Price of Gas Impact on Disneyland?

[TP2000]

Gas in California is now averaging $5.88 per gallon for 87 octane regular. This is the highest gas price in the nation, even higher than Hawaii. As a point of reference, even after the price hikes of the last three or four months, gas in Texas is currently averaging $3.85 per gallon.

At what point does the sky high (and rising) price of gas in California impact Disneyland's business model? A large portion of Disneyland customers drive to the park for the day from throughout SoCal, or drive to SoCal from throughout the Western States. Or, they fly to John Wayne, with airline prices also rising by the day with the rising cost of jet fuel.


Has anyone postponed or cancelled a trip to Disneyland as a Magic Key holder due to gas at nearly 6 bucks a gallon? Has anyone rethought spring or summer vacation plans due to high gas or plane ticket prices?

At the very least, we won't be seeing Disneyland turn off half the lights on buildings like they had to do in the 1970's....

 

[SuddenStorm]

Gas in California is now averaging $5.88 per gallon for 87 octane regular. This is the highest gas price in the nation, even higher than Hawaii. As a point of reference, even after the price hikes of the last three or four months, gas in Texas is currently averaging $3.85 per gallon.

At what point does the sky high (and rising) price of gas in California impact Disneyland's business model? A large portion of Disneyland customers drive to the park for the day from throughout SoCal, or drive to SoCal from throughout the Western States. Or, they fly to John Wayne, with airline prices also rising by the day with the rising cost of jet fuel.


Has anyone postponed or cancelled a trip to Disneyland as a Magic Key holder due to gas at nearly 6 bucks a gallon? Has anyone rethought spring or summer vacation plans due to high gas or plane ticket prices?

At the very least, we won't be seeing Disneyland turn off half the lights on buildings like they had to do in the 1970's....

Im more curious how it impacts resort operations. I bet someone in accounting has their eye on the Autopia right now...

 

[D.Silentu]

To that point, I imagine TDA is lamenting the timing of the tram’s return.

 

[mickEblu]

Gas in California is now averaging $5.88 per gallon for 87 octane regular. This is the highest gas price in the nation, even higher than Hawaii. As a point of reference, even after the price hikes of the last three or four months, gas in Texas is currently averaging $3.85 per gallon.

At what point does the sky high (and rising) price of gas in California impact Disneyland's business model? A large portion of Disneyland customers drive to the park for the day from throughout SoCal, or drive to SoCal from throughout the Western States. Or, they fly to John Wayne, with airline prices also rising by the day with the rising cost of jet fuel.


Has anyone postponed or cancelled a trip to Disneyland as a Magic Key holder due to gas at nearly 6 bucks a gallon? Has anyone rethought spring or summer vacation plans due to high gas or plane ticket prices?

At the very least, we won't be seeing Disneyland turn off half the lights on buildings like they had to do in the 1970's....

It hasn't stopped us yet but we're only a month into this at this point. I'll get back to you in a few months. In all honesty it won't effect us this year as we're already invested in our annual passes. It could effect our decision to renew if this continues into late Summer but only really as an extra deterrent in addition to things like Genie +'s impact on standby wait times. By then Disney may decide to change the playing field again and make Genie + available as a Magic Key Add On. At the end of the day, I suspect I'll be renewing our Keys in spite of all these things. Disneyland (and dining out) is our main source of entertainment and Keys still have a great value in this expensive State. I cant leave the house without spending a couple hundred dollars. If I'm not spending the money at Disneyland, I'm spending it somewhere else. Oh and one more thing- our daughter gets free entry until September 2023. She'll never be free again after that. Haha

I suspect things would have to get real bad for us to stop going to the park and I pray it doesn’t get to that point as that would mean worse things are happening than not going to Disneyland.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Gas in California is now averaging $5.88 per gallon for 87 octane regular. This is the highest gas price in the nation, even higher than Hawaii. As a point of reference, even after the price hikes of the last three or four months, gas in Texas is currently averaging $3.85 per gallon.

At what point does the sky high (and rising) price of gas in California impact Disneyland's business model? A large portion of Disneyland customers drive to the park for the day from throughout SoCal, or drive to SoCal from throughout the Western States. Or, they fly to John Wayne, with airline prices also rising by the day with the rising cost of jet fuel.


Has anyone postponed or cancelled a trip to Disneyland as a Magic Key holder due to gas at nearly 6 bucks a gallon? Has anyone rethought spring or summer vacation plans due to high gas or plane ticket prices?

At the very least, we won't be seeing Disneyland turn off half the lights on buildings like they had to do in the 1970's....

Hopefully they finally close Autopia?

 

[mickEblu]

Hopefully they finally close Autopia?

Only if you can guarantee me that what they re replacing it with is better and more simpatico with the surrounding area of the park and that a thousand trees won’t be sacrificed.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Only if you can guarantee me that what they re replacing it with is better and more simpatico with the surrounding area of the park and that a thousand trees won’t be sacrificed.

I can't guarantee anything, but I would prefer almost anything over Autopia.

 

[mickEblu]

I can't guarantee anything, but I would prefer almost anything over Autopia.

Would you prefer 10% of the trees, Frozen ever After and a monorail ride over Arendale?

 

[Texas84]

I've been told DLR is 100% locals, so no impact. But my upcoming drive to WDW might cost about $200 round trip.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Would you prefer 10% of the trees, Frozen ever After and a monorail ride over Arendale?

Let’s do it

 

[mickEblu]

Let’s do it

Hahah. I’ll be honest. It doesn’t sound like a total loss and I’m sure I’d ride it more than Autopia. It’s just my lack of trust in the current leadership of the company and the unknown that I’m afraid of. High Risk Low Reward

 

[TP2000]

Im more curious how it impacts resort operations. I bet someone in accounting has their eye on the Autopia right now...

During the first gas crisis in '73-'74, they shut off half the lightbulbs on a lot of buildings at Disneyland. But they never closed Autopia, as I remember. They also kept Autopia running during the second gas crisis in '79.

I think the biggest impact will be getting people to the parks themselves. Will an AP from Fontana or Van Nuys want to drive to Anaheim for a Sunday afternoon if gas is now $6 per gallon? Will a family from Atlanta want to drive to Orlando instead of just going to a local lake?

 

[Disney Irish]

If anything I would expect more Uber/Lyft trips by SoCal locals, as it would probably be cheaper in the long run.

 

[networkpro]

I think the biggest impact will be getting people to the parks themselves. Will an AP from Fontana or Van Nuys want to drive to Anaheim for a Sunday afternoon if gas is now $6 per gallon? Will a family from Atlanta want to drive to Orlando instead of just going to a local lake?

APs from the Atlanta Metropolitan area will. It's more convenient than flying (at least from the southern metro).

 

[Dear Prudence]

Gas in California is now averaging $5.88 per gallon for 87 octane regular. This is the highest gas price in the nation, even higher than Hawaii. As a point of reference, even after the price hikes of the last three or four months, gas in Texas is currently averaging $3.85 per gallon.

At what point does the sky high (and rising) price of gas in California impact Disneyland's business model? A large portion of Disneyland customers drive to the park for the day from throughout SoCal, or drive to SoCal from throughout the Western States. Or, they fly to John Wayne, with airline prices also rising by the day with the rising cost of jet fuel.


Has anyone postponed or cancelled a trip to Disneyland as a Magic Key holder due to gas at nearly 6 bucks a gallon? Has anyone rethought spring or summer vacation plans due to high gas or plane ticket prices?

At the very least, we won't be seeing Disneyland turn off half the lights on buildings like they had to do in the 1970's....

the lights are already out on half the rides anyway

 

[Dear Prudence]

Hopefully they finally close Autopia?

I am disabled and do not drive, and Autopia is the only way in my life I will ever get to even briefly experience anything behind the wheel of a car, just let me have this, okay?!

 

[TP2000]

the lights are already out on half the rides anyway

Brava, my dear lady! Thank you for the Friday afternoon laugh!

 

[smooch]

I am disabled and do not drive, and Autopia is the only way in my life I will ever get to even briefly experience anything behind the wheel of a car, just let me have this, okay?!

This is a great example of why I don't want Autopia gone, along with the statement we hear all the time about how it's a ride for kids who want to drive but have years and years to wait. When I was little I loved driving on Autopia because I wasn't old enough to drive a real car but I got to pretend I was "grown up" and drive. It gives kids a chance to "drive" and lets parents see their kid experience something they won't be able to actually do for a long time. And as long as your kid doesn't just slam left and right then it's a relaxing ride with cute scenery. I do think they could clean up / update some of the sets / decorations and if they could figure out a way to charge the cars efficiently to make them electric, but I don't know how possible that would be without having to rotate in / out large numbers of cars.

 

[No Name]

This is a great example of why I don't want Autopia gone, along with the statement we hear all the time about how it's a ride for kids who want to drive but have years and years to wait. When I was little I loved driving on Autopia because I wasn't old enough to drive a real car but I got to pretend I was "grown up" and drive. It gives kids a chance to "drive" and lets parents see their kid experience something they won't be able to actually do for a long time. And as long as your kid doesn't just slam left and right then it's a relaxing ride with cute scenery. I do think they could clean up / update some of the sets / decorations and if they could figure out a way to charge the cars efficiently to make them electric, but I don't know how possible that would be without having to rotate in / out large numbers of cars.

The cars were electric in Hong Kong so I think it’s certainly possible.

 

[smooch]

The cars were electric in Hong Kong so I think it’s certainly possible.

That's great! I wonder if there's some sort of system that can charge them when they're in the loading area / in certain spots so the cars never go fully dead. I honestly think that's the main change that area needs, get rid of the loud and smelly cars and replace them with silent, emission free cars. Could even use it as an opportunity to design a new body shape that is more "futuristic." Maybe something that is more angular like the new Hyundai IONIQ 5.