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Credit: DisneyDisney’s new price hikes could not have come at a more interesting point in time, with Universal getting ready to usher in a new age for the theme park industry at large.
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If you’re a fan of the Disney parks, then you most likely have heard about the numerous price hikes coming to the Walt Disney World Resort. These increases were announced on Wednesday, October 23, and affect the entire resort, from valet parking at hotels to the cost of annual passes.
Unsurprisingly, these announcements were controversial, with many Disney park fans feeling cheated or exploited, especially considering prices have continually increased over the last five to ten years.
However, the salt in the proverbial “wound” can really be felt when looking at what Disney’s theme park competitor, Universal, is doing with its resorts, specifically Epic Universe.
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What is Epic Universe?
Epic Universe was originally unveiled in 2019, and it’s been clear from the get-go that the park is no small undertaking, with Universal claiming the expansion will be massive, both in scope and scale.
Epic Universe will feature several lands for guests to explore, ranging from a dark and creepy monster-filled world named Dark Universe to a bright and colorful area inspired by Super Mario. Epic Universe officially opens on May 22, 2025, and its opening day will undoubtedly go down as one of the most significant moments in theme park history.
Not only is this Universal’s first new park in years, but it’s also the first time in decades that either Universal or Disney has expanded its theme park footprint in Orlando. Animal Kingdom joined the Walt Disney World Resort in 1998, with Universal’s Islands of Adventure opening a year later in 1999.
By all accounts, Epic Universe is Universal’s way of getting a step ahead of Disney. With Disney’s wave of price hikes, now seems like a prime opportunity to drive focus away from Disney World and toward this exciting new theme park.
Related: Disney Cuts More Live Theme Park Entertainment in Wake of Employee Pushback
Disney World Raises Prices
As stated earlier, the Walt Disney World Resort raised prices across multiple sectors, ranging from park admission prices to the cost of food and drinks. Disney also confirmed the cost of a single-day Magic Kingdom park ticket will reach $199 in 2025.
Each of Walt Disney World’s four annual passholder tiers saw a price increase of at least $30 and up to $100. Valet parking at Deluxe Disney hotels increased from $39 to $42 per night. Refillable mugs, snacks, and other items available for purchase at Disney’s various hotels also went up.
Below is a breakdown of some of the price hikes on food and drinks:
- Soft Drinks $0.30
- Mickey Pretzels: $0.20 to $0.25,
- Chips: $0.30
- Bottled Coca-Cola drinks: $0.25
- Churros: $0.20
Not only is Disney choosing to squeeze even more cash out of its guests, but these price hikes are going into effect during one of Walt Disney World’s most transformative periods it’s ever seen.
Why Now?
At Disney’s D23 event this August, the company confirmed several significant new theme park expansions are in the works. These new projects range from a new land inspired by Pixar’s Monsters Inc. (2001) for Disney’s Hollywood Studios to a new Cars experience for the Magic Kingdom, as well as a complete overhaul of DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
While certainly exciting, one has to wonder why Disney has decided to raise prices when there will arguably be less to do over the next few years at Walt Disney World than there is currently.
Given the time it took to complete recent additions like TRON Lightcycle / Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, it’s not out of the question to assume Walt Disney World will effectively be a construction zone for the foreseeable future.
Disney also recently unveiled a new, premium line-skipping option for guests with serious cash burning a hole in their pockets called Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
This pass works similarly to Universal’s Express Pass option. However, Premier Pass is only available for Deluxe Resort guests to purchase, unlike Universal’s option, which is given to guests staying at select hotels for free.
Regardless, it seems that both Universal and Disney have big plans going into 2025, with this competition being good for both organizations and consumers as a whole. Fans were shocked by how cheap Universal priced out rooms at its new Stella Nova and Helios Grand hotels, with Disney also offering significant discounts on select vacation packages starting next year.
Will you be visiting Epic Universe next year? Do you think theme parks have become too expensive?