Is Disneyland too expensive?

[twinmom]

My husband and I have been having this debate. He feels DL is too expensive for the average family.

[JoeCool]

HI...Are you planning a trip to DL? how many children ages?

[disneylover4ever]

It is very expensive but I believe it is worth the price. We only get to go every couple of years because we can't afford to go every year. But.... I guess that makes the trip more special

[disneychrista]

A day trip for a family of four would cost $200 for admission. Another $75 -100 for meals and snack (assumes all meals eatten in the park). Add another $50 for suviners and you have a day trip for a family of four that costs about $350. So IMO yes it is expensive.

[MickeyJCA]

I definitely think Disneyland is too expensive. One of the poll questions they used to ask (maybe still do) was along the lines of, "If you were willing to pay $X for a baseball game that lasts a couple of hours, wouldn't if be fair to pay $XXX for a full day at Disneyland?" (Of course, this is not word for word, but that's the gist of it."

I don't know how the average family can do it. When I was a kid, it was affordable. My Dad even used to comment that the food inside The Park was reasonably priced even though they could charge much more for it. I guess those days are gone.

It's also frustrating because they still charge full price even when hours are reduced, attractions are taken out, the place is in disrepair, etc. Things are definitely getting better as far as the quality of the Disneyland experience goes, but that just means they'll probably be raising prices again.

If they'd ask me , I'd tell them to cut salaries for management (especially mid and upper level), reduce ticket costs a little, and POUR money into making the Disneyland experience as magical as the Disney PR machine wants us all to believe it is!

(Sounds like I'm Mr. Cranky today, huh? :o )

[captveg]

Actually, with how expensive a meal is at a fast food place now, I don't consider the meals all that bad at the park. A burger, fries and a coke at Burger King costs $6, a similar meal at the Park costs $8.

Admission price is expensive, but it hasn't been inflated more than anything else over the years, IIRC. Does anyone have a list of ticket prices over the years since they got rid of ticket books (1982)?

[millionairegirl]

Someone at work was trying to tell me that Disneyland was too expensive, and I argued that it wasn't.

For $53 a person you can spend the whole day at Disneyland with TONS of entertainment options. This is the same cost as a lift pass to go skiing, tickets to a concert, NBA tickets, or even football tickets. Disney is not a charity, they do not have to be 'reasonably priced'. They are a business, and should price their product at the point to maximize profits. Judging by the massive crowds lately, it looks like they are succeding.

Disneyland was a once a year thing for my family. We only ate one meal in the park, and I don't remember getting even balloons. I don't think this is a bad thing, it made it more special. It's a 'special' treat for most families, and I still think the price-point is fair for what you get.

[dshimel]

Hush you all.

I have to pay $75+ for gas and $120 ($60+ per night for two nights) for hotel, not to mention the 10-12 hours of driving.

$200 for a family of 4. You can easily get away with $50 in food.... especially if you picnic it.... So the kids just get a few small souvineers.

Compared to a day at the local playground, sure it is expensive. Compared to other entertainment options.... DL is cheap!

[twinmom]

We are going in a few weeks with our almost 3 year old twins. I grew up going to DL every few years and went to college in Pomona so I'd go several times a year then. We went for our honeymoon for 5 days -- I really burned my husband out on that trip! I am an open to close, 5 days in a row kind of person but he sure isn't!

I agree with those of you that it is a special vacation destination that is meant to be saved for. There are tons of deals out there to make it a bit more reasonable, though.

[JoeCool]

I hope that you have a nice trip! Well admission for the twins should be reduced. And most restaurants have kiddie meals....so that should lower the cost a bit.

[SilentBob66]

Actually, with how expensive a meal is at a fast food place now, I don't consider the meals all that bad at the park. A burger, fries and a coke at Burger King costs $6, a similar meal at the Park costs $8.

I agree with this in general. Most meals inside the Park are roughly comparable to meals found outside the Park, overall. I've had lunch at Subway that's cost me $8 (which is ridiculous considering what it is). The price of sodas inside the Park, however, are still usurious and not worth it.

Admission price is expensive, but it hasn't been inflated more than anything else over the years, IIRC. Does anyone have a list of ticket prices over the years since they got rid of ticket books (1982)?

Here's where I may differ with you. Although apologists will give tons of excuses for the rising costs of Disneyland admission, the simple fact of the matter is that, even taking inflation into consideration, prices are well above what they were 30 years ago, meaning that the profit margin on Disneyland tickets is much higher than it was for its first 25 or so years.

Here's a price comparison table (with some data missing) -

http://www.jansworld.net/DL_pages/yearly_compari_of_dl_tics.htm

All Inclusive Passports

The 1982 One Day Adult Passport Unknown

The 1983 One Day Adult Passport Unknown

The 1984 One Day Adult Passport Unknown

The 1985 One Day Adult Passport $16.50 per person.

The 1986 One Day Adult Passport $17.95 per person.

The 1987 One Day Adult Passport $20.00 per person.

The 1988 One Day Adult Passport $21.50 per person.

The 1989 One Day Adult Passport $23.50 per person.

The 1990 One Day Adult Passport $25.50 per person.

The 1991 One Day Adult Passport $27.50 per person.

The 1992 One Day Adult Passport $28.50 per person.

The 1993 One Day Adult Passport $29.50 per person.

The 1994 One Day Adult Passport $31.00 per person.

The 1995 One Day Adult Passport $33.00 per person.

The 1996 One Day Adult Passport $34.50 per person.

The 1997 One Day Adult Passport $36.00 per person.

The 1998 One Day Adult Passport $38.00 per person

The 1999 One Day Adult Passport $39.50 per person.

The 2000 One Day Adult Passport $41.00 per person.

The 2001 One-Day Adult Passport $43.00 per person.

The 2002 One Day Adult Passport $45.00 per person.

The 2003 One Day Adult Passport $47.00 per person.

The 2004 One Day Adult Passport $49.75 per person.

And now we're up to $53.00 per person in 2005. The inflation rate, which has fluctuated over the past 20 years, has simply not been high enough to warrant a $13.00 increase in the past FIVE years or a $3.25 increase in the past year.

Compare these increases with the prices of admission from 1955 to 1981 (which included years where the inflation rate was MUCH higher than during the last 20 years!), and you'll see what I mean.

for an Adult General Admission One Day Ticket

A through C Ticket Books Only

The first 1955 Adult General Admission Ticket
(that did not include any attractions) $1.00 per person

1955 Adult Ticket Book with 8 attractions $2.50 per person

1956 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

A through D Ticket Books Only

1957 Adult Ticket Book with 15 attractions $3.95 per person

1958 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $3.35 per person

A through E Ticket Books Only

1959 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $3.50 per person.

1960 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $3.95 per person.

1961 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1962 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1963 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.50 per person.

1964 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $5.65 per person.

1965 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1966 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.00 per person.

1967 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1968 Adult Ticket Book with 11 attractions $4.75 per person.

1969 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1970 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.50 per person.

1971 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.75 per person.

1972 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.95 per person.

1973 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.75 per person.

1974 Adult Ticket Book with 10 attractions $4.75 per person.

1975 Adult Ticket Book with 11 attractions $6.00 per person.

1976 Adult Ticket Book with 11 attractions $6.50 per person.

1977 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1978 Adult Ticket Book with 11 attractions $7.00 per person (MY ITALICS & DATA)

1979 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

1980 Adult Ticket Book with 11 attractions $8.50 per person.

1981 Adult Ticket Book Unknown Unknown

Keep in mind that for the most part the annual rate of inflation during the past 50 years has been in the single digits (10% or less), but even in years prior to the Eisner takeover when it exceeded 10%, Disneyland ticket prices were still under $10). The 90s, however, saw huge increases in ticket prices, and yet inflation-wise, they were some of the best years we ever saw (less than 5% per year from 1991 to 1999). http://www.1990sflashback.com/1990/Economy.asp

Is it too expensive for a family to go to Disneyland these days? Depends on how much you can afford of course, but if your annual income is $50,000 or less and you have more than 1 child, you bet it is. The fact that gas prices are skyrocketing and Workman's Comp rates have increased the cost of doing business in California have only made it worse.

However, as you can see by the first table of prices, it appears to be Disney policy to increase prices annually by a certain percentage, whether inflation rates warrant it or not. The cost of admission to Disneyland has increased $36.50 in the last 20 years. At this rate, by 2025 it will be $89.50 per person to get into the Park for a single day. And there will still be the same problems and refurbs then as exist today, which existed in 1955.

Now I ask you - if you skip a movie today in the theater because it doesn't offer $10 worth of entertainment value, then you also have to ask yourself - does Disneyland today provide $53 worth of entertainment in one day? Considering the fact that you may not always be able to ride the rides you want to, I'd say it makes a lot more sense for them to re-establish an a la carte attraction-based pricing system, as well as a general admission price for those not interested in riding any rides. Not to say there shouldn't be an all-attractions-included passport available, but it shouldn't be the only option.

And by the way, before 1984, Annual Passes weren't even available to the general public.

[gibbage]

Being expensive also makes the park special. If it was cheater, it would be a LOT more crouded. Its something you save up for. Sometihng you savor every minute of. If it was cheap, you would take a lot of the experances for granted.

The price of a park is a delicate balancing act. Too cheap = too crowded and too expensive = not enough visiters. They pay a large group of people lots and lots of money to figure out the best price point. Im guessing they should know better then us. To me, its just the right price.... FREE! Well after the cost of my AP that is.

Gib

[Disneyfamily3]

We just got home from the SD Zoo, for 2 adults & a child our admission was $56.Not bad but we eat in the park,it turned cold and when we left home (10 mins away)it was nice so we ended up buying sweatshirts (I don't even like them) and a few other things for our daughter and we spent about $175 for a 5 hour day! I think Disneyland is great for the price,we can be there for 12 hours,ride on rides,shop in shops where they have a HUGE selection to choose from, meet characters,watch parades,etc. Yes it may be 2x the cost but it is 100x the fun and to us sooooooo much more worth it. We definitely should have driven up there today instead.

[SilentBob66]

This is the same cost as a lift pass to go skiing, tickets to a concert, NBA tickets, or even football tickets.

I don't go skiing, I almost never go to concerts anymore (I prefer recorded concerts, which give me the best seats in the house every time, and for far less), and I don't attend sports events when I can see them for free on TV. Why should I?

Disney is not a charity, they do not have to be 'reasonably priced'.

This is a rather snotty attitude to have. Nobody said they were a charity. They've been a business from Day One, but the difference is that prior to the Eisner regime, the emphasis was on the Park being an enjoyable place for all people, from all income levels, not just millionaires who can afford the exhorbitant costs. Providing more bang for the buck is a notion lost on today's business executives, and that greed will be their undoing. Eventually there is a consumer backlash, and woe to the smug little exec who thinks he can price his product or service as high as he wants and expect all the "suckers" to come beating a path to his door.

They are a business, and should price their product at the point to maximize profits.

Many businesses do this, but considering that maximizing profits has been made at the expense of positive consumer relations, is it really worth it? "Just take as much money as you can, no matter who you hurt or aggravate", is that your business philosophy? If so, it sucks. "Customer service" in this day and age is a contradiction in terms, and most consumers know it. I'd rather give my money to someone who makes me feel welcome and isn't out to gouge me out of my money. If you enjoy being bent over a barrel every time you reach for your wallet, then there'll always be someone ready to take your bucks from you. "A fool and his money are soon parted."

[captveg]

Thanks for the stats, Silent Bob.

You know, I'm curious as to what the wages of CMs are over those same periods.

After all CA minimum wage was $4.25 when I was in high school 10 years ago, and now it's $6.75 - a 59% increase in 10 years.

[DisneyMickey]

Many of the items that you buy from Disneyland are expensive. Some are just downright over priced. An avergae ticket is just about right. Disneyland is an extremely expensive operation to run, and to keep up with this, they need the high prices for tickets. Tickets in general for anything now a days is expensive.

[lyd]

As per the previous post on prices:

The 1996 One Day Adult Passport $34.50 per person.
The 1997 One Day Adult Passport $36.00 per person
The 1998 One Day Adult Passport $38.00 per person
The 1999 One Day Adult Passport $39.50 per person.
The 2000 One Day Adult Passport $41.00 per person.
The 2001 One-Day Adult Passport $43.00 per person.
The 2002 One Day Adult Passport $45.00 per person.
The 2003 One Day Adult Passport $47.00 per person.
The 2004 One Day Adult Passport $49.75 per person.
The 2005 One Day Adult Passport $53.00 per person.

When one considers the amount of attractions and shows shut down with no replacements, no paint, no maintenence, jobs and hours slashed, but big outlandish bonuses still paid to executives, then yes the parks are overpriced. It has only been the recent actions of the new park execs have I been able to say that the park is getting close to meeting its daily admission price.

[travelmom]

I think in terms of value, and the experience you get out of it rather than price.
So the average family can't afford it? Well, they don't come any more average than us.
We had five kids, and we planned well. A year ahead. We would buy our multi-day tickets months in advance. Sometimes a couple one month, a couple the next. We would have our Disneyland piggy banks filled with the loose change and bills from all year. We always have several hundred dollars, and that helps gas and hotel.
We sacrifice stuff in the few months before we go, and start buying Disney dollars.
We love the place, and a place like Disneyland isn't going to come cheap.
It's about how bad that average family wants to experience Disneyland.
We do. it is worth every penny.

[Alchimedes]

I never thought I would see the day that Disney would be offering "FINANCING" for a vacation at DLR AND WDW. It sounds criminal that the average family would have to go this far to enjoy the fun.

[Disneyfreak]

I feel the food is way overpriced but the admission is not overpriced. The reason for that is because the parks are always so crowded. I mean it obviously is worth it if the park is crowded.