It look like the magic is gone. The costs of visiting many of Disney’s theme parks have soared out of range for the average American family, according to a report.
Families are finding the price tag of going to Walt Disney World, for instance, creeping past the ten thousand-dollar mark, making the trip too expensive for even middle-class families, Fox Business Network reported.
While Disney’s several parks still sport high customer satisfaction rates, FBN added that many of the most recent customer reviews are beginning to turn sour as Disney has cut many services that were once free (or low cost) and pumped up prices overall.
Disney parks expert Jason Cochran, editor-in-chief of travel site Frommer’s, said that the feeling is not misplaced. Disney has not only been hiking prices, but the company has also been cutting entertainment and services at its parks.
Cochran says that Disney has clearly decided that it wants to cater to higher-end customers and is moving to abandon middle class families. “In order to do that, it’s done a number of things both to maximize the profit that it’s making on a day-to-day basis and also to increase the prices of access for guests,” Cochran said.
Cochran added that Disney unfairly exploits its reputation as a magical place to rope in families that can’t really afford the experience. He urges families to save up ahead of time, but worries too many are resorting to putting much of their expenses on credit cards in light of all the price hikes.
“There’s a lot of families in the middle class and working class, blue-collar families who are still going to be spending that money because they want to give it to their kids,” he added. “I think Disney takes advantage of that.”
This all comes as Disney’s political campaigning to stop Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law — which prevents school children from pre-k to third grade from being exposed to gender identity politics in class — has failed.
