Disney has raised admission prices to its two most popular theme parks – Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida.
Prices for those parks have risen between $5 and $65 depending on the type of ticket, the company confirmed with CBS MoneyWatch on Wednesday. Disney is also raising the price of annual passes to Walt Disney World. High prices are effective today.
The price of date-based tickets, which most visitors purchase, will remain the same at $104 per day for admission to Disneyland and $109 per day for Disney World.
The price of parking at the parks also increased by $5, “on par with other theme parks in Central Florida,” according to Disney. Standard parking for cars is $30 now.
“We are constantly adding new and innovative attractions and entertainment to our parks, and with our wide range of pricing options, the value of a theme park visit is reflected in the unique experiences that only Disney can provide,” the spokesperson said.
Scott Smith, who studies theme park management at the University of South Carolina, said Disney is likely to raise prices because inflation has driven up labor and other operational costs, while also needing to finance expansion of the Magic Kingdom.
Disney has also paid billions of dollars to buy the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, and the company needs to generate more revenue to pay for those acquisitions, he added.
Single-day tickets at Disneyland are organized into six levels, each… Represent A certain time of year when visitors want to enter. For example, Level 6 tickets are for people who aim to visit the parks for one day anytime between October 13 and April 7, 2024. The price increases for these tickets are:
- Level 1: $119, up from $114
- Tier 2: $134, up from $129
- Level 3: $154, up from $144
- Level 4: $169, up from $159
- Level 5: $184, up from $169
- Level 6: $194, up from $179
The annual Disney theme park pass price increases are:
- Disney Incredi-Pass: $1,449, up from $1,399
- Disney Sorcerer Pass: $999, up from $969
- Disney Pirate Pass: $799, up from $749
- Disney Pixie Dust Pass: $439, up from $399
Multi-day theme park ticket price increases are:
- Two-day: $310, up from $285
- 3 days: $390, up from $360
- For 4 days: $445, up from $395
- For 5 days: $480, up from $415
The admission cost increases come as Disney seeks to recoup losses from its streaming business, including Disney+. CEO Bob Iger, who returned as CEO nearly a year ago, has prioritized reconnecting with Disney park fans to drive revenue growth.
Park experts said Disney has a history of raising ticket prices, so Wednesday’s move is not surprising. Disney has increased ticket costs little by little every year since its inception, except during the pandemic, one expert said.
“This time, they’re raising prices selectively, so only the most expensive tickets are getting the biggest increases,” said Martin Lewison, a business professor at Farmingdale State College in New York, who studies the theme park industry. “If you’re already paying $1,400 for an annual pass, you’re probably OK with $1,450, too.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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