Disney hates poor people: NYT Opinion Edition

I'm not suggesting the "no kids" conversation is new. I'm sure people were feeling that way in the Vietnam era...yet here I am.

Florida still remains a destination state yet public school numbers in Broward County are falling so quickly that they are discussing the closure (or repurposing) of something like 40 schools. Granted, some kids are choosing virtual or private schools with the voucher program now, but my bedroom community is definitely aging.

And, I guess another thread about Disney going after the adult crowd makes sense in the context of this discussion.

In the college world we have been hearing about the "fertility cliff" for a decade now, and we are now officially in it.

Here's a quick snapshot of what we are looking at in terms of high school graduates over the next 2 decades:

Interesting to see what happens in FL now that polio is probably coming back by 2029.

This is sadly nothing new. When I ask my students how many kids they want to have the number is either zero or one. The answers are all related to what everyone above has already stated. There is also a newish moniker amongst Gen Z couples known as "DINKS" (dual income no kids). It's a point of pride.

It's an anxious time to be a professor in Ohio (or other states) at many institutions. Fewer graduates means the same number of colleges fighting over fewer and fewer kids, which means more places will be closing their doors. I can happily say that (for now) I am at a place with a balanced budget, a healthy endowment, and robust enrollment, but that can all change on a dime, especially when we live in a universe where unfounded distrust in higher-ed is continuously being sowed.

The good news is, tariffs are going to tank the economy and kids will enroll in college because they can’t find jobs.

You just reminded me of one of my favorite songs...

BrettV:

...the highest tier pass with no restrictions was $729 in August 2015 and is currently $1,549

That cost includes all 4 parks yes? If that is the case, that amount is actually not bad. That comes out to about $387 per park for the year. By comparison, the highest tier pass with no restrictions at Universal (for 2 parks) is $905, which is $452 per park for the year.

Interesting that you point that out. We just went to UO to see Garbage at Hard Rock ($32 for parking, WTF?!). This will sound classist, but I don't care. Why does the "quality" of people at Universal seem "lower?" It's hard to qualify what I mean. There aren't any less tattoos or piercings at WDW (because that's a dumb indication of people quality), but the behavior of guests at UO is definitely "lower" compared to Disney. If I'm eyeballing ticket prices, and more importantly discounts and "days required" to do stuff, UO has an advantage for sure. You can easily see their core stuff in two or three days. I think that their discounts area also more robust if you look online and book in advance. Admittedly, I think that Epic will change the calculus over time.

RRR fans who haven’t heard the news.

Jeff:

We just went to UO to see Garbage at Hard Rock ($32 for parking, WTF?!).

I nabbed two tickets for this Wednesday here in Nashville for $57.60 - all in.

We'll walk, so no parking.

Is it just the audience? Disney caters/targets (at least broadly speaking) a much younger age group - specifically one that requires adults for transportation and supervision.

Jeff:

Why does the "quality" of people at Universal seem "lower?" It's hard to qualify what I mean.

I understand what you mean but also can't explain it. I think this every time I go to Universal because without a doubt, I don't need to be in the gate very long before I see a situation that I feel like I would not see at Disney.

If you are there during HHN season, even if it's not an event day, there is a different guest vibe for sure. But I've seen more poor guest behavior at WDW over the years than UO. Although I'm sure my years working as a Main Entrance Coordinator have something to do with that.

Give me the standard HHN crowd over the weekend Epcot F&W crowd any day. I refuse to go to Epcot in the afternoons Fri-Sat during F&W they are obnoxious drunks that just don’t care about anyone else around them. A vast majority of HHN guests don’t want to get that plastered.

I went to Party for the Senses one year during Food & Wine back when they were still holding it. Flat fee, open bar and buffet. My ex-wife ran into a group of Woo Girls who were easily in their 30s (and maybe 40s) in the women's room late in the evening who were pulling the boot-and-rally so that they could get back to the serious business of drinking.

That said, I normally don't mind the weekend F&W crowd. There are a few people who've been overserved, but it's mostly a jovial crowd. We're going next month and probably hitting Epcot Saturday mid-day and Sunday evening.

Brian Noble:

Woo Girls who were easily in their 30s (and maybe 40s) in the women's room late in the evening who were pulling the boot-and-rally

"Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America" - Walt Disney

I would say those are not the hard facts Walt had in mind, but ... what were the hard facts Walt had in mind? Pirates chasing wenches?

Regarding the behavior of the crowds, I think location and ease of access to public transportation is a big part of the difference between the two crowds…and there may be a “coolness” factor with the kids regarding Universal that doesn’t translate to Disney.

Brian Noble:

There are a few people who've been overserved, but it's mostly a jovial crowd.

That has been my experience as well, and I've spent a lot of days there.

Of course Abigail Disney had to chime in with her usual class war stuff.

Is it not a valid position?

Anyway, that $30 thrown earlier for a group of 4 for tickets food etc, inflation adjusted is $362 today. Tickets for four to DL range from $416-$824 depending on when you go. Then you need to add in food and parking and whatever else. So, yeah, vastly more expensive.

Her position has nothing to do with Disney. Cutting Medicaid and tax policy is not relative to how an entertainment company decides to price its product. Sure, the wealthy should not have the ridiculous amount of tax shelters that they have. That has nothing to do with Lightning Lane.

Housing came up, I think I'm this thread. 1,400 units isn't enough, but it's 1,400 more than Disney had to offer in terms of affordable housing:

https://www.wdwmagic.com/ot...ad-429.htm