If you've visited a Disney park recently, you'll understand that the cost of entry is a mere fraction of the money they expect to extract from you during your stay.
I'm not qualified at all to say this, but I'd say the park ticket is a loss leader.
The entire park is a shopping mall now. Mobile product carts and gift shops around every turn - not just at the exits anymore. The RFID MagicBands exist to eliminate any hesitation in purchasing something. The FastPasses were built to keep you walking around and buying stuff instead of waiting in a line for an hour. The hotels are full of upsells and overmarketed dining plans (if they saved you money, why would they be selling it?). I could go on and on.
I know some people going on a Disney trip soon. The cost and regimentation was staggering to me when described. You have to schedule everything. And it is all expensive as heck.
I'd rather spend that money on flying to Europe or somewhere else.
I live with schedules every day at work. I go on vacation to get away from schedules...
My favorite thing to do is to just go to a forest preserve or other park and just walk around looking at the trees and the clouds.
I'm not qualified at all to say this, but I'd say the park ticket is a loss leader.
The entire park is a shopping mall now. Mobile product carts and gift shops around every turn - not just at the exits anymore. The RFID MagicBands exist to eliminate any hesitation in purchasing something. The FastPasses were built to keep you walking around and buying stuff instead of waiting in a line for an hour. The hotels are full of upsells and overmarketed dining plans (if they saved you money, why would they be selling it?). I could go on and on.