Disney Parks’ Prices Increased 5157.14% Over 50 Years — Is The ‘Biggest Rip-Off in America’ Worth Visiting?
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
Edited by
Maria Concepcion
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Walt Disney World prices keep climbing, and one report goes as far as calling the “the most magical place on Earth” the biggest tourist attraction rip-off in America.
When Disney World opened in 1971, admission prices were only $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for juniors under age 18 and $1 for children under twelve. On Presidents Day, Inside the Magic saw tickets for Magic Kingdom selling for $184 per person – a 5,157.14% increase in just over 50 years on tickets alone.
Ticket prices aren’t the only things getting more costly. The highest tier for the Annual Passholder is now over $1,450 per year. Food and drink prices have also increased, and the FastPass has been replaced by Disney Genie+, a paid add-on that gives guests front-of-the-line access to attractions, shows and the Lightning Lane. Inside the Magic noted that the add-on can cost over $30 per person on certain days, but the service only guarantees to skip the line of up to three attractions, and some popular rides require another fee to skip the lines.
Casino.org listed the top “rip-offs” people were talking about on national, state and local levels using Google Trends and reviews on Tripadvisor. From there, Casino.org surveyed 5,000 people to determine the deceptions from the attractions worth the money. Sixty percent of respondents said Disney World was the “most scammy” place on Earth.
According to Inside the Magic, many people have accused Disney of pricing their parks for the 1% and pushing out average wage-earning families due to the cost of their vacations. Bright Sun Travels shared a video titled “Disney World Has Gotten Too Expensive,” where Jake Williams and his girlfriend, Emmi Lancaster, who hadn’t visited the park in several years, spent over $886 in a single day. The couple stayed at a moderate resort, visited Magic Kingdom, purchased Disney Genie+, ate snacks and had one table service dinner.
Jake compared the same costs of his trip to 2017 figures, and the price was much lower, at only $567 per day, or a 44% increase in cost in seven years.
According to Disney’s earnings report for the fourth quarter of 2023, revenues for the quarter and year grew 5% and 7%, respectively.
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