Disneyland Hikes Prices Starting Sunday 8/02/09

[Gemini Cricket]

In case anyone needed to renew, they should do it today!
Single ticket adult: $72 (from $69)
Single park child, ages 3 to 9: $62 (from $59)
Premium annual pass: $429 (from $389)
Deluxe annual pass: $289 (from $269)
Southern California annual pass: $194 (from $174)
Southern California Select annual pass: $144 (from $134)

Source (http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/2009/07/31/disneyland-hikes-prices-by-3-starting-sunday/13157/)

[innerSpaceman]

Wow, $43 in 2001. When it was arguably a much better Park (that was before the Pressler-era, no? If not, you get my drift. Disneyland has still not fully recovered).

[RStar]

Wow, nearly $300 for a family of 4 to get in.

Walt tells the story of how he would walk past the amusement park in his town as a kid and press his nose to the gate to peek in because his family couldn't afford to get in. He wanted to build a place that was clean, family oriented, and affordable.

I guess Disney thinks two out of three isn't bad......

Kids can now go to Downtown Disney for free, and stand at the gates looking in at a park that they can no longer afford to go into, and relive a part of Walt's childhood. :(

[flippyshark]

Pressler was still around in 2001 - and DCA was a brand new park.

I'm making travel plans, and I hadn't yet figured in park admission. *sigh*

[innerSpaceman]

Well, then it hovered at half the price it is now when it was a better Disneyland. Great.

[Stan4dSteph]

WDW tickets are going up also. $79 for a day pass. I bought my WDW AP today before the price hike tomorrow since I'll be there in November and then again in January for the half marathon.

[katiesue]

Whew I renewed Madzers pass on Friday night.

[Betty]

We had season passes when it was cheap (99 each?) for a year or two. WE lived right down the street (about 5 minutes away) and would go for the afternoon or just for a quick trip on a weekday evening and ride a few rides. It was a lot of fun.

Sadly it's so far out of our price range now we won't go for a long time.

At least my nephew works there and when my Mother in law takes them, he gets her and the kids in. (he lives with mom in law so she rather requires that from him. lol.)

They get to have the fun and I don't have to pay for it... and that's good enough.

[sleepyjeff]

16 million dollars to build Disneyland back in 1955.

Addmission and tickets to ride every attraciton cost almost $5.00

16,000,000/5 = 3,200,000.

What would it cost to build Disneyland today?

If it's a penny more than 231 million dollars, than I gotta say the cost today is lower than what it could reasonably be.

[Moonliner]

This family of four is going to have to give it a pass week after next. :(

We'll still be hitting the ballpark for a little Dodger blue however.

[scaeagles]

I would hate to think of the number of factors that goes in to determining the price of an AP.

While this might be considered sacrilege, it almost seems to me that it makes more sense to charge more money for locals to hold APs than for someone several hours away. I know many people in Phoenix with APs, and when they go, they typically spend far more money than locals, I would presume, because they will stay in DL owned hotels, spend more money on meals in the parks, etc.

Perhaps they should scale their APs. For example, a 15 visit/year AP with no block outs is $220. A 30 visit/year AP with no block outs is $290/year. Something like that.

My suggestion could be completely ignorant as well as incredibly unpopular with those of you who live near by.

[katiesue]

I'm not sure out of towners spend more or that locals spend less. We just spent the weekend at the Grand Californian, did reserved Fantasmic seating and ate all of our meals/snacks etc in the park or at the hotel. Not everyone from out of town stays on property nor to they eat only at the resort.

I do think the whole payment plan for locals is stupid. At least charge for it.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I'd be willing to bet locals spend less at DL per visit. But what I'd like to see are figures that compare the average local AP's annual spending habits to a "foreigner's" single (or even multi-day) visit.

[lashbear]

I think international visitors should get in for $20

[Cadaverous Pallor]

All of the above are good points. There's also the fan factor. The more you go to DL, the more you buy other Disney related stuff in general, whether at the park or at other stores. It starts with simple things - a jacket, birthday card, stuffed animal for a special occasion. Suddenly you realize a little here a little there adds up. A scarf, a pair of socks, an art print, a shot glass, a dog bowl, a phone skin, a pot holder...

And then you get the collectors. Pins, of course, but there's figurines from Disneyana, cels from the Gallery (I do miss that place), huge coffee table books, original concept art, art by other artists inspired by the Mouse...

I think keeping people coming to DL has its advantages, and that even when I stop going it still leaves me wanting this stuff. Of course it's impossible to know exactly how the numbers shake out, but from my own experiences and the experiences of others around me, it's gotta be worth it.

[Moonliner]

I think international visitors should get in for $20

Given the state of the dollar, I think they do.

[Gemini Cricket]

The more you go to DL, the more you buy other Disney related stuff in general...
True. I went to the park a couple of times and didn't buy a single thing. It was lame.
:D

[RStar]

When we go, it's just to shop or get a bite to eat. Once in a while we may see a show or get on a ride, but unless it's something new it's a rareity. So I spend nearly $400 a year just to go to the most expensive mall in the world.....

[innerSpaceman]

Um, I spend way more on drinks and meals as an AP holder than I would as a ticket-buying local. I may be past the souvenir and shopping stages, but I've still been known to purchase a thing or two.

Yeah, no hotel stays (oh, except every few years ... also not bad for someone who lives 30 minutes away) ... but the fact remains that an AP allowing me to get to the park (and more importantly the parking lot) for free means I spend meal and bar $$ galore on property that otherwise would be spend elsewhere.

Clearly a financial win for Disney. Raising my AP price is pure bullsh!t.

[scaeagles]

Clearly a financial win for Disney. Raising my AP price is pure bullsh!t.

I wouldn't call it that. They have one primary responsibility above all others - to make as much money as they possibly can. They have to balance the alienation of some of their 800,000 AP holders and what the "real" cost of a visit by an AP holder is vs. how they believe an increase in the AP price will affect their bottom line positively.

The only thing you can do is vote with your wallet and not renew. Or if you consider it worth the price, then renew. I know several families in Phoenix that have APs because they go a couple times a year for 3-4 days and it's cheaper than two sets of park hoppers. They stay on property (usually). I would guess some of them will decide they will only go once/year, costing Disney real $. But I don't think the DL owned properties have a high vacancy rate (don't know for sure), so does that affect the DL bottom line in comparison to others paying more for their AP? I can't even begin to guess. The business model and variables must be varied and gigantic.

[Gemini Cricket]

Ha ha. I remember when Leo outed himself as an AP holder here on the LoT around the time of his meet. Hee hee.
:D

[scaeagles]

And I still am. However, several previously mentioned (in other threads) expenses have kep us away this summer and perhaps will before they expire.