The “Happiest Place on Earth” just got a little pricier. Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim have announced significant price hikes for their passes and tickets. This move, effective immediately, affects a range of offerings, from parking fees to annual passes.
Interestingly, the price change doesn’t touch everything. The parks’ most basic tickets, date-based day passes, will remain the same. These date-based prices fluctuate depending on how busy the date is. At Disneyland, this basic ticket costs $104, a figure that hasn’t changed since before the pandemic. Meanwhile, over at Disney World, it’s priced at $109.
Visitors will feel the price pinch in the annual passes. At Disney World, the cost of these yearly passes surged by almost 10%. The most elite of these, the Incredi-Pass, now comes with a price tag of $1,449. In addition, parking at this Orlando theme park will increase by $5, settling at $30, though it remains free for those staying at Disney hotels. A notable reintroduction is the “Park Hopper” tickets, which, starting January 9th, will let guests move between parks any time during the day.
Shifting the focus to Disneyland in Anaheim, the daily pass that costs the most will now be $194, marking nearly a 9% hike from its previous price. Other offerings like the Magic Key pass and the Genie+ add-ons will also see price elevations. Like its Orlando counterpart, the California park is set to increase parking fees.
A Disney spokesperson defends the price hikes: “We are constantly adding new, innovative attractions and entertainment to our parks and, with our broad array of pricing options, the value of a theme park visit is reflected in the unique experiences that only Disney can offer.”
This announcement comes at an exciting time. A week earlier, Disney launched promotions offering child tickets for as low as $50 amid reports of reduced theme park attendance. Additionally, Disney revealed its ambition to almost double its investments in the park division as it bounces back from the pandemic-induced shutdowns, which severely impacted the industry.
In a September presentation, Disney shared its forward-looking perspective: “As Disney considers future growth opportunities, there is a deep well of stories that have yet to be fully explored in its theme parks.”
While experiencing the magic of Disney might now come with a heftier price tag, the company’s commitment to innovation, entertainment, and expanding the breadth of stories in its theme parks still needs to be revised.
