California is more expensive than... China?!
Posted: Nov Tue 28, 2017 3:59 pm
Here's a fact that was shocking, at least to me:
It can be cheaper for me to fly to Shanghai, spend three nights in a Disney hotel and two days in the park than for me to fly to Disneyland in California. Mind you, I live in PHOENIX!
The forces at work here are crazy-cheap fares to China and relatively low cost of tickets and hotel nights compared with those at the Original.
Phoenix to Shanghai (PVG) Thursday 2/15 through Monday 2/19 $663
3 nights in the Toy Story Hotel (4th night is an overnight flight) $250/night
2 day park ticket $86
TOTAL: $1499 for one person
Phoenix to Los Angeles (LAX) Friday 2/16 through Monday 2/19 $164
3 nights in the Paradise Pier Hotel $1176
2 day park hopper ticket $244
TOTAL: $1584 for one person
Now I know you'll say "Wait, 2/19 is President's day." Well, that doesn't seem to make much difference. The lowest rate I found lowered the hotel a bit but the California hotels are so expensive I could only manage to get the total down to $1440, just $59 less than flying all the way to Shanghai. Plus it's Paradise Pier, yuck.
I set aside incidentals. Ground transportation and food are cheaper in China but a person might need to pay for a visa so let's call that a wash. This only seems to work for Shanghai. Hong Kong and Tokyo don't enjoy the cheap airfare. And if two people travel then California becomes cheaper than China. Still.
Crazy? I think so.
It can be cheaper for me to fly to Shanghai, spend three nights in a Disney hotel and two days in the park than for me to fly to Disneyland in California. Mind you, I live in PHOENIX!
The forces at work here are crazy-cheap fares to China and relatively low cost of tickets and hotel nights compared with those at the Original.
Phoenix to Shanghai (PVG) Thursday 2/15 through Monday 2/19 $663
3 nights in the Toy Story Hotel (4th night is an overnight flight) $250/night
2 day park ticket $86
TOTAL: $1499 for one person
Phoenix to Los Angeles (LAX) Friday 2/16 through Monday 2/19 $164
3 nights in the Paradise Pier Hotel $1176
2 day park hopper ticket $244
TOTAL: $1584 for one person
Now I know you'll say "Wait, 2/19 is President's day." Well, that doesn't seem to make much difference. The lowest rate I found lowered the hotel a bit but the California hotels are so expensive I could only manage to get the total down to $1440, just $59 less than flying all the way to Shanghai. Plus it's Paradise Pier, yuck.
I set aside incidentals. Ground transportation and food are cheaper in China but a person might need to pay for a visa so let's call that a wash. This only seems to work for Shanghai. Hong Kong and Tokyo don't enjoy the cheap airfare. And if two people travel then California becomes cheaper than China. Still.
Crazy? I think so.