Disney’s Next Big Rip-Off: $100 Park Entrance Fees

Disney claims to be for the “whole family” in its advertisements but if prices continue to climb the theme park could soon find itself catering to the upper-middle class and rich. A recent examination has found that Disney park admissions are increasing so quickly that it could cost $100 to simply enter the theme park within two years.

Disney recently stood by and watched as Universal Studios Orlando raised its prices from $85 to $88 and in turn Disney chose to raise its own prices by $1 more, giving it the strange bragging right as Florida’s most expensive theme park based on one-day pass pricing.

In the meantime a “Park Hopper” pass which allows for admittance to all of Disney’s parks in a one day period has skyrocketed to $124 plus tax, up from $120 before the price hike.

The price hike is partially needed because of a 3% increase in foot traffic throughout 2011, part of which occurred after Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened up to rave reviews and increased traffic. In turn more visitors flocked to the area which helped attendance at Disney and SeaWorld along the way.

When Disney executives see drastic visitor increases they believe they are under charging and therefore correct the “mistake” with higher ticket prices.

Essentially price hikes are seen as crowd control which help avoid overcrowding while at the same type scaring off visitors who are not prepared to spend big at the theme park. In terms of customers Disney essentially only wants big spenders who will drop hundreds of dollars each day while pushing out less well off visitors.