A family visit to theme parks at Disney World in Orlando or the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim can be quite costly for people earning average or lower incomes. Depending on the size of your family, how long you plan to visit and whether you plan to stay at a Disney hotel, it could cost thousands of dollars. The expense could be out of reach for some people on a tight budget.
During Bob Chapek's tenure as CEO of the Walt Disney Co. (DIS) from February 2020 to November 2022, admission prices, as well as food and drink prices, at the company's theme parks increased each year, despite the public facing covid restrictions almost everywhere, the parks limiting reservations and shutting down for operations during certain months.
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In 2019, admission at Disneyland, in California, ranged from $104 for a low demand day to $149 for a high demand day ticket. Prices spiked each year to a top price of $179 at the last increase in October 2022, a month before Chapek was forced to resign, though the low demand price remained the same.
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Disney World Raised Ticket Prices in 2022
Disney World parks increased from a low of $109 and high of $159 in 2019 to a low of $109 and high of $189 at the last increase in November 2022, just before Chapek's exit.
Bob Iger, who first served as Disney CEO from 2005 to 2020 when his contract expired, returned to CEO when Chapek resigned. Iger commented in March that Disney may have lost its way when it comes to pricing at its theme parks, and he made it clear he was thinking about pricing at the company's theme parks.
"I've always believed that Disney was a brand that needed to be accessible. And I think that in our zeal to grow profits, we may have been a little bit too aggressive about some of our pricing," he said.
"I think there's a way to continue to grow that business but be smarter about how we price so that we maintain that brand value of accessibility," he said. "And ... we took certain steps when I came back to do just that, and they've resonated extremely well with consumers. And we're not only going to continue to listen to consumers, but we're going to continue to adjust."
And listening to consumers and adjusting is exactly what Iger and Disney have done.
Disney World Drops Ticket Prices for Limited Time
Disney World on May 15 rolled out a series of summer discount ticket offers that is almost unheard of at the House of Mouse. Summer months are some of the most high demand days at Disney World, but Disney is doing its fans a big favor by drastically reducing admission prices for a limited time.
Beginning May 23, guests can purchase the 4-Day Magic Ticket for $99 a day plus tax, or $396 plus tax, which includes one day of admission to each of Disney World's theme parks on four separate days, with no reservations needed. Tickets are valid from June 1, 2023, to Sept. 29, 2023, subject to blockout dates of July 1-4 and Sept. 1-4. Tickets must be used within seven days of first use or Sept. 29, whichever comes first.
This means Disney is rolling back admission prices to $10 below the lowest priced ticket back in 2019. That's called beating inflation.
Take notice, Gov. Ron DeSantis, as Florida residents get a huge break on ticket prices and can choose from a 4-day ticket for $58 plus tax per day, or $229 plus tax; or a 3-day ticket for $70 per day, or $209 plus tax. In this case, advance theme park reservations are required and are subject to availability.
Also, hotel guests can save up to 25% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels this summer. Florida residents can save up to 30% from July 11 to Sept. 28.
Disney has not yet revealed a similar summer discount ticket offer for the Disneyland Resort.
