The price of many Disney World tickets is increasing, which is the bad news that prospective visitors to Disney don't want to hear.
Since Dec. 8, ticket rates for one-day admission to the Magic Kingdom during the busy Christmas and New Year's holiday period will increase to a maximum of $189 from the previous high water mark of $159 per day for one park at Disney World.
This is more expensive for a family of four than some Disney Cruise Line sailings would be for the same family on a per-night basis. It is also more expensive than a one-day Epic Day Pass, which can be used to ski at mountains such as Vail, and more expensive than entry-level tickets to the Broadway sensation "Hamilton."
Disney is making more modifications and improvements to the dining reservations and park pass reservations systems in addition to raising ticket prices.
If you're thinking about taking a trip to Disney World soon, here are some things you should know.
Disney World tickets now cost up to $189.
There has been a significant shift in the cost of tickets before we discuss the new costs.
Disney implemented variable date pricing in 2018, meaning that the cost of a ticket varies depending on the day you wish to attend.
So, prices are higher during peak hours and lower during off-peak hours.
However, Disney will now have varying costs depending on the park that is chosen as well as the date.
The most expensive park will be Magic Kingdom, which a Disney representative claimed is because it is the most popular and in-demand park worldwide.
When it debuts in 2023, this park will also be the location of a brand-new attraction with a Tron theme.
The middle-tier parks in terms of cost will include Epcot and Hollywood Studios, both of which have experienced major development in recent years.
The least costly park, Animal Kingdom, will maintain its existing pricing range of $109 to $159 per day for one-day, one-park tickets. Animal Kingdom hasn't had any significant upgrades since the Pandora-themed zone opened in 2017.
Following are the new Disney World ticket price ranges:
• Disney's Animal Kingdom: One-day, one-park tickets go from $109 to $159 (same range as today).
• Disney's Hollywood Studios: One-day, one-park tickets range from $124 to $179.
• Epcot: One-day, one-park tickets range from $114 to $179.
• Magic Kingdom: One-day, one-park tickets range from $124 to $189.
Beginning on December 8, 2022, the new park-specific pricing model will be in place for one-day, one-park tickets.
The pricing for Disney's Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus options will also be updated on that day, as it will no longer be a fixed-cost add-on but rather a pricing option that varies by date. The specifics of such price changes have not yet been disclosed by Disney.
Although annual pass sales are still on hold, renewal costs are rising.
Disney World has stopped selling new yearly passes for the past year or so, with the exception of the $399 Pixie Pass, which has date restrictions and is only available to residents of Florida.
Disney is keeping the majority of new annual pass sales on hold, but just as ticket prices are rising, annual pass renewal fees are rising as well.
Depending on the sort of yearly pass being renewed, those rates might rise by as much as $100 per pass on December 8.
The following are the new Disney World yearly pass prices:
• Incredi-Pass costs $1,399 (up $100 from $1,299).
• Sorcerer: $969 (up from $899 by $70).
• Pirate: $749 ($50 more than before, at $699).
A Disney spokesman said that the firm is still concentrating on existing pass holders as they are experiencing some of the highest-ever renewal rates from that category when asked why new annual pass sales are still mostly on hold.
For 1-day tickets, park pass bookings are now made automatically.
Considering that you will now need to buy single-day Disney World tickets for a specific date as well as a specific park, Disney will automatically reserve a Park Pass at the time of purchase for that park.
Since Disney reopened in the summer of 2020, visitors must make a park pass reservation in order to enter the attraction.
For multi day tickets and annual pass visits, you'll still need to make your own Park Pass reservations.
Reservations for restaurants will be more flexible.
There is good news for tourists who occasionally need to change their park plans on the fly: starting today, cancellations and changes to Disney dining reservations are now permitted without incurring a fee up to two hours prior to the reservation.
The opportunity to avoid the $10 per person fine has been reduced from the previous 24-hour time frame.
Although you could frequently change meal reservations even inside the 24-hour window in actuality, it is better to know that you have the option to cancel completely up to two hours before the reservation.
In conclusion
Especially in the current economic climate, Disney World was already an extremely pricey trip that was out of reach for many families.
The price range for one-day passes to Animal Kingdom will not change, while other theme parks at Disney World are once more seeing price increases.
In the last ten years, the theme park behemoth claims to have invested more than $31 billion on new experiences for park visitors in the form of new attractions, festivals, and other guest experiences.
In fact, entire parks have been changed and numerous new, top-notch rides have been added, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
But when you add this recently announced ticket price increase (and change in the way the parks are priced) to the end of the free Magical Express airport transfer at the beginning of this year, the replacement of free FastPass with paid Genie+, and the introduction of paid individual Lightning Lanes (which just underwent their own price increase a few weeks ago), it appears Disney decided it was time for visitors to pony up a little bit more money for all of the new types of magic it created.
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