By They say money can’t buy happiness, but a lot of money could buy you a ticket to the Happiest Place on Earth.
For the second time this year, Disneyland raised their prices for admission and introduced a new pass over $1000.
It was definitely a far stretch from a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day, but when taking into consideration the recent confirmation of a “Star Wars Land” and the gaining popularity of the park, a second price increase was 100 percent necessary.
Let’s look at the facts. Any business — yes, Disneyland is a business — that undergoes expansion has large costs to fulfill. It would be absolutely goofy not to raise the prices. When Disneyland acquired 14.7 acres rumored to house the new Star Wars land, the park’s wallet may have become a small world after all. Equally as important to note, Disneyland’s attendance has been on a continual increase and the amount of annual passholders has increased by 250 percent, according to an article published in the OC Register. Why should they increase their prices, you ask? Simply put, people will still go.
When taking a closer look at the breakdowns and prices of the new passes, you might just want that spoonful of sugar — make it two. Keeping within the Disney realm of things, let’s break this down.
Once upon a time, in the Happiest Place on Earth, people were able to visit Disneyland at relatively reasonable prices no more than $800.
For the extreme Disneyland lovers who wished to visit 365 days a year, a $779 Premium pass was granted. For the standard Disney goers, a $550 Deluxe pass was granted, and for the ones who wished to visit not quite as often, a SoCal Select pass was granted for $299.
All were merry in the land of Disney, until overcrowding and the promise of a new land forced the Happiest Place on Earth to drop a bibbity-bobbity-bombshell on park guests and passholders.
What was once the $779 Premium pass turned into a $1,049 Signature Plus pass, while the all-new $849 Signature pass emerged with blackout dates only during the holiday season. With the Premium pass banished from the land and the discontinuation of the SoCal pass, only the Deluxe and SoCal Select pass remained—but not untouched—of the original three passes.
Downtown Disney also shortened its hours of free parking from three hours to two hours with additional rates going from $6 to $12. Validation in the Downtown Disney district offers two additional hours of parking from the movie theater or sit-down restaurants.
Nothing kills the magical experience of Disneyland like getting clipped in the heels by vengeful strollers, waiting over an hour for attractions or spending $6 on a bottle of water. That being said, the Disney magic spellbinds the inner child in all of us and is something even Mickey’s sorcery can’t contain.
Park guests and their wallets now live not so happily ever after.
