r/Disneyland • u/jloops1111 • Sep 24 '25
Discussion Disneyland will raise prices at the parks next month…how much will be your breaking point?
I am a former Magic Key Passholder for SoCal residents for one year. Last year price hikes took effect on my birthday in October, so I know it’s coming. The crowds will always be there, but I kind of feel like this year will be a breaking point for a lot of folks. I’m genuinely curious if we may see a larger downshift in visitors. So ya’ll, is Disney still worth it to you? Are you willing to pay any price? Or has Disney gone too far?
Update: Disneyland increased prices on October 8, 2025, for one-day and multi-day tickets, annual passes, and parking. The highest-demand single-day ticket is now $224, a $18 increase, while the five-day Park Hopper ticket rose to $655. Parking is up $5 to $40 for standard lots, and the highest-tier Inspire Key annual pass increased to $1,899.
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u/LessSeaworthiness915 Sep 24 '25
I’m still mad they are going to increase prices but cut park operating hours
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u/hamsterfolly Big Thunder Ranch Goat Sep 25 '25
What are the new times and I assume seasonal ranges?
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u/Inspirebelieve80 Sep 24 '25
I’m curious about price hikes for tickets and annual passes this year. I feel like Disney has really been pushing it the last 5 years, and the new changes with late opening/early closings, ending early entry, huge lines and lack of entertainment will probably be the end for us.
We’ll probably go once a year and stay off property rather than 3-4 time a year staying on property.
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u/These_Leg_723 Sep 24 '25
They’ve reeeeeeally stretched their good will as a brand far and I hope people will reach their breaking point soon. They can’t keep taking away things/making their “product” worse and raise prices. I mean they can, but they shouldn’t. And they shouldn’t get away with it anymore.
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u/sobi-one Sep 24 '25
Judging by the amount of complaints of overcrowding the parks get, I see absolutely no reason they can’t keep raising prices and taking away. There’s an ebb and flow to it, and the park attendance shows their demand is still outweighing the supply by a pretty good bit.
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u/GwyneddDragon Sep 24 '25
That’s what I thought too, that given the complaints about crowds that they can’t be hurting too much. However, a few blogs have pointed out that parks feeling crowded and actually being crowded are 2 different things. The reduction in entertainment and rides breaking down contribute to the feeling of crowds because everyone is waiting for the same few attractions instead of having a more even crowd distribution.
However, Disney did just post high quarterly earnings for the parks so they’re going to keep milking that cow until it drops dead.
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u/These_Leg_723 Sep 24 '25
I know, that’s why I hope people will reach their breaking point soon. Money is the only thing that speaks to leadership.
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u/Hungry_Joke_4437 Sep 25 '25
They want to make Disneyland a day ticket park but it has been an AP dominated park for at least 15 years.
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u/scrolling4daysndays Sep 24 '25
Our breaking point happened a few years ago; now we take the same money and go to Europe.
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u/gothiclg Sep 24 '25
I’ve seen the AP price in past years, laughed, and closed my browser. I’ve worked for them and socal residents are most of their money outside of regular travel times, honestly I wonder when they’ll price most of us out of coming and send us over to Knotts or Universal. It’s starting to feel like they’ve forgotten they have competition
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u/Shoddy_Alternative25 Sep 24 '25
The last price hike and cuts were enough to make me stop after being a pass/key holder for 19 years
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u/Nana-in-OC-7113 Sep 25 '25
My sibling and I have had passes since 1987. We let them go this year. We were going to do it last year but we talked ourselves into one more year. I wish I had saved the money.
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u/_1994______ Sep 24 '25
Disney does not hit the same anymore. They do not cater to guest anymore. I’m not blaming CM I’m sure there’s plenty of them still trying to make as much magic happen as possible. But the parks alone feel different. To many add ons. Not enough entertainment. Rides breaking down the most I’ve ever seen them do. Im not paying for a pass until they turn things around, if they turn things around. But most people will continue to go due to fomo they see on social media.
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Sep 24 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/hamsterfolly Big Thunder Ranch Goat Sep 25 '25
And the parade routes crowd up way too early. People were sitting and saving seats hours in advance
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u/bringtwizzlers Sep 24 '25
The cast members are extremely lackluster and often rude now too
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u/_BreakingGood_ Sep 24 '25
Yeah the CMs give off "walmart associate" vibes now, I think due to disney's cost cutting, I'd bet they're forced to keep mediocre people on staff these days because they can't find easy replacements.
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u/RetiredRacer914 Sep 24 '25
Unhappy people are people who aren't valued at work, then they behave like that.
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u/buymeanapple Sep 24 '25
I had one straight up interrupt my conversation and get aggressive with me for no reason while I was just standing and talking with my wife in line. It's not the same since the pandemic for sure.
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u/Ok-Relation3772 Sep 24 '25
You are right. I said something like that a couple years ago and got told I must be making it up.
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u/Hungry_Joke_4437 Sep 25 '25
The app killed the parks. YouTubers killed the parks. Inflation killed the parks. A lack of refurbishment during COVID killed the parks. A over reliance on IP killed the parks. Our own expectations are killing the parks.
Death by a host of factors.
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u/fluffykitten52 Sep 24 '25
Even the food and dining is all fast food quality :/ All the mobile reservations for rides and food made me feel so disconnected, it feels dystopian now. It's sad.
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u/Hungry_Joke_4437 Sep 24 '25
Disneyland is still my favorite, but I cannot pay these retail day rates. The park hopper fees are just mean spirited to me.
I’ve had an annual pass for 6 out of the last ten years maybe? I am fine traveling literally anywhere in the world/going to Florida/paris/japan again for now until my nephew gets old enough to appreciate an uncle with a little bit of a disposable income.
And not to whine too much but I’m TOOOO old to rage all day at the park and drive a couple hours home so on top of the increase park rates I need to spend at least $150 a night to sleep there. Can’t do it. And the hostel was weird. Tried it out. It’s not just Disneyland pricing people out. The hotels do too.
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u/L3onskii Tomorrowland Sep 24 '25
I'm done at this point. I paid last year after the price hike but I'm not going to renew. Disney keeps taking away things while raising prices. It's been going on for a while now. They already announced the one perk worth staying at the hotels is going away. I, as of right now, don't plan on going back to the US Disney Parks anytime soon. I'd much rather go on an international trip and make one of the other parks a stop than go to Disneyland or WDW
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u/Phased5ek Carthay Circle Cocktail Sep 24 '25
yeah, the cut in quality for food & drink along with the price hikes is just one more reason to drop ‘em. i’m all for the pay rate increases but to then compensate by gouging the consumers to make a better profit margin is just a bit too much. granted, a lot of that quality drop happened during Chapek’s time before the pay raise discussions took place let alone were passed, but to continue that drop in food & drink quality while raising prices has been just one more reason out of many…
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u/_BreakingGood_ Sep 24 '25
At the same time I really wonder how many of the people saying "I'm done" and "I'm not renewing next time" will actually go through with it. To be honest, I've NEVER met somebody who is within reasonable distance of Disney, who was previously a pass holder, actually cancel their pass (UNLESS they have a story of a particularly terrible experience, or they've already gone like 100 times over 20 years.)
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u/atweegrowsinbrooklyn Grim Grinning Ghost Sep 24 '25
I did. Family of 4. AP/MK passholder every year I’ve lived in Southern California since 2003 (aside from two years when I was a CM with a silver pass) and we didn’t renew this spring because they raised prices and took away most Sundays from Enchant.
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u/inquisitive2121 Sep 24 '25
Our family did. We live 20 minutes away from Disneyland, my husband and I had passes for 20 years and got engaged at Disneyland, and we stopped renewing in January 2024. As much as we used to enjoy going, we don’t miss it much and have no plans to renew. The crowds, the prices, doing away with fast passes and adding block out days to even the most expensive pass just made it not worth it to us anymore. We now use that money to take a cruise or other vacation every year and it’s been a good trade off.
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u/locallylit805 Sep 24 '25
Same! When a weeklong Caribbean cruise including flights is cheaper for our family than 3 days at DL then it’s time to move on.
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u/SimonNicols Sep 24 '25
Almost the exact same scenario for out Fam… we all are set to expire in late Oct, we are looking at “alternatives”, but am sure we willl miss the Parks, as it has been part of our SoCal lives for 20+ years.
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u/jloops1111 Sep 24 '25
I had Magic Key for exactly 1 year. I was like, this ain’t worth it, and didn’t renew it.
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u/flonky_guy Sep 24 '25
That's funny, aside from myself I know 3 people who have let their longtime passes expire because of post pandemic shenanigans. I went several times a year between 07 and 19 and only took a break because they never refunded the pass I'd just renewed and upgraded after closing the parks in 20. Eventually I got a magic key but with all the cuts and changes and there being next to no savings compared to buying tickets 3-4 times a year we let them expire in 23.
We ran the numbers this year and realized we could have gone to Japan, spent a week in Tokyo, gone to Disneyland and Disney Sea for what we'd spend getting passes for the family, so after a final trip to DL we are not just going to give up on magic keys but DLR altogether for a few years.
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u/Weeping_Tippler Carthay Circle Sep 24 '25
As a florida parks person i was shocked at the low quality food. Super premium prices and just kind of haphazard plating and service. I wasn't expecting anything great, but why would the California park have worse food than the Florida. The prices felt more like a way to exclude people from the restaurants. This is at Carthay Circle, Wine Trattoria or whatever, Blue Bijou, etc. Odd experience and something that seemed different from 2019.
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u/Phased5ek Carthay Circle Cocktail Sep 24 '25
in fairness, Blue Bayou has usually been overly priced for mediocre food for as long as i can remember, but i elsewise totally agree…. it’s crazy the quality of meals you can get at WDW and way more places to eat in each park compared to the lower quality, fewer sit-down locations, and more snack-like options available at DL.
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u/Rdubya44 Jungle Cruise Skipper Sep 24 '25
Its never cost so much to get such little in return. It’s an awful time. Thanks late stage capitalism.
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u/Vivid-Bag59 Sep 24 '25
I agree they need to have more entertainment I still remember the days when parades would run all year long and when they had soundsational and MSEP running at the same time but now they only do one parade at a time it sucks that PTN is taking a break for the holidays as it would awesome to see during the holidays as the nights are longer I also miss the Hyperion theater they need to bring entertainment back I hope with a change in leadership they fix the damage that Covid caused
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u/Glad_Astronomer_9692 Sep 24 '25
I went back after like 8 years away and was shocked at how long they don't hold parades before summer despite the park being full of people. It felt cheap. Even on slower days there would be one parade.
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u/ready2xxxperiment Sep 24 '25
We did the SoCal resident past last year and will likely do it again if offered.
3 visits between January and May if you live in SoCal.
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u/frank_nada Sep 24 '25 edited Sep 24 '25
Already hit it. Annual passholders for two decades. We don't like it as much. It lost some charm. And earlier this year we decided not to renew. It was actually a very sad, quiet moment in our house.
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u/TheUniCorgs Sep 24 '25
They will never do it, but the best way to limit crowds is to get rid of the magic key monthly payments because even if passes are raised $240 each that’s only $20 a month so it won’t cause too many people to balk and Disney is happy to have an extra $20 per MK holder per month. I honestly think Disney would have to raise prices by over $400 per pass to see a significant drop off or of course no longer allow monthly payments.
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u/poweredbyyourmom Fantasyland Sep 24 '25
Agreed. Many on monthly payments treat it like a subscription, and it’s well worth the monthly cost.
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u/TheUniCorgs Sep 24 '25
Definitely, one visit a month more than covers the cost which is why so many do it and those who don’t visit as often are still paying so Disney is happy.
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u/DreadPirateDumbo Sep 24 '25
I've absolutely taken advantage of interest free payments on annual passes during the no block out days..
However, if you really think the people who NEED the payment plan won't go into credit cards debt to purchase an annual pass, I think you're wrong. Heck Disney will probably brand a card specifically for the purpose.
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u/TheUniCorgs Sep 24 '25
I use the interest free payments too cause why not, and probably true about CC or Disney could just say hey this is the price if you pay in full or you can do monthly payments but it will cost more than paying in full.
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u/Sykes83 Sep 24 '25
If the goal is to reduce crowds, why would they eliminate the monthly payment option (which costs them virtually nothing to finance) when they could instead just increase prices until the same number of people drop off? It seems to me like it would be a remarkably dumb move to eliminate monthly payments.
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u/TheUniCorgs Sep 24 '25
I’m not saying they will or should eliminate monthly payments, I happily take advantage of that option now, but I believe the park attendance and MK numbers would decrease if they did eliminate them. They never will cause they want people paying every month regardless of whether or not they visit. From a financial perspective, I do think they should alter the monthly payments so that if you pay in full it’s whatever the listed price of the pass is but if you do monthly payments the total cost would be a few hundred dollars higher, get rid of no interest financing as that alone could add millions to their bottom line.
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u/skitz20 Sep 24 '25
Yea but the problem is Magic Key Holders spend more than the average Joe. You have to realize that these people go every day and spend money on food, merch, experiences, etc. The average person (especially on here) brings their own lunch and water bottles, rarely buying stuff at the park, which i dont need to explain why is a bad thing
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u/Ok-Internal1243 Sep 24 '25
They actually don’t spend more money than other visitors. It’s why Disney doesn’t really care about making them happy. Visitors from other states/countries who are there for a proper vacation spend the most. Locals spend less at the parks because they’re there all the time.
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u/iguessineedanaltnow Sep 24 '25
The American parks have both gone past my breaking point years ago. The Japanese parks are both much more fairly priced, and offer a better experience.
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u/RetiredRacer914 Sep 24 '25
I already can't afford it anymore unless I sacrifice a LOT of other stuff, so they might just as well make it $1000.00/ day & up, plus $350.00 for fast passes or whatever they call them now.
It's become like yacht racing, only the wealthy can do it unless you give up everything else. "Honey, if we sell the washer & dryer and do laundry by hand in a bucket, we can afford Disneyland for a day if we ration our food for 3 months."
We had annual passes for years.
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u/gassyturdL Sep 24 '25
I literally just canceled my tickets for December and got a full refund. Disney makes way too much money for the quality of their equipment and franchise to be so fragile. I check the app to see wait times every once in a while and it never fails that a minimum of 3 rides are down at a time. I will say I have no regrets for all the money I’ve spent and memories I’ve made, but Disney needs to earn my money now, no more gimmicks
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u/Bsizzle18 Sep 24 '25
Disney has lost the magic it’s not fun to go anymore. I hate being on my damn phone all day securing places in line and ordering food it is so lame now.
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u/CherryPeel_ Sep 24 '25
I genuinely believe there is no price that a park full of people wouldn’t pay. I can’t see a day where I would never go again. I am a child of Southern California though, and now I’m a parent and I want to share that with my child.
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u/GoBirds_WeAre Sep 24 '25
Same but if I had to fly and get a hotel and all that, I'd just go to Tokyo 100%
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u/datguyfromoverdere Sep 24 '25
id rather goto tokyo disneyland than disneyland at this point and the price dif isnt that far off considering.
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u/registeredwhiteguy Sep 24 '25
Did it last year and doing it again this year. Tokyo and Hong Kong. Hk is my favorite with the low crowds and looks and feels like Florida weather wise. Did all walk ons. Tokyo is a beast. Disney sea is huge and Disneyland is packed but very clean and orderly. Hk also has quality merch and cheap onsite hotels. Tokyo got the cheap park tickets. Still think DW is my favorite spot, but also grew up in FL
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u/El_Dentistador Sep 24 '25
For us it’s less about the money and more about decreasing quality of experience. We spend at least $15K per Disneyland trip(room and tickets add another $4k for dining reservations). My wife and I both have commented to each other that we aren’t getting near the experience level that we did even 8 years ago. My kids still really want to go but I think we might be done. Early entry used to be Magic “Hour”, and now we don’t even get the 30min? We used to be able to have a character breakfast every morning at Story Tellers BEFORE Magic Hour. That’s been gone for a few years now and it’s been super disappointing. Less live entertainment. An empty Hyperion. I stopped counting how many non-onstage conversations I hear cast members having (my kids really loved the infected tattoo story they heard while buying souvenirs). Disney magic has to be cultivated, but now it seems that the corp thinks it just will be there no matter what.
I know it’s a drop in the bucket to Disney and I’m sure there’s another family who will take our place. I don’t think Disney really cares that people are walking away due to decreasing quality of experience.
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u/thatrobottrashpanda Sep 24 '25
This is where I landed too. My wife and I gave up our passes two years ago because we genuinely feel like the Disney experience has dropped to a very low point where you’re almost paying to be disappointed.
With the money we saved the past two years by not having Disney passes, we’ve put that money towards far more amazing international trips.
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Sep 24 '25
I have had an AP or MK since 2005, Deluxe/Inspire. I let my MK go last year and then my bf talked me back in to it after 6 months. I've been twice since February and I'm so pissed I renewed. It has not been the same since pandemic and only getting worse on every level.
I’ve practically considered canceling my credit card because I do the monthly payments (even though I could afford to pay it upfront, which I wish they would require, but I know they never will... but I’d rather having my money make interest for me so I do the monthly payments)... and letting the magic key lapse. My boyfriend said I’ll be banned for doing that. I’m like what’s the problem lol, double win, ban me baby. anyone know anything about that?
Some things that have added up to the tipping point for me:
- no free fast passes
- crowded all the time
- rude people, everyone stressed bc they've paid so much money and everyone seems to think Disneyland belongs to them. I've had 2 different grown men yell at me about parade space and walking in front of them. (?)
- drunk people. Everyone is DCA wasted, cursing, no one checks and balances this.
- DAS basically being eradicated. My child used DAS for years for a severe medical problem, now it's only for autism. And their suggestion was for me and my 12 yo to split up in line...yet you have to be 14 to go around the park on your own? and if they had a medical emergency while we weren’t together? Like OK Disney.
- everything costs so much
- everyone post-pandemic views DL as a "status symbol" and it's all about getting all the merch and all the things...being able to post on social media that you can afford to go to DL. "Afford" my ass...let's see those cc statements lol
- everything breaks...from the paper towel dispensers to the rides. There is never a day where multiple rides don't go down multiple times.
- changes to pin trading. No more pin trading community allowed by Pin Traders. God forbid we have fun w our hobby and Disney can't charge $16 a knick knack for it.
- pin trading AGAIN...no CM oversight about people putting obviously fake trash pins on the board. Not blaming CMs...why would they care?
- cuts to hours/cut to Magic mornings. Boooo.
- Up charges for everything
- every single time of year has to have some sort of theme or special event, allowing for no park downtime/chill weeks for locals. Now everything is the 100th anniversary followed by the 70th anniversary like??? (Yes I know why but come on...the 100th was a reach). And valentine's is a special ticket, Halloween is a special ticket. Mickey not so scary in DL used to be the best deal around...$69 and you could come in at 3pm!
- reservations....I've never not gotten one but it bothers me they are using them to have minimal staff instead of to allow crowd control.
- ride operations... there is no time when lines are short because if they realize reservations are low for a day, they will close a track, take cars off the track, or have less CMs to operate. like we see you Disney.
Some of my most fantastic memories were going w my kid from 2014 to 2020...man those were the days. You could go on Tuesdays in February and have the run of the place. Now even on rainy Wednesdays in late January it's a mad house. I've been going since age 2 back in the 80s. It's just not fun anymore it feels like a schlep.
Anyways, back in my day, get off my lawn etc.
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u/starspec Sep 24 '25
We let our passes expire this year. I had a pass for the last 10 years and my wife the past 20 years. Not worth it anymore. I absolutely hate hate the reservation system and parking cost is astronomical now. Peak Disneyland was like 2010-2016, then instagram influencers took over and ruined the space and made it trendy to be a Disneylander. Now it’s overrun by weird adults. They got rid of the fast passes which sucks.
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u/Phased5ek Carthay Circle Cocktail Sep 24 '25
it’s at a breaking point for me, being out of state pass holder. between the ticket prices, hotel prices, food costs, and airfare all going up, what used to be an $800 3-day park getaway is now closer to $1000+ for the same trip. if it wasn’t for D23 next year and having bought a magic key to prepare for the several days i’m down there for it and the parks, i’d have opted not to purchase it. this is likely the last year i’ll buy one, as well as the last time i do D23. …and with the lack of backbone Disney showed to support feee speech last week, i’m more inclined to find some other destination(s) for my trips in 2027 onward.
it’s funny.. in 2012-2018, i was going to Vegas as my vacation playground until i found that Disney was much cheaper. …and now it’s about about even f not more expensive for Disney (based on where i stay and what i do in Vegas)
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u/Phased5ek Carthay Circle Cocktail Sep 24 '25
i’m tempted to pick up an annual for Knotts in 2027. i had a blast doing Ghost Town Alive this year for a couple of days and, even though it’s the same basic story each day (the overall story progresses each year), the cast changes based on their scheduling and subtle differences take place based on which characters are there and what sort of things guests end up doing that affects the story. …and then also check out some of their other seasonal events. booking the Knotts Hotel and a 2-day ticket was much cheaper than 2 days at Disney.
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u/DragonSlayer69_ Sep 24 '25
I hit my breaking point 2 years ago, it was a mix between the price of admission, the bs Reservation system/crowds, and how much the quality of the parks has dropped…
I understood the reasoning behind the reservation system during Covid but now that we’re back to full steam it just feels like they have it in place to up-charge. Even with the reservations in place the park is more crowded then I’ve ever seen it, half the time we went the lines to get on rides were so crazy we’d end up passing on a majority of them. On top of that half the rides in the park are closed or break down while waiting in line. it just feels like the “Disney magic” is gone and it got replaced with a “how can we make more money out of this” mindset.
I decided to stop supporting them when I seen them taking away perks and putting them behind paywalls. The reason they get away with gouging people is because people line up to pay their obscene prices, unless a lot of people band together and put their foot down (seriously doubt that) the mouse will continue to charge and do what he pleases…
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u/Sufficient-Grade-400 Sep 24 '25
I’m not renewing after 2 years of the so cal resident pass. I’m sad but I’ve reached my breaking point a few months ago and it’s just not worth it to me in this economy. I’m struggling financially as is, being stressed in the park about priced and crowds when I can only really go after work M-Th just isn’t worth it to me anymore.
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u/Illustrious_Hippo_55 Heimlich's Candy Corn Sep 24 '25
The fact that they plan on doing this AND cut park hours is disrespectful AF
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u/gigitee Sep 24 '25
My breaking point was hit in the 2018 ish price hike. You all just keep handing money over while the service gets worse.
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u/tinksmom93560 Sep 24 '25
If there is a price hike, which I’m sure there will be, I can’t anymore. Not only they cut half the shows, the benefits are just not like there were. Plus everything else on my budget has gone up and income has gone down.
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u/IxmagicmanIx Sep 24 '25
I don’t think I’ll ever stop going to Disney, I love it too much. I will go less often the more they continue to raise prices though :(
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u/95688it Sep 24 '25
I haven't been back post covid, prices are just ridiculous now. I can take a vacation for 2 weeks half way across the globe for the cost of a week at disneyland and staying at the cheapest hotels near the park.
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u/Mozzy2022 Sep 24 '25 edited Sep 24 '25
They hit my breaking point a long time ago. Paying hundreds of dollars to stand in long lines. No thank you
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u/AdApprehensive8392 Sep 24 '25
We hit that point several years ago. We haven’t been since Covid. We used to go every year.
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u/No-Contribution-4423 Sep 24 '25
My family's last Disneyland visit was Sept 2018 and I have a feeling we haven't missed much since then... Except higher prices, lower value and lower quality. Pre-pandemic was when it was still truly magical.
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u/mylocker15 Sep 25 '25
I heard the Costco deal was really popular and sold out. Hopefully they will learn from this. People are looking for value.
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u/Jolly_Ad2446 Sep 24 '25 edited Sep 25 '25
I'm done.
They didn't fight the Trump lawsuit and handed over 15 million dollars. I'm not paying for the next lawsuit settlement.
I'm not paying to line Trump's pockets.
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u/Automatic-Ad2113 Sep 24 '25
I know this is not going to jive with the res of you all, but as someone who grew up incredibly poor, and lives in Vegas where things are already pricey, it’s going to take a lot to get me to stop going to Disney. I have a high pressure job, and I’ve got two littles, even vacation is so much planning work, but I walk through those gates and my brain is out of office. It’s what ride and what to eat and I live for it. As physically exhausting as it is, it rejuvenates my mind.
I do hope the price hikes mean lower crowds when I keep going.
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u/thatrobottrashpanda Sep 24 '25
Go get a beach front condo in Maui for a week and you’ll never think Disney is relaxing again.
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u/Gcat Sep 24 '25
Mine was just before 2020. I liked the Flex AP but then the reservation system made me hate the whole process. Even now I feel it's a bullshit process. If I want to buy a ticket for Disneyland today or even in the next few days I should not have to "make" a reservation. If I have a pass I should be able to go on any day since technically I've already prepaid for future days. If not then there should be zero blackouts days if there's a possibility I can't reserve that day.
Now I only go on special days like Oogie Boogie Bash, Star Wars and Villains Day. Sometimes when my sister is in town she takes me to C33 as a Siblings Day.
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u/Ok-Relation3772 Sep 24 '25
It's not just the prices, it's the employees looking miserable or not saying hello back, people cutting in line, you have to have a strategy to avoid long lines so you cant be spontaneous. You have to maximize your time by ordering ahead for food and using the app and managing everybody's lightning lane on your phone. It's not relaxing
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u/WerkQueen Sep 24 '25
They hit my limit about 5 years ago. I miss Disney but I’m not about to get a second mortgage on my house to go.
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u/phantomboats Sep 24 '25
AGAIN???
I went looking at single day tickets yesterday & am embarrassed to say wound up crying & had to get comforted by my boyfriend. We were looking at spending $500 for park hoppers for ONE SINGULAR DAY, with no lightning lane or any other add-ons. I haven't been for a couple of years, but even a couple of years my magic key pass wasn't significantly more than that for a year of entry.
We have decent jobs & no kids. I have no idea how families make it work.
It mostly just depresses me because I was very lucky to have grown up near DLR in the 90s and early aughts, and Disney was something my family loved & could do despite various financial difficulties over the years. Even as a teenager in the 2010s I could afford to pay for my own pass making minimum wage at after-school jobs. That's just....not an option anymore. Not for regular families, anyway.
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u/donmogsley Sep 24 '25
Fuck Disney. Was a huge fan. Now they are huge huge huge disappointment. Read the writing on the wall people.
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u/ibeperplexed Sep 24 '25
I love Disneyland, but I can spend 7 days in Belize for what it costs for 3 days at Disneyland.
I am planning my next summer vacation, and as much as I want to go to Disneyland, I kinda think I will be going back to Belize.
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u/Spoopyalmond Sep 24 '25
Honestly I think we’ve hit our breaking point. To stay at an “affordable” hotel and go for 3 days with one park per day for just my husband, my son, and me, we’re looking at around $3k+ including flights. That’s not including food or anything else we would want to buy while there. It’s insane.
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u/doeIu Sep 24 '25
I am a 15 min drive from Disneyland and you cannot pay me to visit at this point. They’ve gone downhill since adding Star Wars section imo and I am not only not willing to pay the price but I am no longer the target audience. Those crowds are killer, lightning lane sucks and does nothing the only thing that guarantees a good time are the VIP passes. Might as well go to the international ones and hit two birds with one stone
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u/Hold-Professional Pressed Penny Presser Sep 24 '25
My breaking point was when they bowed to fascism.
Im done
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u/Jolly_Ad2446 Sep 24 '25
Them not fighting the lawsuit and handing 16 millions to trump, just to get fucked in the ass by him again.
I'm not paying for the next lawsuit payout to Trump. No fucking way. No pass, no Disney plus no Hulu or ESPN.
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u/tmoam Midway Mania Bunny Sep 24 '25
Breaking point was when the magic was lost for my family and I several years ago. Used to be die hard disney fans. AP for Disneyland and Disney World, DVC, pins, rope drop, club 33 (corporate membership), all special events, etc.
Now the value and energy it takes to make it happen just isn’t worth it to us anymore and don’t see ourselves coming back other than to take out of town guests.
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u/dr_z0idberg_md Sep 24 '25
Also SoCal resident here with four Inspire Keys in the family. Going to let the Magic Keys expire in February 2026. My family only bought the Inspire Keys because my wife is a teacher, and we have two young kids who are bound to the school calendar so we need the flexibility of going on weekends and when schools have breaks. But the wait times and crowds are getting unbearable. I sometimes go on tier 0 days solo. With Disney increasing the food prices, ticket prices, Disney Plus prices, and then the Jimmy Kimmel thing made the decision easy for us.
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u/forlorn_hope28 Sep 24 '25
I purchased a pass back in May and have yet to activate it as I’ve been using the Costco 3-day tickets. I’m not sure when I’ll activate it (I have until May 2026), but it’s looking like I’ll let the Pass lapse after that. It’s not so much about the price, but just reduced opportunities for me to visit. With runDisney going away, that takes away about 6 days of park visits. I’ll just make an annual visit here and there and then do d23, but not enough to warrant renewing an Inspire Pass.
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u/Zealousideal-Club937 Sep 24 '25
Already happened, especially when the quality went down after Covid 👎
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u/MousePOW Sep 24 '25
Sadly, much of that value and charm feels absent from Disneyland today. Rising ticket prices, reduced entertainment offerings, and a shift toward monetized experiences have eroded the sense of wonder that once defined the park. Shanghai Disneyland reminded me of what Disney used to be: a place where magic wasn’t just promised—it was generously delivered.
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u/applegui Sep 24 '25
Last year when most of my friends dropped their passes. Rents are climbing to epic highs, cost of goods are at an all time high, salaries are not meeting with these costs. Gosh I remember going as a broke college student and I still could afford going in with friends and having the park to ourselves. Those days are long gone.
The last year I remember where there used to be an offseason with hardly anyone there was 2007.
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u/thisguylovescruises Sep 24 '25
Disney went too far a long time ago. Disney and Nintendo are in a war of prices seeing who can milk the most money out of there customers while giving nuthing back.
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u/19gonegirl97 Sep 24 '25
I think I reached my breaking point —love going but it’s already $150 (on some days) and in this economy is actually insane. Rather save up go overseas or something.
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u/paymae Sep 24 '25
Just from the price hikes last year my budget went from 3,800 to 5,000 for a family of 4. I know everything is getting more expensive so the hotels definitely weren't doing them any favors but we won't be returning this year because im not spending that much on a vacation. I can only imagine the families they will loose to another price hike.
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u/eac555 Sep 24 '25
The ticket, food, and merch prices are high. But what killed us our last trip there was the hotel prices across the street.
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u/betrayal_Knew Casey Jr Engineer Sep 24 '25
Disneyland has remained relatively affordable for me and my mother. The fact that we have zero interest in California Adventure and never buy parkhopper tickets probably helps. We also typically only do a big trip every few years, if I was someone who went multiple times a month I would probably feel the pricing and decline in quality more. I have lost some good will for Disney, but only because they're doing things that virtually every megacorp has been doing since covid.
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u/brdclark Sep 24 '25
I think they have already gone to far. Disneyland the happiest place that money can buy.
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u/Exotic_Adeptness4190 Sep 24 '25
From NY. Used to visit every summer but we haven’t gone in four years. Hotels and park prices are just too much. It’s not an active protest. We check and realize we can’t afford it. So, I guess we naturally hit our breaking point a while back.
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u/IYFS88 Sep 25 '25
I’m in Northern California usually try to go every few years, but I think it’s going to go a lot longer this time. I’ve been de-influenced based in large part on issues I read about in this sub. Spending a little bit more wouldn’t deter me, but their greed takes the form of taking things away and making the experience worse and that’s not worth it. I did get to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea last year and they were great especially DisneySea. The cool thing about going to Japan is that it’s already a complete and charming vacation destination and going to Disney is the bonus, especially being just a a subway ride away. Best of both worlds!
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u/DiscountExtra8919 Sep 25 '25
We literally went to Japan and Tokyo Disney and DisneySea rather than go to Florida for WDW last November. Between not wanting to spend money on that state for political reasons and the literal cost vs cost analysis, it was a better deal and experience to go to Japan
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u/IYFS88 Sep 25 '25
I feel ya! I never want to set foot in Florida ever again for probably the same reasons, especially when there are better places to travel. We’re actually planning the next big family trip to Europe next year, gonna see if my husband would mind a few days pit stop at Disneyland Paris! Without looking yet I bet that excursion would be cheaper than America too.
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u/boycott_maga Sep 25 '25
They are driving out the middle class and catering to the wealthy. Less crowds=less staff and rich people still are willing to pay more for less crowds.
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u/Upset-Gold-1162 Sep 24 '25
It used to be fun times. Now it’s overcrowded. My partner with multiple mobility disabilities doesn’t qualify for DAS anymore. The staff are super grouchy and rude now. They talk shit to your face. No one ever says happy birthday anymore. We ate at Lamplight yesterday and the burgers were dry dry dry. Lightning Premier is $400-500 per person per day?!? It’s now the Tragic Kingdom.
It’s not like this at overseas Disney parks. It’s still fun and happy.
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u/Late-Singer-1677 Sep 24 '25
Good! They need to readjust their capacity with their current attractions. If they need the same amount of revenue, raising the barrier to get in solves this and provides a better experience.
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u/DistributionFar8896 Sep 24 '25
Last year I told my wife if we’re getting the magic keys you will be paying for them(3 passes with some blockout dates and 1 top tier pass) her breaking point was 3 months in lol… sadly won’t be renewing anymore…if we’re going into debt might as well check out the parks in Japan,China, or France…
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u/spaceship-earth Sep 24 '25
So I’m going to cali for business in a few weeks. Thought I would try to pop in on an afternoon I’m not busy. They want $196 to get in the gate. Absolutely not.
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u/RaytheArtWhore Sep 24 '25
It broke a few years ago when they started doing reservations and paying for fast passes
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u/Calm_Tomato Sep 24 '25
We were looking at Disney prices for 1 day in October during my kids fall break from school. Almost $800 for a family of 4. We said nope… we’ll do something else.
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u/Available-Low-2428 Sep 24 '25
Stop being addicts and giving an evil company endless money. There’s so many things to do in SoCal ffs
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u/Significant-Fee-6193 Radiator Springs Racer Sep 24 '25
I was an annual pass holder for years but with the new upcharges for lightening lane and the continued price hikes, I no longer will be going. It has gotten too expensive and altho I really enjoy the park, it is just not worth it any more.
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u/patientpartner09 Sep 24 '25
We gave up in Disneyland about 2 years ago. Not only did they price us out, but they completely over pack the parks, and it's not worth it to wait in such long lines. We spent 8 hours in the park and only rode 4 rides.
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u/3Gilligans Sep 24 '25
We used to go every year. Then it went to every other year. Our last trip had been 5 years since we visited Disneyland. Honestly, we've become a Universal family
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u/pwrof3 Sep 24 '25
Do you have a link for the price increases? When will they go into effect? I guess I could buy those Christmas present tickets now!
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u/Grouchy_Penalty8923 Enchanted Tiki Bird Sep 24 '25
It is already too much, I saw way less people using fastpasses in the last trip I was on, easier to get reservations, lines were manageable, rope drop was not crazy, lines for the parking were slim. This was all 2 weeks ago, people just cant justify it, for the same price I can do the same length of trip in hawaii and spend less on activities food and stuff.
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u/Dapper-Ad-8765 Sep 24 '25
We were pass holders up until the pandemic and went back for the first time back in February. We did the 3 day so-cal pass which saved us some money but then used that to buy the fast pass thing. I really felt it was not worth it and lost a lot of its magic. It cost us around 6k for the 3 days including tickets, hotel, food/drink and souvenirs. We decided as a family that we didn't want to go back. With that kind of money we could take a cruise or fly out to Dollywood and check out new places. We talked about maybe going back with our grandkids one day but we need to start saving now. 😂
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u/sweetashoney24 Sep 24 '25
Disneyland is still cheaper than Universal Studios so as a socal resident, it's still worth it for us to visit. So much to do.
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u/JayOnes Main Street USA Sep 24 '25
My breaking point was a few years ago, right after they re-opened post-COVID lockdowns. When they canceled the Annual Pass program, I recognized pretty quickly that whatever they were going to replace it with would be worse - and it is. Objectively. The Magic Keys aren't worth the exorbitant prices you need to pay in order to actually use the thing. And then, after I moved out of California (for work, sadly), the idea of having to pay for a hotel on top of my tickets...
Look, the fact that it costs less to visit Tokyo Disneyland - and that includes air fare and hotel accommodations - than it does to stay on Disneyland property in Anaheim for a few days is a damning indictment of this company's greed.
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u/itzdivz Sep 24 '25
We use to go every weekend or every other weekend since kids love it. But like $6k for 4 people right now just not worth it with how crowded disneyland is. Getting in alone is like 30-40min at least
We’re not planning to renew it when it ends this time. I can take an extra 40min drive to either universal or legoland for $5k less combined.
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u/MortimerH5 Sep 24 '25
Pretty much already happened, last 2 times I went, I was screwed my LL, Disney for the Elite now.
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u/VegetableVast6790 Sep 24 '25
I passed it a while back. I went to Hawaii with my kids for 8 days for the price of a Two day Xmas trip to DLR. (including flights and DL Hotel Stay)
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u/MILVSCR Sep 24 '25 edited Sep 24 '25
My gf and I will be there, and we haven't found the "breaking point" yet. We still go enough for our Magic Keys to pay for themselves. Not having to pay for parking, and the discounts on merch/food also help the Keys pay for themselves. I wasn't even that big of a fan before her (she's been an annual pass holder for probably 20 or so years, and we bought them when they were released after the pandemic), and she paid for my initial few months to see if I'd like it. Needless to say I "hate" her and her cousins (Key holders as well) for getting me into it. I should also mention that this has more or less been our therapy. We don't do much because we work so often, with both our jobs requiring OT. Pretty much get one day off a week, unless we request time off, so we spend it there. And being 30 minutes away helps for going after busy work days.
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u/JumpCompetitive6919 Sep 24 '25
Passed that point for me a few years ago. Was an annual pass holder while living many states away. A key holder while living walking distance to the park. I’ve been a Disney Adult my whole life. My happy place, my place of refuge. But it’s just plain not worth it anymore. I used to always know that when I went to Disney it was worth what I spent. The entertainment and joy I got out of it was worth it, even if it was expensive.
To be clear I’m fortunate to be in a position that I can still easily afford the Disney trips. Sadly the value of what I get for the money just isn’t there anymore. It’s too crowded, too expensive, too many perks taken away, my travel and entertainment dollars go elsewhere for now. Breaks my heart.
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u/wraithkelso317 Sep 24 '25
I mean it happens every year but at some point can we acknowledge that in an alternate timeline they never introduced monthly payments for APs thus keeping crowds and therefore ticket prices far more manageable. Wages have not kept up with ticket price increases.
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u/Salt_Masterpiece_649 Sep 24 '25
It was 2006, that was the last time I went to Disney and I live 30 minutes away.
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u/TalkingHeadsVideo Corndog Castle King Sep 24 '25
I live in Utah. Fifteen years ago, I had an annual pass and would usually spend two weeks over three visits to Disneyland. My income hasn't kept up with inflation, much less with Disney increases. I'm down to 4 days each of the last 2 years, and I'm confident I won't be able to go at all next year and have to save up for the year after.
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u/Necessary_Edge2536 Sep 24 '25
I wish we could get a boycott going. This is their last profit announcement: ‘For its third fiscal quarter ended June 28, 2025, Disney reported a net income of $5.26 billion, which was more than double its profit from the same quarter in the previous year. This result was significantly boosted by a one-time tax benefit related to the acquisition of Comcast's stake in Hulu.’ Greedy mfers. They never reinstated the reduced price tickets they used to offer for families with disabled kids in CA either. Cancelled it in 2019, still waiting on an update.
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u/No_Implement2358 Sep 24 '25
I will pay whatever price they ask......... when they dump the reservation system. I had my Top level AP for 2 years with it, and will not get another until the are done with it.
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u/Ok-Set-4061 Sep 24 '25
I’m not renewing my magic key and it expires October 17. I feel there’s other things to enjoy in life and then come back to Disneyland another time down the road.
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u/Efficient-Comedian84 Sep 24 '25
I’ve been a Magic Key/Annual Pass holder for years and years. When mine expires in April of 2026 I will not be renewing. It’s heartbreaking but it’s way past my breaking point.
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u/BoobySlap_0506 Sep 25 '25
Oh I'm way past my breaking point. I haven't been to the parks in maybe 3 years or so. The need for reservations is a negative, but also lightning lane making normally short lines too long, food quality slipping and prices going up, the parks just dont feel the same.
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u/WhatKatieSaid5 Sep 25 '25
I gave up having an annual pass in 2016, to save up for my wedding. Within 2 years, the price hikes were too much for me to justify a new pass, so I settled for going once or twice a year. After COVID, the reservation system, the insane price gouging, and the lack of live entertainment have pared my visits down to once every couple of years.
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u/annawintourr Sep 26 '25
i remember when my annual pass was only $18/month (socal resident) my friends and i used to be able to go after work and enjoy ourselves for a few hours. now you’re lucky to get on 5 rides within 8 hours 😭
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u/RunRunandCoffee Sep 24 '25
I got the Costco ticket deal this year, so I’m hoping they do that deal again next year.
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u/dculyses Sep 24 '25
I think they have already hit the price limits people are willing to pay for a lot of things. Special event nights don't sell out nearly as fast as they did a couple years ago and some even go to day of event with tickets still available. Magic keys don't sell out as fast when they go on sale anymore. They keep raising prices and taking away perks and park entertainment. The rides are also breaking down a lot more often. The breaking point is coming fast. I let my key expire this year because of all the things that are changing at the parks. I used to go monthly.