Disneyland increases security, prices
This picture shows eighth grader, Mckenna Carlson, meeting Baloo in Disneyland. Not only did prices go up, but the parks have added higher secruity to ensure safety of guests.
April 1, 2016
Located in Anaheim, California, Disneyland has welcomed families from all over the
world to enjoy rides and meet their favorite Disney characters for 60 years. However, next time
they go, Disney lovers will discover higher prices and new policies.
According to the Orange County Register News Paper, Disneyland raised their prices on
February 28, 2016. An adult one-day ticket to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure will
rise from $96 to $99. A one-day park hopper ticket to Disney’s California Adventure add-on will
increase from $54 to $56, for a total of $155 for one person, for only one day.
Not only did the one-day tickets prices raise, but they eliminated the $799 Premium
Annual Passport. Also according to the Orange County Register, in place of the passport, they
added the Disney Signature Plus, which costs $1,049 with no blackout days. In addition, the
Disney Signature for $849, which is good for visits for about 350 days, but it excludes select
days during the winter holiday.
The passes do include parking, merchandise, discounts for dining, and a new PhotoPass, where
passholders can have unlimited pictures taken of them riding rides and meeting characters.
Disneyland raised prices for a few reasons. They mostly did this to stop overcrowding.
Since some annual pass options have been taken out, and now tickets costs a lot more, less
people will not want to spend that much money, which will lower the amount people in the park.
Thus, the lines for rides may get shorter and the waits for restaurants will decrease.
“More people want to go to Disneyland, so I understand that they need to raise prices,”
said seventh grader Teagen Flourens. “But at the same time, it disappoints me because it makes
it less common to go for an average family due to money issues.”
Along with the new prices, metal detectors now stand at the entrance of Disneyland.
Disney employees use them just for randomly selected costumers as they walk through the
entrance. Also, they increased the use of bomb-sniffing dogs. Visitors now can not carry or buy
toy guns, and anyone over the age of 14 can not wear costumes that conceal their identity. This
all happened so that everyone who enters will feel safe. Some students really feel good about
this change.
“It’s smart that they did this because though it is the happiest place, it is good to be safe,”
said seventh grader Annie Siegle.
Sixth grader Christina Colwell agrees that this change makes people safer.
“I like it better this way because with all of the different things that are happening. Now
that we have more security when you go into the park with a bunch of people, you feel safer,”
Colwell said.
Disney parks have also banned all uses of selfie sticks. The pole may reach out of the ride
carriages and mess with the rides mechanisms. They could also harm someone if they get hit
with it. Some students may have their own opinion of this ban.
“I think it’s stupid, because I just want to be able to take cool pictures at Disneyland,”
said Flourens.
Disneyland has other theme park competitors near by. Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags,
and Universal Studios all are located in California. Although all have many rides and attractions,
The price of each differs. At Disneyland, one ticket can cost at least $95. At Knott’s Berry Farm,
a one day ticket costs $72, at Six Flags $76.99, and at Universal Studios it costs $95.
Since the price of other amusement parks may cost less, this could affect where students
go on their next vacation.
“It depends on if the place is just as magical as Disneyland,” said Seigle. ” Universal
Studios is really fun, it just doesn’t have the same appeal as Disney has.”
Disney World also raised their prices in February. The least amount for ages 10 and up,
with park-hopper to all four parks, costs $155 for just one person.
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