Originally Posted By crapshoot Okay, so they raise prices on park admission, it is to be expected, unfortunately. But what I absolutely hate is the fact that parking generally stays in pace with park increases. I think that it may be $14 per car now, but no doubt it will increase.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 TP - re:ripped dinoisaur skin at USH - LOL! Funny thing is, this was also the case when I was there, almost TEN YEARS AGO!!! Now, I love me some Uni but that WAS a big problem and I am surprised to hear it STILL IS!
Originally Posted By Dabob2 In addition to the large percentage hike, the pricing structure just seems out of whack to me, with single tickets too high and AP's (especially the lower end) too low.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Agreed, although it could be to incentivise people to buy hoppers and APs instead of day tickets, likely securing more revenues on catering items.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>In addition to the large percentage hike, the pricing structure just seems out of whack to me, with single tickets too high and AP's (especially the lower end) too low.<< That's a good point. It does seem like the long-term Disneyland strategy is to attract out of state tourists who can't really pick and choose based on the crowds, and local APers who will come and shop and eat.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>the pricing structure just seems out of whack to me, with single tickets too high and AP's (especially the lower end) too low<< Yep. It seems like, in spite of what many online pundits have stated again and again through the years, Disney is not interested in reducing the number of APs. With each increase, the AP becomes all the better of a value, while the single day, single park price becomes hefty. Anyone considering an annual trip for a few days is better off going ahead and getting an AP and scheduling next year's trip within the one year window. Add to it southern California discounts and monthly payment plans, and you have to just roll your eyes whenever someone declares Disney is interested in reducing the number of APs. I will say that at least with this price increase, there have been a lot of improvements and additions to the west coast parks, with more ahead. That's better than in years past when the increases kept coming regardless of what was going on in the parks. But man, $100 for a single day can't be too far in the future. It's kind of like the price of gas -- somehow, $3.79 seems so much better than $4.01.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo That is all so true Kar2oonman. But as I think I said in another thread, it is not just DL or gas. Merlin have raised their APs bu 10% this year, and Efteling in Holland were quoting $1350 for 5 days 4 weeks ago, this week when I looked again, it had increased to nearly $1800!!!! That said, all three businesses have added: Merlin - Madame Tussauds Blackpool, Blackpool Tower, A sub ride at Legoland, a water flume ride at Thorpe Park, a 5D ride in the London Dungeons. Efteling - an amazing fantasy stunt show, next year a World of Color type show opens. DLR - Mermaid, Star Tours 2, and on the horizon Carsland and Buena Vista street. Sounds reasonable to me. But as I said, last time I went to the theatre in London for a big musical was about 3 years ago. Moderate seats were $70, quite reasonable I thought. When I researched Shrek which opened a couple of weeks ago, although they advertise $29 seats, they are almost impossible to get four together. So similar seats to the ones I had for a different show at $70, are now $180 each!!!!!
Originally Posted By ecdc The more I think about this, the more I feel like it's just a return to the "natural order of things." There's always been rich people around who could do what they wanted just about whenever they wanted to do it. And there's always been middle-class families who would have to save and work a little harder to have a once-in-a-while special occasion like Disneyland. I'm sure in the 1960s there was that kid who went to Disneyland twenty times a year and his classmates just marveled because they were the "rich" family. And, there's always been that "other half," the people who will never go to Disneyland because its travel, lodging, and entrance costs are well out of their range. Make no mistake; they've always been there and there's a lot of them. But in the past twenty or thirty years, we've been conditioned to believe that luxuries and special occasions are within the reach of the middle-class on a regular basis, as things got cheaper and credit exploded. Is the issue really that Disneyland is an outrageously priced experience, or is it that we're accustomed to cheap entertainment and lots of disposable income to enjoy it? I'd argue the price increase is only large relative to the tough times just about everyone is going through. Three years ago, when the market crashed, we knew stuff like this was coming: Nothing less than a realignment of the American economy from unlimited spending based on credit to reserving credit for large purchases such as automobiles or major appliances, and cash for everything else. (This is the first time in ten years my wife and I have no debt apart from our home and vehicles.) If someone can afford to go to Disneyland whenever they feel like it, more power to them. While I understand and share the frustration with the AP program generally, it's not like it's someone's responsibility to not buy an AP for the greater good. And if someone can't afford to go to Disneyland as much and they choose to watch their money a bit more carefully, then good for them. It's a lesson I sure could take heart from.
Originally Posted By nikibee Coming from Seattle, I had been going once a year for 5 days each time. Now it's going to be every other year. The last time we went it was so crowded we didn't get to do very much each day. Although it was worth it to me because I don't feel like I have to get on EVERY attraction, I can see how it would not be worth it for some people.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I'd argue the price increase is only large relative to the tough times just about everyone is going through.<< I guess for me, the price increase just make it a little easier to perhaps do what I was leaning towards anyway -- spending my vacation dollars elsewhere, on different things. We were fortunate that because we're a day's drive from Anaheim, Disneyland could be a little mini vacation for us each year, a getaway rather than a major vacation. With the price increase, however, it's forced us to choose, or at least put the cost into sharp focus. And so you start saying to yourself, wow, for the cost of a weekend at the parks, I could do this, or that, and hey, what about that...? For me, that's something new. I'm not sad or angry about it, but curious if the price ever edges anyone else away.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Many factors are in play in my mind; children, no children, age of children. Value is also added into what you want for an experience. For me personally being in ATL, the logical choice is WDW but I like DL better but I can't justify the cost of flight, hotel, food & fun $ compared to seeing many many other places in the East. I could do a couple trips for 1 DL trip. Right now, I've had my fill of DL for awhile so I "see" no value in the price hike. WDW is insane in my opinion. I could do 3 or 4 trips to different places for 1 weeks vacation there. I can't justify it in my mind. I am definitely back to a trip to DL once every couple of years as it was in my childhood when my parents were scrapping and saving to make a family vacation there. Now, I'm not necessarily scrapping but I'm definitely stingy with where I'm going for my money.
Originally Posted By crapshoot << but curious if the price ever edges anyone else away.>> Even as an Premium AP holder w/parking, I am even more careful about spending in the parks than I used to be. Because my wife works at KBF, I get free admission anytime. Same as DLR, I rarely spend there because costs are so high. In reality though, entertainment, in any form, is very expensive. And costs to operate parks are simply rising. I just finished building a merchandise cart for Knotts and the steel used for the frame increased by 15% in a two month period. The costs for food, materials, labor, insurance, energy, etc. is all on the rise. And companys are not absorbing those increases.
Originally Posted By gadzuux I'm suspicious of Disney's expectations of profit margin for the parks. I've heard it said that they want to maintain a 14% margin, which is awfully high, especially in times of economic stress. But as has been pointed out, they don't lack for customers, so it appears the market will bear the increases. I was just down in LA last week, and hoped I might be able to squeeze in a visit. But honestly, the overall cost of the day was a major factor for not going - with the admission (one-day hopper $105 x 2), plus parking ($14), plus gas and expenses, it would have been over $300 for both of us to just spend a day at the parks. The other problem was that last week had two grad nights scheduled, which closed DL at 9pm - all the stuff I really like is after dark, so more 'bad value'. In the end, we skipped it. And the main reason was the cost to value ratio. And this is coming from a dyed in the wool lifelong park fan.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "What do Universal AP's do exactly, ride Jurassic Park once a month to try and spot the newest tears in the dinosaurs skin?" LMAO!!! It's the newest craze!
Originally Posted By berol I had a 12-month pass for Universal and did a 2-day visit at the beginning and end of the 12 months with it. I'd never been before, so the first trip worked well. For the last day of the 2nd trip, I was basically standing around not feeling like going on anything. I'm definitely good for a long time.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Funny, because I've had the same experience at Disneyland before.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>In the end, we skipped it. And the main reason was the cost to value ratio. And this is coming from a dyed in the wool lifelong park fan.<< For someone who's been before, I just can't imagine spending $300 just for a day at the parks. And perhaps this is what 2oony is getting at. For my family, this cost increase is less than 10% of an already pricey vacation. Not that 10% is anything to sneeze at, but if you're already spending, say, $2,000...perhaps an extra $200 for four people doesn't sound as outrageous. But for day-trippers, that's A LOT of money and I can definitely see it being a tipping point, whereas for me, I'm just the frog in the increasingly hot pot of water and 212 is just around the corner
Originally Posted By gadzuux If DL had been open til midnight on either Wednesday or Thursday, we probably would've gone. But to be shooed out of the park before nightfall was the dealbreaker.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Standard operating procedure in Paris I am afraid. Which is interesting. There is not a huge difference in prices between DL and DLP. DLP has been known to close at 6pm, though 8pm is the standard closing time (11 in summer). Aren't the differences interesting? Does that mean for some of you, DLP would have already reached tipping point?
