I'm really hesitant to say one way or another about admission price being reformulated until I learn more about how Disney budgets money. We pay admission, buy food and drinks, buy souvenirs, some pay for parking, etc. Does the money for each expense stay in that cagegory? Does money spent on souvenirs go towards R&D for new souvenirs, CM's who work the stores and kiosks, upkeep of the store fronts? Does money for food and drink go to CM's pay who work the restaurants, etc., etc., etc.
OR, does the money just go into two or three large accounts, and funds are appropriated for each individual category based on projected and past expenditures/needs?
I don't know. Today we happened to be in a Disney Store and the CM I was talking to said that alot of Disney's financial woes have to do with ABC not doing well. The CM didn't out and out say it, but it sounded like the resorts were keeping the rest of the company afloat. Maybe that was just her opinion, not based on fact. The CM indicated the information was from stock reports, but we all know how some information from some CM's can be ...um...inaccurate?
Maybe some of the members on this site have factual answers for some of these questions.
And as far as something "better" happening with pricing, all of the other "major" theme parks seem to follow Disney's model of age pricing. Now the question is, is this because it's the best system, or are they just following Disney's model because it's Disney? Is the tail wagging the dog?