A TikToker managed to enter Disney World’s Magic Kingdom using a 46-year-old ticket.
Matthew Ables used the bill last January after a relative bought it in 1978 for $8.
Currently, tickets start at $109 per day, plus tax. In most cases, a visit costs at least $150.
Kept as a memento, the dusty receipt proved enough to gain entry into the hallowed House of Mouse, and Ables recorded the process for all to see.
At one point, he presents the crumpled paper as a way to stave off inflation, as price increases at Disney parks have caused its profits to soar. This is despite the drop in visitor numbers seen after the pandemic, when the parks closed their doors for months.
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A TikToker managed to enter Disney World’s Magic Kingdom using a 46-year-old ticket
Matthew Ables used the ticket last January after a family member bought it in 1978 for $8.
“I realized it had never been used and had no expiration date,” he says in the clip, which has more than 18 million views.
“I got nervous because she started aggressively stamping ‘void’ all over the ticket book and then walked away,” he adds of the moment of truth between him and a ticket seller.
But the employee returns to the park with a yellow pass that allows him entry.
The pass, like those available today, allowed him daytime access, during which he boasted about the nearly free ride.
“I can’t believe this actually worked,” the influencer exclaims in disbelief.
The video goes on to show Ables enjoying a close-up view of the park’s iconic castle, as well as a glow-in-the-dark roller coaster.
At one point, he zooms in on a kiosk displaying the price we would have paid if we had used a current ticket: hundreds of dollars for those 10 and older.
The TikTok user, who continues to do similar things on social media, clearly fits into that sample group. He flew from his home to Orlando to carry out the stunt.
Kept as a souvenir, the dusty slip proved enough to gain entry into the hallowed House of Mouse, and Ables recorded the process for all to see.
At one point, he presents the crumpled paper as a way to stave off inflation, as price increases at Disney parks have caused its profits to soar. This is despite the drop in visitor numbers seen after the pandemic, when the parks closed their doors for months.
After closing for a year during the pandemic, Disney World implemented a series of changes at its flagship park, eliminating free perks and raising prices.
This has caused the cost of a visit to not only Disney World, but also places like Disney Land, to rise dramatically.
Park visitor numbers have plummeted 17 percent in the year since the pandemic, a year in which Disney’s profits per visitor coincidentally rose 17 percent year-over-year, helping boost profits.
The company’s stock price plunged by more than a third due in large part to controversies over Disney’s opposition to Florida’s so-called Don’t Say Gay bill, as well as films like Lightyear being described as “progressive.”
But revenue from its theme parks – traditionally the most profitable part of Disney’s business – remains in poor health.
Disney earned a whopping $7.4 billion from its parks during the final quarter of fiscal year 2022, up 70 percent from the year before when it was recovering from COVID-19 closures.
Profits also rose to an impressive $2.2 billion for the quarter, a big jump from the $356 million posted for the same quarter 12 months earlier. Wall Street Journal reported.
In March, IJake Williams, long-time Disney fan He criticized the park for being “anti-consumer” and noted that removing some of the once-free amenities adds hundreds of dollars to a family day at the park.
In March, longtime Disney fan Jake Williams criticized the park for being “anti-consumer,” noting that removing some of the once-free amenities adds hundreds of dollars to a family’s day at the park.
Like Ables, Jake also visited Magic Kingdom to document his experience, how much it costs for two people to visit the park, showing how the happiest place on Earth is also becoming the most unaffordable.
An all-access visit to Magic Kingdom normally costs $154 per person, nearly 20 times the cost of a visit in the year the ticket was purchased.
Like Ables, Jake also visited Magic Kingdom to document his experience and how much it costs for two people to visit the park, showing how the happiest place on earth is also becoming the most unaffordable.
He cited a whopping 44 percent price increase since 2017, after visiting the park during the day.
“I got a discounted rate of $249 a night, but it actually turned out to be $280 a night with tax to start,” she said of her room, which she called “pretty nice” and in a good location.
The couple began their day at Disney in the resort’s dining room.
“We both ordered the loot plate, which was pretty good,” he shared. “The plate costs $22.79 per person, which works out to a decent $27.24 with tax included.”
From there, they were able to take Disney’s free bus transportation from the resorts, but the park had reformatted the pricing tier of its annual pass system since Jake last visited.
“They raised the prices for the passes and regular daily tickets,” he said. “We chose the classic Magic Kingdom park, which is also the most expensive. Unlike Disney, it now has variable prices for each park depending on when you go.”
An all-access visit to Magic Kingdom normally costs $154 per person, almost $50 more than the cheapest version.
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