Disney World almost always has something exciting going on.
From new attractions and shows to saying goodbye to fan-favorite lands, the theme parks like to keep us on our toes. While we are excited to see these changes, many have decided to start asking “Is it worth it?” As prices increase to head to the parks, even Disney executives say it’s getting too expensive.
It’s no secret Disney World is expensive. From the hotel prices to merchandise, food, and skip-the-line services, it can all add up quickly sometimes before you even make it into the parks. Budgeting has become a major part of Disney vacation planning but have we finally hit the cost ceiling? According to the Wall Street Journal, even Disney executives think the answer might be yes.
Recently, the WSJ released an article detailing the price increases for Disney parks and how the parks are becoming out of reach for many financially. The article begins by detailing one family who spent thousands of dollars in the park and aren’t planning on returning any time soon thanks to the stress that came with the spending.
The parks have implemented an annual round of price hikes that we expect each year while also reporting that numbers were down in 2024 due to different factors like Hurricane Helene and Melton. WSJ counters this conversation by reminding readers of the major changes we’ve seen over the course of the last 5 years. Ticket prices have increased while free perks like the Magical Express and FastPasses have disappeared.
The WSJ continued this line of discussion by writing, “Some inside Disney worry that the company has become addicted to price hikes and has reached the limits of what middle-class Americans can afford, according to people who have worked on park pricing.” Many Disney park fans, like ourselves, have mourned those perks, remembering the feeling we got when we hopped on the Magical Express to watch Mickey cartoons on the way to our vacation. It seems we aren’t the only ones who are noticing these missing pieces.
The pandemic played a major role in these decisions as the executives wanted to capitalize on the demand for the parks while cutting costs to make up for the time the parks were closed. This was the time where things like Genie+ were introduced. (Genie+ was the previous name for the paid skip-the-line service which has now been revamped into Lightning Lane.)
The paid system replacing a once-free service was a disappointment to many parks fans but according to the WSJ, “Genie+ passes generated more than $724 million in pretax revenue between October 2021 and June 2024 at Walt Disney World alone.” Bob Chapek, former Disney CEO who was in charge at the time of the implementation of the service, was a controversial figure online thanks to major changes like this one that continued to add to the cost of an already pricey Disney vacation.
WSJ noted that once Bob Iger returned to the CEO position in 2022, he wanted to make moves to gain some goodwill back with park fans. While several ideas were pitched, the only significant change was bringing back free overnight parking and ticket promotions for the slower seasons.
WSJ wrote, “A year later, Disney began to have serious concerns about the rising cost of visiting the parks, according to former employees involved in the discussions.” Time has passed since these concerns began and we have seen price increases, major park changes, and a softening in attendance numbers, specifically with guests choosing to return to the parks again. (Although it doesn’t always feel like it when we’re in Magic Kingdom on a busy day.)
So will these concerns from Disney executives help us see more price-friendly options? According to Disney, there are already a variety of budget-friendly options! Today, February 10th, 2025, the Walt Disney Company released a breakdown of every Disney deal you can get right now, seemingly in response to the WSJ article.
Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, said, “We also know that, in inflationary times, it’s especially important to give families ways to save on their visits. We haven’t increased the lowest-priced ticket to Disneyland since 2019, and we recently introduced a kids’ ticket for as little as $50, just to name a couple of examples.”
For Disney World, they mentioned special ticket offers, the new free water park admission perk, the return of the free Disney Dining plan in 2025, and hotel discounts. For Disneyland, they referenced the kids’ special ticket offer, California resident ticket offers, and more hotel discounts.
So while we aren’t sure what the future holds when it comes to Disney and finances, maybe these inside Disney sources can put in a good word for the parks fans who want to see some perks return or prices decrease. (Hey, we can hope right?) At least we know we aren’t alone in thinking that Disney is getting a bit more expensive than we would like to see. Don’t forget to keep following AllEars for more Disney news and updates.
A summary of discounts available at Walt Disney World
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Do you think Disney is too expensive? Tell us in the comments.
Disney+ isn’t going to pay for itself…
Plus, you’ve got all of those law suits against “The View,” another
Disney Property!
Yes, Disney World has become too expensive. For the first time in 10 years, we are no longer annual passholders. The insane increases in every cost plus the definite positioning of perks aimed at the well to do led to that decision. Disney Cruise Line price increases have also led us to consider other cruise lines (we can sail on Princess or Celebrity for almost half the cost. Walt would be stunned at how far Disney leadership has strayed from his vision of a place for ordinary families.
Disney has always been expensive. I have been a DVC member since 2002. What angers me isn’t that its expensive to go to WDW. What angers me is Disney used to want people to relax and not have to work at being at WDW. Before the pandemic, Disney took care of your luggage from home airport to your resort room and then back home at the end of your vacation. You were driven on a bus with entertainment from MCO to the resort and back again. You could make fast pass selections and dining reservations weeks in advance and then go to the parks and relax. I never looked at that stuff as free perks. It was rolled into the room rates and ticket prices. The pandemic hit and it all went away and then came back but at a price. The room rates and ticket prices were not cut, they increased. And instead of spending your day enjoying time away with your family, Disney wants you to spend it trying to manage your kids and your luggage at the same time, standing in long lines, and looking at your phone. So it isn’t that WDW is too expensive. It always has been. But what really bothers me is Disney decided ‘The Disney Way’ wasn’t worthwhile to the company anymore. Instead of a Disney vacation being different, better, and far more family friendly. Disney decided to be like everyone else.
I am a DVC owner and I used to go to Disney World two times a year. Now, I’m only going every two years. I cannot afford the ticket prices! The dinners have gone up so much in price also. It is very sad and disappointing that I can’t visit my happy place as often as I once could.
As long as there are people like Nelson Peltz and things like the Trian Fund Management group demanding to squeeze every penny in the name of shareholder value, things will always only get worse.
I think you’ve nailed it. As soon as Disney stops being aggressive about prices, Wall Street predators will start circling the company.