Disney CFO Oddly Discusses Park Guests’ Money vs. Time

We get it. It’s a dizzying time to be part of the Disney fandom.

There is plenty happening with the Walt Disney Company that we can cheer about. Parades such as Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade and Walt Disney World’s Festival of Fantasy Parade are returning. Disney is bringing back nighttime spectaculars such as Fantasmic! And we’re eagerly awaiting the grand opening of EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind this summer.

With the good comes the bad. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has taken his not-so-great reputation one step further in with #BoycottDisney trending on social media as a result of Disney’s lack of support with the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida. Not to mention upcharge services and the disappearance of former complimentary services.

Recently, Disney’s Chief Financial Officer, Christine McCarthy was part of a Q&A interview at Morgan Stanley’s technology, media, and telecom conference.

The Disney DFO discussed the recent ticket pricing adjustments at the Disney theme parks in which she defended the increase. Furthermore, when talking about the Park’s ticket pricing and services McCarthy was quoted saying, “Some people have more time than they do money, and some have more money than they do time.”

McCarthy went on to say, “You don’t get everything, you don’t get every day, you don’t get peak periods. But you can go into the Park just like anybody else. [And] You can buy up or trade-up for a more engaged experience, or more flexibility.”

So, you as a Disney Guest… do you have more time than money or more money than time? Sadly, this is the REAL question many of us Disney fans are facing at the moment.

When visiting Walt Disney World Resort, if you’re a family of four, for example, you must now decide if you want to spend $60 per day to experience Disney Genie+ (AKA the former complimentary FastPass System). Want to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and not wait three hours? That’s an easy $50 plus to add to the pot for that family of four. Did we mention this is all on top of the already increased ticket prices?

Money vs. time is the never-ending battle that even the Disney CFO has confirmed has made its way to the Disney Parks.