Disney World Ticket Prices Increase for Remainder of 2019
Walt Disney World ticket prices for the remainder of 2019 have increased on 1-day and multi-day tickets, with jumps ranging from under 10% on some multi-day options to nearly 25% on peak holiday pricing. In this post, we’ll look at the changes and offer commentary on the likelihood of more Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge price surges.
While this is occurring a bit later than last year’s first increase, it is worth noting that there were effectively two price increases last year. First was the annual February bump, followed by the switch to the date-based pricing structure in October, which was a price increase by another name (the vast majority of prices increased then and only a sliver decreased in price).
Nevertheless, this is not even remotely surprising. We knew at least one price increase was coming before the debut of Star Wars land, and Disney recently announced that the first phase of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge would open early at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. At that point, it became a matter of ‘when not if’ with the next price increase.
Covering this Walt Disney World ticket price increase is a bit more challenging than past ones because the date-based system is harder to track than the previously-published rate charts of past years. As we’ve previously noted, this is probably by design, as it allows Disney to quietly raise prices on the calendar without an announcement.
We don’t know the full extent of the price increases, but we do have a few examples. The biggest gains are for single day tickets during the peak week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, which are now $159, up from $129 previously. Several other holiday dates around Easter, Memorial Day, and prior to Christmas now cost $139 per day.
At the other end of the spectrum, single day ticket prices remain $109 for many off-season dates, and this includes most weekdays in September 2019, which is immediately after the debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. By this point, Walt Disney World undoubtedly has internal projections (based upon hotel occupancy and other data) about attendance for this period. It’s interesting that they’re still expecting it to be off-season.
Multi-day price increases are more challenging to ascertain, but we’ve heard of price increases of as little as ~$1 per day for some August and September travel dates to as much as over $10 per day for peak season dates. We’d expect these increases to track closely with the jumps to single day tickets, but we didn’t have the foresight to save before/after prices, so we’re unsure. (We’ll rectify this for the future!)
Curiously, Annual Pass prices have not increased…yet. (Aside from the water parks one, which makes sense given we’re approaching that season.) We’d put the likelihood of APs remaining at this price for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at around zero, so it would behoove you to buy a voucher now if you want to lock-in current pricing on Annual Passes. If this price increase is any indication, Walt Disney World won’t be giving guests advance notice ahead of that.
On another interesting note, standard parking prices have not changed, but preferred parking has dropped to $45 per day in regular season, while remaining at $50 per day during peak seasons. Previously, every day preferred parking was $50. This change is probably for the simple reason that preferred lots were sitting close to empty on off-season days, as there’s less of a “need” to buy it when the parking lots aren’t busy.
If you’ve read our 2019 Discount Walt Disney World Ticket Buying Guide, none of the price increases should come as any surprise. In that, we predicted two price increases this year–in February and October. While we missed the mark on the first increase by a month, we stand by that two price increase prediction.
At this point, we’re going to stick with October as the second price increase prediction–maybe the tail end of September. That’s far enough after the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that it wouldn’t be picked up and lumped in with mainstream news coverage gushing over that land, but still early enough to capitalize on the busy holiday season.
Worth noting is that Undercover Tourist has a limited supply of their “old” inventory of discounted Walt Disney World tickets. If you’re traveling between now and December 31, 2019, we’d again strongly encourage you to buy now because (spoiler alert) Walt Disney World tickets will only continue to increase in price between the debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary.
The real question is how many more times will prices increase this year? As mentioned above, it’s unlikely that anything will change between now and the late-August debut of Star Wars land, but another bump immediately after the opening is conceivable.
This is especially true if early attendance numbers for that new land beat expectations, or if projections for the holiday season are high. It seems unlikely Disney would try to squeeze another increase in after that (meaning a total of 3 this year), but we’re in uncharted waters with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Overall, we’re not really sure what else to say about the latest price increase at Walt Disney World that we haven’t already said…several times. It’s been four years since we published Are Walt Disney World Tickets Too Expensive? (The prices “back then” now seem like a bargain by comparison!) More recently, we posted Is Disney Eroding Fan Goodwill?
At this point, as long as the economy is strong, consumer confidence is high, and Walt Disney World is debuting high-profile (and marketable) additions, attendance will remain strong. We do question how well this strategy will play out in the long term, but suffice to say, don’t expect attendance to be any lower as prices continue to go up.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of the latest round of ticket price increases at Walt Disney World? Are you disappointed? Apprehensive/puzzled/curious by September 2019 still being considered off-season by Walt Disney World? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
If I already booked a Disney package for October, am I locked into the price at time of booking or am I subject to the increase?
I am a firm believer in bargains and good deals. I visited Disney on the second day they were open. I was 17 years old and was as amazed then as I am today (in my 60’s). Me and my family have been to the parks hundreds of times and enjoy it every time we go. When the children were growing up Disney had a ticket called the 4 Season annual pass. It allowed you to go into the parks all for seasons on restricted dates. I think they were $79 for kids and $149 for adults. We would pack up our camping gear and stay in Fort Wilderness for $35 a night. The point I’m trying to make is the seemingly cheap prices were a lot back then. Nobody at any price does it better than Disney. It is not cheap but you can spend more elsewhere and not have nearly as much fun or finer place to go. God Bless.
You are correct, however I would argue that the price increases as they go do not correlate to cost of living nor increases to people’s salary as they did back in the 70’s,80’s and 90’s. America has increased the gap between the haves and the have nots. Middle class is eroding. A Disney vacation is quickly becoming a first class only vacation. Disney wants to be careful because when the good times go, and we all now cycles happen, those that have supported them since the beginning may have moved on.
Lol.. Try being a Canadian. So for example: A $130 ticket will cost us about $175 in Canadian Funds. Another way to look at it is to think of your whole trip being say $5500, well for us that will be $7425 cdn funds. I wish Disney World would take exchange rates into consideration on their pricing for out of country visitors. 🙂 Fat chance though. lol
No kidding! However, over the years Disney has offered different deals to Canadians to help offset the exchange rate. Examples include, money at par on tickets and hotels, discounted tickets and hotel stays, etc.
Yes, I have seen the discounted park tickets but never hotels/resorts at par. The best deal for our family of 5 is the free dining and it’s not even close nor a question on “if” we will save money with the free dining. The discounted room offers don’t total nearly what the free dining does for us. Meh! We are heading to Port Orleans Riverside for 10 days beginning Aug. 19th of this year. We’re paying for it, but we have been a few times so we are well organized and able to get the most for our money. Still would like to see a whole package deal at par.. lol..
I don’t mind paying more if I get equal value, however Disney keeps going up in price and yet they aren’t keeping many of the attractions up to snuff. We went in September and Tomorrowland doesn’t seem to have had much renovation since 1980! Seats were broken and ripped in many attractions. It appears they put the money in creating new lands so they can justify the price increases, since they aren’t spending it on upkeep and their staff. I just felt like so many attractions appeared “worn out”.
The sad thing is in 20 years we will all be wishing for the Good Ole Days when getting into the park only cost about $130 per person. I remember complaining about spending $100 to get into Disneyland back in 1989. The $100 cost I complained about was for 2 people and it included parking and lunch at Flaky Jake’s before we got there.
Walt Disney started all of this for an affordable vacation for families. It is no longer that. The price increases, the rules and difficulties getting fast passes on many attractions, and the benefits only for people who can spend more money, are ruining the fun at Disney World. My favorite place is out of control.
No kidding! We bought DVC in 2005 resale at $85 per point. Now Disney asking north of $250 per point!
It doesn’t surprise me that Disney is raising prices. The art of supply and demand is real. I was in at Disney World last week, and I can assure you that attendance is booming. WDW is also spending hundreds of millions of dollars expanding their parks and creating the next generation of entertainment attractions. It only makes sense that they would raise their ticket prices. It’s up to the consumer to determine if their is value in those tickets that leads them to purchase.
It makes me laugh when I see the same people that are outraged that Disney hasn’t raised their salaries for all employees are often the same people that complain about ticket price increases. You have to remember that for all the joy and goodwill that Walt Disney represents, he still was a business man who’s goal was to ultimately make a profit.
I understand the price increases. However it kind of stings that as they raise prices they put a disclaimer on website that you are not guaranteed access to HS. So I am paying more for less depending on what happens when GE opens.
Question:
If you already have an AP you can get an AP renewal price.
Can you buy vouchers for an AP renewal??
I went to MK last yr day after Christmas, we are a family of 5 and the tickets were $129 for adults and $123 for kids, roughly $670 with taxes. We have been to Disney with kids 10 times but It was our first time being in Disney for Christmas and we had a blast. I told each of my kids that their park admission was their Christmas gift. $159 for a one day admission is insane. I don’t know if I could justify paying that. I usually try to do Disney on a budget. Past few years we have bought water park annual passes and it’s worth the price if you visit 3 times. We used our current passes last spring break, Christmas break and February break so we definitely got our money’s worth. The water parks are great for kids with minimal waits plus free parking. We also enjoy just hanging at the resorts, AKL and SS are our faves. I think Disney is becoming more unaffordable every time we visit.
You may have already talked about this before, so I apologize in advance. We’re trying to save up to take our little one to DW while she’s still young and appreciates the magic of princesses. I’m struggling with how to save enough money to take the trip when it seems like there’s a price increase on something every so many months? I’m not giving up, I’m just trying to run the race to get enough money to make the trip worth it and looking to somehow make it all work.
I completely understand. We did a similar trip with my DD, now 4. Between price increases and add-on features to make the park easier with a little one (someone too young to stay from rope drop to park close without a break, can’t wait endlessly to see all the princesses she wants to meet, etc.), make your budget…and then add 20%. Unfortunately, the sky’s the limit for “magic” in your park experience, so you really can’t over-budget. Adding in as much cushion as possible will help with all the unexpected costs and increases. GL!
Charity, how old is your little one? While others disagree, I think one should wait until a child is at least 4 years old; any younger is a waste of money. If your schedules work out and you can take her at more of an off-peak time, that would be best both for your sanity and your pocketbook. Consider a long weekend if it helps with the timing.
Some Disney specials, while not cheap, add up to a big savings (e.g., the 4-day/4-park ticket.) The Fort Wilderness campground is an inexpensive and great place to stay if you own or can borrow an RV or even a pop-up (bonus: the campground ferry goes direct to the Magic Kingdom). Look into the Disney value resorts. The rooms have at least a fridge, so you can eat breakfast there before going to the parks (HUGE $ savings). You can also bring food into the parks (if you have a way to bring supplies or have them delivered). Staying off-property is sometimes a better deal, but make sure you factor in car rental fees, hotel parking fees, hotel “amenities” fees, etc. In my opinion, the benefits of staying at a Disney resort far outweigh the disadvantages. Lastly, go to the Undercover Tourist website for discounts on tickets and hotels (current 3-day base ticket is $325 including tax), and DO NOT purchase any of the Disney Dining Plans!!! Two adults and a child will never eat all that food. (Note: there is a way to make the dining plans work for you, but only if there will be other adults in your party. BTW: meeting a Disney Princess in person has an effect on almost everyone regardless of age. You may have some time!
I agree with David. Disney knows it can make good profit with higher prices with fewer guests. Not counting that fewer guests means less food beverage sales. Personally I don’t mind the higher prices because we budget, get yearly passes, and bring our own food/drinks in. Less people and no undesirable people are just fine. It’s still a good value for the treatment you get.
What do you mean by “no undesirable people?” People who can’t afford the park are undesirable? Or it’s undesirable to be around less fortunate people? What a terribly tasteless and condescending comment. I think it’s a shame that Disney upcharges for so many “VIP” experiences and thereby assures that the wealthy have a better experience at parks than those of average means.
This mindset that the more money you have, the better person you are is getting old fast. We supposedly admire teachers, firemen, nurses and the military, yet those jobs no longer allow for these folk to be desirable by the standards of the rich?
If we are to be a community of people lets look out for each other and stop separating ourselves by inheritance.
Whoa! Undesirable to me would be the snotty rich folks who continue to think they are above and beyond the next person beside them. Be careful what you wish for. For someone else, undesirables would be the masses of obese folks riding around on scooters. Can’t walk the park but sure as hell can walk up to the buffet table and bar! (;
WOW! “Undesirable People” Wonder how Mickey would feel about this statement?
if we already have vacation packages booked, are we locked in at the cheaper rate for park tickets beings it was before the price increase? Also what if we modify the reservation, would we still be locked into the old ticket price? If we delete a couple days from the current reservation? If we get lucky and they decide to be nice and offer free dinning, would we then be paying the old park ticket price or the new?
Delete days won’t change ticket price, to add free dining to existing reservation depends on if your reserved room type is included in the free dining offer……………maybe!
Modifying dates or other minor changes should not affect your ticket prices. As Mike said, a Free Dining offer is a wait and see. Where you do have to be careful is if you later decide to buy into one of the dining plans. It effectively negates your original reservation and is considered a new reservation. I had one instance where my room rates changed, and another where it didn’t. I bought my tickets separately, so they were not affected. If you bought room and tickets as a package, be sure to ask a Cast Member over the phone, or send an email to get an answer in writing, BEFORE you actually purchase a dining plan.
It is what it is. As long as attendance remains strong Disney has the ability to raise prices as much as they see fit. I am sure at some point the increases not only on tickets but food, parking, etc. will have a toll on customer good will. But that point certainly has not been hit yet. As long as the economy stays strong and people have more disposable income, prices are going to continue to rise. The announcement of Galaxy’s Edge has only made it stronger. We had a trip planned for the last week of September and there has already been a noticeable jump on the crowd calendar predictions. Overall crowds are still low compared to other times of the year but 1, 2, and 3s (on a 1-10 scale) have now turned into 3s, 4s, and 5s. Disney knew what they were doing opening it before the September slow times.
I find it paradoxical that the same circumstances that are driving the economy, and Disneys price increases and counter to its core philosophy!
It makes sense why they are raising prices. Parks are busy nearly year round, and they are investing more money in the parks than they have in what seems like a long time. I would imagine there is some mythical point on a demand curve where the prices are still higher, but the number of attendees drops some. That could result in an increase in guest satisfaction while Disney turns the same profit.
I’m personally more put off by the recent increases in food costs and what they now charge for parking at the hotels. I get more annoyed when I feel like I am being nickled and dimed then paying a premium price for a premium experience.
Food cost increases are not linear to food quality, and that said, I have a big problem!
Now on the Disney website and gate. Undercover Tourist and other 3rd party sellers usually have an inventory of tickets at the old prices.
I understand why Disney is raising prices but in my Family it’s making changes as My father which has owned his DVC since 2001 will be staying at Wilderness Lodge in 3 weeks and plans on enjoying the resorts and Disney Springs and is skipping the parks this trip.
As for my brother he is taking his kids to Europe this summer and going to Disneyland Paris instead of Disney World.
Apparently I am a small few that is not going!!! We used to go 2x a year min.
I love Disney but the choices of the last 3-4 years have made me rethink where I spend my cash.
I see the handwriting on the wall! It will be like after 9/11 when I stayed Savana view at AKL for 238 dollars. Wait till the next recession and Disney will be getting slaughtered with this level of pricing. I won’t return till the free parking and buy one day get a day free ticket deals appear! It’s just a matter of time!
Americans are living on credit cards and defaulting on auto loans while massive student debt goes unpaid. The clock is ticking and when the poop hits the fan I will enjoy half empty parks at that time. Till then we will be at the Beach!
Yes, post 9-11, all of Orlando was dirt cheap. $99 for 3 days of Universal tickets. Hard Rock Universal $185/night in a club level room. Disney was begging people to come too.
Are yearly passes increasing also?
Tom, what do you think the likelihood is of Disney doing Canadian resident discounts in 2020? It’s the only way we can afford to get to both Disneyland and Disney World each year, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that they continue after SWGE opens on both coasts. Any ideas?
Oh! Do you get to travel to both WDW and DW because of foreign discount?
Well yes, when your exchange rate is almost 35%, that’s what happens.
They have offered one for the last 2-3 years whether it has been tickets, hotels or both. If they care, they will. If the don’t, they won’t.
I know you beat the drum for foreign parks a lot already, but it’s worth mentioning that the price of a 4-day ticket in Tokyo is less than half that in Florida. And You can get an AP in France for about the price of a 4-day ticket (or far less, depending on blackouts).
The travel time difference is a huge factor on a limited vacation schedule, but the ticket savings can go a long way towards airfare.
This is especially true if you are travelling with kids. While the Disney World “child” ticket prices are 95% of the adult price, Tokyo Disney actually provides substantial discounts on child tickets and the age limits are higher. A 4-day “child” ticket for kids up to age 12 is only 65% of the price of an adult ticket and tickets for ages 12-17 is only 85% of the adult price. From the west coast, we paid $616 each last November for round trip tickets to Tokyo. Our plane tickets to Orlando this August around $375 round trip (not accounting for our Southwest companion passes, which are allowing our kids to fly for free and obviously reducing that cost by half). We’re primarily going for Universal and its buy 2 days get 3 free promo ticket, but our 1-day hopper plus ticket to Disney World (planning to do Blizzard Beach one day and AK/HS/Epcot in a single long park day) will cost MORE than we paid for all of us for 4 days at Tokyo Disney. Especially if digital FP becomes available in English, I would go back to Tokyo Disney in a heartbeat. We weren’t as enamored of Disneyland Paris, though it is a beautiful park. If I’m going to go to Europe, I’d actually prefer Europa Park or Efteling (or Port Aventura, which we’re planning to visit next year)