Disney raises ticket price

[Big_Katuna]

$99 for the big park.

[Dog_Folks]

djsamuel wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Visitation must be up. Disney is the worlds best at calculating supply and demand. They will charge the absolute most they can, without radically affecting the numbers of visitors.

I was told they count the cars in the parking lot frequently. When the lots are consistently full or nearly full, they raise prices.

They only will charge what a majority of visitors are willing to pay. Not for me, they priced themselves out of my budget years ago.

This has a lot to do with it. In years past, the ticket prices had the side benefit of limiting crowds (simple supply and demand). My wife has worked there for over 15 years, and we go all the time. In years past, there was always an off season, and in fact September or early December were outstanding (and empty). Now there is really no off season, and hasn't been for at least the last 5 years or so. The strange thing is, no matter what they charge, people seem to keep coming.

This particular price increase may also have been sped along because of the costs of the whole "My Magic" project, which includes the strange Fast Pass+ system, and the Magic Bands. The costs are up on this, and also the returns have not really been defined yet. To top that off, they are in the middle of the massive rebuilding/expansion of Downtown Disney; including the removal of Pleasure Island. The costs of that must be huge.

I agree that at some point the prices will affect the crowds, but the thing is, previous price hikes of late seem to have no effect. I think maybe they're reaching that point where the crowds dip a bit, yet their revenue will be up. Fort Wilderness hit that in 2013. Occupancy was down a bit, yet revenue was up. They raised the prices for 2014, so it will be interesting to see what happens there. We're spending a few days there this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how it is.

Let us know what you find. Thanks.

[djsamuel]

Dog Folks wrote:
Visitation must be up. Disney is the worlds best at calculating supply and demand. They will charge the absolute most they can, without radically affecting the numbers of visitors.

I was told they count the cars in the parking lot frequently. When the lots are consistently full or nearly full, they raise prices.

They only will charge what a majority of visitors are willing to pay. Not for me, they priced themselves out of my budget years ago.

This has a lot to do with it. In years past, the ticket prices had the side benefit of limiting crowds (simple supply and demand). My wife has worked there for over 15 years, and we go all the time. In years past, there was always an off season, and in fact September or early December were outstanding (and empty). Now there is really no off season, and hasn't been for at least the last 5 years or so. The strange thing is, no matter what they charge, people seem to keep coming.

This particular price increase may also have been sped along because of the costs of the whole "My Magic" project, which includes the strange Fast Pass+ system, and the Magic Bands. The costs are up on this, and also the returns have not really been defined yet. To top that off, they are in the middle of the massive rebuilding/expansion of Downtown Disney; including the removal of Pleasure Island. The costs of that must be huge.

I agree that at some point the prices will affect the crowds, but the thing is, previous price hikes of late seem to have no effect. I think maybe they're reaching that point where the crowds dip a bit, yet their revenue will be up. Fort Wilderness hit that in 2013. Occupancy was down a bit, yet revenue was up. They raised the prices for 2014, so it will be interesting to see what happens there. We're spending a few days there this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how it is.

[JamesBr]

It is uncommon for Disney to bump prices without notice and before June. But the increase is 4 dollars on a one day pass, when I compare what I paid in for my last visit on a 10 day park hopper, the cost is up about 15 dollars. Looks like park hopper increased 4 dollars as well on a 10 day ticket. Not a bad increase, but at some point they have to realize they are hitting the level where people will decide to go elsewhere.

[Dog_Folks]

Visitation must be up. Disney is the worlds best at calculating supply and demand. They will charge the absolute most they can, without radically affecting the numbers of visitors.

I was told they count the cars in the parking lot frequently. When the lots are consistently full or nearly full, they raise prices.

They only will charge what a majority of visitors are willing to pay. Not for me, they priced themselves out of my budget years ago.

[joe_b_]

Cost is all relative to what you like to do. We do have annual tickets to WDW so once the pain of that purchase subsides, the fun can begin. Most years we will go up to WDW, three hours away and stay at the Fork, 8 or 10 times. Even if we were buying daily tickets, the costs are not a great deal more than what we spend for a days travel with our RV. Currently I budget $165 a day for travel in either of our RVs and that doesn't cover depreciation of the vehicle or loss of income if I had invested the same amount I spent on the RVs. Our annual tickets went up something like $45 each this year but still a good bang for the entertainment buck for us, especially when we take our grandsons, aged 9 and 10.

Spending a hundred dollars a day is not hard to do these days, it seems, going out to eat at a nice restaurant, playing a round of golf at a gold club and a couple of drinks afterwards, going on a fishing charter, renting a car or boat for the day, going flightseeing, and the lists goes on and on.

Suspect we have all noticed what it cost to fuel our vehicles these days, or how easy it is to spend $100 or more at the grocery store. Seems as though energy costs are raising the prices of everything, except wages and retirement incomes.

[diazr2]

Gonzo42 wrote:
After our last trip I don't think we will go back for...oh, I dunno...ever?

X1

[chevyman2]

Well this is hard for me to reply, because I worked at an amusement park for a couple seasons. The one I worked at had 3000 employees every day the park was open. And consider at (my) park (although Disney is a bit different here), most of the admissions any given day was season pass holders. So in that aspect. The park was not making any real big dollars on a given day, but add up all the operating days and the $10 burgers, ETC. Then yes the parks make big money.

IMO the admission (and especially gifts and concessions) are way too high. but they do give you an experience and thrills that leave you talking.

I dont see myself going to Disney anytime. Probably not any parks, but maybe SDC. I just cant swing the fees these days.

[tsetsaf]

Yeah it is pricey but worth it. Being from So Cal we found that the best time to go is the middle of the middle weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The park is beautiful and they have a great Mr and Mrs Claus. Plus the park is not full meaning you can hit every ride at least twice.

[down_home]

I guess we are now te poor guys.
Last time there aand before, there were large groups of Argentinian, Brazilian and German teens and young adults, apparently from schools.
We dined with a German family, at the German eatery. Don't remember the name.
It is too expensive for us. Our income is more than we ever dreamed of it being but insignifigant to some. The new Middle Class seems, to start at about half a million a year. When Bush was in it was about 250,000.00 A Euro use to cost us .75 it is now about 1.75 for a Euro, I think.
RVing and if lucky maybe a boat, a show or two, will be our entertainment.
I hope the next Rally, by one of our outfits will be near some water and boats. Maybe Lake Michigan or Huron or Ozarks, or....

[Acampingwewillg]

Good timing on this.....although I've lived in So Cal most of my life, I had not been to Disneyland in close to 25 years. That all changed last week, we had relatives out here from Vermont and of course everyone wanted to go. While I agree, $100+/- for a one day ticket is high, I still loved it. I knew going in that if I was going to pay X amount for one day, that instead we'd get the So Cal Select Annual Pass @ 279.00....I'll be going back a number of times.

The memories brought back and those made again are well worth it! IMHO

[Golden_HVAC]

Disneyland was so expensive back in the late 80's and 90's that I only visited about 10 times - even though I lived only 6 miles away, and could hear the fireworks in the summer time.

I guess if you look at it in numbers of hours you have to work to pay for one ticket, you get a "Fair" idea of the cost over the years. So comparing the $12 entrance price and $1 'E' tickets (you bought a book of tickets for the $12) in 1978 to the prices in the 80's when minimum wages where a bit higher, and today when minimum wage is 3 times as much as 1985.

Anyway their overhead is very high. Cost to buy electricity is something like $50,000 a day! Labor is very high as well.

Fred.

[tragusa3]

Expensive, yes. One of the best family experiences ever, yes. Seeing Disney through my kids eyes was a highlight of being a dad.

The longer packages break down to be cheaper per day.

[Liltippy]

Wait till you try the Fast Pass. You can only get 3 and only good in 1 park for 1 day. If you go to another park. No FP for you.

Real bad news.

[michigansandzil]

We've never been there. I've been considering it, but there are 5 of us. I can't imagine spending $500 to see Mickey Mouse and Cinderella while riding rides that we can ride in our own state for less money. Lugging kids around an amusement park isn't exactly paradise no matter where you go.

I asked the kids tonight at dinner if they wanted to go to Florida and why. They all said yes. My 11 year old wants to go to Cape Canaveral, my 9 year old doesn't care what we do as long as it's warm. Hmmmm.......looks like I'll save my $500!

[BB_TX]

Big Katuna wrote:
....... On the other hand, a football game is about the same, drags or even some concerts.

Yeah, try going to Jerry's World for anything close to that price with seats and food and drink.