Ticket Price Increase starts this Sunday!

[FutureCEO]

Nice graph, and would point out the cost of the Disney experience would be expected to be steep when comparing it to household income. One might compare the growth in disposable income instead. While disposable income is tougher to measure, most costs to the household income should only grow with inflation, and thus a disposable income line growth line would be well above and much closer to Disney ticket growth line. One point I want to make is the costs I am referring to are the generic "market basket" type to households....not talking about buying a new car, going on vacation, and thus disposable income goes down....I am also aware of the market basket containing none of the essential items that have volatile prices consumers must buy daily ...

To your bullets (sorry for my master of the obvious here):
- 7.5% 2nd highest is 11 years - it would be expected with the times we have been experiencing over the last decade and skews the %
- 9.6% for the most popular - they jumped on the obvious high demand....no surprise there

Well done graph and post....I've been off this grid for awhile...hope all is well with you and your family

Someone should do graph with the difference between Eisner and Iger ticket prices.

 

[MinnieWaffles]

I'd like to point out here that Universal's tickets, or at least for UK visitors have also shot up in price to match Disney. Great theme parks but getting very overpriced too. $100 for a one day ticket last I checked. Probably going up to $110 because Disney did it. We can't afford to do both in one visit anymore which is a shame as I would like to see Diagon Alley again.

I'd at least like to see them having longer park hours to justify that, MK is open from 9am-9pm minimum, no matter what time of year. I don't want to pay over $100 for a park day that ends at 8pm, or even 7pm in the offpeak seasons.

 

[21stamps]

Someone should do graph with the difference between Eisner and Iger ticket prices.

Different times. That's not really a fair comparison.
I think a comparison to Universal and other entertainment venues 2016 vs 2017 would be more telling.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

And there is a problem.....

TODAY, one could buy a Gold AP - if you were a DVC member.

That Gold AP would expire one year from today - 2-12-2018.

The problem: WDW will NOT list blockout dates past 1-2018. It gets worse .... if one were to RENEW to a Gold AP? It might very well not expire until 2-12-2018 PLUS 60 DAYS - that would be the middle of APRIL, 2018.

Now - WDW WROTE these "60 day ahead of expiration" rules. Do you not think that they should divulge Gold AP blockout dates through APRIL 2018? Else - what is one buying?

 

[monothingie]

Different times. That's not really a fair comparison.
I think a comparison to Universal and other entertainment venues 2016 vs 2017 would be more telling.

During Eisner's reign, TWDC didn't need to constantly increase ticket prices to make the parks profitable. Unfortunatly Orlando P+R through terrible management and being the victim of across the board cuts and price increase as a result of other P+R derbacles has become the whipping boy for the rest of the division and has suffered immensely for it. As a result it has become almost "Too big to fail" which necessitate the constant ticket price increases, upcharge events, new fees and service charges, etc, etc.

 

[George]

This year we get the first new E-ticket since the beginnings of MYW tickets (technically EE was 2006). I wonder how much the tickets will go up when SW Land opens. I guess that's why the tickets expire now too.

Many, many, many moons ago I had an old one day ticket back when they stamped the date on it (the date stamp was red and the rectangle on the ticket was white outlined by black...I feel this is necessary for you young folk who only know a digital world and can sometimes visualize physical reality in only the vaguest way) and only two Disney themed recreational areas of excellence existed in the swampland of central Florida, I left the stamped ticket in the back pocket of a pair of what was then known as "blue jeans". These blue jeans were washed (several times) and sometime in the future from my original EPCOT entry (I believe this ticket was only good for EPCOT), I fished the barely legible ticket out and noted that the date was long gone. I was able to use this piece of paper (which resembled more of a grey post it note at this point than an actual ticket) to gain entry into EPCOT a second time. One thing of note, was that despite using a ticket that cost 20 bucks before AAA discount (you can put that in your inflation calculator, use 1985 as the year) twice, EPCOT was still in the midst of a period where it had attractions. So, two things....

1) I should've bought a ton of those tickets and kept using the wash, re-wash trick. I bet they'd be hard to link to My Disney Experience though. And
2) You can blame the current prices on me.

 

[mguimond1990]

an almost $50 increase of multi day tickets is just insane..now as an AP holder smaller crowds would be wonderful but this is just crazy. Ive def shortened my trips the last couple years...used to be 7 day trips, last november was 6 and our trip in May will only be 4 days. I think after this year it might be time to take a couple year break.

 

[GoofGoof]

Eisner did raise ticket prices considerably as CEO. The parks were generally underpriced before he took over. Eisner was CEO from 1984 to 2005. Iger 2005 to present.

Average 1 day WDW ticket price:
1984 $18
1993 $35
2005 $60
2017 $116

Under Eisner tickets went up 233% in total or an average of 11% per year for his 21 years. Under Iger they have gone up 93% in total or an average of 8% per year for 12 years. Since Eisner was CEO much longer maybe a better comparison is his last 12 years vs Iger's 12 years. Using 1993 as the cutoff for Eisner's last 12 years we saw an increase of 71% or 6% per year. That's lower than Iger but in a similar ballpark. The point is it's a myth that WDW single day park tickets have gone up dramatically more under Iger than they did under Eisner. Hotel rooms and food might be a better argument and multi-day tickets and APs have gone up a lot too, but there are more parks now than under a good part of Eisner's reign so it's harder to compare those.

After saying this, nobody can argue with the statement that Eisner added more to WDW than Iger. His price increases were probably a lot more justified given the growth.

 

[xdan0920]

Eisner did raise ticket prices considerably as CEO. The parks were generally underpriced before he took over. Eisner was CEO from 1984 to 2005. Iger 2005 to present.

Average 1 day WDW ticket price:
1984 $18
1993 $35
2005 $60
2017 $116

Under Eisner tickets went up 233% in total or an average of 11% per year for his 21 years. Under Iger they have gone up 93% in total or an average of 8% per year for 12 years. Since Eisner was CEO much longer maybe a better comparison is his last 12 years vs Iger's 12 years. Using 1993 as the cutoff for Eisner's last 12 years we saw an increase of 71% or 6% per year. That's lower than Iger but in a similar ballpark. The point is it's a myth that WDW single day park tickets have gone up dramatically more under Iger than they did under Eisner. Hotel rooms and food might be a better argument and multi-day tickets and APs have gone up a lot too, but there are more parks now than under a good part of Eisner's reign so it's harder to compare those.

After saying this, nobody can argue with the statement that Eisner added more to WDW than Iger. His price increases were probably a lot more justified given the growth.

Heres the thing. I don't pay in %s. I pay in $s. From 93-05 tickets went up $25. From 05-17 they've gone up $56. Multidays have gotten even crazier. Prices have gone up in orders of 100s. That stinks.

 

[21stamps]

During Eisner's reign, TWDC didn't need to constantly increase ticket prices to make the parks profitable. Unfortunatly Orlando P+R through terrible management and being the victim of across the board cuts and price increase as a result of other P+R derbacles has become the whipping boy for the rest of the division and has suffered immensely for it. As a result it has become almost "Too big to fail" which necessitate the constant ticket price increases, upcharge events, new fees and service charges, etc, etc.

There was a lot going on in this country for several years. I would think that could be a reason for price increases later..
As so much in the "entertainment" umbrella has seemed to have raised prices so dramatically the past few years. Not just Disney World.
It stinks, but it's also the sign of a healthy economy.

 

[GoofGoof]

Heres the thing. I don't pay in %s. I pay in $s. From 93-05 tickets went up $25. From 05-17 they've gone up $56. Multidays have gotten even crazier. Prices have gone up in orders of 100s. That stinks.

Percentages is really the only way to compare time periods, but I hear what you are saying. I would be curious to see a similar comparison for multi-day tickets. Let me see if I can find that info.

 

[George]

Percentages is really the only way to compare time periods, but I hear what you are saying. I would be curious to see a similar comparison for multi-day tickets. Let me see if I can find that info.

I'd pick 4 or 5 day tickets with and without park hopping to simplify things. I think that length of time would be a pretty commonly purchased ticket. It would also be interesting to see relative savings per day versus a one day ticket.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

Someone should do graph with the difference between Eisner and Iger ticket prices.

Heard that

 

[GoofGoof]

Magic Your Way tickets came out in 2005. The 5 day MYW ticket with park hopping and water parks was $273. It's $511 in 2017. That's an increase of 87% or 7% per year on average. Under Eisner in 1993 a 5 day Around the World pass was $170. That included admission to all 3 parks plus water parks and PI. The same ticket was $282 in 2004 just before MYW came out. Under Eisner for his last 12 years that's an increase of 66% or 5.5% a year on average. Iger has been increasing the multi-day passes faster than Eisner did.

 

[GoofGoof]

Someone should do graph with the difference between Eisner and Iger ticket prices.

Heard that

I don't do graphs but I know a guy here who does

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

As far as Eisner.....I see him as the Film dude, and don't really think parks when I think Eisner....Touchstone, Pixar, etc...I'm sure someone MIGHT point out how wrong I am.....DHS, AK open, etc.....

 

[21stamps]

As far as Eisner.....I see him as the Film dude, and don't really think parks when I think Eisner....Touchstone, Pixar, etc...I'm sure someone MIGHT point out how wrong I am.....DHS, AK open, etc.....

I also think it's important to point out that the US had tremendous growth during the 90s. Especially in the Theme Park/Amusement Park arena. It was a great time for those categories! (And so many others)

 

[GoofGoof]

As far as Eisner.....I see him as the Film dude, and don't really think parks when I think Eisner....Touchstone, Pixar, etc...I'm sure someone MIGHT point out how wrong I am.....DHS, AK open, etc.....

Eisner did build a lot of the resorts currently at WDW as well as the 2 additional parks plus waterparks and a much larger Downtown Disney area. He really was responsible for making WDW a week long vacation destination. He was also in charge for Euro Disney and DCA. Technically Iger was in charge when the Pixar deal was finalized in 2006.

 

[SorcererMC]

There was a lot going on in this country for several years. I would think that could be a reason for price increases later..
As so much in the "entertainment" umbrella has seemed to have raised prices so dramatically the past few years. Not just Disney World.
It stinks, but it's also the sign of a healthy economy.

While technically true, it's a tough sell to justify WDW ticket price increases as the same as other entertainment (or other non-essential goods). The reason being - household entertainment budgets tend to stay fixed around 5%. So when prices start going up ~7% year-over-year (which is what is happening to travel expenditures, not just WDW), average households adjust by increasing the length of time between the expenditures, foregoing it altogether, or for a vacation, shortening the length of stay (consuming less while paying more for the same product...generally I don't think that's a good way to encourage loyalty).

 

[21stamps]

While technically true, it's a tough sell to justify WDW ticket price increases as the same as other entertainment (or other non-essential goods). The reason being - household entertainment budgets tend to stay fixed around 5%. So when prices start going up ~7% year-over-year (which is what is happening to travel expenditures, not just WDW), average households adjust by increasing the length of time between the expenditures, foregoing it altogether, or for a vacation, shortening the length of stay (consuming less while paying more for the same product...generally I don't think that's a good way to encourage loyalty).

I agree. Just wanted to point out that it isn't just Disney World...it's the bulk of the entertainment and travel industry. That's an important piece of the "why".
The same thing for the 90s and early 2000s.. yes WDW grew tremendously, but so did every other theme park and amusement park in America..and overseas. It was a huge time for that industry in general.

ETA- It isn't an accurate or fair comparison to compare to Disney to itself. I see people do it all of the time, but there are so many other factors to consider outside of WDW. Looking at the overall industry, and economic trends, is just as important.