Disney announces ‘bucket list’ tour to all of its global parks. But it comes at a price
Disney has announced what it’s calling a “bucket list adventure” — a tour that will take 75 Disney fans to each of its 12 theme parks across the globe.
The all-inclusive trip will bring travelers to six countries and three major landmarks: the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India and the Eiffel Tower in France.
But it doesn’t come cheap.
Tickets, which are being offered in tiers to different groups of buyers, will open to the public on June 28 for $109,995 each.
“Just in terms of the price, this is only going to be for high net-worth superfans,” Carissa Baker, assistant professor of theme park and attraction management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, told McClatchy News.
Disney did not respond to requests for comment by McClatchy News.
Adventures by Disney, the travel arm of the Walt Disney Company, started offering tours in 2005, according to magicguides.com.
Costly adventure
The trip costs about $42,000 more than the annual median income in the U.S., which was $67,521 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But while it may be out of reach for most travelers, Baker said it may be worth the price to wealthier Disney fanatics.
“It’s certainly a luxury, VIP experience,” Baker said of the tour. “I can’t afford it, but it doesn’t seem like it’s a bad value.”
Adventures by Disney offers all-inclusive, guided tours to destinations on almost every continent, but its newest tour, Disney Parks Around the World, will take travelers by private jet to Anaheim and San Francisco, California; Tokyo, Japan; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong; Agra, India; Cairo, Egypt; Paris, France; and Orlando, Florida. Accommodations and 68 meals are included.
The trip, which will last 24 days, is geared toward teens and adults, according to Disney’s website. Travelers under 12 years old are prohibited and the company recommends children be at least 14 years old to attend.
Tickets were first made available on June 20 to people who had traveled on three or more Adventures by Disney trips and then on June 22 to travelers who had been on at least one trip with Adventures by Disney.
On June 24, sales will open to members of Golden Oak, a luxury living community owned by Disney in Golden Oak, Florida.
Tickets go on sale for the general public on June 28.
Disney fans have been doing their own world tours of their favorite theme parks for decades — without the private jet and five-star accommodations.
Baker, a self-proclaimed Disney lover, has traveled to every Disney theme park on her own.
“They all have enough that is different to make it kind of a cool thing to go to all of them,” she said.
The most popular theme parks in the world
Disney’s revenues for fiscal year 2021 were $67.4 billion, according to the company’s annual report. And its parks make up 12 of the top 25 theme parks worldwide, according to the Themed Entertainment Associations’ Global Attractions Attendance Report.
The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando was the most-visited park in 2020 with nearly 7 million visitors, according to the report. But attendance was down 66% over the previous year when nearly 21 million visitors came to the park. The park was closed for part of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Baker said while most Disney lovers will be content visiting one park in their lifetime, the more die-hard fans — who have the cash to spare — will likely get a lot out of the tour.
“I can say that Disney just has consistent quality in their experiences, so I totally understand the reason why somebody would want to do this trip,” she said.
This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Disney announces ‘bucket list’ tour to all of its global parks. But it comes at a price."