None of the trips I used for examples are cheap. Beach maybe being cheaper but not cheap. Universal is very similar in cost to WDW. I honestly don't feel cost has much to do with it.
And yes those trips offer plenty of choices, so does Disney. There is so much there and so much to do that it almost goes back to the original thing of people not understanding the need for planning. I mean there are X number of attractions in the MK. Someone not familiar could easily assume if Space Mountains wait is too long at 10, surely you can go back at 3 and the wait time would be much less. Sometimes true sometimes not even close! Or the fact that Disney is all about its characters. It would be easy to assume you could meet Mickey today without planning the meet 2 months out.
And while I understand why people plan in excess for a trip to WDW (I have done it too!), I also completely understand why someone would not realize the need for it. And I also understand those that are just tired of the work that goes into their vacation at WDW.
Honestly I would love to see Disney going to something like the Express Pass. But in all reality, when we went to Universal we never felt we needed to have it (we didn't) even though the parks were quite crowded. It just seemed like so many not having access to it or wanting to purchase it, made it less of a "must have" Most waits were not that bad.
