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Title: How theme parks like Disney World left the middle class behind
Source:
MSN
URL Source: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ho ... ss-behind/ar-BBl3Gn4#fullstory
Published: Jun 15, 2015
Author: Drew Harwell
Post Date: 2015-06-15 09:21:22 by Willie Green
Keywords: None
Views: 7725
Comments: 54
When Walt Disney World opened in an Orlando swamp in 1971, with its penny arcade and marching-band parade down Main Street U.S.A., admission for an adult cost $3.50, about as much then as three gallons of milk. Disney has raised the gate price for the Magic Kingdom 41 times since, nearly doubling it over the past decade. This year, a ticket inside the “most magical place on Earth” rocketed past $100 for the first time in history. Ballooning costs have not slowed the mouse-eared masses flooding into the world’s busiest theme park. Disney’s main attraction hosted a record 19 million visitors last year, a number nearly as large as the population of New York state. But rising prices have changed the character of Big Mouse’s family-friendly empire in unavoidably glitzy ways. A visitor to Disney’s central Florida fantasy-land can now dine on a $115 steak, enjoy a $53-per-plate dessert party and sleep in a bungalow overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon starting at $2,100 a night. For America’s middle-income vacationers, the Mickey Mouse club, long promoted as “made for you and me,” seems increasingly made for someone else. But far from easing back, the theme-park giant’s prices are expected to climb even more through a surge-pricing system that could value a summer’s day of rides and lines at $125. “If Walt [Disney] were alive today, he would probably be uncomfortable with the prices they’re charging right now,” said Scott Smith, an assistant professor of hospitality at the University of South Carolina whose first job was as a cast member in Disney’s Haunted Mansion. “They’ve priced middle-class families out.” As one of the biggest man-made attractions on the planet, Disney World has led the way for the theme-park industry to boost its prices, often on a yearly basis. Universal, Six Flags and other parks in Orlando, Southern California and elsewhere have followed in Mickey’s big footprints, worried they will otherwise look like bargain-barrel runners-up. Disney and theme-park leaders have defended their rising prices as a logical response to record-setting attendance, with Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler saying the company is “committed to ensuring all our guests have a magical experience.” “We continually add new experiences, and many of our guests select multi-day tickets or annual passes, which provide great value and additional savings,” Wahler said. “A day at a Disney park is unlike any other in the world.” But some see Disney’s magically ascending price tag as a reflection of the country’s economy, where stagnant wages and growing inequality have transformed even the way Americans take time off. “When Walt created Disneyland, this was a middle-class country. But Disney now . . . as far as pricing out the middle class, they think: What middle class?” said Robert Niles, the editor of Theme Park Insider, an industry blog. “Disney’s made a strategic decision that they’re not going to discount to hold onto people at the middle part of the economy,” he said. “They’re going to set their prices at the top 10 percent of family incomes and make their money where the money is.” Poster Comment: The rich get richer and the Middle Class gets poorer.
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#1. To: Willie Green (#0)
(Edited)
This won't change until the GOP base realizes they are peons being scammed and not part of the same club Romney and his ilk are from.
Using Walt Disney World is a piss-poor example. A trip there is a unique, once- in-a-lifetime experience, involving (for most) air fare, car rental, hotel and food -- many times the cost of the entrance fee. That's like vacationing in Paris and complaining about the admission price to the Eiffel Tower. You want to bitch about high entertainment costs? How about the cost for a family of four to see a good ol' American baseball game? Football game? Basketball game? "According to the Team Marketing Report, via Forbes, here's what it costs, on average, for a family of four to attend games in the biggest sports:" Major League Baseball – $212.46 Those are ticket prices ... average. Throw in $100 worth of food. Plus parking. I say Walt Disney World is a bargain.
Those are ticket prices ... average. Throw in $100 worth of food. Plus parking. I say Walt Disney World is a bargain. I would agree with you ;except right now I'm pretty disgusted with Disney due to their abuse of the H1-B visa program. http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-crack-down-on-abuse-of- visas-for-high-tech-workers/2232982 Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Give it a rest. Disney is not a pack of Republicans. They're ultra-libs, just like Apple, just like Google. And they are proud to avoid catering to the middle class, just like San Francisco is proud to have established a functional wealthy gated community of liberals where the middle class and working class are rarely seen. How you can worship these loathsome megacorps run by Dem tycoons who dominate these industries (like the national sports leagues, the libmedia, Hollyweird, the music industry) is beyond me. Can you name a single Republican on the board, let alone in the position of CEO at any of the companies in these overpriced business sectors? Just one. I'll wait for you to find one. And how the working-class and middle-class Tea folk who can't even afford to go to Disney parks are ruining your fun is just some bizarre fantasy.
Again, finance has zero to do with social stuff. Captialists could care less about social issues.
You couldn't be more wrong. The big tycoons are often a variety of megalomaniacs and utopians, quite routinely tending toward eugenics and internationalism (that favors their industry). These people think they are the masters of the universe and that they can better order people's lives and the economies of countries better than their citizens do via democracy. In truth, they merely arrange business, economy and social life according to their own preferences and to maximize their own profits.
Here we have one poster bitching about rising ticket prices at Disney World, and you complaining that Disney World should be retaining high-cost American workers. Do you see the conflict here? What's it gonna be amigo? You can't have both. And this applies the every company in the U.S. Sure, let's bring manufacturing back to the U.S., hire American union workers, pay them $30/hr plus $20/hour in benefits, and make iPhones for $2,000 each. Why do I have the feeling you'd then complain about the price of iPhones?
I wasn't complaining about the price of Disney admission . To me that's a one off extravagance . I don't go to ball games . I watch them on the television or listen on the radio. Consumers place a value on products . If the I-Phone cost $2,000 then there wouldn't be much of a demand for it . Disney can get away with any admission it wants because the demand for their entertainment is there . These are IT jobs ;not car wash jobs.In other words Jobs Americans want to do . These H1-Bs were SUPPOSED to be for companies to fill postions they were having difficulty filling . Disney had no difficulty filling those positions . These visa were not designed to hire foreign workers to be trained by the very employees they are replacing . Did you hear that part of the story ? The displaced workers were forced to train their replacements (under the threat of losing severence pay). Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Ballooning costs have not slowed the mouse-eared masses flooding into the world’s busiest theme park. Disney’s main attraction hosted a record 19 million visitors last year, a number nearly as large as the population of New York state. Let's see last time there was I believe 2007 when both sons were still wee ones. The $100 bucks a day I think does not get you in to everything. Or is just a one day admission. It takes 3-5 days (given the age of children and moving them around) to do the whole park. I will admit when I went I got a military 'salute to heros' discount. Even with that I still paid roughly $94 a person for a 5 day pass. Checked the website and the military ticket is now up to $117 per person. Which is a huge discount given a 4 day pass without any promotional discounts runs a family of 4 over $1200: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tickets/ When we went in 2007 it was in the summer. Loads of foreign tourists, crowded, long lines for attractions; you pay extra to get a 'speed pass' to get to the front of the line (which I refused to do). So loads of foreigners with a mix of some cultures who refuse to wear underarm deoderant for some reason...in the hot and humid FL summer months. Frankly we spent less and had more fun at Universal Studios. It was there a gentlemen let us in on a good trade secret of amusement parks. He said "when you come in the front gate, turn left and take the park in clockwise." He said most people are right handed and 'veer' to the right of the park and cause all sorts of jams. We took his advice and hit all the great rides with little wait time. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
If no one did, then Disney could afford the American workers. So maybe you're alone.
Yes and those are for the mid range seats. At Globe Life park (Texas Rangers) you can get 'bloody nose' seats for about $30-35 bucks. Most good seats run $50 and higher. Add to that if you live out of the area, a hotel room, gas and concessions at the stadium. Gone are the days of my dad and uncles getting us in the Old Yankee stadium for $2.00 bleacher seats. Or the bloody nose seats at the Met's Shea stadium for $1.50 on promotional nights and $3.50 off promotion nights. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
How you can worship these loathsome megacorps run by Dem tycoons who dominate these industries (like the national sports leagues, the libmedia, Hollyweird, the music industry) is beyond me. Can you name a single Republican on the board, let alone in the position of CEO at any of the companies in these overpriced business sectors? Just one. I'll wait for you to find one. And how the working-class and middle-class Tea folk who can't even afford to go to Disney parks are ruining your fun is just some bizarre fantasy. Spot on target. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
"Good" seats at a Chicago Cubs game will run about $100 each. But I believe the Cubs are the highest priced in the league. Anyways, $100, $50, or even $25 is a lot to pay for a seat to watch America's pastime with your son. And for what? So some player can make $30 million a year?
A sports franchise is just that...a business. You win enough games and do well in the standings the fans will show up at the stadium. Down turn in performance ticket sales go down and the available income to fund these large player salaries goes down. In most baseball markets, the fans run a 'demand' on performance. If not why would someone year by year go watch a hapless team unless you are a Met's or Cubs fan:) Plus these new stadiums are like shopping and dining malls. Get bored with the game and go shopping or eat a 5 star restaurant or sports bar right there at the stadium. Going to ball games has changed. I watched entire rows of 'fans' on their smart phones when it was 2 on 2 out down by 2 and Adrian Beltre comes up to the plate. When they missed his double driving in the tying runs they asked me what happened. I said "just wait you will get a video alert on your smart phone to watch it.':) We mostly go to AAA ball games. Best seat in the house runs about $16 a person. You can get lawn seats for a few bucks. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Back in my mid-twenties, my buddy and I went to Shea Stadium and all we had to do was show our military IDs to get in free. Great deal back then.
LOL mid-twenties?:) The Met's and Shea stadium came around in the early 60s. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
On May 29, 1922, the United States Supreme Court rules that organized baseball did not violate antitrust laws as alleged by the Baltimore franchise of the defunct Federal League in 1915. The Supreme Court held that organized baseball is not a business, but a sport. We should break up MLB as a monopoly and then prices for seats would go down.
How is the MLB a monopoly? They have allowed expansion teams in every decade or so. Or would you have the government run the baseball leagues? Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Then you would only have the PC and groupie teams winning the WS every year, all the other teams might as close their doors or move to another country. “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Okay, in the mid-1980s. When I was a much younger person. Can't you read?
You have no idea what a monopoly is. Expanding an MLB team does not negate its monopoly.
techincally they are . The enjoy anti-trust exemptions that other sports don'd have. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
No doubt with "Bruce Jenner or Caitlyn" night at the ballpark. "Half off" hot dogs;0 Then gay pride events where everyone wears the Astros jerseys from the 70s:) Where every 'first pitch' will be thrown by a 'queen.' Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Okay, was thinking you were talking about the old Polo Grounds and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Again how is it a monopoly. MLB consists of two leagues. American and National leagues. Are you saying there should be more competing professional leagues? Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
I've been to the old Forbes Field home plate. Again, after it closed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_W._Posvar_Hall
Again, you don't know what a monopoly is. MLB "owns" both leagues so that does not negate it's monopoly. The MLB should be broken up into two or more leagues indpendent from each other's businesses if you want to destroy its monopoly power. Then the MLB won't be able to hold a city hostage over them financing a new stadium at taxpayer's expense. They won't jack up seat prices if you can watch a game down the street by another league's team.
Then the MLB won't be able to hold a city hostage over them financing a new stadium at taxpayer's expense. They won't jack up seat prices if you can watch a game down the street by another league's team. Start with the NFL. Maybe the NBA too. Those salaries are outrageous. Remember the MLB has to contend with the MLBPA too. That's a player's union. Take the example of football in the USA. Remember the USFL? That was supposed to break the strangle hold on the NFL. They went belly up. Why? They could not attract the better players (save a few) and ended up just being a place players who could not make the NFL went to. It turned into a farm system. Just like the CFL. The solution is market based. Fans stop going to the ballfield they get the hint. The MLBPA strike in the 90s killed MLB baseball for years. Folks stopped going. In some MLB market cities this is happening. Less real fans are going to the ball park and the franchise owner must sell bulk tickets to local businesses to make payroll. That is why you sometimes see in many of these ball parks about 15-20k per night attendance and wonder how they are paying the salaries. As far as I know there are no restrictions for someone setting up a competing professional baseball league. It is just a loser scenario like the USFL. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:1-2)
But not at Disneyland... We've been to Disneyland several times in the last few years. It's filled with lowlifes who are so fat that they can't even walk, so they have to rent a fat mobile to get around. Disneyland is human excrement on display. So, we've decided not to go again. We're taking the kids to the Oregon coast this year for a healthy hiking vacation.
Cranko, smart move. A hiking vacation sounds like a fun, healthy and affordable one.
Affordable on the Oregon coast??? You have to been kidding me. I have a wife and four kids. We are not going to pitch a pup tent in the middle of nowhere. We are going to stay in a hotel on the miserable, rocky, cold, rainy, "beach" and do then do some day trips hiking. Disneyland is cheaper. Why are we doing this? Because I don't have time this year to drive 1,400 miles to the nice, sandy, warm, sunny BEACH in San Diego. Screw Disneyland either way.
And here I thought he was a pro union guy, guess he'll say anything to try and make a moot point. “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
So is that a selfie??
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Ha! If it was, I would have committed suicide long ago. Google "Disney fat cart". Click on images. There it is.
Seats in Cincy range from $5 to $260 and parking ranges from $5-20. Last time I went to a Columbus Blue Jackets game they had $5 seats too. “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Where every 'first pitch' will be thrown by a 'queen.' Or maybe something even worse like pedophile night. Somewhat off the subject but just to show you how bad the Left is about pushing their agenda. I have Direct TV and there are about 4 channels that have been showing the Whitney HOuston story "EVERY NIGHT" since it came out. You would think that after awhile the viewership would go down enough that the channel would get the hint and ditch the crack whore story. BTA they are probably operating on the taxpayers dime so it doesn't really matter. “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
I'm not sure which is worse... “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes ruled in 1922 'Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore v. National League' that MLB was not subject to the Sherman Anti- trust legislation. This was an early reserve clause case. The players eventually got free agency . But it came through the collective bargaining agreement and not by reversing Baseballs Anti-trust exemption. That's why baseball never loses anti-trust lawsuits like Curt Flood's case where the NFL almost always loses suits related to anti-trust .[ie the USFL case that the NFL lost ,but the fine was a joke]. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Go back to your bong. Using the price of sports, where the players make tens of millions per year to play a game, does not fit with a theme park. I would never take my children to a Disney park, the eiffel tower, or a professional ball game. It is not worth the money although I love the NFL, I voted against public money building stadiums and building, and would miss my local team if it moved on.....I AIN'T paying their extortion prices.
C'mon man, how much does the I phone sell for in China? The cost of each in labor is probably in the neighborhood of $10 American. If it was made here, it would rise to the astronomical labor cost of $100 per phone.
Comments (42 - 54) not displayed.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThe rich get richer and the Middle Class gets poorer.
#2. To: Willie Green (#0)
"The rich get richer and the Middle Class gets poorer."
National Basketball Association – $326.60
National Hockey League – $359.17
National Football League – $459.65
#3. To: misterwhite (#2)
Major League Baseball – $212.46 National Basketball Association – $326.60 National Hockey League – $359.17 National Football League – $459.65
#4. To: Willie Green (#0)
#5. To: Pericles (#1)
This won't change until the GOP base realizes they are peons being scammed and not part of the same club Romney and his ilk are from.
#6. To: TooConservative (#5)
#7. To: Pericles (#6)
#8. To: tomder55 (#3)
"except right now I'm pretty disgusted with Disney due to their abuse of the H1-B visa program."
#9. To: misterwhite (#8)
#10. To: Willie Green, tomder55, TooConservative, liberator (#0)
Disney has raised the gate price for the Magic Kingdom 41 times since, nearly doubling it over the past decade. This year, a ticket inside the “most magical place on Earth” rocketed past $100 for the first time in history.
#11. To: tomder55 (#9)
"I wasn't complaining about the price of Disney admission."
#12. To: misterwhite, liberator, tomder55 (#2)
Major League Baseball – $212.46
#13. To: TooConservative, Pericles, tomder55 (#5)
Give it a rest. Disney is not a pack of Republicans. They're ultra-libs, just like Apple, just like Google. And they are proud to avoid catering to the middle class, just like San Francisco is proud to have established a functional wealthy gated community of liberals where the middle class and working class are rarely seen.
#14. To: redleghunter (#12)
"Most good seats run $50 and higher."
#15. To: misterwhite, tomder55 (#14)
Anyways, $100, $50, or even $25 is a lot to pay for a seat to watch America's pastime with your son. And for what? So some player can make $30 million a year?
#16. To: redleghunter (#12)
(Edited)
Or the bloody nose seats at the Met's Shea stadium for $1.50 on promotional nights and $3.50 off promotion nights.
#17. To: Fred Mertz (#16)
Back in my mid-twenties
#18. To: redleghunter, misterwhite, tomder55, TooConservative, Fred Mertz (#15)
A sports franchise is just that...a business.
#19. To: Pericles (#18)
We should break up MLB as a monopoly and then prices for seats would go down.
#20. To: redleghunter (#19)
Or would you have the government run the baseball leagues?
#21. To: redleghunter (#17)
#22. To: redleghunter (#19)
(Edited)
How is the MLB a monopoly? They have allowed expansion teams in every decade or so. Or would you have the government run the baseball leagues?
#23. To: redleghunter (#19)
How is the MLB a monopoly?
#24. To: CZ82, liberator (#20)
Then you would only have the PC and groupie teams winning the WS every year, all the other teams might as close their doors or move to another country.
#25. To: Fred Mertz (#21)
Okay, in the mid-1980s. When I was a much younger person. Can't you read?
#26. To: Pericles, liberator, CZ82 (#22)
Expanding an MLB team does not negate its monopoly.
#27. To: redleghunter (#25)
#28. To: redleghunter (#26)
Again how is it a monopoly. MLB consists of two leagues. American and National leagues. Are you saying there should be more competing professional leagues?
#29. To: Pericles, CZ82, tomder55 (#28)
Again, you don't know what a monopoly is. MLB "owns" both leagues so that does not negate it's monopoly. The MLB should be broken up into two or more leagues indpendent from each other's businesses if you want to destroy its monopoly power.
#30. To: Willie Green (#0)
(Edited)
The rich get richer and the Middle Class gets poorer.
#31. To: cranko (#30)
So, we've decided not to go again. We're taking the kids to the Oregon coast this year for a healthy hiking vacation.
#32. To: Fred Mertz (#31)
(Edited)
affordable
#33. To: redleghunter (#29)
Remember the MLB has to contend with the MLBPA too. That's a player's union
#34. To: cranko (#30)
#35. To: CZ82 (#34)
So is that a selfie??
#36. To: redleghunter, Liberator (#12)
At Globe Life park (Texas Rangers) you can get 'bloody nose' seats for about $30-35 bucks.
#37. To: redleghunter (#24)
"Bruce Jenner or Caitlyn" night at the ballpark. "Half off" hot dogs
#38. To: redleghunter (#24)
Then gay pride events where everyone wears the Astros jerseys from the 70s:)
#39. To: redleghunter (#29)
#40. To: misterwhite (#2)
#41. To: misterwhite (#8)
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