Credit: Inside The MagicWalt Disney World is moving forward with its new cashless initiative.
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There have been many changes at Walt Disney World over the last few months, with 2025 shaping up to be a pretty impactful year for “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” From price increases and hotel refurbishments to the permanent closure of fan-favorite rides and attractions, a Disney World vacation looks a lot different than it did even six months ago.
Places like Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are currently littered with construction as each park prepares to welcome new areas, including a brand-new hub inspired by Pixar’s Cars franchise.
Another Pixar property will take over its own spot inside Hollywood Studios. Called Monstropolis, this colorful new land will reformat the area that formerly housed Muppets Courtyard.
However, there’s been a smaller update that may have flown under the radar for travelers, one that has big implications going forward.
Guests visiting Disney World in the last week may have noticed sections of the parks are moving to a cashless system. These locations, so far, have included outdoor shopping and snack vendors. However, it has since expanded to other sections of the parks, and a new sign has debuted, informing guests what to do if they happen to only have cash on hand.
The new signs read:
Cashless Location: Please pay with Credit Card, Disney Gift Card, or Mobile Payment.
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Guests visiting the parks without cash are now being recommended to purchase gift cards at a nearby store. Cash can be loaded onto these cards and then used to purchase items at various locations.
Similar efforts have been seen across Disney’s parks in recent years. What this means for the rest of Walt Disney World is unknown, though it seems Disney is interested in ditching cash. This appears to be the latest push towards a cashless theme park experience.
As far as other monetary updates, Walt Disney World unveiled a host of new price increases earlier this month. This affected everything from actual theme park tickets to the cost of food, merchandise, and theme park parking. Select add-on packages like Lightning Lane also got a price bump.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed Disney’s fan-favorite Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party would be rising in price, too. This annual spook-filled event is the highlight of many travelers and takes over Magic Kingdom on select dates between August and October.
What do you think about Walt Disney World going cashless?