With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Disney World Raises Entrance Price For Magic Kingdom
Listen
• 1:25
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Some of the magic at Disney was always that you could pick a theme park - any theme park - and the price for a day pass would be the same. Well, no more. This month for the first time, Disney began charging more for a day in Magic Kingdom in Orlando than for its other parks.
Matthew Peddie, from member station WMFE, explains why.
MATTHEW PEDDIE, BYLINE: A one-day pass to the Magic Kingdom now costs $95 - compared to $90 for entrance to its other parks: Epcot, Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.
Support for LAist comes from
That price differential makes sense, says Duncan Dickson of the University of Central Florida's Rosen School for Hospitality Management.
DUNCAN DICKSON: We tend to forget that the Magic Kingdom here in Orlando is the most visited park in the world.
PEDDIE: The Themed Entertainment Association estimates 17-and-a-half million people visited Magic Kingdom last year - well ahead of Disney's other locations and its rivals in Orlando.
Dickson says Disney is finally acting like a market leader. And he says it's actually still a good value.
DICKSON: And whether it's Seaworld, whether it's Universal, whether it's Disney, in any of their parks you have 12 to 14 hours worth of entertainment. You know, I think it's probably still a pretty good deal.
PEDDIE: Dickson says the higher price tag on the Magic Kingdom is justified by investments in the park.
Disney officials don't talk about their pricing plans, but this latest move is the first time the company has valued one of its parks higher than the others.
Support for LAist comes from
For NPR News, I'm Matthew Peddie in Orlando. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Heavy rain from the early-season storm could trigger debris flows. Snow is also possible above 7,000 feet. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership announces that 11% of the workforce is being cut. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
Best of LAist