When Walt Disney built his world-famous theme parks, he envisioned them as affordable places for families to spend full days together in the dreamlike world of animated movies. In fact, one executive in the 1980s who tried to raise the price of parking by one dollar met stiff resistance from people who claimed the idea ran counter to Disney’s vision for The Happiest Place on Earth. Over time, though, prices rose steadily with inflation, until the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a sudden stop. When the parks reopened, demand soared — and so did the prices. (In case you were wondering, parking at Disney’s U.S. parks today costs $30 or more per day.)

Now experts say that prices may have surged beyond what middle-class American families can afford. A typical four-day vacation to Disney World for two parents and two young kids cost more than $4,200 in 2024, up from $3,230 in 2019. One-day passes to Disneyland for adults broke the $200 mark for the first time last year. A recent poll showed 74 percent of U.S. families believe that vacation experiences like Disney resorts have become financially out of reach. Sixty percent of people who cut back on Disney vacations said cost was the biggest reason. A recent survey of 2,000 families found 45 percent who visited Disney resorts with children went into debt to afford the trip.

As the prices go up, attendance growth is slowing down. Even Disney die-hards who visit regularly say they are getting more value in other places. Dan McCarty, a father of two in North Carolina, sold his membership in a Disney resort timeshare and used the money to take his family sightseeing in the Netherlands for three weeks. “The cost value is just out of order and not worth it,” said McCarty. Disney is offering several new deals to try to bring families back, including $50 kids tickets, the return of discount dining plans, and free in-park photo packages. But there’s no sign that the costs for tickets, passes, rooms, or transportation will come down any time soon. 

Questions: 

1. Why has the cost of a Disney vacation risen so dramatically in recent years? 
2. How do you think rising prices at Disney’s parks impact consumer choices about vacation spending?

Source: Robbie Whelan, “Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation,” The Wall Street Journal, February 8, 2025.