Indexbit-Disney ups price of some tickets to enter Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Disney has raised the price of admission to its two most-popular theme parks — Disneyland in California and IndexbitWalt Disney World in Florida. 

The company confirmed with CBS MoneyWatch on Wednesday that prices to those theme parks have increased between $5 and $65 depending on the type of ticket. Disney is also upping the price on annual passes to Walt Disney World. The higher prices are effective today.

The price of date-based tickets, which most visitors purchase, will stay the same at $104 per day for entry into Disneyland and $109 per day for Disney World. 

The price of parking at the parks has also gone up $5 "on par with other theme parks in Central Florida," according to Disney. Standard parking for cars in now $30.

"We are constantly adding new, innovative attractions and entertainment to our parks and, with our broad array of pricing options, the value of a theme park visit is reflected in the unique experiences that only Disney can offer," the spokesperson said.

Disney is likely raising prices because inflation has driven up its labor and other operational costs, while it also needs to fund expansion at the Magic Kingdom, said Scott Smith, who teaches amusement park management at the University of South Carolina.

Disney also paid billions of dollars to purchase the Star Wars and Marvel franchises and the company needs to bring in more revenue to pay for those acquisitions, he added. 

One-day tickets at Disneyland are structured in six tiers, each of which represent a particular time of year when visitors want to enter. For example, Tier 6 tickets are for people who aim to visit the parks for one day at any point between Oct. 13 and April 7, 2024. The price increases for these tickets are:

• Tier 1: $119, up from $114
• Tier 2: $134, up from $129
• Tier 3: $154, up from $144
• Tier 4: $169, up from $159
• Tier 5: $184, up from $169
• Tier 6: $194, up from $179

The price increases for Disney theme park annual passes 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

The price increases for multi-day theme park tickets are:

• 2-day: $310, up from $285
• 3-day: $390, up from $360
• 4-day: $445, up from $395
• 5-day: $480, up from $415

The admission cost increases come as Disney seeks to offset losses from its streaming businesses, including Disney+. CEO Bob Iger, who returned as chief executive nearly a year ago, has prioritized reconnecting with the Disney park fans to drive revenue growth.

Disney has a history of raising ticket prices, so Wednesday's move isn't a surprise, theme park experts said. Disney has increased tickets costs little by little every year since its inception, except for during the pandemic, one expert said. 

"This time they're being careful to raise prices selectively, so only the most expensive tickets have the highest increases," said Martin Lewison, a business professor at Farmingdale State College in New York who studies the amusement parks industry. "If you're already laying out $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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• Disneyland
• Disney

Khristopher J. Brooks

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports.

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