Does this make any sense??

[roymccoy]

We just went to DL to get my three year old her first annual pass. I was told that there is NOT a different price for a kids annual pass as opposed to an adult pass. Ages 3 to 93 pay the same price for annual passes. When I asked why they did this, I was told that the decision was made that kids use the park just as much as adults. I told them that I thought that there should be a different annual pass rate for kids because they can't ride all the rides or use all of the facilities. They told me that this wasn't true, Disney feels that kids use the park just as much as adults over the year. I asked "How come you have a single day $33 ticket for kids 3-11 if the kids use the parks just as much as adults?" I was told that this is just the way it is. I think that this is unfair and is just a way to gouge us a little more. I don't see why kids one day tickets are cheaper (significantly) but kids passes are not.

Roy

 

[year2late]

The Premium pass at $199 and consider it a great deal! No blackout days, great discounts, park hopping, free parking. We made out with the discounts!

The Deluxe pass is $149 with some blackouts is a good deal as well.

I believe the Southern Ca pass is $99 but has many blackout days.

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/ResortInfo/Tickets/index?id=6073&Grouping=TG

Any of these deals is great for either an adult or child.

I see it as they are offering us adults child rates.

 

[year2late]

By the way, did you buy it?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I feel that if you use the pass more times than you would pay to take your child, then it's worth the price. If you don't then maybe you are paying too much.

We've been to DL 6 times already this year (wait, make that 8 since we were there Fri-Sat-Sun this past weekend), and I bought the Deluxe passes for my kids. Even if I paid the $33/visit, we have already gone at least four more times than what eight passes would have cost. We plan on going many more times, so I consider these passes to be very cost effective for what Disney offers.

I've been to neighborhood/school/church carnivals, and have paid just as much for my kids there as I have paid at the Disney parks, and there is no comparison.

I can understand your point, Roy, but my opinion is we're getting a bargain for the kids as well as ourselves. I got mine the deluxe, and I got a premium for myself, since I'm the one who needs the parking and discounts.

 

[darner]

I also wonder if you bought it, my bet is YES, given all your other posts and life-long love of Disney... It's a steal before March 15th... (2 park hopper for price of one, isn't that enough of a discount for you?)

Also, you've reported DLR has been rubbing you the wrong way lately and losing it's magic... I hope your little one still sees all that DLR has to offer in a positive light and not influenced by disappointments you're seeing... DLR is now his/her park... you'll always have DL from years ago, but CA, DD will always be what your little one remembers once DLR expands and adds a water park plus what ever else is up their sleeve years from now...

darner
-DVC member

 

[roymccoy]

they charge the same for passes, but less for tickets. It doesn't make any sense to me. I'm glad it makes sense to those who replied! Maybe it's just me...I'm kind of weird about paying the same price for my 3 year old who can't go on half the rides...I'm just wondering why Disney's policy changes from day tickets to annual pass. Why do they understand, on one hand, that children under 11 don't have to pay full price to get in the park because they can't use it all but, on the other hand, charge an adults price for passes when they STILL can't use all of the park? Sounds like gouging to me.

Roy

P.S. Yes I bought her a pass. She hates staying home alone.

 

[Mortimer Mouse]

Put me in the middle but i understand what eveybody just said

P.s. anyone seen Goofster57 or Moliki Gram or Rajah latley? They use to be here regularly and i miss there posts.

 

[year2late]

Did you buy her a pass because it was a great deal?

Like I said with the prices they are charging, we shouldn't be asking 'why isn't the child's pass less' we should be asking 'why isn't the adult's pass more?'

After all, $199 for a top of the line park hopper/no restrictions/free parking/great discounts is a great deal. $99 could get you a SO Ca resident pass (also park hopper) if you can stand all the blackout days.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I could see how Disney would charge less for a one-day pass. The little ones wouldn't go on as many attractions, etc., and the family would only be there for one day. However, to go to both parks for an entire year gives the family plenty of opportunity to enjoy everything that the parks have to offer, even if the little ones cannot go on all of the attractions. So, in that sense, I still think we get a good deal.

 

[roymccoy]

I didn't buy her a pass because it was a great deal. I bought her a pass because our passes would be useless if we couldn't take her. I'm not arguing if the passes are a good deal or not, I'm saying that Disney can't have it both ways. Either kids cost the same as adults for ALL tickets or they cost less. The person I talked to about it at admissions was talking out of both sides of her mouth. On one hand, she was defending the cost of a pass by saying that kids can enjoy Disney all year and that "You'll be surprised at how much the little ones can ride at Disney". On the other hand, she defended Disney's child price ticket ($10 off adult) by saying that it was a "little break for parents because the kids can't go on everything." Well, what is it? Where's the "little break for parents" on the annual passes? My three year old can't go on half the rides at Disneyland. It's not like I have to defend my position on this by looking at other theme parks or other businesses policies about kid prices, Disney HAS a lower price ticket for kids. They charge 25% less for a kids one day ticket as opposed to an adult ticket. They understand. They're not stupid. They want more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Surprise Surprise.

Roy

 

[Tigger&Belle]

At WDW an annual pass for children is less than for adults. Before we bought our WDW passes we did the math and figured that it would be worth it to get the passes. We could have bought one adult pass (in order to get the hotel discounts) and then bought hoppers for the kids and extra adult if that had of been cheaper.

We haven't been to DL since my 2nd child was 3yo (he's now 11), but at that time he could ride on most rides. I'm sure that Disney doesn't have a problem selling the one-price annual pass and since they don't, why should they discount it? It is a business afterall.

 

[year2late]

Originally posted by roymccoy
I didn't buy her a pass because it was a great deal. I bought her a pass because our passes would be useless if we couldn't take her.

Sure you could take her. By her a single child's ticket.

The point is that the deal is PHENOMENAL for an adult OR child (if they are repeat DL/DCA offenders). Would you prefer they raise the rate of the adult's AP just to make it look like the child's was cheaper? You can't have it both ways.

 

[roymccoy]

year2late. I doesn't matter if you think that the current AP rates are phenomenal, that's not the point. The point is, how can Disney
justify a 25% discount on a one-day childs pass and none on an annual pass? Their reasoning behind the 25% discount on the one day pass is that kids can't do as much at DL so they get a break on the price. Why don't they carry that reasoning over to the annual
passes?? Can kids somehow mysteriously ride more rides and use more of the park with an AP as opposed to a one day pass?? Anyway, the point is moot. Disney ALREADY charges less for child's annual passes at WDW so, they are just being hypocritical and greedy at DL. The policy is wrong and it should be changed. IMHO

Roy

 

[year2late]

Originally posted by roymccoy
year2late. I doesn't matter if you think that the current AP rates are phenomenal, that's not the point.

It does matter. The rates are better than ever before - would I like my childs pass to be 25% less? Heck yeh! But I don't think it is Disney that is being greedy.


There are options out there - just don't buy the pass!

 

[raidermatt]

Its only gouging if you don't have a choice or are not aware of it. Clearly neither applies in this case.

Your question is valid, but no more valid than asking the opposite: "Why does Disney discount a single day ticket for kids when they don't discount the AP".

Sure there's some inconsistency, but they could choose to eliminate children's discounts altogether.

Logically, they are saying we think that if you buy the AP for kids, the kids will make more than six trips, so it's a good deal for you. And of course, you must agree that its a good deal. If not, you would just purchase single day tickets for your child.

 

[WDW2002]

Though I agree that the one price AP is an excellent deal, and is paid for in less then 4 visits for adults and 5 for kids for the deluxe. I just wish I lived closer....

However I agree with Roy on this one I do not think disney is charging one price to be greedy but I do not understand why they do charge only one price when virtually everything else is divided into children (9 & under) and adults (10 and up). So why not for the AP??

 

[raidermatt]

I do not think disney is charging one price to be greedy but I do not understand why they do charge only one price when virtually everything else is divided into children (9 & under) and adults (10 and up). So why not for the AP??

Its what they believe the market will bear. If they are selling the children's APs for the same amount and people are buying them because its still a good bargain, there is no reason for them to lower the price. Its the same idea as with the adult APs. If they thought they could raise the price without hurting themselves financially they would do it. Just as any good business would. They don't offer single-day discounts for children because they think its fair, its because the public wants those discounts or they will go somewhere else. If families were balking at the APs because the kids didn't get a discount, they'd start discounting the children's APs.

WDW does offer a children's discount for APs, but its a different market with a different product. WDW APs are much more expensive because there are more parks and things to do.

 

[roymccoy]

that DCA at $43 was what the market would bear, and that ended up being a bad business decision. Now they are having to almost give the tickets away to get people in the park. They actually did a good thing by offering a lower priced AP for both parks. It was a decision that I applauded and one that I thought may be signaling a sense of reality with what's going on at the parks, especially DCA. Then I go to buy one and here it comes again...another wrench in the works. They want to sell more AP's so they lower the price. Then, they don't offer a child's AP. WDW does. DL used to...but some very intelligent person decides to kill the whole thing by getting greedy again. Do you realize how many MORE AP's they would have sold if there was a child's price for an AP? As it stands now, people with kids aren't going to be able to afford passes for each one of their kids. When you've got 2,3 and 4 kids...it gets expensive! And if you think about it, Disney is trying to get their parents in the parks anyway, so they can buy food and merchandise. The AP's shouldn't be the money maker in this...it should be the families coming and spending their $$ on food and merchandise. It's just another example of being penny wise and pound foolish.

IMHO

Roy

P.S. WDW2002...I was just as surprised as you!! ;-)

 

[WDW2002]

Originally posted by roymccoy

P.S. WDW2002...I was just as surprised as you!! ;-)

I guess miracles do happen.

 

[raidermatt]

Disney thought...

that DCA at $43 was what the market would bear, and that ended up
being a bad business decision. Now they are having to almost give
the tickets away to get people in the park.

Roy, you are answering your own question. If it turns out to be a bad decision, or they feel they can make a better one, they will. Yes, they make mistakes, and if they priced something wrong, they have to do something about it. The same will apply to APs.

Do you realize how many MORE AP's they would have sold if there was a child's price for an AP?

No, I don't, and nether do you. The only info we have is what you decided to do, and you bought the pass! (All that while proclaiming DCA to be a shell of a park, and advising everyone to stay away from DL, but that's another story...). Apparently they feel that most families will make the same decision you did, which is to buy the pass. If they're wrong, you'll see a change. If they are right, you won't.

It's just another example of being penny wise and pound foolish.

Only if there are ENOUGH families who make a decision different than you did. If they only charged $140 for the kids AP, they would have lost $59 on your purchase. Regardless, as your DCA example proves, they will correct any pricing mistakes they made, if they did in fact make any.