Lament

I know this will sound like a rant, and perhaps it is. I remember, even relish a time when going to Disneyland (tm) was affordable. Recently, I have taken to bring my children to that Magic Kingdom, that they may also have fond and treasured memories of that Park. I remember parking in Mickey, or Donald or Goofy (start memory fade and shimmer here) Depending which side you entered from Ball Road or Katella. Since we were coming from Ventura County, we came via the I-5 and the Ball Road entrance. We would first get through the masses of people at the main gate, then head strait for the Disneyland Railroad and get off at New Orleans Square. We would then get on Pirates and Haunted Mansion, as to avoid the inevitable rush. Then we would leisurely wander the park hitting rides as we wished, and finishing off with the three roller coaster, Matterhorn (both sides) Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain, in later years Space Mountain was followed by Star Tours. This excursion into the park was pricey, but not out of the realm of possibilities.
Now with the astronomical price of fuel, and food prices creeping skyward, it's toll on expendable income, or rather the lack there of, is making my annual trek to the Golden State for a time in that place that time forgot, impossible. Even with the internet and it's price specials on hotel, and entry tickets are not enough to overcome my personal expense of $350 for the fuel, or the $1200 in airline tickets (not that flying now a days is any real prize). Add the cost of food, either within or without the parks, and that's another $300 - $400 dollars over three days for two to three people depending on where one chooses to dine.
Is this a bleak picture I paint, well, it wasn't like that always. Indeed Michael Isner was the one that made Disneyland for the upper middle and upper economic classes only. The year that Isner took the reigns of Disney Corp, he almost doubled the park entry fees in a single year. A progressively higher cost to enter has followed suit almost annually. Since there is a true monopoly of food within the park, prices are very high, with a very limited amount of quality and service.
To make matters worse, there are a limited amount of drinking fountains, and bottled water is at last I went last winter $2.75. Since I have no say, and anyone from Disney Corp. is completely ignorant of this blog, or if they are aware of it, ignore it completely, I would give a suggestion or a few suggestions.
First, to increase the patronage of your park, temporarily decrease the entry fee by no less than 15%. Make a rather large campaign about it. Let the people that so love Uncle Walt and his beloved park know that they can afford to come and stay at Disneyland. That Cinderella Commercial now is very deceiving. Sure entering the park is affordable, but you have to mortgage the house and get a loan off of the car to eat there. Lower all food prices, by 10%. Advertise this for a while too. Finally, making parking at the resort $5.00 per day. Make the experience of Disneyland affordable, memorable and worth the hard earned dollars of your patrons.

The Knight Hawk