Disneyland Price Increases

[captainkidd]

And with 2 parks vs 4.. DL has pretty close to the same number of attractions.

Though I've yet to be to Disneyland, from all the research I've done, this isn't really a fair analogy. Yes, attraction wise, DL has almost as many total as WDW. However, again, from the research I've done, WDW parks have FAR more diversions, most noticeably, World Showcase and Animal Kingdom.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Though I've yet to be to Disneyland, from all the research I've done, this isn't really a fair analogy. Yes, attraction wise, DL has almost as many total as WDW. However, again, from the research I've done, WDW parks have FAR more diversions, most noticeably, World Showcase and Animal Kingdom.

What exactly do you mean by diversions?

 

[TP2000]

And with 2 parks vs 4.. DL has pretty close to the same number of attractions.

I need to update my list to confirm, but in about a month Disneyland Resort will have about two (2) fewer attractions than Walt Disney World Resort. And that includes counting all of the World Showcase country pavilions as "attractions" even if it's countries like Japan, Italy, Germany, etc. who don't actually have rides or shows in their Showcase but just some shops or a restaurant.

I need to update that list and confirm it, but Disneyland Resort is about to come very close to matching the "attraction count" of WDW when DCA opens four new attractions next month. :lookaroun

 

[TP2000]

Exactly. California is a huge tourist magnet too, but everything is spread out, theme parks wise. You've got Disneyland in Anaheim, Universal Studios in North Hollywood, Sea World in San Diego, Knott's in Buena Park, Six Flags in Valencia. I could go on but I think I've made my point.

Oh, go on!

Legoland in Carlsbad, and San Diego Safari Park in Escondido also spring to mind, both about a 60 to 90 minute drive from Disneyland.

I think the issue is not that Orlando has more theme parks per capita than SoCal, it's that the central Florida has a much smaller population than Southern California and so there are far fewer "local" Annual Passholders for WDW than Disneyland. And that's a demographic fact that will likely never change.

Central Florida (Tampa metro, Orlando metro, Space Coast, and surrounding counties) = 5 Million
Southern California (Santa Barbara-LA-Orange County-Inland Empire-San Diego County) =23 Million

But also worth mentioning is that Southern California offers a vast universe of cultural and outdoors activities that don't involve theme parks with rubberhead characters and the latest thrill rides, all able to entertain and engage the diverse populace of Southern California. The greater LA metro area is one of the world's great cities, with some world-class cultural offerings for any interest or demographic. A small Southern city like Orlando just can't offer that, but it's a very unique small city where you've got a populace whose main entertainment options revolve around some great theme parks, theme restaurants, and theme resorts.

Orlando has awesome themed entertainment, but there's more to life than Medieval Times or Star Wars Weekends. Or at least there is supposed to be. :lol:

 

[TP2000]

I was just getting ready to post this. That $150 spike makes me want to cry. Even if I complain, I will still be paying these prices to feed my addiction, so I guess there's no point in complaining.

Shhh! Don't say that, TDA is monitoring the entire Internetz and they can hear you! If they know we'll pay, they'll raise prices again this November just before they decorate Cars Land for Christmas! :lookaroun

Still, this is American Free Enterprise and a healthy market economy at work here gang. It's simply a private business charging for their superior product a price that the market can bear. If no one was going to Disneyland, they wouldn't be able to raise their prices. Obviously, Disneyland is a great product, and DCA is certainly headed to greatness very quickly.

And TDA knows that, darn it! :lol:

 

[Californian Elitist]

Oh, go on!

Legoland in Carlsbad, and San Diego Safari Park in Escondido also spring to mind, both about a 60 to 90 minute drive from Disneyland.

I think the issue is not that Orlando has more theme parks per capita than SoCal, it's that the central Florida has a much smaller population than Southern California and so there are far fewer "local" Annual Passholders for WDW than Disneyland. And that's a demographic fact that will likely never change.

Central Florida (Tampa metro, Orlando metro, Space Coast, and surrounding counties) = 5 Million
Southern California (Santa Barbara-LA-Orange County-Inland Empire-San Diego County) =23 Million

But also worth mentioning is that Southern California offers a vast universe of cultural and outdoors activities that don't involve theme parks with rubberhead characters and the latest thrill rides, all able to entertain and engage the diverse populace of Southern California. The greater LA metro area is one of the world's great cities, with some world-class cultural offerings for any interest or demographic. A small Southern city like Orlando just can't offer that, but it's a very unique small city where you've got a populace whose main entertainment options revolve around some great theme parks, theme restaurants, and theme resorts.

Orlando has awesome themed entertainment, but there's more to life than Medieval Times or Star Wars Weekends. Or at least there is supposed to be. :lol:

:lol:I'll mention another, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California!

Totally agree with you on your last statement, I would like to do other things than just go to an amusement park. Kind of annoys me when people come to California just to spend ten days at the Disneyland Resort.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Shhh! Don't say that, TDA is monitoring the entire Internetz and they can hear you! If they know we'll pay, they'll raise prices again this November just before they decorate Cars Land for Christmas! :lookaroun

Still, this is American Free Enterprise and a healthy market economy at work here gang. It's simply a private business charging for their superior product a price that the market can bear. If no one was going to Disneyland, they wouldn't be able to raise their prices. Obviously, Disneyland is a great product, and DCA is certainly headed to greatness very quickly.

And TDA knows that, darn it! :lol:

Once again, so true! The Disneyland Resort is a great product and it's about to become even greater. No wonder the prices have hiked! Great TP, now you've got me thinking about Christmas in Cars Land!:xmas: Can't wait for that!

 

[TP2000]

Once again, so true! The Disneyland Resort is a great product and it's about to become even greater. No wonder the prices have hiked!

Yes, obviously Cars Land and the radical remake of Buena Vista Street is not cheap. Heck, it all looks like the most lavish and expensive thing to hit Anaheim in decades!

But another thing to remember is the incredible lineup of beefed up and top-quality entertainment headed our way this summer; Mad T Party (that is already looking far more lavish than elecTRONica or Glow Fest did), plus Five and Dime, Citizens of Buena Vista Street, daytime Paradise Bay fountain shows, Red Car Newsboys, DJ dance parties in Cars Land, Red To The Rescue shows in Cars Land, Minnie's Fly Girls, PLUS five (5) Alladin shows per day seven days per week, PLUS two (2) Pixar Play Parades per day seven days per week, plus a revamped World of Color twice per night, and all the other DCA enterainment or attractions that is fresh and hip and introduced recently or coming this summer (Phineas and Ferb, Little Mermaid Ride 2.0, Paradise Garden bands, Mater's Tall Tales in Blue Sky Cellar, etc.)

And then there's Disneyland with two (2) fabulously upgraded Fantasmic shows per night seven days per week, one of the best fireworks spectaculars in any Disney park nightly, a revamped summer version of Magic Memories and You, two (2) Mickey's Soundsational Parades seven days per week, Tomorrowland Terrace dance bands, Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree, Matterhorn Mountain Climbers, Voices of Liberty in the Lincoln Theater, upgraded Main Street USA restaurants and shops, yet another summer of All-American College Band (that WDW management cut a decade ago), etc., etc., etc.

All that they have added and plussed and upgraded at the Disneyland Resort in the last 12 months (or that's coming in the next 30 days) warrants this latest price increase. But then you plop Cars Land and Buena Vista Street on top of all that, with four new rides, and it's actually a minor miracle that the increase was this small.

And again, this is the free enterprise system at work here. If they weren't selling a superior product with a line of satisfied customers willing to buy it, they wouldn't have raised the prices.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I think I know the answer to this, but I can buy the annual pass vouchers online today and wait until November to activate them, right?

I feel the same way about this as I do about the Matterhorn height requirement changing: a little sad about how it could possibly affect my trip, but I understand why they did it. Starting on June 15th, the resort will be firing on all cylinders in a way that it never really has. They just spent a billion dollars on DCA and their biggest problem will be finding a way to keep the crowds from getting out of control... well, this is one way!

Off to Mice chat to read the inevitable 2,000 post flame war thread about the price increases!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yes, obviously Cars Land and the radical remake of Buena Vista Street is not cheap. Heck, it all looks like the most lavish and expensive thing to hit Anaheim in decades!

But another thing to remember is the incredible lineup of beefed up and top-quality entertainment headed our way this summer; Mad T Party (that is already looking far more lavish than elecTRONica or Glow Fest did), plus Five and Dime, Citizens of Buena Vista Street, daytime Paradise Bay fountain shows, Red Car Newsboys, DJ dance parties in Cars Land, Red To The Rescue shows in Cars Land, Minnie's Fly Girls, PLUS five (5) Alladin shows per day seven days per week, PLUS two (2) Pixar Play Parades per day seven days per week, plus a revamped World of Color twice per night, and all the other DCA enterainment or attractions that is fresh and hip and introduced recently or coming this summer (Phineas and Ferb, Little Mermaid Ride 2.0, Paradise Garden bands, Mater's Tall Tales in Blue Sky Cellar, etc.)

And then there's Disneyland with two (2) fabulously upgraded Fantasmic shows per night seven days per week, one of the best fireworks spectaculars in any Disney park nightly, a revamped summer version of Magic Memories and You, two (2) Mickey's Soundsational Parades seven days per week, Tomorrowland Terrace dance bands, Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree, Matterhorn Mountain Climbers, Voices of Liberty in the Lincoln Theater, upgraded Main Street USA restaurants and shops, yet another summer of All-American College Band (that WDW management cut a decade ago), etc., etc., etc.

All that they have added and plussed and upgraded at the Disneyland Resort in the last 12 months (or that's coming in the next 30 days) warrants this latest price increase. But then you plop Cars Land and Buena Vista Street on top of all that, with four new rides, and it's actually a minor miracle that the increase was this small.

And again, this is the free enterprise system at work here. If they weren't selling a superior product with a line of satisfied customers willing to buy it, they wouldn't have raised the prices.

Kudos for everything you mentioned here. I don't even remember Disneyland's 50th anniversary getting so much stuff. This is crazy for me. I kinda feel like the people in the fifties who watched Disneyland park come to life through the television series, "Disneyland." I never thought TDA, the Imagineers, etc., would actually start over with California Adventure. All these new attractions, new entertainment, new restaurants and shops will be so worth the price. Heck, California Adventure even got its own club that matches the status of Club 33 at Disneyland. We're getting what we pay for, people.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Off to Mice chat to read the inevitable 2,000 post flame war thread about the price increases!

:lol::lol::lol:

 

[Laura]

When my premier pass expires in August I am NOT going to get a premium pass. $649 is absolutely absurd. They want me to pay an extra $150 a year just because of Carsland? A year of Universal Studios is cheaper than $150. Disney is really kidding themselves if they think Carsland is worth more than Universal Studios.

I'd personally downgrade to the SoCal pass if not for the fact that "NemoRocks" would throw an absolute fit not being able to drag me to the park every couple weeks. So just to make him happy, I'll have to go with a deluxe pass.

When my kids' passes expire in August I will not be renewing them. I'll get AP's for all of us to Legoland instead. They'll enjoy it more, it's closer to home, and we won't have to worry about blockout dates.

So Disneyland is losing half our household's business because of this increase.

 

[Carebee21]

This prices us out of premium AP's. We've had them for the past four years, but won't be renewing.

We live in Las Vegas, so we don't have the option of monthly payments, so that's a huge amount of money to pay at one time. It also made sense if you were going at least 2 times a year to buy the pass (I'm to lazy to look up the numbers, but I think there was only a $20ish dollar difference between buying 2 4-5 day passes and a premium AP, and now it's about $100) So the numbers just aren't there for us, especially when you factor in some of the ticket specials they run (get 5 days for the price of a 3 day ticket.) We would go for 2 4-5 day trips and then try to get down for a few long weekend trips, but with my sons activity schedule becoming more and more full, who knows if we'll actually make it down. And now, in order to break even, you pretty much have to have at least three trips planned...

I'm not mad or bitter about it and I'm not going to say, oh we'll never go again. But they will be losing money from us. Since we won't be renewing our AP's, I think we'll probably only go once this year. And then if we wind up with free long weekends, we won't feel compelled to say, oh we have Disney AP's, might as well use them. Now we can check out the other parks (my son has never been to Knott's, Universal Hollywood or Six Flags) or even go down to San Diego, which we love, but don't go often to because of trying to get the most out of Disney passes.

It will be interesting to see how the AP increase affects Disneyland. If they're trying to decrease the number of AP's, I guess this may help. But I still think for those in Southern CA, the ability to make monthly payments really helps keep the costs relatively affordable. It seems they're more pushing out AP holders from out of state, which isn't going to help solve or prevent some of the crowding issues that they seem to be targetting.