Disney Inflation article & chart

[photo_chick]

So Disney admission prices have increased almost as much as college tuition has over the past ten years.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

We have reduced our park time to 1-2 days per year. It's just too expensive anymore.

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[2Tiggies]

There's an interesting factor to the discussion on this that no economist, projectionist, etc... can measure and estimate and that is the "value" of a trip to a Disney Park perceived by an individual. This is why many on the boards don't see a significant problem with price increases, as they are so into WDW that they'll pay as much as they need to to experience it. Because it's hard to argue "value", people use comparisons to other consumer goods, other theme parks, and multi-day ticket prices.

Unfortunately for Disney, there aren't too many people like that ($464 for an AP is nearing my limit) and, as another poster alluded to, the market won't bare $180 for one-day at MK, and Disney will eventually have to adjust to the market.

This post stood out of me the most of all on this thread. Perhaps because I caught myself (sheepishly) being able to relate to it - a kind of "Hey, that's me!" moment

I've justified our regular and and fairly lengthy trips to Disney every year to others with 'value' as the main basis of my argument. In fact I caught myself doing this with a colleague at work within the last week! I still stick by what I believe pertaining to previous trips. But this year, looking at next year's vacation has made me do a bit of a stock take on the situation and I too am sitting pretty much at the end of my limit. Is it because prices have gone up? Well partly, but that's not the greatest consideration for me; the problem I am having in justifying the ever increasing costs is that for us, the value has declined. Were we getting exactly the same and only dealing with price increases (albeit incredibly high!) I might still be able to pull off a bit of good ol' justification. But the things that are really important to us are being ebbed away by the Disney execs perhaps not too slowly either - but steadily. It's the small stuff that often keeps people going back for more and this rings true for many things aside from WDW. It started with AK losing evening EMH. We were so disappointed but hey, we still have all the other great perks. The characters roaming MK during evening EMH stopped. The EMH were reduced. FP changes, dining plan dropping components every year for the last 3-4 years now, despite price increases ..... the list goes on.

So to me, yes, you're bang on the money in that there is a non monetary value that is intertwined with the cost but somewhere between the prices and the perceived (and actual) value, there has to be a happy balance. I think we are hanging onto tradition and what we loved more than anything else at this point.

 

[meeko987]

I agree that ticket prices are mainly a supply/demand issue, rather than an example of a greedy corporation sticking it to its customers.

What would be the outcome of lower ticket prices?

We already see days where parks must close due to over-crowding and Toy Story Mania wait times of 2.5 hours. Imagine the crowds if tickets were more reasonable for the average Joe. I would anticipate many more days of capacity closures perhaps just several hours after opening and wait times of 120 minutes for even moderately popular attractions.

It is sad that so many people cannot afford the expense of a Disney vacation. Entertainment is expensive, and many people cannot afford to take their family to an NBA game, have HBO, go to their city's aquarium, or rent a condo at the beach.

 

[ironpig70]

Doesn't make it ok. I will not spend 100$ for a water park ticket. That's just crazy

How many folks say $90 for a park ticket is crazy?

Yet Disney holds the top 5 spots of the top 10 theme parks.

I agree I wouldn't pay $100 for a water park ticket but there are many who will pay that and more.

 

[mummabear]

Well for us (despite the long trip and high cost of travel) we keep in mind that comparing a one day ticket at disney to a one day ticket at the theme parks in Australia (Movieworld, Dreamworld etc all $85 AD for one day), Disney is loads better value. The Australian parks are only open 10-5, the food prices inside are high and the food is muck. There is limited character interaction (no character dining), no evening fireworks etc.
I think for the for the $10 odd dollars an hour (based on a single day ticket) it costs is pretty good value....

 

[2Tiggies]

I think for the for the $10 odd dollars an hour (based on a single day ticket) it costs is pretty good value....

But those flights must about kill you

Yes, per day Disney still beats our local theme parks for value.

 

[Disneyhappy]

One difference between Universal and WDW is that Portofino is a lot less expensive than the Polynesian Resort and much nicer. I say that as someone who used to stay at the Polynesian many years ago and has been priced out.

Otherwise this article makes me want to go to Gatorland. We've never been and the price looks real reasonable.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Before purchasing DVC, we frequently stayed at Poly concierge. When I saw the current rates, I can't imagine we will ever stay there in any room category again. We stay at Universal's Portofino Bay Resort at leat once a year and would pay over $500 to stay their before the Poly. We have paid up to $425 for Portofino club level and feel that is a great deal. Loew's hotels are very well run.