When Canadian dad-of-two Mario Zelaya took his family to Disneyland Paris, he thought they were going to the Happiest Place on Earth.
However, the man had a terrible time, and turned to TikTok to explain why.
Zelaya attributed most of his disappointment to high ticket prices and long wait times for rides, calling Disney the “biggest money printing machine.”
More info: TikTok
This dad went to Disneyland Paris with his family, but says it was a huge disappointment
Image credits: Bastien Nvs (not the actual photo)
I made a huge mistake. I went to Disneyland in Paris. I’m almost embarrassed at how much money I spent. Just the tickets alone, that’s 1100 euros. For Americans, that’s 1200 bucks. For Canadians, that’s $1,600.
Why the hell would I do that? The regular tickets were 112 and then we upgraded and got the premier passes for 160 euros per person.
Image credits: supermariozelaya
Now, why the hell did I do it? I did it because of this – the lineups. That’s why I paid all the money. It is crazy how overflowing Disney is. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Paris, if it’s in Orlando, or if it’s in California, it is like this all the time.
Image credits: supermariozelaya
This is a crappy ride, like, this isn’t an exciting ride at all. It’s these kind of miniature cars that you stay on track. You’re not really accelerating, you kind of are. But it’s nice, it’s nothing great, it’s nothing spectacular.
An hour and 15 minutes. We skipped the lineup.
Image credits: supermariozelaya
This ride is called ‘It’s A Small World.’ It’s basically the song and it’s just this long musical and it’s pretty cool, you go through this journey. And this was over an hour wait, I think it was an hour and a half.
Image credits: supermariozelaya
Now if you total up all the rides that we did, when we did all of the rides, we would have been waiting in line for over 25 hours. 25 hours in line.
I think the math works out that you’re better off buying the Disney access pass to bypass the line than you are to buy a three-day park stay, because if you buy the three-day park stay and you don’t upgrade, you’re basically waiting in line.
Image credits: supermariozelaya
We were there from the beginning to the end and we didn’t even do all the rides and even still there was 25 hours. The crowds are just endless. My advice: Don’t go to Disney. If it’s your kids’ lifelong dream or if it’s yours, fine, go do it. But get the line bypass.
Image credits: Meg Landrito (not the actual photo)
Disney has, indeed, been raising its prices
The popularity of Zelaya’s video is understandable. The topic has been circulating online since last year when Disney World announced it will hike ticket prices to its four parks, with the cost of entering the Magic Kingdom nearly doubling before the holidays.
In fact, The New York Post reported that the tab for admission tickets to the Disney World and Disneyland theme parks has jumped more than 3,871% in the past 50 years.
Disney shuttered its parks during the height of the pandemic, only to reopen them and raise prices to make up for some of the losses. Estimates show ticket prices at the theme park steadily soaring since 1971, ratcheting higher through various financial disasters from the 1973 oil crisis to the 2008 financial crisis, ending with the pandemic.
By comparison, wages as well as the cost of rent and gasoline have all risen by percentages well below 1,000% during the same period.
This seems to be a trend in the whole sector. “Get used to it,” president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Dennis Speigel told the Tampa Bay Times. “Our industry is moving towards the upcharge. Magic Mountain is doing it. Six Flags in California and others are experimenting with it. Within three or four years, you will see every park having a surcharge to get ahead of the line.”
The father’s video has since gone viral
@supermariozelaya Here’s the Disney rules: 1) Expect crazy long wait times 2) if you dont want to wait in line, expect a huge bill to upgrade to a Premier Pass. 3) if you decide to wait in line instead because the Premier pass doesnt cover ALL the rides, expect a huge bill regardless 😭 #disney #disneylandparis #paris #longlineup #expensive ♬ original sound – Mario Zelaya
And has received plenty of reactions
You only go to Eurodisney, during the week, offseason and make sure there is no religious holiday (Muslim, Christian, etc). We went 5 year ago, just as French schools had started in September, on a Tuesday and the waiting lines were bearable (avg 20-30 mins). We did the Aerosmith ride 3 times!!
Was going to say that, I went in May, chilly drizzly day, very few people around, could have done all the rides twice before 4pm! My photos look like I went after a zombie apocalypse because apart from the parade time, you can see no people!
Load More Replies...Disney World just seems like so much work. I would rather go to a park where I can meander around and pick whichever ride I want. Anytime I see someone's solutions to the long lines, I think, it's a vacation, not work.
It’s exactly this. Most “Disney Hacks” I’ve seen take more planning than a military invasion. Don’t go during the holidays, rather take your child out of school for a week, a month before school vacations. Don’t go on National Holidays, because Disney didn’t plan on their parks being popular when everyone gets a day off. We have to be at the gates by 6:37. We will take this path, visit these rides only, lunch is at 12:23…spontaneity is NOT allowed on this relaxing vacation! Why are you crying?!
Load More Replies...??? How are any of you surprised?? It's been this way forever. $30 waffles and w hour waits for thousands of dollars. Never seen the appeal. Like friggin Airbnb. Huh, a hotel is easier/less expensive/don't have to put up with asinine fees?? In other news, water is wet and the sky is blue...
I've got family members who are Disney fans. I just don't get it. I never liked Disney, even as a kid. I was made to go to Orlando Disney when I was 12 and hated it. Even back then (late 80s) I could see it was expensive and I don't see the value. I never liked the movies either. I just never got the Disney allure.
I love that someone mentioned the Efteling! I haven't been in years (moved from NL to Canada) but I can't wait to go next time we're back
so Disneyland already implemented P2W microtransactions into their parks? Nice one... That's exactly what a fast pass is. Like in a game when no one ever buys any boosters the game stays on a more or less plain field for everyone. The first one starts the prisoner's dilemma by taking advantage over everyone else - and anyone else face the dilemma of paying up too or they have to suffer the inconveniences.
We went to Disneyland Paris in the 90ies when I was around eight or nine years old. We enjoyed it back then. My parents were always frugal and I remember them being shocked at the price of ice cream and that the balls were huge. We ate only each.
Disney Paris looks good time/money value, if you've ever gone to Legoland Windsor.
If you want to feel better about Legoland Windsor, go to Oakwood in Pembrokeshire! Folly Farm on the other hand is worth every penny.
Load More Replies...In December of 2011, I decided to take my family, five adults and three kids, to Disneyland for Christmas. Because California had a very rainy December, the only time we had available was Christmas Eve. Tickets alone were $800, and about the same amount for everything else. It was so packed, you almost couldn't move around. Everyone seemed to have a good time, but because I have a very bad back, I couldn't go on most of the rides, so I spent most of the time with my youngest granddaughter who was six at the time. Couldn't wait to leave and I swore never again!
It's just nuts. At one point we calculated that it was cheaper to take our three to Europe than to Florida Disney World for the same length of time - not that we every considered the rodent. Went to Europe instead.
Waiting in line for over an hour for each ride sounds hellish. If you go to the park for 8 hours, you'd go on what, 6 rides and pay more than £100 per person. I don't understand how anyone thinks it's worth it. I remember going to amusement parks 30 years ago, and thinking 20min queues weren't worth it, and skipping that ride.
As long as people keep going the more they’ll jack up the prices. They see it as as long as people are willing to pay they’ll continue to raise them. If you have an issue with this, don’t go. If enough people quit going it’ll eventually affect their bottom line and they’ll be forced to lower the prices.
It's not a secret that Disney parks are expensive and the lines are long. If you go to any of them, you should accept that most of your time there will be spent waiting or spending.
I live 10 minutes from Disney in one direction and 5 minutes from Knotts Berry Farm in the other direction. I have not been to Disneyland in about 15 years and have no plans on going anytime soon. Each one of my grandkids has had the experience of going with their parents and that is good enough for me. Knotts however we go often. Its about 250 for a year pass which includes parking and Soak City. We get the refillable cups for $30 each and its always enough to share. Knotts doesnt have the glitz and glamour Disney has, but some days hardly anyone is in the park. It will cost you less to go to Knotts for an entire year compared to the cost to go to Disney for the entire day.
Went over 20 years ago and it was pricey and not very impressive then
You went to Franch to go to Disneyland? No sympathy, you were in an historical country with so much art and architecture to see that it's mind blowing, and you go to a cliche' entertainment park and then complain? Yeah, you're stupid.
My wife took her 3 grandkids to Disney Tokyo last year. Entry for all 4 coast $196 USD. Not each, all 4. There's no reason other than greed for entry to any Disney to cost more than $50 per person. A coworker with with her son and family to Disney Orlando, it cost them more than my wife paid for her entire trip to Japan including the airfares.
Always wanted to make a photo-book of Disney titled, “The Happiest Place on Earth?…”. The red faced fathers, the furious mothers, the screaming children. Saw a mother grab her kids’ shoulders, back them up to a chain link fence, pin them there and growl in the kids’ face, “Your attitude is going to change NOW.” But I also know that the Mouse would sue me into oblivion for doing so.
We go to Disneyland every few years. We book our stay through Getawaytoday.com and they allow you to pay it off bit by bit with no finance fees. It makes it much easier. We also buy Disney gift cards at Target and use our red card to get 5%off. I know it's not a lot, but every little bit help and we use those to buy things in the park. We generally do not eat in the parks because the food is so expensive and usually just meh.
I took my child once by myself when he was little and then again with his aunt. He's an adult now. I expect to never go to Disneyland again in my lifetime. I can barely stand for 15 minutes in line at the pharmacy. There is zero chance I can stand in line for hours for a ride in the hot sun.
We have just come back from WDW Orlando and did the Genie+ Pass, which was great value for money. What was a rip off... the food, the PARKING ($25!) and Universal Studios is worse.
We live right by Disneyland and have season passes but we don't do the parking. The city bus is $2 and it parks closer than you get with the parking lot. My son loves riding the city bus. Everyone- see if your hotel is near the city bus to Disney. It's $2/ adult on the city bus. Kids are free. You will be dropped off closer than in the parking lots. It will still seem like a long walk, but trust me, it's closer. Or- Lyft. $6 from my house. We do bus there, Lyft home (too tired to wait for bus).
Load More Replies...Meh. I've lived within no more than a two hour drive to Disneyworld my whole life and have gone maybe three times. I don't get the appeal. I'd rather do Universal Studios or Busch Gardens.
I mean, we know this. This is why we don’t go. I can’t imagine being surprised that Disney is busy and expensive in 2023.
I’ve heard that Disney just kept raising and raising their ticket and food prices in the hopes of discouraging visitors so that the parks wouldn’t be as crowded and the lines as long. It’s not working. I was thinking that they could limit ticket sales to so many per day, some could be sold in advance- as people tend to plan their vacations- and some held back to be sold at the last minute, like the week before. But no, it seems they prefer to rake in the extra cash from people who are dumb enough to go and put up with their BS.
Well, some theorize prices go up to mitigate the line problem. Though, considering the parks in the US are raising costs while also taking benefits away, I don't think it's that. I've never been to Disneyland Paris, I've only heard its not as good as in the US, so I can't comment on their practices but in the US? The prices are getting really bad, like stupid expensive, and they keep whittling away why staying on property was worth the cost.
If you're queuing for more than 20-30 minutes for any ride at Disney you're doing it wrong. They give you everything you need to dodge the Que's in the standard park entrance. pre booking your free fast passes (before the park even opens!) via the app means you can *que* for the main attractions while you're in line for the smaller ones. this works for the some of the shows and restaurants also. Just takes a bit of pre planning, of course if you rock up at the big rides expecting to just walk on you're going to have a miserable time. FYI I did this peak summer last year with a very impatient 3.y.o. and we had a brilliant time.
We might have been lucky, but when we visited Disneyland Paris in the midst of summer it was heatwave temperatures. Sure it was annoying, but I found it managable and a good trade as it apearantly detered the majority from going there. As I recal it, we did not have to wait more than 15 minutes for most of the rides so it was a total win. Only Space Mountain had a long que, but as we could fast track that, it wasn't really a problem either. So we pretty much got to try most of the rides that we wanted in a single day, which made it really good value for money for us.
You only go to Eurodisney, during the week, offseason and make sure there is no religious holiday (Muslim, Christian, etc). We went 5 year ago, just as French schools had started in September, on a Tuesday and the waiting lines were bearable (avg 20-30 mins). We did the Aerosmith ride 3 times!!
Was going to say that, I went in May, chilly drizzly day, very few people around, could have done all the rides twice before 4pm! My photos look like I went after a zombie apocalypse because apart from the parade time, you can see no people!
Load More Replies...Disney World just seems like so much work. I would rather go to a park where I can meander around and pick whichever ride I want. Anytime I see someone's solutions to the long lines, I think, it's a vacation, not work.
It’s exactly this. Most “Disney Hacks” I’ve seen take more planning than a military invasion. Don’t go during the holidays, rather take your child out of school for a week, a month before school vacations. Don’t go on National Holidays, because Disney didn’t plan on their parks being popular when everyone gets a day off. We have to be at the gates by 6:37. We will take this path, visit these rides only, lunch is at 12:23…spontaneity is NOT allowed on this relaxing vacation! Why are you crying?!
Load More Replies...??? How are any of you surprised?? It's been this way forever. $30 waffles and w hour waits for thousands of dollars. Never seen the appeal. Like friggin Airbnb. Huh, a hotel is easier/less expensive/don't have to put up with asinine fees?? In other news, water is wet and the sky is blue...
I've got family members who are Disney fans. I just don't get it. I never liked Disney, even as a kid. I was made to go to Orlando Disney when I was 12 and hated it. Even back then (late 80s) I could see it was expensive and I don't see the value. I never liked the movies either. I just never got the Disney allure.
I love that someone mentioned the Efteling! I haven't been in years (moved from NL to Canada) but I can't wait to go next time we're back
so Disneyland already implemented P2W microtransactions into their parks? Nice one... That's exactly what a fast pass is. Like in a game when no one ever buys any boosters the game stays on a more or less plain field for everyone. The first one starts the prisoner's dilemma by taking advantage over everyone else - and anyone else face the dilemma of paying up too or they have to suffer the inconveniences.
We went to Disneyland Paris in the 90ies when I was around eight or nine years old. We enjoyed it back then. My parents were always frugal and I remember them being shocked at the price of ice cream and that the balls were huge. We ate only each.
Disney Paris looks good time/money value, if you've ever gone to Legoland Windsor.
If you want to feel better about Legoland Windsor, go to Oakwood in Pembrokeshire! Folly Farm on the other hand is worth every penny.
Load More Replies...In December of 2011, I decided to take my family, five adults and three kids, to Disneyland for Christmas. Because California had a very rainy December, the only time we had available was Christmas Eve. Tickets alone were $800, and about the same amount for everything else. It was so packed, you almost couldn't move around. Everyone seemed to have a good time, but because I have a very bad back, I couldn't go on most of the rides, so I spent most of the time with my youngest granddaughter who was six at the time. Couldn't wait to leave and I swore never again!
It's just nuts. At one point we calculated that it was cheaper to take our three to Europe than to Florida Disney World for the same length of time - not that we every considered the rodent. Went to Europe instead.
Waiting in line for over an hour for each ride sounds hellish. If you go to the park for 8 hours, you'd go on what, 6 rides and pay more than £100 per person. I don't understand how anyone thinks it's worth it. I remember going to amusement parks 30 years ago, and thinking 20min queues weren't worth it, and skipping that ride.
As long as people keep going the more they’ll jack up the prices. They see it as as long as people are willing to pay they’ll continue to raise them. If you have an issue with this, don’t go. If enough people quit going it’ll eventually affect their bottom line and they’ll be forced to lower the prices.
It's not a secret that Disney parks are expensive and the lines are long. If you go to any of them, you should accept that most of your time there will be spent waiting or spending.
I live 10 minutes from Disney in one direction and 5 minutes from Knotts Berry Farm in the other direction. I have not been to Disneyland in about 15 years and have no plans on going anytime soon. Each one of my grandkids has had the experience of going with their parents and that is good enough for me. Knotts however we go often. Its about 250 for a year pass which includes parking and Soak City. We get the refillable cups for $30 each and its always enough to share. Knotts doesnt have the glitz and glamour Disney has, but some days hardly anyone is in the park. It will cost you less to go to Knotts for an entire year compared to the cost to go to Disney for the entire day.
Went over 20 years ago and it was pricey and not very impressive then
You went to Franch to go to Disneyland? No sympathy, you were in an historical country with so much art and architecture to see that it's mind blowing, and you go to a cliche' entertainment park and then complain? Yeah, you're stupid.
My wife took her 3 grandkids to Disney Tokyo last year. Entry for all 4 coast $196 USD. Not each, all 4. There's no reason other than greed for entry to any Disney to cost more than $50 per person. A coworker with with her son and family to Disney Orlando, it cost them more than my wife paid for her entire trip to Japan including the airfares.
Always wanted to make a photo-book of Disney titled, “The Happiest Place on Earth?…”. The red faced fathers, the furious mothers, the screaming children. Saw a mother grab her kids’ shoulders, back them up to a chain link fence, pin them there and growl in the kids’ face, “Your attitude is going to change NOW.” But I also know that the Mouse would sue me into oblivion for doing so.
We go to Disneyland every few years. We book our stay through Getawaytoday.com and they allow you to pay it off bit by bit with no finance fees. It makes it much easier. We also buy Disney gift cards at Target and use our red card to get 5%off. I know it's not a lot, but every little bit help and we use those to buy things in the park. We generally do not eat in the parks because the food is so expensive and usually just meh.
I took my child once by myself when he was little and then again with his aunt. He's an adult now. I expect to never go to Disneyland again in my lifetime. I can barely stand for 15 minutes in line at the pharmacy. There is zero chance I can stand in line for hours for a ride in the hot sun.
We have just come back from WDW Orlando and did the Genie+ Pass, which was great value for money. What was a rip off... the food, the PARKING ($25!) and Universal Studios is worse.
We live right by Disneyland and have season passes but we don't do the parking. The city bus is $2 and it parks closer than you get with the parking lot. My son loves riding the city bus. Everyone- see if your hotel is near the city bus to Disney. It's $2/ adult on the city bus. Kids are free. You will be dropped off closer than in the parking lots. It will still seem like a long walk, but trust me, it's closer. Or- Lyft. $6 from my house. We do bus there, Lyft home (too tired to wait for bus).
Load More Replies...Meh. I've lived within no more than a two hour drive to Disneyworld my whole life and have gone maybe three times. I don't get the appeal. I'd rather do Universal Studios or Busch Gardens.
I mean, we know this. This is why we don’t go. I can’t imagine being surprised that Disney is busy and expensive in 2023.
I’ve heard that Disney just kept raising and raising their ticket and food prices in the hopes of discouraging visitors so that the parks wouldn’t be as crowded and the lines as long. It’s not working. I was thinking that they could limit ticket sales to so many per day, some could be sold in advance- as people tend to plan their vacations- and some held back to be sold at the last minute, like the week before. But no, it seems they prefer to rake in the extra cash from people who are dumb enough to go and put up with their BS.
Well, some theorize prices go up to mitigate the line problem. Though, considering the parks in the US are raising costs while also taking benefits away, I don't think it's that. I've never been to Disneyland Paris, I've only heard its not as good as in the US, so I can't comment on their practices but in the US? The prices are getting really bad, like stupid expensive, and they keep whittling away why staying on property was worth the cost.
If you're queuing for more than 20-30 minutes for any ride at Disney you're doing it wrong. They give you everything you need to dodge the Que's in the standard park entrance. pre booking your free fast passes (before the park even opens!) via the app means you can *que* for the main attractions while you're in line for the smaller ones. this works for the some of the shows and restaurants also. Just takes a bit of pre planning, of course if you rock up at the big rides expecting to just walk on you're going to have a miserable time. FYI I did this peak summer last year with a very impatient 3.y.o. and we had a brilliant time.
We might have been lucky, but when we visited Disneyland Paris in the midst of summer it was heatwave temperatures. Sure it was annoying, but I found it managable and a good trade as it apearantly detered the majority from going there. As I recal it, we did not have to wait more than 15 minutes for most of the rides so it was a total win. Only Space Mountain had a long que, but as we could fast track that, it wasn't really a problem either. So we pretty much got to try most of the rides that we wanted in a single day, which made it really good value for money for us.
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