A Disney World vacation might be one of the most magical experiences of your life…and it’s very likely that it’ll be one of the most expensive experiences, too. You’ll need to budget for a hotel room, park tickets, transportation, dining, and (of course) the all-important souvenirs.
Magic Kingdom
As demand for Disney World vacations has continued to increase, so have the prices. Unfortunately, Disney doesn’t set a cap on their prices — we’ve seen everything from snacks to park tickets to merchandise getting more expensive, and it looks like those increases will p on coming. Here are 6 ways your Disney vacation will cost MORE in 2023, and these changes could add up to THOUSANDS.
Most of these price increases don’t look like much on their own. An extra $3 for your lunch? That doesn’t sound too bad! But when you look at the impact that these all have together, it really can start to add up.
Chicken Salad Sandwich and Potato Barrels
We pulled together several ways your vacation might cost more so that you’re aware of the changes and can adjust your budget accordingly. But don’t let this list get you too down — we’ll include lots of money-saving tips at the end to help you make up for those costs.
The Emporium
Let’s dive into all the ways Disney will cost more in 2023.
Price Increases
Price increases have been hitting Disney World by the hundreds. According to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, that trend isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. Chapek told CNBC in an interview that price increases are driven by consumer demand: “It’s all up to the consumer. If consumer demand keeps up then we act accordingly. And if we see a softening, which we don’t think we’re gonna see, then we can act accordingly as well. We’re very flexible.”
Crowds entering Magic Kingdom
In the same interview, Chapek noted that consumer demand for Disney parks and experiences has continued to increase, showing no signs of letting up: “For all visibility we have into the future, we’re not seeing any softening of our demand.”
Going into Hollywood Studios
In the recent 2022 Q3 Earnings Call, Disney commented that consumer demand was outpacing available Park Pass Reservations. We have seen park passes sell out fairly often, which means there are plenty of people who want to visit the parks. According to Chapek’s statements, that could mean that more price increases on the way. We could see prices increase on park tickets, merchandise, and food.
Ticket Prices
Disney World ticket prices for 2023 have already increased when compared with 2022’s prices. Although all 1-day, non-Park Hopper tickets still fall in the $109 to $159 range (the same range as 2022), many days in 2023 had higher prices within that range when compared to 2022.
EPCOT entrance
For example, in March 2022 most ticket prices for the first few days fell between $131 and $134. Looking forward, prices tended to stay around $131 to $136 on the weekend but remain below $137 every other day.
©Disney | Screenshot as of February 16th, 2022
However, March 2023 has most tickets at $149 for the first few days (a $15 increase from 2022), and prices at or above $147 throughout most of the rest of the month (a $10 increase from most 2022 dates).
©Disney
What was the high price for March 2022 became the standard for March 2023. The most expensive ticket in March 2022 was $149, and that increased to $150 in 2023.
Animal Kingdom
A couple more dollars on every day’s ticket cost can add up quickly if you’re visiting for multiple days and with multiple people.
Learn more about 2023 ticket price increases here.
Merchandise
We’ve also seen many price increases hit Disney World merchandise lately. The cute little nuiMOs collectibles increased from $17.99 each to $19.99 back in 2021, and this year they’ve gone up again, with new designs costing $21.99.
Goofy nuiMO
We’ve also seen Spirit Jerseys increase in price, with most costing $69.99 back in 2021, then increasing to $74.99.
Up to No Good
But one of the biggest changes is that new MagicBands have been released in Disney World, called MagicBand+. These new designs have some extra features, like being able to interact with 50th Anniversary statues, unlocking a Bounty Hunter scavenger hunt in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and lighting up during fireworks shows and some rides.
MagicBand+
Along with all those fancy features, of course, comes a price increase. Whereas many plain Disney MagicBands cost $19.99, the new MagicBand+ designs cost between $34.99 and $44.99.With MagicBand+ becoming more standard, it seems like more and more people are willing to shell out the extra cash in order to take advantage of the new features.
Check out the best souvenirs for every budget.
Food
We continue to see price increases on menus all throughout Disney World. Each week we post an update about menu changes in the parks and hotels, and almost every week we see some food items getting more expensive.
Menu at the pizza window in EPCOT
When Victoria & Albert’s Restaurant reopened at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the restaurant had some major price increases on its already expensive menu.
It’s Fancy Dinner Time
And not too long ago we saw some of the most popular snacks in Disney World increase in price. Earlier this year, DOLE Whips went from $4.99 to $5.99, Mickey-shaped pretzels increased to $7.50 at some locations, and bottled sodas saw a $0.50 increase at select stands.
Classic DOLE Whip
Like the changes we saw to tickets and merchandise, these small price increases can add up throughout your vacation. Be sure to check menus and prices ahead of your trip so you know what to expect once you arrive.
Learn the TRUTH about Disney World food prices
Emphasis on Deluxe Hotels and Experiences
Although visitors can of course choose to stay at the cheaper Value or Moderate hotels in Disney World, Disney seems to be spending a lot of time and money on those Deluxe hotels. One of the most deluxe experiences is the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (the Star Wars hotel), which is an immersive 3-day experience on board a Star Wars-type “ship.” Rooms at this hotel start at $4,809 total (for 2 nights) — so if you want to experience this hotel, you should probably start saving now.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
In addition, most of the recent hotel refurbishments we’ve seen have been focused on other Deluxe hotels. Moana has taken over rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with floral embellishments and island vibes, while Disney’s Contemporary Resort is looking a little more *super* with its modernized Incredibles rooms.
Contemporary Guest Room
There are new Disney Vacation Club rooms at the Grand Floridian Resort, and an entire new DVC building is in the works at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Disney has some big updates planned for the BoardWalk Inn as well, with refurbishments coming to the lobby and rooms.
Grand Floridian Resort DVC Studio
The last Value hotel that opened in Disney World was Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, which mainly features family suites, an upgraded and more “deluxe” (and more expensive) value resort experience compared to standard rooms.
Art of Animation hotel
If the trends continue, we’ll likely see more Deluxe hotels in Disney World and fewer Value options. That could mean you’ll be paying for those Deluxe accommodations, which add more to the cost.
Click here to see the pros and cons of staying at a Disney World Deluxe hotel.
Travel Prices Increase & Other Costs You Need to Think About
Of course, you still need to GET to Disney World in the first place, and there are a few price increases here that you’ll need to know about. First of all, although gas prices are (thankfully) trending downward, they’re still about $0.73 more than this time last year (CNN Business). So if you’re driving to Disney World, you can expect to pay a bit more on gas than you did previously.
The Speedway Gas Station at Disney Springs
If you prefer to fly to Disney World, you may need to plan on price increases as well. Due to a variety of issues (including staffing shortages, gasoline prices, etc.), flight costs have been higher than normal this year. Although we could see those prices drop as more airlines address the problems at hand, it’s unlikely that the prices will fall drastically in 2023. As of August 2022, Jet fuel prices are still 80% ABOVE what they were in 2019 and 90% up compared to 2021.
Southwest Flight
Capacity on many domestic airlines is still being limited as well, to about 95% of 2019 levels and even lower for international seats. That means people will be fighting for potentially fewer seats. All in all, it looks like we can expect more expensive flights next year.
Airplane seats
And don’t forget about other costs associated with travel, such as car rentals (if you’re going to drive in Disney World) or transportation to the parks and hotels from the Orlando International Airport. If you’re renting a car and staying at a Disney World hotel, you’ll need to pay for hotel parking. Parking at the Disney hotels costs between $15 and $25 per night.
Parking
If you don’t choose to rent a car, you’ll need to pay for a service to take you to your Disney hotel. Your options are Mears Connect, Sunshine Flyer, a rideshare like Uber or Lyft, or a taxi. Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer are both replacements for the previously free Magical Express, only these options both cost money. Both services cost $32 per adult for a roundtrip between the airport and Disney World.
Learn more about how flight prices are changing here.
Genie+ Becoming More Standard
Back in 2021, the free FastPass system went away to make room for the paid Genie+. Now, if you want to skip the lines at Disney World’s rides, you have to pay $15 per person, per day, with some rides costing an additional fee (Individual Lightning Lanes). Those Individual Lightning Lanes usually cost anywhere from $7 per person to $15 per person.
Disney Genie
But Genie+ came out in 2021, so why are we mentioning it as a price increase for 2023? We’re seeing Genie+ become more and more common in Disney World. Of course, visitors don’t HAVE to use it at all. You can opt for standby lines instead, which will save you some cash. But according to Disney, fewer and fewer people are choosing standby over Lighting Lanes.
Spaceship Earth
According to the most recent earnings report, about 50% of Disney World visitors choose to buy Genie+and/or use the pay-per-ride system for Individual Lightning Lanes. That’s up from just a few months ago when Disney reported that about a third of visitors were using Genie+.
Lightning Lane Sign at Town Square Theater
With more people using Genie+, that could make the standby wait times longer (as Cast Members will usually board guests from Lightning Lanes first), which makes it even more appealing to buy Genie+. In order to get on all the rides you want, you may need to consider fitting Genie+ into your budget (at least for some of the parks).
Check out our FULL GUIDE to using Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes in Disney World.
OK, enough of the cost increases — you get the point! Disney is getting more and more expensive, and it might seem like there isn’t much you can do about it. But that’s not true! You can find lots of ways to save money on your upcoming vacation as well. We have a full list of the current deals and discounts being offered by Disney, and you can check those out here.
Click here to see all the current deals and discounts being offered by Disney.
But Disney’s discounts aren’t the only way to save! We have a lot of posts that explain even more ways to save money. From cutting back on the dining budget to finding the cheapest flight, you can bring that vacation cost down quite a bit with just a few simple changes.
Magic Kingdom
Check out some money-saving tips here:
- Complete Guide to Booking the Cheapest Flight to Disney World
- The Cheapest Days to Visit Disney World in 2022
- The Best Disney World Souvenirs for Every Budget
- 9 of the BEST Budget-Friendly Lunches in Disney World
- 15 Cheap but Filling Disney World Snacks for When You’re Ballin’ on a Budget
- Sneaky Ways You Can Save Money in Disney World
- How You Should Spend Your Money in Magic Kingdom
- 9 Things You Can Get for FREE in Disney World
- 3 Budget Plans for EPCOT Festivals
- Our Tips for Saving BIG in Disney World
We’re always looking out for more ways to help you save money, so keep following DFB on our blog, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get all the latest updates.
Find out how your Disney World hotel stay will be different in 2023.
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Completely happy to stay at a value this time and save thousands. The perks of a deluxe aren’t really that outstanding stayed at the Riveria in June. We were underwhelmed and had a huge price tag
We noticed very specific increases to prices this summer. After staying at Coronado Springs for a couple of weeks and comparing the QS (El Mercado) to other QS locations in parks and in other resorts, I can unequivocally say it was more expensive, again the odd $1/2/3 dollars on an item/ meal however that added up for our family of four. Kids meals particularly pricey compared to elsewhere on property.
I can understand the price increases in everything except hotels.
WDW rates are totally obscene compared to Universal and area hotels.
“price increases are driven by consumer demand: “It’s all up to the consumer. If consumer demand keeps up then we act accordingly”
Isn’t that called price gouging?
This is FUNNY
price increases are driven by consumer demand: “It’s all up to the consumer. If consumer demand keeps up then we act accordingly. And if we see a softening, which we don’t think we’re gonna see, then we can act accordingly as well. We’re very flexible.”
Do you ever think the price will ever go down? LOL
GET RID OF THIS GUY
Bobbo says demand is so high we have to increase ticket prices.
Demand falls Bobbo says we aren’t seeing the projected attendance, we have to increase ticket prices.
So what Bob Paycheck is saying is that the more people that come to the parks the more we are going to gouge them. Thanks for that Bob.
I hope Walt visits you in your sleep and puts some family values in your head….
Really looking forward to our Universal visit in January. And the year after. Taking our family to US in 2025. We don’t need disney. US still has package delivery to resorts. They have a transportation service that is less expensive than what disney uses.
How come we can’t give likes or thumbs up to other people’s comments? I understand you don’t want to allow direct replies, because you want to keep this a friendly place…
Which you guys really do magnificently…
But there are some fantastic posts here that I’d like to react to in a positive way.
We’re going again end of September. AP holders, just Pixie level (FL residents), and they expire in October. We’re not renewing.
We’re also Universal AP holders, and of course we’ll be visiting there as well.
For the price of a closet-size room at a Disney value resort, at Universal’s Cabana Bay, we get a family suite…an incredibly thought out 2-room configuration which not only includes a kitchen, but a separate living room area which sections off via a sliding door. Plus two TVs, one in each area.
And the bathroom facilities?
The sink is in the middle exposed to the rest of the room, but there are separate rooms EACH for the toilet and tub/shower. Which means THREE PEOPLE CAN TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT THE SAME TIME!
It’s really embarrassing what Disney offers you compared to Universal.
Sadly, the price increases (gouging) on top of all of the other controversies have completely turned off this formerly Disney-obsessed couple. We are taking our vacations and dollars elsewhere until Disney returns to a semblance of Walt’s vision. We are Vacation Club members who will be using our points elsewhere. We have let our annual passes expire as well.
What a cynical thing to say : “It’s all up to the consumer. If consumer demand keeps up then we act accordingly. And if we see a softening, which we don’t think we’re gonna see, then we can act accordingly as well. We’re very flexible.” In other words, we’ll keep raising the prices until the “poor” are priced right out of coming. We all knw the prices will never come down.
I rarely went to Universal but next week (in probably my last trip to Disney World), I’m splitting my time between Disney and Universal because Universal has much better package deals and seems to have LOTS of new rides. Everyone who stays in a Resort Hotel gets an Express Pass INCLUDED (no extra charge like Genie Plus) plus early entry and that pass is good for almost all the rides.
This is 100% greed on the part of Bob. As long as the demand is there, we will keep raising prices. Costumer service is out the door with this guy. But why should he care, as long as he gets his bonus.
I wouldn’t have much of a problem with prices being raised to manage demand if some of those profits were being used to compensate the people who make Disney the amazing place it is; the cast members! Unfortunately that’s not where it’s going, and in addition to the price increases Mr. Chapek has taken away all the extra touches that made a Disney Vacation so special: Disney Express, free parking at the resort, extra magic hours EVERY DAY for resort guests (sometimes for hours late into the morning hours – it was glorious to explore Magic Kingdom at 3am!), and the list goes on. I’m really thankful we visited Disney when visitors were treated so wonderfully. We used to take our kids every 2 years until 2017. I’m not sure we’ll every make the trip again, but we have some amazing memories!
Every comment above is correct, but understand, Bob Iger (who is no Michael Eisner) has a responsibility to the stockholder first, and the guest second with the cast member coming in third. Iger needs to get the house in order, cut costs and increase profits in order to improve stock value and performance. Then he can address the guest concerns but only if it falls in line with cost cutting and streamlining goals. Unfortunately, Disney has achieved its goal in that they did build a better mouse trap. But unfortunately the pandemic has set Disneys proven model to success in a tailspin because of a tightening job market and supply chain issues. While in the recovery period, Disney hiring has not kept up with Disney manpower demand in order to maintain the Disney benchmark. The only was to control the problem is to reduce the amount of demand from the guest by increasing pricing, cutting perks, reducing the daily gate attendance but not the revenue stream from ticket sales. A difficult position to be in… the demand is there but you do not have the manpower to provide the expected service no matter what the price is, Prices will never be as inexpensive as they are right now, it will only get more expensive and Disney attempts to regulate the guest appearance on site.