I think I'm going to have to stick to the comments I made during the show today and reiterate that I really feel these decisions being made are more about crowd control than they are about Disney wanting more money. The Parks are packed and Guests complain.
MNSSHP,
MVMCP, and other Special Events are packed and Guests complain. They have to do something or it's going to continue to be an all-out uproar online and everywhere.
Like most people, I don't like all of these charges for extras, but they are a smart business and they've got a great product that people want.
Also, Disney Parks donated 2 million dollars to Make-A-Wish Foundation for their #ShareYourEars campaign - double their original pledge! They don't have to do stuff like that if they're not so inclined to. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't do it if they couldn't spare the 2 million. At least they're proactively having Guests fill out surveys so they can try to improve these things.
In fact, I think I remember seeing a survey last year that asked if I'd like to see more hard-ticket events; I say 'yes' and I'm sure lots of others did too!
In the times I've been to Disneyland, the only times I've ever seen the crowds even remotely compare to WDW was the week between Christmas and New Year's so I wouldn't expect to see these kinds of nickel and diming things happening there.
Magic costs money to make - Cast Members, electricity, water, gardeners, the list goes on for miles . . .