[Rumor] Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

[greeeneyes17]

Times are tough right now, and I think it's become hard for even a middle class family to make a trip to Disneyland, depending on where they live.

With the ticket price increase, it doesn't make it any better.

I know, the park has to charge a lot because it's top quality. And I get that, I support that.

It's just a shame that there are probably a lot of people who just can't afford the Happiest Place on Earth, and it makes me wonder if the problem is only going to get worse.

If the price of tickets correlates with the yearly income of the average American, I suppose it won't make a difference.

But if the price of tickets soars to unreachable prices, and we Americans are making the same amount of money, it seems nearly impossible that we should get to visit.

What if a Disneyland 3 day park hopper is 500 dollars?
That doesn't seem so far away. If that happened, I know a lot of people who could no longer go on their Disney vacations.

[Michael808702]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

Disneyland is a want not a need, If people cant afford it they are just going to have to cut down on going or give it up completely. They need to raise prices because of the demand if prices were lower the park could probably hit maximum occupancy everyday. IMHO

[greeeneyes17]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

Disneyland is a want not a need, If people cant afford it they are just going to have to cut down on going or give it up completely. They need to raise prices because of the demand if prices were lower the park could probably hit maximum occupancy everyday. IMHO

Not suggesting they lower the prices, as I stated in my original post.
Just sucks is all that many people won't be able to go. For people like me, anyway, it is a need

[Diznygrl]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

At this rate, yes. They keep raising and raising the prices but everyone's paycheck remains the same. It's not just Disney, either. It's everywhere. But Disney does seem to be especially exorbitant. But at least it's a luxury, unlike gas and groceries.

[dougeebear]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

For many families, the price of a visit is currently too costly.

[flynnibus]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

They can still go - it would just take more saving.

Most can't afford to buy a new car every month - or buy entire new wardrobes. That doesn't mean they can't afford a car or clothes. It means you do it less often because you find those things worthy enough to save for.

[stitchmom]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

I share your concerns. I consider our family middle class. As a teacher I haven't had a raise since '05. Increased class sizes and slashed budgets (last year my supply budget was $50) means I am spending more of my own money at work, add in rising costs for gas and food and our disposable income is shrinking. I LOVE our family time in DL but with ticket prices going up we are slowly being squeezed out. We've changed where we stay and where we eat while at DL to cut costs but there's a limit. Thankfully I can always cruise micechat and live vicariously through others! Keep those pics and trip reports coming:thumbup:

[frollofan]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

I believe it is starting to take effect right now. Ever since the substantial price increases a few months ago, there are less day time visitors who don't want to pay the ridiculus $130 for 1 day. At the DLR, the majority of the people are annual passholders, and when all of them are blocked except for premium, there are way less people in the park. THat can explain why Saturdays during the summer are usually less crowded. The premiums can get in and at the same time there are less people than in the past who want to pay the expensive price just to go for the day.

[brenden]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

For people like me, anyway, it is a need

I know what you mean, but it's really not a need. It's a luxury, a vacation destination. Our country's last economic tumble was largely due to people leaving outside their means and this is exactly what happens with the parks. It was touched on during the last price increase thread, but there's been a shift in the way people perceive Disneyland. Disneyland used to be a special trip you'd look forward to maybe once a year (as a local) and many people to this day only get to come every couple of years because that's what they can afford to do. Disneyland is not a 'need' for anyone, it's just that we've been conditioned to think of Disneyland as a necessity over the years.

[themur]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

I actually think Disney does a nice job of keeping the park affordable to a large a group as possible. The admission price is probably lower than it really should be but that is made up with higher prices for food, snacks and souvenirs. Now a family that wants to really squeeze by gets their tickets (and there are discounts occasionally) and then skimps on the the other stuff.

When you compare DL to things like skiing, sporting events, concerts and such, many people (myself included) find the park to be a real value!

[Wall to Wall Creep]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

It really depends on how you look at it.

Our "family" trip to Zion this year was about the same cost as a proper trip to Disneyland. It's budgeting, figuring out what is important, and possibly coming back.

Disneyland still remains to be a great value for the entertainment you receive.

[jsmith11618]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

There will always be people and families who cannot afford to go, and that will never change. It would be nice if everyone could have everything they wanted, but we have to pick and choose what is important to us.

We all have to decide what we want in life, and for some that is giving up some things and having a family and for others its not having kids and a family and having the ability to do more travel and more fun stuff.

If the prices get to a point where not enough people can afford it, then the prices will go down. With the recent increase, if attendance goes down and revenue slips, then prices will go down.

If the increase sticks then they found a good middle ground that still allows people to visit and the company to make money.

I think in many ways we have become well cheap in the US and expect cheap prices and when cheap prices dont exist we complain.

Happens all the time, and being in airline and hotel biz, I get to hear my fair share of how we are ripping people off, charging too much etc.

[Jayce]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

They can still go - it would just take more saving.

Most can't afford to buy a new car every month - or buy entire new wardrobes. That doesn't mean they can't afford a car or clothes. It means you do it less often because you find those things worthy enough to save for.

Ding ding ding, a winner is you!

People just need to learn how to actually save money.

[wave789]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

Prices will continue to rise to match demand. If Disney doesn't raise prices, the parks will reach capacity far more often. Disney doesn't have a choice but to keep prices high.

But disney's incentive is to keep the parks full as often as possible. It's good for the bottom line. Therefore, Disney will never raise the prices so high that the parks can't still fill up. It's simple economics. More people will continue to not be able to afford a day at the parks, but it doesn't matter for Disney, who will continue to fill up the parks with people who CAN afford it.

Will disneyland someday be too much to afford? It depends who you are. Disneyland is already too expensive for most of the world's population to afford.

[Sambo]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

Walt in his day wanted to price things in and at the park so average families could spend a day or two and not go into debt. Today the average family must save or add to debt to stay a day or two at the "Resort."

DisneyCo is most certainly catering to the well-off rather than an average family. They will limit attendance through raised prices. DisneyCo is all about the money and justifies increases by telling us it goes to expansion of the Resort, new attractions, and the extremely overbearing cost of labor. Such policy is only sustainable when there are enough people who can afford your prices. Not every family has the wallet of an Eiger or Rasulo, but they convince themselves we do. That, or frankly they just don't care as long as the money keeps coming in. I suspect some of both.

Current price increases are not yet preventing me from coming, but I am coming less often and I must save more and longer between trips.

[stitchmom]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

People just need to learn how to actually save money.

I find that an insulting blanket statement. I KNOW how to save money. In addition to regular savings and investments my son has severe hearing loss and we always maintain $4k in cash available to replace his hearing aids should something happen. The fact that I choose to maintain that fund and not use it to go to Disneyland is a choice I make, not a lack of ability. The fact that my disposable income has been diminished by economic forces while ticket prices have risen is a factor I must consider when making any vacation plans and the point I think the OP was discussing.

[QuiGonJ]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

And Disney does not have "overbearing costs" of labor. They work most CMs part time and at levels close to the minimum wage. Compared to the money they take in, labor is peanuts.

I agree that if the number of people is falling attending based on the latest increases, it's too much. I caved and got the cheaper card for a pass before those were replaced, but there is no way I am keeping a pass past next year.

[Disneytwins]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

That statement isn't insulting. Disneyland isn't a need, it's a want. Your son's hearing aid fund is a need not a want while Disneyland is just a want. You're putting your priorities in the right order which is great.

I think Jayce really means is that people need to find ways to save more money if they want to go to Disneyland, not that they need to Learn how to save up.

A trip to Disneyland is expensive and probably will remain that way, but it won't get so high that no one can afford it even if they saved up.

[biggsworth]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

This question is too subjective IMO to answer. I could sit here and say never in my case. I would maybe have to save a lot more if the prices were let's say 500 to enter or a PAP is 3k too many variables to come up with a simple answer. But for now I will say never in my case

---------- Post added 07-05-2012 at 01:44 PM ----------

[sbk1234]

Re: Do you think someday Disneyland will be too much to afford?

I share your concerns. I consider our family middle class. As a teacher I haven't had a raise since '05. Increased class sizes and slashed budgets (last year my supply budget was $50) means I am spending more of my own money at work, add in rising costs for gas and food and our disposable income is shrinking. I LOVE our family time in DL but with ticket prices going up we are slowly being squeezed out. We've changed where we stay and where we eat while at DL to cut costs but there's a limit. Thankfully I can always cruise micechat and live vicariously through others! Keep those pics and trip reports coming:thumbup:

Forgive me, but for the sake of clarification, let me make a correction. If you are a teacher in California - and elsewhere - it isn't just that you haven't had a raise in 7 years. It's also your salary has been cut every year with furlough days imposed by the state, resulting in a lower takehome salary, as well as fewer days for children to be in class learning.

Yes, there is inflation. But a 30% price hike is not reasonable. Put it this way, what would be the general public's reaction - as well as management's reaction - if a union demanded a 30% raise one year? Even with outstanding work, no business is going to give such a raise because that would be unreasonable. 5%, even 10 or 12 %? sure. But 30% is absolutely absurd. For me, that's where the problem comes in.