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Say, Nice Package!

1978 ad for the Magic Kingdom Club

Back in the good ol’ days, Disney fans didn’t have to shell out big bucks to get quality discounts on rooms at Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom Club was created as a benefit that companies nationwide could purchase for their employees. If your employer had an agreement with Disney, and very many did, you could sign up for a free membership that got you a subscription to Disney News magazine and a number of discounts on rooms and tickets in Orlando. It was always exciting when the new MKC cards showed up, and as a kid it was one of the few things that I carried around in my silly velcro wallet.

But enough history – time to book a room! What package do you choose? I’m torn between staying on the monorail line at my favorite resort, the Polynesian, where five days and four nights would set me back $165, and going hog-wild and shelling out a whopping $214 for a five-day four-night World Vacation in a Treehouse Villa. Those soggy bus rides back from River Country might be a problem, though…

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7 comments to Say, Nice Package!

  • Can we also talk about how much I love the typefaces and logo work?

  • Another Voice

    The Magic Kingdom Club is a cherrished part of childhood for those of us from Southern California. There was the magazine that was memorized within a week, the special “Magic Key” tickets that could be used on ANY RIDE!!!!!! No more counting those precious ‘E’ (until your little sister wanted to waste one on those Fantasyland rides!).

    The Magic Kingdom Club was perfect becaused if allowed a family to go to the park once or twice a year so that the experience remained and event to look forward to. Sadly, today’s annual pass structure makes going to Disney nothing more than killing time at the mall.

  • butter

    These prices were not cheap for 1978.

    Disney has always been expensive, but it sure was worth every penny back then… 🙂

  • joe

    Well, let’s look to see what a comparable vacation would cost today. Looking at the Vacation Kingdom Holiday package, a rough equivalent for two adults today would be (not taking into account any discounts):

    * 4 nights at the Contemporary (in Value Season to make it the least expensive) – $1282
    * Use of transportation – included
    * Admission and tickets, including River Country = 5 day Magic Your Way w/ Water Park Fun, no hopper – $596.40
    * “Special coupons” – I’ll equate to the free stuff you get with packages (mini-golf, arcade time, etc.) – included

    So for 2 adults, today it will cost $1878.40

    The Vacation Kingdom Holiday package would be $165×2=$330 in 1978 dollars.
    Using the CPI Inflation calculator, this would be $1092.42 in 2009 dollars.

    That would be a difference of $785.98, or a 73% increase.

    So, while there are several assumptions made that could affect today’s price, it’s doubtful that any discounts or other assumptions could account for the huge price difference.

    Other than the fact that you’re paying alot more today.

  • Truecoat

    I guess the other difference is that you have 3 more parks to go to. How do you factor that part in? I would think that the 73% is probably about right for 3 more parks, Epcot alone is probably worth that.

  • philphoggs

    And since I’m on such a link posting craze, this ones for you Mike, in hope you get ta feeling better…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh-IYSAdPSM&NR=1

  • there are lots of vacation packages out there but choose the ones coming from reputable companies’-~

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