(CNN) – From day-use parking to annual pass purchases, guests at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California pay more to enjoy the magic of Mickey Mouse. Again.
The latest increases were announced and implemented this Wednesday, October 11th. It’s been exactly a year since the last price increase at the complex’s two theme parks: the classic Disneyland Park and the newer California Adventure Park.
The bright spot in this latest round of increases: The cost of a one-day admission to a single park, on what Disneyland designates as Tier 0 days (those are the days with the lowest attendance), has not increased. This price remains at $104. But many other significant prices will increase, including other types of day tickets for individual parks.
This is an overview of the increases and the reasons behind them.
What’s happening at Disneyland?
Off-season prices will only increase slightly, but other prices have seen larger increases. Photo credit: Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register/Getty Images
As any Disney regular or newbie will tell you, navigating all the packages and options for a visit can be a real maze.
The final price can depend on many factors: the number of days you spend there, the number of people in your group and their ages, the timing of your trip, whether you purchase skip-the-line options, and whether you purchase multiple Visit parks, among others.
The final effort largely depends on the visitor, but these are some of the basic increases:
Day parking tickets per person: Tier 0 tickets are still $104. If you go to the park on a Level 1 day, the cost is $119, a $5 increase over the previous price.
As for the cheapest Tier 0 days, Disneyland is offering a similar number of days this winter and early spring as in 2023. (The full 2024 schedule has not yet been released.)
Multi-day tickets: These are not included in the level system. They cost the same price regardless of whether they are reserved for busy times (e.g. Christmas week) or off-peak times (e.g. mid-September or mid-January). This is the breakdown:
- Two-day ticket: $310 (was $285)
- Three-day ticket: $390 (was $360)
- Four-day ticket: $445 (was $395)
- Five-day ticket: $480 (was $415)
Park Hopper: They allow you to travel between classic Disneyland and California Adventure on the same day for an additional cost. And the price for so-called “park hopping” increases, unless it is a day ticket. This price remains at $65. Here’s the breakdown of the other prizes:
- Two-Day Park Hopper Pass: $65 (was $60)
- Three-Day Park Hopper Pass: $70 (was $60)
- Four-Day Park Hopper Pass: $70 (was $60)
- Five-Day Park Hopper Pass: $75 (was $60)
Annual tickets: Passes called Magic Key Passes are particularly popular with locals and fans, according to Don Munsil, president of MouseSavers, a guide to discounts and deals at Disney and Universal parks. Cheaper passes include more blackout dates and more expensive passes offer more date options. These increases are:
- Imagine Magic Key: $499 (was $449)
- Enchant Magic Key: $849 (was $699)
- Believe Magic Key: $1,249 (was $1,099)
- Inspire Magic Key: $1,649 (was $1,599)
Further increases: Disney Genie+ is the park’s skip-the-line offering at popular attractions. If you buy it before you arrive, it will cost $30 instead of the previous $25. You can purchase Genie+ after you arrive, but the price may be even higher depending on the line.
Finally, parking prices are also rising. Standard parking is now $35 (was $30) and preferred parking is $55 (was $50).
Why another price increase?
Rapidly rising prices are a harsh reality today; For example, wholesale inflation in the United States rose sharply in September. Very few things seem to be beyond the reach of inflation, including travel and leisure destinations.
“We are continually adding new and 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,” said Disney spokeswoman Jessica Good.
Munsil, a long-time Disney watcher, said these price increases at Disneyland indicate a pattern of trying to control crowds at the park by steering guests away from busy dates and on days when the crowds tend to be smaller.
“The general message over the last few years is that Disney is trying to optimize park visitation to provide a better experience for people who pay full admission and to maximize revenue,” Munsil told CNN Travel.
He found that Disneyland costs almost as much to operate on a low attendance day as on a high attendance day. Balancing the peaks and valleys is good for the bottom line: “This is the holy grail for theme park companies.”
That’s why you won’t see a price increase for a Level 0 entry, but higher prices for other options, Munsil said. “They would like to have more people in the low season and don’t need more in the high season… I would expect more of that in the future.”
And what could be in store for us in terms of pricing and options?
“It must be taken into account that Disneyland has not yet decided to vary the prices of multi-day tickets depending on the dates covered. This is an obvious measure that I hope they implement in the end,” says Munsil.
Historical prices at Disneyland
Prices have increased significantly over the decades since Disneyland opened. Courtesy of Disneyland Resort
Disneyland was the first Disney-branded theme park when it opened on July 17, 1955. And the price of admission on opening day back then could leave someone trying to scrape together nearly $200 for a date on their feet. Those in high demand would rather try to invent a time machine.
Munsil, who keeps an eye on Disney prices, says the first entry to the park is $1 for adults and $0.5 for children. According to the US inflation calculator, the same ticket should now cost $31. It’s clear that Disneyland inflation has outpaced general price inflation.
However, some caveats must be taken into account.
First, the attractions’ technology and experiences are far beyond what 1950s technology could provide.
And back then you could enter the park with a dollar. “Each attraction had its own entrance fee, which ranged from $0.25 to $0.35 for adults and $0.10 to $0.25 for children,” explains Munsil. The bigger the attractions and the bigger the emotions, the higher the prices.
Soon after, an ever-changing price and options offering was introduced that continues to this day. In 1956, a combined admission and 10-attraction package was introduced for $3, with discounts for younger guests, members of the armed forces and even clergy, Munsil explains.
It wasn’t until the early 1980s that the attractions were included in the admission price. “In 1982 they started offering the all-you-can-ride rate for $12.”
Even early 21st century prices can evoke nostalgia.
“In 2001, Disney’s California Adventure opened its doors and added a second park to the complex. The price for a day pass for one of the two parks was $43,” explains Munsil. At that time there were no day tickets for the Park Hopper.
What’s happening at Disney World in Florida?
Annual pass prices at Walt Disney World in Florida are increasing by up to 10%. Photo credit: Joseph Prezioso/Andadolu Agency/Getty Images
Disneyland wasn’t the only place to raise prices on October 11th. Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, an even larger resort with four major theme parks, also increased some prices.
According to Portal, annual pass prices will rise by up to 10%. The Incredi Pass, the most expensive, is now $1,449, up 50. If you add taxes, the price rises to almost $1,500. However, there are no days where you are not allowed in and you can save on restaurants and products.
Additionally, standard parking at Disney World will be reduced from $25 to $30, along with other increases. However, Disney World will not increase prices for day passes.
And there is another positive aspect of the Florida complex: from January 9th, parking is possible at any time of the day without restrictions. Until then, park hoppers will have to wait until 2 p.m. to hop from one theme park to another.
—CNN’s Natasha Chen contributed to this report.