Aug 6, 2007
Disney does it again! For the third time in two years, it hikes admission prices
On a quiet August Sunday (the 5th) when most news outlets were shut down, the Walt Disney organization announced a new hike in one-day admission prices to its complex of theme parks in Orlando, Florida. What once cost $67 is now $71. And the reason? It hardly bothered to explain. "An annual planning cycle," the organization told the Associated Press.
Admission price to each Disney theme park was $59.75 as recently as January, 2006, when it was raised to $63. The price went to $67 in August of 2006, and now to $71. A family of two adults and two children 10 years of age, pays a total of $284 to enter The Magic Kingdom for a day.
Five days prior to the price hike, the Walt Disney Company issued its earnings report for the third quarter of its fiscal year, showing a 14% increase in its profits, caused -- among other things -- by "double-digit growth" in the results of its theme parks.
Readers of this blog would now do well to visit the website of the competing Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, which continues to charge $85.99 for seven days of consecutive admission to both Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure, both of them worthy substitutes for Disney (especially for children 10 and older). That weeklong admission is available to visitors who book the offer on the internet (www.universalorlando.com) in advance of arrival. The seven-day price for the combined two parks goes up to $95.99 for tickets purchased over the internet on the day of use.
Your response to Disney's startling conduct might be a determination to bring your family to Universal on your next visit to Orlando.
Write and read comments about this post.
Admission price to each Disney theme park was $59.75 as recently as January, 2006, when it was raised to $63. The price went to $67 in August of 2006, and now to $71. A family of two adults and two children 10 years of age, pays a total of $284 to enter The Magic Kingdom for a day.
Five days prior to the price hike, the Walt Disney Company issued its earnings report for the third quarter of its fiscal year, showing a 14% increase in its profits, caused -- among other things -- by "double-digit growth" in the results of its theme parks.
Readers of this blog would now do well to visit the website of the competing Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, which continues to charge $85.99 for seven days of consecutive admission to both Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure, both of them worthy substitutes for Disney (especially for children 10 and older). That weeklong admission is available to visitors who book the offer on the internet (www.universalorlando.com) in advance of arrival. The seven-day price for the combined two parks goes up to $95.99 for tickets purchased over the internet on the day of use.
Your response to Disney's startling conduct might be a determination to bring your family to Universal on your next visit to Orlando.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: disney, orlando, universal
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
