Clark Howard

Not so magical: Disney raises the cost of park admission again!

Planning a trip to the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland this year? It's going to cost you a pretty penny, thanks to increased gate prices. But there are still some ways you can save on other parts of your Disney experience.

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Disney’s new price increases

Much like the airlines and a host of other industries, Disney shifted the price of a day pass based on demand back in 2015. The company created three tiers of pricing at that time — "Value," "regular" and "peak" — and has kept them in place ever since.

New pricing at the Magic Kingdom

Under the latest round of price hikes, value period pricing for the Magic Kingdom will be $109 for adults and $103 for children. That’s an increase of $2 over last year’s pricing.

Regular period pricing will be $119 for adults and $113 for children, which represents an increase of $4.

Peak pricing is getting hit the hardest at the Magic Kingdom, with a $5 increase. That means $129 for adults and $123 for children. Peak periods include major holidays like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Similar price hikes are going into effect at Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, as well.

New pricing at Disneyland

Meanwhile, California’s Disneyland will raise the regular price of admission by $7. So while it was $110 last year, it will be $117 going forward.

Peak period tickets at Disneyland are going up even more. The price for a single-day peak ticket will be $135 — a whopping $11 increase! Though we should note that value period tickets remain unchanged at $97.

Some people say this dynamic pricing is unfair because the price can only go up, not down, based on demand! That’s true, but since you’re not really getting any opportunities for savings there, you’ve got to look at other areas to save.

Figure out the cheapest places to stay

If you want to stay on the property, try renting a timeshare. MouseOwners.com has resources for both owners and potential renters. MouseSavers.com also features a lot of info on how to save on the experience.

If you're going to Disney World, you might consider off-site hotels around Orlando like the Four Seasons Orlando and Hard Rock Hotel. They're luring more visitors than ever with competitive rates, water parks and complimentary transportation to area theme parks. Off-site may also turn out to be more affordable, especially if the family has a car.

One caveat to staying off-site: You’ll only be able to book FastPasses 30 days out from the start of your trip.

Know about the military discounts

If you're military, you have earned the right to save on your Disney trip! ShadesofGreen.org is a special program offered for military personnel and families in partnership with Disney. Discounted lodging generally starts at $95 a night. Other discounts on park admission, dining and transportation are available, too.

Use the free FastPass+ option

FastPass+ enables guests to reserve a spot in line at favorite rides prior to their trip. Once guests receive their theme park tickets, they can log into My Disney Experience on the Disney website or app and make an itinerary of preferred rides and attractions.

This feature allows families guaranteed access and short wait times to some of the hottest attractions. Visitors who master FastPass+ can minimize the wait times and maximize the time they spend playing in the parks.

If you’re staying on a Disney property, you can begin lining up your FastPasses as soon as 60 days out from the start of your trip.

Have the right gear

Take ponchos from the dollar store with you for afternoon and evening thunder showers instead of buying overpriced ones at the park. Sure, they won’t have cute characters on them, but they’ll help you keep more of those other kinds of “characters” in your wallet!

Have the right reading material

Money expert Clark Howard has long recommended that you get The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, not any of the official publications that come from Disney. This manual is updated yearly and tells you all kinds of money and time-saving tips that the parks don't want you to know.

Go when it’s quiet

Even though annual rate increases won't let you steal a deal, you'll still want to plan your trip during a quieter time of the year if possible. You can get a sense of expected crowd sizes on sites like TouringPlans.com and WDWPrepSchool.com.

In general, fall is one of the best times for Florida vacations each year. Disney World offers discounts to Florida residents that fill the parks with daytrippers at that time of year. That creates some traffic, but not as much as you would have encountered over the summer. The real time to book, though, is during the first two weeks of December. Almost nobody goes on vacation at that time.

Use an app to plan your time in the park

A lot of families planning trips to the House of Mouse find it easy to coordinate all their planning in one app. TouringPlans is one great option, as is Trello. Give them a try!

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