Disney by the Numbers: How Much Did That Cost?

 by Ray Keating

Commentary/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 9, 2024

 

Among assorted endeavors, I’m an economist. Therefore, numbers tend to interest me. So, how about a few quick points on the cost of various undertakings in the grand history of the Walt Disney Company? Or, another way to put it is to simply ask: Hey, how much did that cost?

• Disneyland opened in California in 1955. How much did it cost to build? According to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, Disneyland opened at a cost of $17 million. But we have to adjust for inflation, and in 2023 dollars, that comes in at about $194 million. Understanding that Disneyland was quite different at the start compared to today, that still seems like a bargain. Good job, Walt!

 

• Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made movie history in 1937, but at what cost? According to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, it cost $1.4 million to make Snow White. Again, adjusting for inflation, in 2023 dollars, that comes in at about $29.7 million. Now, by Hollywood standards, at least today, that’s a magnificent bargain! By the way, the film reportedly grossed $8.5 million during its original release. In 2023 dollars, that’s roughly $184 million. On a $29.7 million budget – Disney can only dream of such returns today.

 

• Walt Disney World opened in 1971. What did it cost to bring the Most Magical Place on Earth into being? According to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, the costs hit $400 million to open. After adjusting for inflation, in 2023 dollars, that comes in at about $3 billion.  That’s a mighty price tag, but I’d say worth every penny and more.

 

• EPCOT opened in Walt Disney World in 1982. So, how much did the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow cost? According to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, the cost was a whopping $1 billion. But we have to adjust for inflation, and in 2023 dollars, that comes in at about $3.2 billion.  Interestingly, in real dollars, that’s about the same cost as the opening of Walt Disney World did 11 years earlier.

 

• Attending a Disney theme park today isn’t cheap, but how much did it cost to visit Disneyland when it opened in 1955? According to a CNBC report, for an adult, it cost $1 to enter Disneyland in 1955, plus each ride had a fee. If you went on each ride, it would cost $8.70. After adjusting for inflation, a total cost of $9.70 in 1955 comes in at roughly $110 in 2023 dollars. Hmmm, that’s not that far off from the $154 average one-day ticket price for Disneyland in 2023, as estimated by Nerd Wallet. And there’s a lot more to do today at Disneyland than there was in 1955.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

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