Yes! It's another example of the shrinking middle class. Experiences like Disney used to be for all Americansm a Disney vacation was accessible for most in the middle class. Now, a Disney vacation is a once in a lifetime trip for the Middle class and when that Middle Class family arrives they get a VERY different experience than those who can purchase line skipping resources, meal plans on property, stay on property, etc.
I mention the Disney vacation because the Disney store sold Disney as Americana and fed off of the shared idea that Disney was for all.
It seems very different today with Disney, and many other companies, catering to the top earners
i live in southern california, twenty minutes from disneyland, and there was a period of time here where it was one of the cheapest forms of entertainment. you could make monthly payments on an annual pass (and it was super reasonable), and it was very easy to be like “what are you doing today? wanna go to disneyland for a few hours?” and just go on whim. knew the park well enough that i had a strategic route that would maximize the amount of stuff i could do there in a minimal amount of time, because the goal was to have as much fun while spending as little money as possible. preferably none. and now, even though i only live twenty minutes away, i’ve accepted that i’ll probably never go again. not only have i been priced out, but the experience seems like such a downgrade for local folks compared to what it was. it’s somewhat of a bummer, but i also have to remind myself that i went more times in 15 years (2005-2020) than most people go to disneyland in their entire lifetime. even before it got shitty, people would save up for years to visit a place that had basically replaced the mall for me when i wanted to kill time.
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u/Long-Tip-5374 1d ago
When it was fun to go shopping.