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Credit: DisneyOver the past few years, it is no surprise that Disney has become more expensive than ever.
Not only do Guests need to transport themselves to Walt Disney World Resort by plane or car, which has a large cost at times, but things only get worse from there. Disney Guests have an option to either stay at a Value Resort, being the cheapest, Moderate Resort, being in the middle, and a Deluxe Resort, which can cost Guests nearly $1000 per night, depending on the Resort, for a standard-looking two-bed room.
Following that cost, Disney tickets have been increasing steadily over the years and, following the pandemic, spiked. Now, Disney World has moved to date-based ticket prices, which means that if you are looking to visit Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT, your price will vary, which can be a major negative if you tend to visit during the busy season. Magic Kingdom ticket prices can go up to $189 per person, which means a family of four will easily pay $1000 for one day at Disney World after they eat.
Food prices have also increased as of late.
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.
A good example of price hikes can be found at STK Steakhouse.
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. House of Blues also increased its menu items by $1 to $2.
Now, we are starting to see Disney take a look at the major inflation they have imposed on their Guests and retract it. We have seen Disney Guest count shrink with major drops in attendance over the past quarter, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger. This is likely due to the tone-deaf decision Disney made to increase costs while the rest of the world is dealing with everything else around them increasing, which in the end, prices out the middle class family from visiting Disney World.
What used to be a place for all, now seems to just be a place for the wealthy when it comes to being a vacation destination.
As we teased, Disney is now also lowering the costs of some of their snacks. Trail’s End Restaurant recently reopened as a quick-service dining spot, but it’s already had some changes, which are a benefit to Guests. We have now seen the location’s desserts shrink in cost. The S’mores Cookie changed from $5.29 to $3.99 and also the Fort Fruity Cookie changed from $4.29 to $3.99.
This price decrease may not appear to be a major change to many, but considering the pace of Disney’s current pricing increases, and the fact that nothing has decreased in cost, this may be the start of a more affordable Disney.
Other Disney Price Decreases
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 when they received 30% off most merchandise, further food discounts, and a private Annual Passholder lounge which offered specialty 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.
With families going into debt over a Disney Vacation, these changes may. be necessary to ensure that number shrinks.
What do you think about Disney’s current price for a vacation?
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! If 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, it is always fun to begin looking for a room that would best suit 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.