About Theme Parks: Money Makes the Carousels Go Round

Theme Parks In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Arthur Levine The fantasy world of theme parks is not immune to the real world that exists beyond the coasters and the carousels. And the crummy economy in the real world is infringing on the parks. Dollars are down at Disney and Six Flags, but that didn't stop the Mouse House from raising its ticket prices.   In the Spotlight Pirates of the Caribbean Want More of Yer Loot-Take the Poll Despite plunging revenues and wary vacationers, the cheese counters at the Mouse House's parks division decided to spring its annual August ticket price increase. So, how much cheddar does it now cost to buy a one-day, one-park ticket at Walt Disney World? Hold on to your mouse ears. A ride on Space Mountain will set you back $79--and that doesn't even include a bag of peanuts or a mini pillow. Raising ticket prices amid a down economy seems kinda dopey to me--if not downright counterintuitive. Which brings us to the latest About.com poll: Will Disney's higher prices cause you to rethink your park plans?              More Topics Waldameer Classic Pennsylvania trolley park WDW Magic Your Way Ticket Program Higher prices at Disney World Six Flags Ride Guide 2009 Coney Island New plans for the old amusement area Florida Theme Park Vacation Deals Disney's got deals--despite higher tix What's New at Theme Parks? Indoor Water Parks Marty Gets his Window on Main Street-- See the Video During his 54-year career with the Disney company, Marty Sklar helped shape the theme parks in countless ways, most notably during his tenure as the head of Imagineering. The Disney legend is among the last of the "cast members" who worked alongside Walt Disney. Sklar retired a couple of weeks ago and got his own window on Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland. An honor reserved for a select few Disney notables, the second-floor windows list the names and fanciful titles of fictitious proprietors. Sklar's window, which identifies him as the Dean of the Main Street College of Arts and Sciences, is in City Hall, near Sklar's actual, original office. See the video of the window dedication ceremony.   This Week's Theme Park News Flagging Attendance and Revenue at Six Flags The park chain's coaster went down in Q2. NYC Mayor Takes Coney Island for a Ride Good news, but mostly bad news from Brooklyn Disney Dollars Down Disney's Q2 coaster went down also.     Sponsored Links   How to Choose the Right Dog for You Getting a New Dog Age, size, and activity level are all important doggy characteristics to take into consideration. How did your dog become part of the family? Click here to share the story. Theme Parks Ads Flags Theme Parks Carousels Disney World Package Vacation Rentals Disney Resorts Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Hotels / Resorts / Inns California for Visitors Florida for Visitors Travel with Kids     Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Theme Parks newsletter as ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=themeparks&e=ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.