News Red Car Trolley to close February 8, 2025

[PiratesMansion]

None of the other parks in any other the Disney Resorts around the world hold the same level with their respective Castle Park. Epcot maybe back when it first opened came close to being on the same level as MK, but none others at any resort can touch the Castle Parks.

My first thought was also DisneySea here. While TDL of course dominates, their attendance numbers are often very, very close-much more so than any other castle park is with its second gate.

That wasn't the discussion though. The comment was that the poster didn't currently see value in paying full price for DCA either with Park Hopper or a day ticket as it wasn't worth it to them. My question was with all that's coming doesn't that increase the value of DCA to be at least worth a Park Hopper or a day ticket. My guess is that for most people that it will, and that is my point. The intrinsic value of a park to an average guest is the number of experiences they can enjoy, ie the number of rides the park has. With an increase in the number of experiences that increases its value and thus justifies it price. Disney knows this which is why the focus recently on adding more lands and attractions to DCA.

But all of those additions aren't here yet, which is the point. Perhaps when they are, DCA will be worth it. Until then, I totally understand and back those who are scaling back their time at DCA and/or no longer see the point in paying for single day tickets to DCA.

There is no universe in which present-day DCA is worth $206, at the very least.

 

[Disney Irish]

I'll confess, I've never once paid for a ticket to DCA in any form. Every visit I've been to DCA was either through a gift or a grand prize.

So if you've never paid for a ticket, or at least a park hopper, then the conversation is moot. As you'll likely never see value in it beyond "free or nothing". Maybe in the future you might, but as of now you never will.

 

[Disney Irish]

My first thought was also DisneySea here. While TDL of course dominates, their attendance numbers are often very, very close-much more so than any other castle park is with its second gate.

Close isn't beating it though, as I said there is no park in any resort the beats its respective Castle Park. So I don't know why that was even brought up to begin with. And its not like DCA costs more than DL anyways, so its a silly argument.

But all of those additions aren't here yet, which is the point. Perhaps when they are, DCA will be worth it. Until then, I totally understand and back those who are scaling back their time at DCA and/or no longer see the point in paying for single day tickets to DCA.

Hence why I asked the question in the first place. Once those additions are here is DCA going to be increased in value enough to be worth the price. It wasn't based on today, I already know the answer for today as it was clear what the answer would be for the poster.

There is no universe in which present-day DCA is worth $206, at the very least.

Well clearly there are people the feel it is, which is also the point. So its clearly subjective in whether someone sees value in DCA or not, and whether its worth the price of admission. As there are people that pay the price for admission daily.

 

[Consumer]

So if you've never paid for a ticket, or at least a park hopper, then the conversation is moot. As you'll likely never see value in it beyond "free or nothing". Maybe in the future you might, but as of now you never will.

I don't think it makes the point moot, I think it proves my point, actually. I've experienced the park in 2010, 2015, and 2018. I've experienced each phase of DCA (except for post-AC) and can accurately reflect on most of its offerings.

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

Disney doesn't feel the same way though about a Hyperion level show when DLR's population caters heavily to local visitors who deem these types of experiences to get stale quickly and start to ignore them, much like they did with MV3D and ITTAB.

Actually, locals are diehards about GOOD entertainment at the parks. Locals regularly watch the Dapper Dans and Five & Dime repeatedly. Locals regularly watched Aladdin and Mickey & the Magical Map. Some of us went to see Rogers The Musical every week while it was here. I've been enjoying the Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Dance-Off constantly since it started over 7 years ago. I can't even count how many times I've watched the shows at the Royal Theatre. All of the regular bands at Tomorrowland Terrace had their fans at every show, who subsequently followed them to Knotts. And some people got annual passes ONLY to see the Mad T Party every week. Locals LOVE park entertainment and watch it often and repeatedly. When it's good.

So the lack of viewers for the popular live entertainment is not the issue.

The cost of putting on a show that doesn't sell plush and spirit jerseys and loungefly bags on the other hand...

 

[mickEblu]

Yeah, I can't see a world where I pay for a parkhopper. Looking at $200-$300 to dilute my day at Disneyland to include DCA. I also don't see me spending day ticket prices on DCA either when Disneyland is valued exactly the same, yet so superior. I really wish they would they would price DCA at like $75-$120. Instead of losing folks to Knotts, just make DCA the Disney Knotts. A little cheaper. A little less magic and things to do.

My sister buys the So Cal 3 day ticket (non park hopper) every year and has never used one solitary day on DCA. And why would she when she has two young kids? It makes no sense for anyone with young kids to go to DCA instead of Disneyland unless your kid is a diehard Cars fan. For us annual pass holders DCA is a nice bonus park. No matter how you slice it, it’s still the second best theme park in California by quite a wide margin.

 

[Professortango1]

My sister buys the So Cal 3 day ticket (non park hopper) every year and has never used one solitary day on DCA. And why would she when she has two young kids? It makes no sense for anyone with young kids to go to DCA instead of Disneyland unless your kid is a diehard Cars fan. For us annual pass holders DCA is a nice bonus park. No matter how you slice it, it’s still the second best theme park in California by quite a wide margin.

Not for the price, though. If it was $50 cheaper, it would be a great value that I would take them up on. But valued the exact same as Disneyland....not a chance. I'll go to Knotts and have a great time. Ghostrider is a far better ride than Incredicoaster. Calico River Rapids has way more effort than GRR. DCA doesn't have anything that compares to Timber Mountain Log Ride or Calico Mine Ride. Plus, Knotts has all of the entertainment that Disney decided not to pay for anymore.

Carsland and Midway Mania aren't enough of a selling point to justify paying that much more. Back when the park had the Hyperion, Tower of Terror, and Tough to be a Bug, there was a little more to fill out an afternoon, but now....2 rides isn't going to ever be worth $150+ a day.

 

[Professortango1]

As newer experiences are added to DCA over the next 5-10 years don't you think it'll be more worth its price?

Even if you aren't a fan of what is being added you have to admit that with more being added it'll become a more well rounded park and likely worth its current price.

I sure hope so. I don't love Avatar, especially in a park that is themed to California, but if its a great ride them I am happy to have it at DCA in the end. Avengers makes more worried as I don't think Disney has nailed a Marvel-themed attraction yet and I'm anticipating discount Transformers and another investment into the worst "land" in the park. But once again, if it ends up being decent or even, dare I say, good, it will be a welcome addition to the park. The park is in desperate need for Disney-level experiences, especially darkrides.

 

[Professortango1]

None of the other parks in any other the Disney Resorts around the world hold the same level with their respective Castle Park. Epcot maybe back when it first opened came close to being on the same level as MK, but none others at any resort can touch the Castle Parks.

Magic Kingdom is my least favourite WDW park. I've heard many, many, people say that Magic Kingdom is a waste of time unless you have kids under 10.

Also...Tokyo Disney Sea....that place is the best Disney park on the planet. Right next to a pretty decent castle park. Built in the same era as DCA. We could have had a park like Disney Sea that feels fresh and new and filled with new classics and lands to explore. Instead, we got concrete, California puns, and a hotel plopped in the middle of the land with the most potential.

Disneyland, has the disadvantage of being locked in. I'm not speaking geographically, I'm speaking creatively. Most ideas need to fit what already exists. They can't put in a Spider-Man ride without it feeling really wrong in any of the lands. Heck, the idea of a Star Wars land in Disneyland still rubs a lot of people the wrong way. It doesn't fit the park's design.

Disneyland also has to work around the "classics." POTC, HM, SM, etc....these are gigantic attractions that are pretty much protected beyond weird updates and the occasional overlay/retheme.

All of this can cause the park to be easily overshadowed by a park that doesn't have those constraints. DCA could have had all of the cool concepts they had that wouldn't fit into Disneyland's design. Shanghai got the new fancy pirates at their castle park. We could have had something like that at DCA, because we know we can't get it at Disneyland. Look at every incredible attraction that is built overseas, DCA could have had things at that level.

They could have a park filled with original and unseen attractions tied to ideas and genres rather than IPs and Disney franchises. Heck, Westcot was the original concept. Considering Epcot is the best park in Florida, why couldn't Westcot have been the best park in California?

 

[Disney Irish]

Magic Kingdom is my least favourite WDW park. I've heard many, many, people say that Magic Kingdom is a waste of time unless you have kids under 10.

Also...Tokyo Disney Sea....that place is the best Disney park on the planet. Right next to a pretty decent castle park. Built in the same era as DCA. We could have had a park like Disney Sea that feels fresh and new and filled with new classics and lands to explore. Instead, we got concrete, California puns, and a hotel plopped in the middle of the land with the most potential.

Disneyland, has the disadvantage of being locked in. I'm not speaking geographically, I'm speaking creatively. Most ideas need to fit what already exists. They can't put in a Spider-Man ride without it feeling really wrong in any of the lands. Heck, the idea of a Star Wars land in Disneyland still rubs a lot of people the wrong way. It doesn't fit the park's design.

Disneyland also has to work around the "classics." POTC, HM, SM, etc....these are gigantic attractions that are pretty much protected beyond weird updates and the occasional overlay/retheme.

All of this can cause the park to be easily overshadowed by a park that doesn't have those constraints. DCA could have had all of the cool concepts they had that wouldn't fit into Disneyland's design. Shanghai got the new fancy pirates at their castle park. We could have had something like that at DCA, because we know we can't get it at Disneyland. Look at every incredible attraction that is built overseas, DCA could have had things at that level.

They could have a park filled with original and unseen attractions tied to ideas and genres rather than IPs and Disney franchises. Heck, Westcot was the original concept. Considering Epcot is the best park in Florida, why couldn't Westcot have been the best park in California?

Disagree because if you ask most regular folks, not diehards like us who sit and talk about this stuff constantly, but regular people on the street to describe a Disney Park and I'm betting a large majority, like in the upper 90%, will describe a Castle Park. So there is no way I would think that any secondary park in any resort will overshadow their respective Castle Park, and certainly don't think that DCA would by any means no matter what they do with it. That is not to say that a secondary park can be on the same level in terms of experiences, but it will never overshadow the Castle Parks.

Also it should be said that many diehards like us look for different things in their Park experiences than a regular person. For example a regular person isn't going to a Disney Park specifically to go to a show in the Hyperion, or specifically to ride the Red Car, that is diehard people like us. That is not to say that those experiences can't be part of the overall experience but its not what people are coming to do, hence why most skip them and why Disney thinks they can cut or retheme experiences like that because they do get skipped, ie low numbers puts you on the top of the cut/retheme list.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Close isn't beating it though, as I said there is no park in any resort the beats its respective Castle Park. So I don't know why that was even brought up to begin with. And its not like DCA costs more than DL anyways, so its a silly argument.


Hence why I asked the question in the first place. Once those additions are here is DCA going to be increased in value enough to be worth the price. It wasn't based on today, I already know the answer for today as it was clear what the answer would be for the poster.


Well clearly there are people the feel it is, which is also the point. So its clearly subjective in whether someone sees value in DCA or not, and whether its worth the price of admission. As there are people that pay the price for admission daily.

Who here would pay $206 for DCA right now?

I know 'some people' will, but I imagine even now if you were to ask most people if DCA was worth that much, most people would say no.

Just because the powers that be have decided that they think ADCA can be worth up to $206 a day doesn't mean many average people have come to the same conclusion. The same could be said for DL too. Otherwise there wouldn't be such a crowd discrepancy between the cheaper and most expensive ticket tiers, and they wouldn't need to put out three day ticket deals that are still valid through Christmas Day.

 

[Disney Irish]

Who here would pay $206 for DCA right now?

I would. I'm going to DCA on Friday, which happens to be a Tier 3 day for $164 (had already paid for the tickets before the holiday deal was available), but even if it was a Tier 6 day which is the $206 I'd still pay for it. Just because you don't think people would doesn't mean we don't.

For me its worth it, because I get enjoyment out of the Park, even if others don't. Sorry that you can't believe that or think maybe I'm naive or whatever other name you want to call me for paying that price, but its what I choose to do with my money, just as others here choose to do or don't do with their money.

I know 'some people' will, but I imagine even now if you were to ask most people if DCA was worth that much, most people would say no.

Just because the powers that be have decided that they think ADCA can be worth up to $206 a day doesn't mean many average people have come to the same conclusion. The same could be said for DL too. Otherwise there wouldn't be such a crowd discrepancy between the cheaper and most expensive ticket tiers, and they wouldn't need to put out three day ticket deals that are still valid through Christmas Day.

Increased ticket prices is a very long conversation, not specific to DCA. And one that affect all Disney Parks domestically. How many would say even DL isn't worth it at the $206 price, possibly just as many that don't think DCA is worth that price. Which is why as you mentioned there are discount tickets.

But how many days are actually the highest $206 tier, only a few days out of the entire calendar year (20ish maybe?). Its only during peak holidays, such as Christmas. So that isn't the average price, which is probably closer to the $120-$150 range averaged out.

None of this however has to do with my question which most don't seem to want to answer. Everyone else can't seem to look beyond DCA today and its current price. So be it, I'll be in the Parks soon enough so don't really care anymore.

 

[CaptinEO]

Who here would pay $206 for DCA right now?

I know 'some people' will, but I imagine even now if you were to ask most people if DCA was worth that much, most people would say no.

Just because the powers that be have decided that they think ADCA can be worth up to $206 a day doesn't mean many average people have come to the same conclusion. The same could be said for DL too. Otherwise there wouldn't be such a crowd discrepancy between the cheaper and most expensive ticket tiers, and they wouldn't need to put out three day ticket deals that are still valid through Christmas Day.

Not enough willing to pay these prices which is why there is a winter ticket deal this year, practically unheard of for Disneyland. Then from January to May a ticket offer, in summer another ticket offer too.

Also a child ticket offer for half price from Jan to March. Only the busy September and October Halloween season seem to not have ticket offers now.

Disney has priced people out and throws out these offers instead of fixing their pricing.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I would. I'm going to DCA on Friday, which happens to be a Tier 3 day for $164 (had already paid for the tickets before the holiday deal was available), but even if it was a Tier 6 day which is the $206 I'd still pay for it. Just because you don't think people would doesn't mean we don't.

I did say MOST people, not all.

For me its worth it, because I get enjoyment out of the Park, even if others don't. Sorry that you can't believe that or think maybe I'm naive or whatever other name you want to call me for paying that price, but its what I choose to do with my money, just as others here choose to do or don't do with their money.

Show me where I called you a name or implied anything negative about you specifically. I didn't, and so this just seems weirdly aggressive to me.

Increased ticket prices is a very long conversation, not specific to DCA. And one that affect all Disney Parks domestically. How many would say even DL isn't worth it at the $206 price, possibly just as many that don't think DCA is worth that price. Which is why as you mentioned there are discount tickets.

But how many days are actually the highest $206 tier, only a few days out of the entire calendar year (20ish maybe?). Its only during peak holidays, such as Christmas. So that isn't the average price, which is probably closer to the $120-$150 range averaged out.

None of this however has to do with my question which most don't seem to want to answer. Everyone else can't seem to look beyond DCA today and its current price. So be it, I'll be in the Parks soon enough so don't really care anymore.

I think it's simple. Many (clearly not you, but many) don't feel like, as it stands right now, DCA is worth $206. The fact that it may be so in the future does not make me more willing to pay $206 to go right now.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

people will always pay to see something new - I paid to see DCA 1.0 cause I wanted to see it for myself.

 

[Disney Irish]

I did say MOST people, not all.

Show me where I called you a name or implied anything negative about you specifically. I didn't, and so this just seems weirdly aggressive to me.

I think it's simple. Many (clearly not you, but many) don't feel like, as it stands right now, DCA is worth $206. The fact that it may be so in the future does not make me more willing to pay $206 to go right now.

Well the ticket price isn’t likely to go down, so if people won’t pay the current price then I’m sure it’ll be empty and a pleasant experience for those that do pay such as myself.

I’m have no input other than I feel it’s worth it now and believe the future additions increase the value to justify the cost. If you don’t, well I appreciate your opinion.

 

[Professortango1]

Well the ticket price isn’t likely to go down, so if people won’t pay the current price then I’m sure it’ll be empty and a pleasant experience for those that do pay such as myself.

I’m have no input other than I feel it’s worth it now and believe the future additions increase the value to justify the cost. If you don’t, well I appreciate your opinion.

You think DCA has the same value to guests as Disneyland?

 

[Disney Irish]

You think DCA has the same value to guests as Disneyland?

Again everyone seems to be missing the forest thru the trees here, stuck only on one thing.

My question is and continues to be, once they add all the stuff they plan to add in the next 5-10 years with Avatar, Avengers 2 rides, Coco (and whatever else they have planned not announced yet) do you think it’s value will go up enough to be worth its price? Not compared to Disneyland, just based its on own ticket price.

And I’ve already answered your question in other posts.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Again everyone seems to be missing the forest thru the trees here, stuck only on one thing.

My question is and continues to be, once they add all the stuff they plan to add in the next 5-10 years with Avatar, Avengers 2 rides, Coco (and whatever else they have planned not announced yet) do you think it’s value will go up enough to be worth its price? Not compared to Disneyland, just based its on own ticket price.

And I’ve already answered your question in other posts.

Plus, I have a hunch that at D23 2028 when the slate for the second half of the ten year parks plan gets announced, one of the additions could be the first land of the Simba lot, further enhancing DCA's value.

 

[mickEblu]

You think DCA has the same value to guests as Disneyland?

I don’t. But I don’t think that matters very much when they are 100 feet away from each other at a resort dominated by annual passholders. To passholders DCA is a bonus. As an encore or add on to Disneyland I think DCA is fine. Most people on vacation will probably spend a few extra bucks for park hoppers. So I’m not really sure who DCA being inferior to Disneyland impacts? Other than the people who don’t know any better and buy a single day one park ticket to DCA and skip Disneyland entirely.

In the next 5 years they’ll be adding a lot more value if the announced projects get completed. Still won’t be Disneyland of course and maybe not as thematically cohesive as it was in 2015 but I’m guessing with the new additions overall I’ll probably prefer DCA 2030 over DCA 2015 as it will have more Disneyland quality indoor attractions and more Disney quality themed environments. The big loss for me will always be TOT but overall 2030 DCA should be better than 2015 DCA.*

*as long as Grizzly Peak isn’t sacrificed or altered in any meaningful way and the transition from the BVS hub to Pandora is handled with care. My vote is to keep the street Hollywood (or BVS) themed from the hub to the portal entrance on the award weiners side and all the way down to Sunset Blvd on the Animation building side. It could be even be Marvel. I’d just like to see it remain as city street from a bygone era. Of course this is all assuming Pandora is still going in the backlot. Who knows anymore?