Disneyland: Priciest Place on Earth

[dieumeye]

There simply wasn't the massive local population back thenthat there is now. It's pretty simple.

This makes me wonder if the percentage of the local population that visits Disneyland is the same or increased or decreased over the decades.

 

[pharmama]

I was a local teen in the early-mid 90's and went to DL frequently. I do remember waiting hours in line for headliners like Space, Splash and Indy (once it opened)- even POTC. Also hours long campouts required for F! and fireworks viewing. With a few exceptions, the park always felt at least somewhat busy to me...

 

[bcla]

The original Disneyland admission price was $1 and that didn't include rides which were paid for individual (before they had ride coupons and coupon books). Even adjusted for inflation I'm pretty sure it was cheap.

 

[disney-inspired]

I'm a local (within 60 miles) of DLR and it's an affordable form of entertainment to me since I get an annual pass and go at least 5 days a year (both parks).
I do bring my own water but rarely food. I just budget out each trip for food and hotel if I'm staying overnight. I'm not big on souvenirs anymore so not really a big issue for me.

 

[pharmama]

This makes me wonder if the percentage of the local population that visits Disneyland is the same or increased or decreased over the decades.

I would guess increased. As mentioned earlier, you are now getting more and more locals for whom Disneyland was an integral part of their childhood (like me) and now have their own families and are incorporating the parks heavily in their children's lives as well. In many cases we're probably talking multiple generations of this. Technically I am already a 2nd generation local as my mom grew up in LA and went quite a few times as a child as well (including a few weeks after opening in 1955). And the families of my two aunts also still visit frequently with their children now. So one original family of 5 is now 4 families totaling 14 people who visit with some regularity (though only 4 of them still qualify as "locals" I guess). I'm a "distant local" now (SF Bay Area) so my kids aren't locals either but I've still taken them to the parks countless times.

 

[bcla]

I remember back in 2003 I was visiting my cousin and her husband around Labor Day, and somehow I was there at about the time that my other cousin was visiting Disneyland with his family. So we all stayed at their place in Fullerton. However, I hadn't planned on going to Disneyland, but I ended up there. They had passes but not the unrestricted kind and they had to pay a discounted admission even with those passes. But for me they asked what they could do. Single day (1 park) admission was maybe $57. But as a guest of a Southern California resident, they could offer me a deal where I could pay that $57 and use it either as a park hopper or as a 1-park per day at different parks on different days. I used it for the latter, but it was a killer deal.

If I went now maybe I take advantage of the California resident deal.

 

[starlite_]

The other park isn’t included in the price of a one day, one park ticket.

Who said the park is the same as it was 30 years ago? Who said it should be charged the same?

You are misunderstanding. The question isn’t why is it busy or expensive today. There’s plenty of explanation for that. The question was why wasn’t it busier in the past?

You are missing the point. More attractions = more interest. A whole new park does generate more interest than before. More interest = more ppl that want to go. It's busier because a lot of ppl don't go a single day anymore, they do 2 days and up to be able to do more things in the parks. In the 90's you could easily do all of Disneyland in a day or at least almost everything you were interested in, that is no longer the case. More time in the parks = more ppl in the parks at any given time.

 

[dieumeye]

You are missing the point. More attractions = more interest. A whole new park does generate more interest than before. More interest = more ppl that want to go. It's busier because a lot of ppl don't go a single day anymore, they do 2 days and up to be able to do more things in the parks. In the 90's you could easily do all of Disneyland in a day or at least almost everything you were interested in, that is no longer the case. More time in the parks = more ppl in the parks at any given time.

So you would say the parks were less desirable in the past to people at that time? When was the turning point?

 

[foolish_mortals]

So you would say the parks were less desirable in the past to people at that time? When was the turning point?

I think there was a real turning point in recent history when social media became popular when people started to feel like they had to show everyone just how interesting their life was.

Demand definitely increased with Facebook and even more with Instagram.

 

[starlite_]

So you would say the parks were less desirable in the past to people at that time? When was the turning point?

I wasn't alive back then so you will have to ask someone else why they didn't go to DLR.

 

[DizMe]

I have a few ideas as to why it may not have been as busy in the past.

First, getting there. Most people who went to Disneyland in the long-ago past didn't travel too far. There weren't super cheap flights with easy access to DLR like you can find today, and most families just didn't travel like that.

Second, many families were still single income.

Third, family dynamics in the past were not the same as they are today. Families vacationed differently--it was much less common to stay in hotels, have expensive meals, etc. Going to Disneyland was, for many (most?) families, a one-day experience.

The American family dynamic began to shift along with the Disneyland dynamic. The population grew, societal changes occurred, annual passes came about, and any number of alterations to the way we live, work, & play meant that our view of entertainment and ability to achieve it was quite different from the earlier days of DL.

All of this may be completely wrong, as I'm no social scientist. I'm just offering some free speculation

 

[jujubiee4]

I Think technology and social media is playing a big part. So many youtube videos/tiktok/podcasts.
People on facebook posting their pictures and forums like this. I think when people SEE
things they visualize more esp with VIDEOS. There has been an explosion on social media.
Disney has MORE EYES ON THE PRODUCT AT THE CLICK OF A MOUSE. No more sending away for
more information.

Also the fact there is so much information and tips on the internet on how to make your trip
cheaper. If all you heard before was a Disney trip will cost 10K but now you research ONLINE and see
how to get discounted Dis gift cards...how to use your credit card miles for free flights, how
to use your Card points to pay for hotel. Well then that can bring down the expense.

We go to Hawaii once a year. Friends ask how can they go to Hawaii cheap? Well you can't.
Just like Disney you can make it CHEAPER but you still will pay. We use points and
miles or it aint happening.

**I also think once they added AP payment plan more local people came. And even then lot of
credit cards offer 0% interest for 12 months for those coming out of state.

 

[jujubiee4]

Oh and on that technology front. Before Covid shutdown in 2019 I was watching
a vlogger on youtube showing his Alaska video. Well I decided the family should do Alaska.
Never interested in it before but seeing the video was mesmerizing. Same thing with Europe videos.
Decided we should explore more and started figuring out how to make it cheaper. So we did it.

 

[goooof1]

population explosion...... more people, not just local, but statewide, western states, etc.
And definitely agree that travel is very different today than 30+ years ago. Most families did not vacation the way they do now and not as often.
And yes, social media has created giant FOMO as well (see the change in DL dining reservations !)

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

First, getting there. Most people who went to Disneyland in the long-ago past didn't travel too far. There weren't super cheap flights with easy access to DLR like you can find today, and most families just didn't travel like that.

This is something a lot of people don't understand. Airfare costs have gone down dramatically which has increased the number of travelers by a huge amount. We grew up going to WDW in the 90s but we drove every year.

Older chart but gives a good reference for just how much airfare costs have fallen:

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/busines...50-in-30-years-and-why-nobody-noticed/273506/

 

[dieumeye]

I think there was a real turning point in recent history when social media became popular when people started to feel like they had to show everyone just how interesting their life was.

Demand definitely increased with Facebook and even more with Instagram.

Of all the speculation here, I think this might actually be the real reason.

The rest of this post is for nerds only…

The population of the 10 counties that make up Southern California was around 18.2 million in 1990. And was around 23.7 million in 2020. That’s 5.5 million more people over 30 years.

Disneyland attendance (not DCA) in 1990 was 12.9 million, and in 2019 was 18.6 million. That’s also coincidentally around 5.5 million more people. Obviously it’s not just locals that visit Disneyland, but it doesn’t seem like an increase in population is the only factor contributing to increased attendance at Disneyland .

Interestingly, from 1990 to 2004 Disneyland attendance was fairly stable. It wasn’t growing a little bit each year (even though the population was). Attendance fluctuated right around that 13 million mark. The increase in yearly attendance at Disneyland from 1990-2019 all happened since 2005.

In 2005 there was an attendance jump over 1 million guests. That held for a few years and then in 2009 there was another attendance jump over a million. And then in 2015 an attendance jump of 1.5 million.

Facebook started in 2004, and became the most visited social media site in 2008. Instagram launched in 2010 and was acquired by Facebook in 2012.

There’s a lot of factors being thrown around here, but the correlation between the increase in attendance since 2005 and the rise of social media is very interesting.

Side note: The opening of DCA and Downtown Disney in 2001 didn’t seem to have much effect on attendance at Disneyland Park. I’m sure it increased attendance at the resort overall, but as far as the physical number of people in Disneyland Park, the numbers didn’t really start increasing until a few years later around 2005.

 

[DizMe]

Of all the speculation here, I think this might actually be the real reason.

The rest of this post is for nerds only…

The population of the 10 counties that make up Southern California was around 18.2 million in 1990. And was around 23.7 million in 2020. That’s 5.5 million more people over 30 years.

Disneyland attendance (not DCA) in 1990 was 12.9 million, and in 2019 was 18.6 million. That’s also coincidentally around 5.5 million more people. Obviously it’s not just locals that visit Disneyland, but it doesn’t seem like an increase in population is the only factor contributing to increased attendance at Disneyland .

Interestingly, from 1990 to 2004 Disneyland attendance was fairly stable. It wasn’t growing a little bit each year (even though the population was). Attendance fluctuated right around that 13 million mark. The increase in yearly attendance at Disneyland from 1990-2019 all happened since 2005.

In 2005 there was an attendance jump over 1 million guests. That held for a few years and then in 2009 there was another attendance jump over a million. And then in 2015 an attendance jump of 1.5 million.

Facebook started in 2004, and became the most visited social media site in 2008. Instagram launched in 2010 and was acquired by Facebook in 2012.

There’s a lot of factors being thrown around here, but the correlation between the increase in attendance since 2005 and the rise of social media is very interesting.

Side note: The opening of DCA and Downtown Disney in 2001 didn’t seem to have much effect on attendance at Disneyland Park. I’m sure it increased attendance at the resort overall, but as far as the physical number of people in Disneyland Park, the numbers didn’t really start increasing until a few years later around 2005.

This is very interesting! My *personal* visits increased dramatically in that time period. Do you know why? Mainly because I bought a fairly inexpensive Annual Pass at my Costco in NorCal. Then I met a friend in my town who loves DLR and had an AP so we would go together. Disney also offered all kinds of other incentives to bring in more guests in the following years. There was the year you could go for free on your birthday. There was the year you could sign up to do a public service in exchange for a DL ticket, and you could have your whole family do it so you'd all get in free. One year, my AP came with a $50 Disney gc.

A lot of that was tied in to my increased use of the computer. I had Disney sites I visited and there was so much more accessible information, a lot of it through things like this message board where you could learn tips and strategies. At that time there were a lot of restaurants that gave you freebies on your birthday, $25 towards a meal, BOGOs, etc. Hojo had amazing hotel rates, like an incredible $39/night for a twin (I think that was the price?) if you had an AP. Flights on SW from Sacramento were often $29 each way. My friend followed a lot of social media people and I think it's absolutely correct that they played a huge role in the increased crowds; there are several non-Disney-affiliated groups that have their own "Day" at DLR now (Gay Days, Dapper Day, Tikiland Day, etc) which probably wouldn't have attracted nearly as many people without social media to spread the word.

 

[whoever]

I personally can't wait to blow a metric ton of $ at Disneyland. I haven't been in 3 years, but I'm floating on the Disney rewards Points I've accumulated. I'm gonna buy/do every last experience I possibly can because I don't know when I'm going to make it back.

 

[dieumeye]

This is very interesting! My *personal* visits increased dramatically in that time period. Do you know why? Mainly because I bought a fairly inexpensive Annual Pass at my Costco in NorCal. Then I met a friend in my town who loves DLR and had an AP so we would go together. Disney also offered all kinds of other incentives to bring in more guests in the following years. There was the year you could go for free on your birthday. There was the year you could sign up to do a public service in exchange for a DL ticket, and you could have your whole family do it so you'd all get in free. One year, my AP came with a $50 Disney gc.

A lot of that was tied in to my increased use of the computer. I had Disney sites I visited and there was so much more accessible information, a lot of it through things like this message board where you could learn tips and strategies. At that time there were a lot of restaurants that gave you freebies on your birthday, $25 towards a meal, BOGOs, etc. Hojo had amazing hotel rates, like an incredible $39/night for a twin (I think that was the price?) if you had an AP. Flights on SW from Sacramento were often $29 each way. My friend followed a lot of social media people and I think it's absolutely correct that they played a huge role in the increased crowds; there are several non-Disney-affiliated groups that have their own "Day" at DLR now (Gay Days, Dapper Day, Tikiland Day, etc) which probably wouldn't have attracted nearly as many people without social media to spread the word.

Coincidentally, I’ve also been going to Disneyland since around 2005 because that’s around when I moved out to California.

But if you look at the attendance numbers, it seems clear the something has been going on since around 2005 that is driving attendance up in a way that did not happen prior to that. Whether that’s external factors like social media or an internal shift at the company to offer promotions and things that drive attendance (or both), who knows.

 

[Genie+]

The segment titled itself Disneyland… then showed pics and pricing of WDW.