sorry not even free or reduced prices could induce me to return to Disneyland or World. How can anyone justify fingerprinting theme park visitors? no prior notice was given, no release requested and no information provided by the poor guy at the turnstyle. just a quick swipe before I even knew what was happening. In exchange for giving up our civil liberty, we got to spend too much money on rides showing their age, eat really bad food and be subjected to repeated "opportunities" to spend add'l money for character photo ops. Go somewhere real for vacation.

Posted By Dot on June 25, 2009, 9:57 PM

We have been to Disney World on an average of every two years. We love it. To me, it's the best place in the whole world where you can go back in time, go into the future and still stay in the present, all at the same time.

Posted By GL Gunther on June 26, 2009, 8:02 AM

Love all the parks, but doubtful we will ever be able to go back. Something needs to be done to make it more affordable. Prices have gotten out of hand.

Posted By Linda A. on June 29, 2009, 12:43 PM

Having just returned for Walt Disney World, June 12th-19th, and also using the What will you celebrate. I'm disappointed with the waits for rides even using fast pass. The fast pass for test track was over 60 minutes the one day. The parks are very crowded. Even taking advantage of magical evenings you just can't get away from the crowds. For all the money you pay it really not a family place to go anymore.

Posted By Karyn M on June 29, 2009, 1:27 PM

I think this free on your birthday is ok but some birthdays fall on a weekday, on which some of us have to work for a living, and cannot get off work. I think it would be nice if they could extend it to the first saturday after your birthday if it falls on a week day. As for me my birthday falls on Christmas, do you think I want to spen Christmas up there on that day think again.

Posted By margaret cruz on June 29, 2009, 5:11 PM

OK what's the big deal? If you live near the parks it may be a good deal. But for those of us who have to make it more than a day trip this is a ripoff. Why? you ask. Because if I'm hauling the family there then we will be attending for more than one day and there will be more than one person attending. And the birthday person still has to eat and sleep somewhere. So, Disney lets in one person free for one day and gets the whole family for two, three or more days. Plus they get our money for food and lodging. How much of a discount does that work out to be? Not much! So people, think about what you are REALLY getting with this "DEAL".

Posted By Bill S on June 30, 2009, 10:53 AM

I'm proud to be in a country where everyone can express their opinions, but I have never heard so many ungrateful comments to a free offer such as this.

Thanks to Disney for being so generous during this time when so many other businesses are failing. No one deserves this offer and your generosity that the majority of us appreciated comes with many thanks.

My family and I have already taken advantage of this offer. I had originally planned on not going to Disneyland this year, since we went several times last year. And though I live local, I got a hotel room for only $45 a night for the safety of not driving home late and tired.

Thanks again for a memorable time (minus the grouches who managed not to show and ruin our day!).

Posted By Jenelle on June 30, 2009, 1:40 PM

It was so fun to have everyone calling out happy birthday all day. Why are people complaining about something free? Of course the free day is more reasonable if you are local. Everything has gone up in price. If Disney is too pricey for your puse then go to the beach, it's still relatively free.

Posted By KC on June 30, 2009, 10:34 PM

In my opinion, Disney's promotion is a gold-mine for them. I can't imagine why they would ever close it off.

Think about it from a Disney, purely financial, point of view, how many people go to a Disney park alone?

For Disney's cost of a single free ticket for individuals on their birthday they typically get 1, 2, 3 or sometimes even more people who are full paid visitors in the park with the birthday guest! Each of those people has the opportunity to Eat, and purchase other park goodies at current Disney park prices. Along with that, they also typically make 12 bucks or more for parking per car, and for some parties that is several cars.

I do hope they keep up the deal, but I honestly think they'd be crazy not to.

Posted By Robert on June 30, 2009, 10:54 PM

we went tuesday and had a worderful time in spite of the rain allday.thanks dinsey we will be back in august for my birthday hope its sunny then,

Posted By madelline on July 2, 2009, 10:27 PM

The parking fee is just out of site!! To increase the amount of seniors to come to the parks again, they should be granted "FREE" parking. I believe the number of seniors who would like to return to the parks have the time and enjoy them on any day of the week. Also a reduced fee of entering as it is enjoyable to eat there as so many neat places to pick from.
I know you employee a number of retired seniors (Fl.) who like working there, but layed off due to low attendence. Think about the discounts.
Thanks.

Posted By Pat on July 9, 2009, 10:15 AM

We have gone to Disney almost every year since it started and were once able to afford it. Now my children born in the 50's and gr. children can only afford to go every 5 or ten years. Some have never gone. Same rides, expensive food and long lines (even fast pass is a joke)keep my children away. Living in Florida does give us a discount but I get tired of seeing the same things over and over. And why do we have to see Obama with hands out to "slap me five"?

Posted By William Albertin on July 9, 2009, 10:44 AM

It is a place for children.... it should be priced for them toooo!

Disney is way to expensive now! Ticket prices should reflect current paychecks of the average American.... if you did that the price of Disney tickets would go way down$$$$

Posted By Lisa Baricevic on July 9, 2009, 1:38 PM

I think that Disney's Free-on-your-Birthday is nice, but really it is more publicity for them than anything. On the other hand, it is nice that they would do it. We had our first family trip to Disneyworld in 2007 and it was the absolute best vacation of my life. We're planning to go again in 2010, and I already can't wait! As for the prices, things everywhere are expensive and saving up for them beforehand works. We have been saving for a year already and will save for another 18 months so that we can go without debt. Does that mean we have to deny ourselves things sometimes? Yes, but you have to decide for yourselves if it is worth it. If you don't like what they're charging, go somewhere else. Then the park will be less crowded for me! :)

Posted By Christie on July 9, 2009, 1:55 PM

I have an annual pass. I received a cash card for $75.00 on my birthday as I get in free with my annual pass. I could spend the cash anywhere in the park that day. I bought a shirt and some pins.It is a wonderful program. I returned a week later with my sister in law who also got a $75.00 cash card on her birthday as she also had an annual pass. I also hope they keep the program next year.

Posted By Thomas Keffer on July 9, 2009, 7:00 PM

Agree the ticket prices are getting too pricey for most American families...but check out the real deals people, adding on additional days to your stay can make the price better if you just check out your options. Love the birthday "free day", we were there in May for Bob's birthday and will be back in December for mine when I turn 60! We drive down from Virginia about twice a year. What I'd love as would lots of the babyboomers is a senior ticket discount!!!! Typically we aren't in the park all day, stay on property and can go back to our rooms for a bit of relaxation after lunch and then back into the parks later through the evening. Thanks for the magic, and the fantastic cruise ships!!! Looking forward to the two new ones and expanded iteneraries....

Posted By Pat R on July 10, 2009, 9:09 AM

Attended a wedding at a Disney Resort. 35 people attended, all of whom stayed overnight & at least one day in the parks. Long lines get longer when it rains, the better shows have few performances daily (requires at least 45 mins in line), & even the fireworks are not nightly. Rides
go down unexpectantly & no notice is given of what's closed until you arrive at a park.
4 Days with a Park Hopper & 3 days Budget hotel with 6 meals/3snacks cost me over $800 with discounts (+ tips). Advertising is everywhere as most rides have sponsors. Gift shops & marketing exceed attractions while time shares/cruises are promoted even on the buses. Hang on to your wallet, especially if you bring children.

Posted By G Carman on July 11, 2009, 1:08 PM

I just returned from yet another trip to Orlando/Disney World and will say their prices ARE ridiculous, the crowds are huge, rides are out-of-the-question for little ones due to the mammoth lines. I agree Disney isn't what I saw as Walt's vision when he began the concept in the 70's. I was unfortunately in the Magic Kingdom for July 4th and the crowds we dangerously huge. People were being hurt in the crush to get out. It took our party of 4 over 1 1/2 hours to get out and back to our car. (This was the evening of the fatal monorail crash.) 0

Posted By Dick in upstate NY on July 12, 2009, 10:20 AM

Wow! No matter what the "nay sayers" say Disney is still a great place to be. Lines in the summer are expected to be longer,kids are out of school. Also, any holiday is busy at Disney. As far as the entrance free on your birthday, everyone deserves a day of vacation. if you planned to go to Disney anyway and now you plan to go on your birthday, you just saved yourself $60-70. If you look at any amusement park (Six Flags etc) their entrance fees are no less and not necessarily something there for all ages.
I'm sorry that some of you don't think Disney is such a good deal. It is still my favorite place to visit....and no I am not rich. I am a working middle class American that does not live anywhere near the state of Florida.

Posted By Bobbi on July 13, 2009, 10:51 AM

Disney in Ruin. I was so disappointed. I have been going since the early 70's. We just returned from our 25th anniversary. We paid for the Contemporary Resort. What a joke. One suit case arrived with the handle torn off. Of course they blamed the air line. The refrigerator was cool at best. Half the lights in the bathroom did not work,The shower curtain rod was askew with a piece of metal hanging out where you could be cut. The phone did not work ( I had to go down and complain on three separate occasions before I could get that fixed),the paint job looked rushed and sloppy, The hot tubs were a joke one did not bubble at all and the other had chocolate brown water in it half the time we were there. The employees did not seem to know what they were doing. I do not think they received any training. I heard from other park goers they were seasonal. The regular park fast meals were terrible, We paid for Chef Mickeys character breakfast. Wow! Cold nasty food, greasy paper thin bacon, soggy eggs on and on ( Nasty) I have to admit The higher priced restaurants were good. Cinderellas Castle was great and the staff there did a top notch job. So did The California grill, and Narcosis. Now on to the parks and transit system. We arrived the day after the monorail wreck. So much for staying at the Contemporary and just hopping on the monorail. They had it up in two days but had continuing problems, jerky rides, worse stops,malfunctioning doors, ( I got smacked by one while loading with no warning at all) Luckily it was just a small bruise. ( Still it should not have happened) I saw drivers of both the buses and monorails constantly exhibiting signs of exhaustion ( wiping there faces running there hands threw there hair shaking there heads wringing their hands)Believe me I did not feel at all safe riding with these individuals. Then comes the over all condition of the place. I saw paint peeling and rust bubbling threw in many places. The A.C. worked intermittently depending on which car our bus you were on. Bad lines were to be expected. But I did not count on every other ride our attraction we tried to go to to break down. Even the simple ones ( Honey I shrank the audience) It just went on and on. Even Fantasmic did not work correctly. I guess I have gone to often and know how things are supposed to work. And last the Disney web site is terrible. There is plenty more to complain about. But I am sure others can fill in the rest of the gaps. I can not tell you how much it saddens me to see a once great place fall in to ruins. I sincerely hope they can turn things around. But until I hear about some positive changes it won't be with any more of my money.
Thanks for reading.
I hope you have better luck than I did.

Posted By Randall Negrini on July 13, 2009, 10:59 PM

If you hate it, fine. If you love it, history shows that the prices usually get raised about Aug 1, so buy your tickets early at AAA or a website and save a bit.

Posted By G. Cook on July 16, 2009, 4:54 PM

Disney World isn't "great" anymore.

It's not the tired "animatronics" old rides, outrageously expensive food and beverages, the god awful hot long "fast path" lines, the run down understaffed Park hotels or the less than efficient "futuristic" transportation system.

Disney World's constant commercialization seems to do its best at getting in the way of you and the family having some relaxing shared experiences. The "wonder feeling" isn't there anymore and you feel like you're all being funneled onto the conveyor belt of golly whiz "fun".

An aside: It used to be a great substitution for the working class of America to experience "exotic" foreign places going to Disney. With the high prices in Disney you might as well go to Europe or Asia for the real thing.

Same Owners: Disney and ESPN (Entirely Self Promoting Network)

Posted By Bob From Pa on July 18, 2009, 1:22 PM

i took my 3 kids and my grandson to disney in ca 2 years ago. we had a great time, saved a little with the aaa discount. but, i was disappointed that they have 2 seperate parks with 2 admissions. if i had payed closer attention, i would have realized this. i was also disappointed by the LONG WAIT for the rides. my grandson was only 7 yrs. old and get very cranky waiting in line all day. while i say the prices are out of this world, the ride wait is really bad, and we will probably never go again, the fireworks at the end of the night were the most fantastic i have ever seen and really ended our day on a high note. maybe, someday, my grandson will return with children of his own, just to see the fireworks.

Posted By deb from mn on July 18, 2009, 7:53 PM

Disney in summer months is terrible. Why anybody would spend so much money to wait in very hot, very long lines is beyond my understanding. During cooler months, when kids are in school, is a better time to go and it's cheaper then also. But if you are flexible there are even better times to go: We went to Disney during October 2001, right after 9/11, and my family almost had the park to ourselves (although two guys with M16s wearing camouflage did have me up against the wall spreadeagle in the Orlando airport). Probably was also great during the Swine Flu scare. Yea I know it's macabre, but you gotta take it when you can get it.

Posted By bob on July 20, 2009, 1:37 PM

Hey, stop downing Disney. Yea, it's expensive and yea some of those fast food places are not that good, but the experience is a good one for the family. I first went with my parents and we had never been together all at once for so many hours.Somebody was always away at work , school or somewhere beside home. I was mesmerized by Magic Kingdom as a teenager. When I had that moment of noticing that my children were getting ready to start to graduate and leave home , I hastily called AAA and all the other discount places to arrange a vacation. I found good rooms and ticket deals. They whined all the way down there because they couldn't imagine that this was NOT the Fair, but something 100times more creative. Sure,we stood in some 1 hour+ lines that made us want to leave at first but I got to know everything that had been going on in my childrens live since I was always working and afraid to take too much(a week)time off. I hate those lines but I appreciate Disney for forcing me to look in my childrens' face and listening for more that a few minutes.Oh yea, we had a BALL and adjust our trips each time we go as we have learned to navigate the parks in different ways.A few hints: go directly to Splash mountain as soon as you get in the park, stay in the parks at Value Time, Turkey legs are the greatest and check out the discounters on Irlo Brunson(hwy 192). All of children are grown now and I don't regret spending time with them.

Posted By Phillygirl on July 21, 2009, 1:07 PM

I didn't even like Disneyland as a 10-year-old. The interminably long lines and the fiber-glass phoniness made a big impression on me, as did the odor of the hyper-chlorinated water in rides such as Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.

I much preferred the somewhat seedy Santa Cruz Boardwalk, with its proximity to wide beaches and cheap tamale and burrito shops.

And as for the roller coaster experience, the Giant Dipper's creaky wooden superstructure and stellar views of Monterey Bay provides a far more thrilling and satisfying experience than the ascent and descent of Disney's Matterhorn.

Posted By Zeke on July 27, 2009, 6:21 PM