October 2025 Price Increases

[LittleBuford]

As @monothingie pointed out there really isn’t much difference in quality but people are willing to pay the price to walk into the parks.

You also get larger rooms, more dining options, and better shopping as you move up the tiers. I say that as someone who's content to stay at one of the All-Stars.

 

[Chi84]

You also get larger rooms, more dining options, and better shopping as you move up the tiers. I say that as someone who's content to stay at one of the All-Stars.

That would also fit well within the definition of premium as opposed to "luxury."

 

[LittleBuford]

That would also fit well within the definition of premium as opposed to "luxury."

Yes, absolutely!

 

[Tha Realest]

Another thought re: these price increases.

Does the expanded push of hard ticket / after hours events diminish the value of an AP?

Keep in mind, if you’re an AP holder there from Aug to Dec you’re competing with multiple after hours exclusive events at MK and DHS a week, restricting your ability to experience an unmolested full day in the parks.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I can agree with a "Mass-Market Premium" rather than an "Upscale Premium" designation. MMP = Hilton, UP= Waldorf, while a true luxury would be a Mandarin

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Another thought re: these price increases.

Does the expanded push of hard ticket / after hours events diminish the value of an AP?

Keep in mind, if you’re an AP holder there from Aug to Dec you’re competing with multiple after hours exclusive events at MK and DHS a week, restricting your ability to experience an unmolested full day in the parks.

An AP can also increase value in that scenario by allowing you early entry in the park prior to the HT event. Thus, not being forced to participate in the cattle call when the Hard Ticket begins. It's all about the planning.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Does the expanded push of hard ticket / after hours events diminish the value of an AP?

My personal opinion? No. As a passholder, I’m lucky to experience the parks in all types of seasons, crowds, etc. and can plan accordingly.

I am against them effecting the day visitors.

 

[Chi84]

I can agree with a "Mass-Market Premium" rather than an "Upscale Premium" designation. MMP = Hilton, UP= Waldorf, while a true luxury would be a Mandarin

"Premium" works so much better than "luxury."

It accurately avoids the use of a term that is confusing because it in no way describes a theme park experience.

It also adequately conveys that the vast sums of money you're paying will likely not be sufficient to give you the experience you're looking for, so you can pay additional vast sums to upgrade to a premium one that at least has a fighting chance.

 

[John park hopper]

Jiko got 4 back in the day. No longer.

I did eat there once during that time and it was a wonderful experience.

same here service and food was excellent

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Jiko got 4 back in the day. No longer.

I did eat there once during that time and it was a wonderful experience.

It’s sadly one that used to be great and Cost controlled it straight to “meh”

The list is long…but distinguished

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My personal opinion? No. As a passholder, I’m lucky to experience the parks in all types of seasons, crowds, etc. and can plan accordingly.

I am against them effecting the day visitors.

In a weird way…the ap actually is increased in value by the upsells

My opinion

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I just slide the toppings off the cardboard and eat the toppings

…total boss move

 

[MrPromey]

Right no one should be surprised by that, but the discounts do vary depending on what's happening in the world.

And that's why they do it. They can continue to raise prices and create the appearance that demand is still high even if in reality, many of their customers will never pay that full price (at least not without something to sweeten the pot like dining or a gift card or other perk) due to discounts or free bonuses based on date, special deals and targeted offers.

It's a great way to exploit the bandwagon effect in the short-term but over time, it trains repeat customers to never trust the retail price and look for ways to get around it. If you're a retail business offering multiple products/services and you're only doing this with one or two of them, it can cause people to question your pricing and profit margins across the board including places where margins aren't so good or demand is actually strong and you don't want to offer discounts or deals.

Think of it this way. If you went into a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft and bought something for $300 at full price and then the following week, saw an ad in the paper with a 40/50% off coupon for use on almost anything in the store, you might think to yourself that your timing is awful and you should have waited but if you then go on to discover that this coupon is there every week or every other week and that they'll even accept competitor coupons, too, it no-longer feels like bad timing. Instead, you just feel like a sucker and you never want to buy anything expensive from them again without a coupon.

Now lets say they decide years down the road that they want to stop offering these coupons; what happens then?

How is Jo-Anns doing these days, btw?

Circling back to Disney, this thread is living proof of the downfall of milking this approach too much. The question for Disney is always, what percentage of their customers have caught on? How many have enough disposable income that they don't care and will pay full price even if they know they're playing into the scheme? How many new customers can they get that'll pay that full price for everything at least once or twice before catching on? How do they keep the train moving once it has left the station and they can't pull back?

COVID gave them a free reset but it feels like they've been working hard to burn through the opportunities that offered them at double-speed.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You also get larger rooms, more dining options, and better shopping as you move up the tiers. I say that as someone who's content to stay at one of the All-Stars.

“Larger rooms” has been used by the Dcl fans to pay double the market price for lesser ships…as an aside

 

[Chi84]

“Larger rooms” has been used by the Dcl fans to pay double the market price for lesser ships…as an aside

They're only "lesser" if you like other ships or cruise lines better - in which case I doubt you would pay double the market price just for a slightly larger room on a line you don't prefer.

At least I wouldn't do that; who knows what people do? But this sounds suspect.

 

[Miss Bella]

“Larger rooms” has been used by the Dcl fans to pay double the market price for lesser ships…as an aside

I have never heard the larger rooms argument, but the "free" soda is an oldie, but goodie. I don't agree the ships are lesser. DCL puts out fine product with great entertainment, and great youth activities, but is it worth double? That is up to the individual to decide.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have never heard the larger rooms argument, but the "free" soda is an oldie, but goodie. I don't agree the ships are lesser. DCL puts out fine product with great entertainment, and great youth activities, but is it worth double? That is up to the individual to decide.

What they float for the last 10 years or so just hasn’t matched up to a couple of competitors…

And i’m not talking the funship or the pacific princess

 

[Miss Bella]

And that's why they do it. They can continue to raise prices and create the appearance that demand is still high even if in reality, many of their customers will never pay that full price (at least not without something to sweeten the pot like dining or a gift card or other perk) due to discounts or free bonuses based on date, special deals and targeted offers.

It's a great way to exploit the bandwagon effect in the short-term but over time, it trains repeat customers to never trust the retail price and look for ways to get around it. If you're a retail business offering multiple products/services and you're only doing this with one or two of them, it can cause people to question your pricing and profit margins across the board including places where margins aren't so good or demand is actually strong and you don't want to offer discounts or deals.

Think of it this way. If you went into a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft and bought something for $300 at full price and then the following week, saw an ad in the paper with a 40/50% off coupon for use on almost anything in the store, you might think to yourself that your timing is awful and you should have waited but if you then go on to discover that this coupon is there every week or every other week and that they'll even accept competitor coupons, too, it no-longer feels like bad timing. Instead, you just feel like a sucker and you never want to buy anything expensive from them again without a coupon.

Now lets say they decide they want to stop offering these coupons; what happens then?

How is Jo-Anns doing these days, btw?

Circling back to Disney, this thread is living proof of the downfall of milking this approach too much. The question for Disney is always, what percentage of their customers have caught on? How many have enough disposable income that they don't care and will pay full price even if they know they're playing into the scheme? How many new customers can they get that'll pay that full price for everything at least once or twice before catching on? How do they keep the train moving once it has left the station and they can't pull back?

COVID gave them a free reset but it feels like they've been working hard to burn through the opportunities that offered them at double-speed.

The first year we went to WDW in 2010 they were offering 45% off deluxe resorts. The only time I can remember there being no discounts was the two post covid years. I got 35% off at AKL in 2019. I have never paid rack rate for room. Not ever. Discounts aren't new.

 

[CoastalElite64]

All signs, though, are that attendance and hotel occupancy is far below the norm and continues to fall. That's why we are seeing so many unusual offers being made right now. Yet Disney still chose to roll out a new price increase. They didn't have to lower prices. They could have built a great deal of goodwill by simply announcing they were keeping prices the same for another year.

Isn't that the norm all over the country? Global tourism is up everywhere except ths middle east and the US.

If prices were kept the same operating costs would have still gone up because of tariff taxes. The consumer always pays those in the end.

 

[Miss Bella]

What they float for the last 10 years or so just hasn’t matched up to a couple of competitors…

And i’m not talking the funship or the pacific princess

Maybe or maybe not, but that's all subjective. You can only get Disney on a Disney ship and some people really like that.