Arriving at Disneyland, I felt awkward. With my 6ft 1 frame, a few questions ran through my mind.

One of them, “why did I spend $65 for admission to a theme park?”

Food.
After escaping the giant rock from Indiana Jones Temple ride, I was famished. Try the juicy and savory turkey leg ($6), it is moist and the meat is tender. Wishing I had a loaf of bread, cheese, and olive oil, I chewed away at the meat and gnawed the bone. With the scorching sun shining through, I spend $2.75 for a bottle of Coke. For dinner, clam chowder bowl ($9.35) warmed up my stomach. Ladles of warm, rich, and creamy soup was the right choice. The sourdough bowl lacked crispiness found in artisan breads.

Consultant hat.
So I answered my own questions previously presented. No. I am not too old for Disneyland. Visitors from different continents journey to this place not for the food or for the hair rising Space Mountain ride, rather for the Imagination Experience.
Stressed from paying our monthly bills or the “Downtown Zombie” work routine, Disneyland offers many things that heighten our senses.

Early in the morning, parents rush to the Pirates of the Caribbean restaurant to put their name on the mile long list. The French restaurant is embedded by water in a mystical place. Its an experience like no other. A chance to dine next to the water ride.

Food and memorabilia is a big revenue booster for the theme park. (note: Hard Rock Cafe is a great example. Notice all the t-shirts they sell) For people considering opening restaurants, a great book to read is Experience Economy that reveals how to provide an experience for customers. Make sure you visit Downtown Disney. Rain Forest Cafe is one of the great examples of experience economy. Parents will pay for the $12 burger to see their children laughing alongside robotic birds.

“Dad, I love you. Look at that bird.” = value for parents

Cross promoting brands happens at Disneyland. Decorated in a rustic wood panel, McDonald’s sell French fries in a kiosk next to Splash Mountain. Look closely, Disneyland is a theme park that partners up with all the major food brands.