It always hurts when Walt Disney World increases ticket prices. The biggest sting isn’t the increase amounts themselves, it’s having to face the fact that in the next 5 to 7 years a day at Disney is going to reach the $200 mark.
Less than a year ago, Disney started tiering admission fees based on demand. A ticket on Christmas Day costs $50 more than a ticket on a Tuesday in September.
The tiers are Low ($109), Value ($117), Regular ($125), Peak ($139), and Holiday ($159). The good news is that tickets priced in the “Low” category did not increase at all, and “Value” and “Regular” ticket prices only went up by $3.
“Peak” tickets, however, jumped in price by $10. On top of that, Disney created a new tier called “Holiday” and priced it at a whopping $159.
The “Holiday” tier currently includes the dates of Dec. 25-31. Since these dates used to be in the “Peak” category, those who like to visit the parks between Christmas and New Year’s Eve are going to find it’ll cost $30 extra.
When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 the entry fee was $3.50 (but rides cost extra so most adults were spending about $5). Just think, for $159 a person could host a group of 31 guests to and still have $4 to spare!
So, this made me think. What else costs me a one-day admission price to Disney?
- Screen Time: Internet plus my multiple streaming services run $112.81 each month. Could I give up 30 days of Internet and binge-watching for one low season ticket to Disney? Oh Yes!
- Live Theater: I just bought a ticket to Hamilton for $121—and that’s just for a few hours of entertainment, not a whole day.
- The Spa: A 60-minute massage and a fancy pedicure easily gets me to $159 in less than three hours.
- Football: At least once a year, I fork over $120 for one Big 10 football ticket. Would I rather be in Disney? Yes, but don’t tell my husband.
So, now I don’t feel so bad about the admission price to Disney. I’m still getting a full day’s entertainment, family time, and Disney magic for about the same price as 36 Grande Caramel Macchiatos. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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*Please note this article only pertains to one-day ticket pricing. Multi-day tickets are available at reduced per-day costs.
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