Luxury at theme parks is getting more and more expensive while companies try to keep ticket costs the same.
Anyone who has been to Universal Studios Orlando knows that the parking situation there is complex but very streamlined. The parking garage system, the moving sidewalks… all of it is very well designed, but like at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, getting from your car to one of the two theme parks is a journey. That’s why many guests have opted in the past for “Prime Parking,” which allows customers to be much closer to their destination. As you might imagine, that’s especially convenient for guests with mobility concerns.
But the price of Prime Parking has been increasing over the last few years, and we seem to finally be settling in with a high-level cost associated with it. Although normal parking already will tag you with a nearly thirty dollar price point, Prime Parking is now double that — sixty dollars.
This shouldn’t be a surprise, however. In the face of rising inflation, theme parks are often resorting to raising the prices for their more luxury services. At Disney World, the one free Fastpass is now a pricey option. Years ago they also added a parking fee even for their hotel parking lots. So to see Universal doing a similar thing with their parking fees is no surprise. These companies are definitely juggling how to keep tickets low enough for families being pinched by inflation and a poor economy while simultaneously squeezing as much cash out of higher income spenders as is possible.
Raising prices on Prime Parking makes sense because it’s a luxury for some and not really a choice for people who feel they actually need to park closer. It’s a way for the Comcast-owned (CMCSA) – Get Comcast Corporation Class A Common Stock Report theme park to bring in more revenue without angering its core audience. That’s arguably a more subtle take on a price increase than what Disney has done with its FastPass+ replacements.
To be fair, Universal does offer “Express Pass,” its own “cut the line” product, which uses demand-based pricing, but generally costs much more than Disney’s sort-of-comparable offerings.
— Danielle Kline, The Street
Prime Parking Raised to $60 at Universal Orlando Resort – https://t.co/fxpCuEEY7T via @wdwnt
— Chris PIlz (@chrispilz) June 4, 2022
Prime parking had been fluctuating, so we were hoping that the latest bump to sixty was just a short blip as demand increased. But it looks like it’s here to stay… a big change from just a few years ago when it was only forty. Like we said before, however, we really can’t blame Universal Studios on this one. We’re all trying to find ways to adjust in the worsening economy.
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