So much for calling it the Happiest Place on Earth.
If you’re planning a quick trip to popular Walt Disney World or Disneyland with the kids anytime soon, you might have to shell out some big bucks.
In a move to level out demand during peak attendance periods, Disney on Sunday introduced seasonal surge pricing for its US theme parks. The changes, which most notably affect rates for one-day tickets, will alter admission fees depending on the time of year when patrons visit. And it could deter them from making the trek in the first place.
One-day park tickets now come in three price tiers: value, regular and peak. And each park has different rates. At Florida’s sprawling Walt Disney World, one-day, one-park tickets for the Magic Kingdom now cost $124 for peak days — a pretty big hike from its previous $105 charge. Meanwhile, peak pricing for the same ticket into Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will now run you $114 — a $17 climb from its former price.
Peak days include the year’s most popular travel holidays, such as July Fourth, Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it also encompasses spring break and summer weekends, when many families also choose Disney as a fun vacation destination.
Regular-tier prices — say for a trip sometime in April — for a one-day ticket are $110 for Magic Kingdom access and $102 at the three other Florida parks. Value prices, on off-days, will grant you $105 entry into Magic Kingdom and $97 for the others.
Sure, the value category will help you spend less, but there are only 83 value days remaining this year, and they’re all weekdays during school months. And that’s not ideal for parents, teachers or kids.
California’s Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have also promised similarly styled price hikes. One-day, one-park tickets at these theme parks will run $119 for peak, $105 for regular and $95 for value. The former charge was $99 for all days of the year.
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