Between the price of your hotel, tickets, food, and souvenirs, the cost of a Disney World trip sure can add up quickly.
And, it’s not just these basic costs that you need to consider when planning your trip anymore. Disney has also introduced quite a few new perks and offerings that are only available to guests who pay more. So, if you want to take advantage of these extra benefits, you’ll need to be prepared to pay a higher price!
You Need to Pay MORE to Get These Perks in Disney World Right Now!
Extra Park Hours
Earlier this year, Disney announced that they would be discontinuing Extra Magic Hours for Disney World Resort Hotel guests and replacing it with TWO brand new offerings — Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Theme Park Hours. The thing is, only ONE of these perks is available for all Disney Hotel guests.
Both hotel guest benefits began in October 2021 but those hoping to take advantage of Extended Evening Theme Park Hours will have to pay the extra cost of staying at a Deluxe Resort or any Disney Vacation Club property.
Disney World Deluxe Resorts can cost between $400-$1,000+ per night and Disney Vacation Club can cost even more compared to the rates at a Disney World Value or Moderate Resort which range between $100-$500 per night.
So, now the only way to gain an extra two hours at the Disney Parks on select nights is to pay the extra hotel cost.
Check Out ALL the Dates Announced for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours So Far HERE!
Lower Wait Times
If you don’t want to spend your entire day at Disney World waiting in line, you’ll either need to have some amazing planning skills, or you’ll need to fork up the cash to pay for the new skip-the-line system, Disney Genie+.
While the former system, FastPass+, was free, Disney Genie+ will cost you $15 per ticket, per day. And not all the rides and attractions are included — the most popular rides at each park are priced separately, so you’ll have to purchase those Individual Attraction Selections on their own to access the Lightning Lanes.
With all these new terms, the system can be very confusing, and it requires you to know the My Disney Experience app pretty well. On top of that, you’ll need to budget for that extra $15 per person each day. The Individual Attraction Selections cost between $7-$17 per person (depending on the day) for one-time access to the Lightning Lane for that ride. If you’ve got a large group, that’s hundreds of extra dollars spent each day of your trip.
It’s definitely not a subtle way that Disney is charging you more, but if you can wait in fewer long lines, you’ll be saving some time throughout your day.
Click Here for Our Ultimate Guide to Genie+!
Transportation
Thankfully, Disney World transportation is complimentary for guests traveling around the property, so you don’t have to pay to use the Skyliner, monorail, or massive bus system. However, there are some other hidden costs that you may want to be aware of.
First of all, Disney discontinued the free Magical Express service to the airport in 2021, so guests now have to pay for their own transportation to and from the airport (whether they’re staying at a Disney hotel or not). These services can vary in cost depending on which one you choose, but they start as low as $16 per adult for a one-way trip and go up to $250 for an express service. That’s a lot of extra dough!
On top of that, there are a few challenges to getting around Disney World that might tempt you to spend the extra money on rideshare. If you’re trying to get to an early morning dining reservation at another hotel on property or if you’re trying to travel between the parks and Disney Springs, you may find yourself stranded in terms of Disney transportation. And if you don’t want to take the time to transfer buses multiple times, paying the extra cost for an Uber, a Lyft, or more specifically, a Minnie Van, may be worth it.
Disney’s Minnie Vans collaboration with Lyft is back after two years, and we have everything you need to know about the service here.
Transportation is one of those aspects of your Disney vacation that some people forget to plan ahead of time, so make sure to set aside some room in the budget for these costs.
Click Here to See How to Choose the BEST Magical Express Replacement!
So, as you can see, those little “hidden” costs in Disney World can start to add up when you’re planning your trip. You’ll likely find yourself having to budget more for your trip than you did in the past, especially with higher ticket prices, food costs, and hotel rooms. But we’ll make sure to keep you updated on the latest ways to save!
7 Things That Will Save You Money in Disney World! — Click Here
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What do you think of these rising costs? Let us know in the comments!
Never!
Going to Disney in December but will not be paying extra for something that should be part of the package. That is highway robbery especially for large families.
I am going to Universal Studios and will likely skip WDW on my next vacation to Florida.
There is nothing secret about Disney raising prices everywhere and all the time.
whats really terrible is charging people extra to see things. When Walt opened Land everyone was treated the same , yes they had E Ticket rides that cost more, but now people cant afford to go and if they can everything is extra. We used to go 2 times a year but havent gone since 2014 and will probably never go again. We are glad we went a lot when it was still Magical.
Thank you Scrooge McDuck !!!
Don’t forget the add-ons such as paying for Magic bands and parking at resorts, both which were free not long ago.
LET’S NOT FORGET THE COST OF PARKING, NO MORE FREE TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM THE AIRPORT AND THE HIGH COST OF FOOD. DISNEY HAS GOTTEN GREEDY.
I don’t think Disney’s being very quiet. They raise pricing pretty heftily, like for the Christmas Event this year, DME gone, parking, food, etc. Bob is mainly concerned with WallStreet.
Disney should be ashamed of themselves.
I agree, it’s a disgrace!
The first point doesn’t really make any difference, as we stay DVC anyway, the other two are very much optional for us.