$79 Base Ticket

[Brian Noble]

Walt Disney is rolling in his grave. He never intended for Disney World to be so out of reach for the average family. His original goal was to have a place where families could go, be together and have fun together and not spend the family fortune to do it.

I so hate to play WWWD, but....my understanding was that Disneyland was always priced so that it was a "special" experience. It was not intended to be an everyday thing. It was intended to be an event, and has always been positioned as a premium experience, not just different from amusement parks of the day, but "better".

I want to say I got this impression from Gabler's biography, but it might have been elsewhere.

 

[DisneyCane]

Walt Disney is rolling in his grave. He never intended for Disney World to be so out of reach for the average family. His original goal was to have a place where families could go, be together and have fun together and not spend the family fortune to do it.
Yes I know that it is a big business now and that cost are always high. I think that Disney needs to look at their prices. They should have kids prices and junior prices. I also believe that in these trying times they should cut prices a bit. They might bring back people who turned away after past price hikes. You have to get them in the door so they can buy the the food and other stuff.
My family have been long time Florida pass holders. That's $1100 a year. Yes the more you go the better the value. There are still the cost of food and lodging which also go up. We have not renewed our passes because of the economy and for that I am sad. We have been committed to WDW for years and I think WDW should show the same to the rest of us.

This price increase did not make Disney out of reach for an average family. The price is a lot less than $80 per day if you are on a multi-day vacation and that is the idea behind their pricing. When a family is in Orlando, Disney wants them to see how much cheaper it would be to go to WDW for 7 days instead of 4 at WDW, 2 at Universal and 1 at Sea World.

Also, a lot of responses in this thread have focused on inflation being about flat but yet Disney is raising prices. Nobody has mentioned that minimum wage just went up again (over 10%) which is sure to cause all of WDW's labor costs to go up. Since I'm sure labor is a huge percentage of WDW's expenses, it stands to reason that they have to raise prices.

Finally, out of curiousity, you mentioned that you didn't get annual passes due to the economy. Has your household income significantly dropped or did you just not renew "because the economy is bad"?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Ive got loads of money, and dont like poor people, so this is a step in the right direction.

But thnaks for the sudo economic analysis.

 

[DisneyJoe]

His original goal was to have a place where families could go, be together and have fun together

This part is true.

and not spend the family fortune to do it.

Do you have any facts or references to support that assertion?

 

[CaptainJackNO]

Maybe Disney should just raise the price of a one-day ticket to $790, then offer a special every day discounted price of just $79. Then people could think "WOW, 90% off admission. I am SO there!"

Also, they should sell rooms for $1 a night, then tack on a small $299 surcharge for small things like...a bed, electricity, running water, and not having the room padlocked from the outside every night.

See, I should totally work for Disney.

You stole your idea from cable tv companies....shame shame:animwink:

 

[Orange Bird]

"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money." - Walt

 

[WDWFigment]

"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money." - Walt

Emphasis added. That means they did go into it with the idea of making money, but that wasn't the only purpose. I don't think that anyone is disputing that Disneyland was a labor of love for Walt.

 

[Upgrade117]

People will still spend money to get to and into the parks, they just aren't spending money while in the parks. That's Disney's problem right now.. and to make up for it (even somewhat) they have to raise the price of the ticket. I don't see the big deal of all of you complaining.. it's five more bucks. Plus, once this recession is somewhat lessened, Disney can keep the higher ticket prices.. plus have them spend in the parks.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

It's a price increase across the board (everything from APs to any other multi-day admission media), but folks tend to focus on the one day ... plenty of folks still buy one day tix because that's all the time they have or they only want to visit one park.

Is $79 anymore absurd than $75? I can argue easily that at $79 a day WDW (any park) provides a tremendous value to guests ... and please remember I am a Disney hater!


But for those who look at $79 a day as pricey, just realize what a bargain it will sound like in 5-10 years when it'll set you back $99 a day to visit Mickey!

I don't disagree for a second that it is a lot of money, and a 5.3% increase is not insignificant...but as someone said before...it is a business....a right to go to Disney isn't in the constitution that I remember.

How much does one ticket to a broadway show cost?
How much for a ticket to a pro football game?
What about someplace ordinary like Great Adventure?
How much is basic cable/month?

Yes, all of it costs a lot, and in these times there are many that this cost may be prohibitive to, and that is sad, but it is not Disney's fault or responsibility.

Answers to above:

About $120 for and evening show

Football, $85 to $160+
($35 - 50+ for preseason)

GA 1 day $50

Cable - $50+

These are called entertainment dollars....
...so you choose what you consider worth it to spend those discretionary dollars on.


My intent is not to insult anyone, or tell them they are wrong with their being upset about an increase.
My sole point is that it is not a bad price for what it is....and as the VAST majority of people go for more than one day, that value number increases greatly.

 

[CaptainJackNO]

People will still spend money to get to and into the parks, they just aren't spending money while in the parks. That's Disney's problem right now.. and to make up for it (even somewhat) they have to raise the price of the ticket. I don't see the big deal of all of you complaining.. it's five more bucks. Plus, once this recession is somewhat lessened, Disney can keep the higher ticket prices.. plus have them spend in the parks.

It is not the fact that it is "only" five bucks. The fact is that ticket prices increase every year despite economic indicators. I believe the argument that discounts led to this increase is unsound. If Disney were not offering discounts, the price increase would still take effect. I am not against WDW making money. I want them to make money so the parks continue to flourish and be updated.
However, if you increase prices 5 dollars in one yearm that seems to not be a big deal. If you factor a five dollar per year increase over the next 3 years, you are now staring at a 94 dollar per day fee. While I always feel I get my money's worth, the argument that Disney needs to keep prices in some set range is not what's important. I believe, like the housing industry although a much smaller version, Disney is inflating their prices at a rate that will probably not be able to maintain. Eventually, people will opt to spend whatever vacation dollars they have available closer to home or at a location that is less expensive. Something I do not think many people are thinking of is, I guarantee, that a good number of the travelers are still utilizing credit as a means of paying for their trips. Already, Credit Card companies are already making acquiring credit more difficult. Also, many terms have been changed in favor of the credit card companies. This credit will dry up. Then what? SHould this economy contract worse, as some predict it will, many folks will not have the money on hand to afford these trips to WDW. While I would never argue that it is Disney's responsibility to make sure their resort is affordable to most families, I question whether their price decisions have the future in mind. If someone chooses to go to WDW, it is their choice to pay the price that is asked. However, should this economy really tank as some are predicting, I ask myself if the WDW company is hedging their bets for profits now rather than looking at this from the standpoint of some projected outcome. I worry that Disney is setting itself up for short term profits without thought for the future. If for some reason the economy leads to a greater contraction in the job market coupled with a tighter credit market, I am afraid the constant cost increases could lead to a deeper drop in future attendance than necessary spelling serious financial hardships for the WDW resort. I believe Disney may be taking the approach that raising prices may cause a drop in attendance; however, fewer people paying a higher price will balance out the drop in attendance dollars. If this is true, and I am purely speculating, this does nothing to address the inside the park spending. The less money you charge to enter the park (and I mean not increase prices from their current state, I do not endorse a reduction in attendance prices) the more people have in their pockets to spend inside the parks. ALso, I must say, Disney has, historically, charged for more for inside the park merchandise, whether that be food or novelties, than these goods are actually worth. This is a complicated problem, i admit, but I am not convinced the annual increase in prices is the right direction. Time will tell. I am afraid the current decision makers are making business decisions without any long term plans.

 

[Monsterfan99]

I don't disagree for a second that it is a lot of money, and a 5.3% increase is not insignificant...but as someone said before...it is a business....a right to go to Disney isn't in the constitution that I remember.

How much does one ticket to a broadway show cost?
How much for a ticket to a pro football game?
What about someplace ordinary like Great Adventure?
How much is basic cable/month?

Yes, all of it costs a lot, and in these times there are many that this cost may be prohibitive to, and that is sad, but it is not Disney's fault or responsibility.

Answers to above:

About $120 for and evening show

Football, $85 to $160+
($35 - 50+ for preseason)

GA 1 day $50

Cable - $50+

These are called entertainment dollars....
...so you choose what you consider worth it to spend those discretionary dollars on.


My intent is not to insult anyone, or tell them they are wrong with their being upset about an increase.
My sole point is that it is not a bad price for what it is....and as the VAST majority of people go for more than one day, that value number increases greatly.

With Broadway show, sports events, concerts and such, it is a special event that is there a limited time. The prices are so high for a concert because this is your one chance (insert artist) will be in the area for a long time. Same goes with the rest. If you don't go them, and pay their prices, you may never get a chance to see them again.

Cable is an item people can enjoy 24/7 while at home. Thus provides an entire month of entertainment for the price.

With Disney, it is always there (baring something horrific.) People can and do save for months even years to go there. There is no urgency that you find with most live events.

It really is comparing apples to oranges with Disney to most forms of entertainment.

And with Great Adventure, a six visit ticket cost $49.99 plus tax. They, along with all the Six Flags parks, have fallen into the trap of having to make tickets stupid cheap to get people in. At some of their parks, parking cost more then an adult ticket.

 

[WDWFigment]

With Broadway show, sports events, concerts and such, it is a special event that is there a limited time. The prices are so high for a concert because this is your one chance (insert artist) will be in the area for a long time. Same goes with the rest. If you don't go them, and pay their prices, you may never get a chance to see them again.

Cable is an item people can enjoy 24/7 while at home. Thus provides an entire month of entertainment for the price.

With Disney, it is always there (baring something horrific.) People can and do save for months even years to go there. There is no urgency that you find with most live events.

It really is comparing apples to oranges with Disney to most forms of entertainment.

And with Great Adventure, a six visit ticket cost $49.99 plus tax. They, along with all the Six Flags parks, have fallen into the trap of having to make tickets stupid cheap to get people in. At some of their parks, parking cost more then an adult ticket.

Based on your premises, I reach the contrary conclusion. If Disney is a place where people "can and do save for months or even years to go there," then isn't it a similar "event destination"? It doesn't seem relevant that the physical buildings are there all of the time. People treat it the same, as a once-in-however-long event for which they save. How is that any different than a concert or sporting event? You could argue that a concert is almost 'perptually there' too, because most bands tour for months at at time. The only difference between the performances and WDW is that the concerts come to you. That demonstrates to me that Disney is a greater draw, because people are willing to come to it. In all cases, supply and demand drive pricing.

I think the argument that this is a poor long term decision is unconvincing. I have made many arguments that Disney has, and is, making some poor long term decisions, but ticket prices? Come on. That is something that can be easily and quickly remedied if prognostications prove wrong. They lower prices. It's not the same as neglecting necessary maintenance or adding attractions, things that take time to fix. What's the long term harm here? Loss of goodwill? All it would take is some advertising and any harm would be negated (and I highly doubt they're going to lose a whole lot of goodwill with a 5-7% yearly price increase).

 

[DisneyJoe]

With Broadway show, sports events, concerts and such, it is a special event that is there a limited time.

The good Broadway shows run for 5-10-15 years or longer...

 

[wolf359]

Every time Disney raises prices, whether it's for bottled water, parking, or tickets, I read the same comments, and they usually boil down to how it's not a good time for Disney to raise prices, and how this particular price hike is going to suddenly make people stop coming.

Well, first of all, there's never a good time to raise prices. Not for gas, not for milk, and not for Disney World vacations. If we weren't using the recession as the current boogyman, there would be another reason, because there always is.

A one day ticket for the Magic Kingdom the first time I went was $35. So 15 years later the cost has more than doubled, and it's not like the number of attractions has increased. If anything, MK probably has fewer attractions now than it did in 1994.

But the one thing many armchair economists miss is that Disney's expenses for operating aren't frozen just because "it's a bad day to charge more." Wages go up, cost of supplies go up, and Disney has to pay more every year than it did for the same things. So they pass those rising costs on to their customers. That's how business works.

And sure, when it comes to vacation destinations, they always have to strike that balance between cost and value. I think the fact that attendance shows no sign of significant change demonstrates that the perception of value hasn't turned against Disney yet, and likely isn't going to.

When Disney rolled out the Magic Your Way tickets back in 2005, which saw ticket prices jump from $52 to $67 in two years, all the doomsayers at the time told stories of how that change would ruin WDW and turn away families. But it didn't, and I just don't think that this newest $4 hike is going to destroy the company either.

 

[Orange Bird]

Emphasis added. That means they did go into it with the idea of making money, but that wasn't the only purpose. I don't think that anyone is disputing that Disneyland was a labor of love for Walt.

I don't think that anyone is disputing that Walt needed to make money on Disneyland. The point of the quote is that the leaders of Disney TODAY are just about making money.

 

[20009551sc]

My wife and I both work in the retail sector. Both of us have watched our hours go up and down with the tide. Throw in the fact that every week we seem to spend more at the grocery store, things have just gotten to tight.

 

[timeman]

If you look at the price increases over the years for a ticket to Disney it has gotten out of hand.

According to Allears.net when the park opened in 1971 the general admission price to get in was $3.50 and of course you had to buy a ticket book to enjoy the rides. They had the ticket books until the middle of 1982 and after that the only price you paid was to get into the park and you could enjoy everything.

From 1971 to 1979 the general admission price doubled and went from $3.50 to $7.00. If you factor in the cost of the ticket books the increase wasn't as bad. In 1980 the price increased twice from $7.00 to $7.50 first and then to $8.00.

From 1980 -1989 the price of a ticket to Disney went from $7.00 to $29.00 which was an increase of over 4x. The only thing is that if you look at the whole cost then the the price increase wasn't that bad as until the middle of 1982 you still had to buy the ticket books which range in price from $9.50 - $11.00. In 1982 they did away with the ticket books. If you figure the price of admission and a ticket book in to the equation in 1980 the cost to enjoy Disney was anywhere from $16.50 - $18.00. This means that the cost of Disney only went up between $11.00 and $12.50 from 1980 -1989.

From 1990 - 1999 the price of a ticket to Disney went from $$29.00 to $44.00 an increase of $15.00.

From 2000 - 2009 the price of a ticket to Disney has gone form $44.00 to $79.00 which is almost a 100% increase. In the last three years we have seen ticket prices go up more then it did in the entire 90s.

 

[twistedmickey]

And in a few years the price of a one day ticket will be $100. As long as the public continues to make the choice to pay for it then Disney will continue to make the choice to raise the ticket price.

How do you curb this? Well you dont go to Disney as much. This year I will be going only once as compared to 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[JimboJones123]

Supply? Hi, this is Demand. Have we met?

This is the most meaningful post in this thread. Congrats on proving you hav a high school diploma.

I agree totally.

In fact, like many have said before, raise the prices more. I would gladly pay 30% more to deal with 30% less guests.

 

[Hot4Hudgens]

Yikes. It's not going to stop me from going to the parks, but damn. Luckily, I get the Florida resident rate.