A recent Wall Street Journal article stated, “Disney said that its theme parks are within financial reach for middle-class families and that it offers a range of price offerings for different products, as well as year-round promotions, to keep it that way.” The article went on to highlight the various discounts and promotions Disney provides to maintain park “affordability.” Later, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Experiences, is quoted as saying, “we intentionally offer a wide variety of ticket, hotel and dining options to welcome as many families as possible, whatever their budget.”
While I appreciate Disney at least acknowledging rising costs, they aren’t truly addressing the issue. Even with different pricing tiers and discounts, Disney remains too expensive for many families. Discounts have always existed—long before much of the middle class was priced out—and they were once a meaningful way for budget-conscious visitors to make a Disney trip work. However, the recent promotions Disney “offered” were either heavily restricted, such as being limited to Florida residents, or were set to expire. More discounts will inevitably come, but bringing them up now feels like a distraction from the core problem: Disney deliberately raised prices to the point of exclusion, banking on the assumption that there were enough ultra-wealthy Disney fans to sustain them.
This is also exactly why Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser wasn’t a financial success. It was a high-concept, immersive experience with a price tag to match, but despite it being loved by those who experienced it, Disney misunderstood its audience. The hardcore Star Wars and Disney fans who would have loved to participate simply couldn’t afford it, while the wealthy guests who could weren’t necessarily interested in a highly interactive, time-intensive vacation when they had luxury alternatives that required far less effort. Sure, there were some that both loved it and could afford it but that Venn Diagram was too small. The same miscalculation is now playing out across Disney’s broader theme park strategy.
Now, I believe Disney is beginning to realize that while affluent fans exist, relying solely on them isn’t a sustainable approach. Wealthy visitors who aren’t Disney die-hards expect an experience that justifies the cost, and longtime Disney fans—who always knew a value resort wasn’t exactly a bargain—were still willing to pay because, five or ten years ago, they could afford it and loved Disney enough to justify the expense. But now, even moderate and value resorts cater to a wealthier crowd, and those guests don’t want to feel like they’re getting a “less than” experience when they have plenty of non-Disney vacation alternatives. The very people Disney counted on to fill their hotels and parks year after year—the dedicated fans who saw Disney trips as a tradition—are being squeezed out, and that’s a dangerous game for any brand built on customer loyalty.
So if Disney acknowledges there’s an issue but continues to deflect, does that mean they’re starting to recognize a problem they’ll eventually address? Or will they keep kicking the can down the road, pretending everything is fine to appease shareholders while quietly watching attendance patterns shift? The question isn’t whether Disney will lower prices—because they almost certainly won’t—but whether they will find a way to make their pricing structure feel justifiable again. Right now, the gap between cost and perceived value is growing, and even Disney’s most loyal fans are starting to question whether the experience is worth the premium price tag.
The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one. Disney shouldn’t deflect or act as if longtime fans haven’t been priced out—because they have, and it was intentional. The assumption was that catering to the ultra-wealthy would maximize profits, but just like Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, that strategy is bound to flame out quickly if Disney’s most dedicated fans can no longer afford to be part of the magic.
