A Touch of Disney begins March 18, 2021

[DLR>WDW]

I'm happy for them to get money coming in that they've been missing.

I'm worried this is going to be a sign to them along the lines of "hey you should increase single day tickets to $300 for both parks because fans will pay whatever you ask."

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if tickets reach $200 a piece in the near future. After the summer 2019 debacle, I think they realized that by catering to a market of guests who spend all day at the park, buy full priced tickets, and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner within the park, they could increase both per-guest spending and overall customer satisfaction.

And when APs do eventually return, I expect prices well over $1k and a requirement for reservations. Not only would that help them with staffing and capacity control, but it forces the APs to actually plan out a visit 30+ days in advanced, keeping them in the park longer and spending more money on food, drinks, and merch.

Though on the contrary, Disney seems to like to keep their attendance numbers high, so I wouldn’t put it past them if they bring back that SoCal Resident deal for January-May again. Who knows at this point.

I like to think there’s a certain faction of TDA management that would rather sacrifice attendance for improved guest experience, while the other wants as many people in the park as possible, no matter the consequences. Perhaps the “insanely crowded for the first 5 months of the year and reasonable for the other 7” strategy is the compromise they settled upon.

 

[mikenatcity1]

So who here bought tickets to this thing?

I did. I have tickets on 3 separate dates, but only because of visitors who want the Disneyland experience. I'm also going to Knotts on Saturday and am picking a date for Universal. I found the festivals are a great way to entertain out of town guests when the theme parks aren't fully open...

 

[mikenatcity1]

I gotta believe the next time they extend dates it will be closer to $100/ticket.

I told someone the price would go up and they argued. I had to point out Disney used the wording "introductory price" which means the next round could be more expensive.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

I did. I have tickets on 3 separate dates, but only because of visitors who want the Disneyland experience. I'm also going to Knotts on Saturday and am picking a date for Universal. I found the festivals are a great way to entertain out of town guests when the theme parks aren't fully open...

You are not getting the Disneyland experience though.you are paying so you can shop and eat with no rides not even in Disneyland but the inferior park. You can eat and shop in DCA now for 10 bucks parking not 75. Sure you will be able to go to more lands but whats the point of going to the lands without rides?

 

[DavidDL]

Not to be confrontational, but paying money to see something that makes you happy, even without rides or whatever isn't totally unfounded in my eyes. I understand the sentiment of some that, paying effectively $40 to wander around a plussed-up "mall" isn't worth it to them. That's fine. But if that sort of thing makes someone else happy, I won't judge. Beauty and taste is subjective. I wouldn't want to pay $40 to wander around DCA but if you charged me $20 to just walk around a closed Disneyland with my wife, I'd probably pay it. Because it's one of the few places in the world that really makes me happy, fills me with memories and takes me away from it all. People will happily pay for that and I think that's perfectly fine. We all have our weak spots.

Take camping, example. My favorite campsite charges roughly $45 a night. For what? I have a perfectly good bathroom at home. Certainly a more comfortable bed. -and my oven at home works a hell of a lot better than the campfire. So where's the logic in me paying the state $45 a night for that? There isn't really, when you think about it "logically". But we get to enjoy nature and "get away from it all". For some, the parks have that level of beauty and escapism even without the rides. I won't judge 'em for that.

 

[Ismael Flores]

well looks like the demand was there for this and makes me wonder why they waited so long to do this especially since Knotts did it for most of the year. My guess would be having to deal with the unions.

as for the pricing, when i first saw the announcement i was surprise at how high it was but after a few discussions with people that normally go to festivals like these that are not sponsored by Disney the pricing doesn't seem out of range.

form the discussions it seems that events like these in the LA area can be quite pricely when you include parking and other expenses. parking lots in LA area range from $15 to $30 or more depending on the service. most events also charge an entry fee and some can be quite high according to Angelinos i talked too.

made me realize that Disney probably figured $75 dollars to cover the usual $25 parking fee, $25 dollar to cover the food voucher and $25 dollars to cover the supposed limited character interaction and limited entertainment. I am guessing that any profit they make will most likely come from the sell of alcohol and dining as well as merchandise.

 

[Stevek]

well looks like the demand was there for this and makes me wonder why they waited so long to do this especially since Knotts did it for most of the year. My guess would be having to deal with the unions.

as for the pricing, when i first saw the announcement i was surprise at how high it was but after a few discussions with people that normally go to festivals like these that are not sponsored by Disney the pricing doesn't seem out of range.

form the discussions it seems that events like these in the LA area can be quite pricely when you include parking and other expenses. parking lots in LA area range from $15 to $30 or more depending on the service. most events also charge an entry fee and some can be quite high according to Angelinos i talked too.

made me realize that Disney probably figured $75 dollars to cover the usual $25 parking fee, $25 dollar to cover the food voucher and $25 dollars to cover the supposed limited character interaction and limited entertainment. I am guessing that any profit they make will most likely come from the sell of alcohol and dining as well as merchandise.

But you can park for $10 at DTD right now so it’s more like $40 for the fluff. The accurate comparison is other theme parks, not other events around LA and based on that, Disney is priced quite a bit higher. That being said, they know they can charge a premium and people will pay that...they likely knew that long ago given the history of Disney fans paying for pretty much anything Disney throws at them. I don’t blame Disney but people really need to stop complaining how Disney keeps increasing prices when the same complainers keep coming back no matter what.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

But you can park for $10 at DTD right now so it’s more like $40 for the fluff. The accurate comparison is other theme parks, not other events around LA and based on that, Disney is priced quite a bit higher. That being said, they know they can charge a premium and people will pay that...they likely knew that long ago given the history of Disney fans paying for pretty much anything Disney throws at them. I don’t blame Disney but people really need to stop complaining how Disney keeps increasing prices when the same complainers keep coming back no matter what.

I agree. And with some of these tickets for this event already being scalped on third party sites, Disney would be wise to sell single-day, single-park (likely day-parted, “limited experience”) tickets for a significant premium on this price. The shareholders would frankly expect nothing less.

This reminds of an old episode of South Park where Cartman buys his own theme park (for only himself) only to find that by keeping people away the desire for it only increases.

The lesson is absence makes the heart grow fonder, I suppose?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not to be confrontational, but paying money to see something that makes you happy, even without rides or whatever isn't totally unfounded in my eyes. I understand the sentiment of some that, paying effectively $40 to wander around a plussed-up "mall" isn't worth it to them. That's fine. But if that sort of thing makes someone else happy, I won't judge. Beauty and taste is subjective. I wouldn't want to pay $40 to wander around DCA but if you charged me $20 to just walk around a closed Disneyland with my wife, I'd probably pay it. Because it's one of the few places in the world that really makes me happy, fills me with memories and takes me away from it all. People will happily pay for that and I think that's perfectly fine. We all have our weak spots.

Take camping, example. My favorite campsite charges roughly $45 a night. For what? I have a perfectly good bathroom at home. Certainly a more comfortable bed. -and my oven at home works a hell of a lot better than the campfire. So where's the logic in me paying the state $45 a night for that? There isn't really, when you think about it "logically". But we get to enjoy nature and "get away from it all". For some, the parks have that level of beauty and escapism even without the rides. I won't judge 'em for that.

Yep. I remember judging people for spending money on things I thought were useless/pointless, or maybe just too much money on things that I enjoyed but didn’t enjoy that much (including Disney-related) things. Once I started getting the side-eye, backhanded comments, and judgment from people when I started traveling internationally, I stopped being harsh on others. It’s annoying being judged for spending your money on things you like and want to do.

We all have our interests. I love the DLR but I personally can’t justify the cost for this event. But if others can and want to go, then that’s fine. It’s their money, not mine.

 

[flutas]

In the first few weeks, maybe two months, after Disneyland reopens they'll be able to get that.

They'd be smart to make that extra money when they can! Let's just hope their reopening product is better than "Walk Around A Closed Theme Park And Eat $25 Worth Of Food For $75. Plus PhotoPass!"

(Quoting the parts I'm responding to directly.)

Agreed, the big "bad side" to this being Disney never lowers prices. So what would the outcome be here. Single day tickets set at $300, but a constant $100 "we love you" discount?

Or do they turn the DLR reopening into a constant "hard ticket" event so that they can keep tickets at a reasonable price and still charge the $300 per for a time period.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if tickets reach $200 a piece in the near future.

I believe as of 2020, there were park hopper tickets over $200 per day already. With single day sitting at $159. ("Peak" days of course.)

 

[LukaLand]

So who here bought tickets to this thing?

I tried. But I work wierd hours and it sold out while I was in the que. Oh well.

 

[el_super]

We all have our interests. I love the DLR but I personally can’t justify the cost for this event. But if others can and want to go, then that’s fine. It’s their money, not mine.

I think some of the outage being directed at this event, is really coming from the shock of discovering that rides aren't really the most important part of a Disney experience. At least not that important to the number of people justifying the cost of this experience.

So certainly if you prioritize rides and attractions or entertainment above all else, you might not justify it. But not everyone thinks that way.

 

[DrAlice]

I think some of the outage being directed at this event, is really coming from the shock of discovering that rides aren't really the most important part of a Disney experience. At least not that important to the number of people justifying the cost of this experience.

So certainly if you prioritize rides and attractions or entertainment above all else, you might not justify it. But not everyone thinks that way.

Here is where my nine-year-old's priorities lie:

Me: explains that DCA is open, but you only get food, shopping and no rides or shows
Kid: "What's the point of that???!"
Me: Well, there are characters too. But, you know, from far away because of physical distancing.
Kid: "Well, I guess some people would want that, but I don't want to go until I can ride stuff."



Now, I'm not saying that Disney should make decisions based on the opinion of a 9-year-old. However, this opinion certainly influences whether my family decides to make a trek to the happiest place on earth or take our money elsewhere. (We're taking our money elsewhere.) I'm sure we aren't alone in this.

Can Disney sustain this event without families like mine? I guess we'll find out. Maybe we aren't the intended audience.

 

[el_super]

Kid: "Well, I guess some people would want that, but I don't want to go until I can ride stuff."

I mean... it's not like I disagree. I certainly don't think it's worth my time or money to go to this event.

But I can still see the appeal for a pretty sizable group of people: it offers a place to go after months of not really having any events/entertainment to go to. It offers a pretty safe and secure environment. In appealing to Disney fans, it's something that is family friendly, while also being welcoming to Disney fans. I joked before about Downtown Disney, but there are some people who just want to have a place to go to promenade with their Disney Dress Shop wear and their Minnie Ears. Take some photos for Instagram and reconnect with friends online.

I think about those events like Dapper Day and Bats Day and the other "themed" events at the park, and how they bring people together, and how little attractions actually play a part in those days. Whatever it is about the Disney brand/lifestyle appeal that draws people to the park, only a fraction of it is getting to go on rides.

Although admittedly, a big part of that appeal is sharing a space with friends and family, which I think is still technically being advised against.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Now what does Disney opt to do?

Disneyland, Universal and other California theme parks can reopen April 1

The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a ‘refresh’ of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

www.ocregister.com

 

[flutas]

Now what does Disney opt to do?

Disneyland, Universal and other California theme parks can reopen April 1

The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a ‘refresh’ of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

www.ocregister.com

Someone at TDA may be very mad that they "extended" the DCA food fest 2 weeks longer into April yesterday.

 

[VJ]

Someone at TDA may be very mad that they "extended" the DCA food fest 2 weeks longer into April yesterday.

nothing that says they can't reopen disneyland park proper

 

[Jiggsawpuzzle35]

nothing that says they can't reopen disneyland park proper

Most of the attractions at Disneyland can’t open since they won’t allow indoor rides. You can only ride Dumbo and the Tea Cups for so long before you puke.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Most of the attractions at Disneyland can’t open since they won’t allow indoor rides. You can only ride Dumbo and the Tea Cups for so long before you puke.

Indoor rides can operate at 15% in the Red Tier, with Time restrictions.

 

[DrAlice]

Indoor rides can operate at 15% in the Red Tier, with Time restrictions.

Disneyland at 15% capacity?? Now THAT it something I would take the kid out of school and drive down to SoCal for.