Walt Disney World has raised virtually all costs for 1-day and multi-day tickets, plus Park Hopper add-ons, and launched per-park pricing whereas eliminating Park Pass reservations for single-day tickets. This publish presents particulars and our commentary about all of those adjustments, the quantity of value jumps, motivations for the brand new method, and extra.
This is the second ticket worth enhance of the yr at Walt Disney World, with the primary occurring in mid-February. This isn’t solely unprecedented, as Disney has raised costs twice yearly (often in February and October) on just a few events within the final decade. That’s why we’ve been advising readers to buy tickets prematurely to lock-in present costs in our 2022-2023 Discount Walt Disney World Ticket Buying Guide.
If this appears just like the third or fourth worth enhance of the yr, that may be as a result of there have been loads of worth will increase at Walt Disney World for the reason that begin of the fiscal yr. The large ones had been to a whole lot of menu gadgets throughout the parks & resorts and a brand new (largely costlier) date-based pricing for the Genie+ service. That second one is basically an oblique technique of elevating the price of admission, as Genie+ was included (as QuickPass) with all tickets.
There’s additionally the truth that Walt Disney World introduced this specific worth enhance on November 15, and indicated it might take impact on December 8, 2022. However, not all the particulars had been recognized then, so we’ve a greater thought of how dangerous the ‘damage’ of this worth enhance is now that it’s really been applied.
Before we dig into the small print, the excellent news is that Undercover Tourist, certainly one of our really helpful third social gathering ticket sellers, nonetheless has tickets on the “old” costs for a restricted time. By shopping for by them earlier than Walt Disney World’s upcoming worth will increase take impact, you’ll be able to save a major quantity per ticket.
Anyway, right here’s which ticket costs have gone up, efficient right this moment…
For the primary time in a number of years, the price of 1-day tickets has gone up. These nonetheless begin at $109–however just for Animal Kingdom–which has been the bottom worth for the reason that introduction of the date-based system again in October 2018. However, the utmost 1-day ticket worth has skyrocketed for Magic Kingdom, which is the primary time that’s occurring since March 2019.
Maintaining this $109 beginning worth is an attention-grabbing determination, and it looks as if an essential speaking level for Disney. When prices of visiting are mentioned within the mainstream media, there’s usually a quote from a Disney spokesperson reiterating that the bottom worth has not gone up in ~4 years. That’s technically true, however the sensible actuality is that 95% of tickets really value extra. That is, except you might be solely visiting Animal Kingdom for sooner or later through the low season. Our guess is that 1-day tickets to DAK don’t account for an incredible quantity of ticket gross sales, so the ‘static base price’ speaking level is basically BS.
Speaking of which, Disney additionally touts the utmost “flexibility” and “customizability” of tickets, as company can select to go to on cheaper days and save. (Tell that to academics or households with college age kids! Good factor neither group are amongst Disney’s key customers. Oh wait…)
On that be aware, there are a pair caveats. First, we now that there’s been a lower in $109 worth level tickets throughout that point. We don’t monitor the date-based calendar zealously, however it’s clear from even a cursory comparability between now and ~2018 that there are far, far fewer lower-priced days this yr than then. With every change, there was a shrinking variety of cheaper dates and rising variety of costlier dates.
Second, sustaining that $109 beginning worth (once more, just for Animal Kingdom) results in odd outcomes as all different tickets enhance with out regard for that advertising determination. To that time, it’s now cheaper to purchase two single-day tickets for Animal Kingdom than one 2-day ticket throughout low season dates. This is noteworthy as a result of Walt Disney World’s motto with longer visits was: “the more you play, the less you pay per day.”
With that out of the way in which, beneath are the brand new park-specific pricing for single day, single park tickets. Price ranges are as follows:
- Magic Kingdom – $124 to $189
- Animal Kingdom – $109 to $159
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios – $124 to $179
- EPCOT – $114 to $179
As earlier than, ticket costs will range based mostly on dates, therefore the ranges. Here’s a have a look at a extra common date through the 2023 Christmas season:
This will not be dynamic or “surge” pricing, however it’s demand-based within the sense that dates forecast to be busier additionally value extra.
Even for dates over a yr away in December 2023, Walt Disney World already is aware of that attendance and natural demand shall be greater than in September 2023. Years of historic knowledge present a superb foundation for pricing and useful resource allocation.
Also efficient right this moment, park reservations are now not needed for single day, non-Park Hopper tickets. With these being park-specific, that might be redundant. According to Walt Disney World, this technically works by the system robotically making a reservation for you. The finish consequence is similar for company–no reservations wanted for 1-day, 1-park tickets.
For now, company with multi-day or Park Hopper tickets will proceed to make theme park reservations. There are not any adjustments to the Park Pass system for these ticket sorts…but. If rumors are to be believed, one other replace to the Disney Park Pass system is probably going coming in mid-January 2023 that might roll again reservations for everybody besides Annual Passholders.
Along with the introduction of park particular pricing at Walt Disney World, the price so as to add the Park Hopper (and different choices) to your ticket additionally now varies by date.
As a normal matter, Walt Disney World’s date-based ticket pricing system makes worth will increase very troublesome to evaluate. This variable pricing obfuscates will increase (by design), and it’s thus often very troublesome for us to say which dates did or didn’t enhance, or by how a lot. Normally.
In this case, Walt Disney World telegraphed the value enhance 3 weeks in the past, so we had loads of time to organize, doc outdated costs, and take screenshots of the date-based ticket calendar.
To that final level, above is a have a look at December 2023 pre-price enhance v. post-price enhance beneath.
What you’re seeing through the above screenshots is 5-day customary tickets earlier than and after the rise. It may be troublesome to inform, however the pre-tax worth elevated by virtually $100–from $609.76 to $706.88. (You can ignore the vary on the second screenshot, that’s for the assorted Park Hopper choices. Those have additionally gone up significantly, however that’s not the apples to apples comparability.)
Unfortunately, Disney as soon as once more outwitted me, altering the format of the calendar so it’s virtually inconceivable to establish (not less than, at a look) how a lot Park Hopper and multi-day tickets have elevated. Previously, you chose the Park Hopper choice first and the calendar up to date accordingly. Now, you select your date first and solely a beginning worth “+” is displayed. This additional obfuscates the comparability.
From what I’ve been capable of glean, worth will increase for Park Hopper and multi-day tickets are within the vary of about 6% to 12%.
The precise quantity varies significantly, and a complete date-by-date breakdown is past the scope of this publish. There are seemingly some low season dates beneath 6%, however it might shock me if something exceeded 12%. I attempted to maintain tabs of the dates the place I anticipated the most important will increase, and none of these are above 11.xx%.
We additionally know that the bottom worth for multi-day tickets has elevated. Above are the brand new costs (e.g. from $99 per day for a 5-day ticket). While the 1-day worth is similar as earlier than–$109, however solely at Animal Kingdom–the whole lot else is up by $5 to $8 per day. The greatest will increase are for the favored 4-day and 5-day tickets, which have elevated by $8 per day. Again, these are the bottom costs within the date-based system.
In spot-checking, it seems to me that the most important will increase are for peak weeks–suppose Christmas and New Year’s Eve (this yr and 2023), Presidents’ Day/Mardi Gras, Spring Break, Easter, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and so on. It’s just about a provided that these weeks would see bigger greenback quantity will increase, particularly the longer-duration tickets. Based on what I’m seeing, these are additionally seeing among the largest proportion positive aspects.
Not to beat a useless horse, however we mentioned this actual phenomenon again in Disney Doesn’t Want Lower Crowds.
As we clarify in that publish, greater costs don’t essentially translate to decrease attendance. There are sure occasions of yr that have greater demand attributable to college schedules, seasonal occasions, climate, and so on. Teachers or households with college age kids can’t swap their trip from summer season break to mid-September to reap the benefits of decrease costs. That’s not a viable answer for Disney’s core demographic of company. They will merely pay extra to go to throughout college breaks. Despite feigning in any other case, Disney is aware of this.
Charging incrementally greater costs for these occasions of yr permits Walt Disney World to capitalize on and revenue from that inherently greater demand, which is comparatively inelastic. That’s the ballgame. No matter what number of occasions Disney may attempt to say so, the aim will not be “flexibility” or no matter. This is the rationale spring break, summer season trip, and fall/winter holidays proceed to see heavier attendance than another time of yr and haven’t leveled off with random dates in mid-January, early May, late August, and so on. Increasing costs on that quasi-captive viewers is solely savvy enterprise or opportunism, relying upon your perspective. But I digress.
Similarly, though new Annual Pass gross sales stay paused, these APs will see a rise when gross sales resume. Here are the brand new costs for every tier:
- Incredi-Pass: $1399 – beforehand $1299
- Sorcerer Pass: $969 – beforehand $899
- Pirate Pass: $749 – beforehand $699
- Pixie Pass: $399 – no change
For these questioning when new AP gross sales will restart, Walt Disney World has no official reply–besides that it gained’t be this yr. We cowl our present expectations in When Will Walt Disney World Resume Annual Pass Sales in 2023?
When it involves 2023 Walt Disney World trip packages with park tickets, I’m not seeing any variations in earlier than/after pricing.
This could possibly be an oversight or error on my half. My ‘system’ for monitoring pricing could be very rudimentary, so it’s solely potential I’m lacking one thing. (To that time, when you’ve got a previously-booked trip package deal for subsequent yr, are you able to inform whether or not it’s costlier right this moment?)
As for commentary concerning the worth will increase, the one “new material” I’ve right here revolves round Disney’s Bob Swap. As famous above, this worth enhance and ticketing change was introduced on November 15–earlier than Chapek was fired and Iger was introduced again. Given that this entails system adjustments, it was seemingly set in movement months in the past and–if I needed to guess–was initially slated to roll out with the opposite fiscal yr will increase in October.
In any case, Bob Iger indicated that he was “alarmed” by earlier Walt Disney World worth will increase and layoff plans in leaks to media since returning. In that article, we questioned whether or not Iger would pause the previously-announced however not but applied ticket worth enhance slated for Walt Disney World in December 2022? Nope.
Honestly, this isn’t a lot of a shock. Based on responses throughout his Town Hall final week, it was fairly clear that Iger was nonetheless taking part in catch-up and sure shall be for some time. Moreover, as we mentioned in 7 Good Changes Bob Iger Could Make to “Fix” Walt Disney World, it’s going to be very troublesome to place the genie again within the bottle–each actually and figuratively–as soon as the corporate will get a style of upper costs. Especially when Walt Disney World raises prices however doesn’t see a corresponding drop in demand.
Given that Iger was introduced it to stem the bleeding from streaming and enhance Disney’s financials, I’ve a troublesome time believing that he’s going to take the fast hit on costs and the opposite upcharges simply to enhance goodwill amongst Walt Disney World followers. It’s very troublesome to examine a manner that Iger does that within the near-term given the uphill battle that Disney+ and Hulu face. Our hope has been that Iger improves the visitor expertise, the standard of the parks, and the worth proposition for visiting. He’s virtually actually not going to do this by reducing costs–that’s a fan fantasy–however by restoring parts of the magic. That’s the lifelike best-case situation.
Beyond the Iger-related commentary, there’s nothing new to report right here. As I’ve mentioned a number of occasions this yr, I’ve misplaced the capability for shock in relation to worth will increase. Even although that is the second ticket worth enhance of the yr at Walt Disney World, it’s nonetheless not an enormous shock. Crowds are crushing, pent-up demand continues to be robust, and the parks have a faithful and passionate fanbase.
The busy Christmas season has arrived and with it, the best attendance month of the yr. Last yr, Christmas was such a well-liked season that Walt Disney World ran out of reservations even at top-tier costs and suspended ticket gross sales for some dates. Thus far, this vacation season has been barely much less busy than final yr, however that could possibly be a byproduct of restored capability, fairly than decrease uncooked attendance numbers. (That can be our guess.)
On a optimistic be aware, we’re more than happy to see reservations rolled into 1-day tickets. This is a step in the suitable route, and one we’re shocked didn’t occur at the beginning of this yr. As talked about above, we anticipate reservations to fade away for Park Hopper and multi-day tickets in early 2023, too. We’ve mentioned the “why” of all this in When Will Park Pass Reservations End at Walt Disney World?
The argument could possibly be made that reservations are helpful in relation to staffing or useful resource allocation, however that doesn’t actually maintain water with single day tickets—particularly underneath this new system. We’re skeptical that it ever was true for any tickets, as Disney is notoriously dangerous with knowledge and analytics, even when it’d fancy itself a tech firm now. Redistribution of attendance and yield administration are upsides of the reservation system, and why it’s unlikely to ever go away for APs.
On prime of that, inflation is working scorching across the globe, with the United States hitting a four-decade excessive above 8% this yr. Thankfully, that is beginning to abate as client spending additionally begins to chill, however inflation does stay elevated. Most of those worth will increase are within the neighborhood that. On prime of that, the least costly single day tickets haven’t gone up since October 2018.
However, it’s additionally honest to level out that with the tip of free QuickPass+ and introduction of paid Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, which Disney has indicated that roughly half of Walt Disney World guests are buying, the efficient value of visiting has gone up by greater than 10%. In order to have an equal expertise as in comparison with pre-closure, you’ll have to spend an additional $25 per day, not less than, and that’s only for Lightning Lanes. That’s nonetheless not precisely apples to apples, however it’s shut sufficient for the sake of our comparability.
During earnings calls and interviews all year long, former CEO Bob Chapek instantly addressed worth will increase–and ready followers for extra of the identical. He has mentioned that Disney’s theme parks are seeing unprecedented demand, and have pricing energy because of this. He additionally boasted that the corporate’s home parks and resorts have achieved all-time income and working revenue information.
For a number of consecutive quarters, per visitor spending on the home parks has been up greater than 40% versus the identical quarter in 2019, a completely staggering quantity. This has been pushed by a extra favorable visitor and ticket combine (learn: fewer Annual Passholders), plus greater meals & beverage and merchandise spending, in addition to contributions from Genie+ and Lightning Lanes. Revenue and working revenue exceeded pre-pandemic ranges, and that’s whilst Disney continued capping attendance.
In essence, company management has mentioned that the ball is in customers’ courtroom—as long as they proceed to descend upon Walt Disney World in big numbers and willingly pay extra, Disney will proceed to lift costs till met with resistance. (In the type of misplaced gross sales and decreased demand, not on-line complaints divorced from precise motion.)
At least within the brief time period, the corporate is right about prices. It’s onerous to make a compelling case that Walt Disney World has any form of pricing downside, not less than for now. Even with all the latest (non-ticket) worth will increase, the corporate is posting unprecedented numbers and demand is off the charts. This is why all the followers clamoring for worth decreases now that Iger is again are setting themselves up for disappointment. Things will enhance–that’s already occurring with extra on the horizon. But why would the corporate depart cash on the desk?
Walt Disney World crowds have been completely bonkers this yr, with solely a handful of exceptions. While the Florida parks haven’t hit Disneyland ranges of absurdity, they’re closing in on 2019 wait time ranges (however virtually actually not uncooked attendance numbers as a result of decreased capability of the parks, which exacerbates “feels like” crowds).
In brief, so long as customers maintain spending and pent-up demand is robust, folks pays the costs for Walt Disney World park tickets, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, and no matter else has gone up in worth. The critical difficulty will come down the street when persons are not feeling so scorching about their financial circumstances and future.
At that time, it’s a query of whether or not discounting shall be sufficient to incentivize company to return, or if irreparable model injury could have been accomplished over the last decade or so of will increase. We don’t have a solution to that–nobody does–however it’s undoubtedly one thing about which we’re curious.
We aren’t alone. Wall Street analysts and buyers have requested the corporate about contingency plans to maintain the corporate on monitor to fulfill its monetary targets throughout a possible recession in 2023. In response, Disney indicated that there are a variety of “levers” they may pull within the occasion of financial downturn.
We clarify these choices in What Does Walt Disney World Do During a Recession? However, within the right here and now, pent-up demand nonetheless has not exhausted itself. This vacation season may be the ‘last hurrah’ so to talk, however it’s prone to be a busy one.
Ultimately, it’s nonetheless our perception that issues aren’t too removed from normalizing. (You may name it wishful–or delusional–considering!) Again, this vacation season will definitely be busy and we’re not suggesting in any other case. However, these worth will increase and different adjustments final past Christmas. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see whether or not capturing additional income for an additional couple of months is well worth the headlines that additional cement Walt Disney World as a journey vacation spot with ever-increasing costs.
It’ll even be attention-grabbing to see simply how rapidly Walt Disney World is ready to pivot and pull a few of these “levers” (to borrow a phrase from the c-suite) when attendance or the U.S. economic system (or each) switches gears. At some level, pent-up demand will fizzle out and inflation on requirements will negatively discretionary spending; on prime of that, greater rates of interest, underperforming funding portfolios, and rising family debt will deliver the social gathering to an finish. The clock is ticking on all of that.
When all of a few of that occurs, customers will return to being extra cost-conscious and worth delicate, and issues will normalize to not less than a point. However, there don’t look like any indicators of these issues occurring anytime quickly. Perhaps by mid-2023, however even when there’s a slowdown, it may take Disney some time to pivot on pricing.
In the meantime, get used to excessive costs, heavy crowds, and nickel & diming at Walt Disney World and Disneyland as this file run of income and revenue continues for not less than the fast future. We’ll be paying cautious consideration to all the adjustments, and can maintain you up to date as we study something new.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about inns on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To get monetary savings on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a novel have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for the whole lot you could know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on the park ticket worth will increase? Any dates with earlier than/after proportion jumps you see which can be greater than 12%? What about package deal pricing? What do you consider Walt Disney World’s determination to alter the park ticketing system and enhance costs together with it? Do you suppose Disney goes too far with will increase in a manner that’ll depart lasting reputational injury, or will the corporate have the ability to rapidly pivot together with financial circumstances? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any different issues we did not bear in mind or particulars we missed? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!