Walt Disney World has launched new particular presents on two totally different discounted multi-Day ‘Magic’ tickets for Spring to Fall 2024 obtainable for most of the people to buy that don’t require reservations. This shares particulars in regards to the deal and whether or not it’s too good to be true, plus our commentary about why it’s being provided and if it is smart to purchase.
The three-Day, 3- Park Ticket additionally doesn’t require a theme park reservation to enter the aforementioned Walt Disney World theme parks. This can be a date-based ticket with begin dates from April 2 by way of September 24, 2024. Ticket have to be used inside 5 days of chosen begin date. You should buy this ticket
If the 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket sounds acquainted, that’s good–it ought to. One thing very related was provided final summer time. That 4-Park model of this ticket was launched on Could 23, and encompassed summer time and fall. It was not date-based, however was topic to blockout dates from July 1 to July 4 and September 1 to September 4.
Final yr’s model of this deal was insanely fashionable. Not within the sense that it was a scorching subject on social media or had folks doing viral dances about it or no matter. However by way of gross sales, it was an enormous hit. You would possibly recall that Fourth of July was downright lifeless final yr, to the purpose that it made nationwide headlines and even Bob Iger addressed the problem, attributing it to the climate. (He was solely partially proper–the true subject was overly aggressively blockouts.)
That led to our follow-up: Why Labor Day Will Be ‘Lifeless’ at Walt Disney World. That (correct) prediction was fairly simple to make, and was predicated largely upon the 4-Park Magic Ticket blockout. Suffice to say, Walt Disney World has discovered from that mistake and is doing date-based tickets with no blockouts for 2024.
As for what which means, it’s that the costs above are merely the beginning charges for the Magic Tickets. Whereas the 4-Park model begins at $99 per day, the dates providing that value are principally throughout the August and September low season, in addition to the late April to Could shoulder season. Ditto the 3-Park model and its $89 per day dates.
When you wished to make use of the tickets for Fourth of July, for instance, you’re going to be paying fairly a bit extra per day, with a price of $118-$119 for the 4-Park ticket. The most costly dates are literally round Memorial Day, when the price spikes to its most of $121 per day. There are additionally $118 to $120 date ranges all through most of April 2024, which remains to be Spring Break season.
I’m really shocked dates round Memorial Day and Independence Day are so costly. Like Labor Day, these have turn out to be much less fashionable holidays at Walt Disney World over time. Fourth of July remains to be pretty busy, however not prefer it as soon as was–presumably attributable to different journey prices, AP/CM blockouts, and Disney’s pricing. Memorial Day is the unofficial begin to summer time season, however most households aren’t fairly able to take their massive trip then. None of those holidays are massive like Easter, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or NYE.
Anyway, I wouldn’t count on this deal to maneuver the needle a lot on these dates this yr. It’s actually not going to induce demand from deal-hunters who don’t have already got journeys deliberate. Particularly when these searching for bargains might simply go to per week or so earlier in Could and pay $99 per day, or arrive on July 7 and likewise pay $99 per day.
Whereas I believe the pricing round these holidays is probably a tad too aggressive, it’s nonetheless higher than blocking out these dates completely, like final yr. Basically, utilizing the date-based pricing is extremely savvy and may assist (to a point) redistribute demand extra evenly. And that’s the entire level of this ticket within the first place!
Talking of which, it’s extremely good of Walt Disney World to make use of the Magic Ticket to prevents its purchasers from spending a number of days in Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s in the future at every Walt Disney World theme park (minus Magic Kingdom with the 3-Day ticket) with no choice to buy Park Hopping.
Up to now, the corporate has used theme park reservations to restrict entry to Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, redistributing attendance and push folks in the direction of Animal Kingdom and EPCOT to extend the utilization of these parks and normalize numbers throughout all 4 parks. That was an occasion of the notorious “yield administration” method mentioned by executives on earnings calls and in interviews. However that’s gone for 2024!
It’s nonetheless a considerably related thought right here. If left to their very own units, vacationers wouldn’t go to Animal Kingdom and EPCOT in the identical numbers or with the identical frequency as Magic Kingdom (additionally recognized merely as “Disneyworld” to many informal company) or Disney’s Hollywood Studios (aka “The Star Wars Park” or “The One With All of the ‘Large’ Rides and New Stuff”).
The 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket primarily accomplishes that, with its purchasers spending 25% of their trip days at every park. This makes it a improbable deal for Walt Disney World guests on a funds or those that dedicate a day to every park. That’s doubly true now that there’s per-park pricing for the Genie+ service, as that’s additionally cheaper for 3 parks and costlier for Magic Kingdom or the multi-park possibility.
Similar thought with the 3-Park model, which excludes Magic Kingdom–the most well-liked park at Walt Disney World. Frankly, I believe this is what Walt Disney World ought to’ve carried out beginning round 2022 when it turned clear park reservations had been not strictly essential to handle crowds. However hindsight is 20/20.
As an alternative, they began taking part in video games with reservation availability with the intention to “pressure” folks to go to Animal Kingdom or EPCOT, which was by no means going to work. When you’re shopping for a 1-day ticket to see Cinderella Fort or Star Wars Stuff, you’re not going to be happy with a bunch of dwell flamingos and fictional blue aliens as a comfort prize. Disney didn’t efficiently manipulate the conduct of many one-off single-day guests with park reservations; as a substitute, these of us largely didn’t go to in any respect!
The Magic Ticket is a greater thought as a result of it’s voluntary. As an alternative of attempting to govern conduct, it primarily proposes a commerce: you go to all 4 parks equally, or Magic Kingdom in no way, and also you get a reduction. Many company on tighter funds will fortunately conform to this provide. It’s a win for them! It’s a win for Walt Disney World! Everybody goes residence (or somewhat, to the parks) glad!
As for the “why?” of this Magic Ticket being launched proper as Spring Break season is beginning (and over a full month sooner than final yr), it’s the identical motive as final yr. Pent-up demand continues to exhaust itself and there are indicators of softness on the horizon for Walt Disney World. We’ve talked about repeatedly that Walt Disney World is pulling out the ‘2019 low cost playbook’ in attempting to reverse lagging attendance and lodge occupancy developments.
Nevertheless, we’ve additionally seen and obtained blended indicators over the past couple of months as Walt Disney World has, for essentially the most half, been busier than final yr, reversing months of year-over-year declines. That is one thing we mentioned not too long ago in Re-Revenge Journey at Walt Disney World in 2024. In a nutshell, doable components for the bounceback are that fears of a recession are diminishing, inflation is easing, actual wages are rising, and client confidence is enhancing.
One other chance is that this may be a slight ‘reverberation’ after the pent-up demand of 2022. That 2023 was the ‘break’ yr for households that go to Walt Disney World semi-frequently, they usually’re returning in 2024. One more is that the winter months are going to be outliers, and households have shifted journeys from the recent summer time and early fall months (particularly after how brutal final yr was!) into the milder months of January and February. A number of potentialities, few (if any) solutions.
With that stated, I might not learn something–or no less than an excessive amount of–into this ticket deal or it being launched earlier in 2024. There have been indicators that Walt Disney World was caught flat-footed by the sharp and sudden finish of revenge journey final yr after Spring Break. That they scrambled to do issues to offset the drop in vacationer demand, but it surely nonetheless wasn’t sufficient.
The Magic Ticket was one such initiative. Once more, it was launched on Could 23. That was over a full month after crowds had dropped sharply, leading to an atypically sluggish shoulder season. And once more, hindsight is 20/20, however I’m certain there have been loads of folks inside the firm who wished they’d’ve launched final yr’s model of this ticket deal by mid-April. They in all probability additionally remorse these blockout dates, and different particulars.
Principally, what we’re seeing by way of reductions in 2024 at Walt Disney World (and Disneyland) is reactionary. It’s based mostly on classes discovered final yr, and never wanting a repeat of earnings calls throughout which the CFO needed to warn of a slowdown at Walt Disney World, adopted by a number of consecutive calls mentioning decreased attendance and occupancy.
This isn’t to say the forward-looking forecast doesn’t additionally point out (to Disney) that this deal is a good suggestion. It in all probability does/is! Simply that I wouldn’t see this particular provide, as a fan, and assume it means Walt Disney World is bracing itself for a good slower summer time than final yr. It wouldn’t be in the least stunning if the ‘revenge journey reverberation’ continues, and is partly fueled by this Magic Ticket promo being launched earlier, when extra dealhounds can take benefit and plan round it.
As for whether or not we’d advocate the 4-Park Magic ticket deal for Walt Disney World guests, that relies upon. First, are you at present planning on visiting all 4 theme parks? Do you plan upon spending a complete day at every of them? Would you skip the Park Hopper possibility?
If the reply to all 4 of these questions is sure, then shopping for this ticket is totally the proper resolution for you. When you’re on a good funds and a trip to Walt Disney World is already stretching your trip {dollars}, then this ticket provide additionally in all probability is smart if it suits fairly together with your trip parameters or is “shut sufficient.”
In pricing out Walt Disney World tickets, it must be pretty apparent that the 3-Park or 4-Park Magic ticket is an effective deal–and that’s whilst in comparison with reductions provided by approved third get together ticket sellers. As in comparison with entrance gate costs, it is a large financial savings on admission–usually over $100 per particular person.
Accordingly, in case you’re a backside greenback form of customer and this works inside your Walt Disney World trip plans, it’s a fairly open and closed case. You should purchase one of many Magic Tickets in your Walt Disney world journey–it’s an excellent to nice promo in your circumstances. It’s uncommon to see this deep of reductions provided to most of the people on tickets, and it’s a very enticing provide even contemplating the “catch.”
One nice use case is for individuals who are planning to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion in August or September 2024. Remember that MNSSHP attendees are allowed to enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm with buy of admission to that separately-ticketed particular occasion. (Assuming that decade-plus previous coverage doesn’t change.)
With the 3-Park Magic Ticket plus Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion tickets, you could possibly nonetheless get your Magic Kingdom repair and not using a devoted park day on the standalone ticket. With the 4-Park model (which is what we’d advocate), you could possibly double-dip in Magic Kingdom.
In case your journey is time-constrained, you could possibly do morning and early afternoon at Animal Kingdom, after which bounce over to Magic Kingdom at 4 pm for MNSSHP. Or, you could possibly do Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion on a unique day fully, having fun with pool time or Disney Springs in your MNSSHP morning. Both approach, you’d be capable of spend 1.5 days at Magic Kingdom! (From that perspective, the financial savings provided by this Disney Magic Ticket additionally makes it simpler to justify the excessive price of MNSSHP.)
Briefly, there are lots of use circumstances for the 3-Day or 4-Day Disney Magic Ticket. It’s going to be a very nice possibility for households wanting to chop prices and scale back their trip funds. Paired with one of many room-only reductions that’s at present obtainable, it ought to make a Walt Disney World trip doable for some individuals who would possibly’ve beforehand thought it was out of attain. Or it’d be capable of make the journey cheaper, and permit for splurging elsewhere. It’s a very nice deal–and a uncommon normal public ticket low cost.
Nevertheless, the Magic Ticket deal will not be for everybody, and we’d encourage those that are on the fence to offer it extra thought and take into account whether or not the financial savings are sufficient to beat this ticket’s shortcomings. As with all the things, there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation in relation to Walt Disney World, however this isn’t a ticket that we’d personally buy or advocate to most first-timers or rare guests.
As defined in our Cash-Saving Information to Walt Disney World Tickets, we’re enormous Park Hopper followers and advocates. That’s one of many first and highest-priority splurges we’d advocate making, even when it comes on the expense of desk service meals, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, or absolutely anything else. That’s very true for these with fewer days at Walt Disney World. (Not a lot for fogeys with young children or anybody else who realistically received’t spend all day within the parks.)
Though all of them can be full-day parks, we wrestle with recommending that first-timers spend 25% of their trip time at Animal Kingdom. It may be troublesome to say that the common first-time customer goes to need to spend the identical period of time at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.
Realistically, that’s simply not an excellent allocation of time for most individuals. This isn’t simply our bias or private preferences–there are stats to assist it. For one factor, Animal Kingdom sees hundreds of thousands fewer annual company than Magic Kingdom. For an additional factor, wait instances present that Animal Kingdom crowds arrive late and go away early. (There’s a motive Animal Kingdom is the following park that’s earmarked for growth.)
Relating to Animal Kingdom, the ‘common’ visitor is rolling up at round 10 am and leaving earlier than 3 pm. The common first-timer can actually spend extra time at DAK, however you could possibly simply arrive at opening (or higher but, for Early Entry) and go away absolutely happy at 1 pm, get to Magic Kingdom proper at 2 pm, and nonetheless have an opportunity on the afternoon TRON Lightcycle digital queue.
That is an illustrative instance, and admittedly essentially the most excessive one. We additionally favor splitting up each EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios into two half-days, but it surely’s a lot simpler to fill a complete single day at them.
The salient level is that in case you’re a first-timer with 4 days at Walt Disney World, it is best to spend no less than 1.5 of these days at Magic Kingdom. Allocating the identical variety of days to each ‘kingdom’ parks is an inefficient use of time, and cash is equally worthwhile (if no more so) to time for many individuals on trip.
Nevertheless you cut up up the remainder of the time between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios comes down to non-public desire, and there are arguments for and in opposition to extreme Park Hopping. (It does “waste” time, however a lot of that point is spent on novel transportation methods just like the Skyliner or FriendShip boats, that are a few of the finest non-attraction points of interest in all of Walt Disney World!)
With that stated, I understand this desire has been developed over a decade-plus as Annual Passholders, which supplies us the luxurious of Park Hopping and never worrying about ticket costs. (We simply pay one obscenely excessive value as soon as per yr, after which “neglect” about admission.) If I used to be budgeting for a household of 4 and evaluating the price of common 4-Day Park Hopper tickets to the 4-Day Magic Ticket…the sticker shock and distinction between the 2 choices may need me altering my tune actually shortly!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the things you want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be buying the 3-Day/3-Park or 4-Day/4-Park Magic Ticket? Do you assume it is a whole lot, or is it too restrictive in ‘forcing’ you to go to Animal Kingdom and EPCOT? When you’re a vacationer, do the Magic Tickets enchantment to you? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
