You probably saw the news yesterday: Disney World and Disneyland tickets increased yesterday. Rut roh! So let’s make lemonade out of these lemons and talk what’s coming to Disney World and Disneyland and how we can save money to compensate for these ticket increases. No need to lose our heads over this-let’s get creative and find the blue skies in these money-saving tips.
What a difference a day makes, right? Yesterday, I was minding my business and my feed blew up with news that Disney tickets had just gotten the heave ho upwards. Not to be confused with Seven Dwarfs HEIGH HO…unless you change the word heigh to HIGH!
So I’m doing what any self-respecting Disney fan does in these situations: sharing the details and coming up with ways to still justify my Disney going ways. That translates into how to save money so we all can still plan our Disney World and Disneyland vacations.
This post contains affiliate links.
Disney World Tickets–New Pricing
First of all, let’s talk MONEY and what it will now cost for tickets. Pricing differs from park to park and also depending on the season (as defined by Disney).
Magic Kingdom One-Day Tickets
Value – $107 to $109
Regular – $115 to $119
Peak – $124 to $129
Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom One-Day Tickets
Value – $99 to $102
Regular – $107 to $114
Peak – $119 to $122
Park Hopper Tickets
Value – $162 to $164
Regular – $170 to $174
Peak – $174 to $184
Walt Disney World Multi-Day Tickets
2 days – $199 to $209
3 days – $289 to $325
4 days – $350 to $400
5 days – $370 to $415
Florida Residents:
Silver Pass (Florida Resident)
New – $419 to $439
Renewal – $356 to $373
Gold Pass (Florida Resident)
New – $559 to $589
Renewal – $475 to 500
Florida Weekday Select (Florida Resident)
$269 to $289
Epcot After 4 p.m. (Florida Resident)
$279
WDW Water Parks
$125 to $130
Annual Pass Pricing:
Platinum Pass
Standard – $779 to $849, Renewal – $662 to $721
Florida Resident: New – $679 to $729, Renewal – $557 to 619
Platinum Plus Pass
Standard – $869 to $949, Renewal – $738 to $806
Florida Resident: New – $769 to $829, Renewal – $653 to $704
Theme park attendance is up 6 percent, and global sales over $5 billion (that’s with a B). And the public still keeps going, so until Disney hits a point where the market decided to buckle on pricing and NOT go, you can expect these price increases to continue.
That’s like a Villain parade of information, isn’t it?
Making Lemonade Out of Lemons: What’s Coming to Disney
Now that’s we’ve talked lemons, let’s make some lemonade, shall we?
Tell me something GOOD!
For that money, Disney is expanding and adding new attractions, lands, and resorts. Most notable on the horizon are:
-A Tron roller coaster at Magic Kingdom that will be next door neighbor to Space Mountain.
-Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is coming to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 2019.
-Toy Story Land is set to open Summer 2018 at Hollywood Studios. There is still no specific date, but the rumor mill says end of June and by July 1.
-Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, based on those short Mickey Mouse cartoons, will have state-of-the-art 3-D effects without the need for guests to wear special glasses. Runaway Railway replaces Hollywood Studios former Great Movie Ride.
-In time for Epcot’s 35 year anniversary, a new Guardians of the Galaxy ride, a new Ratatouille-themed ride in France, new films in China and within Mission: Space.
-Also coming is a gondola system at Disney World will be called Disney Skyliner, and it will connect Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, Art of Animation resorts as well as Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
-For the first time in 20 years, a new Disneyland hotel will be completed in 2021.
How to Save Money at Disney to Offset the Ticket Increases
Most people I know will continue to plan Disney vacations because it’s something they love to do and they can’t imagine not having these experiences and memories. So what it means is, we have to be create about saving money at Disney. Which requires pre-planning and knowing where savings can be had.
Several helpful tools:
Disney World Hacks
Written by fellow Traveling Mom Dia Adams, the ebook Disney World Hacks breaks down what 12 Disney resorts to avoid, 4 questions to always ask, and her 3 Disney World resort hacks will save you thousands plus many other money-saving hacks that make this book worthy of the $ 9.95 price.
Book a moderate or value Disney resort and ask for an upgrade.
ALWAYS ask for a room upgrade. Be nice about it and don’t get mad if the pixie dust doesn’t fly. The upgrade depends a lot on the timing of your visit. If peak times and parks are at capacity, it’s probably not going to happen.
And let Cast Members know if you are celebrating a special occasion. That seems to be a secret ingredient that may unlock a magical Disney upgrade. Learn more about our upgrade to Bay Lake Tower Grand Villa at my post on TravelingMom.
Buy souvenirs and treats ahead of time
Yep, you don’t have to pay premium prices for water bottles. Pack a water bottle and refill. Another Disney insider tip: ice water is FREE at Disney restaurants.
Pack snacks.
While I love me a good Disney snack like a pretzel, Mickey bar, or Dole, whip, I also love saving money. Disney’s rule: “Guests are allowed to bring food items, such as snacks or foods that do not require heating.” My go to snacks are granola bars, bananas, and apples.
Other ticket resources that offer discounts
AAA/CAA
These clubs often discount Disney tickets by 3-5%. Must be a club member but many people already are and forget to ask about this perk.
Attendees of a Convention
For those in Florida for a convention or conference, check the Disney Convention Tickets website to purchase discounted afternoon and evening admissions. These are often a GREAT way to save big bucks on park passes. I’ve often tagged along on my husband’s business trips and these tickets have meant huge savings on days where I’ve been willing to get a later start and do a half day at the parks.
Disney Youth Education Series
If traveling with a youth group and looking for an educational program, then the Disney Youth program may be a huge money saver! Disney runs programs for K–12 students to learn how the parks incorporate everything from performing arts to physics. The program runs every day and offers substantial ticket discounts with restrictions like a 10-person minimum.
Disclosure: Some items on this list may contain affiliate links. They help keep me caffeinated and motivated to find new goodies to share. Thanks!
Sherry Boswell is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Great explanation of the increases. As much as I hate it, we will still go.
I don’t like it going up either, but yeah, I will still go. Just may not be with the same frequency as in years past.