And here's your first ticket price increase . . .

[Alicenwonderment]

I'm trying to buy an annual pass but (surprise, surprise!) Disney's IT is being glitchy. It tells me to select a person, which I do, and then it tells me I have to enter in birth date, address, etc. which they already have. Anyways, in the end it won't accept my Canadian postal code even though I have my country as Canada... I have tried Safari and Chrome incognito. So annoying! Will have to try to call when I get home from work. You can purchase APs over the phone, right?

Could you try your local Disney Store to buy your AP? Just a thought. For me there isn't a Disney store close by but I'd drive a few hours vs being on the phone for a long time. Makes sense that Disney IT was being glitchy. They were probably trying to load everything.

I did feel like we were out of the woods for a bit with price hikes because we were out of February. I didn't see much go up with the rumor either. I'm not sure this was a good decision because it sounded like from past discussions they were having a hard time filling things up for the summer even with the deals they are offering. What do others think?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Pricing isn’t going to stop the crowds because people are willing to mortgage their children for a Disney trip. The only way to cut down on crowds is if Disney caps attendance, and they won’t do that.

Outside of that, I think only an economic crisis will cut down on crowds.

I do agree that the crowds will not die down until a recession hits. The prices are going up but it isn't stopping the crowds! I can't imagine what the crowds would be like if prices were what they were 5 years ago.

Most people I know won't mortgage their children, let alone go into debt, for a Disney trip. They think the prices are ridiculous and refuse to spend that kind of money on a theme park vacation.

I was planning on trying to go again in Summer 2022 but with these price increases I'm afraid to see the prices by then. It wouldn't price me out but sometimes it's just not worth it and it might hit that for us.

 

[stinkpickle]

...and the crowds will keep rolling in.

 

[smiths02]

I must say even though I expected the increase because they always increase, this increase seems extreme. I get a discount through work through an Alliance program and unless our program isn't working properly right now, they are only offering "flex" tickets. If that's that case, with our discount our 6 day hopper tickets went up by $400 since we went in 2018! Usually it will go up by maybe a total of $50-100, but $400!!!! Granted the program still saves about $100 off of Disney rack rate but dang!! Seriously thinking that this trip in January will be our last week on property hopping around the parks for awhile...even though we really enjoy it.

I do agree that the crowds will not die down until a recession hits. The prices are going up but it isn't stopping the crowds! I can't imagine what the crowds would be like if prices were what they were 5 years ago.

Most people I know won't mortgage their children, let alone go into debt, for a Disney trip. They think the prices are ridiculous and refuse to spend that kind of money on a theme park vacation.

I was planning on trying to go again in Summer 2022 but with these price increases I'm afraid to see the prices by then. It wouldn't price me out but sometimes it's just not worth it and it might hit that for us.

We want to go back to Disney at least one more time while our kids are kids, but we had to switch to Universal this year and maybe we won't get back to Disneyworld. I just priced tickets and it would be $2771 for the 5 of us for 4 day parkhoppers over spring break. We could pay that, but I'm not willing to.

 

[NJlauren]

Ours went up $35, I was planing on upgrading to an AP... now wondering if I should remove tickets from my room and buy ap voucher.... but how does that work with FP?

 

[Marionnette]

Disney builds a billion dollar land that is near universally praised as the greatest addition in theme park history and people are disappointed/surprised that it’s being used to generate additional revenue?

Ahem. For years, we swallowed ticket price increases while #thanksShanghai was being built and the Disney apologists told us that if we wanted newer and better later, we had to pay for it now. Well, which is it? Did we pay for neglected parks then to build nicer parks now? Or are we paying now for improvements already made?

 

[bumbershoot]

The opening of "Star Wars Land" at DHS being on the horizon should alter most "regular expectations."

See, crazy me thinks that a mature responsible company would secure financing before building something, and would also know that they are going to attract many more people who will buy tickets and All The Plastic Toys EVER made (and the true collectors will buy in triplicate so they have one in the box, one to play with, and one to sell), while also having to pay for the plastic bag because we’re environmentally conscious about plastic (ahem). So they wouldn’t even need to raise the prices. Because they are going to make their costs back SO fast it’s not even funny.

Everyone complains about high crowds in the park. Now there is no "off season". So let me ask this question. Do you think there would be less crowds with lower prices or with higher prices?

Well, tickets *were* lower before, when there were off seasons. So logically, yes. Having a lower price goes along with lower crowds sometimes.

Their issue is the power of advertising. They keep advertising things and new people keep wanting to go.

They also don’t *want* an off season. Why would they?

So they just raise prices to stop those who literally cannot go anymore or people who remember who it was won’t go, and they get a new crop that’ll pay and not know that it didn’t used to be so crowded.

 

[Runnsally]

Ahem. For years, we swallowed ticket price increases while #thanksShanghai was being built and the Disney apologists told us that if we wanted newer and better later, we had to pay for it now. Well, which is it? Did we pay for neglected parks then to build nicer parks now? Or are we paying now for improvements already made?

I think this is the right counterargument, but at least now, it’s easy to rationalize the increase.

 

[sam1998]

I agree with a previous poster that recession is what causes a decline in crowd levels, which then results in better pricing/free dining/other offers. There isn't a recession (yet). You won't see an appreciable increase in money-saving offers as long as people feel they can afford it and as long as they feel comfortable with their financial situation. Right now, many people are confident in their economic status and willing to spend money, so Disney is willing to take it.

 

[smallsy]

I just priced Disney vs UT for a 5dPH starting 9/2 and they’re exactly the same price. Weird because when I looked a couple weeks ago UT was about $30 less.

ETA: I’m crazy. Just did priced it again and UT is cheaper by $67 Whew! Might be time to pull the trigger

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We want to go back to Disney at least one more time while our kids are kids, but we had to switch to Universal this year and maybe we won't get back to Disneyworld. I just priced tickets and it would be $2771 for the 5 of us for 4 day parkhoppers over spring break. We could pay that, but I'm not willing to.

I did that as a family of four in 2015. The kids were 15 and 9. I just had a feeling that may be our last family Disney trip so we did deluxe on a TA deal and ate very well. Since then DS has gone on his senior class trip and I went with DD on a girls trip.

I'm with you on the "I could pay that, but I'm not willing to." Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I'm still going to watch prices and see how they look for Summer 2022 and see where we go from there.

 

[cmwade77]

So glad I saw an article last month saying price increases were likely before the end of Feb and bought last month. Although we bought APs, so those haven't gone up yet, but I don't expect that to last.

 

[Magical2017]

We are on the fence for 2020 for ODS 8th grade graduation trip: Disney/Universal versus a cruise versus a trip to Europe. If we do Disney, sure, we will keep paying the increases, but with the increased crowds even during traditional slow times, I feel like there is less value in our WDW vacations than in the past. We enjoyed our offsite stay last summer, but we really need to choose. Do we want the 60 day FP option and EMH, or do we want the convenience of a one or two bedroom suite? We typically take several trips over the summer and may have to just cut back to one. I really love to get my Disney fix.

 

[MotherKnowsBest]

Ha! I used the app to purchase the AP and it worked perfectly. Thanks to anyone who made suggestions.

 

[carseatguru]

I hope AP prices stay the same at least 2 more weeks. I'm planning to upgrade my son's ticket!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Bah! Almost *rewed myself out of 30$ by waiting too long. Luckily was able to jump on UT and get them today, they havent raised their prices yet to match the increase!

 

[Searc]

Everyone complains about high crowds in the park. Now there is no "off season". So let me ask this question. Do you think there would be less crowds with lower prices or with higher prices?

The only thing that is going to affect crowds is a recession.

 

[Searc]

Bah! Almost *rewed myself out of 30$ by waiting too long. Luckily was able to jump on UT and get them today, they havent raised their prices yet to match the increase!

They will sell their current stock at yesterday's prices, but when that is gone, prices will increase.

 

[ajfd]

And just wait until they start charging for fastpasses then it will be even more costly.

Only one more year until this claim is old enough to buy a beer...

 

[SL6827]

Glad I have my package paid off. Not going to mess with my tickets, just going to keep the 3-day base instead of getting a 2-day park hopper plus. But I don't think the hopper plus went up.