Disney World Ranks as #1 Rip-Off
I’m not going to tell you that Walt Disney World is not a rip-off. What I am going to tell you is that the recent survey ranking Walt Disney World as the #1 rip-off of United States tourist attractions is, itself, a rip-off. That’s right, the survey is the rip-off.
It’s possible that you’ve seen reference to this survey on social media, as disenchanted Walt Disney World fans have been sharing it, feeling vindicated in their disappointment with the company. And it’s fair to be dissatisfied with what you experience (or don’t experience!) at the parks. But not everything that confirms your priors is instantly valid, even if it feels validating.
Enter the recent survey ranking Walt Disney World as the biggest rip-off tourist attraction in the United States. Again, it’s a conclusion that feels satisfying for many WDW diehards, especially those still airing their grievances about the demise of Disney’s Magical Express, end of free FastPass, erosion of Extra Magic Hours, and so forth.
According to this survey by Casino.org, the top three generalized rip-offs in all of society, I guess, were college textbooks, credit scores, and movie theater snacks. I agree in principle with college textbooks and movie theater snacks, even if both of those are essentially optional. Not sure how credit scores are a rip-off in the traditional sense of the term, but whatever.
Honorable mentions here included hotel mini-bars, airport food and drink, cable television, brand-name products, specialty coffee, alcohol and desserts at restaurants, travel deals, and landline phones. Again, agreed with several of these, whereas others are a bit confusing. Categorical inclusion of brand-name products or desserts is quite a choice, and travel deals as a rip-off is a head-scratcher. Then again, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard several Disney fans say, “Free Dining is a rip-off” so I guess that checks out.
But let’s fast-forward to the top 10 list of destination rip-offs in the United States…
Glacier National Park – Ranking as the #10 biggest rip-off tourist destination in the entire United States, this was the very moment I realized the list is complete and utter garbage. First of all, there is not a single U.S. National Park that’s a rip-off. Even if you disliked a certain destination or think it fell short of expectations for whatever reason, that’s a you problem. For another thing, the entry fee at Glacier National Park is $35 per vehicle for 7-days. Meaning that a family of 4 could do Glacier National Park for about $1 per person per day.
Finally, Glacier National Park is awesome. It ranks #2 on my list of the Top 10 U.S. National Parks. I cannot wait to get back and am really excited to take our daughter there. If you asked me whether you should take a year off from Walt Disney World or Disneyland to visit Glacier National Park, I’d answer an emphatic yes. It’s one of the most incredible places I’ve ever visited.
I cannot even fathom what people would dislike about it. Are they upset that they didn’t see an iceberg? Too much incredible wildlife? Were the historic lodges frustratingly stunning? The lakes too clear? The huckleberry everything too delicious?! Make it make sense.
Old Faithful Geyser – Watching this geyser erupt is a Yellowstone National Park tradition, and people from all over the world have made the trek to see Old Faithful since it inspired the establishment of Yellowstone as the world’s first national park in 1872. I cannot fathom this being even “overrated” let alone a “rip-off” for all of the same reasons as above. Maybe this was a bunch of Wilderness Lodge fans saying, “I’ve seen the one at Walt Disney World, why bother taking the trip to Wyoming?!”
Statue of Liberty – A gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States that’s recognized as a universal beacon of freedom and democracy. I guess in a world where those qualities are taken for granted, the Statue of Liberty has lost its luster for some. But that’s ludicrous. Nothing symbolizes the idea and ideals of America better than Lady Liberty; she is in no way, shape or form a rip-off.
Okay, I’ve had enough. I’m not even going to get through the rest of the list, which includes Seattle’s Space Needle, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Navy Pier in Chicago, and Hoover Dam in Nevada. Not to mention the Alamo at #2 (I’ve never been, but am highly skeptical of this ranking) or the National Mall at #1. The National Mall is free! It’s incredible! Did a bunch of dummies all mistake it for the Mall of America, get annoyed that they were forced to learn against their will, and all respond to this survey?!
Literally everywhere I’ve been to on this list is a great destination, belonging on a ‘best of’ list rather than one of rip-offs. (We spent a lot of time in Chicago during college and didn’t love Navy Pier, but tourists should absolutely do a pass to cross it off their lists. The same could probably be said for a couple other spots. Like Times Square, none are downright bad, even if they are touristy. They’re touristy for a reason!)
It’s also worth noting that not a single casino or gambling destination made the list of rip-offs. Which is not to say that they are rip-offs, but the house does always win (statistically speaking). You’d think that maybe places that popularized the “resort fee” and are on the bleeding edge of charging higher parking rates would make the list. Probably just a convenient coincidence that their indirect competition–National Parks and theme parks–are deemed rip-offs instead. (Okay, the Sphere is a national treasure that needs to be protected at all costs–America’s next big infrastructure project should be building Spheres in every major city. But I digress.)
Which brings us to Walt Disney World, ranking as the #1 rip-off. According to the survey, 60% of respondents concluded that Walt Disney World is the biggest rip-off for US attractions. Knowing how many of you have become jaded by the company, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a lot of agreement with that ranking. I’d counter that methodology matters. That a survey that’s clearly garbage should not be touted just because it validates our preconceived beliefs. Confirmation bias is a helluva drug, and one that’s already caused plenty of problems for society.
I know I’ve already identified a bunch of reasons why this survey is junk, but the final thing I can’t get past is Walt Disney World ranking #1 and Disneyland not even being in the top 10. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that Walt Disney World is the worst–and claims that spot according to 60% of respondents–it follows that Disneyland should be #2. It not making the top 10, and instead a free destination in Washington D.C. being #2 is just the chef’s kiss on this list.
(For what it’s worth, we recently addressed value for money in Are Walt Disney World & Disneyland Good Per-Hour Values Compared to Other Entertainment? There’s a lot of rambling towards the beginning, so maybe scroll past that to the list of per hour costs of Disney vs. other attractions and entertainment options.)
Ultimately, my goal with this post was mostly to call your attention to the other conclusions reached by this same survey to cast doubt on its methodology, potential biases or conflicts of interest, and maybe give people pause before mindlessly sharing it or being emboldened or whatever by Walt Disney World being deemed the #1 rip-off. As should be obvious, this list is pretty far from authoritative, and most of the destinations on it shouldn’t feel ashamed, but rather, have a sense that they‘re in good company.
Our response to this mindless list isn’t just a mindless defense of Disney, either. (After all, if a Disney fan site ranked Walt Disney World as the #1 value-for-money tourist destination, you might give a little side eye and question the bias!) We’ve been critical of the company, with Is Disney Ruining Its Reputation? and Disney’s Reputation Falls Further covering this type of survey and why it really matters. The difference is credibility. The surveys that are the subject of those posts have it and this one doesn’t.
And for the record, these types of surveys do concern me and I hope they concern the company. Goodwill earned over generations is at risk of being irrevocably lost–Walt Disney World needs to make more positive changes to improve satisfaction and undo brand damage. We’ve been over all of this many times–but things needing fixing doesn’t make some suspect survey valid.
Finally, you know what, I do disagree with the ranking of Walt Disney World as the #1 rip-off. I’ve visited tons of roadside attractions, tourist traps, and regional amusement parks in my day. Even if Walt Disney World costs more than all of them (and it does!), it still delivers a better experience–and more commensurate value for money, by extension.
While we point out the problems at Disney, that comes from a place of love and wanting the parks to be their very best. We don’t think Walt Disney World is a rip-off at all, let alone the worst offender. Being expensive or arguably overpriced is not the same as being a rip-off. And it honestly surprises me when (former?) fans claim that it is.
Some of that, I assume, is venting or frustration about the experience and price as compared to 2019 or some other date in the past. Walt Disney World competing with former versions of itself, as it were. I get that and there’s a lot that I miss. I also think most of those people wouldn’t be on a site like this if they didn’t still hold love for Disney buried somewhere in their hearts and also want it to be better–they have good intentions, for the most part.
Beyond the fans–former and current–there are the casual visitors who obviously often have a different perspective. The proliferation of “Most Expensive Day Ever” and other such Etsy shirts is certainly concerning. But at the same time, it represents what I’d call a skill issue. You’re complaining about cost…by spending more money on a t-shirt?
Putting aside the paradox of that decision, there’s a certain tone that’s set by the premeditated act of buying that shirt before the trip, and then wearing it on the day of the visit. The person has made the purposeful decision to resist having a good time and–surprise, surprise–probably won’t have as much fun as someone who goes in with an open mind!
Even stopping short of this type of guest, there are tons more who are “dragged along” and have a negative mentality, bringing down the vibe of everyone else in their party. And beyond those people, there are others who want to have fun but don’t do their homework or put even a modicum of effort, but expect amusement to simply thrust itself at them upon stepping foot on Main Street. These are the same people, I would imagine, who are surprised that Glacier National Park is a long drive from Bozeman or Calgary, and are upset that they can’t see any glaciers from the roadside.
Sure, Walt Disney World planning is way too complex and maybe the National Park Service should pack up and relocate the park and its many glaciers to be closer to Salt Lake City. But people who decline to do their due diligence or put in any effort also shouldn’t be surprised when they don’t get as much out of the experiences. If you open your wallet and dump it out on the ground, you weren’t ripped off–you’re just dumb.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What’s your take on a casino company ranking Walt Disney World as the #1 rip-off of tourist destinations in the United States? Do you agree or disagree with the list and WDW’s place on it? Think that maybe there’s a bit of a methodology issue with this survey, or are you just happy and vindicated by Walt Disney World ranking so poorly? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
This librarian thanks you for taking the time to point out the flaws in “news” and articles such as this one. I’m a bit disheartened that there are still so many comments on this post along the lines of “but I agree with this survey – it IS a rip-off because XYZ!” So there’s the confirmation bias you mentioned as well as a pretty good indicator that people don’t really read things closely or pay attention to where information is coming from, much less take a second to think about it.
I’m a born and raised California Girl, have gone to Disneyland my whole life at least once a year and when I was a passholder for 10 years I went a minimum of 3 times a week. I was a huge Disney fan and couldn’t get enough time in all the parks (Disneyland, WDW, Disneyland Paris) which I visit 1 or 2 times a year. I’m saying all these because Disney has let us “fans/family” down. The cost does not cover the experience anymore. I was upset with Fastpass ending, with Magical Express ending at WDW, with Disney adding virtual Queue for some rides, and Genie Pass and all its relatives. People should be able to choose to wait 3-5 hours to go on a ride if they want to. I’ve spent thousands for trips in which we couldn’t get a boarding pass for a ride. That made me angry as my nephew who is a huge Star Wars fan couldn’t have the full experience even though I tried my hardest (and everyone in my party). It’s unfortunate Disney has gone majorly downhill, but the good part is all this mess with Disney has pushed me to visit Universal Studios in both California and Orlando and I have found a new love for a wonderful park that I’m now an Annual passholder for. I still visit WDW and Disneyland Paris but no longer spend 5+ days at WDW, instead I’ll do 2 days for Disney and the rest at Universal. I really hope Disney can bring back the Magic Walt created and wanted for his parks. I however plan to avoid Disneyland California which is beyond a hot mess and filthy (falling apart) and have no customer service.
it appears that “Uncle Scrooge” is firmly in charge at Disney now, and he feels that his money bin isn’t deep enough!
For anyone who thinks Walt Disney World is a rip-off, I say “Don’t go there”. If these people stay away, it will be a better experience for the rest of us.
I was there a year ago, the place has become poorly maintained and dirty. There were no princesses at Cinderella breakfast also. Now that’s a ripoff.
Tom,
I hate to disagree with you because I love reading your articles, but I have been a true Disney fan my entire life, and I agree, it has become a huge rip off! We have taken our three kids to Disney many times, and have now taken our grandkids there five or six times. I love to plan these trips, and have become good at it with all the practice. Our last trip two years ago did me in. The hassle with park reservations, dining reservations and Genie times, was horrible. The food at our favorite spots has gone downhill, even at “Primetime”, and “ Coral Reef”. The missing magical bus with luggage delivery was always so nice. Even the cleanliness at our favorite hotel, Wilderness Lodge , has gone downhill.
Writing this is making me sad, because I do have wonderful memories of days gone by when it was so fun and so magical. You could stroll around the parks and actually relax. You could even watch the fireworks and parades without fighting for a spot. All those things have disappeared which is a shame. Not to even mention the cost. Our last trip was over $45,000.00. Crazy right! There is eleven of us now, but really? We can go to Turks and Caicos, all inclusive for so much less. This year we went to Aruba for so much less also. And they were both nice, fun, and relaxing. Last year we rented a beach house at Ocean Isle, a wonderful family vacation without spending so much. It is a shame, and it really does make me sad, but the magic for us is gone! Maybe, someday it will be back? I can only hope.
I completely agree with you. we just got back from wdw ourselves. We paid more than ever to enjoy so much less. Even the every other day housekeeping is problematic for me. We’re paying ever I creasing prices in exchange for less and less amenities and I found myself having to chase mousekeeping around several times during our trip for clean towels or to empty our trash cans. We stayed at Port Orleans and those rooms are really beginning to show some neglect. It’s so sad to see so many of the former joys of a Disney World vacation seem to slip away.
Very well put. We were able to score a last minute voyage before the Starcruiser closed last summer. Booking a whole Disney trip 6 weeks out was always going to be expensive. We knew that and were fine with it in order to do the Starcruiser. However, we were shocked by the low level to which Disney service and standard have fallen. I know I am always going to pay more at Disney, but with that, at the very least I expect clean parks and employees who are happy to be there. It was these kinds of elements that were completely missing from our last trip. And that is what makes it hard to justify the exorbitant cost. I know there are crowds, waits, maybe missing out in certain things, but I fully expect to enjoy clean, lovely, themed surroundings and to be welcomed with joy and kindness by those working. We missed DME, fast pass, and some of the other former perks. But most of all we missed that high Disney standard.
Way to go, Tom. Taking the results apart by pointing out the obvious about the survey itself is exactly the way to counter this kind of B.S. Of course there are a lot of people who don’t read DTB, and will end up believing the crap that Casino.org vomits out. Well, maybe they’ll stay home and leave WDW to folks like me who love every second spent there, even if I, too, bristle at the continuing price increases and the removal of perks. Anyway, keep up the good work.
delightful analysis once again,.. I like when something gets your hackles up,.. good for the creative juices!!
Have you checked out subpar parks Instagram? She makes illustrations of parks using real 1 star reviews as captions.
This gave me some joy reading your comments regarding the other top “ripoffs”. Clearly the people responding to the survey do not like the outdoors, or history, or learning something new, or fun.
If more people decide that WDW is a rip off, that just means fewer folks in front of me at Peter Pan’s flight.
The survey is way off base and you can’t really compare a man made amusement park with something that Nature created. I have not been to any of those monuments or places but I have been to WDW twice, 2022 and 2023 and have been to Disneyland more time than I can count growing up.. Basically what you put into it, is what you get out of it. Yes it takes time and planning ( and lots of money) but isn’t the planning part of the fun? Casinos should have been numbers one through nine. Vegas is neat to see (once) but Yes, statistically showing, the house always wins ( those are not the types of memories I want to make)
My family and I will be returning to WDW in 2025, we have already started planning and saving, plus this Blog is the one that taught me how to plan and what to expect on my trips to WDW. So thanks Tom (and Fam!)
I personally think that this “survey” can only be grossly manipulated. Based on the blatantly obvious omissions and what came out on top, making not a lick of sense. (Conducted by Casino.org, clearly an objective, and academically trustworthy source of public opinion.)
Still, even if only a small portion of Americans responded accordingly, I am truly horrified at the choices and responders, really. The National Mall a rip-off? Explain the rip-off portion… How much $FREE did the responders spend at the National Mall that wasn’t worth its (free) price? Surrounded by the (free) Smithsonian. I’ve lived outside the US and I’m not familiar with such a large and substantial offering of FREE museums. Open year-round.
Yet no mention of sporting events being a rip-off? I shared hockey season tickets many years ago, because it was the more affordable option at that time. I gave up going to to any games in years because it’s so expensive now. $ / hour, that would be a vastly more expensive experience than what I can spend on a Disney day & accommodations. And I’ve watched many games, that in hind-sight I should’ve gotten paid to watch.
How are credit scores a rip-off? Fiscally responsible people who don’t even have debt and regularly pay all their bills or choose to use cash instead of credit cards, should have the highest score possible as they represent the least risk for banks, etc. Yet because they have no debt and choose not to use credit card (they opt out of the credit tracking game), they have low or no credit scores.
As to the survey: yes, the survey is biased from the start. Yes, WDW is very expensive, most would agree overpriced. Is it a rip-off? That’s subjective as each person decides if the value of their Disney experience is worth the price they’re paying.
I discounted this survey as soon as I saw the National Mall, for exactly the same reason. how can something free (and pretty awesome) be a rip-off??!
click bait, biased article.
The National.Mall is nothing less than marvelous. I went to cooker in D.C. for 4years, then did a year in grad school and worked there for a year. I went home to Connecticut by plane and to Baltimore frequently and went back to D.C. in early evening. A cab ride to.my dorm or apt. often took me past the Capitol or the Mall. Seeing them at night all lit up never stopped taking g my breath away.
When I lived in BY,,one of my best dates,was taking the Staten Island ferry and seeing Lady Liberty all.lit up. Now I think of that every time I reread the poem by Edna St.Vincent Millay.
Being allergic to.pretty much everything green that grows,on the Eastern Seaboard and the Pacific Rim, I tend not to do national.parks, but I certainly would consider them a,waste of time, just not for me.
And I DO consider casinos a,waste of time and money. If I had ever gone to Vegas, it would have been to see Siegfried and,Roy and the tigers. When he was stationed in Japan,if we had quarters, we’d play the slots on base because the money went to NWR to support the clubs. And then there was the night I couldn’t loose,,and ended up Sith $350 in quarters to get counted out. Bought alovely set of jade earrings and pendant with it! But other than that,,I consider the lots mind numbingly boring. It is pretty much throwing money away.
But the parks are great natural.resources and I would kill to see the giant redwoods. I wonder if these folks consider art museums a waste of money and overrated?
My favorite Disney complaint is “…the food & restaurants at Disney have gone way down hill in recent years.” Heard this a few times…pretty much from friends who are not big Disney fans. For the most part it’s completely untrue. Their experience goes like this: they went to Disney 10 yrs ago, visited again & went back to the same restaurant(s) to get the same experience & if possible, even the same food. And of course, it just wasn’t the same. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about going back to Disney, it’s all about making new memories, and having new experiences.
However, it IS a fair and valid point that Disney’s food offerings have gone downhill over the the last decade. There’s nothing subjective about it…they’re cutting corners at a ridiculous pace, and quality always suffers when that happens.
Tom you mentioned, “Walt Disney World is excessive–and it’s also no surprise that people spend that much and expect WDW to be easy. It has gotten too difficult to have a carefree visit.”
I would love an article about what Disney could do to make it a carefree visit.
I personally don’t think Disney wants it to be easy/carefree. They may appear to try to make it more easy/carefree with the invention of ILL and G+. But they only did that to make money. There’s just know way Disney can say G+ is a win for most visitors because it’s not that great for the average person visiting the parks. Making advance dinning reservations even if you don’t know when you will be hungry but got the adr so better eat now. All this stress and FOMO mentality that Disney has incubated in us. I don’t see any of this going away. Instead, they took away some things that do make visiting easier, airport transportation, package delivery, bag transfers, good old free magic bands, and schedule ride reservations.
The parks are so busy now. There is no way they can go back to the 90’s or early 2000’s when you could literally just show up and play. So, how can Disney make visiting the parks carefree for the average person?
I’m not sure that you can have care-free without some planning. These services that Disney offers are not just about making money, either – it’s a balance between that and improving the guest satisfaction scores (hence improving the product and thus long-term improving the value of the product and how much can be charged for it – guest satisfaction DOES equal money, but we also get a benefit from it). If this balance didn’t exist, then some perks like advanced dining reservations would have a cost to them (Disney, that isn’t an idea.) But they don’t have a cost because they’re there as a benefit to us and to the company: the company knows how to staff the restaurant, and we know that we for sure get a meal somewhere we’ll enjoy. Plus, if ADRs didn’t exist then we’d start to see the equivalent of Disneyland Fireworks over the castle – a free offering that virtually no tourist can take advantage of because the limited space gets filled up hours before the show. In other words, having to plan meals in advance makes the experience better for the majority of guests, and allows for a less stressful ‘where can we eat’ on the day of the trip. So…technically it’s more care-free to plan than to just show up.
Fastpass was similarily introduced as a way to improve guest satisfaction around waiting in line AND give them more time to spend money elsewhere in the park. But it was a huge tech headache and did cost the company a lot of money to operate, so it’s no surprise that they started charging for it and rebranded as Lightning Lanes. I can’t refute it’s not probably making them a ton of money now – I’m just refuting that it was *invented* as a way to make money specifically. Honestly the best solution that I’ve seen to the problem was what we had during covid – no line-skipping at all. When everyone waits in the same line, then natural supply and demand plays out. Everyone waits a long time for what’s popular and a short time for what isn’t popular, and the lines actually move pretty quickly so it doesn’t FEEL like as long of a wait. I’m not sure if that’s care-free or not, but I definitely enjoyed it more and could be more spontaneous with my days!
Maggie, I agree with everything you said. I would love to just have stand-by lines. That’s what I remember. I also remember not having ADR’s. It was a wonderful time to just go and do what you wanted when you wanted to do it. To me that was carefree/easy. I just don’t think Disney can go back that way. Too many people. Just was curious if there were any ideas about making a Disney trip carefree for people who don’t want to go and experience the parks because of all the planning and stress that is involved. I have a relative that wants to take his family of 6 and ask me for help planning. I first told him to read disney tourist blog. Then I started asking him questions. About 15 minutes later, he said, “sounds like a lot of planning for a vacation”. Thank you for responding
Julie and Tom,
No planning is, to us, a relaxing vacation. In this vein, and being “Charter” DVC members as well as having been WDW denizens since there was one park, we basically make dining reservations at our favorite restaurants, Vickie and Al’s leading the list, and choose a park to wander and do whatever rides / attractions call us. Thing is. we’ve done every one they have, miltiple times, and though we like some better than others, none are “must do”.
Again, to us anyway, having to do anything in Disney to the point where it’s a major disappointment if you don’t get to do it when and / or how you want to, is a good way to mess up an otherwise great vacation. If we don’t do it this trip there’s always the next. Actually, one of our fun side trips is hitting a few “favorite” area pawn shops. Never can tell what you might find.
I do remember the days when the kids were young and they had things they wanted to do. Those tended to be hectic. I also remember the days when the kids aged up enough to be able to hit the parks on their own while mom and dad relaxed poolside.
Now, with most of the grandchildren college age and our kids with their own DVC memberships, we look forward to barbecues at the Tree Houses as much as the days in the park.
Disney can be whatever you want it to be. Sure, they’ve tossed in a few roadblocks, but any roadblock can be circumnavigated.
Funny how a site, named casinos.org talks about rip offs, when Vegas is the biggest rip-off of them all!
LOL That largely depends on the individual. We don’t drink or gamble much. Cheap hotels abound (even with the stupid resort fee), and the food and shows are great. You CAN pay a lot for those, but you absolutely don’t have to…even on-strip.
Tom, your article is right on point. As a professor of statistics. analytical research and research methodologies, one of the very first things I tell my students to do when reading, analyzing or citing surveys or research in their research projects is to, look at at who or what organization initiated and or funded the research. That gives them a baseline to look at for potential bias. Organizations that fund in total, a research project, own the project. If the results of the research runs countercurrent to their platform, beliefs of clientele. the research project generally disappears. As a mafia accounted would answer a question of :what is 2 plus 2″ , the answer would be; “how much do you want it to be”