Disney, and I'm not sure if it's completely fair or not, gets a bad rap for how much it costs to visit the parks. All you have to do is a quick Google search:
This is in response, I think, to some new changes being made at the parks -- changes that I haven't experienced firsthand, since our last trip was in the fall of 2015. An article from WDW Info (the first link on the Google results page) seems to have sparked a lot of the discussion, and it's an interesting take....again, I haven't experienced them firsthand, so my "data" might be a little outdated.
But, let's break down my most recent trip to Busch Gardens. (If I had thought ahead, I would have taken more photos as "evidence" -- live and learn. Next time.)
(1) TICKET PRICES
Let's start with how much it costs to get into the parks -- a somewhat contentious topic, given that ticket prices seem to be ever increasing.
Busch Gardens: a one-day ticket, for someone 10+, costs $77
Disney: a single-day ticket, for someone 10+ costs $124*
*This is during "Peak" time (a Saturday in July) for Magic Kingdom; a "peak" ticket for the other 3 parks is $114. If you go during the "value" season (say, early September) the price for MK drops to $105 and $97 for the other three parks.
Here's my thing with ticket prices: Busch Gardens is, at best, a one-day park. We did pretty much everything we wanted to do in about 5 hours. (Now, granted, we wimped out of some of the coasters because apparently we're getting old and our stomachs can't take it.) Hence why the "Unlimited Visits" Ticket and the Single-Day ticket are the same price.
But Disney? I suppose you could do a one-day ticket. You could. But, especially now, Orlando is a vacation destination. They (both the city and Disney) want you to stay as long as possible. Chances are, you're going to go for more than a day. Four parks = 4 days = starting at $81 a ticket. So if you're doing a park a day, the price difference is only about $4 for the individual ticket.
Because let's be honest: that's what these are.
Busch Gardens: For a Saturday in July (peak pricing), its $35pp to cut the line once on select rides, $60pp to have unlimited cuts.
Confession: We bought Quick Queue tickets when we went. (We had a limited amount of time, remember.) And...we didn't need them. The nice lady at our local AAA said we wouldn't but we didn't listen. There was no line for anything. (Also, the Quick Queues entrances were hidden and very clearly retrofitted from emergency exits and the like.)
Disney: Free! Well, the cost is included in your ticket. (Maybe that's where the $4 goes?)
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| (c) Disney Website |
(2) PARKING
This is one of the areas where things are changing at Disney...I think.
Busch Gardens: We paid $15 to park for one day.
Disney: According to Chip and Company, it's $20 to park for one day at Disney, with the option of paying $35 for Preferred Parking.
Again, this isn't as simple as it seems. Since my husband and I have been going, we have never paid $20 (or $17, or whatever the old rate was) to park. There was one year where I was an Annual Passholder, so parking was free. (And we drove to the parks some nights just to take advantage of that.)
Also, if you stay at a Disney Resort -- and I highly recommend that you do -- you do not have to pay for parking. If you're staying at a resort, (1) you do not have to pay to park at the hotel (valet, of course, is extra) and (2) you can take advantage of their eco-friendly, carpooling bus system which drop you off at the hotel and deposit you at the gate of the park.
Is the bus system perfect? Nope. Especially if you leave right when the park closes/after fireworks, you can wait quite a while for a bus. But, again. There is the option for no-pay parking at Disney. If there is an equivalent option at Busch Gardens, I'm unaware of it.
(3) LOCKERS
And I don't mean the ones at the front of the park.
Busch Gardens: If everyone in your party wants to ride a roller coaster (i.e., you don't have anyone to leave your belongings with) and you don't feel comfortable leaving them on the other side of the ride loading dock, then be prepared to shell out money for a locker -- $5 for an all day locker rental so you can keep your wallet, phone, and sunglasses safe while you ride a 60-second ride.
Disney: All Disney rides -- even the ones that go upside down (like Rock n' Roller Coaster) -- have pouches built into the vehicles. No locker rental required.
You can, however, rent an all-day locker at the front of the park for $5 -- which is refundable.
(4) FOOD
Oh my goodness, the food. This is quite possibly my favorite part of going to Disney as an adult. [Sidebar: Once, when my husband and I saw The Little Mermaid Broadway play at the Raleigh theater, we sat in front of a group of people who were, inexplicably (given the show they were attending), Disney-haters. They were talking with a couple who were Disney-philes, and loudly proclaiming that they couldn't understand why people went to Disney so much. One of their reasons? "Theme park food was gross." To which I say--when was the last time you ate at a Disney park? Because the food is amazing.]
Busch Gardens: We ate at Trappers Smokehouse in New France. (My husband got a brisket platter (~$11) and I got a Turkey Salad Wrap ($9-10). Meh.
Note: I didn't think the dining options at Busch Gardens were all that great or extensive. A quick Google search revealed it was the BBQ joint or the "German" restaurant.
Disney: I think the Disney equivalent might be either Pecos Bill's in Frontierland or the Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square. I've eaten at both: I usually get the Anchors Aweigh Sandwich (+chips) at the Harbor House ($9.49) or the Taco Salad at Pecos Bill (which looks like it's been replaced, but the equivalent is about $11.49).
The food might be a little more expensive at Disney, but I've had a bad meal there...once? twice? And that was more on the service end and not about the food. That's also holding the service to a non-theme-park-standard: that is, usually when we go to theme parks, I lower my standards (a. lot.) recognizing that the standards of service aren't necessarily the same. But at Disney? I'd say the standards are maybe even higher: sub-par service at Disney is probably still way better than average theme park service. (Depending on the park.)
Note: (tap) water is always free at Disney. You can go into any restaurant or quick service counter and ask for tap water, and you'll get it. And water fountains at Disney are numerous -- not just at the bathrooms. (Although...Orlando water has a little bit of a funky taste...but we just bring Brita water bottles.)
When it comes down to it, I'm not sure the accusations (as I understand them, and excluding any super-recent changes) against Disney "nickel and diming" you are fair. It might cost more to visit, but at least they don't seem to have as many hidden costs when you enter the park.
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