WOW did cnn just slam WDW for ticket price increace

[Jennygt]

I just saw a piece on CNN and they slammed disney about the new ticket prices. It was bad, the anchors were commenting on how outrageous the prices are and then they did the math that showed it is now $368 for a family of four to get into the "Magic Kingdom" for just one day. They made no mention of how the prices go down as you add days, they implied that it is that price for everyday, no mention of universal going up also. Don't get me wrong, I am not thrilled about the increace either, but I have to say this coverage on CNN looked horrible for Disney. One year they should buck the trend and decreace by a few bucks when the others go up. Just interesting to see how the media handles Disney. Now I am waiting for the questions from my friends asking how I can spend almost $400 a day to go to Disney.

 

[gmboy95]

I for one have been outraged at Disney ticket prices for quite some time, it is slowly becoming a place where working class families may only be able to attend once in a lifetime.....imagine taking a one week vacation, and before you buy a plane ticket, pay for your room, or spend one penny on food, you drop a thousand dollars just on passes....I understand that there are packages available that are more cost effective but the price is till waaaaay to high.

My wife and I usually try and stretch an annual pass into two vacations and with the DVC discount is a bit north of $1700.....we have driven to disney from the Boston area the past 4 times we have gone, as the cost has simply become to much. I think CNN is right to shed a light on this....as far as multi day passes. I know tons of families who go to visit florida and not just Disney, and plan to spend one day at magic kingdom....for that person, it is a complete ripp-off

 

[Jennygt]

I for one have been outraged at Disney ticket prices for quite some time, it is slowly becoming a place where working class families may only be able to attend once in a lifetime.....imagine taking a one week vacation, and before you buy a plane ticket, pay for your room, or spend one penny on food, you drop a thousand dollars just on passes....I understand that there are packages available that are more cost effective but the price is till waaaaay to high.

My wife and I usually try and stretch an annual pass into two vacations and with the DVC discount is a bit north of $1700.....we have driven to disney from the Boston area the past 4 times we have gone, as the cost has simply become to much. I think CNN is right to shed a light on this....as far as multi day passes. I know tons of families who go to visit florida and not just Disney, and plan to spend one day at magic kingdom....for that person, it is a complete ripp-off

. So true if you go for one day it is very high.

 

[Happyjen27]

Their one day pricing is why my family did not visit the MK when we were at Port Canaveral for our cruise a few weeks ago. It killed me to be so close to Disneyworld and not go, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for one day.

I suppose that is part of their plan. To get us to commit to days and days of visiting and eating and staying, rather than have one day visitors?

In either case, I left that 400 in my pocket that day.

 

[gmboy95]

Their one day pricing is why my family did not visit the MK when we were at Port Canaveral for our cruise a few weeks ago. It killed me to be so close to Disneyworld and not go, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for one day.

I suppose that is part of their plan. To get us to commit to days and days of visiting and eating and staying, rather than have one day visitors?

In either case, I left that 400 in my pocket that day.

ya see this right here is a DAMN shame!!!!......I hope disney hears more stories like this.....the though that there is a family coming into the area for a cuise (so they have some cash), and they WANT to go to Disney, but choose not to, due to the price to get in.....should make the tables rattle in the Disney board room

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

The price increase wasn’t really all that much, and very few people are going to draw the line at what they can and cannot afford based on this price increase. The great thing about WDW is you can have a $10,000 vacation or a $1000 one. Maybe some people will choose to stay offsite, or won’t go down for very long (I personally don’t know what people DO at WDW for more than 5 or 6 days). But a price increase isn’t the end of the world, especially in light of the FLE and what most consider to be the certainty of a huge overhaul at DHS in the next few years.

 

[Jennygt]

I guess I am just surprised that wdw does not see how a slight price decrease would help give them such great pr.

 

[Metro West]

I guess I am just surprised that wdw does not see how a slight price decrease would help give them such great pr.

Because in the theme park/amusement business you don't want to be seen as a bargain for fear people won't come. For example...if Disney started dropping ticket prices, people would wonder why and think there is something wrong or there isn't as much stuff to do. That's the general line of thinking...public perception is everything.

 

[OKW Lover]

I suspect Oscar Wilde would say this is a story that talks about "the cost of everything and the value of nothing". Focusing on the cost of something is irrelevant unless you consider what value you get for it.

 

[DisneyQueen1320]

Yes, the price went up, but it's still a good value. Most people stay a week or have AP. Sure it's high, but normally quality items are higher.

I know people who spend a lot of money on high end purses, clothes, furniture or etc... Nobody questions those companies.

We love our vacations.

 

[wiigirl]

. So true if you go for one day it is very high.

Thats why we go for atleast 3-days.

 

[lizzi6692]

One day visitors are not Disney target market, plain and simple. One day visitors spend less on souvenirs and food, so why would they cater to the people who make them less money? I think people get so wrapped up in the Disney magic that they often forget that Disney is first and foremost a business and then want to get mad at Disney for acting like one.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The cost of the Disney Premier Passport, which is a combined DLR and WDW Premium Annual Pass is now $1,010.82 including tax.

 

[Jennygt]

One day visitors are not Disney target market, plain and simple. One day visitors spend less on souvenirs and food, so why would they cater to the people who make them less money? I think people get so wrapped up in the Disney magic that they often forget that Disney is first and foremost a business and then want to get mad at Disney for acting like one.

I am not mad at dinsney at all, I was more struck by how harsh the cnn news reporters seemed. Did not want to start a whole debate about the price going up.

 

[lizzi6692]

I am not mad at dinsney at all, I was more struck by how harsh the cnn news reporters seemed. Did not want to start a whole debate about the price going up.

My comment wasn't directed at you, it was at the people on this thread and other threads who like to bash Disney for doing what every business does.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I was just watching Erin Burnett and she pretty much slammed Disney too. Followed by a story about how a Saudi prince went to Disneyland Paris with 60 friends to celebrate his college graduation and dropped 20 MILLION for the trip. Then she said "I guess you have to be a prince to go to Disney to meet a princess." No big shocker though, I see it covered every year when Disney raises prices....then NEVER mention Universal. I'm sure Disney is used to it and couldn't care less.

 

[kfeather]

I go each year and expect an increase each year. I buy my tickets for my son and I early enough to avoid the yearly increase. Most prices everywhere go up... doesn't bother me. Let CNN do what they do. I don't watch them anyway.

 

[robinb]

Yes, the price went up, but it's still a good value. Most people stay a week or have AP. Sure it's high, but normally quality items are higher.

I know people who spend a lot of money on high end purses, clothes, furniture or etc... Nobody questions those companies.

We love our vacations.

What are you smoking and can I have some?

A 7-day park hopper is now $391 or $55.85 per person per day . A family of 4 would need to pay nearly $225 per day just to walk trough the door of a Disney park and that's with the 7-day "discount". I don't care how "magical" a place is and how much pixie dust is in the air, I don't see how the average family can stomach paying $225 per day to meet Mickey, ride a couple of rides, see a couple of shows, see a parade and some fireworks and stand in long lines for all of it. That's $225 per day for 7 days in a row. No wonder people feel the need to "commando" from rope drop to kiss goodnight!

I also disagree that "most people" stay a week or have APs. That is probably the case with most DISers, but I think that most people visit Disney parks for far fewer days. If you lurk over on the "Welcome to the DIS" board you will see that most folks start out planning a 3-5 day trip. They get "upsold" to a 7-day trip here on the DIS , but that's beside the point.

 

[FireDancer]

Their one day pricing is why my family did not visit the MK when we were at Port Canaveral for our cruise a few weeks ago. It killed me to be so close to Disneyworld and not go, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for one day.

I suppose that is part of their plan. To get us to commit to days and days of visiting and eating and staying, rather than have one day visitors?

In either case, I left that 400 in my pocket that day.

The way around this is to buy a non-expiring pass and keep it for these kinds of trips. Back in 2010 I bought a 10-day parkhopper with no expiration date for $499.01. Most of my Florida trips are for something other than Disney but I like to add on a day or two at the parks. No way am I paying one day admission to head there for a day but this pass will last me 4 or 5 years and let me head to Disney for a day for under $50 with parkhopping.

 

[AliceandAriel]

What are you smoking and can I have some?

A 7-day park hopper is now $391 or $55.85 per person per day . A family of 4 would need to pay nearly $225 per day just to walk trough the door of a Disney park and that's with the 7-day "discount". I don't care how "magical" a place is and how much pixie dust is in the air, I don't see how the average family can stomach paying $225 per day to meet Mickey, ride a couple of rides, see a couple of shows, see a parade and some fireworks and stand in long lines for all of it. That's $225 per day for 7 days in a row. No wonder people feel the need to "commando" from rope drop to kiss goodnight!

I also disagree that "most people" stay a week or have APs. That is probably the case with most DISers, but I think that most people visit Disney parks for far fewer days. If you lurk over on the "Welcome to the DIS" board you will see that most folks start out planning a 3-5 day trip. They get "upsold" to a 7-day trip here on the DIS , but that's beside the point.

Thank you! I was about to say the exact same thing.

I get that Disney isn't geared to those who come for only one day (as evidenced by prices) but not everyone is geared to stay there for the 5-10 days needed to get that price break. Even though the money is lowered per day by buying multiple days, it's still more money. And it's disturbing how much it can be for a family.

Take mine for example. I'd love to have my family join me for Disney. I'm one of five kids, and add in our two parents, that makes seven. Let's say we want to go for 5 days because, well, the price is better than only going for 3.

A 5 day trip, single park passes for a family of seven? $2,154.53. We spent less than that on a cabin in NC, food, activities, and had a wonderful time. How is Disney's prices considered 'family friendly' when the cost to get into the park alone is enough to make you sick? You can't even argue that 'buying tickets early' will curb the problem, because who has that kind of money saved aside, and what happens when you want to go back another year and the prices are even higher than now?

To confirm that the prices are loco-coco, my DBF and I are going back in October. It will probably be our last trip for about two years. Tickets before the price increase ran us $636.88, and the room through a discount on Travelocity ran us $533.33. That's nearly $1200 right there, before plane tickets (we fly from PA, driving isn't an option), before food, before gifts and goodies. We can't stay more than 5 days because of budget, so the notion that most people buy an AP or 10 day pass isn't accurate. Would I like to get an AP, come back 2-3 times a year? Absolutely, and if I made the money, I would and not think twice.

But honestly, I don't see why Disney doesn't consider lowering their prices a little, or keeping them the same for a year. Smack Universal in the face after their annual price raise with a laugh, and market the idea of 'being economical for families of all sizes' with a locked-in-price move for one year.