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OK the goal post is slowly being moved from my original post, but I’m willing to go with the flow. Calling the comparison invalid because it’s a different park now is an emotionally driven response 2016 Dreamworld was bigger, trust took a hit and expectations probably need a little asterisk. But markets don’t price sympathy. They price the experience on offer today, not the one in the scrapbook. Guests don’t arrive at the gate thinking: “Given historical mismanagement and a tragic accident, this feels like fair value.” They’re usually thinking: “Is this worth my time and money today or should I just head to the beach and grab a kebab?” Once you accept the park delivers a smaller experience, a few things naturally follow. Lower pricing shifts from strategy to necessity, comparisons to peak-year revenue get a bit fuzzy and you can’t easily dismiss experience comparisons while celebrating record metrics You can’t really say “it’s unfair to compare experiences” and then say “but revenue records still count”. That’s less nuance and more selective optimism. Cheap annual passes feel great while they’re turning goodwill into visits and visits into cash. They get trickier when they start setting the reference price. Once the market settles on, “Dreamworld equals about $99 a year”, raising prices isn’t a gentle step up. It feels more like asking people to climb a ledge. You’re not just asking them to pay more, you’re asking them to believe the park has genuinely changed. That’s a tougher sell than starting higher and discounting with purpose. Value pricing builds volume and it can also teach people to wait for the next deal. (how many people here wait for the $89 renewal price? I know I do) Cheap passes absolutely help bring people back through the gate but they don’t automatically rebuild trust, and in some cases, they quietly reinforce the idea that full price isn’t justified yet. (we’re not going to charge you full price and we’re not going back to full trading because what we are offering, we don’t believe is good enough) Yes, longer hours cost more, but permanently shorter hours do something subtle. They reset expectations. A park that closes early gently trains guests to: Treat it as a half-day outing Drop in rather than settle in Spend less time, and often less money, per visit Your personal example is a good one, but it’s not the average. You’re engaged, you’re social & you’re already inclined to spend. Many passholders: Eat later, use the park as a casual loop & spend lightly because “I’ll be back again” A pass-heavy model works best when there’s a healthy share of people like you. If that mix shifts, the numbers don’t explode, they just slowly thin out.