Disneyland Cancels Annual Passport Program

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 14, 2021

 

There was a surprise from Disney today, but it wasn’t a happy one for many. Disneyland announced that it would be “sunsetting” its “current Annual Passport program.”

 

Disneyland has been closed since March 14, 2020, due to the coronavirus and related restrictions imposed in California. Those state guidelines likely mean that reopening Disneyland will not come until spring or summer, and then at 25 percent capacity with other related restrictions. Disney’s unhappiness with the California restrictions has been quite clear.

Disneyland’s statement did include the following: “We are developing new membership offerings that will utilize consumer insights to deliver choice, flexibility and value for our biggest fans. Once we have more information to share about future membership offerings, our Annual Passholders will be the first to hear from us.” Annual Passport holders will receive pro rata refunds.

 

In terms of further explanation, the Orange County Register’s report opened this way: “Disneyland has canceled its annual passholder program out of concern that demand by fans using the popular membership program could overwhelm Disney’s capacity-constrained Anaheim theme parks once an extended coronavirus closure eventually comes to an end.”

 

So, as for what the future holds, it’s a mystery regarding some kind of annual membership at Disneyland. 

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating’s new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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Disney World Price Hikes: Not So Risky

by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 19, 2019

So, you’ve got a wildly popular theme park, and you have to manage demand to maximize profits for shareholders, and manage crowds so as to not diminish the experience for those in attendance. What to do? As Disney understands, the price of a ticket is key in all of this. 

The Walt Disney Company, as widely reported, has just increased the costs of annual passes to Walt Disney World – just ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at the end of August.

For example, WESH reported:

     Visitors from both in and out of state can see some significant increases on their annual passes, in some cases more than $150 a year. 

     The following passes have been affected (Florida resident prices): 

-Epcot After 4 Annual Pass now $309 (was $289)

-Disney Silver Pass now $519 (was $479)

-Disney Gold Pass now $699 (was $609)

-Disney Platinum Pass now $899 (was $749)

-Disney Platinum Plus Pass now $999 (was $849)

Disney last increased the price for annual passes in October. 

For good measure, overnight parking fees at resorts are increasing as well.

Obviously, lots of people are not pleased ... to say the least. However, one has to ask: If Disney can raise prices and not suffer for it in terms of lost revenue – indeed, likely gain revenue – why wouldn’t it do so? 

Sure, raising prices can be risky for any business. The risk, or course, is that the price goes too high, and business suffers accordingly. But that’s hard to envision right now – barring a recession, that is – with Disney’s theme park popularity and attendance.

In the end, after all of the complaining dies down, people will, in fact, still pay the price to go to Walt Disney World. And even at the higher prices, annual passes to Walt Disney World for those who attend on a regular basis ranks as an entertainment bargain.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

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