Disneyland raises ticket prices, but there are still ways to save
If you went to sleep last night dreaming of your next Disneyland vacation, that dream just got a little more expensive.
In the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, Disneyland quietly raised prices for most ticket types by as much as $12 per day, leaving only the entry-level ticket price unchanged at $104 per day.
Related: Everything you need to know about Disneyland ticket prices and add-ons
These Disneyland ticket price changes are effective immediately. Although the announcement was a surprise, it shouldn’t be surprising. It was almost exactly one year ago that Disneyland raised prices from its 2022 levels, and 365 days before that, Disneyland hiked ticket prices from those set in 2021.
Though not quite as welcome, Disneyland ticket price increases are almost as predictable as a fairy-tale ending.
“These ticket price increases come at a time when demand remains strong, which is reflected in Disneyland’s crowds. The Walt Disney Company as a whole is also investing heavily in its theme park business. Cast Member wages are going up, there are several new lands and attractions coming to Disney parks across the globe, including Disneyland,” Gavin Doyle, founder of Mickey Visit, a Disney trip planning site, told TPG.
Luckily, there are still ways to save money on your next visit to Disneyland.
New Disneyland ticket prices
Here’s a closer look at the previous and current adult ticket prices for Disneyland.
Disneyland organizes its ticket prices into tiers, with Tier 0 being the least expensive and Tier 6 costing the most. Keep in mind that kids ages 3 through 9 receive a discount and kids under 3 are free.
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Single-day tickets
| Ticket type | Old price | New price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| One day, one park, Tier 0 | $104 | $104 | $0 |
| One day, one park, Tier 1 | $119 | $126 | $7 |
| One day, one park, Tier 2 | $134 | $142 | $8 |
| One day, one park, Tier 3 | $154 | $164 | $10 |
| One day, one park, Tier 4 | $169 | $180 | $11 |
| One day, one park, Tier 5 | $184 | $196 | $12 |
| One day, one park, Tier 6 | $194 | $206 | $12 |
Multiday tickets
| Ticket type | Old price | New price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two days, one park | $310 | $330 | $20 |
| Three days, one park | $390 | $415 | $25 |
| Four days, one park | $445 | $474 | $29 |
| Five days, one park | $480 | $511 | $31 |
Park Hopper add-on prices
| Ticket type | Old price | New price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day Park Hopper | $65-$75 (tier-based) | $65-$75 (tier-based) | $0 |
| Two-day Park Hopper | $65 | $85 | $20 |
| Three-day Park Hopper | $70 | $90 | $20 |
| Four-day Park Hopper | $70 | $95 | $25 |
| Five-day Park Hopper | $75 | $105 | $30 |
Disneyland annual pass price increase
Disneyland’s Magic Key Passes are also getting more expensive, effective immediately. There are four tiers of Disneyland annual passes, and each tier now costs between $100 and $125 more than last year. Each tier allows guests to pay one price for multiple visits throughout the year, but the lower-priced tiers have more blackout dates while the higher-priced tiers allow for more flexibility.
- Inspire Magic Key — $1,749 (previously $1,649)
- Believe Magic Key — $1,374 (previously $1,249)
- Enchant Magic Key — $974 (previously $849)
- Imagine Magic Key — $599 (previously $499)
Disneyland Lightning Lane increase
There was also a nominal increase to Disneyland’s Lightning Lane add-on service. With Lightning Lane, Disneyland guests can skip the standby line and use a shorter line to get on more rides with less waiting.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass grants guests skip-the-line access to most Disneyland attractions, but there are a few high-demand attractions that require a separate Lightning Lane Single Pass purchase.
At Disneyland, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass as an add-on to your vacation package, or you can purchase it on the day of your visit. You can only make Lightning Lane Single Pass purchases once you are inside the park on the day of your visit.
As of Wednesday, the price is increasing for prearrival Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
- Prearrival Disney Genie+ — $32 (previously $30)
- Day-of Disney Genie+ — variable, starting at $32
How to save money on Disneyland tickets
Purchase from a trusted third-party ticket broker
You can usually save money on Disneyland tickets by purchasing from a legitimate third-party seller like Undercover Tourist. When prices go up, they typically have an allotment of tickets they can sell at the old price while supplies last (usually a week or less). You can currently save up to $121 on Disneyland tickets by purchasing them through Undercover Tourist.
Utilize Disneyland’s deal on kids tickets
Disneyland recently announced a kids ticket deal allowing children ages 3 to 9 to visit for as little as $50 per day. These specially priced tickets will be on sale beginning Oct. 22, 2024, and are eligible for visits between Jan. 7 and March 20, 2025.
With the price increase, and without the ticket deal, Disneyland kids tickets can run as high as $196 for a one-day, one-park ticket or about $130 per day for a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket.
Compare the cost of single-day and multi-day tickets
You might assume it’s always less expensive to purchase multi-day tickets if you are planning to spend more than one day at Disneyland. Well, we are obviously only making this point because that assumption is incorrect.
If you are visiting Disneyland during one of the park’s less expensive times when tickets starts at $104 per day, you can pay less by purchasing several single-day tickets rather than a multi-day ticket. For example, if you are visiting for two days in early November when Tier 0 tickets are available, you will pay $208 per person. If you purchase a two-day ticket for the same dates, your cost will climb to $330 per person.
The moral of the story here is that it’s worth checking the prices to determine whether you should purchase one-day or multi-day tickets.
Be flexible with your vacation dates
“There are ways for guests who prioritize a budget vacation over the most optimally timed vacation to save money on Disneyland tickets. If you have the flexibility to travel on weekdays during the less popular months of the year or be reactive to Disney’s promotions, you’ll be rewarded with lower prices on tickets and deals on hotels in the area,” Doyle said.
“The lowest priced one day ticket has not increased in price since 2019. That ticket is available 34 days of the year,” he added. If you can time your vacation around these days, you can still save.
Related: These are the best times to visit Disneyland
If you can visit in January, February or early March before spring break starts, you’ll pay less than if you wait for the school break. Similarly, if you visit after early August when most schools are back in session and before late September when Disneyland’s Halloween festivities start, you’ll enjoy lower prices and smaller crowds. The same is true for mid-November and early December, as long as you avoid traveling during the peak holiday times.
Use rewards points to cover your ticket costs
There are a variety of credit cards that can help cover all or a portion of your Disneyland ticket purchase.
You can use the annual $300 Chase Sapphire Reserve® travel credit on a Disneyland hotel or hotel-and-tickets package by booking directly with Disney or via a travel agent, such as TPG’s partner Mouse Counselors.
If all you want are Disney theme park tickets, you can use your travel credit on purchases from a travel site like Undercover Tourist instead of purchasing directly from Disney. In this way, your purchase should code as travel, triggering your Sapphire Reserve’s travel credit.
You can also redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Disneyland tickets in the Chase Travel℠ portal.
If you have a Bilt Mastercard®, you can purchase Disneyland tickets using Bilt Rewards Points in the Bilt Rewards portal under the “Activities” section. Anybody can join the free Bilt Rewards program, but having the credit card in your wallet is the quickest way to earn points that you can use toward Disneyland tickets.
Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?
With the Disney® Premier Visa® Card, you’ll earn 2% back in Disney Rewards Dollars at Disney locations in the U.S. You’ll also earn 5% back in Rewards Dollars on purchases made at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com; 2% back at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants; and 1% back on other purchases.
You can redeem your Rewards Dollars for park tickets, resort stays and at stores and restaurants on Disney properties. Redeeming your rewards to offset flights purchased with your Disney Premier Visa is also possible. The card has a $49 annual fee.
Bottom line
The cost of visiting Disneyland, like many other things, continues to increase year after year. Luckily, there are still ways to save money at Disneyland, including the upcoming kids ticket discount and staying flexible with when you visit. See them all on our full list of money-saving tips for Disney.
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