This "article" is an opinion piece written by a management consultant who clearly doesn't know what they're talking about.
vondur · 6h ago
What’s interesting here in SoCal is that even with yearly passes, you can’t just show up at Disneyland and hop on rides, you still have to plan your visit in advance. There’s a hardcore group of Disney fans who will give up almost anything to keep renewing their passes. The top-tier pass now costs $1,700 per year.
MattGaiser · 5h ago
1700 a year is far cheaper than I had assumed from all the talk of this.
People pay that for gyms, rowing clubs, fishing trips, etc. A few weekends of ski trips can easily exceed that.
Yes that’s expensive if everyone is to get access, but most hobbies seem in that direction.
bigyabai · 4h ago
Sounds like you've never been to Disney before. For the hospitality they offer, $1,700/person is absolute highway robbery.
MattGaiser · 3h ago
I have been and sure, if you’re looking for a luxe hospitality experience, $1700 is a rip off.
But that’s not what you are paying for.
Disney doesn’t compete on service. Within certain segments, they don’t compete at all.
The conclusion of "declining middle class" doesn't follow from the article. Disney theme parks can only admit so many people per day (scarcity) and for Disney fans there's no real replacement Mecca (inelasticity). This is simple supply and demand. It's not a market failure, because nobody is missing out on anything by not going to Disney.
People pay that for gyms, rowing clubs, fishing trips, etc. A few weekends of ski trips can easily exceed that.
Yes that’s expensive if everyone is to get access, but most hobbies seem in that direction.
But that’s not what you are paying for.
Disney doesn’t compete on service. Within certain segments, they don’t compete at all.