Isn’t that the question of the hour? I was all prepared to rant. I was ready to raise the flag, stand on my soapbox and yell. “How dare Disney raise their prices yet again?!” “Isn’t it expensive enough?!”….I had a great argument lined up.
And then I talked to my husband.
I often refer to my husband and I as the “Arnold and Maria” of San Diego. He’s a conservative republican and I’m a bleeding heart democrat (by that I mean I wish I could give money, healthcare, citizenship, hugs to everyone). I told Ryan about my frustration about the price hike. I told him Disneyland was a RIGHT we all deserved. It’s what Walt would have wanted! Walt himself said of Disneyland in his opening day speech “Disneyland is YOUR land”! How would Walt feel knowing that now Disneyland was only for the financially privileged? I argued with my husband that Disneyland couldn’t call itself the “Happiest Place on Earth” if they were going to hold that happiness hostage.
And then it happened. My logical, conservative, practical husband said “Oh I agree, yes, Disneyland should be for everyone. Yes indeed. But let me ask you this? With the raising costs of fuel, energy, minimum wage, employee benefits, the addition of Carsland, heck, even the price of fireworks….who should pay for all that?”
“Well,” I said, “That’s what our admission pays for”.
“That’s right”, he agreed, “but the cost of those thing go up everyday. Think of all the fuel Disney uses. Think of all the employees they employ. Think of how much they invested in making Disneyland bigger, better. All those things we enjoy. All the things they added that we love. Someone has to pay for them.”
I hate to say this but he’s right. You see, I’m a dreamer. I’m the American that wants everyone in the country to have healthcare but never really gave any thought on how or who would pay for it. I want every person alive to experience a Disney park. My greatest memories are there. I was engaged there. I honeymooned there. I spent the first three years of marriage with annual passes (and no kids) falling deeper in love with my husband during every visit. Now I take my kids and see it again through their eyes. I’ve been to Disneyland and Walt Disney World more than 100 times each, and each time I go I create a new memory I know I will hold on to forever. I want EVERYONE to have that. But you know what folks? That’s me being a dreamer. Disney Parks goes out of their way to make Disneyland and Walt Disney World as affordable as they can. They offer an amazing military discount for our men and women in the armed forces and their families. They offer various discounts through automobile clubs and discount warehouses. They offer California and Florida residents discounts, as well.
Sure, Disney makes a ton of money, but it can be said that they also reinvest that money in making their products, parks, movies, hotels, resorts….better, bigger, more enjoyable for everyone. You have to give credit where credit is due. Quality is something you pay for, and Disney definitely gives you that.
But the world we live in today changes by the hour. Prices for our everyday commodities are soaring. It’s not just the price of admission at Disneyland that goes up a few dollars. Admittedly, it’s just the one we feel bad about the most because deep down we know (or think) it’s the one we can’t live without. If the price of shrimp rises, I just don’t buy shrimp. No big deal. But when the price to the Happiest Place on Earth rises, I become afraid. Afraid that the day will come when I can’t go there everytime I need to run away from the real world. I’m afraid that I won’t see those special places that hold such dear memories for me as often as I would like. As if someone is holding for ransom my “happy place”. And that hurts. And when I’m hurt, I get angry and want to vent….just like I was planning to in this post, but alas I married well. My husband is the “Roy” to my “Walt”. I dream, he deals with the reality of things (and works really hard to make sure I can afford to dream).
So yes, the price of Disneyland tickets went up today. But you know what, I’m still gonna pay it, because it’s still worth it. If it were any other amusement park – ANY OTHER AMUSEMENT PARK – it wouldn’t be. But as long as the “take” is more than the “give”, it is worth it in my book. We might have to save up a bit more, find ways to save in other areas, pack our own snacks and water bottles….but for me, it’s definitely worth it.
Disneyland is a place of fantasy that makes our reality much more bearable, but it is still a place of business. If I thought for a moment that their price increases were fueled by greed instead of necessity, I would be there first one to shout FOUL, but I’m confident that’s not the case.
(If you have money saving tips on your blog for Disneyland, please leave your link in the comments below.) 
