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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
What do you think ?
Anthony Kiousopoulos 1 year ago
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!!
Ample Aardvark 1 year ago
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...
Tim 1 year ago
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.
liam newton-harding 1 year ago
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... Annymoose 1 year ago
??? 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...
Anthony Kiousopoulos 1 year ago
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!!
Ample Aardvark 1 year ago
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... Tim 1 year ago
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.
liam newton-harding 1 year ago
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... Annymoose 1 year ago
??? 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...
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