Disney Raises U.S. Theme Park Prices

Walt Disney Co. raised admission prices to its theme parks and said it plans to announce fixed-date ticketing in coming months to help decrease crowding at peak times.

The company said on Sunday it was changing the admission price for its U.S. theme parks, raising the cost of some single-day tickets by almost 9 percent.

Disney, which has a three-tier structure that charges visitors more during peak periods to help spread out crowds, said peak one-day tickets for a single theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, would see the biggest increase, rising to $135 from $124.

Value and regular one-day tickets are now $97 and $117, respectively, compared to $97 and $110 last year. One-day prices to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida rose 2 percent to 4 percent, with tickets there now ranging between $109 and $129.

Sustained by new attractions like Pandora: The World of Avatar, the theme parks and resorts accounted for a third of Disney’s $55.1 billion in 2017 revenue, with domestic attendance hitting a record high. The increased demand has generated crowding and longer waits for visitors during popular times like spring breaks.

“We know how important making memories at Disney theme parks is for our guests," said Kim Prunty, a spokeswoman for the Burbank, California-based entertainment company.

“We will continue to evolve our pricing in a way that gives them a range of options to meet their budget and helps better spread attendance throughout the year so they can make the most of every visit.”

The company also said that it plans to make changes to its annual pass program at Disneyland as well make its multiple-day tickets to Walt Disney World date-specific in order to help manage the crowds, particularly as it prepares to open a new Star Wars attraction at both parks next year.

Details on the fixed-date tickets designed to control attendance will be released in advance of next year’s opening of Star Wars Lands.

Theme parks are Disney's second-largest division, bringing in $18.4 billion in revenue and $3.8 billion in operating income for the fiscal year that ended in September, according to company earnings reports.

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