Am I the only one that cringes at ticket prices?

[loveswdw]

I definitely cringe! Luckily, the past two trips, DH and I have received 2 FREE 1 day/1 park US passes from My Coke Rewards. I still have to purchase a separate child's ticket for my DS6. I buy our tix through Undercover Tourist (both WDW & US) to save the most money. Well, this year I paid $71.95 for DS' ticket. I thought, "Wow, that seems I lot higher than I remember paying last year." So I looked up last year's purchase. $58.95 for a child's 1D/1P ticket last year. $13 is a pretty big increase in a year. At least to me it is. I'm just glad I'm not shelling out for adult tickets too.

 

[TwingleMum]

I'm still hoping for some kind of discount to get our family power passes for our late Aug trip. So far I haven't found any.

 

[auntboink]

i agree with you all. the tickets, like most other things have gone up.
we had annual passes b4 at universal that were good for two years...these passes now seem extinct...

still not sure what we are going to do this year for uni and ioa....hoping for tickets to rain on us from somewhere maybe....

wishful thinking!!!!! one can hope anyways....if you all find good values on tix...please post them for the rest of us...

 

[kathy884]

Damo,
Thanks for the clarification about the definition of simulator rides. That makes total sense. My 14 year old seems to prefer straight coasters without visuals added. For Harry Potter, though, we'll make an exception. Can't wait! The theming just looks too cool. In general though with the preferences my son has, a park like Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH, with their 17 coasters and no added visuals, for example, is ideal for us to visit. I'm a coaster junkie too. My husband on the other hand doesn't like theme parks or coasters, so usually doesn't come along on this sort of trip. My son and I typically do one theme parks / coaster week or long weekend per year without my husband, and we as a family always do one trip a year that everyone will like (National Parks or something like that.)

Interestingly enough, though, my son's all time favorite park is Sea World. He's always been into marine mammals and fish, even more than coasters (definately takes the time out to do the Manta and Kracken, though). He went to the Orlando Sea World Junior High overnight career camp last summer and will be doing the San Diego Sea World camp this summer. He had so much fun. He's a cheap date in Orlando because his number 1 priority is always to do two days at Sea World. They always have advanced purchase prices of $70 that gives a second day within seven days free which is a great deal if you were going to do two days there anyway. And this year we went for the two year season pass for $149 which adds free parking and 10% off on food and purchases. I think that makes me think of both Disney and Universal as being pricey.

Bubba's mom,
I totally relate to your thoughts about Disney tickets being pricey too, but going anyway if you'd want to take your children. On each of our last three trips, I did fork over the one day admission price and go to one of their parks (a different one each visit), and we did have great day each time. I'm guessing it will be the same for us at IOA -- It will be the first time I've been there. I cringe when I pay that much, but the parks are very unique / exceptional, it's in the vacation budget, and a unique / fun day with your kid/kids teen/teens is very worthwhile.

 

[maznorm]

You know I thought it was just me. Dh and I love US and IOA. We were planning on taking our DS3 and DD2 there this time around. Admittedly the visit to these parks was more for us than them but there looks to be plenty to keep them interested, especially DS3. However, I simply cannot justify paying $300 for 1 day 2 park passes (we only have 1 day available at the moment). That is without having to pay for DD2. We can get AP to Seaworld for that price. To be honest, we are thinking of doing exactly that. We will be sad to miss out on US and IOA but we are going the Monday after the Grand Opening of WWoHP. The crowds would have been unbearable and only having 1 day to do everything we just wouldn't have been able to do it. We think we will probably just leave it till next trip now. We also used to get the Power Pass which we felt was good value but it's not available to us anymore. I am not about to pay for an Priviledge Pass AP for the sake of 1 day. I just hope we won't regret it. Maybe we will fit in a stay at a Universal Resort next trip as a opposed to just a 1 day visit to the park this time.

This time, Disney is going to get a bigger chunk of our money instead and Seaworld most certainly will.

 

[JerseyJanice]

There is an ad up on top of this form that states you can buy a one-day, two-park Universal ticket with Mears transportation included for $109 per person.

Reading this thread, I wonder if that's too good to be true? Are Universal's ticket prices going to be raised after Harry Potter opens?

Our trip is in August. Our friends haven't been to Florida since the early '90's. My BFF called this morning and said that they're not very interested in doing the Animal Kingdom, but really want to go to Universal.

It'll be an extra $400+ for my family that we weren't planning on, but it's likely to be quite a while before we go to the Orlando area after this year's trip. We were last in Universal in February 2008 and really enjoyed it, and I wouldn't mind seeing Harry Potter either.

 

[Metro West]

There is an ad up on top of this form that states you can buy a one-day, two-park Universal ticket with Mears transportation included for $109 per person.

Reading this thread, I wonder if that's too good to be true? Are Universal's ticket prices going to be raised after Harry Potter opens?

Our trip is in August. Our friends haven't been to Florida since the early '90's. My BFF called this morning and said that they're not very interested in doing the Animal Kingdom, but really want to go to Universal.

It'll be an extra $400+ for my family that we weren't planning on, but it's likely to be quite a while before we go to the Orlando area after this year's trip. We were last in Universal in February 2008 and really enjoyed it, and I wouldn't mind seeing Harry Potter either.

The ticket deal you saw is a great deal and if you're coming down, I would jump on it. Universal has already raised ticket prices across the board this year so I doubt we'll see another.

 

[TaylorsDad]

I dont really think anyone would be complaining if it hadn't been for the fact that Uni/Ioa had previously had prices so cheap. As Damo posted with the ticket prices when you compare apples to apples Universal ticket prices are still a great deal. Am I tickled about the rate increase? No I am not. but still think the value is there compared to other parks and at Universal. Here I really feel like I truly get to experience the movies I love in a way not possible anywhere else. I love Disney too but in no way would I pay their prices to go unless it was for at least 3 days or just a hard ticket event where more value lies. To me the value in WDW just isnt there, but thats just a matter of personal opinion. And I understand everyones frustration because now doing both WDW and Universal in the same trip has gotten more expensive. Universal and WWOHP has now put people in the position of deciding which place they want to spend their vacation.

 

[Metro West]

I dont really think anyone would be complaining if it hadn't been for the fact that Uni/Ioa had previously had prices so cheap. As Damo posted with the ticket prices when you compare apples to apples Universal ticket prices are still a great deal. Am I tickled about the rate increase? No I am not. but still think the value is there compared to other parks and at Universal. Here I really feel like I truly get to experience the movies I love in a way not possible anywhere else. I love Disney too but in no way would I pay their prices to go unless it was for at least 3 days or just a hard ticket event where more value lies. To me the value in WDW just isnt there, but thats just a matter of personal opinion. And I understand everyones frustration because now doing both WDW and Universal in the same trip has gotten more expensive. Universal and WWOHP has now put people in the position of deciding which place they want to spend their vacation.

 

[iwork2play]

When the $99 tickets were discontinued,I cussed & cussed & cussed some more. I really didnt ( and still dont )think that the price increase was justified,there is a $70 difference for a 2 park 7 day ticket....thats a little overboard,in my opinion anyway.
We werent going to go to US & IOA this year but the kids wanted to go & be there when it first opened,so we are going June 27- July 1 onsite at the Hardrock.Im still disgruntled at the ticket prices but I will grin & bear it. I am planning on having a great family vacation.Happy trails,see YALL in Orlando,soon.

 

[bubba's mom]

we had annual passes b4 at universal that were good for two years...these passes now seem extinct...

Our first family trip to Universal was summer '06. Had such a great time, that later that year when they offered APs for "buy 1, get 1 yr free", we bought our 3. Had it not been for that offer, we wouldn't have bought them. And, even at the $189 price, it was still a bargain for 2yrs.

When the $99 tickets were discontinued,I cussed & cussed & cussed some more. I really didnt ( and still dont )think that the price increase was justified,there is a $70 difference for a 2 park 7 day ticket....thats a little overboard,in my opinion anyway.

imo, considering the amount of money Universal put into creating Harry's world, I think the increase is about right.

Am I happy my AP renewal increased $50? No...but I understand why.

 

[iwork2play]

Ok...riddle me this....

Harry Potter is a new attraction,we all know that. So heres my question(s) / comments etc.

I am torn on the price increase. It seems like bad business,raising prices because there is a new attraction.Is the reasoning behind this to pay it off & turn a profit within a years time? or......is/was the higher ups at Universal Studios figuring that this would be such a huge attraction that if they continued the $99 tickets that there may be a park overcrowding problem? & knowing that if by raising the prices,they recoup the money that would have been lost by those of you (almost me ) that said no way,I'll wait for the ticket prices to drop after the new wears off of Harry Potter?

I understand the concept of business is business & they are in business to make money.I dont,however, understand the concept of "sticking it" to customers in a similar fashion of price gouging gas during a disaster.They knew that visitors would flock to Orlando like old women to Graceland & that money would be made hand over fist if the ticket prices remained the same as they had been for a couple of years.

To me its like the higher ups at Universal Studios saying "screw you" ,the economy sucks & were going to squeeze a few hundred dollars more out of you anyway,money that most people would spend on souvenirs.

Im done,bash me if you want, you all know its the truth, I just said what most of you were thinking.Please feel free to comment.

Have fun & dont think about the cost.

 

[TaylorsDad]

No bashing here because I think everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.I still tend to think of the admission price as a good value for what you are getting if you are willing to stop and compare. I also tend to think of the $99 7 day ticket price as just a promotion that we were lucky lasted as long as it did( Like many people I took advantage of the online promotion so I really cannot even recall what the prices were at park gate)And as a promotion it was bound to end sooner or later. Yes this is disappointing, much in the same way I cannot get free dining at Disney year round all the time without magic your way tickets a specific time of the year, but I understand that is just the way it is with promotions. Also, prices have to tendency to rise sometimes for no apparent reason. Take the stroller rental prices last year at Disney more than doubling which almost made it cheaper for my family to rent a Car for a day than a stroller for the day, and I still cannot figure the reason for that drastic an increase. As consumers we make not like the change but ultimately it is up to us to decide the value of what we purchase. If it isnt worth it to you then you have the option of just not purchasing them.

 

[damo]

Comparing the $99 promotion to free dining is a great example. Both are promotions to get the people into the parks during times when attendance is slower. Universal has been trying to lure people from Disney with this offer. It worked to a point but really never convinced the hard core Disney people to come and stay for a few days. What they really needed to lure people was a huge attraction that everyone wanted to see...badly. This costs money. Lots of it. Since Universal's attendance is drastically lower than Disney's, of course the monetary promotions were going to end. If you browse through the Disney boards you can see that tons of people are planning on visiting Universal and asking lots and lots of questions.

Since the Universal prices are still considerably lower than Disney's, I don't think price is going to keep them away. Those Disney die hards who don't care about Harry Potter wouldn't come before and still won't come now. I believe that Harry Potter will be enough of a magnet to offset the small price increase. Most will come for a day to start (where the price really isn't much different than it used to be) and then perhaps next trip it will be two days.

If anything we should be complaining that Disney should lower their prices. Based on 2008 figures Disney is taking in approximately twice as many people per park than Universal and still charges way more.

 

[derekburgan]

I understand the concept of business is business & they are in business to make money.I dont,however, understand the concept of "sticking it" to customers in a similar fashion of price gouging gas during a disaster.They knew that visitors would flock to Orlando like old women to Graceland & that money would be made hand over fist if the ticket prices remained the same as they had been for a couple of years.

To me its like the higher ups at Universal Studios saying "screw you" ,the economy sucks & were going to squeeze a few hundred dollars more out of you anyway,money that most people would spend on souvenirs.

Im done,bash me if you want, you all know its the truth, I just said what most of you were thinking.Please feel free to comment.

If most people are thinking this way I have to wonder what planet they have been living on the last 25 years. What entertainment industry doesn't raise prices when putting a large amount of money into their product? When a movie theater upgrades to digital projectors or to IMAX, the ticket prices go up. When sports teams invest money into their stadium (or even players), prices invariably go up. I remember even way back in the day when comic books found out comics look good on better paper, they raised the prices of comics to put them on that paper.

Universal raising prices because of Harry Potter isn't "gouging." When places like Disney change the prices of meals in restaurants when it gets busy, but then goes back to the regular price when demand dies down, that's gouging. Universal isn't raising the prices from June 18th to Labor Day and then bringing the prices back down once "guest demand" isn't there. These are the new prices.

Don't get me wrong, I wish ticket prices didn't increase, but that's not the way the world works anymore. I'd be just as mad as others if this looked like Universal was truly trying to get quick money from Harry Potter fans and then lower the prices afterward, but there's no evidence whatsoever that's the case.

 

[iwork2play]

Ok,answer this then,if US isnt gouging people,why is it (going by their website & prices there) that when they know or anticipate being crowded or busy,whatever you want to call it,that they jack the prices up? All of the prices are more when they anticipate huge crowds,including the Express Passes.When the parks are busiest,US charges more money. I know how the world turns,Im just saying they are doing this a** backwards.Its not supply & demand,they have the demand & there is no shortage of supply.

Like I said earlier,we will be there this year regardless,not so sure about next year.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Ok...riddle me this....

Harry Potter is a new attraction,we all know that. So heres my question(s) / comments etc.

I am torn on the price increase. It seems like bad business,raising prices because there is a new attraction.Is the reasoning behind this to pay it off & turn a profit within a years time? or......is/was the higher ups at Universal Studios figuring that this would be such a huge attraction that if they continued the $99 tickets that there may be a park overcrowding problem? & knowing that if by raising the prices,they recoup the money that would have been lost by those of you (almost me ) that said no way,I'll wait for the ticket prices to drop after the new wears off of Harry Potter?

I understand the concept of business is business & they are in business to make money.I dont,however, understand the concept of "sticking it" to customers in a similar fashion of price gouging gas during a disaster.They knew that visitors would flock to Orlando like old women to Graceland & that money would be made hand over fist if the ticket prices remained the same as they had been for a couple of years.

To me its like the higher ups at Universal Studios saying "screw you" ,the economy sucks & were going to squeeze a few hundred dollars more out of you anyway,money that most people would spend on souvenirs.

Im done,bash me if you want, you all know its the truth, I just said what most of you were thinking.Please feel free to comment.

Have fun & dont think about the cost.

I agree...But like the PP pointed out they are not the only ones doing it. Every business is raising prices right now. Even my phone company tacked on a new $10 fee for a phone comin out and a few months ago they tacked on a random increase to accounts.

"If anything we should be complaining that Disney should lower their prices."

Yup I agree with this also. I personally think they are all overpriced. Out of the previous prices you listed I think Sea World is closest to being a good price for a day. Also considering they charge a whole bunch for food and those silly games that offer 25c prizes and the prices of their souvenirs...the ticket price is just a small part of the vacation budget.

 

[derekburgan]

Ok,answer this then,if US isnt gouging people,why is it (going by their website & prices there) that when they know or anticipate being crowded or busy,whatever you want to call it,that they jack the prices up? All of the prices are more when they anticipate huge crowds,including the Express Passes.When the parks are busiest,US charges more money. I know how the world turns,Im just saying they are doing this a** backwards.Its not supply & demand,they have the demand & there is no shortage of supply.

Like I said earlier,we will be there this year regardless,not so sure about next year.

How is there no shortage of supply? Unless you have proof otherwise, the only prices that fluctuate at Universal are hotel rooms and Express passes. Both have finite numbers and once they are sold out they are gone. The prices of cokes and hamburgers don't go up in the summer. Outside of this newest price increase because of Harry Potter, it's not as if Universal ticket prices have gone up and down depending on the season. Express passes go up and down because they only sell a certain amount. Once those passes are gone, you can't buy one, no matter how much you want to spend. If anything hotel rooms and Express passes at Universal are the perfect example of how a Supply and Demand situation works.

Meanwhile, every other item that does not have a limited supply (tickets, food, merchandise) do not change with the season and/or crowd attendance. You may be able to get deals or online offers, but the price at the gate is the exact same.

 

[Metro West]

"If anything we should be complaining that Disney should lower their prices."

But they won't and why? Because people will still pay it no matter how much the ticket prices are. Since Universal has already raised ticket prices this year, I don't expect another. However...Disney hasn't raised theirs...yet. I fully expect Disney to announce a ticket increase by the start of summer.

 

[damo]

Ok,answer this then,if US isnt gouging people,why is it (going by their website & prices there) that when they know or anticipate being crowded or busy,whatever you want to call it,that they jack the prices up? All of the prices are more when they anticipate huge crowds,including the Express Passes.When the parks are busiest,US charges more money. I know how the world turns,Im just saying they are doing this a** backwards.Its not supply & demand,they have the demand & there is no shortage of supply.

Like I said earlier,we will be there this year regardless,not so sure about next year.

Raising express pass prices when crowds are higher is no different than hotel prices being higher in high season than low season. That is done EVERYWHERE.