Disney World’s New Date-Based Ticket Pricing

Last month Disney announced new date-based ticket pricing for Disney World. Well, actually the company said it will share a new vacation planning tool on Disney World’s website on October 16. The new tool just happens to include variable pricing for park tickets too. In other words, the price of multi-day tickets to Disney World will now change based on the season. How will this change effect your trip to Disney World? What about future trips? Let’s explore the details.

What’s changing?

Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is Disney changing?

The biggest change relates to multi-day theme park tickets. Starting October 16, the price for multi-day tickets to Disney World theme parks will now vary depending on when you plan to use them. In other words, you’ll pay more to visit during peak seasons than you will during slower periods. This seasonal price variation is already in place for single-day tickets. It’s also already in effect for Disney Resorts and ticketed events (like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party).

Another change related to the new seasonal pricing is the time frame in which you can use the tickets. Currently, you have a 14-day window to use multi-day tickets in the parks, once you’ve used your first day. Tickets purchased on or after October 16 will now be linked to specific dates and available for a shorter time period.

How much shorter, isn’t exactly clear. The example in the introductory video provided by Disney shows a guest purchasing a four day park ticket that must be used within a seven day time period. It also clearly states that you will not have to use the tickets on consecutive days as long as you stay within the effective time period. This means if you’re used to staying at Disney for a week, but only visiting the parks for some of the days, you will still be able to do so under the new plan.

If you find the new date restrictions too limiting, you will also have the option to purchase an unrestricted ticket. Although pricing isn’t finalized yet, the video suggests the flexibility option will run about $50 extra per ticket.

Disney also announced one other small change related to one-day tickets. Currently a one-day pass to Magic Kingdom costs about $5 more than a one-day pass to any of the other three parks. Single day tickets sold on or after October 16 will now be the same rate regardless of park.

What will the change effect?

Whew. Hope I haven’t lost you. Let me try to break down what these changes really effect, based on what we know today.

Generally speaking, the changes should make a trip to Disney World during busy seasons more expensive than it is today. (Shocking! I know.) Guests already pay higher rates for hotel rooms and some on-site restaurants during peak seasons. Now they are likely to pay more for multi-day theme park passes too.

How much more expensive isn’t exactly clear at this point. Current one-day passes vary in price from $102 to $122 per day before tax. If Disney follows a similar approach for multi-day price variances, it could be up to $20 more per ticket per day. It gets complicated, of course, because the cost per day decreases as you add more days to your ticket. For that reason, I think $20 more per day is probably a high estimate, but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s also unclear how Disney will price the Hopper and Park Hopper Plus options.

Fortunately, Disney did state that the park pricing for the rest of this year and early next will all be released on October 16. This means, at least for now, that they are not planning to introduce true demand-based pricing that fluctuates throughout the year like airplane tickets. (Silver lining, in case you missed it.)

How will these changes effect my next trip?

If you’ve already booked a trip to Disney World for 2018 or 2019, then this ticket pricing change will not effect you directly. Disney has clearly stated you will still be able to use your tickets as you originally planned. They have not, unfortunately, commented on what happens if you need to make adjustments. If you have concerns in this area, I encourage you to contact Disney directly at (407) WDW-DISNEY.

If you haven’t booked yet, but you’re hoping to visit Disney World soon, I recommend booking your trip before October 16. We can’t know for sure that the tickets will cost more, but I’ve never experienced a rate change leading to a less expensive Disney World vacation, have you? If you do find a better rate after the October 16 deadline, you can always cancel your trip and rebook it. Disney lets you cancel up to 30 days before your trip without penalty. At least for now, so take advantage of it!

How will this effect your planning?

I mentioned above that the headline for the announcement by Disney was really about a new vacation planning tool that will hit Disney World’s website on October 16. According to the company, this new tool will make planning your Disney vacation easier, because you’ll have the option to search for the lowest priced days. You will also be able to explore entertainment options by calendar date and add them to your itinerary or wish list while you plan.

We’ll have to see how this one plays out when the new tool is actually launched. Personally, I think it’s already pretty complicated, especially for first timers, to purchase tickets to Disney World. Changing the pricing for multi-day tickets just adds another thin layer to an already sizable speed bump.

Is it enough of a change to send guests running in the opposite direction?

Probably not.

Disney already uses a fairly complex pricing system for its resort rooms. Rates vary based on resort type, season, size and view just to name a few. Most guests that book a vacation probably don’t even know the true rate they are paying for each night. Now ticket prices will be handled the same way. I suspect most guests focus on the final cost anyway, rather than the per day pricing.

Longer term, the impact on your Disney World planning activities is less clear. I’m a little nervous that eventually the company may require you to commit to which days you’re planning to visit specific parks when you book your trip. This change could effect your ability to secure FastPasses and dining reservations. I am hopeful, however, that the new calendar-based planning feature will make it easier to see all of your entertainment options in one place.

Why is Disney doing this?

Well, the official corporate response, which sounds credible enough to me, is crowd control. Attendance at the theme parks in Orlando keeps rising, despite annual price increases. If Disney can shift some of its park demand from peak season to the off-season, it could help ensure a better guest experience for everyone. Disney introduced events like the Food and Wine Festival and Marathon weekends for the same reason. The goal is to shift demand and smooth out attendance across the calendar.

The push for guests to tighten up their travel plans in advance also helps Disney. The more Disney knows about where you’re going to be while you’re on vacation, the better the company can manage staff levels, park hours and more.

Of course there are other potential reasons too. There are tons of expensive construction projects underway at Disney World at the moment, so the company is looking for ways to recoup these costs in the interim. The new parking fee introduced this past July is another example.

The new ticket strategy may also have something to do with combating the practice of selling unused Disney park tickets. I suspect this is a small benefit of this change, rather than one of the driving reasons for it though.

Conclusion

Disney’s new date-based ticket pricing launches on October 16. Although it will change the way guests plan and purchase their Disney World vacations, in some ways it makes multi-day tickets more similar to how the company already handles other aspects of their vacation packages. Guests already pay a premium during peak season for single-day tickets, special ticketed events and select Disney dining locations. Now multi-day ticket pricing will vary by expected demand too.

I hope this post gave you an overview of what the new date-based ticket pricing means for you and any future trips you may have planned. Stay tuned for more updates as we learn more.

Until then, add a little magic to your world!