Ticket price changes at Disneyland and WDW

[Loomis]

From Mouseplanet.

Disneyland Resort, California

Single and multiple day ticket prices have increased as of today (January 3). Here are the new prices with the adult price listed first and the child prices (3 years to 9 years old) listed second. In parentheses is the amount of increase.

Single park, single day: $59/$49 (+$3/+$3)
Single day, parkhopper: $79/$69 (+$3/+$3)
Two day parkhopper: $116/$86 (+$11/+$1)
Three day parkhopper: $169/$139 (+$10/+$10)
Four day parkhopper: $199/$169 (+$10/+$10)
Five day parkhopper: $219/$189 (+$10/+$10)

Annual pass pices are not affected at this time.

Walt Disney World, Florida

"Perhaps emboldened by the recent release of figures showing it as again the most-visited theme park resort in the world, Disney raised its one-day rates from $59.75 to $63, surpassing SeaWorld's increase to $61.75 and making it the top ticket price in the area. As before, ticket prices for multi-day tickets get cheaper on a per-day basis, with the increase slowing so quickly that the cost of a 10-day ticket is only $15 more than the cost of a 4-day ticket. In fact, while the per-ticket increase tops out as a $10 rise in the 3-day and per-day ticket prices (from $171 to $181 and from $185 to $195, respectively), the drop in ensuing days leaves the cost of a 10-day ticket at just $1 more than it cost previously.

Add-on prices have gone up, as well. The cost to add the Park Hopper option has gone up from $35 to $40, while the Water Park Fun & More (while adding one visit at each level), has gone up from $45 to $50. The No Expiration option has increased as well, with the 10-day add-on going from $110 to $135. (The No Expiration only remains the same for two- and three-day tickets, at $10, with other daily prices increasing by $5 to $35.)

Advance purchase savings have undergone a change, as well. Previously, the discounts were for all tickets above the base ticket, starting at a 5-day ticket, and all tickets of the same length had the same discount. The savings now start with a 4-day ticket, and the savings are tiered. The discount on tickets with only one of the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options ranges from $2 (adult and child) on 4-day passes up to $8 (adult) and $4 (child) on 7- through 10-day passes. However, for those purchasing both options, the discounts range from $12 (adult) and $10 (child) for 4-day passes to $18 (adult) and $12 (child) for 7- through 10-day passes.
Annual Passport prices have also gone up. Annual Passes have gone up from $395 (adult) and $336 (child) to $415 and $365. Premium APs have gone up from $515 and $438 to $539 and $475. Disney Vacation Club discounts on Annual Pass prices still apply to the higher rates.

Florida resident pass prices have risen, as well, with Annual Passes going from $315/$268 (adult/child) to $325/$285. Premium APs go from $415.$353 to $429/$379 and Seasonal Passes go from $209/$178 to $215/$189."

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Loomis says:

Naturally, I can only speak for the California experience, but I still think that $116 is still pretty good value for a two-day hopper pass. It takes you at least that long to see everything if you haven't been before, and chances are you'll want to spring the extra $50 for a 3-Day pass.

The people that will most be affected by the prices will be repeat visitors, because it is hard to justify the higher prices for something that you've already seen. Although there are Annual Passes (which haven't changed in California anyway), my understanding is that these are only available to local residents anyway.

In the end, the price rise doesn't seem to be too severe, and I guess this is just the price that we have to pay to get such a great experience. After all, the world's most popular theme parks cost a lot of money to run. The alternative would be even more corporate sponsorship than there already is.