Guests never appreciate price hikes at Walt Disney World, but unfortunately, it is a reality we have to deal with often.
As of late, we have seen attendance drop at Walt Disney World, and with this drop has come financial incentives to get more Guests to visit and spend more after prices have dramatically increased. Disney World Annual Passholders of all tiers (Disney Pixie Dust Pass, Disney Pirate Pass, Disney Sorcerer Pass, Disney Incredi-Pass) recently underwent a price increase, along with Disney Genie+, which can now cost Guests up to $35 per person per day, and theme park ticket prices, which have skyrocketed to over $180 per day on select days for Magic Kingdom.
The question of inflating prices and cutting costs for Disney’s bottom line has been brought up in the past, and it seemed that Disney already had a plan and an answer on how to do this. As we had reported:
Walt Disney Company CFO Christine McCarthy addressed the situation, noting that Disney has no plans to outright raise prices within Josh D’Amaro’s Parks, Experiences and Products division. She did, however, indicate that Disney is looking at a number of ways to cut costs behind the scenes, including “reducing portions” at Disney Parks restaurants.
McCarthy noted that this would be “good for some people’s waistlines” when they visit Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.
As one may imagine, the idea of reducing food costs for Guests paying high prices on vacation and trying to spin that as a positive is not something that is quickly done or would go over well. Many became frustrated at the idea that Disney would cut food portions while charging more, while some Guests took the comment as fat-shaming to their Guests.
Now, prices at multiple Disney locations are jumping up again.
If you tend to frequent Disney Springs, you know that their restaurant locations vary in price points. Lately, we have noticed the multiple menus increase.
STK Steakhouse is one of the more expensive options, and now, the chain restaurant is becoming more expensive, specifically at Disney Springs. The Baby Gem Caesar increased by $2 and is now $25, Blue Iceberg increased $2 and is now $24, Crispy Calamari increased $2 and is now $28, Lil’ BRGs increased $2 and is now $26, Jalapeño Pickled Shrimp Cocktail rose $2 and is now to $33. And that was just the appetizers. For entrees, the steak menu has seen significant jumps, most notably the Surf & Turf: Filet and Lobster Tails, which is now $89 and the Surf & Turf: Filet and Grilled Prawns, which is now $79 — both increased a whopping $10. Their sides also made $1 price increases and desserts $2 price increases. See their menu here.
If you are a House of Blues fan, get ready to spend a few extra dollars there. Many menu items are experiencing a $1 to $2 price increase.
Unfortunately, price increases seem inevitable for Guests everywhere.
Disney Discounts
Although there are often price increases at Walt Disney World Resort, we can sometimes save a few dollars too!
Disney World Annual Passholders of all tiers (Disney Pixie Dust Pass, Disney Pirate Pass, Disney Sorcerer Pass, Disney Incredi-Pass) recently were able to experience V.I.Passholder days where they received 30% off most merchandise, further food discounts, and a private Annual Passholder lounge which offered speciality food for purchase themed to Figment and nearly expired M&M’s.
When the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser began having issues getting more Guests to pay the nearly $6000.00 price tag for the two-night voyage, Disney also started offering discounts. One of the discount offerings was given to DVC members at first before also expanding to Cast Members and other Guests. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will take its final voyage on September 28, 2023.
Now, Disney is offering another incentive to Disney Vacation Club Members. Disney Vacation Club Members will be eligible for Membership to save 20% on a Disney VIP Tour at Walt Disney World Resort later this summer. Disney VIP Tours are fantastic ways to conquer Disney Parks. It will allow you to not only have an incredibly knowledgeable Cast Member with you for the day but the ability to jump the line at any attraction you would like, go backstage, and travel between parks in a private shuttle. You can do (nearly) anything you want to do, at much faster speeds, including complimentary beverages and a snack!
To get service this special, Guests have to shell out some big bucks for the tour. The cost of a VIP tour ranges from USD 450 to $900 USD per hour and has a 7-hour minimum and a 10-hour maximum. You can spend up to $9000 for the tour, and tickets are not included. On top of that, you should tip your VIP Tour guide, which can add hundreds more to that final cost. For a high fee, a 20% discount could reduce the highest price point to $7,200, saving Guests $1,800. Now, don’t get us wrong, watching Happily Ever After from the hub grass at Magic Kingdom would be a dream, but it is a dream that many Guests cannot afford. Learn more about that deal here.
What do? Do you think about the cost of Walt Disney World Resort? Let us know in the comments below!
If you are looking to visit Walt Disney World Resort for a magical vacation, the Walt Disney World Website can be a great tool to begin planning your trip! You can begin exploring their theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. You can also take a look at their water parks where you can splash around in the chill of Disney’s Blizzard Beach (alongside new Frozen characters, Anna, Elsa, Sven, and Kristoff), or hit the waves at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. When you get hungry or want to go shopping, Disney Springs is the place to be, especially with World of Disney there ready to help you pick up some souvenirs! You can also begin looking for your Disney World Resort! Suppose you are looking to stay at a Deluxe monorail Resort like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa or a Value Resort where you can hop on the Skyliner like Disney’s Pop Century Resort. In that case, it is always fun to look for a room that best suits you and your party. Plus, it has all the information you need to know on Disney Genie+ so that you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.