Essay Sample on Opportunities at Disney World

Introduction

It costs approximately $110 entry to a single park in Disneyland and about $165 to buy hopper ticket for a single day per person. This price is not inclusive of transportation, food, and lodging fee, making the admission price daunting for most Americans. When the park opened, admission cost was $3.50 per person. Comparing the prices when the park first opened in 1971 and now, the climb in ticket prices has outpaced inflation during a period when American wages have not kept up with the inflation. Despite the ticket discounts on multi-day passes, for example, $315 for five days, it still a daunting experience for moderate level income earners because multi-pass tickets imply longer visits and more spending on food and accommodation.

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According to George Ritzer, Disneyland prices have a great influence on social classes. The prices tend to enhance the already existing class divide separating Americans. He argues that despite discrimination along social class not being unlawful, it has deleterious effects on lower class people in the society. The housing and prices differences at Disneyland segregate the community because of social class. Disneyland has been leaving lower class and middle -class Americans behind. For example, the un-gated town allows middle-class citizens but have a considerable spread concerning housing prices. In Disneyland, about 3 out of 4 adult visitors are highly paid professionals or managers. Ritzer continues to say that as the cities in Disneyland continue to grow, the poor tend to be excluded. For example, during re-invigoration of Times Square, the lower class citizens who could not afford movie theatres and hot dogs were driven out, leaving the area dominated by the middle, and upper classes (Ritzer, 2005).

In addition, Orlando Sentinel, a columnist on Disney prices, argued that Disney prices have priced out much of America, saying that theme parks in Disney World have left the middle class behind. The majority of people living in Florida- Walt Disney's home- earn less than $29,700, implying that they would have to work for an entire month without paying any bills to afford Disney theme tickets- something not doable. He adds that Disney World targets around 20 percent; families with income starting from $100,000 are the ones with perfect opportunities to take their family to Disneyland.

Symbolic interaction theory of sociology is a framework that alludes to people's utilization of dialect, symbols to make implications for correspondence with others, and focuses on individual relationships in a society. The theory analyzes the society using subjective meanings to determine people's actions and behaviors based on assumptions on what is objectively true. This theory is incorporated in Disney World since theme parks create a social control on the visitors without questioning their official presentation as free choice making and experience seeking individuals.

Manipulation of nature images to be 'wild' and 'civilized' to code prohibited places for visitors, maintains a civilized non-coercive discourse in different guests who present themselves as responsible. In Disneyland, attention is highly drawn on to the contraction that social interaction perspective creates between civilized and authentic spectacles especial with the presentation of animals. The actions create an imperative to portray civilized animal behavior, which limits the means Disney World adapt to create a place free from the intrusion of uncivilized nature. At Disney World, guests take joint adventure rides or act as 'crew of one mind' to incorporate social interactions in organized activities (Gupta et al. 2000). Disney World prices highly influence the abilities of different classes of people to visit the park. For example, the Celebration Park priced do not incorporate low income earning citizens who cannot afford the basic amenities provided. Disney charges more to guests who visit during peak periods in an attempt to spread out the crowds. Disney world outrageous prices communicate a lot when it comes to the unequal economy. Its increase in prices is driving out middle-class customers, somehow due to income inequality. The Washington post illustrates "for America's middle-class vacationers, the Mickey Mouse club which was promoted for everyone seems increasingly designed for someone else." The giant prices are becoming unaffordable for middle-level citizens. The post goes ahead to point out that Disney parks are trying to appeal the richer clientele by constructing fancy hotels, expensive restaurants, princess makeovers and guided tours - things that low-income earners or middle-class people cannot afford. This does not necessarily point that middle-class people are missing a vacation at Disney but is a clear indication that the improvements are geared towards new attractions. Such developments spur up social class envy by talking about fancy restaurants and premium hotels but leaving out the satellite economy of value lodging offerings and dining surrounding the Disney parks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Washington post on 'how Disney World left the middle class behind', points out two important things. The first is ticket prices have hiked from $20.46 when the Orlando theme park was opened to approximately $105 today. The second important factor from their report is that the park is booming despite the hike in ticket prices thus recording increase revenue. It seems to leave the middle class out is good for the bottom-line and in this sense portrays Disney World as a microcosm of inequality. To look at how inequality harm growth in relation to the Disney world question, it was discovered that economic growth depended on the feedback loop involving the business and consumers. The concentration of money on the top makes it harder for the feedback loop to function effectively.

Work Cited

Ritzer, George. Enchanting a disenchanted world: Revolutionizing the means of consumption. Pine Forge Press, 2005.

Gupta, Sudheer, and Mirjana Vajic. "The contextual and dialectical nature of experiences." New service development: Creating memorable experiences 15 (2000): 33-51.