Skip to content

Disneyland ticket prices went up overnight, but there are still ways to save

Oct. 09, 2024
10 min read
Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

If you went to sleep last night dreaming of your next Disneyland vacation, that dream just got a little more expensive.

In the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, Disneyland quietly raised prices for most ticket types by as much as $12 per day, leaving only the entry-level ticket price unchanged at $104 per day.

Related: Everything you need to know about Disneyland ticket prices and add-ons

These Disneyland ticket price changes are effective immediately. Although the announcement was a surprise, it shouldn't be surprising. It was almost exactly one year ago that Disneyland raised prices from its 2022 levels, and 365 days before that, Disneyland hiked ticket prices from those set in 2021.

Though not quite as welcome, Disneyland ticket price increases are almost as predictable as a fairy-tale ending.

"These ticket price increases come at a time when demand remains strong, which is reflected in Disneyland's crowds. The Walt Disney Company as a whole is also investing heavily in its theme park business. Cast Member wages are going up, there are several new lands and attractions coming to Disney parks across the globe, including Disneyland," Gavin Doyle, founder of Mickey Visit, a Disney trip planning site, told TPG.

Luckily, there are still ways to save money on your next visit to Disneyland.

New Disneyland ticket prices

Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park
Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park. CHRISTIAN THOMPSON/DISNEYLAND RESORT

Here's a closer look at the previous and current adult ticket prices for Disneyland.

Disneyland organizes its ticket prices into tiers, with Tier 0 being the least expensive and Tier 6 costing the most. Keep in mind that kids ages 3 through 9 receive a discount and kids under 3 are free.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

Single-day tickets

Ticket typeOld priceNew priceDifference
One day, one park, Tier 0
$104
$104
$0
One day, one park, Tier 1
$119
$126
$7
One day, one park, Tier 2
$134
$142
$8
One day, one park, Tier 3
$154
$164
$10
One day, one park, Tier 4
$169
$180
$11
One day, one park, Tier 5
$184
$196
$12
One day, one park, Tier 6
$194
$206
$12

Multiday tickets

Ticket typeOld priceNew priceDifference
Two days, one park
$310
$330
$20
Three days, one park
$390
$415
$25
Four days, one park
$445
$474
$29
Five days, one park
$480
$511
$31

Park Hopper add-on prices

Ticket typeOld priceNew priceDifference
One-day Park Hopper
$65-$75 (tier-based)
$65-$75 (tier-based)
$0
Two-day Park Hopper
$65
$85
$20
Three-day Park Hopper
$70
$90
$20
Four-day Park Hopper
$70
$95
$25
Five-day Park Hopper
$75
$105
$30

Disneyland annual pass price increase

Disneyland's Magic Key Passes are also getting more expensive, effective immediately. There are four tiers of Disneyland annual passes, and each tier now costs between $100 and $125 more than last year. Each tier allows guests to pay one price for multiple visits throughout the year, but the lower-priced tiers have more blackout dates while the higher-priced tiers allow for more flexibility.

  • Inspire Magic Key — $1,749 (previously $1,649)
  • Believe Magic Key — $1,374 (previously $1,249)
  • Enchant Magic Key — $974 (previously $849)
  • Imagine Magic Key — $599 (previously $499)

Disneyland Lightning Lane increase

CHRISTIAN THOMPSON/DISNEYLAND RESORT

There was also a nominal increase to Disneyland's Lightning Lane add-on service. With Lightning Lane, Disneyland guests can skip the standby line and use a shorter line to get on more rides with less waiting.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass grants guests skip-the-line access to most Disneyland attractions, but there are a few high-demand attractions that require a separate Lightning Lane Single Pass purchase.

At Disneyland, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass as an add-on to your vacation package, or you can purchase it on the day of your visit. You can only make Lightning Lane Single Pass purchases once you are inside the park on the day of your visit.

As of Wednesday, the price is increasing for prearrival Lightning Lane Multi Pass.

  • Prearrival Disney Genie+ — $32 (previously $30)
  • Day-of Disney Genie+ — variable, starting at $32

How to save money on Disneyland tickets

Purchase from a trusted third-party ticket broker

You can usually save money on Disneyland tickets by purchasing from a legitimate third-party seller like Undercover Tourist. When prices go up, they typically have an allotment of tickets they can sell at the old price while supplies last (usually a week or less). You can currently save up to $121 on Disneyland tickets by purchasing them through Undercover Tourist.

Utilize Disneyland's deal on kids tickets

Dumbo the Flying Elephant at Disneyland Park
Dumbo the Flying Elephant at Disneyland Park. DISNEYLAND RESORT

Disneyland recently announced a kids ticket deal allowing children ages 3 to 9 to visit for as little as $50 per day. These specially priced tickets will be on sale beginning Oct. 22, 2024, and are eligible for visits between Jan. 7 and March 20, 2025.

With the price increase, and without the ticket deal, Disneyland kids tickets can run as high as $196 for a one-day, one-park ticket or about $130 per day for a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket.

Compare the cost of single-day and multi-day tickets

You might assume it's always less expensive to purchase multi-day tickets if you are planning to spend more than one day at Disneyland. Well, we are obviously only making this point because that assumption is incorrect.

If you are visiting Disneyland during one of the park's less expensive times when tickets starts at $104 per day, you can pay less by purchasing several single-day tickets rather than a multi-day ticket. For example, if you are visiting for two days in early November when Tier 0 tickets are available, you will pay $208 per person. If you purchase a two-day ticket for the same dates, your cost will climb to $330 per person.

The moral of the story here is that it's worth checking the prices to determine whether you should purchase one-day or multi-day tickets.

Be flexible with your vacation dates

"There are ways for guests who prioritize a budget vacation over the most optimally timed vacation to save money on Disneyland tickets. If you have the flexibility to travel on weekdays during the less popular months of the year or be reactive to Disney's promotions, you'll be rewarded with lower prices on tickets and deals on hotels in the area," Doyle said.

"The lowest priced one day ticket has not increased in price since 2019. That ticket is available 34 days of the year," he added. If you can time your vacation around these days, you can still save.

Related: These are the best times to visit Disneyland

If you can visit in January, February or early March before spring break starts, you'll pay less than if you wait for the school break. Similarly, if you visit after early August when most schools are back in session and before late September when Disneyland's Halloween festivities start, you'll enjoy lower prices and smaller crowds. The same is true for mid-November and early December, as long as you avoid traveling during the peak holiday times.

Use rewards points to cover your ticket costs

There are a variety of credit cards that can help cover all or a portion of your Disneyland ticket purchase.

You can use the annual $300 Chase Sapphire Reserve® travel credit on a Disneyland hotel or hotel-and-tickets package by booking directly with Disney or via a travel agent, such as TPG's partner Mouse Counselors.

If all you want are Disney theme park tickets, you can use your travel credit on purchases from a travel site like Undercover Tourist instead of purchasing directly from Disney. In this way, your purchase should code as travel, triggering your Sapphire Reserve's travel credit.

You can also redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Disneyland tickets in the Chase Travel℠ portal.

If you have a Bilt Mastercard®, you can purchase Disneyland tickets using Bilt Rewards Points in the Bilt Rewards portal under the "Activities" section. Anybody can join the free Bilt Rewards program, but having the credit card in your wallet is the quickest way to earn points that you can use toward Disneyland tickets.

The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

With the Disney® Premier Visa® Card (see rates and fees), you'll earn 2% back in Disney Rewards Dollars at Disney locations in the U.S. You'll also earn 5% back in Rewards Dollars on purchases made at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com; 2% back at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants; and 1% back on other purchases.

You can redeem your Rewards Dollars for park tickets, resort stays and at stores and restaurants on Disney properties. Redeeming your rewards to offset flights purchased with your Disney Premier Visa is also possible. The card has a $49 annual fee.

Bottom line

The cost of visiting Disneyland, like many other things, continues to increase year after year. Luckily, there are still ways to save money at Disneyland, including the upcoming kids ticket discount and staying flexible with when you visit. See them all on our full list of money-saving tips for Disney.

Related reading:

Featured image by CHRISTIAN THOMPSON/DISNEYLAND RESORT
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

TPG featured card

Rewards rate
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5XNew! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
Annual fee
$325
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
Excellent to Good

Pros

  • Valuable dining and food-related credits
  • Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
  • Multiple travel and purchase protections
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
  • Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
  • New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
  • Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
  • Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.