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Why Disneyland and Universal are offering huge summer discounts

The Disneyland Monorail and Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland on May 7 in Anaheim, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register/TNS)
The Disneyland Monorail and Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland on May 7 in Anaheim, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register/TNS)
By Brady MacDonald Orange County Register

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Economic uncertainty, declining consumer confidence and a shift in visitation trends has forced Disneyland, Universal Studios and other Southern California theme parks to offer deep discounts on tickets during what used to be their busiest time of the year.

Summer ticket deals abound this year at Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California long before the kids get out of school and the family vacation season kicks into gear.

Disney, Universal and other major theme parks have begun a wave of heavy discounting as summer approaches to drive attendance amid economic uncertainty, according to International Theme Park Services CEO Dennis Speigel.

“Disneyland has wasted no time in rolling out enticing offers to mark its milestone 70th anniversary,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. “The summer discounts are not only a celebration of the park’s historic anniversary, but also a strategic response to broader economic conditions.”

Theme parks are betting that the additional attendance driven by discounted tickets will translate into increased revenue from in-park dining and souvenir shopping, according to Speigel.

“There are always pitfalls associated with over-discounting risks,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. “If parks lean too early and too heavily on discounts, they risk devaluing their brand. Frequent, deep discounts can train guests to wait for sales, making it harder for parks to return to full pricing.”

There are essentially three seasons for Southern California theme parks: Holidays (Halloween and Christmas), Festivals (January through April) and Summer (May through September).

The local parks have done such a good job enticing annual passholders and daily visitors to return during the holidays and seasonal festivals that the summer vacation season no longer ranks as the busiest time of the year.

Christmas is certainly the busiest season at Disneyland, and Halloween is king at Knott’s and Universal. Magic Mountain, SeaWorld and Legoland have followed the leaders and leaped into the spring festival business.

To help boost attendance, the parks are rolling out deals to make summer feel less forgotten and neglected.