October 2025 Price Increases

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Back in September I got an email from DIsney destinations with a pin code for DL park hoppers. 2 day park hopper with LL for 259.00. Seemed like a good deal so I made an impulsive decision and bought them. I made park reservations for a weekend in December.
Were all kind of busy this Fall so I thought about changing them to February and just paying the difference. The cost of 2 day park hopper in February with LL is 503.00 We'll stick with December, but I think this is my last trip ever.

That's one of the things I miss from the Disney in the 70's/80's/90's. You booked a trip and then you'd kind of figure it out as you went. What restaurants, what rides, which parks, etc.

Now you basically need to commit to something months in advance and start locking in a schedule while you're not completely phocused on the vacation. And if you don't or you want to change something, it can take jumping through hoops or in some cases increase your financial costs to participate in said "relaxing experience".

 

[Tom P.]

That's one of the things I miss from the Disney in the 70's/80's/90's. You booked a trip and then you'd kind of figure it out as you went. What restaurants, what rides, which parks, etc.

Now you basically need to commit to something months in advance and start locking in a schedule while you're not completely phocused on the vacation. And if you don't or you want to change something, it can take jumping through hoops or in some cases increase your financial costs to participate in said "relaxing experience".

I get that and I'd like some more flexibility for last minute changes. On the other hand, I actually enjoy the planning process that goes into a Disney vacation. It kind of builds the anticipation over a long lead-up for us and is part of the fun.

 

[Chi84]

I get that and I'd like some more flexibility for last minute changes. On the other hand, I actually enjoy the planning process that goes into a Disney vacation. It kind of builds the anticipation over a long lead-up for us and is part of the fun.

My own personal experience with Disney (starting in 1984 as an adult) was never as relaxing as people remember or as challenging as they make it seem now.

I was never a fan of the mythical stand-by lines where everyone happily chatted with each other and waited no longer than 30 minutes lol. Also, even with FP+ and ADRs we were able to make last minute changes, probably just due to the sheer number of people doing so "day of."

The only thing that started to kill Disney for us were the crowds pre-pandemic. Those have lessened now.

 

[Disstevefan1]

My own personal experience with Disney (starting in 1984 as an adult) was never as relaxing as people remember or as challenging as they make it seem now.

I was never a fan of the mythical stand-by lines where everyone happily chatted with each other and waited no longer than 30 minutes lol. Also, even with FP+ and ADRs we were able to make last minute changes, probably just due to the sheer number of people doing so "day of."

The only thing that started to kill Disney for us were the crowds pre-pandemic. Those have lessened now.

I remember standing shoulder to shoulder in EPCOT in 2019, just a few weeks before the world changed forever saying to myself, “what am I doing here?”

It almost seems the pandemic was one of the best things business wise that could have happed to the theme parks for Disney like it or not.

It allowed them to “hit the reset button” and make many changes they always wanted to make, and use the pandemic as an excuse; lay-off loads of folks, greatly reduce offerings everywhere, park pass reservations, monetize FastPass, change the APs and other things.

 

[MrPromey]

Bajorans and cardassians…the most perfectly crafted cultural studies in sci fi history…

Prove me wrong

Always thought it was weird that it took until Lower Decks to bring Bajorans back in any real way.

 

[Miss Bella]

That's one of the things I miss from the Disney in the 70's/80's/90's. You booked a trip and then you'd kind of figure it out as you went. What restaurants, what rides, which parks, etc.

Now you basically need to commit to something months in advance and start locking in a schedule while you're not completely phocused on the vacation. And if you don't or you want to change something, it can take jumping through hoops or in some cases increase your financial costs to participate in said "relaxing experience".

I can't get past the 503.00 for a 2 day park hopper. I family of four with two kids over 10 would pay 2k for a 2 day park hoppers? I've been mad at myself for buying the tickets because it was pretty impulsive. Now I'm happy I did because I think this may be the last time we ever go. No way am I paying those new prices.

I'm sure there's avenues you can explore to find some discounted tickets, but the discounts would most likely not be enough to get me back. Maybe Disney will keep sending out pin codes for super restrictive tickets.

The tickets I bought are very restrictive similar to having an AP. You have to make park reservations therefore it's difficult to change the dates within the ticket usage period. For example there is only days available from late Nov to the Dec 12 expire date. I didn't even know park reservations still existed, but I guess they do in California.

 

[MrPromey]

I can't get past the 503.00 for a 2 day park hopper. I family of four with two kids over 10 would pay 2k for a 2 day park hoppers? I've been mad at myself for buying the tickets because it was pretty impulsive. Now I'm happy I did because I think this may be the last time we ever go. No way am I paying those new prices.

I'm sure there's avenues you can explore to find some discounted tickets, but the discounts would most likely not be enough to get me back. Maybe Disney will keep sending out pin codes for super restrictive tickets.

The tickets I bought are very restrictive similar to having an AP. You have to make park reservations therefore it's difficult to change the dates within the ticket usage period. For example there is only days available from late Nov to the Dec 12 expire date. I didn't even know park reservations still existed, but I guess they do in California.

They do in FL for APers and, I think, certain promotional FL resident deals.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Always thought it was weird that it took until Lower Decks to bring Bajorans back in any real way.

Well remember DS9 was the “ugly step child “ of the franchise…which in reality couldn’t be further from the truth…

But I also think visitor et al did such a fantastic job…it simply couldn’t be topped

 

[John park hopper]

Boy how quickly people forget ---remember when Bob said they were going to hold the line on price increases. The lemmings still pay and pay for less and less.

A fool and his money are soon parted." – Thomas Tusser ...​

 

[Chi84]

Boy how quickly people forget ---remember when Bob said they were going to hold the line on price increases. The lemmings still pay and pay for less and less.

A fool and his money are soon parted." – Thomas Tusser ...​

Nah, I pay for more and more

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Boy how quickly people forget ---remember when Bob said they were going to hold the line on price increases. The lemmings still pay and pay for less and less.

A fool and his money are soon parted." – Thomas Tusser ...​

It’s one of those things that would help everyone if it happened…but it never will

 

[dlfan1313]

My own personal experience with Disney (starting in 1984 as an adult) was never as relaxing as people remember or as challenging as they make it seem now.

I was never a fan of the mythical stand-by lines where everyone happily chatted with each other and waited no longer than 30 minutes lol. Also, even with FP+ and ADRs we were able to make last minute changes, probably just due to the sheer number of people doing so "day of."

The only thing that started to kill Disney for us were the crowds pre-pandemic. Those have lessened now.

For me, it's not so much that lines were much shorter pre LL, it's that the company wants to charge me an outrageous price, then wants to pay more so I can better enjoy what I already paid for. When I do go to the parks (a much rarer occurrence than in the past even though I have more time and money to do so), I buy LL and feel dirty for doing it. At its core, I feel it's pretty scammy, and I'd much rather just have an upfront price to begin with. Also, these services have monetized the length of time you wait in line, making it even more profitable for them not to increase capacity. Not only do they save money that way, they now actively make money by not adding capacity. I mean, you're of course right that everything wasn't great back in the good ol' days, but I didn't walk away feeling like a rube.

 

[Chi84]

For me, it's not so much that lines were much shorter pre LL, it's that the company wants to charge me an outrageous price, then wants to pay more so I can better enjoy what I already paid for. When I do go to the parks (a much rarer occurrence than in the past even though I have more time and money to do so), I buy LL and feel dirty for doing it. At its core, I feel it's pretty scammy, and I'd much rather just have an upfront price to begin with. Also, these services have monetized the length of time you wait in line, making it even more profitable for them not to increase capacity. Not only do they save money that way, they now actively make money by not adding capacity. I mean, you're of course right that everything wasn't great back in the good ol' days, but I didn't walk away feeling like a rube.

They seem to be adding a lot now though, aren’t they?

 

[Miss Bella]

They do in FL for APers and, I think, certain promotional FL resident deals.

I haven't been to DL since 22. I thought it was just a Covid thing, but I guess Cali decided to keep it because even checking prices in February I had to pick which park on what day and that was with full price tickets.

 

[Tom P.]

Always thought it was weird that it took until Lower Decks to bring Bajorans back in any real way.

Interestingly, I think Lower Decks is perhaps the most faithful to "classic" Star Trek of anything that's been produced in the modern streaming era.

 

[dlfan1313]

They seem to be adding a lot now though, aren’t they?

Well, I'm sure someone like Len can tell us all about capacity numbers, but to my simple mind, they seem to remove something almost every time they add something, and what they add is meant to draw in more people. So, even if capacity is increased, it is my sincere belief that it's their sincere goal to keep wait times high to encourage those LL purchases. And to go for a walk in the weeds, I can see any projects not started being canceled or curtailed. Obviously, that's just my anecdotal observation based on where I see the economy headed. But, if you stapled me to a wall and forced me to answer, I'd say we're not going to see villain land.

 

[MrPromey]

Interestingly, I think Lower Decks is perhaps the most faithful to "classic" Star Trek of anything that's been produced in the modern streaming era.

In order to affectionately lampoon something, you actually have to understand it so that tracks.

Maybe they can get those showrunners working on live action now that LD is over.

 

[MrPromey]

I haven't been to DL since 22. I thought it was just a Covid thing, but I guess Cali decided to keep it because even checking prices in February I had to pick which park on what day and that was with full price tickets.

That's in effect in FL, too and that's about date-based pricing. The ticket you get for the MK on a Wednesday may be more than a ticket for the same day to AK and a ticket for Thursday or Saturday to the MK may not be the same either.

On days they expect more guests, they charge more both for tickets and for LL which from a guest perspective is kind of funny because you're paying more to go on a more crowded day where you're likely able to do less and where LL which will also be more expensive and will likely be more limited due to all the other people using it, especially if you're able to get through your first three selections with enough time left to start picking others.

They claim it's to help level crowds and encourage people to go on slower days but when you're on a week vacation and prices can jump day-to-day*, it's not like most of the people who would need to rework their schedule to save a few hundred dollars would have the flexibility to do so with their time off and the people who do have that flexibility, aren't likely to be in the group who financially have to consider these things...

Plus you have the holidays when it's pure gouging. People who are going the week between Christmas and New Years aren't going to be moving their trip to the second week of January when their kids are supposed to be back in school. It's not like Disney doesn't know this.


*with advance notice when you're buying the tickets - not suggesting they hit you with surprise prices for entry day-of.

 

[MrPromey]

Well, I'm sure someone like Len can tell us all about capacity numbers, but to my simple mind, they seem to remove something almost every time they add something, and what they add is meant to draw in more people. So, even if capacity is increased, it is my sincere belief that it's their sincere goal to keep wait times high to encourage those LL purchases. And to go for a walk in the weeds, I can see any projects not started being canceled or curtailed. Obviously, that's just my anecdotal observation based on where I see the economy headed. But, if you stapled me to a wall and forced me to answer, I'd say we're not going to see villain land.

Heck, at this point, particularly with the economy, It feels like there's a non-zero chance we end up with Tom Sawyer's Landlocked Experience rather than a Cars attraction.


That's mostly a joke... Mostly.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well, I'm sure someone like Len can tell us all about capacity numbers, but to my simple mind, they seem to remove something almost every time they add something, and what they add is meant to draw in more people. So, even if capacity is increased, it is my sincere belief that it's their sincere goal to keep wait times high to encourage those LL purchases. And to go for a walk in the weeds, I can see any projects not started being canceled or curtailed. Obviously, that's just my anecdotal observation based on where I see the economy headed. But, if you stapled me to a wall and forced me to answer, I'd say we're not going to see villain land.

Bingo…

They’ve added almost zero net capacity in over 25 years…and while the normal rate of travel has increased everywhere on the planet.

So if the wait times are long…who does that benefit? Don’t think too hard about this.

The goal is the appearance of adds…while constricting the supply for upsells. It’s like an Episode of Sesame Street