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This week Disney announced that they are once again raising the admission prices for their theme parks, just as they have every year for the past umpteen years. And just as has happened every year they do this, the Internet is outraged! "That's it, they've priced me out, I can't afford to do Disneyland nay more". "Such a shame that my grandkids will never know the magic of a Disney vacation because it's just too darned expensive". "I'm DONE with Disney! Knotts Berry Farm/Universal/Six Flags is so much cheaper!"
I am *wholeheartedly* in favor of these ticket price increases for terrible, selfish reasons.
I had just graduated High School and was invited to come stay a few weeks/months/whatever in Anaheim at my Brother's place. My Sister-In-Law was a born-and-bred Anaheim local who spent most of her childhood and teen years in Disneyland. When she took me to Disneyland, she showed it to me through the eyes of a jaded cynic. "Don't waste time on that ride, that line is too long, don't buy food/merchandise/drinks here"... it was a semi-sad experience that ignited my desire to do Disneyland the way *I* wanted to do Disneyland, and that's cool. They had recently raised the ticket prices to $27.50 per day to which my Sister-In-Law said "Yeah you came at a bad time, they're going to reduce those prices soon. They HAVE to! Nobody i going to pay nearly $30 for a day at Disneyland! It's cool and all, but THIRTY BUCKS COOL? No thanks, I'll head over to Knott's before I pay that!"
She had great stories about friends doing drugs in the park, smuggling booze into the park, finding ways to do decidedly non-Disney things in the park... and I nodded in agreement the same way you nod at anybody who is enthusiastic about something that kind of repulses you; Hey wow cool story let's change the subject please?
And this is the short version of why I am in favor of these price hikes - they keep *those people* out of the park. The people who just came to hang out and cause trouble because they *could*. The drunks, the stoners, the angry parents that don't really want to be there and will be damned if anybody is going to have a good time as long as they have any say in the matter. One time I overheard a mother and her little daughter in the park, swear to God, the kid was asking if they could go on any rides and the Mom angrily said "NO! I said I'd take you to Disneyland so FINE, we're at DISNEYLAND. But we are NOT going to ride any rides!"
Every time they raise the prices, another group of drunks say "Screw that, let's go get drunk and fight at Six Flags instead".
Every time they raise the prices, another group of stoners realize that it's a lot cheaper to just get stoned and go bother Snoopy at Knott's Berry Farm.
Every time they raise the prices, another Mom says "Well why don't you just stay here at the Hotel and enjoy the pool instead of being such a sour puss, I'll take the kids and we'll save a hundred bucks!"
Every time they raise the prices, I'm sorry to say this because it sounds horrible, but they effectively weed out another crop of people I don't want to have in Disneyland with me and my family.
AND IT WORKS! In the past we have had encounters with belligerent drunks, bullying dads, bitchy moms and possessive locals who treated us like we were intruding on their private property. But this LAST TIME, the worst thing I encountered was a confused Canadian couple and a delightful group of local girls in hand-made 1950's Disneyland dresses and make-up singing along with my a little too loudly in the Animation Building!
I am *wholeheartedly* in favor of these ticket price increases for terrible, selfish reasons.
I had just graduated High School and was invited to come stay a few weeks/months/whatever in Anaheim at my Brother's place. My Sister-In-Law was a born-and-bred Anaheim local who spent most of her childhood and teen years in Disneyland. When she took me to Disneyland, she showed it to me through the eyes of a jaded cynic. "Don't waste time on that ride, that line is too long, don't buy food/merchandise/drinks here"... it was a semi-sad experience that ignited my desire to do Disneyland the way *I* wanted to do Disneyland, and that's cool. They had recently raised the ticket prices to $27.50 per day to which my Sister-In-Law said "Yeah you came at a bad time, they're going to reduce those prices soon. They HAVE to! Nobody i going to pay nearly $30 for a day at Disneyland! It's cool and all, but THIRTY BUCKS COOL? No thanks, I'll head over to Knott's before I pay that!"
She had great stories about friends doing drugs in the park, smuggling booze into the park, finding ways to do decidedly non-Disney things in the park... and I nodded in agreement the same way you nod at anybody who is enthusiastic about something that kind of repulses you; Hey wow cool story let's change the subject please?
And this is the short version of why I am in favor of these price hikes - they keep *those people* out of the park. The people who just came to hang out and cause trouble because they *could*. The drunks, the stoners, the angry parents that don't really want to be there and will be damned if anybody is going to have a good time as long as they have any say in the matter. One time I overheard a mother and her little daughter in the park, swear to God, the kid was asking if they could go on any rides and the Mom angrily said "NO! I said I'd take you to Disneyland so FINE, we're at DISNEYLAND. But we are NOT going to ride any rides!"
Every time they raise the prices, another group of drunks say "Screw that, let's go get drunk and fight at Six Flags instead".
Every time they raise the prices, another group of stoners realize that it's a lot cheaper to just get stoned and go bother Snoopy at Knott's Berry Farm.
Every time they raise the prices, another Mom says "Well why don't you just stay here at the Hotel and enjoy the pool instead of being such a sour puss, I'll take the kids and we'll save a hundred bucks!"
Every time they raise the prices, I'm sorry to say this because it sounds horrible, but they effectively weed out another crop of people I don't want to have in Disneyland with me and my family.
AND IT WORKS! In the past we have had encounters with belligerent drunks, bullying dads, bitchy moms and possessive locals who treated us like we were intruding on their private property. But this LAST TIME, the worst thing I encountered was a confused Canadian couple and a delightful group of local girls in hand-made 1950's Disneyland dresses and make-up singing along with my a little too loudly in the Animation Building!
