things I wish Disney World hotels have

[Upatnoon]

It would only ever be fair if Disney charged per person. Why should a solo have to pay as much as 2 adults 2 kids? How is that fair? Why should larger families, who cause more wear and tear and use more supplies, get a price cut when solos and couples don't?

A solo traveler is taking up the same space as a family of four in a hotel room, but only buying 1 ticket and 3 meals a day. A family of four is buying 4 tickets and 12 meals a day.

While Disney will have to pay more in refurb costs for hotels occupied by families, they still would be better off if they didn't allow solo travelers to book their hotel rooms at all.

 

[Deb & Bill]

A solo traveler is taking up the same space as a family of four in a hotel room, but only buying 1 ticket and 3 meals a day. A family of four is buying 4 tickets and 12 meals a day.

While Disney will have to pay more in refurb costs for hotels occupied by families, they still would be better off if they didn't allow solo travelers to book their hotel rooms at all.

Not necessarily. A family of four could have APs so no new tickets and they could be on their 15th trip in one year. We seldom eat three meals a day when we go. Heck, we usually only eat two meals a day at home. Some families might be bringing in food to eat in their room for breakfast and lunch and only eating dinner (sharing two plates for four people). A single person might be drinking adult beverages that are usually pretty expensive or a bottle of wine. They might be celebrating while alone (maybe even on a business trip and have all their meals paid for by the company - good eating on that trip).

 

[yaksack]

Free dining for DVC members.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Free dining for DVC members.

There is free dining for DVC members. You just have to book a room for cash, just like everyone else.

 

[cleopenn]

Thoroughly cleaned rooms and bathrooms, every time and at every hotel.

While our room (and bathroom) at the Poly was very clean, the hallways were disgusting. There is no excuse for lack of basic trash removal and cleaning at Disney price points.

 

[cleopenn]

1) queuing systems at the resorts when waiting for buses. seems to create tension when people dont know if they ll get on and if people will cut lines
2) priority for resort guests at resort restaurants.
3) character greets at the resort. they do these in disney paris and its a great perk. cant imagine they would cost much to do
4) more refill stations for mugs

Agree with the bold. At any resort of comparable price to the GF or Poly, a guest would never be turned away from a half empty restaurant if they wanted to eat lunch. We experienced this at the Poly and it defied logic.

 

[cwis]

VIP FastPass for each guest in a Suite, like at Disneyland Paris.

They give you unlimited access to all the FP rides. Here, some people actually book a Suite not because of the capacity or the bigger room size, but just because VIP FP are so awesome!

 

[Marionnette]

Disney is in a tight spot with large rooms as they can hurt the sales of their regular hotel rooms and not have the effect of helping families.

How? A family of four can cram into a value for $100 a night. If they can have double the space for $150, many families would jump at the chance for the extra space and scoop up all the $150 suites. Then large families would still have no place to stay and Disney would have to fill more regular rooms that are going unfilled because people are jumping on the "cheap" suites. This is why value suites are almost double the cost of a value.

It would be nice if Disney came up with some kind of savings for large families, but considering the strategy of Disney to maximize profits, I don't think that will ever happen.

I'm sure that the Disney bean counters looked at the average family size (3.14 people in 2017 in the U.S.) and determined that a room that accommodates 4 people will suffice for the majority of their target market. Keeping in mind that multi-generational families vacationing at Disney do not necessarily want or need to have a room that holds everyone.

The number of families with 3 or more children under the age of 18 years amounts to only about 6.8M (out of 34.3M U.S. families - not households). And of that 6.8M, many of them will never go to Disney because of the high cost of tickets, transportation and food for their family. Coming from a family with 5 siblings, I know too well about what we did without because it just wasn't affordable for my parents.

People who think that Disney should create some kind of "affordable" (a very ambiguous term) suites for larger families are not looking at it from Disney's perspective. It doesn't make much financial sense to offer cheap accommodations that will permit 8,9 or 10 people to share a space and with all of them enjoying a real bed instead of the multitude of fold-out, flip down hide-away sleep surfaces that they provide in the Family Suites. The market for that kind of resort room is too small from Disney's point of view.

 

[DSLRuser]

Except that only works until demand falls because guests feel that they are paying too much for too little in return. Some of these ideas are pretty inexpensive and go a long way toward making guests want to return vs making them feel like they've just been robbed by a mouse who is now laughing at them.

But demand has not and shows no sign of falling off.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Agree with the bold. At any resort of comparable price to the GF or Poly, a guest would never be turned away from a half empty restaurant if they wanted to eat lunch. We experienced this at the Poly and it defied logic.

What happens if they have open tables, but not enough staff to take care of all those open tables?

 

[coast2coastmickey]

What happens if they have open tables, but not enough staff to take care of all those open tables?

Post on a message board complaining about how that’s unacceptable.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I didn’t try it but I saw a stand with fresh roasted corn. It smelled wonderful.

Somewhere I mentioned this in another post, maybe this thread.

Another person mentioned pineapple, and I'm happy to see it, but unfortunately one of the few fruits I don't love.

Once upon a time, the food courts in the Land and CSR used to sell strawberries. I recently did see some decent fruit in the food court at one of the All Star resort food courts. Prior to that though, the GF quick serve was extremely lacking in healthy foods. It used to be more reliable.

I suppose that is a factor too. WDW food should change with the times, and often I'm happy to see updates. Other times, I crave a little more consistency.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

How many of those hotel rooms were located on 47 sq miles of theme parks?

Have you looked into the new Universal offerings? I don't specifically need a suite when I travel, but I'm really excited by their new offerings! the Sapphire Hotel is very nice, and I'm excited to see the new Aventura hotel!

I've even been looking into one of their suites, just because they look so very appealing.

I wouldn't even say they are my ideal vision of a hotel room, just that the décor and dining options look fresh and exciting. They seem to be trying to introduce new ideas.

That's what I like. For many years, WDW was always full of fresh ideas.

 

[coast2coastmickey]

How many of those hotel rooms were located on 47 sq miles of theme parks?

It's 47 sq miles of mostly swamp, minus a few parking lots and some theme parks. sprinkled throughout.

Just because a hotel is on Disney property doesn't make it automatically better.

Per Google Maps:
All Star Sports (value quality motel style, $120/night, as low as $90/night depending on time of year) to Animal Kingdom: 1.8 Miles
Silver Lake Resort (value quality suite/villa style, $100/night, as low as $52/night on Trivago) to Animal Kingdom: 2.2 Miles

I'm not a shill for Silver Lake Resort. In fact, never heard of it until I saw it on Google Maps just now. I just wanted to show that there are equal or better lodging options, off site, that are equal if not closer in distance to Disney parks. 47 square miles is a large area, and most of it is untouched.

 

[Magalex]

Full Coverings at the Value Resort Bus stops(Of course safe to withstand any of the Florida storms). If they can make the Gondola system they can make an awesome bus stop covering for each of the values.
Free Resort parking again for guests(and we fly in and I even fill bad for the families who load up, drive and park at values which the parking lots are huge. No need to have them pay)
In the past anyone was welcome to order from children's meal menu. I know it would never happen. But would love to see that option again.
Yes for the ones that mentioned it before, no more call centers. If at Disney I want to call true Disney cast members
Fun theme casual sit down dining at values(All Stars, just one place between the resorts)

 

[Huff]

At any resort of comparable price to the GF or Poly, a guest would never be turned away from a half empty restaurant if they wanted to eat lunch.

Often when people are turned away at a restaurant with lots of empty tables its because they do not have the staff to cater to more tables. Staff levels are set based on ADR's and predictions. They're often wrong!

 

[cleopenn]

What happens if they have open tables, but not enough staff to take care of all those open tables?

Post on a message board complaining about how that’s unacceptable.

I also complained to the manager

At the Poly's price point, during a holiday week, the resort should be properly staffed at 1:30 in the afternoon.

Further, a table of three during normal lunch hours should not present a challenge for a properly managed restaurant. If the Kona Café can't handle a table for three, Disney needs to look at its staff training program. I worked as a server and a bartender at two very busy restaurants so I get the staffing issues. I had managers that would jump in to help servers get the job done.

In all my travels, I never encountered a "resort" where there wasn't at least one sit-down dining option for guests during normal hours.

Often when people are turned away at a restaurant with lots of empty tables its because they do not have the staff to cater to more tables. Staff levels are set based on ADR's and predictions. They're often wrong![/QUOTE]


Correct. A server at the Contemporary the exact same thing, that staffing is always razor thin. Her observation was the dining plan cut into profit margins, which trickled down to less servers on the floor.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

A solo traveler is taking up the same space as a family of four in a hotel room, but only buying 1 ticket and 3 meals a day. A family of four is buying 4 tickets and 12 meals a day.

Unless one or both of the kids is under age two. If kids are age 3-9, WDW isn't making a ton of money off their food, especially if they eat a combo of packed snacks and QS.

Family at Contempo Café: $10.99-12.99 per adult entrée, $7.29-$7.99 kid meal includes drink, adults drink water =Family 10.99+12.99+7.29+7.99 = $39.26 plus tax

Solo adult entrée at Cali Grill: $47-63 (except one chicken dish at $37)

Add beverages and the gap gets wider: ONE glass wine $11-$80,mostly $15/18 range, while 2 coffees = $5.58, or soda $6.58

And that's assuming the family doesn't have refillable mugs. If the adults buy refillable mugs, and use them just once per day for seven days, the cost per day is even lower: 2.57 pp per day, or $5.14 per day for both adults.

Desserts: 2 at Contempo (kid meals come with 2 sides) - $2.59-$3.99 = $5.18-7.98 (aver$6.58 for 2). Cali Grill: mostly $13-14, except one option at $10, and one at $21.

So the family of 4 could easily eat for $47.58 (entrée, drinks, 2desserts), while the solo adult spends $81.(entrée, wine, dessert) (for reference, I didn't add tax or gratuity.)

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Also, while many solo adults stay for a week, probably even more are at WDW for a business trip, and only spend a day in the parks.

So the adult might spend $196 (1 day/peak/hopper/bought at gate), or $149.91 per day (2day hopper).

A family of four (kids age 2 and9): might only spend $140.05/day total on tickets (10day non hoppers/advance), or $186.38/day total per day for 7day non-hop.

And that is assuming the family is paying rack rates.

 

[maxiesmom]

I also complained to the manager

At the Poly's price point, during a holiday week, the resort should be properly staffed at 1:30 in the afternoon.

Further, a table of three during normal lunch hours should not present a challenge for a properly managed restaurant. If the Kona Café can't handle a table for three, Disney needs to look at its staff training program. I worked as a server and a bartender at two very busy restaurants so I get the staffing issues. I had managers that would jump in to help servers get the job done.

In all my travels, I never encountered a "resort" where there wasn't at least one sit-down dining option for guests during normal hours.

I'm sure you are aware, but people do call off of their jobs for various reasons. Or even just fail to show up. Sometimes replacements can't be found, or can't get there in a timely manner.

As far as being able to handle one additional table of 3, maybe. But that assumes the restaurant is fully staffed. And that the requested table for 3 was the very first ask for that time slot, that they didn't already have "extra" tables they were taking care of.