Disneyland Again Raises Admission by $2 Ahead of New Park’s Opening

For the second time this year, Walt Disney Co. has bumped up Disneyland admission prices $2 apiece for adults and children as the company prepares to open its California Adventure park next door.

In a change made quietly Monday, Disney increased the price of a daily pass to $43 for adults and $33 for children 9 and younger, widening the admissions gap between Disneyland and other California parks.

Disney, which had usually raised prices once a year in January, also added $10 to the price of two of its annual passes.

Price increases have become an almost annual rite at Disneyland, but this year’s double dose is the most aggressive in dollar amount. The $4-per-ticket increase from a year ago represents a jump of more than 10%--about triple the inflation rate and far ahead of average worker pay gains.

Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez said the increase reflects new Christmas-themed entertainment in the park, including holiday fireworks, and higher operating costs. He also cited the upcoming expansion of Disney’s operations in Anaheim, which include opening an entertainment mall.

Gomez wouldn’t comment on whether it is the last time Disneyland prices will be raised before California Adventure opens Feb. 8.

For a family of four with children under 10, it now costs $152 to spend a day at the Magic Kingdom--excluding food and souvenirs, which can easily run $25 a person or more.

“I think the prices are outrageous here,” said Prim Martin of Oakdale in Northern California, who was visiting the park Tuesday with her 5-year-old daughter and a friend. “I don’t think I’d come if I didn’t have kids.”

Longtime Disneyland-watcher David Koenig, author of the “Mouse Tales” collections of park lore, said he expects the company to ratchet up prices once more before the new park opens, and possibly again soon after.

“Then you’ve got your $5 or $7 price increase without it happening all at once,” said Koenig, who is frequently in contact with dozens of Disney employees in Anaheim. “What I hear is that they want to shoot for $50 as soon as they can.”

That amount, about twice the $25.50 adult price charged in the summer of 1990, may seem exorbitant to local residents. But it would be less of a barrier to the out-of-towners that Disney hopes will stay longer in Anaheim because of California Adventure, Koenig said.

The smaller park, featuring a Golden State theme, will charge a separate admission, and most observers expect ticket prices similar to Disneyland’s.

Disney is promoting multi-day packages for tourists that include admissions to both parks and stays at its two existing Anaheim hotels or at a new luxury hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian, which is scheduled to open in January.

Besides the new hotel and park, the additions to Disneyland include Downtown Disney, an entertainment-oriented mall like CityWalk outside Universal Studios Hollywood.

Even while raising its full prices aggressively during the past few years, Disney has courted local residents by offering annual passes, off-season discounts and other special admission programs. These help the park channel local visits to slower days, taking some pressure off busy summer, weekend and holiday periods.

The cheapest annual pass, which admits customers to the park 205 days a year, was raised from $79 to $89--about the price of two daily tickets. An annual pass that is good for admission 320 days a year rose from $129 to $139. The top-level annual pass, which is good 365 days a year with parking included, remains priced at $199.

Disneyland also has quietly raised food prices in recent weeks, adding up to $1 to many items, according to Al Lutz, editor of the Disney-oriented online site MousePlanet.

Oxnard warehouseman Peter Trujillo visited Disneyland on Tuesday with his wife, Fran, and their two children, using a $129 discount pass for a family of four. The couple was annoyed at the prices inside the park, where Fran Trujillo said a burger and pizza lunch cost the family more than $30.

“We could have gone to McDonald’s and gotten it for under $20,” she said. “If you’re under a certain income . . . it’s hard financially.”

Mandy and John Hecker, 26-year-old annual-pass holders from Huntington Beach, complained of high prices for sodas and bottled water. They said they will buy annual passes to Knott’s Berry Farm instead next year because Knott’s charges adults $109 for a pass for the entire year.

Disneyland “is too crowded for us and the prices are too high,” Mandy Hecker said.

Other Southern California amusement parks frequently follow Disneyland price increases with their own, as they did after Disneyland raised its price from $39 to $41 in January. Spokesmen for the rivals said Tuesday that no such changes are immediately planned this time. The parks offer many discount programs for local residents, who rarely pay full price anyway.

Knott’s Berry Farm said it will keep prices at $40 for adults and $30 for children 3 to 11, having raised them $1 in September.

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Staff writers Marc Ballon and Leslie Earnest contributed to this report.

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The Cost of Having Fun

Disneyland’s new admission prices maintain the park’s distinction of being the most expensive of the major Southern California amusement parks. Disney ticket prices have more than tripled since 1982 for adults and children, and since earlier this year, adult prices begin at age 10.

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Adult Child* June 1982 $12.00 $9.00 Oct. 1983 13.00 9.00 May 1984 14.00 9.00 May 1985 16.50 10.50 Oct. 1986 19.00 12.95 Sept. 1987 21.50 16.50 Dec. 1988 23.50 16.50 Dec. 1989 25.50 20.50 Nov. 1990 27.50 22.50 June 1992 28.75 23.00 May 1993 30.00 24.00 May 1994 31.00 25.00 Jan. 1995 33.00 25.00 Jan. 1996 34.00 26.00 March 1997 36.00 26.00 Jan. 1998 38.00 28.00 Jan. 1999 39.00 29.00 Nov. 2000 43.00 33.00

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* Ages 3-9

Admission Comparison

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Adult Child Disneyland $43.00 $33.00 Sea World 40.00 30.00 Universal Studios-Hollywood 41.00 31.00 Knott’s Berry Farm 40.00 30.00 Legoland California 34.00 29.00

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NOTE: Six Flags Magic Mountain admission is determined by height: $41 if taller than 48 inches, $20.50 if shorter.

Sources: Disneyland, Times reports, individual amusement parks