From high ticket prices to overpriced food, Disney is known for being expensive. Disney World’s ticket prices rose twice last year, according to Business Insider report. The report states that in 2018, Disney’s platinum pass ticket prices rose in February, from $779 to $849, and then in October, from $849 to $894.
The company plans to open “Frozen” and “Avengers” themed attractions next year, which is going to cost an estimated $1.4 billion, and some believe this development is to blame for rising ticket costs. However, the Business Insider report points out that the company has been profiting at a steady pace since 2013, so there is little evidence to justify Disney’s increase in ticket prices.
Disney has expanded since it opened in 1971 and continues to expand today. With new movies coming out every year, Disney wants its parks to keep up with the interests of the audience. Disney wants to remain ahead of the competition with other companies, as well. According to “Microsoft Network,” when Universal Studios initiated its “Harry Potter” attraction in 2005, Disney had to increase its efforts to remain on top.
To achieve this, the business conducts events such as exclusive tours and lunches with characters. They also opened new resorts, such as the Beach Club Resort and the Yacht Club Resort, described as “deluxe” on the Disney World Resort website. In “Business Insider’s” interview with Robert Niles, author of “Theme Park Insider,” he said, “[Disney] know(s) that the money is in the upper level, the top 10%, the top 1%. They’ve created a wide variety of new products to try and, frankly, extract more money out of people who have more money to spare.” As Niles points out, these events and attractions have become too expensive for the average, middle-class family.
Both the Business Insider and Microsoft Network reports show that Disney has cut out a whole sector of people because they cannot afford the company’s rising prices in its mission to “triumph over all competition and make as much money as possible.” At the end of the day, Disney is becoming a place where only wealthy dreams come true.
