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Disney World’s price changes have readers rethinking trips
The new price model could price some families out of an annual trip.
Disney World has been a go-to getaway for many Bostonians for years, but that could be changing soon thanks to the global entertainment giant’s new pricing model.
Disney’s chief financial officer Hugh Johnston said at a recent conference that dynamic pricing “may” be introduced in “subsequent years.” He added that the change is “probably something that you won’t see this year.”
The new model would mean prices would go up during busier periods such as school breaks, and could even change throughout the day, depending on how many people are in line, according to a report by The Wrap.
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Combined with the increasing price of travel, hotels, and parking, new prices could come with big sticker shock for visitors. Prices already increased in October. The most expensive single-day Magic Kingdom ticket will surpass the $200 threshold for the first time, reaching $209 per day, according to Nerd Wallet.
According to an informal Boston.com poll, readers overwhelmingly agree that the new pricing model will change their plans to go to Disney World. Of the 137 voters, only 10% said they would not change their plans. Another 3% said that it would depend.
As Barry D. from Carisle put it, “I can only afford so much. This is going over the red line.” Karisa S. from Joliet agreed, “It costs too much as of now because families are already struggling with the cost of living.”
Do you think this will change your plans to go to Disney World?
Yes
88%
No
9%
It depends.
3%
Will dynamic pricing at Disney World change your plans to visit?
Yes
“With inflation, rising rent, and increasing car insurance costs, and other cost of living, why should a single day or week of fun cost so much, especially when there’s a chance parts of the park could be closed or not what you expected? Paying $209 for one day doesn’t even include food or anything extra. You’re basically paying just to walk around and stand in line for hours for one ride, most time its half the day waiting on a ride and miss out on the park. That’s not fair to families who save up just to experience and explore Disney.” – Shana from Conn.
“We who used to take an afternoon to enjoy the park with our annual pass, are priced out already. The price increases since COVID require cashing in part of our 401k to purchase tickets. The prices now have feel like being stabbed with a knife. Dynamic pricing would be twisting it.” – Debbie M. from Lake Wales, Fla.
“Like everything corporate America and the 1% touch, it’s aimed towards squeezing every last cent out of the rest of us. Truly despicable and a terrible sign of the times, but not at all surprising.” – Ryan from Norfolk
“I am a teacher. I can only travel to Disney during the highest volume times of the year. Its a slap in the face to teachers who already don’t make enough and are never included on any of Disney discounts. Also, it encourages families to take their students out of school to avoid higher priced times.” – Anonymous
“Has totally lost contact with its base customers. It has consistently taken away rather than plusing, as Walt said the company would always do. It no longer grows. It shrinks and turns into something that I as a 30-plus year visitor hardly recognize anymore. I look forward to the day when the company just goes away because it’s clear it will never get corrected with the leadership at the helm now.” – Laurence K from Milwaukee, Wis.
No
“However, if it happens then Disney will have completely shut out non affluent visitors, which is wrong. I know it’s a business, but at the end of the day it’s an amusement park not Ibiza.”– Amysue from Central Massachusetts
“They pretty much do this now, I really don’t see the difference. Don’t know what I’m missing.”-Paula R. from Auburn
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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