Disney has announced that it will implement Disney World park-specific pricing starting Dec. 8, 2022. Find out what this means for single-day tickets to parks like Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.
Starting Dec. 8, Walt Disney World will implement park-specific pricing for one-day, one-park tickets. This means a day at Magic Kingdom could cost more than a day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This change only applies to guests who purchase single-day tickets for a single park, though Disney has indicated that it will also be updating Park Hopper pricing on Dec. 8.
So what does this mean for Disney World ticket prices overall, and how does this affect how you book? Let’s break it down:
How Does the New Disney World Park-Specific Pricing Work?
For the last couple of years, guests have been able to buy a Disney World ticket and then make a theme park reservation for the park they want to visit. As they drew closer to their day at Disney World, guests could shift around park reservations as they saw fit. If they had made a reservation for EPCOT, for example, but decided they wanted to spend the day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, they could go into My Disney Experience and simply change their park reservation, with no changes to their tickets.
But on Dec. 8, guests will need to start purchasing park-specific tickets for single-day visits. Prices will vary by park and by date. Most guests will continue to make theme park reservations for multi-day tickets and won’t be impacted by this change.
A vintage one-park, one-day ticket to Magic Kingdom. Photo by Mike Billick
How Much Does Each Disney World Park Cost?
The new Disney World park-specific pricing means guests will pay different prices for each park. Starting Dec. 8:
- Magic Kingdom tickets cost between $124 and $189.
- EPCOT tickets cost between $114 and $179.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios tickets cost between $124 and $179.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom tickets cost between $109 and $159.
For reference, we entered 2022 with $109 being the cheapest Disney World ticket price possible at any of the parks. Going forward, that price will only be available on select dates at Animal Kingdom.
Paying $189 for Magic Kingdom may be shocking for some families, but Disney does point out that this pricing is specifically for the week between Christmas and New Year’s, one of the busiest times at Walt Disney World.
What If I Already Bought Tickets?
If you purchased tickets ahead of Dec. 8 and have valid theme park reservations, you’re all set. This only applies to tickets purchased on Dec. 8 or beyond.
More Disney World Price Changes Coming
Expect changes to Disney World Annual Pass pricing as well. Photo by Cliff Wang
While Disney’s recent announcement only offers clarity for one-day, one-park tickets, Disney has promised that on Dec. 8, it will be:
- Updating pricing for select add-ons, like Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus.
- Updating pricing for three Annual Passes: The Pirate Pass, Sorcerer Pass, and Incredi-Pass will go up between $43 and $100.
Some notes on Disney World Annual Passes:
- Prices for the Pixie Dust Pass will remain the same.
- The Pixie Dust Pass is the only pass available for purchase, and that will remain true after this change. Pixie Dust Passes are only available to Florida residents and have the most blockout dates.
- All current Annual Passholders can renew their passes when they are 60 days out from expiration.
