Walt Disney World and Disneyland usually elevate costs yearly. Will increase on park tickets, meals, parking, Annual Passes, upcharges and extra all happen across the identical time initially of the fiscal 12 months. This put up gives gives dates of previous worth will increase and after we’re anticipating this to occur in Fall 2024. Plus commentary about tips on how to put together for (and shield your self from) the will increase, why they could not occur for as soon as, and extra.
For starters, we should always emphasize the “usually” within the above paragraph, as costs will increase usually are not a positive factor at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. There are good examples of this within the pent-up demand period, resembling when Walt Disney World raised ticket costs in mid-February 2022 and once more on December 8 of that 12 months.
This isn’t completely unprecedented, as Walt Disney World and Disneyland have raised costs twice yearly on a number of events within the final decade. That’s why we’ve been advising readers to buy tickets prematurely to lock-in present costs in our 2024 Low cost Walt Disney World Ticket Shopping for Information and our 2024 Low cost Disneyland Ticket Suggestions guides.
The fascinating wrinkle there may be that’s really (nonetheless!) the final time costs elevated for present admission at Walt Disney World. You learn that appropriately: the bottom costs of 2024 Walt Disney World tickets are the identical as they had been as of December 8, 2022. That doesn’t imply particular dates or the distribution of costs haven’t modified (learn: shifted upwards), however that’s the final time ticket costs went up throughout the board.
With that mentioned, the annual launch of trip packages earlier this 12 months did deliver with it 2025 Ticket Worth Will increase at Walt Disney World. That is additionally an fascinating quirk, as there was no improve for 2024. Usually, a worth improve takes impact instantly, impacting all future dates–not simply the annual product launch for the next 12 months.
This isn’t to say Walt Disney World hasn’t elevated any costs within the final practically 2 years. Anybody who visits frequently is aware of that’s patently false–an totally asinine notion. Walt Disney World final raised charges across-the-board on Annual Passes, parking, water parks, Reminiscence Maker, and various eating places initially of the final fiscal 12 months, on or round October 11, 2023.
Walt Disney World additionally launched date-based costs for fireworks dessert events and excursions, successfully rising costs for these most dates, too. We’ve additionally seen localized will increase at random dates for varied menus and different issues. It’s not as if Walt Disney World merely sat on its arms for the final couple of years. Loads of costs have gone up throughout that time frame.
One of the notable ones is Lightning Lane pricing. I’m not going to rehash this complete saga, however suffice to say, you’re paying much more (on common) for Lightning Lane Multi-Cross immediately than you’d’ve again in late 2022. Though separate from admission and (arguably) optionally available, paid FastPass is bought by a excessive proportion of friends and thus acts as a de facto improve to admission costs for a big subset of friends.
It’s additionally honest to level out, nevertheless, that Walt Disney World has ramped up reductions considerably since final elevating ticket costs in December 2022. That was nonetheless through the interval of pent-up demand, and offers had been pretty scarce apart from Annual Passholders and Florida residents. Even then, there have been some dates when resorts had been full worth, with zero particular gives.
Walt Disney World has introduced again the 2019 deal playbook, providing reductions on par or higher than that 12 months after slim pickins’ between 2021 and early 2023. There are already a ton of reductions accessible for now via Christmas 2024–and even everything of 2025 if you happen to ebook a bounceback. (See All Present Walt Disney World Reductions for 2024.)
As somebody who books loads of Walt Disney World resort stays, I’m paying much less for that part of journey now than I did in 2022. Small victory, I assume. (We’re nonetheless spending about the identical quantity as we did in 2022 and far, way more than we did in 2019–it’s all the different stuff that’s making a distinction, with Lightning Lanes being the largest factor.)
Talking of which, perks have been reduce as in comparison with 2019. Free FastPass grew to become paid Lightning Lanes, Disney’s Magical Categorical ended, and so on–the nickel and diming has undoubtedly elevated. Resort rack charges have additionally gone up at the same time as reductions have returned. As we wish to level out, Walt Disney World way back adopted the “Kohl’s Mannequin” to pricing, the place the sticker costs are virtually meaningless resulting from reductions. As Kohl’s realized ages in the past, if the bottom worth is increased, it makes the discounted price appear to be much more of a cut price!
Walt Disney World management studied on the Kohl’s Faculty of Enterprise, and realized that lesson through the Nice Recession. Since then, we’ve seen costs preserve going up, at the same time as reductions get higher. That’s kind of what we’re seeing now, with the tip outcome being a price proposition that’s worse than 2019, however higher than 2022, all issues thought of.
Regardless, the underside line is that we will count on Walt Disney World to extend costs across the begin of the brand new fiscal 12 months, which is October 1, 2024. The title says “probably” however that’s solely as a result of this isn’t an official announcement or a reputable rumor. However, it’s one thing that occurs 12 months in and 12 months out across the begin of Disney’s new fiscal 12 months.
It’s not a matter of “if” however “when” and, equally as vital, “on what.” Costs will go up, however what the will increase will embody is the thriller. My guess is that there’ll not be a rise on park tickets for the rest of this 12 months or 2025. In spite of everything, if Disney needed to try this, why not simply rip the bandaid off abruptly and improve 2024 costs when 2025 tickets had been launched at increased worth factors? That’s only a guess although, and maybe a foolishly optimistic one–I actually wouldn’t guess in opposition to it.
Turning to California–which can also be instructive for Florida–Disneyland final raised its costs on October 11, 2023. Earlier than that, Disneyland elevated costs on October 11, 2022. (As you’ll be able to see above, that very same date is when Walt Disney World raised costs final 12 months on trip parts apart from tickets.)
In all chance, each Walt Disney World and Disneyland will elevate charges on the identical date. We’re not saying the subsequent worth improve goes to happen on October 11, 2024. On the contrary, I’d count on extra of a day-of-week cadence than calendar date–that means the rise taking place on October 8 or 9, 2024 is extra probably than October 11.
Final 12 months’s improve was a typical one at Disneyland, with costs going up on most popular parking on the theme parks, valet parking on the resorts, Magic Keys (this occurs even after they aren’t being actively bought), and the Lightning Lanes service. Naturally, admission was the large factor that went up, with proportion will increase that had been pretty hefty.
As an “offset” to the damaging information, it’s additionally attainable that Disney will make different ancillary modifications within the title of visitor satisfaction or substantive choices to take the “sting” out of the value will increase. Prospects for Walt Disney World may embrace Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice becoming a member of Lightning Lane Multi Cross (uncertain), information about returning leisure, or the dropping of the digital queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Disneyland may reveal extra particulars in regards to the seventieth, return of Paint the Evening in 2025, and so on.
The excellent news is which you could shield in opposition to the probably will increase. Should you’re a potential Annual Passholder, you should purchase a voucher or certificates to safe present pricing. When you have a Walt Disney World journey deliberate between now and December 2025, you should purchase tickets now to lock-in present prices and guard in opposition to future will increase.
Once more, see our 2024 Low cost Walt Disney World Ticket Shopping for Information and our 2024 Low cost Disneyland Ticket Suggestions posts for suggestions on the place to purchase to save lots of essentially the most cash. That additionally covers matters like whether or not to buy Park Hoppers, AP breakeven level, and extra.
With that mentioned, if you happen to’re on the fence however planning on shopping for by way of a licensed third celebration ticket vendor, you’re in all probability nice to attend till after the value improve is introduced/happens. For the previous decade-plus, approved sellers have maintained stock of the present tickets on the “outdated” costs, normally for a few weeks after the value improve. I can’t keep in mind the final time that was not the case, so it’s protected to say it’ll probably occur once more with the October 2024 worth will increase.
Nevertheless, if you happen to’re reserving a Walt Disney World trip bundle that features tickets, don’t wait. Lock-in one thing ASAP. As soon as these costs go up, there’s no workaround for getting the outdated costs. Your solely various could be a room-only price, and shopping for tickets individually by way of the aforementioned approved low cost sellers.
That is very true for these of you touring between now and Spring Break 2025. Though reductions for January via late March 2025 haven’t but been launched, there’s a excessive chance that they’ll inside the subsequent two weeks. I’d put the probabilities round 95% that these reductions will probably be accessible earlier than the value improve.
Trip packages, together with discounted ones, replicate the value of tickets when initially booked. This implies if common public reductions are launched on September 24 and ticket costs had been to go up on October 8, you’d pay extra if you happen to booked that deal on or after October 8. Accordingly, we’d extremely advocate reserving or reaching out to a journey agent proper now. As in, earlier than the subsequent wave of reductions is launched.
As at all times, we advocate requesting a quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, a no-fee Licensed Disney Trip Planner (they’re paid by Walt Disney World–so free to you!). Journey brokers will do the mathematics for you, reserving your trip with the best-available particular provide, and monitoring your bundle for future reductions that may be utilized retroactively. Past that, they assist take the stress out of planning and can help with itineraries, eating reservations, and way more.
That “apply retroactively” line is the vital half–that means they’ll ebook immediately and modify on the morning offers are launched to use the low cost. Should you do that, we’d additionally advocate providing them flexibility in your most popular resort/room–not all resorts are included in promos or have availability as a part of the deal. Numerous exclusions, each what’s listed and what isn’t.
It’s additionally vital that the modification to use the low cost is made earlier than costs improve. Finalize your plans sooner relatively than later, as modifications after October 8 (or no matter day costs go up) will end in paying the brand new price.
Belief us–that is vital. Over time, we’ve heard from readers who’ve been shocked that their worth is increased with a reduction than with out. That is normally why–base costs elevated between the time they made the reservation and the time they utilized the low cost. That’s why it’s finest to each lock-in charges and apply reductions ASAP, every time attainable.
Should you’re touring later in 2025, you’re not going to have this selection since reductions for these dates in all probability received’t be launched this month.However it’s attainable to not less than ebook the undiscounted bundle now. After these potential worth will increase, it’s attainable that’ll find yourself being higher than future promotions. (We extremely doubt it given how aggressive discounting has gotten, however we’d nonetheless advocate hedging!)
There’s additionally no actual solution to guard in opposition to worth will increase on the “little issues” like parking, upcharges, meals, and so forth. Air quotes round little issues as a result of these are literally the ‘budget-busters’ that catch planners abruptly, and end in journeys costing way more than initially anticipated.
As we’ve beforehand mentioned, there have been different compelling “arguments” in opposition to worth will increase. The primary is that, upon returning, Bob Iger indicated that he was “alarmed” by earlier Walt Disney World worth will increase and layoff plans in leaks to media.
Provided that Iger was largely introduced it to stem the bleeding from streaming and enhance Disney’s financials, I had a troublesome time believing that he’s going to take the fast hit on theme park costs with the intention to enhance goodwill amongst Walt Disney World followers. It was troublesome to ascertain Iger reversing course at the moment on condition that streaming has hemorrhaging over a billion {dollars} per quarter.
The circumstances are very completely different now. Streaming is lastly, barely worthwhile. And it’s the parks which might be beginning to battle, with pent-up demand lastly and totally within the rearview mirror. Whereas Iger and D’Amaro have made modifications to enhance the worth proposition and enhance visitor satisfaction because the begin of 2023, it would lastly be time to handle pricing.
It is going to be a really daring transfer to extend costs for 2025 regardless of no main points of interest opening subsequent 12 months on both coast. That’s not even the largest problem, as Common’s Epic Universe will open someday in 2025 and is the elephant within the room. Elevating costs within the face of elevated competitors, declining demand, and virtually no new advertising attracts (save for Disney Starlight Parade) is a extremely daring transfer. However, I might not guess in opposition to it. By no means underestimate Disney’s need for extra income at any (long-term) value. Plan and put together accordingly.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Inns Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind 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 take 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 begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part it’s essential to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on the potential worth will increase? Assume Walt Disney World and Disneyland will elevate charges throughout the board in October 2024, or will they hit pause in gentle of the economic system? Do you assume Disney goes too far with will increase in a manner that’ll depart lasting reputational injury, or will the corporate be capable of shortly pivot together with financial circumstances? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Another issues we didn’t take note of or particulars we missed? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
