How Much Will Energy Prices Effect you and the Parks?

Gonch: I can imagine a family that is stretching to go to WDW from the northeast (only going into the parks for 4 days, staying in el-cheapo motel 8s offsite, bringing the crock pot), but that's about it.

Hey Tek, how about getting a mule?? ;)

Seriously though, even at record high prices, our fuel costs our ridiculously cheap. But having said that, we'd do much better to ween ourselves from it.

And as for drilling the refuge, why not save that stuff for a rainy day?

Guess I just fail to understand why a *reasonable* government wouldn't invest OUR tax money (esp. gas taxes) in energy-efficient technologies so that we could: 1) reduce our dependence on *admittedly politically unstable* foreign sources, 2) reduce our destruction of the environment, and 3) reduce shipping costs which are currently DRIVING inflation....

Energy prices won't affect me personally that much (I've got one of those efficient Jettas already, going to replace it with something similar soon), but for a family with kids who are more budgetarily constrained, I imagine the LOCAL parks will get more of their business and someplace further, like say, Disney World, will get put off for a bit....

Europeans DO pay more for *petrol*, but they seem to have a better idea of how to invest that money on fuel technologies...also, there's a whole lot less land-mass to cover...what I wouldn't give for a nice 8-party system for OUR government...;)

IMO, Energy prices will have negligible impact on most theme parks and my own visiting patterns. Now that I'm in the working world, travel time is my biggest consideration for theme park visits.

Regional theme park visitors will complain about energy costs, but most day-trip (less than 100 miles each way) to a local park is relatively small compared to average weekly commutes for most North Americans. We are addicted to the gas-pumps, no matter what the price.

Destination theme parks are different. Visitors who target these parks commit to staying overnight at least one night. The cost of food and accommodation are usually significantly larger than the cost of transportation. The exception may be for peak-period airline flights, but those prices are inflated more by high demand than by high fuel prices.

The only parks that might suffer from high gasoline prices will be those whose core visitors are day-trippers who drive +150 miles each way. Those parks should probably try and encourage overnight visits anyways. *** Edited 3/21/2005 5:17:52 PM UTC by greatwhitenorth***

All people have to do is be convinced it'll cost 'em more, it doesn't matter if it's $5 or $500, most people won't stop to think that local food prices probably gobble up $10-20 a trip (ex. a "#6" at Wendy's costs $5.34 in Pittsburgh, but at Cedar Point, has cost anywhere between $6.25 and $6.50). I think it will affect the Disneys and maybe even the Cedar Points, but the Kennywoods won't see a hit directly from that.

-Brett, who will never buy a alternative fuel car until they prove to me that an alternative fuel car can smoke a conventional fuel car off the line ...

Interesting choice of words there Brett - "Smoke a conventional fuels car off the line." ;)

Isn't it the conventional fuel cars that always smoke at the line - and I am not just talking about speed.

I've seen as low as $2.29/gal. to as high as $2.60/gal. for regular 87 octane unleaded gasoline. Part of that seems to depend on whether it's a name brand gas station, such as Exxon or Chevron, and whether it's a beach area or close to the interstate highways.

As to whether it will affect my visits to the parks this year--yes, it probably will. My last fill-up was $28.50 and with the "normal" gas prices, it would only be about $22.00 maximum. That's an additional $6.50 per park visit, assuming the drive to the most distant regional park--with prices expected to rise even higher--and it will quickly add up if I continue to visit the regional parks even twice a month. *** Edited 3/21/2005 6:33:46 PM UTC by RideSafety***

So you're telling me that after spending money on all other aspects of park trips (admissions, food, lodging, etc. depending on the trip) that $6 can make or break your trip?

That's $6.50 extra right now, Lord Gonchar, with prices still expected to rise. That also doesn't factor in the additional money I have to spend each week to fill the tank after my commutes to an from work.

It seems like a small amount, but really, it can add up if I were to visit the regional parks on a weekly basis. That's a hypothetical extra $26/month if I did visit the parks weekly--now, with prices expected to rise--which can be better spent on bills, or food. Especially after, say, 6 months, that's $156 extra I will have spent driving to the parks.

That is why I'm probably only visiting the regional parks once a month this year. I have passes to the regional parks that also have parking included, so admission = $0 and parking = $0. Since they are regional parks, lodging also = $0.

Just for the sake of debate/discussion, how much did a season pass with parking run you?

I just wanted to answer the question in response to ChillForce5X's question. I answered your question afterwards. I'm not getting into a debate--you have your finances, budget, and priorities... and I have mine. The parks come last, in this case, as gas prices continue to rise.

Gas prices are gas prices. Not much we can do about them. I drive about 24,000 miles a year including trips and work commuting and general driving. The fact that every year it costs more is a bummer, but there isn't much i can do about. 20 years ago, by spending the same amount, I'd get twice as much groceries as i do now, but that doesn't mean i'm going to eat half as much.

Ok, fair enough.

My apologies. I get too into crap like this sometimes. :)

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I'll still use a hypothetical example:

Season pass at Valleyfair (chosen randomly) with parking option costs $105 preordered.

This year they're open May - August and weekends in Sept.

That'd be just 5 visits if someone visited the park monthly. 5 visits x $6 gas = $30

105 + 30 = $135

Divide that by 5 visits and you're paying $27 a visit.

Now if you go weekly from opening day to closing day, you'd visit 20 times. 20 x 6 = $120 gas

120 + 105 = $225

Divide by 20 visits and you have a price of $11.25 per visit.

For a total cost difference of $90, you cut your per visit costs by almost 60%!

I understand everyone is in a different situation and makes different decisions. If someone's disposable, amusement park budget is limited to $150 a season, then it is what it is. But if you're the type to be balking simply over the rising gas prices and that sucky feeling we all get when you pull in to fill up only to see prices have risen again, then a little math shows it's not as bad as it may seem.

In my situation, the additional $90 over 5 months wouldn't make a difference and I'd be getting a lot more for my money.

Just trying to offer alternate perspective.

1. The main purpose of drilling in ANWR would be to stabilize the overall world oil markets.

2. We are effectively paying less prices now as a comparison to people's incomes than we were 20 years ago.

All I remember hearing a few years ago when the ANWR debate came up and whenever the gas tax proposals come from the left is,"We should be paying more for gas..Europe pays much more than we do." Then when prices actually go up, the first people to complain and blame Bush are the left...Well, you got what you asked for when you don't allow oil companies to drill for oil for 25 years.

Just try to keep this in mind...gas prices usually come down (when we're lucky) on mondays and get jacked back up Wednesday Nights/Thursday middays. So if ya wanna save a little bit of money just change your fueling up day, or just start topping the tank off after you come home from work each day. Yes I know its a pain to visit a gas station everyday, but hey if ya get 2 gallons for 2 bux one day and 2 more the next @ 2.25, you wont be killed as much if you had to fill up the whole tank!

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TeknoScorpion said:
Come live in Southern West Virginia where an SUV that sits up high is a necessary thing just to get into your drivway and I'd bet you'd feel different.

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Nonsense. I drove a little Dodge Cirrus up the side of Mt. Hood in 1998 and my little Corolla has to deal with weather you don't get in West Virginia, ever. People got along without SUV's for decades and you still don't need one to take the kids to soccer practice or buy groceries.

Back on topic, I can do six hours or more of driving in my car on one tank of gas (400 miles or so). If gas doubled in price today to $4, that means it would cost me an extra $24, $48 total. So what? I've pissed away more money than that going out for dinner, beer, or both.

So what? I've pissed away more money than that going out for dinner, beer, or both.

...and playing DDR, too, I bet ;)

LOL, I took my Ford Ranger PoS pickup up the side of Mt. Ida, Arkansas after attending the (Annual) Rainbow Gathering in Mark Twain National Forest about 10 years' ago...had everyone get out before I started the ascent, the gunned the **** out of the engine in LOW gear...barely made it up. Same truck, two years later, made it easily up a couple of mountain passes in Colorado...

I have serious respect for steep grades and high altitudes now....;)

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stuey said:
1. The main purpose of drilling in ANWR would be to stabilize the overall world oil markets.

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Sniff, sniff.... yeah, I thought I smelled b.s.

The annoying thing is, I have figured out how to dramatically increase the gas mileage in my car. Just look at these numbers:

3/8/2005-3/16/2005 - 15.47 gallons, 290 miles, 18.75 MPG
3/16/2005-3/21/2005 - 15.24 gallons, 355 miles, 23.29 MPG

The difference? I drove to Cleveland this morning. In fact, if I deduct the 150 miles I drove before this morning, that's 150 miles at an assumed 18.75 MPG, combined with 205 miles at what works out to about 28.31 MPG, which is consistent with the last long cruise I took, back in November.

Pity. The way to dramatically increase my gas mileage is to drive more. It seems odd, but the difference between commuting mileage and driving-to-parks mileage is so dramatic that all that extra driving I do in the summer results in a very small change in my fuel consumption! Very strange, but it all goes back to the car I drive, which happens to be a freeway cruiser.

I don't save any money by going to parks every weekend, but it makes my car look more efficient. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.