Disneyland. Make the baseline worse.
Disneyland turned a record 10 billion dollar profit last year. It's the most profitable division of Disney, and most people just think Disney's in the movie business.
THE GIST ON DISNEYLAND: "Pay Per Ride"
Where does Disney make its money?
Disney+ has spent years losing billions. The parks are where the money is. Films, streaming and characters create the emotional connection, and the parks convert that into cash.
What has happened to the price?
Disneyland used to be one price and you got everything: entry, rides, the lot. Now the experience has been sliced into pieces. The ticket gets you through the gate, but skipping the queue costs 45 dollars on top. A premium hotel booking is extra, and VIP tours run to the thousands.
Prices are up 69% in a decade. Visitor numbers have gone down but revenue has gone up: fewer people through the door, paying more for less of what used to be standard.
What was Walt's idea?
Walt Disney built Disneyland as the great equaliser. Through the gates, everyone had the same experience: same rides, same queues, rich or poor. Now the family in the two hour queue watches Lightning Lane guests walk past every 30 seconds. The one place where everyone used to be equal shows you exactly where you stand.
Why won't the queue get fixed?
The queue isn't a problem they can't solve. The 45 dollar skip exists, so the standard experience has to get worse for the premium to have value. You see it everywhere: economy seats shrink so business class feels worth it. Every industry is learning the same trick: lower the baseline, then charge people to get back to what used to be the norm.
Is paying to skip the queue fair?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
How much did Disneyland make?
A record 10 billion dollar profit last year, according to Huw, the most profitable division of Disney.
How much have prices risen?
69% in a decade, while visitor numbers have gone down.
Why can't the queue improve?
If the standard experience were good, paying 45 dollars to skip it would have no value.
See you on the next one.
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The conversation
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