By Ariel Zilber | New York Post
The Walt Disney Company is hiking the prices of tickets for admission to its two Southern California theme parks by about 6% on the busiest days.
Weekends and holidays, which are the highest volume days in terms of visitors to Disneyland and California Adventure, will be hiked 6.2% from $194 to $206 a day effective immediately, the company announced on Wednesday.
Anyone looking to hop between the two parks will need to fork over another $65, which remains unchanged.
Disney’s “Imagine” Magic Key pass, the annual pass that allowed unfettered access to the parks on select days, will cost $100 more — from $499 to $599.
The company also raised the prices of other Magic Key passes, which give guests discounts on select food and merchandise purchases as well as price reductions in Lightning Lane Multi Passes.
The “Inspire” pass, which allows access to the parks most days of the year, now costs $1,749 — up 6.1% from $1,649.
The “Believe” pass, which was previously $1,249, now costs $1,374, or 10% more. The price of the “Enchant” key was raised 14.7% — from $849 to $974.
The cheapest tickets which are valued at $104 a day for low-demand days will remain unchanged.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which allows visitors to skip the line of certain rides and attractions, cost $30 when purchases prior to the park visit. That price has been hiked to $32 — the same cost as purchases made on the same day of arrival.
“We have a wide range of prices to choose from that might depend on the season or how much you actually want to take in,” Josh D’Amaro, who heads the Disney Experiences department that encompasses theme parks, told USA TODAY.
Disneyland will offer families with younger kids an opportunity to visit early next year as part of a $50-per-ticket package for youngsters, but that applies just for visits between Jan. 7 and March 20.
The specially priced discounted tickets go on sale Oct. 22.
“We always provide a wide variety of ticket, dining and hotel options, and promotional offers throughout the year, to welcome as many families as possible,” said Jessica Good, a Disneyland Resort spokesperson, in a statement Wednesday.165
Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. is not announcing price changes. Disney already announced price hikes for tickets to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot back in February.
In August, Disney reported a decline in operating profit at its theme parks and predicted a ‘moderation in demand’ in coming quarters, overshadowing the success of the animated Pixar film “Inside Out 2” and the company’s streaming services.
