A Touch of Disney begins March 18, 2021

[Stevek]

I agree. Biggest complaint i see around online groups is the cost to just walk around and get tastings and shop. I know its not for everyone but a lot of Disney Fans enjoy the photo ops and character sightings especially not seeing them for a year. You can look at the After Dark Events those themed nights sell out with just a theme, food and photo ops and generally no complaints about the ticket cost for like 6 hours in the park.

But weren't attractions open and live entertainment?

 

[el_super]

Ya’ll can drink at your homes. I’m surprised no one’s toasting to this. Months and months of wanting the parks to open to generate money. “But the economy!”

Who will be first in line to purchase a ticket to make sure the Walt Disney Company and their employees make money?

It was never about the parks. Months of complaining that TDA couldn't figure out how to do this event, and now that they have, just more mocking and complaints. There is no way to win.

I'm not at all interested in this event, but at least I can feel some joy for those that sincerely want to experience being in the parks and for those returning to work.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It was never about the parks. Months of complaining that TDA couldn't figure out how to do this event, and now that they have, just more mocking and complaints. There is no way to win.

I'm not at all interested in this event, but at least I can feel some joy for those that sincerely want to experience being in the parks and for those returning to work.

Same. I’m not interested in this event, but I’m happy for those who get to return to work (especially happy for them), and, as I stated earlier, won’t judge those who just really want to be back in the parks.

The complaints about the price are tired at this point. Disney’s been doing this for years. I expected no less from them (I thought they’d charge $100 for this, so I’m actually shocked it’s lower). DCA is giving folks an opportunity to be back in the park and spend money, but yet it’s still not enough.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

This event reminds me of DCA 1.0 when aside from three big attractions (Soarin', Screaming, and the Rapids), the park rides were a "pass" and the focus was on food, shopping, and liquor.

 

[LukaLand]

During the pandemic I have (masked and following local rules!) Visited the following theme parks/experiences: Knott's Halloween food festival, Downtown Disney, SeaWorld San Diego, Disney Springs, Animal Kingdom, Sea World Orlando, and Discovery Cove. I will very likely be attending the terribly named and overpriced A Touch of Disney. I live in Washington state, and all of these trips required air travel.

Why did I do this, and why will I overpay for the new event? Simple. I'm bored. Everything is closed. Airfare is cheap, I have a lot of frequent flyer miles, and lodging is cheap. I am an essential worker who has worked throughout the pandemic. But with restaurants and all entertainment closed in my area, my expenses are reduced.

 

[AJFireman]

But weren't attractions open and live entertainment?

Yes but this is also fraction of the cost of the After Dark events. You can go on attractions anytime especially if you are annual passholders. This event offers activities and food that you cannot normally receive while going to DTD as its currently offered. Once the event starts you cannot enter DCA at all until the parks open or they discontinue the event.

 

[DavidDL]

Anyone happen to have any idea if this will remove the Buena Vista Street access for unpaying day Guests? I'm not interested in the food event but I do love being able to wander onto Buena Vista Street for snacks and shopping. I know this will go away eventually, but will the entire park be closed off to folks without tickets or will they simply have a checkpoint past the Carthay Circle Theatre?

My gut says they'll close it unless you have a ticket but on one hand, wouldn't that limit the Stage 17 shop access? Here's hoping I can still snag a churro from the ODV cart without having to pay $75 to do so.

 

[flutas]

Anyone happen to have any idea if this will remove the Buena Vista Street access for unpaying day Guests? I'm not interested in the food event but I do love being able to wander onto Buena Vista Street for snacks and shopping. I know this will go away eventually, but will the entire park be closed off to folks without tickets or will they simply have a checkpoint past the Carthay Circle Theatre?

My gut says they'll close it unless you have a ticket but on one hand, wouldn't that limit the Stage 17 shop access? Here's hoping I can still snag a churro from the ODV cart without having to pay $75 to do so.

Pretty sure it will shut down BVS. But Stage 17 is entered from a service gate and not through BVS/DCA.

 

[DavidDL]

Pretty sure it will shut down BVS. But Stage 17 is entered from a service gate and not through BVS/DCA.

There is an entrance near Monsters Inc. in Hollywoodland, I've waited in the line before. Forgot about the service gate entrance, because it's just so out of the way. Probably would have had less of a wait if I had remembered.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Anyone happen to have any idea if this will remove the Buena Vista Street access for unpaying day Guests? I'm not interested in the food event but I do love being able to wander onto Buena Vista Street for snacks and shopping. I know this will go away eventually, but will the entire park be closed off to folks without tickets or will they simply have a checkpoint past the Carthay Circle Theatre?

My gut says they'll close it unless you have a ticket but on one hand, wouldn't that limit the Stage 17 shop access? Here's hoping I can still snag a churro from the ODV cart without having to pay $75 to do so.

>>DCA’s Buena Vista Street will remain open to the general public until March 14 after returning for shopping and dining in November as part of the Downtown Disney shopping district.<<

 

[DavidDL]

>>DCA’s Buena Vista Street will remain open to the general public until March 14 after returning for shopping and dining in November as part of the Downtown Disney shopping district.<<

Oh well, I knew it wouldn't last forever. Still a bummer. (Side note: must learn to read finer details of previous posts before asking questions).

Thank you!

 

[Stevek]

Yes but this is also fraction of the cost of the After Dark events. You can go on attractions anytime especially if you are annual passholders. This event offers activities and food that you cannot normally receive while going to DTD as its currently offered. Once the event starts you cannot enter DCA at all until the parks open or they discontinue the event.

I still don't see the value but others will. I never paid for the after dark events either but I will say that the value drops dramatically without rides, much less than $75, but that's just my POV

 

[flutas]

There is an entrance near Monsters Inc. in Hollywoodland, I've waited in the line before. Forgot about the service gate entrance, because it's just so out of the way. Probably would have had less of a wait if I had remembered.

Ah didn't know. Only time I went was through the service gate. Interesting to see how they will handle that.

 

[TP2000]

Oh well, I knew it wouldn't last forever. Still a bummer. (Side note: must learn to read finer details of previous posts before asking questions).

Thank you!

Which is why I think Main Street USA will be opened in March as an extension of Downtown Disney shopping/dining.

DCA will cost $75 to get in to wander around taking PhotoPass pictures and eating $25 worth of food at this festival experience.

That will reduce the allure of Downtown Disney and what few shops/restaurants remain open there. TDA will need a hook to make the hassles and logistics headaches of Downtown Disney worth it, and Main Street USA is just the ticket.

Parking is free and easy and you don't have to go through security and health screenings to get into any other SoCal mall; Fashion Island, Irvine Spectrum, Pacific City, South Coast Plaza, etc.

The $10 parking, mile-long walk, and health/security screenings are only a Downtown Disney requirement. They've got to make Downtown Disney worth it for people this spring. Main Street USA would do that.

 

[TP2000]

I still don't see the value but others will. I never paid for the after dark events either but I will say that the value drops dramatically without rides, much less than $75, but that's just my POV

So far on this thread there have only been a small handful of people that have said they will do this. One of them plans to travel all the way from Seattle to do this just because they're bored and enjoys the travel, which I think is great!

The rest of us seem lumped into two categories:

1. $75 Bucks?! No way! There's not enough value for that high ticket price. But I'm happy some CM's are rehired!
2. $75 Bucks? No thanks. But people who criticize TDA for this should be ashamed of themselves because CM's are rehired.

I'm just looking forward to the breathless reviews from YouTubers on how AHHMAAAAAZING it is for them to walk around an empty DCA enjoying $25 worth of food (alcoholic beverages not included). Those YouTube reviews should be worth a few laughs at least.

 

[DavidDL]

So far on this thread there have only been a small handful of people that have said they will do this. One of them plans to travel all the way from Seattle to do this just because they're bored and enjoys the travel, which I think is great!

The rest of us seem lumped into two categories:

1. $75 Bucks?! No way! There's not enough value for that high ticket price. But I'm happy some CM's are rehired!
2. $75 Bucks? No thanks. But people who criticize TDA for this should be ashamed of themselves because CM's are rehired.

I'm just looking forward to the breathless reviews from YouTubers on how AHHMAAAAAZING it is for them to walk around an empty DCA enjoying $25 worth of food (alcoholic beverages not included). Those YouTube reviews should be worth a few laughs at least.

I agree that $75 bucks is a little bit steep but not "too" far off from what I would be willing to pay when I break it down: $10 for parking, $25 to be spent on food and that leaves $40 to cover entrance fee.

$40 dollars is rough. You don't have to pay that kind of money to enter other types of malls to dine or shop. But the Disney parks are a little bit unique. If that money covers operational costs/CMs/rent/etc., that's fine but even past that, the parks are kind of a work of art in themselves. They're not like the Westfield down the road or whatever, there's a certain ambience and appreciation that comes with them.

Now, that said, $40 is still a little much to appreciate that. I know the parks are not museums but just for argument's sake, let's go ahead and treat the experience of walking through them like one since we're in COVID times and can't ride any attractions. A lot of museums charge somewhere around half that much to walk around and enjoy them, so $20.

So I think somewhere in the neighborhood of $55 would have been more reasonable, especially if this were moved to Disneyland (there's an argument to be had whether or not DCA makes a better walk through type of experience). $10 for parking, $25 you must spend on food at the event and the other $20 dollars goes towards your "museum admission"/operation costs/whatever. Toss in some music, character photo ops and a free button or something at that price point and I think you'd definitely be getting your moneys worth.

 

[TP2000]

I agree that $75 bucks is a little bit steep but not "too" far off from what I would be willing to pay when I break it down: $10 for parking, $25 to be spent on food and that leaves $40 to cover entrance fee.

$40 dollars is rough. You don't have to pay that kind of money to enter other types of malls to dine or shop. But the Disney parks are a little bit unique. If that money covers operational costs/CMs/rent/etc., that's fine but even past that, the parks are kind of a work of art in themselves. They're not like the Westfield down the road or whatever, there's a certain ambience and appreciation that comes with them.

Now, that said, $40 is still a little much to appreciate that. I know the parks are not museums but just for argument's sake, let's go ahead and treat the experience of walking through them like one since we're in COVID times and can't ride any attractions. A lot of museums charge somewhere around half that much to walk around and enjoy them, so $20.

So I think somewhere in the neighborhood of $55 would have been more reasonable, especially if this were moved to Disneyland (there's an argument to be had whether or not DCA makes a better walk through type of experience). $10 for parking, $25 you must spend on food at the event and the other $20 dollars goes towards your "museum admission"/operation costs/whatever. Toss in some music, character photo ops and a free button or something at that price point and I think you'd definitely be getting your moneys worth.

Great breakdown and analysis! I'm right there with you on that price point.

Knott's is hosting their Boysenberry Food Festival Event for $45 per person, and parking at Knott's is free for everyone. Five food items, including alcohol, are included in that price. Plus light entertainment without wind instruments, and a couple dozen Ghost Town shops and crafty showmanship options (like chainsaw carving, candle making, etc.).

The direct comparison to DCA's Food Festival Experience is obvious. But it's that $75 price point that sticks. Does wandering around Buena Vista Street and Pixar Pier without the rides or the use of wind instruments make that worth it? Does PhotoPass and some Instagram moments add value? Not for me, or a majority of other fans here. But maybe there's a market out there in SoCal for this? Folks that don't mind paying the extra 30 bucks over the similar Knott's event because it's "Disney!"???

I'm not convinced. Something tells me TDA overshot their price point by at least 20 bucks.

 

[DavidDL]

... I'm not convinced. Something tells me TDA overshot their price point by at least 20 bucks.

There's no question about that, unless they come out with some hard facts or evidence suggesting they needed to charge that much to cover operating costs. But considering they just refunded a bunch of passholders and taste cards from last years event, unprompted, I'm going to guess they don't need to.

In my mind, there's no question they are charging the premium because they see themselves as the premium. Like others here, I don't think it'll backfire, at least not immediately because demand has been building up for so long.

I had read another theory elsewhere that they may simply be testing the waters to see exactly how much demand has built up over time for something like this. The upcharge could just straight up be an attempt to see what they can or cannot get away with after canceling the passholder program or something along those lines. I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to absorb as much information as possible and in this case, it's likely better for them to try and shoot high instead of too low and not knowing where the cap could be.

 

[CaptinEO]

A Touch of Disney?

More like a touch of greed

This isn't beyond my means, but the value isnt there. A Disneyland ticket is 99 dollars. 75 for their add on terrible theme park and no rides? No thank you.

DCA doesn't give me any "Disney experience" that I've been missing out on this last year.

 

[mickEblu]

Yes! But also unlimited photopass pictures with socially distanced characters and parking! Yay!? Ultimately, it's all a matter of what you value. The additional $50 is the stretch for me. If you assume the same $10 pricepoint for parking (for DTD), then you are paying $65 for unlimited photopass downloads. That's 100% wasted for me and pure profit for Disney, could care less about the photos.

I think You mean $40 for unlimited photo pass downloads?