Universal Orlando Price Increases (General)

[UniversalRBLX]

I paid $60.00 USD for a 1 day ticket to Tokyo Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. I dont understand the price disparity.

No idea. Can't blame them when us guests continue to attend.

The parks have broken the traditional idea that raising prices will deter guests from coming. People are going to come anyway, so they're just focused on spreading crowds out now, which has worked (even at HHN).

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I paid $60.00 USD for a 1 day ticket to Tokyo Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. I dont understand the price disparity.

Did you also notice that everything else you bought in Japan cost half as much?

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yeah

It's insane to me that people keep going to HHN and the parks at the rates they raise ticket prices but don't add enough for the extra cost.....but it's on consumers to stop going into debt to go to these parks. I wish there was a way to stop people from going into debt over the parks, I would to see how Parks are doing if people had to pay the full cost upfront.

 

[belloq87]

We’re told that we have to overlook the state of Studios and IOA - the deteriorating attractions, shuttered theaters, huge stretches of construction walls - because 2023 and 2024 are all about getting ready for EU. Fine. But you don’t get to make that claim and then dramatically raise prices to parks offering a substandard experience.

I am not the sort of person who ever complains all that much about ticket price increases. It's already factored-in for me as an inevitability. But with the apparent state-of-disrepair/abandonment of multiple IOA attractions for months on end (to say nothing of USF in general, but that's more of a purely personal preference thing for me), this one kind of does annoy me.

If we were seeing the parks at their absolute best right now, that would be one thing. But consider IOA:

- River Adventure hasn't been in an acceptable, show-ready state for seven or eight months, and the next hope of seeing any progress is still months away (that's if the scheduled refurb even addresses the lagoon).
- Skull Island has routinely dropped the outdoor section of the ride, which is one of the added elements that makes it distinct and unique.
- I believe either Popeye or Dudley (perhaps both?) has had reports of show elements being broken or missing for months.
- Poseidon's Fury: closed forever.
- Sindbad theater: empty.
- Toon Lagoon theater: empty.

 

[Mad Dog]

I am not the sort of person who ever complains all that much about ticket price increases. It's already factored-in for me as an inevitability. But with the apparent state-of-disrepair/abandonment of multiple IOA attractions for months on end (to say nothing of USF in general, but that's more of a purely personal preference thing for me), this one kind of does annoy me.

If we were seeing the parks at their absolute best right now, that would be one thing. But consider IOA:

- River Adventure hasn't been in an acceptable, show-ready state for seven or eight months, and the next hope of seeing any progress is still months away (that's if the scheduled refurb even addresses the lagoon).
- Skull Island has routinely dropped the outdoor section of the ride, which is one of the added elements that makes it distinct and unique.
- I believe either Popeye or Dudley (perhaps both?) has had reports of show elements being broken or missing for months.
- Poseidon's Fury: closed forever.
- Sindbad theater: empty.
- Toon Lagoon theater: empty.

Sadly, you are so right. That's why I talk with my money and quit going to USF for now. Hopefully, once Epic opens, all excuses will be out the window. Then we'll see what happens and whether the apologists will continue to make excuses......And, their non HHN attendance has definitely flatlined, as the easy 2022 covid recovery money dissipates......I'm guessing Universal will need to do a lot of heavy discounting in late 2024/early 2025 to prop their attendance up before Epic opens.

 

[wutisgood]

Guessing but..Chinese parks are also much cheaper. ..It probably reflects the economic reality that the median income in Japan is less than the US and the median income in China is many many many times less than the US. Euro Disney is expensive also, but Euro incomes are fairly similar to the US. You can only charge what the market conditions will allow

I do not buy this in Japan. Tourism even before the pandemic has been insane and has gotten as bad or worse recently. Japan airlines are straight up not making points flights available to the point of leaving seats empty. I have been looking for over a year. There are such a sheer volume of rich chinese now that they are probably more than saving enough flooding japan than going other places. I looked and the chinese universal and disney japan parks are actually comparable on price.

 

[Mad Dog]

I do not buy this in Japan. Tourism even before the pandemic has been insane and has gotten as bad or worse recently. Japan airlines are straight up not making points flights available to the point of leaving seats empty. I have been looking for over a year. There are such a sheer volume of rich chinese now that they are probably more than saving enough flooding japan than going other places. I looked and the chinese universal and disney japan parks are actually comparable on price.

Yes, that's what I was referring to when I said Chinese parks are 'also' cheaper. Both Japan & the China have usually been similar in price. Yes, there's a segment of rich Chinese, BUT essentially they have no middle class as we know it. What they call a middle class is actually poorer than the poorest people in the US. So, they can't charge prices like the US parks if they want to maintain any kind of attendance.

 

[wutisgood]

Yes, that's what I was referring to when I said Chinese parks are 'also' cheaper. Both Japan & the China have usually been similar in price. Yes, there's a segment of rich Chinese, BUT essentially they have no middle class as we know it. What they call a middle class is actually poorer than the poorest people in the US. So, they can't charge prices like the US parks if they want to maintain any kind of attendance.

China has a billion more people than the US. They have so many rich people on sheer volume they actually push prices up on things my middle class US poor person attend. Frankly I do not give a poop about chinese people being able to afford their local parks or not and certainly US tourists are not a large figure for them.

 

[Mad Dog]

China has a billion more people than the US. They have so many rich people on sheer volume they actually push prices up on things my middle class US poor person attend. Frankly I do not give a poop about chinese people being able to afford their local parks or not and certainly US tourists are not a large figure for them.

Bottom line: Chinese parks charge what the market will bear. China has a different culture and economy than the US. Japan has a different culture and economy than the US. Trying to compare USA theme park prices to China and/or Japan is like the proverbial apples to oranges. It's really not a comparison argument. Theme parks have to adapt their pricing to the market they're in.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Prices increases on F&B...

Universal Studios Florida

• $1.00 increase across entrees at Minion Cafe
• Banana Bread Beer removed from Minion Cafe
• (Removed) Meatball Sub removed from Louie's Italian (per UOR site)
• $1.00 increase across entrees at Leaky Cauldron (Kids' Meals up $1.20)
• Krusty Burger up $0.50
• Ice Cream up $0.50 at Florean Fortescue's
• Tacos at Bumble Man's up $0.50

Universal Islands of Adventure

• (New Item) Cinnamon Bread Pudding at Mythos
• +$0.50 Pizza Croffle at Croissant Moon Bakery
• (New Item?) Greek Salad 'Combo' with Kebabs - might have missed previously, but looks like a new item?

Other Changes

• Coca-Cola Single-Serve now $4.79
• Bag of Chips up $0.20
• Pizza slices up +$0.30 (excluding pepperoni)

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Not really sure where to put this one, but Universal has made a slightly adjustment to the Express offering. Previously Express Pass was priced the same at USF and IOA, but recently they've changed it so IOA is more expensive. Online they say it starts at $100 and $105, but when you compare dates that price difference can increase. This leads me to believe they'll break out Epic express and charge more for it than USF and IOA.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Not really sure where to put this one, but Universal has made a slightly adjustment to the Express offering. Previously Express Pass was priced the same at USF and IOA, but recently they've changed it so IOA is more expensive. Online they say it starts at $100 and $105, but when you compare dates that price difference can increase. This leads me to believe they'll break out Epic express and charge more for it than USF and IOA.

Has been like that since last year. Not sure when that change went online though.