Disney Offers Simba, Ariel, Poppins Live and for Less

Broadway show goers with kids can see Ariel live and at a discount after the new year—if they buy before the holidays.

Disney Theatrical Productions, the division responsible for the company’s live-action shows, has launched a limited-time ticket discount for its three current Broadway productions.

Starting last Monday and extending through midnight on Friday Dec. 12, consumers who buy a full-price adult ticket to attend one of Disney’s three current New York productions between Jan. 6 and March 13 2009 will also receive a free admission for a child 18 or under to the same show, where available.

The tickets will let children get in to see the kid-friendly Disney content currently appearing on the Great White Way; “The Lion king,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Mary Poppins”. All told the discount will be applied to about 200 Disney performances during the three-month lot, although reports are that each performance will offer a block of 50 or fewer children’s tickets.

Consumers can take Disney up on the theater offer by buying their tickets at the Web site through an 800 number or via the box offices of the respective theaters. They can also buy tickets through Ticketmaster. Both at the Web site and over the phone, consumers will need to mention the code ‘KIDS” to get the discount price.

The Disney discount ticket is designed to appeal to parents looking for family-oriented gift ideas in this tight holiday season. It also should have the effect of driving theater attendance during the post-holiday winter months, traditionally slow ones for Broadway venues.

“Winter is the ideal time to bring the family together, and Broadway has the power to do that in a singular way,” Disney Theatrical Group producer and president Thomas Schumacher said in a statement. “All three of our Broadway productions are timeless stories about families, and I believe that when you give the gift of Broadway—especially to a child—you are making a memory that will last a lifetime.” 

Disney, which reported a 13% drop in net income during its fourth quarter ended Nov. 7, has also begun offering steep discounts on theme park tickets. A current offer, good for the first half of 2009 except for a blackout around Easter, lets visitors book a four-night stay at Walt Disney world and get an additional three nights free. 

In a conference call following the Q4 results release, Disney president and CEO Robert Iger said a decline in overall consumer spending was starting to affect Disney’s earnings and would probably worsen in 2009.