Walt Disney World has really been keeping all of us on our toes lately with the addition of special ticketed events, parking fees and new price structures. A lot of guests have become frustrated with the way Disney seems to be “nickel and diming” its guests the last few months. But for every 1 person that refuses to participate in the new offerings there are dozens more who will likely jump at the chance. Are the recent additions intended to enhance the guest’s overall experience or is it simply an opportunity to squeeze more money out of those looking for a magical Disney vacation? Love it or hate it, below is a summary of the new premium services that are now being offered:
Early Morning Magic
Guests can enjoy early morning access to Disney’s Magic Kingdom with Early Morning Magic. Tickets are available for $69 per adult and $59 per child, in addition to regular theme park admission, on select Tuesday and Saturday mornings from April 26th through June 28th. This is a hard ticket event that includes early access to 3 Fantasyland attractions (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) from 7:45am until 10:00am plus a breakfast at Pinocchio Village Haus.
Disney After Hours
Night owls can pay $149 per ticket for access to over 25 attractions and characters, plus enjoy free ice cream and bottled beverages with Disney After Hours. The event is currently only scheduled for a total of seven nights during April and May and is limited to a small number of guests each night. Guests will be able to stay inside the Magic Kingdom for 3 additional hours after the park closes and will be allowed admittance as early as 7pm.
- Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Thursday, April 28, 2016 from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM
- Thursday, May 5, 2016 from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday, May 8, 2016 from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Thursday, May 12, 2016 from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Thursday, May 19, 2016 from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Premium Parking Fee
Not only did the cost of parking recently increase from $17 to $20 per day but guests now have the option to pay an extra $15 for premium parking. For $35 per day guests can enjoy a prime parking spot close to the park entrance.
Seasonal Ticket Pricing Structure
1-Day theme park tickets are now priced differently depending on the time of year you plan to visit Walt Disney World. The three different seasons are Value (from $97 ages 10+), Regular (from $102 ages 10+) and Peak (from $114 ages 10+). Visit during school vacation weeks or the holidays and you’ll end up paying a premium for peak season.
RunDisney
A new packet pick-up service is available for the first time this weekend at the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side. For $39 per race registration runners will be able to pick up their race packet and bib number at the VIP Pick-Up Tent the morning of the race rather than make a special trip over to ESPN Zone.
Children’s Activity Centers
Lilo’s Playhouse at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Sandcastle Club at Disney’s Beach Club Resort have both recently added new programming to their children activity centers. The price is a flat rate of $55 per child and runs from 4:30pm until midnight. The program includes fun activities, dinner and even a visit from some of their favorite Disney characters. Simba’s Clubhouse at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Camp Dolphin at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel still offer hourly rates with a 2 hour minimum. Cub’s Den at The Wilderness Lodge is closed while the resort is undergoing refurbishment.
Dining Plan Increase
The cost of adding a dining plan to your Walt Disney World reservation increased by a couple of dollars per person, per night last month. The current cost per night is:
Quick Service: Adult (10+) $44.13 Child (3-9) $19.04
Plus Dining Plan: Adult (10+) $63.70 Child (3-9) $22.85
Deluxe Dining Plan: Adult (10+) $115.08 Child (3-9) $35.49
Potential Resort Fee
Guests of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels were recently surveyed to see if they would be willing to pay a $15 resort fee for amenities that are currently free to Disney guests. The fee would cover benefits such as Disney’s Magical Express, Fastpass+, MagicBands, Extra Magic Hours, parking, WiFi and various resort entertainment. A resort fee has not been implemented but it has to make you wonder if it is a distinct possibility with all of the recent changes Disney has made lately.
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Disney is most definitely looking at the bottom line instead of guest experience. I bet extra magic hours will soon disappear and DVC member or annual pass holders and on site guests will pay or not get the perks(which are dwindling) that we currently have. Love Disney but I feel my children will not be able to enjoy Disney every year with their children as they did growing up.
I went to Magic Kingdom yesterday with my daughters and grandchildren. I couldn’t believe the extra $15 for preferred parking. I’m an annual pass holder and have been for 5 yrs. The prices have gone up on everything (food, accommodations, parking) With as many people that pack in to the parks I can’t understand why they need to do this. I feel they have lost sight of what Mr. Disney was wanting the parks to be.
This is getting ridiculous
I think Disney is nickle and diming people. Some realize this and will exercise more strategy when booking their vacation/visits to mitigate all the extra fees. My fear is for the significant amount of people that will get sucked into these extra fees and get themselves into financial turmoil trying to provide the optimal experience. I have put off purchasing additional DVC points to see how these additional costs and fees will play out.
I feel like our next visit could be more like a trip to a carnival versus a magical kingdom. I sincerely hope I am wrong.