  In fact, after my voide I totally made it up going to DLP 8 times in one year.  It was hard to sacrifice in those early years, but totally worth it in the long run.

Viel gluck.  Universitat und die lebens mit es sind spass, als sie sind schwer auch!  :wink:

[speedpacket]

Sorry, don't get me wrong ! I did not say that Disneyland Resort Paris is extremely or unjustified expensive!

But if you look from my point of view it is not cheap at all! I'm a student (college) and don't have a job at the moment, so I must save all the money I get to my birthday and christmas for travelling to DLRP. We had to take my parents (in the same room) with us so that we can afford going there - finally - for fully four days to Newport Bayclub, which is really great!!

But you're right that you can't compare the Resort to other theme/entertainment parks at all. Phantasialand or Europa Park here in Germany are really great and have good shows, too. But Disney is a complete different world and that's so special that it's justified to be a bit more expensive.
BUT, and that's what I meant: It's not cheap for everybody, not every person or family can afford going there because you could sometimes get a 7-days-holiday at the sea instead of 2 or 3 days at the Resort! And I don't think Walt himself would have liked this coz he definitely wanted to create a theme park where everyone can go and enjoy, even poor families. He didn't even want to take money from the people at the beginning, wasn't it like that?

In my opinion prices should really stay like they are at the moment and shouldn't increase more and more. I looked at a brochure from summer 2004 - there a 2-day/2-person trip at Newport Bayclub costed 180 Euros, today it's 214 Euros. So it's 34 Euros more per person (increased in 3 years) which could be all my dinig money during the trip.
But anyways - it IS the greatest theme park ever !

Hi there!!!

I hope I didn't let you down too much.  I appreciate that people don't always have the financials to go to Disney, and I know that this is a problem for a lot of families indeed.

But, with all due respect, this is an entirely different discussion; unfortunately, the law of economics simply are what they are, and prices will increase...  Did you by the way check the price of a bread of 2004 and compare it with today's price?  The increases are normal, ad are what is called inflation.  

Most of these issues are caused by certain laws.  For instance, in Belgium - and as far as I know we are the only country worldwid still having to deal with this - we have an automatic coulping between the prices and what peopler are paid.  If the index of prices of regular bought items increases, people automatically earn more.  I'm very much opposed to such regulation, as it put us into a never ending circle of price increases followed by wage increases, and then followed by another price increases as the companies need to pay their employees more....

It's very sad indeed, but that's just how economic societies work.

It's up to the gvernments to put into efect regulations that make sure the distance between the rich and the poor does not continue growing as it does in America; I tink Europe is doing really good in those terms.

A study tht was published just a few days ago even put Belgium (where I live) into the top 2 of countries that avoid the distance between these two soaicl groups to increase.  I think this is a political challenge that we all should try to commit to.

Personally, I earn pretty well having my own company, but I would never try and exploit people that work for me.  that would be a bad spirit, I believe, and I very much am against those large companies getting tax benefits so they can earn more.  (Unfortunately, Disney also is one of those companies that get tax benefits while the smaller businesses have to struggle because they need to pay regular taxes; where is the fair competition in there?)

That said, I do appreciate your worries, but please know that once you have made those sacrifices it will really pay off, and you will be able to go to Disney a lot more.

Fact is that people do expect more from Disney, and if they increase quiality (which has a price, unfortunately), the number of guests will increase, even though they increased prices...  That's just economic reality...

Also - try and look into getting an annual passport and book your hotel at Holiday Inn; it will get so much cheaper for you then...  that's what we do, and it's the best solution really to go there about twice a month now...

Either way - just keep on believing in the magic!!!!


Cheers,
David.

[davewasbaloo]

Speedpacket, the more I read your posts, the more I realise how much you and are on the same page!  :lol:

[speedpacket]

Speedpacket, the more I read your posts, the more I realise how much you and are on the same page!  :lol:

Hehe - I don't often meet people that are, though...  For some reason I just see more and more people that don't think any further but their own pocket...

Not pointing fingers at anyone on these boards, but the narrow-minded often seem to be taking over, and I just had a discussion with a professor yesterday about how the educational system in Belgium, which was used to be at the top worldwide, is decreasing its quality because of the new "internationlisation" where the international community is trying to level out differences in education, so that my master or bachelor in belgium would be equal to yours in the UK.  I just hope that government leaders worldwide soon re-understand the importance of "general" education, and don't put more wight into the "individual-based" education where you are only thaught what you are interested in (very much the American way!!!).

You actually grow people with very narrow-minded vision like that, and I'm realy concerned about that, since in a broader perspective even terrorism can be explained partly because of this development in the education of our youth.

But - back on topic!!!  Disney is a lot of money, but try and look out for special offers, and alternative ways of visiting the resort (you don't ALWAYS have to go to a Disneyland hotel )

And Dave - sometimes I realy do believe that given names to people actually influence how you think LOL - It's just like the zodiac signs (I'm a Leo by the way - you don't happen to be on too?)

And again - my apologies for going off-subject like this...  Don't realy like when other people do, so damn me for doing so

Also - I just re-read some of my posts, and I really must apologise for the missing characters LOL, but I replaced my broken logitech keyboard with a wireless Microsoft keyboard - I really can not advise anyone to follow my lead on that one!!!  The wireless connection often does not seem to be able to follow my typing, so sorry if it sometimes seems as if I can't write...



Cheers
David.

[speedpacket]

Okay- and I honestly know that really is with double L, but when typing the same character soon after the other, it simply "forgets" the second one...

I sure as hell hope that Microsoft isn't getting much tax benefits

[davewasbaloo]

Speedpacket, the more I read your posts, the more I realise how much you and are on the same page!  :lol:

...I just had a discussion with a professor yesterday about how the educational system in Belgium, which was used to be at the top worldwide, is decreasing its quality because of the new "internationlisation" where the international community is trying to level out differences in education, so that my master or bachelor in belgium would be equal to yours in the UK.  I just hope that government leaders worldwide soon re-understand the importance of "general" education, and don't put more wight into the "individual-based" education where you are only thaught what you are interested in (very much the American way!!!).

I just want to set one thing straight. US education even at a batchelor level is more broad than certainly the UK, and in my experience France and Germany.  In the US, you not only have a major and a minor, but you must also study English, Math, PE, Speech, Humanities, Art and Science up to the age of 22.  I did not have to do any of those in the UK after the age of 16.  My education in the UK was far more narrow than my Mom's education in the US.

But I agree, internationalism can a be a good thing, but there are a huge number of negatives as well.

Back on topic though, this narrow minded selfishness is what really drags DLP down sadly.  The behaviour of some of the guests and cast members. C'est la vie.

[tubbsy]

First of all -Speedpacket-I completely get the keyboard problem. I have one... It drives me mad as I cant look at the screen and type. I look up and see loads of letters missing!  :x  :lol:

Second. I dont have a problem of paying more. In fact Disney do some great deals. At the moment we are a one income hosuehold as I am doing my degree (God only knows why-or thats how I feel at the minute!) so ANY holiday is great and its not our given right to go away to somewhere like DLRP. We save up and when we can afford it, we go.

If you think about it for a third of the price travelling to America, my family can afford to stay on site for a very reasonable price for a week. If prices have to increase we go without a Disney holiday until we can afford it How sad am I?

What I dont get is, how can they afford to do the under sevens go free? I know its not much for my family, (one child is 12, so an adult price and one under 7) but if you think a  family of four go with two children under the age of 7, surely they are missing out on money there? Or are they hoping that, as children can go free, they will get more families going with at least 2 paying adults, so they will recoup funds that way? I am a psychology student not a maths one, hence the probably REALLY dumb questions!!

And what will happen to DLRP if things dont improve? (THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!)Will it turn into a ghost town? :shock:  Or worse!

Off subject for the moment-And as for the degree thing- I think part of Britains problem is that we put our children into formal education far too early-therefore they are not interested in further or higher education by the time they are eighteen-whether it be a foundation degree in many areas, to then be built upon with a pure degree, or a pure and applied degree straight from school. I was fed up of school, left to start work and at the age of (COUGH!) decided I did want to do my degree and now having to do it the long way round!

Opinionated point of view finished.

[lostinwonderland]

The only thing about this money thing I can really say is that if you're going to Disney you know it's going to be exspensive! That's never really been a secret.. You know it's gonna cost you quite a bit...

Also with that degree thing, about only getting taught what you want to get taught.. Some Universities are trying to get a small dose of something different into their students..  Coventry will be the example on this because it's one that I know well.. They have this thing there called the "advantage module" (it's compulsory) basically you pick a module that may have absoloutly nothing to do with your couse (possibly a language, or something from another course)...

What I dont get is, how can they afford to do the under sevens go free? I know its not much for my family, (one child is 12, so an adult price and one under 7) but if you think a  family of four go with two children under the age of 7, surely they are missing out on money there? Or are they hoping that, as children can go free, they will get more families going with at least 2 paying adults, so they will recoup funds that way? I am a psychology student not a maths one, hence the probably REALLY dumb questions!!

I think by doing 'under 7s go free', they're hoping that more familys will go to disneyland and ones that would go anyway would go for longer.. So they would be gaining what they lost by more adults (parents) paying the price and more familys spending money in the parks (food, souvenirs, etc.)

[speedpacket]

Hi again...

The discussion is really going on, which I like a lot.
First of all - let's just point out I do not want to patronise ayone or stereotype certain nations or their education.

I just know for a fact that in Belgium for instance, the debate is increasingly more touched than a few years.  I firmly believe that we had an exceptional good education system, and it's pity to see that we are changing tht just for the cause of... changing, and that's my point: if something is good, and pays off, I see no ned to change it unless we can even improve it...

At this time, "individual-based" education is a hot topic, where they want to try and stimulate children by focussing on the areas they are strong at and have a better interest for.  
While it seems the logic thing to do, I see more and more people not knowing basic facts of life, and that worries me.  Children that no longer know where the milk comes from, and get horrified when they first see a cow at the age of 16 (!!!  Not lying, just experienced it a few days ago!!!).  The girl refuses to drink any more milk because she hates the thought of it coming "out of a cow".

Or people that don't even know to place world war 2 just 6 decades ago, but instead believe that it's been ages since there was a war...  I'm only 26, but I hate how people start to take everything for granted, and while we are all getting concerned about global warning, I see more and more people that simply don't give a  damn, or don't even have a clue as to why that might be a bad thing to happen.

I guess you are right in terms of US/UK comparison.  The only difference in US - at least to my feling - is that it are the happy few that can afford it that go to Uni.  In Belgium, EVERYONE can go to University, and the annual subscription costs you about 500 EUR MAXIMUM!  If you have low income, you even get additional grants so it becomes cheaper.  I find this VERY important, and have personally never understood how nations like the UK in particular think they can improve standards if they - as a government, as a nation - don't invest in education...  I personally find it disgusting if I hear from friends in the UK that literally need to take out loans to be able to go to study.

I will always continue to believe that a good education that is available to EVERYONE and not just those people that can afford it, is the basis for a solid solution to many problems.  Racism often too is a result of bad education, ad it is difficult to blame people if they don't know better or were never thaught something else...

Seriously, I don't een remember how we got so far in this topic, but well - just some thoughts I have...

Tubbsy, I find it AMAZING that you are studying again!!!  I wish you much luck with it, and I'm sure that you will be very happy when you graduate, and have the income you hoped for that you can spend at Disney again

The under sevens for free thing...  Well, they have always done the under fours for free I believe, and I think that the only problem they might run into with such an offer is capacity at the parks...  For the res, these children still need to eat and drink, so there is still revenue...  If you think about it, it's the same with the annual passports; we don't spend a single cent either to enter the resort, yet we spend a LOT of money on collectibles, great food, our hotel room, etc...

I don't think the resort will ever disappear; French government will do whatever it can to keep it there, since it provides so many jobs.  If you know about the employment issues in France, and especially the Parisian suburbs, I'm sure that the new president will be very grateful that they still have the resort...  So nothing to worry about ghost towns yet

[miss disney fan]

Children that no longer know where the milk comes from, and get horrified when they first see a cow at the age of 16 (!!! Not lying, just experienced it a few days ago!!!). The girl refuses to drink any more milk because she hates the thought of it coming "out of a cow".


i agree with this, i have aways told my son the facts of food and where meat, cheese, milk and other things come from and why the animals are needed, but i have also taught him to resect things as well

i also agree on how you make your holiday at disney what you want, they give you enough choice of hotels at differet price levels so theres something for everyone. I live on a very tight buget so i dont go that often (give me a choice and i would go every year more than once), so i save up and go about every two years, but i go to enough and not worry about things

at the end of the day you have to do whats best for you and make do with what you have got!  :?

and as you say about grants for  University, since my son has been 5 i have been putting alittle bit of money away every week (£10) so if he wants and can he should have abit of money behind him to start him of, if not then he may get a car out of it, who knows but its there for him

(sorry about the spelling, as you can tell i never did well at school and could wait to leave   )

[tubbsy]

Speedpacket-I should have done my degree when I was younger, but it'll be worth it in the end. Well, thats what I keep telling myself come exam days! :lol:

Miss Disney fan-I've been saving for my two as well so they can go onto higher education or whatever they wish to do. However, I dont agree with the fact we have to do this. We have a growing situation of the rich getting richer and the poor making do in the U.K. Education will become elitist again-like it once was before wolrd war 2.

As for dumbing down-Hmmmm I was in a year that did the old style British tests and the "new" gcse's (yes, thats how old I am!) I did maths O and got a BAD grade and did GCSE maths and got a B. How does that compare? They were supposed to be equivalent back then, but obvioulsy they werent. And our universities are moaning because children leave school using little or no punctuation and the sciences do not fair much better.

Do you know that someone did a degree in Jedi - I wonder if he was allowed to use the force during the exam? :shock:  :lol:  If I could do a degree in DLRP I'm sure I wouldnt do too badly.

BACK ON TOPIC!

Do you think, if the revenue is good enough from the kids under 7 it would stay? Its certainly doing the business.

Sister in law tried to book last minute and she was told she had NO CHANCE of getting anywhere. She was shocked. She may have to come with us in October :shock:
 YEAH Disney is all I say. My holiday is paid for and now we are saving every last penny so we have more spendies for the shops.

And like you Miss Disney fan, we save for our holiday. We cant go as often as we'd like, but when we go, we enjoy every minute of it and plan for the next one about five minutes after returning home

Glad to hear they wont let DLRP go. I can start saving for the next visit