Disney Keeps Cheapest Tickets Flat as Add-On Prices Climb

Photo Credit: Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Wikimedia Commons / Cd637 Disney’s latest round of price hikes targets premium add-ons while keeping lower-tier tickets stable, part of Disney’s bet that budget-conscious first-timers will become bigger spenders down the line. At a Global Sachs conference last month, Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said pricing is something the company is “acutely sensitive to,” especially since it wants to build an on-ramp for young families who will continue to visit as their wealth builds. The highest-priced one-day Disneyland tickets have increased nearly 90% over the past decade from $119 to $224, according to analysis from Disney news site Mickey Visit. But Disney is also pushing more affordable options. Disneyland’s lowest-tier prices have remained stable at $104 since 2019, and parks have rolled out various discount programs including tickets targeting local residents and evening-only guests. “They're playing with how much people are