Disney fans who have been hesitant about booking their vacation may have to pay a little more than expected.
Parking and annual pass prices increased overnight at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Some ticket prices and other costs also increased at Disneyland on Wednesday.
“We are continually adding new, innovative attractions and entertainment options to our parks, and with our wide range of pricing options, the value of a theme park visit is reflected in the unique experiences that only Disney can provide,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.
The changes come on the same day as a long-awaited announcement about park hopper rules at Disney World.
Here’s what visitors to Disney World and Disneyland should know:
Disney World Parkhopper opening hours will be relaxed
Starting Jan. 9, Disney World guests will again be able to park at any time of day during park hours, pending capacity, the Florida resort announced Wednesday.
Currently, guests must wait until 2:00 p.m. to change parks if they purchased the Park Hopper option with their tickets.
The change goes into effect on the same day as two other highly anticipated measures: the removal of reservation requirements for most Disney World guests and the return of the prepaid Disney Dining Plan.
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Disney World parking price increase
Starting Wednesday, the standard parking price will be $30 instead of $25, at Disney World theme parks.
This is the same price as the starting price for parking at SeaWorld Orlando and the regular price for parking at Universal Orlando Resort.
Parking is free for guests at Disney’s Resort hotels. Plus, it’s free for Disney Springs guests to visit the shopping, dining and entertainment complex – not the theme parks.
Disney World Annual Pass Price Increase
The prices of all four annual tickets also jumped overnight.
- The top step Disney Incredi Pass now costs $1,449. That’s $50 more than $1,399.
- The Disney Wizard Pass is now $999, up $30 from $969. It is available only to Florida residents and Disney Vacation Club members.
- The Disney Pirate Pass is now $799, up $50 from $749. This is only available to Florida residents.
- The Disney Pixie Passwhich is also only available to Florida residents, is now $439, up $40 from $399.
Existing annual pass holders can renew at reduced special prices.
There are no price changes for standard, dated tickets that most Disney World guests have.
More changes for Annual Passholders at Disney World
Disney World previously announced the launch of “good-to-go” dates, allowing Annual Passholders and Cast Members to visit the parks without reservations. The resort has now announced that the “good dates” will be introduced in January and published at regular intervals thereafter.
On dates where there are no ready-to-go dates, Annual Passholders and Cast Members will still need a reservation for their starting park if entering before 2:00 p.m
Ticket price increases at Disneyland
The starting price for adult day tickets at a park at Disneyland remains $104, as it has been for several years. However, prices for higher-tier tickets increased by $5 to $15 on Wednesday.
Ticket prices for a day at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure are now $194. That’s $15 more than the previous price of $179 for the highest-demand resort dates in Southern California. For comparison, the most expensive single-day park tickets at Disney World are $189 for Magic Kingdom.
Prices for multi-day tickets also rose sharply on Wednesday.
- Two-day tickets: $310, over $25
- Three-day tickets: $390, over $30
- Four-day tickets: $445, over $50
- Five-day tickets: $480, over $65
Park hopping costs extra. It still costs $65 to add park hopping to a day ticket. However, on Wednesday, the Parkhopper surcharge for multi-day tickets increased to between $5 and $15.
Disneyland is offering limited-time discounts on children’s tickets next year. From Jan. 8 through March 10, the price for a child ticket will be “just $50 per child per day,” the resort announced last week. Only children between 3 and 9 years old are eligible for children’s tickets. Guests 10 years and older are considered adults, while children under 3 years old have free entry to the parks.
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Disneyland Magic Key Price Increase
Disneyland’s version of annual passes, known as Magic Keys, also rose to as much as $150 on Wednesday.
- The top step Inspire the key is now $1,649, which is $50 more than the previous price of $1,599.
- The Believe key is now $1,249, up $150 from $1,099.
- The Enchantment key is now $849, up $150 from $699.
- The Imagine Keywhich is only available to Southern California residents in certain ZIP codes, now costs $499, a $50 increase from $449.
Currently, none of the Magic Keys are available for new purchases, but existing Magic Key holders can renew them.
To make the most of Magic Key benefits, Magic Key holders can visit the new Magic Keys Extra Unlocked section of the Disneyland app and website, which lists exclusive perks such as a free holiday tote bag available next month , while stocks last.
More changes at Disneyland
Theme park and hotel parking prices rose $5 across the board on Wednesday. However, hourly rates remain unchanged for guests visiting Downtown Disney and not the parks.
The cost to pre-purchase Genie+ also rose from $25 to $30 on Wednesday. This corresponds to the starting price for purchasing Genie+ on the day of a park visit. Daily prices vary depending on demand.
Not only can Genie+ help guests reduce wait times at select attractions, but unlike Disney World, Genie+ at Disneyland also includes unlimited PhotoPass downloads. Starting Wednesday, the service will also include Disneyland’s newest attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will be included in Genie+ in November.