Ticket Price Increases for Disneyland Announced

[DSNY4ever]

We got our tickets for this year's trip, but the whole thing makes me sad.

I knew the prices would go up sometime around Cars land opening, but I am sad for all of the families that have had to give up Disney or will never get to go because of the last few years of ticket increases (along with everything else that has gone up). I know we have certainly cut down on our trips BIG time, and our next DLR and WDW trips will be our last for a while.

Once upon a time we had an annual pass... I don't think we'll ever be doing that again.

 

[nannyz]

Raising prices definitely will affect my decision to go to DLR more often; but what will affect my decision even more is if the atmosphere changes. If DLR is no longer a happy place, then I will go elsewhere on vacation.

 

[rramstad]

Raising prices definitely will affect my decision to go to DLR more often; but what will affect my decision even more is if the atmosphere changes. If DLR is no longer a happy place, then I will go elsewhere on vacation.

Interesting point. I tend to think that price increases might actually improve the mood of the people in the park. I suspect a lot of the more significant issues are either overcrowding, or people who go so frequently they are not in "vacation mode" and tend to treat the park as if it is their park as opposed to something to share with everyone. The increase in AP may encourage some people to get a lower tier of AP, which would make it much less crowded on blackout dates, and of course the increase may encourage some to just not renew.

It's definitely a two edged sword, that's for sure. I see many threads on DIS discussing overcrowding, long waits, and rude people. I think we'd all be upset if they were enforcing hard limits on the parks so that on crowded days if you left it was common that you couldn't get back in. I think we'd also all be upset if they had some hard limit on the number of days that you could use an AP... though I do think that would be an interesting option, if you put a hard limit of 21 or 30 days on an AP per year, assuming that was something that everyone knew in advance before purchasing, and maybe there was a super platinum AP with no limits or something.

We all want Disney to keep adding new interesting things to the park, and we all want to be able to enjoy them without massive crushing crowds. It seems inevitable that prices would have to increase. It's too bad, but just the reality of the situation.

 

[Disneylandfan1]

This thread seems to be mostly about APs, but I'm shocked at the PH price increase. I can sort of understand the rise in price on the APs because of the crowding problems in the parks, however I think they went about it the wrong way and should have done gradual increases, not this huge jump. They must have regretted the low prices they were offering 2 years ago and are now trying to make up for that mistake, but this increase is too much of a jump in one year.

The sad thing is that it's not even going to help the crowding problem for this year because most people already have their APs and their park hoppers for the summer visit. These price increases will not alleviate the crowds at all until 2013, so why gamble with offending AP holders with the huge price hike?

Mostly I'm surprised about the huge price hike on the PHs. A 5-day park hopper went up $50! My family was considering a visit during the holidays to make up for our over-crowded June visit (we did not mean to get caught up in the grand opening craziness). Now it will cost my family $250 more just for the park hoppers! That's not to mention the price increase on food in the park which happened this year, and I assume the hotel rates will rise as well, as they minimize any hotel specials. Those of us that live out of the area spend a lot of money to come to the parks! Why would they burden the people that eat at character meals, and park dining because we don't have a car, and generally spend more money just to go there? Don't they see that those of us who live far away will not be able to come as often?

 

[todzwife]

If they want fewer passholders, they need to stop offering a payment plan.

 

[Califgirl]

If they want fewer passholders, they need to stop offering a payment plan.

This is what I was thinking. Also the AP's that took the biggest hit were the Premium ($150!) and the Deluxe. The So. Cal AP's went up, but not nearly as much. If they wanted to curb the 'locals' easy access, all they had to do is raise those rates more, or do away with the So.Cal AP's all together. Doing away with the payment plan would also cut down on a lot of AP's being purchased. (Please note - I am NOT advocating this. I consider myself a local, although I am slighlty over an hour away)

So what that leads me to believe, is that they are trying to get maximum $ per guest, not necessarily less guests. Disney obviously thinks that we, as guests, have not reached our saturation point when it comes to ticket cost. It will be interesting to see how quickly we adapt to the price change, and whether it will actually impact park attendance.

It just doesn't make sense that the price increase is Disney's strategy to 'cull the herd' as others have put it. I don't think Disney wants less guests, they just want more out of each and every guest.

 

[cyclenut]

This thread seems to be mostly about APs, but I'm shocked at the PH price increase. I can sort of understand the rise in price on the APs because of the crowding problems in the parks, however I think they went about it the wrong way and should have done gradual increases, not this huge jump. They must have regretted the low prices they were offering 2 years ago and are now trying to make up for that mistake, but this increase is too much of a jump in one year.

The sad thing is that it's not even going to help the crowding problem for this year because most people already have their APs and their park hoppers for the summer visit. These price increases will not alleviate the crowds at all until 2013, so why gamble with offending AP holders with the huge price hike?

Mostly I'm surprised about the huge price hike on the PHs. A 5-day park hopper went up $50! My family was considering a visit during the holidays to make up for our over-crowded June visit (we did not mean to get caught up in the grand opening craziness). Now it will cost my family $250 more just for the park hoppers! That's not to mention the price increase on food in the park which happened this year, and I assume the hotel rates will rise as well, as they minimize any hotel specials. Those of us that live out of the area spend a lot of money to come to the parks! Why would they burden the people that eat at character meals, and park dining because we don't have a car, and generally spend more money just to go there? Don't they see that those of us who live far away will not be able to come as often?

I can't speak for what Disney may (or may not) be thinking. Here is my speculation.

1) Disney has been steadily increasing prices but at the same time trying to find ways to make those higher prices more affordable, such as offering the payment plan for AP holders and offering multiple day PHs that decrease the per day cost. They have been watching each price increase and have noted that attendance continues to grow. The next price increase had to be a bigger one than the last one.

2) CarsLand and BVS are both BIG draws for this year. They can raise prices this year by a larger margin and still get large crowds, and they know it. I am guessing they are planning to hold this price steady for a couple of years to see if attandance levels off, but they can take a bigger bite right now and still have a large draw.

The point I made earlier about curbing attendance wasn't really correct. What I should have stated was that their goal is to raise prices until attendance growth stabilizes. DLR has the capacity for more guests, as long as those guests visit CA more often than they have been. They need that park to draw guests and if it does, DL will be better off.

I think that while Disney does understand that guests are on a budget, they likely have not seen merchandise and food sales suffer from the last price increases. That would be their first sign that ticket prices are too high. Attendance will stabilize but those budget travelers would not spend as much elsewhere.

The bottom line is this. Disney doesn't try to be the budget vacation spot. The brand is positioned as a premium brand and they command a premium price. I have been to a few other theme parks and I have never seen or experienced anything like what you get at DLR (or WDW). You don't have to pay as much either ...

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Just purchased our 2 day hoppers for our upcoming visit from ARES *cheaper than GAT!

 

[thankudrivethru]

OH! wow! Good thing i already got my AP before the change and saved my pennies. Next year i will fret about the renewal, good thing i got a job!

 

[pixiewings71]

This thread seems to be mostly about APs, but I'm shocked at the PH price increase. I can sort of understand the rise in price on the APs because of the crowding problems in the parks, however I think they went about it the wrong way and should have done gradual increases, not this huge jump. They must have regretted the low prices they were offering 2 years ago and are now trying to make up for that mistake, but this increase is too much of a jump in one year.

The sad thing is that it's not even going to help the crowding problem for this year because most people already have their APs and their park hoppers for the summer visit. These price increases will not alleviate the crowds at all until 2013, so why gamble with offending AP holders with the huge price hike?

Mostly I'm surprised about the huge price hike on the PHs. A 5-day park hopper went up $50! My family was considering a visit during the holidays to make up for our over-crowded June visit (we did not mean to get caught up in the grand opening craziness). Now it will cost my family $250 more just for the park hoppers! That's not to mention the price increase on food in the park which happened this year, and I assume the hotel rates will rise as well, as they minimize any hotel specials. Those of us that live out of the area spend a lot of money to come to the parks! Why would they burden the people that eat at character meals, and park dining because we don't have a car, and generally spend more money just to go there? Don't they see that those of us who live far away will not be able to come as often?

If you are going in June and again for the holidays you may want to consider APs for yourself actually.....altho they may have priced them out of your budget at this point.....

If they want fewer passholders, they need to stop offering a payment plan.

This is true, if I hadn't been able to get the payment plan I wouldn't have bought AP's, I would have just purchased park hoppers....

 

[CalvaryMike]

Just saw AP's at the Vons Pavillion in Newport Beach, CA at the old price.

 

[CrazyDuck]

My biggest gripe with all this is the face that they keep reducing the number of days on the multi day tickets... 5 years ago we were able to buy 8 day hoppers... Then it was 6 day hoppers.... Now we are down to 5 day hoppers... Their mentality is probably that it is close enough in price that it would justify purchasing an annual pass but in reality a Deluxe pass is almost $200 more and it is still blocked out on some days when in comparion adding a day to a 5 day hopper was only around $10 or $20. Not only that I live in a place where I'm already spending $3,000 on airfare (cant drive cars sink in water) so out trips are once a year and usually for at least a week in DLR! I don't mind the price increase but to take away days in the park means they are forcing me to take my $$$ to other places like Magic Mountain, Universal and Legoland...

 

[rramstad]

My biggest gripe with all this is the face that they keep reducing the number of days on the multi day tickets... 5 years ago we were able to buy 8 day hoppers... Then it was 6 day hoppers.... Now we are down to 5 day hoppers... Their mentality is probably that it is close enough in price that it would justify purchasing an annual pass but in reality a Deluxe pass is almost $200 more and it is still blocked out on some days when in comparion adding a day to a 5 day hopper was only around $10 or $20. Not only that I live in a place where I'm already spending $3,000 on airfare (cant drive cars sink in water) so out trips are once a year and usually for at least a week in DLR! I don't mind the price increase but to take away days in the park means they are forcing me to take my $$$ to other places like Magic Mountain, Universal and Legoland...

I believe they'll still let you extend any multi day ticket up to a total of eight days by paying either the difference (for a published ticket) or the difference between your ticket and a 5 day hopper plus $5 per additional day. At least that was the formula in the past.

 

[jilld11]

We are still selling park hoppers from 3 - 8 days. Hasn't changed in price yet, but I'm sure it will

 

[freediverdude]

I agree with Califgirl, I think what they are trying to do is not reduce the number of passholders, but increase the price for each passholder and hope most people on the payment plan will just go along with it as "oh my Disney payment increased by 10 bucks a month or something, whatever" and go ahead and pay it, not paying attention to the total price.

And I think to some extent they will get away with it. Just like with car payments, people tend to focus on the monthly payment, not the total price.

 

[princesscinderella]

I bought passes on Saturday before the increase online, yet I have not received the email link to print the tickets yet. Should I be worried or have others experienced this same delay? I ave my confirmation number printed out.

 

[CrazyDuck]

We are still selling park hoppers from 3 - 8 days. Hasn't changed in price yet, but I'm sure it will

Who is "We"?

 

[ValpoCory]

(I'm hiding as I say this)

My corporate price for admission didn't change today.

My company, IBM, still is selling the now $290/$270 5-day passes for the same $221.40/$203.40 prices that they were selling them for last week. They expire 12/31/2012.

 

[ValpoCory]

Unfortunately this does not help out people who want APs. We only sell the 3 - 8 day park hopper or one park per day passes, no APs. Sorry

Who is "we"?

 

[ArchOwl]

I agree with Califgirl, I think what they are trying to do is not reduce the number of passholders, but increase the price for each passholder and hope most people on the payment plan will just go along with it as "oh my Disney payment increased by 10 bucks a month or something, whatever" and go ahead and pay it, not paying attention to the total price.

And I think to some extent they will get away with it. Just like with car payments, people tend to focus on the monthly payment, not the total price.

I don't know. I started an informal poll here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2928852

It has over a hundred responses so far and over half who responded said they won't renew due to price. Obviously, this is totally unscientific, but it does give a little snapshot of the way people are thinking. I hope to keep it alive for the next few months so we can see how folks are feeling about renewal. APs and the way they use the parks has definitely been on the minds of Disney. Is this the reason for the price increase? We can only speculate. But I believe it may be one of many reasons (including the expansion of Carsland as well as just profit reasons) for the increase.

I bought passes on Saturday before the increase online, yet I have not received the email link to print the tickets yet. Should I be worried or have others experienced this same delay? I ave my confirmation number printed out.

I know they were really backed up, but I would call for my own piece of mind. You just need your confirmation number for them to check the status. Be aware that some email addys block the email with PDF attachment for Disney.