Some recent guests to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. have received surveys from Disney surrounding possible future theme park ticketing options.
Ticketing varities and special experiences Disney is considering for both resorts include:
Alternative theme park ticket options
VIP Treatment
Exclusive experiences
Outside the theme parks
The idea of Disney having VIP experiences for an extra cost has often been debated among Disney theme park regulars. Those with money to burn would surely enjoy the benefits of unlimited Fastpass or pre-planned schedules with little-to-no waiting in line for popular attractions. However, guests who can only afford Disney theme park vacations every once in a while worry that their experience will be cheapened by those who are able to skip lines and reserve seating simply by giving the Mouse a few hundred extra bucks.
Universal Orlando, Disney’s primary theme park competitor in Florida, already offers an Express pass for an extra cost (and far less than $150 per person), allowing those who are willing to pay more to skip lines ahead of those who only purchase admission tickets. Disney’s existing Fastpass system is free but has limitations and available Fastpass tickets often run out early in the day for the most popular attractions.
The logistics of enforcing the partial day and no-ride tickets are unknown. How would certain guests be asked to leave at 3 p.m. or be turned away from attractions? Would all guests be required to show a valid ticket before entering an attraction? It’s not unheard of. In Disneyland’s early years, the system required guests to purchase tickets for each ride they wanted to enjoy.
Families who travel to Disney theme park regularly year after year would certainly enjoy savings in the “Theme Park Club” offerings above. Even at current ticket prices, when broken down per-year, the up-front cost of $1,500 or $2,000 is at least a 50% discount and Disney tickets rise in price nearly every year.
But remember, none of these tickets or experiences are currently available. These are options Disney is only considering, as described in recent online surveys. Depending on the reaction from those taking the survey, we may or may not see any of them actually come to the parks in the future.
What are your thoughts on these possible new tickets and experiences? Would you buy any of them? Or do you think paying more for VIP experiences is unnecessary and everyone should have the same access with park admission? Comment below!