As Prices Soar, Guests Left Wide-Eyed Over $1,200 Appetizer at Disney

It’s clear for all to see that Disney Park prices continue to soar in the aftermath of the pandemic. And this $1,200 plus appetizer left many baffled.

Related: Disney May Raise Prices Due to Overcrowding at Theme Parks

Over the last few years, Disney Parks across the globe have continued to raise prices of everything from tickets to merchandise to food and beverage.

Pricing is a major pain point for a lot of Guests who already fork out hundreds, most likely thousands, for a trip to a Disney Resort. Whether it’s Walt Disney’s first amusement park offering Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Southern California, or the sprawling Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Central Florida, the Parks have remained busy in the years following the industry-wide shutdown.

However, a visit to one of The Walt Disney Company’s theme parks comes at a great cost — literally. In fact, in 2022, it was reported that Disney World ticket admission had risen by 500% compared to the opening of Magic Kingdom 50 years ago in 1971. Of course, there is the factor of inflation, but in the case of Disney ticket prices, they seemingly outpaced it. Not good for the millions of Guests that visit each year.

Last year came the infamous comments from Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy, who, on a Disney Earnings Call with then-CEO Bob Chapek, revealed that portion sizes would be decreasing at the Parks and how that would be “good for some people’s waistlines.” Prices for food then also started to rise as portions shrank.

The food and beverage element of Disney can be a breaking point for some Guests, and Disney Park prices are continuing to hike up. For this one family, it cost them over $1,000 for per meal at the Disney World Resort.

So with prices going up like Carl Fredricksen’s balloon house, food and beverage costs are hardly surprising to anyone anymore. Or are they?

Over at the iconic Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland Resort’s Disneyland Park, a menu showed that one appetizer was going to cost Guests over $1,200.

Sharing the image of the New Orleans Square restaurant to Reddit, the price of the Corn & Poblano Fritters would set a Guest back $1,212.

Now, quite clearly, this is a typo on Disney’s part, as in no universe is any appetizer worth $1,200 — even at one of the priciest theme parks on Earth. But that didn’t stop other users from ripping the House of Mouse for yet another massive “price hike”. User Individual_Bed_ shared the photo of the Blue Bayou menu:

Food prices at the parks are getting insane

Food prices at the parks are getting insane
by u/Individual_Bed_1443 in Disneyland

Related: Disney Explains Why It Stopped Selling Annual Passes

Jokes flooded in regarding the thousand-dollar fritters, with one user saying they had to choose between buying the fritters or buying an Annual Pass. Another comment said that in the past, Guests wouldn’t dream of paying more than $650 for fritters at the Disney Park, while one user alluded to the current uptick in costs saying that the pricing was too believable to be funny.

Disney Park prices will always be at the center of a lot of contention over Resort vacations, especially as the cost of Park tickets and hotels have also risen massively over the years; some Guests will, and are, being priced out of their Disney trip.

And not to forget the introduction of the FastPass replacement service, Disney Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane Selections. Now with a variable pricing system, both Disneyland and Disney World recorded record highs for Disney Genie+, with the latter hitting $35 for the first time over the Spring Break period — yes, this would mean a family of four would pay $140 for one day of Lightning Lane entrances, approximately two to three attractions on average if a selection “is made early in the day.”

Fans are hoping that reinstated CEO Bob Iger will target pricing during his two-year return and change the current Disney experience.

How are you finding Disney Park prices currently? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

Disneyland Resort is made up of Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District. Disney Resort hotels include the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. For theme park entry, all Guests must have a valid ticket, plus a Park Pass reservation, with Park Hopper hours beginning at 1 p.m. daily.