Is Inflation to Blame for Rising Disneyland Food Prices?
It seems that things at Disneyland, particularly the eats and treats, are getting a bit pricier these days. Could inflation be to blame?
A piece in the LA Times today focuses on customer complaints that portions of favorite theme park treats are shrinking. This is something Disney all but admitted during an earnings report last year where an exec suggested that reducing portion sizes could be used to save money.
On the one hand, it is to be expected. Disney has increased the prices on tickets, parking and now even FastPasses with the advent of the new Genie+/Lightning Lane system. But add to the shrinking portions the fact that many of the same snacks (now smaller) have also gone up in price and you can see why regulars might be a bit disgruntled.
The LA Times estimates that prices on food and drink have gone up almost 12% over the last two years. An example they gave was the famous Mint Julep in New Orleans Square. Back in 2020 it retailed for $4.99 and has now gone up to $5.49. Another example is the Tatooine Sunset at Oga’s Cantina which has gone from $5.49 to $5.99 during the same period.
Image Allan Grant / The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty
Taken on its own, the food and beverage hikes are noticeable but even more so when combined with an increase in ticket prices which went up 8% last year and parking went up 20%. Add to this the $15 per person per day for FastPass access and you have attendees who are definitely feeling the burn.
So what does Disney say about how pricing could be alienating regular visitors? The company said that they are dealing with the same strains felt by grocery stores and restaurants around the country. That being said, Disney also argues that food portions at the park have NOT changed despite the original suggestion of Christine McCarthy to reduce portion sizes to combat inflation.
“[T]here are lots of things that are worth talking about,” she Kennedy in response to a question by an analyst. “We can adjust suppliers. We can substitute products. We can cut portion size, which is probably good for some people’s waistlines. We can look at pricing where necessary.”
Despite Disney’s insistence that they haven’t followed Kennedy’s lead on this, according to the Times visitors are saying they have noticed the portion cuts.
However, Disney is not alone in raising prices on food and drink. Over at Universal Studios, the pricing of the popular Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has gone up from $5.50 back in 2016 to $8.00 in 2022 which is a rise of 45%.
Let us know what you think! Have you been to Disney recently? Have you noticed a price hike on food and drink? Have you noticed shrinking portion sizes? Let us know in the comments below.
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Source: Los Angeles Times
