Are tickets to WDW really over priced?

[seascape]

It is a luxury item... stop falling for your nonsense. There are billions of people that have never been because it is out of there financial reach and even if it was it still requires a lot more then the entrance fee to go there. One will not die if they don't go to a Disney park, but they will die if they have no food, clothing, shelter or heat. Those are necessitates. It is true that that they have a large swath of clients now closer to upper middle class for a family, but compared to the population, it is nothing. Being a mass TOURIST destination is what defines it as a luxury item. Just because you or I might go there often does not stop it from being something that is qualified as a luxury that we can habitually and emotionally attend to get our particular fix. And it always was even when it cost $5 for a ticket it was still out of reach of many people. That is what defines luxury.

Cars are now considered necessities, but there are standard cars and there are luxury cars afforded by just a few. Disney is a luxury car. Always has been and always will be.

I forget which organization did the poll but the median family that goes to regional themeparks is in the high 40% of income level. So the the majority of Americans can't even afford a Six Flags or Cedar Fair ticket. There are way too many delusional people here and around the country that will never understand that a huge percentage of the US population live paycheck to paycheck and can't even afford to waste any money. Then consider this, the poor in the US live much better than most of those who live in the 3rd world. Face it, those who complain about the cost of luxuries will never understand how 80% of the world live. Yes, Disney is extremely expensive and always has been. Just take one last look at @Paralentsof4 charts and adjust the ticket prices based on the change in family size. It is clear the cost for a family to visit WDW has actually decreased a small percent of median family income from 1977 to today because the median sized family was 46% larger in 1977 than today. The median ticket price today adjust to family size and income would be $116.13

 

[GimpYancIent]

It is not a “luxury item”…stop falling for that nonsense.

it is a mass tourist destination that was constructed and has always operated by cutting a large swath of clients through the MIDDLE of the income range.

by definition…not luxury. No matter what some idiot named “Bob” telling the hedge funds a couple times a year

Well, A Mass Tourist Destination - Absolutely. As for it being or not being a luxury, simply put, yes it is. It is not a necessity of life (even though some believe it is) to go to a Disney property. There are some folk's that never get to go, some maybe once in their lives others are regulars. Regardless it is not a necessity that due to costs, travel, planning, time consumption and individual interests / situations to go to. Something for those with the means to partake in and enjoy, the rest Oh Well. So yea it's a luxury.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well, A Mass Tourist Destination - Absolutely. As for it being or not being a luxury, simply put, yes it is. It is not a necessity of life (even though some believe it is) to go to a Disney property. There are some folk's that never get to go, some maybe once in their lives others are regulars. Regardless it is not a necessity that due to costs, travel, planning, time consumption and individual interests / situations to go to. Something for those with the means to partake in and enjoy, the rest Oh Well. So yea it's a luxury.

To be clear…I think travel is “a luxury”…however that is not the same as calling it a “luxury” spot.

you get that reputation based on quality and a commitment to operating your location as such…spending/staffing as necessary to maintain a standard.

Disney is a great operator…that has not been in doubt. But there was NEVER a quest for “luxury”. I only know what I know…And the people that falsely do this luxury gag are usually just looking for a reason to be proud of themselves. Just how it plays.

 

[seascape]

More numbers. I know this is not a real proposition because in 1977 no one would have spend 7 nights and WDW and gone to the park 6 times but if a family of 4 did and each person purchased 3 18 ride ticket books the cost of 4 people would have been 363.00. There were no discounts for multiday passes. Today a 6 day ticket, one park a day starts at $450 or $1,800 for a family of 4. Just adjusting for inflation $363 in 1977 would be $1,635.32 today. Yes, they are slightly more than in 1977 but only by 10%. Change the adjustment based on median family income and family size and the savings would be substantial.

Edited for 6 days as I made a mistake and originally used a 4 day ticket.

 

[Goofyernmost]

To be clear…I think travel is “a luxury”…however that is not the same as calling it a “luxury” spot.

you get that reputation based on quality and a commitment to operating your location as such…spending/staffing as necessary to maintain a standard.

Disney is a great operator…that has not been in doubt. But there was NEVER a quest for “luxury”. I only know what I know…And the people that falsely do this luxury gag are usually just looking for a reason to be proud of themselves. Just how it plays.

Yes, it is absolutely the same. Both are the same thing. You travel to a destination. Both the travel and a destination to a place like WDW is indeed a luxury. How can they be separate. Destination to visit your Mother, not a luxury destination and the travel probably isn't either.

You are mis-defining luxury. You make it sound like since they don't have thick fluffy cushions on the rides that they are not luxurious. Luxurious is something that is available and never a necessity to be part of. Be it a luxury car, which, by the way isn't always luxurious, just expensive. I once had a friend that invited me to his place to see his brand new BMW and took me for a ride. It was like riding on a hay wagon, rubber mats, no carpet, noisy and just plain uncomfortable. I, of course, raved about it to him. It was indeed his first luxury car unfortunately it was anything but luxurious. There are two definitions of luxury but neither one of them is necessarily luxurious and neither of them are within the reach of the actual masses. For all economic considerations going to a theme park is not included in what determines the inflationary rate. It is not even considered due to its absolute lack of necessity to be needed for a happy and healthy life.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

To be clear…I think travel is “a luxury”…however that is not the same as calling it a “luxury” spot.

you get that reputation based on quality and a commitment to operating your location as such…spending/staffing as necessary to maintain a standard.

Disney is a great operator…that has not been in doubt. But there was NEVER a quest for “luxury”. I only know what I know…And the people that falsely do this luxury gag are usually just looking for a reason to be proud of themselves. Just how it plays.

Definition of luxury

1 : a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort
2 : something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary
3 : an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease

I would absolutely apply #2 and maybe even #3 for a trip to WDW. It has nothing to do with fluffy towels or bedding or service.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Definition of luxury

1 : a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort
2 : something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary
3 : an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease

I would absolutely apply #2 and maybe even #3 for a trip to WDW. It has nothing to do with fluffy towels or bedding or service.

In the hospitality industry it absolutely does.

this is pointless…I can’t unsee actual business experience…and I’m not gonna alter preconceived nonsense.

I’ll go back to the “hot topics”:
1. Paid FP
2. annual pass (sorry…”keys” )
3. Complete mismanagement in the state of Florida for nonsense

 

[LuvtheGoof]

In the hospitality industry it absolutely does.

this is pointless…I can’t unsee actual business experience…and I’m not gonna alter preconceived nonsense.

I’ll go back to the “hot topics”:
1. Paid FP
2. annual pass (sorry…”keys” )
3. Complete mismanagement in the state of Florida for nonsense

So serious question. By your definition of luxury, is there any single thing at WDW that you would give that label?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So serious question. By your definition of luxury, is there any single thing at WDW that you would give that label?

Victoria and Alberts.
Four Seasons
Waldorf Astoria at Bonnet Creek (maybe…I don’t know what their standards are now)

it’s about how they operate…not the price you pay.
Disney has somehow managed to become amazing at obscuring a very clear line.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Victoria and Alberts.
Four Seasons
Waldorf Astoria at Bonnet Creek (maybe…I don’t know what their standards are now)

it’s about how they operate…not the price you pay.
Disney has somehow managed to become amazing at obscuring a very clear line.

Hmm, so really only V&As, since the others don't belong to Disney. So the 4 diamond hotels, such as AKL, don't qualify in your opinion?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hmm, so really only V&As, since the others don't belong to Disney. So the 4 diamond hotels, such as AKL, don't qualify in your opinion?

No…because they staff out of a centralized hiring pool with no experience requirements. They have dorm occupants in guest contact scenarios. They don’t provide outside services as a matter of policy. That isn’t how those types of hotels should operate.

very nice places…i enjoy them greatly…but I know what I’m getting and what I’m not. Saw everything behind the name tag…and have bought everything out in front of it (wedding, DVC, etc etc)

life isn’t perfect…but it can still be fun and intellectual at the same time

 

[jloucks]

I have read all the comments on how WDW charges too much. So I decided to compare WDW Tickrt prices to the cost of The University of Dayton. In the 1977 to 1978 school year my tuition with room and board was $3,500. In 1980 to 1981 it was over $8,000. Today it is $45,700. That is inflation. In 1977 WDW tickets cost $6.00 plus ride tickets. Using an $18.25 cost for an 18 ride ticket book and saying that lasted over 2 days the per day cost was $15.12 a day. Now, comparing college costs to WDW tickets, they should cost $197 a day today, since college costs have gone up just over 13 times. Even just admission to the parks with no ride should cost $78 a day and anyone with an annual pass today is paying much less than that. WDW is actually a huge bargin today when compared to College tuition.

I have proof they are actually underpriced... Crowd Levels.

Here is a thought puzzle for you? If tickets were $1,500 a day per person, and 100% of the tickets sold each and every day, are the tickets overpriced, underpriced, or priced just right?

That price was not completely random, it is about what we are each going to pay to stay at the Galactic Starcruiser. While the price is expensive, it does not appear to be overpriced.

 

[jloucks]

To be clear…I think travel is “a luxury”…however that is not the same as calling it a “luxury” spot.

you get that reputation based on quality and a commitment to operating your location as such…spending/staffing as necessary to maintain a standard.

Disney is a great operator…that has not been in doubt. But there was NEVER a quest for “luxury”. I only know what I know…And the people that falsely do this luxury gag are usually just looking for a reason to be proud of themselves. Just how it plays.

There are facets to luxury, and necessity is just one of those facets. Exclusivity, indulgence, comfort, all of these things and more are facets of luxury. WDW checks off a majority of those boxes, and is therefore a luxury.

Many of us live a life of privilege and with that comes a certain obliviousness to our luxury. We flourish our privilege by adjusting the luxury bar so high that most of the people on the planet are rolling their eyes at us.

My point being if you think WDW is not a complete and utter luxury, you're oblivious to your privilege.

Just embrace it. It will make the world a better place. Maybe.

 

[seascape]

There are facets to luxury, and necessity is just one of those facets. Exclusivity, indulgence, comfort, all of these thing and more are facets of luxury. WDW checks off a majority of those boxes, and is therefore a luxury.

Many of us live a life of privilege and with that comes a certain obliviousness to our luxury. We flourish our privilege by adjusting the luxury bar so high that most of the people on the planet are rolling their eyes at us.

My point being is you think WDW is not a complete and utter luxury, you're oblivious to your privilege.

Just embrace it. It will make the work a better place. Maybe.

Very well said. I know how lucky I am. However, I made a point to save as much as I could when I was young. I also made it a point to get everyone I worked with to join the State of NJ 457 plan and my Division was the only one with 100% participation. I still live a reasonably conservative lifestyle but when my wife's 13 year old car needed a $2,000 repair I purchased her a 2021 closeout for cash. This was the first time I ever paid cash for a car but I will no longer take out a loan on a depreciating asset. I thank my father's memory everyday that he taught me the most important lesson anyone can learn. THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY, YOU AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK IS EASIER.

 

[jloucks]

It's been far too long since I updated these.

The first chart shows how all types of WDW tickets have outpaced household income, even those in the top 5%, since 2000.

View attachment 580023

The second chart takes a longer look at ticket prices.

When comparing prices over time, it's difficult to appreciate what they mean without some point of reference. I prefer to use Median Household Income because this gives a sense of cost relative to income. Looking at the ratio between the two, it's apparent that there are 3 eras of WDW ticket prices.

The first is the Walt Disney Legacy Era when ticket prices were relatively inexpensive. Walt Disney always emphasized to his subordinates that the company needed to provide its Guests with "good value." Up through 1984, the company was run by those who personally knew Walt Disney and inherited his pricing philosophy. "What would Walt do?" weighed heavily on every decision made. Those who remember this time might have thought WDW was expensive but, relative to income, WDW was never less expensive.

The second is the Michael Eisner Era when ticket prices quickly increased by roughly 50% relative to Median Household Income and then held relatively steady for 15 years. There was a strong opinion in the industry that Disney theme park tickets were underpriced. This hurt other amusement park operators, who found it difficult to compete with Disney's value (i.e. quality vs. cost). The competition was greatly relieved when Eisner hiked prices as this allowed them to increase prices and make park improvements.

The third is the Paul Pressler/Jay Rasulo Era when price increases began a steady climb faster than Median Household Income. This era is dominated by a more analytical approach to pricing. "What's the most we can charge to maximize profitability?" This is the era we are in today.

Assuming a ratio of 1-to-1 in 1971, this is what WDW ticket prices relative to Median Household Income looks like though 2013:

View attachment 580025

Interesting.

And, if anyone wonders why this can happen, it is because WDW is a global destination now. Among the 7 billion of us, there are plenty that CAN and WILL pay higher prices for park access.

Demand---- price is always about demand. Always. Every. Single. Time. Supply (if you were thinking that far ahead) is a still a lesser determinate than demand.

Very well said. I know how lucky I am. However, I made a point to save as much as I could when I was young. I also made it a point to get everyone I worked with to join the State of NJ 457 plan and my Division was the only one with 100% participation. I still live a reasonably conservative lifestyle but when my wife's 13 year old car needed a $2,000 repair I purchased her a 2021 closeout for cash. This was the first time I ever paid cash for a car but I will no longer take out a loan on a depreciating asset. I thank my father's memory everyday that he taught me the most important lesson anyone can learn. THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY, YOU AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK IS EASIER.

There is a third way, other peoples resources at work. Not to be confused with exploitation, but that line can be thin at times.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There are facets to luxury, and necessity is just one of those facets. Exclusivity, indulgence, comfort, all of these things and more are facets of luxury. WDW checks off a majority of those boxes, and is therefore a luxury.

Many of us live a life of privilege and with that comes a certain obliviousness to our luxury. We flourish our privilege by adjusting the luxury bar so high that most of the people on the planet are rolling their eyes at us.

My point being if you think WDW is not a complete and utter luxury, you're oblivious to your privilege.

Just embrace it. It will make the work a better place. Maybe.

Very well said. I know how lucky I am. However, I made a point to save as much as I could when I was young. I also made it a point to get everyone I worked with to join the State of NJ 457 plan and my Division was the only one with 100% participation. I still live a reasonably conservative lifestyle but when my wife's 13 year old car needed a $2,000 repair I purchased her a 2021 closeout for cash. This was the first time I ever paid cash for a car but I will no longer take out a loan on a depreciating asset. I thank my father's memory everyday that he taught me the most important lesson anyone can learn. THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY, YOU AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK AND YOUR MONEY AT WORK IS EASIER.

You both made your own mission statements which is totally fine. But it has nothing to do with what I’m saying.

its “self congratulatory” as I hinted…you jumped right in.

the Jersey deets were nice, however

 

[MsAnniee]

I have read all the comments on how WDW charges too much. So I decided to compare WDW Tickrt prices to the cost of The University of Dayton. In the 1977 to 1978 school year my tuition with room and board was $3,500. In 1980 to 1981 it was over $8,000. Today it is $45,700. That is inflation. In 1977 WDW tickets cost $6.00 plus ride tickets. Using an $18.25 cost for an 18 ride ticket book and saying that lasted over 2 days the per day cost was $15.12 a day. Now, comparing college costs to WDW tickets, they should cost $197 a day today, since college costs have gone up just over 13 times. Even just admission to the parks with no ride should cost $78 a day and anyone with an annual pass today is paying much less than that. WDW is actually a huge bargin today when compared to College tuition.

Do you think this is like comparing apples to pears. Two different issues. A better comparison would be rate of inflation vs increase in ticket prices.

 

[TotallyBiased]

 

[jackpast]

And my factory ordered 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with options cost $5200. Use that for a real comparison.

 

[TotallyBiased]

And my factory ordered 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with options cost $5200. Use that for a real comparison.

About 26k nowadays accounting for inflation.