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Business Insider
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I spent the day at Disneyland without my kids so I could do it my way. It was just what I needed.
My teens have been going to Disney theme parks since they were small. However, they have little patience for long lines or crowds, and I often skip my favorite things. I spent a day alone at Disneyland and did everything they won't do, and it was perfect. I've spent more than a decade visiting Disney World and Disneyland with my family, and when they were small, my kids were game for the hustle and bustle. Now that they're teenagers, visits to theme parks with them are rare, and when they do tag along, there's not much they're interested in doing. Recently, I spent a day at Disneyland alone and, in the words of Rapunzel, had the "best day ever." I visited the park from early morning until late at night and did the things my kids would have complained about having to do if they'd been with me. It was a great reminder that grown-ups need to do "kid things" by themselves sometimes, and I can't wait to do it again. I did everything my kids complain about doing when we visit At Disneyland, I prioritized rides I love but that often have long lines, especially old dark-ride-style attractions like Pinocchio's Daring Journey and Snow White's Enchanted Wish. You can't use Lightning Lane, Disneyland's skip-the-line pass that costs extra, on these rides, so my kids are usually out. I did use the Lightning Lane pass I purchased to ride other attractions my kids claim to be sick of, like It's A Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean. Experiencing these longtime favorites whine-free was magical. My kids also complain about parade-viewing at Disney parks, since you usually need to find a spot along the route at least 30 minutes before the parade starts and sit still to keep your place. On the day I visited, Disneyland had two parades, The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade during the day and Paint the Night — an incredible lighted parade — at night. For both, I grabbed myself a treat, found a seat, and thoroughly enjoyed waving to characters like Duffy Bear and the Disney Princesses from my front-row vantage point. The day reminded me that grown-ups need to let loose sometimes, too There were other little things I found delightful during my day, from being able to try snacks my kids may have turned their noses up at, like a chicken pot pie-topped baked potato that's part of Disneyland's 70th anniversary celebration menu, to standing in long lines to meet characters like Minnie Mouse. I rode more than 10 rides, met several characters, saw two parades and the evening fireworks show, and enjoyed yummy treats, like a mint julep and a green sugar-covered Gator Tail Churro. I also faced a Disney fear — riding the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction (formerly Splash Mountain). I never liked the 50-foot drop at Splash Mountain, so I'd put off riding the new version. Because I was alone, I decided to be brave. The ride was incredibly beautiful and I would absolutely face the drop (and getting soaked) again to spend more time with Princess Tiana and her friends. Doing things I love to do helped me recharge and unwind My day acting like a kid at Disneyland was a much-needed break from the responsibilities of mom life. What's more, the following day, as I flew home, my husband had an emergency appendectomy, and I landed amid a bit of chaos. It just goes to show that it's important to take little moments for yourself when you can, so you're ready to jump when the inevitable stresses of life show up. Recharged and armed with a bit of pixie dust, I arrived home from Disneyland ready to support my husband and kids during a stressful time. My husband joked that I already deserve another Disneyland trip since mine ended with his medical emergency. While he's on the mend and doing great now, I just may take him up on that one day.
Indianapolis Star
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Going to Disney World unplanned? One dad pays price, goes viral after spending $1,400
It's no secret that Disney World is expensive, but just how much of a hit will your wallet take? Well, one dad from Florida went viral after breaking down the price of his $1,400, unplanned visit to Disney World. Craig Stowell, a professional YouTuber based in West Palm Beach, Florida, took his family to Walt Disney World in April, during Easter weekend and had some sticker shock after he spent a grand total of $1,391.91 on parking, tickets, food and drinks, he told USA TODAY. "Know that everything is more expensive than it used to be," said Stowell. "It's not just a quick trip up to Disney anymore. It's the cost of my son's first car." Stowell's family was visiting him from New Hampshire on Easter weekend, when they decided to do an impromptu Disney trip, Stowell said. So, they packed their things and drove to Orlando, Florida, from West Palm Beach, Florida, which is around 170 miles southeast of Orlando. In a video he posted about his day, he talks about just how much money he and his family spent on a day trip to Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios and Disney Springs. One of the first big purchases was the tickets, he said. For Stowell, his wife and three kids, including his son who was younger than 10, entrance to Hollywood Studios cost $974. The tickets were purchased on the day they visited the park. Tickets are broken up into two categories, according to Disney's website. Tickets for children who are 3 to 10 years old are a bit cheaper than tickets for adults, who need to be purchased for anyone who is 11 and older to enter the parks. Children younger than 3 enter the park for free. The remaining $345.91 was spent on parking, which is $30 per car, food and drinks. Spending Memorial Day weekend at Disney? See crowd calendar, weather Since the family visited the theme park on a holiday weekend, their tickets were more expensive due to a holiday surcharge, Stowell said. One-day tickets for Florida residents on Disney's website start at $119, and can be even cheaper for Florida residents planning to visit the park for multiple days. Yes, tickets for Florida residents and non-Florida residents will be more expensive during Memorial Day weekend. During the holiday weekend, tickets start at $159, according to Disney's website. The price of admission for each park varies. Listed below are the prices of one-day tickets to enter the Disney parks on Saturday, May 24 for both residents and non-residents: A family of five, with one child younger than 10 years old, would pay $947.87, including taxes, to enter Hollywood studios during the holiday weekend, according to Walt Disney World's website. That price tag doesn't include the additional costs of parking, Lightning Lane passes, photo packages, hotel stays or food. Stowell recommends that people trying to save some money plan ahead and skip the parks during holiday weekends and go during the off-season instead. Florida residents can also save money on their Disney trip by purchasing tickets for multiple days, according to Walt Disney World's website. While a one-day Florida resident ticket starts at $119, three and four-day tickets start at $87 and $72. The Florida Resident Summer Magic Ticket, which is valid from May 18 to September 27, offers an even more inexpensive experience. The summer magic tickets will cost the following, according to the resort's website: Non-Florida residents can also take advantage of the 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket, which will allow guest admission to only EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Hollowood Studios, and excludes Magic Kingdom, stated the resort's website. Prices for the ticket start at $89 per day, and are valid until September 22, according to Disney World. The tickets must be used within five days of the selected start date. Finally, Stowell offered one more piece of advice for Disney guests above the age of 21: "Don't buy the alcohol," said Stowell. It "would have saved a lot of money for me." This story was updated to add new information.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney's blowout quarter proves it can still turn stories into empires. The stock soars 10%
Photo: Lyvans Boolaky (Getty Images) Disney's (DIS) latest earnings report delivered a bit of old-school magic. Revenue rose 7% to $23.6 billion, up from $22.1 billion last year. EPS rose to $1.45 from last year's $1.21. As the company works to steady its streaming ship, it's the theme parks that continue to do the heavy lifting, with higher prices, fuller cruise ships, and longer guest stays all contributing to that rising bottom line. Disney stock rose 10.4% in Wednesday morning trading. The shares are still down about 8% so far this year. Standout performance in parks Revenue in the Parks, Experiences, and Products segment jumped 10% year over year to $8.4 billion, while operating income from domestic parks climbed 12% to $1.9 billion. Disney Cruise Line added the Disney Treasure to its fleet and expanded its itineraries. Guest spending also rose, thanks to add-ons like Genie+ and Lightning Lane. Defying some analysts' fears that the trade war is weighing on American brands overseas, Disney's international parks turned in a strong quarter, with operating income up 7%. Hong Kong Disneyland even turned a profit—something that hasn't happened in years. CEO Bob Iger called the parks 'a cornerstone of our business,' and with $60 billion earmarked for further buildouts over the next decade, the company is clearly betting that physical experiences will keep driving real-world dollars. So far, the bet is working. Even amid a softening consumer economy, guests aren't balking at the price hikes. Disney's storytelling machine is humming again, too. Mufasa: The Lion King has now quietly pulled in over $720 million globally since its holiday release, and as Iger pointed out in his comments, Marvel's Thunderbolts is the top film in the world. The rest of the 2025 lineup reads like a greatest-hits remix: Freakier Friday, Zootopia 2, Elio, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are all examples of the franchise extensions Disney is well known for. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Moana universe 'knows the way.' Moana 2 became one of the top three films of 2024, earning $1 billion at the box office, and has clocked 139 million streaming hours on Disney+ since March. The original remains the most-streamed film on the platform with an eye-watering 1.4 billion viewing hours — and like other Disney IP goes on minting cash by fueling attractions, stage shows, and character meet-and-greets across parks and cruise ships. It's less a virtuous cycle than a virtuous voyage. Content powers streaming to modest growth All this momentum is translating into modest growth for Disney+. The service added 1.4 million subscribers in Q2 to reach 126 million overall, driven by both domestic and international gains. Executives credited the strong content bank — especially Moana 2, Mufasa, and Daredevil: Born Again — for the bump in subscriptions and streaming revenue.
Sky News AU
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Dad in family of five reveals price tag for one day at Disney World — and haters are shocked: ‘Outrageous'
Their wallets were in a Disney World of hurt. A Florida father left online viewers speechless after revealing that he paid nearly $1,400 to take his family of five to Disney World for just one day. A video detailing the exorbitant price tag has amassed over 7.7 million views on X. 'Here's what a day at Disney cost me for a family of five,' explained the unnamed patriarch, who documented the price of tickets, parking, meals and snacks, along with items at the souvenir shops. Before even embarking on the money-hemorrhaging adventure, the dad reportedly shelled out $30 for all-day parking at the attraction, which is located 20 minutes southwest of Orlando by car. The total cost of tickets for the quintet, including a child under 10, clocked in at an eye-popping $974 — approximately the cost of a round-trip flight from New York to Rome. The dad said they would've paid more had they opted for the Lightning Lane pass, which allows guests to skip the regular line for up to three attractions for $35 per person. Snacks also took a big bite out of the fam's finances. After their first ride, they bought two water bottles and three ice creams, which set them back $29.50. Meanwhile, a pretzel for the kids and a beer for the dad cost another $19. The family also visited the souvenir store, where the father put the kibosh on his son's request for a $44.99 lightsaber. 'That was a hard no,' declared the dad, who said they also spent a pretty penny on lunch at Pizzerizzo. Each family member ordered a personal-sized pizza, a side and a small soft drink, costing them a total of $44.35. After lunch, the family visited the Star Wars: Galaxy Edge park, where they dropped an astronomical amount on various cash-in products. These included a 'Star Wars'-themed Coca-Cola ($6.50), a churro, margarita and water ($36), and some special blue milk ($10.29) that first appeared in 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,' bringing their snack expense total to a shocking $101.29. Just when the dad thought the spending spree was 'finally' over, the 'rest of the family' decided they wanted to go to dinner at Disney Springs, the resort's outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment complex. 'This place was my literal hell; it was shoulder-to-shoulder in every store and restaurant,' lamented the bedraggled dad. They settled on the Frontera Cocina — a Mexican restaurant by multiple James Beard award-winner Rick Bayless — where they ordered carnitas, carne asada, soft drinks, margaritas and more. Total cost: $245.27. He said the family then wanted to go shopping, but luckily, 'it was getting late' — and they decided to call it a day. The grand total for the day was $1,391.91, per the disbelieving dad, who asked viewers, 'Would you spend that much on a day at Disney?' Many commenters were flabbergasted over the price tag, with one calling it 'outrageous' and another incredulous writer posting, 'I stopped at the tickets being almost $1,000, no point in watching the rest. Walt Disney would be rolling in his grave.''Disney is unattainable for most families now, sadly,' rued another. Others pointed out that the trip would be a lot more if they'd flown there or booked a hotel, with one claiming it costs up to two times as much to stay at the resort. However, some critics ripped the family for spending so much money on food. 'Heaven forbid they're not constantly eating lol,' scoffed one naysayer. 'Could have eliminated most of those meals with intermittent fasting or just eating in the car on the way there.' Others claimed that the price actually seemed cheaper than they would've expected for a group that size. '$1,400 that's not bad for a family of 5 tho,' said one. 'Looks like they had a nice time tbh — I was thinking the total was about to be $3,500.' In February, Walt Disney Company officials who work in pricing for its theme parks admitted that the experience has become unattainable for many average Americans, blaming executives at the Happiest Place on Earth for getting 'addicted to price hikes,' per a startling report. Meanwhile, a report from 2024 found that food prices at Disney World soared by an average of 61% over the past decade — nearly twice the rate of inflation during that period. Originally published as Dad in family of five reveals price tag for one day at Disney World — and haters are shocked: 'Outrageous'
News.com.au
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Dad in family of 5 reveals price tag for 1 day at Disney World — and haters are shocked: ‘Outrageous'
A Florida father left online viewers speechless after revealing that he paid nearly AU$2165 to take his family of five to Disney World for just one day. A video detailing the exorbitant price tag has amassed over 7.7 million views on X. 'Here's what a day at Disney cost me for a family of five,' explained the unnamed man, who documented the price of tickets, parking, meals and snacks, along with items at the souvenir shops. Before even embarking on the money-haemorrhaging adventure, the dad reportedly shelled out AU$46 for all-day parking at the attraction, which is located 20 minutes southwest of Orlando by car. The total cost of tickets for the quintet, including a child under 10, clocked in at an eye-popping AU$1506. The dad said they would've paid more had they opted for the Lightning Lane pass, which allows guests to skip the regular line for up to three attractions for AU$55 per person. Snacks also took a big bite out of the family's finances. After their first ride, they bought two water bottles and three ice creams, which set them back AU$45.65. Meanwhile, a pretzel for the kids and a beer for the dad cost another AU$29.40. The family also visited the souvenir store, where the father put the kybosh on his son's request for a AU$70 lightsaber. 'That was a hard no,' declared the dad, who said they also spent a pretty penny on lunch at Pizzerizzo. Each family member ordered a personal-sized pizza, a side and a small soft drink, costing them a total of AU$68. After lunch, the family visited the Star Wars: Galaxy Edge park, where they dropped an astronomical amount on various cash-in products. These included a Star Wars-themed Coca-Cola (AU$10), a churro, margarita and water ($55.70), and some special blue milk ($16) that first appeared in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, bringing their snack expense total to a shocking AU$156.70. Just when the dad thought the spending spree was 'finally' over, the 'rest of the family' decided they wanted to go to dinner at Disney Springs, the resort's outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment complex. 'This place was my literal hell; it was shoulder-to-shoulder in every store and restaurant,' lamented the bedraggled dad. They settled on the Frontera Cocina — a Mexican restaurant by multiple James Beard award-winner Rick Bayless — where they ordered carnitas, carne asada, soft drinks, margaritas and more. Total cost: AU$379.50. He said the family then wanted to go shopping, but luckily, 'it was getting late' — and they decided to call it a day. The grand total for the day was AU$2153.40, per the disbelieving dad, who asked viewers, 'Would you spend that much on a day at Disney?' Many commenters were flabbergasted over the price tag, with one calling it 'outrageous' and another incredulous writer posting, 'I stopped at the tickets being almost US$1,000 (AU$1547), no point in watching the rest. Walt Disney would be rolling in his grave.' 'Disney is unattainable for most families now, sadly,' rued another. Others pointed out that the trip would be a lot more if they'd flown there or booked a hotel, with one claiming it costs up to two times as much to stay at the resort. However, some critics ripped the family for spending so much money on food. 'Heaven forbid they're not constantly eating lol,' scoffed one naysayer. 'Could have eliminated most of those meals with intermittent fasting or just eating in the car on the way there.' Others claimed that the price actually seemed cheaper than they would've expected for a group that size. 'US$1,400 (AU$2165) that's not bad for a family of 5 tho,' said one. 'Looks like they had a nice time tbh — I was thinking the total was about to be US$3,500 (AU$5415).' In February, Walt Disney Company officials who work in pricing for its theme parks admitted that the experience has become unattainable for many average Americans, blaming executives at the Happiest Place on Earth for getting 'addicted to price hikes,' per a startling report. Meanwhile, a report from 2024 found that food prices at Disney World soared by an average of 61 per cent over the past decade — nearly twice the rate of inflation during that period.
