For Lucky Diners, the Magic Kingdom’s Price Is Right

Sometimes you can find a real bargain. Like $21.50 off Disneyland’s regular adult admission price of $21.50.

And that’s exactly what has happened because of a marketing snafu involving a joint promotion between the Magic Kingdom and McDonald’s restaurants.

In a promotion of Disneyland’s “Blast to the Past”--a nine-week tribute to the 1950s and ‘60s--anyone buying a medium or large beverage at McDonald’s over the last few weeks has received a cup with a pull-off sticker entitling the holder to a guaranteed treat at nostalgic prices. A cheeseburger with fries goes for 25 cents, for instance, and Big Macs for 59 cents.

About 1 million of the cups had stickers giving McDonald’s diners a pass to enter Disneyland for $5.95. Or so Disneyland officials thought.

But when “Blast to the Past” began last weekend, some patrons showed up with stickers that had no admission price at all. Others had a typographical error that listed the discounted admission as 59 cents.

Spokesmen for Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald have no idea how many of the cups had incorrect prices. Park visitors, meanwhile, set an all-time spring weekend attendance record last weekend.

“There aren’t that many out there--I think. I hope,” said Bob Roth, Disneyland’s spokesman.

Either way, no cup recall is planned. Disneyland promises to honor the cup prices through May 8--with a promotion that most customers will eat up.