The Chapeking of Disney continues!
WALT DISNEY WORLD, FL — The new “Disney Enchantment” fireworks and projection show is a hit, but many guests are finding it to be a hit in their pocketbook as well.
Fresh on the heels of Walt Disney World charging for their formerly free transportation, now just watching the fireworks can cost extra. Guests who view the show from the Magic Kingdom’s prime viewing spots in the Hub or on Main Street are being hit with a $25 “Prime Viewing” surcharge on their account.
“That’s the great thing about long-range RFID technology,” Disney (the company) spokesperson Jun Disney (no relation) tells Uncle Walt’s Insider. “We know who you are and where you are in the parks at all times. And we have a mandate from Bob ‘Bob‘ Chapek to nickel-and-dime our guests in every conceivable way. So it was easy enough just to charge extra when you have a decent view of the fireworks!”
Nickel and dime and dollars
Disney (no relation) tells us that other parkgoers may also see fireworks fees. “We’re working on creating a sliding scale of surcharges, depending on your viewing location. Main Street and the Hub are the top, of course, but if you’re, say, way off in Frontierland, you’ll be charged less. Of course, if you’re riding an attraction like Haunted Mansion where you have no view at all, we’ll only charge a buck or two.”
This is almost certainly not the end of new upcharges.
“Yeah,” Disney (no relation) admits, “we’re probably going to try to tack a fee onto guests who view the fireworks from outside the parks, too. Not just on Disney property, like watching from the roof of the big giant toaster. No, there are many places off-property where you can see our fireworks. We want to charge those people, too.
“Don’t put it past us. We’re Disney.”
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Cover photo: Disney just charged you $5.00 for looking at this picture. Photo by Candace Lindemann [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr.