My How Times Have Changed

[brad192]

Here's something for us "old timer" WDW fans.:old:

As the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World approaches, I got to thinking about what it was like back in 1971 (my first visit was Christmas day that year). I found the following in an article about prices for MK in October of '71:

Let’s look at our ticket book. “Your Admission to the Magic Kingdom and Seven Adventures. Adult $4.75” and in parentheses it says “a $7.65 value” so we got a really good deal because individual prices for tickets run from a dime for an “A” ticket to 90 cents for an “E” ticket.
General Admission and Transportation for an adult was $3.50 just by itself, so the ticket book was a great deal. A Junior (12-17) seven-adventure ticket book was $4.25 and a Child (3-11) was $3.75.
Of course, you could get an 11-adventure ticket book for $5.75 or a guided tour for $6.50. By the way, parking was 50 cents for all day and you could leave your pet at the Kal Kan Kennel Club for 50 cents a day (including a free meal) or $1 overnight. Stroller rental was 75 cents. Wheelchair rental was $1.

Hmmm...seems things have become a little more expensive. I wonder what the above prices would equal in today's dollars. Bet it doesn't even come close to today's prices. :spend:

I do have fond memories of the ticket books, the kennel, and several of the now extinct rides. Ahh, memories...:cloud9:

[Ed]

From what I found via Google, it would take $7.63 in todays dollars to buy what one 1971 dollar could buy. Do the math. :eek:

[joonyer]

I did the math based on the $1 to $7.63 ratio.

At that rate the seven adventure ticket book would be $36.24 in today's dollars. But remember that's admission for only for seven attractions. The 11 attraction ticket book would be $43.87.

Remember there are over 40 attractions at the MK, and today's park passes give you admission to every attraction as many times as you wish on that day. So you would have to buy several ticket books to experience all the rides just once if they still used the ticket book system (it would take four 11 ticket books). Doing that would cost $175.00 in 1971 dollars. Taking that into account, I don't think the current prices ($93 adult, $84 child) are that far off off the inflation rate from 1971, especially if you consider the huge discount (per day) for multi-day passes. It's still a pretty good deal for them park entertainment.

[murphy1]

Hey y'all I still have an October 1981 ticket that was $10!! I'm glad I kept it, I wish I had the old tix (like A,B, and those)

Shari