Disney playing the new "Rip you off" game?

[Sava700]

Wow.. I mean, the economy is just in horrible shape and what few could afford a trip to these parks are scraping by to do it. I was planning taking my son to the Florida park in 2 more years when he's 5 but damn!!! By then just a ticket for him for one park/one day will be over $80!!!! When I last went it was years ago back when Dick Tracy movie came out and MGM was the place to go.. hit that, the main Disney park, and Epcot so its been a while.

How do they expect to keep up amounts of park visitors when they are jacking prices up this much!!? Also hard to say how much items in the park are going to climb such as food/drinks etc....

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/08/04/di ... tml?hpt=T2

It's going to cost vacationers more to visit with Mickey Mouse starting Thursday, when Disney parks in California and Florida will raise ticket prices.

Disney posted an announcement about the price hikes Tuesday on its Disney Parks blog.

At Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the base price for one-day, one-park passes will rise from $79 to $82 for ages 10 and up. Tickets for children ages 3 to 9 will go from $68 to $74. The additional fee for park-hopper tickets will jump by $2 for one-day access, to $54.

One-day, one-park tickets to Southern California's Disneyland Resort will rise from $72 to $76 for ages 10 and up and from $62 to $68 for ages 3 to 9. Prices for one-day park-hopper tickets will go up by $4 for both age groups.

Increases will also apply to multi-day passes at both parks.

Prices for annual passes will rise by $10 to $18 at Disney World and by $20 for premium annual passes at Disneyland.

[64bit]

Its an on average 3 dollar increase across the board for single day passes..... i dont really see the rip you off aspect.

[YARDofSTUF]

Its always been high to go there, but there are lots of ways to get them cheaper through deals, some companies, and contests.

Disney will never have trouble getting people in, they own 98.5% of prepubescent kids.

[RoundEye]

It cost me $18.50 when I seen the Rolling Stones. What do you think it would cost me now?

Everything is going up, football games, concerts, gas, amusement parks. The cost of entertainment is ridicules.

If you plan on bringing your family to Disney World you better start selling blood now.

[RoundEye]

...they own 98.5% of prepubescent kids...

I heard it just jumped up to 98.6%

[Sava700]

Its an on average 3 dollar increase across the board for single day passes..... i dont really see the rip you off aspect.

In general is what I mean..sure its a average $3 increase but look at the final amount - amounts for just kids. When I last went it was during July 4th week, we ended up "Paying to wait in lines" which IMO was just stupid. Everyone says go during the winter months but then again you have "EVERYONE" saying this and everyone does so its just as bad. I'd love to see a guest count for each month to see which is the lowest month.

I can't stand to pay high amounts for a park to end up waiting in lines for half the day just to do something other than walk.

[YARDofSTUF]

I'd love to see a guest count for each month to see which is the lowest month.

For Disney World its January and February. But some things close early in the slower times so you have to have a good plan heading in.

[RoundEye]

I’ve been three times twice when I was younger the first week after Thanksgiving. Temperature was low and the lines were not too long. Third time was my honeymoon and I was married November 13th 1999. Lines weren’t too long, I’m lucky I got out the hotel room though. Here’s a good guide of when to visit that I found.

You will read countless tour books advising you to take your children out of school in order to go to Disney during the slow periods between September and Thanksgiving in the fall, January and March in the winter, and May and the end of June in the summer. However, as someone who ventures to Walt Disney World at least once annually, I have to say that I feel the trade offs for visiting Disney during a slow period do not always outweight the cons of visiting during a peak period.
Although Disney's crowds do tend to be smaller during their posted slow periods, one who visits frequently will notice that, particularly within the last decade, Walt Disney World has become much like Las Vegas in that there is no true off season anymore. Remember: Walt Disney World is the most visited tourist attraction in the world--"world" being the key word in that sentence. Even though American children might be back in school between September and Thanksgiving, for instance, many other countries have month long breaks during those months and a good deal of international tourists will flock to Disney during this time.
Although the crowds will be slightly smaller than they are during peak seasons and holidays, it's important to remember that the people will not disappear altogether. There will still be crowds, which is important to consider when one factor's in the next major drawback of visiting Disney during a period that is considered to be slower. In order to meet the demands of the masses, Disney will do much of its refurbishing during non peak seasons. This means that if you want to guarantee that a specific attraction will be open while you are there, plan on visiting during a peak time. There is a very good chance that if you can't wait to ride the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror but have planned your trip to Disney in Mid September because it's value season, you will arrive to find that Disney has decided to close the Tower of Terror for refurbishment in Mid September so that it will be ready when the large holiday crowds to start arriving in a month or two. The water parks, too, are often closed during the slow periods.
Another HUGE (in my mind) trade off to visiting during peak versus off peak season are the park hours. During the slow months, The Magic Kingdom, MGM, and The Animal Kingdom will often close around dusk (6:00 p.m.), with EPCOT closing about 9:00 p.m. Whereas, during peak seasons, The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT usually close around 11:00 p.m. (and have stayed open as late as midnight), MGM will remain open until around 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m., while The Animal Kingdom will still close at dusk. The crowds may be large during peak times but those precious few hours tacked on to the operating times can be infinitely valuable if used strategically.
All in all, I have visited Disney at least once during every season and have been there during every major holiday period and there is only one segment of time during which I would recommend not visiting, but not for reasons relating to crowds. I would not advise visiting Disney during July or August simply because the heat is almost unbearable, particularly for those who live in cooler climates and are not used to high levels of humidity. The temperatures in Orlando with humidity factored in can easily top 100 degrees on any given day during those two months, which can make an already crowded place seem even more crowded and the happiest place on earth not so happy.

[Leatherneck]

Entertainment better get their $$ while folks still have it! I have been to 2 Blackhawks games and they set us back a minimum of $200 bare bones.

I don't see how there will not come a day when people just flat out can't afford premium entertainment. I'm glad that a fishing trip in a cabin is what I consider premium!

[tao_jones]

We went over spring break this year and it was awesome. I would say book through a travel agent if you know one...they have ways of finding the good promos. Your better off buying the 3+ day pass...its pretty much impossible to get through all the parks in a day or two.

Also the fast pass option is awesome and you can always do rider switch so you dont have to wait through the long lines.

[Sava700]

Also the fast pass option is awesome and you can always do rider switch so you dont have to wait through the long lines.

So they have a option to pay more to skip others in line already waiting or something, if so isn't that kinda wrong?

[Easto]

I live near Disneyland (So Cal) and virtually everyone I know who has kids buys some sort of yearly pass. I don' t know the complete specifics but they tell me it's the way to go. Most of these families go about 5 - 8 times a year.

Personally I'm way past the age where Disneyland holds any real attraction. If I was to go it would be for the nostalgia.

[RoundEye]

I got a top hat with ears and my wife got a veil with ears. Soon as they (someone who worked there) realized we were just married, we got the royal treatment. The Disney characters would come up and shake my hand and hug Michelle. They would pull us to the front of lines. We stood in NO lines. The guy driving the tram got out one day, escorted us and let us ride in the front of tram with him. We were crossing the street in Disney World one night before a parade and everybody started clapping, yelling and cheering. We were like Rock Stars. I thought it was cool, my (then) new wife was embarrassed as hell.

As big as Disney World is, they sell those ears in one store. It’s up to you to find out where. Don’t buy the ears just to jump in line, over the next couple of days we were asked about a billion questions, “when did we get married”, “where did we get married”, etc. We were asked by people who worked there and random strangers.

Our plans were, we were going to sew into the front and back of the ears the date we got married and go back on our tenth anniversary. I got sick with MS, there’s no way in hell I could go there. Plus, a tree fell through the building where everything was stored during hurricane Katrina, including the pictures. We took like 30 rolls of film and all I have left is the memories.

I wanted to go to Italy. To see Europe plus the Ducati and Lamborghini plants. She wanted to go to Disney World. See where we went huh? I have to admit being on my honeymoon and the special ears, I had an incredibly good time. Damn near killed me though.

Was married on Saturday the 13th. Drove from here (New Orleans) to Walt Disney World Sunday. Went to Disney World Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Went to Universal Studios on Friday and Saturday. Drove back here on Sunday. Plus lots of loving inbetween, it was my honeymoon afterall. I missed work Monday and went into a sleep coma, my wife was starting a new job on Monday and couldn’t miss work. It was a physically grueling week but we had one absolute hell of a time.

[Kyle]

So they have a option to pay more to skip others in line already waiting or something, if so isn't that kinda wrong?

That's the only way I go to any amusement park type places... Why pay to stand in line all day when you can skip...?

$3 more per day when you're spending how much to take time off work, travel, rent lodging, buy food, etc... Plenty of people, including myself, will still gladly pay it.

[Sava700]

That's the only way I go to any amusement park type places... Why pay to stand in line all day when you can skip...?

$3 more per day when you're spending how much to take time off work, travel, rent lodging, buy food, etc... Plenty of people, including myself, will still gladly pay it.

It may be done..but doesn't make it right. Gotta do what ya gotta do I guess.

[Brk]

The only rip-off is one by which you allow yourself to be victimized.

Too much money? Vote with your feet.

[The Shadow]

So they have a option to pay more to skip others in line already waiting or something, if so isn't that kinda wrong?

Fastpass at Disney is not something that you have to pay for.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/fastpass.htm

I plan on taking the wife and daughter this Christmas to Walt Disney World and we'll be staying for 8 days. The more days you stay, the per day price of the tickets drop.

As far as the tickets go, the per day cost will change depending on the number of days you stay:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/ge ... assesPopUp

[Sava700]

Just can't see myself going on Xmas - to me that's my time to relax and enjoy the day plus I can't see any kid wanting to do this either but then again I guess some believe in Mickey more.

[The Shadow]

To each their own. I've been to WDW a couple of times over the last 25 years, but never on Christmas day. It's something the family wanted to do. I enjoy myself any chance I get to the parks, but I'm just a big kid at heart anyway.

[tao_jones]

So they have a option to pay more to skip others in line already waiting or something, if so isn't that kinda wrong?

Shadow posted all the info but its really awesome. They also stop people from loading up and hoarding the fast passes by putting a time limit on how soon you can get another one.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) took her son the week after Christmas in 2005 and said it was awesome. They have fake snow and really dress teh park up.

[tao_jones]

Just can't see myself going on Xmas - to me that's my time to relax and enjoy the day plus I can't see any kid wanting to do this either but then again I guess some believe in Mickey more.

When we went we stayed at the park and would go back to our room in the early afternoon to let our little guy sleep and for us to wind down for a few hours and then we would head back to teh park at night for the fireworks/shows and to get in a couple more rides.