Ticket Price Increase - Feb 2014

[ParentsOf4]

I don't know if this article has been posted yet. If it was already my apologies.

Disney's Magic Kingdom Nears $100 Tickets, and the Crowds Keep Coming
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/disneys-magic-kingdom-nears-100-190423737.html

It's been posted already and the article contains an outrageous whopper:

"But while the cost of single-day tickets has soared—up more than 41 percent since 2005—Disney has dramatically cut the price for longer stays. The price of a four-day pass fell nearly $200 between 2004 and 2013, adjusted for inflation, according to data compiled by Futureprobe blogger David Landon."

All ticket types are way up, even adjusting for inflation.

Really bad journalism.

My new mantra is:

"Never has Walt Disney World been so unaffordable."

 

[MissM]

I would think if you are a Florida resident that the seasonal AP would be the best way to go. It's $339 for the AP, with a $286 renewal. Yes, there are black out dates on the crazy times, but if you live in Florida you can avoid those times and go more often when you would like. There's also ways to avoid parking fees too, DTD etc.

Yeah you and I know about parking fee avoidance but the average person doesn't. (It's also a bit more of a hassle depending on which park you go to and not worth the effort to a lot of people.) And at $15/visit, that adds up pretty quick. I do think that the Seasonal is a good value (except for parking) but that is still 1 day down and about $20/month on the payment plan. ($400 down and $80/month for a family of four. You get a lot more at the per day cost but still a chunk of change for a lot of families.)

 

[ParentsOf4]

Interesting fact from this article -

while the cost of single-day tickets has soared—up more than 41 percent since 2005—Disney has dramatically cut the price for longer stays. The price of a four-day pass fell nearly $200 between 2004 and 2013, adjusted for inflation.

Edit - turns out this "fact" is totally false.

Looks like they finally read us.

The section of the article has been updated to:

"But while the cost of single-day tickets has soared—up more than 41 percent since 2005—Disney has been gentler about the cost for longer stays. The price of a four-day pass rose about $40 between 2004 and 2013, adjusted for inflation, according to pricing data posted by AllEars.net, an online newsletter that covers Disney’s Florida resort."

It's still misleading but at least it's not pants-on-fire wrong.

A one-day MK ticket cost $59.75 in 2005, $99 in 2014, an increase of 66%.

A one-day non-MK ticket cost $59.75 in 2005, $94 in 2014, an increase of 57%.

A four-day base ticket cost $185 in 2005, $294 in 2014, an increase of 59%.

I don't consider a 59% increase on a much more expensive ticket type to be "gentler" than a 66% increase on a less expensive ticket.

Kind of like saying Value Resort rates are up 66% but Deluxe Resort rates are up "only" 59%.

And for the other 3 theme parks, the 1-day price increase is actually less than the 4-day increase.

 

[ford91exploder]

Then you must not have a sense of smell.

Or sight, The monorails smell like dirty gym socks + mildew and you can see the mildew on the seats.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

How many friends do you have that work at WDW? Because that's direct from a TTC CM. But much like being told Universal is better than WDW, if you don't believe it, go bury your head in the sand and pretend it's not true.

(BTW, not 80% of tickets sold in general, roughly 80% sold at the TTC. And have you ever seen the lines in the morning?)

Currently, none. However, that's become a very different point to that posted?
So 80% of tickets sold at the gate are 1 day, I could accept that fine. But really, how many people buy tickets on the day.

The figure could be 100%, but if you only sell 10% of your tickets at the gate, then that isn't going to be a significant proportion. People on this thread have been calculating 80% average attendance at 1 day ticket prices to work things out - that's just not accurate. I would still estimate that only 10-15% of tickets sold are for 1 day only.

 

[ford91exploder]

The thread title....

Ticket Price Increase!

Young Frankenstein....

Frau Bluecher!

Same reaction.... .[/QUOTE

Cue Whinny effect, MARK

 

[flynnibus]

Alternatively, perhaps you can point me to a time when WDW's theme parks were worse?

Early 2000s were pretty rough in terms of the quality of what they put in and left the rest to rot.

 

[TalkingHead]

But in the early 2000s, at least DAK was still relatively new. TOT wasn't that old, and it seems like around this time they added the randomized drop sequences, which significantly plussed the ride. RNRC was relatively new, and Epcot had added new attractions within the last few years.

That's a whole lot more than what we've seen the last few years.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Early 2000s were pretty rough in terms of the quality of what they put in and left the rest to rot.

It's an interesting suggestion. Maybe you can think of specifics?

We were AP holders in the early 2000s, visiting 3 or 4 times a year, one of those propping up WDW when the economy tanked. Lots of empty parks back then. I remember some days with a 20-minute peak wait for Peter Pan.

Although I recall being bothered by a few details here and there, everything was 10 years younger with 10 years less of neglect than today. No broken Yeti, no Monorail or Maelstrom with mold, no Splash Mountain in a state of disrepair, no net underneath the Tree Of Life, no Buzz with police line style tape on broken vehicles. A couple of those were addressed in 2013 but several have posted long lists of quality issues at the parks today.

Going back a decade, we had less wear-and-tear due to lighter crowds and nearly everything was 10 years newer. Yeah, I'd have to say things were in better shape.

The early 2000s might have been the start of a long decline in quality but I don't recall it being as bad as today.

 

[flynnibus]

It's an interest suggestion. Maybe you can think of specifics?

Yes things weren't as old then.. but we weren't getting the improvements and baby steps we are getting now. There is a lot going in WDW - the problem is simply it's not really in the attractions department, or they are attractions this crowd has turned their nose up at (interactive games, etc). The period under Pressler was lethargic. I also think the 'what could have been..' knowledge also sets people up for greater disappointment. (a greater distance to fall from.. per say)

I think the period we have now is much more bipolar. We have things happening in category A... yet we nickle and dime in caegory B... and ignore category C all together.

The total disrespect for elements we hold to be core to the Disney model makes us angry enough we discount the good things.. because we are so upset about the 'other' things they are doing. The anger at the management and philosophies of the company far outweigh the good will the little things generate.

 

[Matt_Black]

Yes things weren't as old then.. but we weren't getting the improvements and baby steps we are getting now.

Yeah, you'd think the start of the decade saw a major terrorist attack that made people reluctant to travel or something.

 

[flynnibus]

Yeah, you'd think the start of the decade saw a major terrorist attack that made people reluctant to travel or something.

It's not just about level of activity... But also the decisions and their alignment (or primarily lack of) with core ideals

 

[kucarachi]

Well they have priced me out of going annually with what they've done the last few years. The constant ticket, Food, and just about everything else. I have sold my DVC timeshare and now will have to seriously pinch numbers to go with a family of 4 more than every few years. It's not their fault entirely but in order to get value you have to go for at least 7 days and the food totals on that plus park tickets is at least 2500...and that doesnt even give you a place to sleep. We are even considering taking trips to the other theme park down there and maybe just spending a day or two at the magic kingdom. It's not feasible anymore they are doing wonderful things and expanding everything but they are making huge profits, stop worrying about the shareholders and start worrying about the people that share their experiences with their kids.

 

[Matt_Black]

It's not just about level of activity... But also the decisions and their alignment (or primarily lack of) with core ideals

Yes, but did those decisions and alignment arise independently or because of 9/11 and the recession?

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, but did those decisions and alignment arise independently or because of 9/11 and the recession?

Ideas like the hat and leaving it there were not because of the travel crisis

 

[lnsemsf]

For the few who purchase the Premier pass, the price increased today with Disneyland's annual price jump. Premier is now $1,029, a $50 increase.

 

[DrewmanS]

I always love the "cake and it it too" type posts. People complain that WDW is too expensive and how nobody they know goes any more, and yet park attendance continues to grow. Of course those who do go complain about long lines and overcrowding (at least for MK).

Not trying to justify the price, but to put things in perspective, my wife and I went on a 'date night' in Atlanta recently that included an IMAX movie, dinner at a modest restaurant, and a comedy club show with one drink each. We spent $200. I know, the $100 base ticket only gets you in the door and does not include food, but when you compare a 4 day ticket (per day) to the cost of other forms of entertainment, it really is not that far out of line. Especially when you consider the average guest is on a family vacation that they have been planning for a year or two, not individuals who regularly attend the parks.

 

[Cesar R M]

I always love the "cake and it it too" type posts. People complain that WDW is too expensive and how nobody they know goes any more, and yet park attendance continues to grow. Of course those who do go complain about long lines and overcrowding (at least for MK).

because WDW is a "once in a lifestime" opportunity for a lot of people, more and more people worldwide want to do it before its "too late".
Some people save for years to be able to go.
This happens every generation or so, not saying the attendance is "unlimited' and overabundant.

 

[Jose]

Disneyland is now 96 dollars for 1 day.

 

[matt9112]

because WDW is a "once in a lifestime" opportunity for a lot of people, more and more people worldwide want to do it before its "too late".
Some people save for years to be able to go.
This happens every generation or so, not saying the attendance is "unlimited' and overabundant.

i second this.....i think most guests come for a once in a lifetime thing....alot from other country's ect.