A trip to Disney is a dream vacation for children, and adults, all over the world. Unfortunately, visiting the fantastical land of magic and princesses will likely set you back a princely sum.
We have done some digging to find out the original cost of a ticket in each Disney resort when they first opened, and have compared it against current prices. Using this data, we have been able to predict how much a ticket to each resort will cost in 10 years’ time.
So, how much will they cost in the future?
Opening in 1971, Walt Disney World was the second Disney park to open in the USA, and the world. Originally the cheaper American option, costing only $3.50 when a ticket in California was $4.95, prices here have risen the most out of any other Disney theme park globally.
As an average price increase of 7.4% each year has brought the cost up to par with the West Coast original, tickets now cost $124. Following this trajectory, 2031 could see a Disney trip to Florida costing $253.20, making it the most expensive Disney resort in the world. These projections would mean a total ticket price increase of $249.70, or 7134.29%, by 2031.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@waltdisneyworld
Open date
Opening ticket price
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
Current ticket price
Predicted 2031
ticket price
The first Disney park opened in California in 1955, and an adult ticket cost $2.50. Adjusted for inflation this would make a ticket worth about $24 in today’s money. However, the current price of a ticket is much higher, coming in at $124 for a standard single day’s entry. That’s more than five times the price!
This data suggests that prices here have grown by an average of 6.09% each year since opening. If this trend continues to 2031, the predicted price for an equivalent ticket would be a hefty $223.96. This would represent a total ticket price increase of $221.46, or 8858.4%, since the resort first opened.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@disneylandcalifornia
Open date
Opening ticket price
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
Current ticket price
Predicted 2031
ticket price
*Mid tier when choosing a single day
Europe’s only entry in the Disney Parks portfolio, Disneyland Paris is also the most affordable option in the western world. Similar to the Tokyo park, it wasn’t always fully owned by Disney, which could account for the noticeably lower prices. When it opened in 1992, a ticket was worth €30.49, although prices have more than doubled since then.
With an annual increase of 3.34%, the price of a standard “mid-tier” ticket to Disneyland Paris has now reached €79 ($94), which is fairly mid-range when compared to all the other parks. Following this yearly price increase to 2031, we project that a ticket will be worth €109.73 ($131). This predicted price would bring the total ticket price increase since 1992 to 259.89%.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@disneylandparis
Open date
1992
Opening ticket price
($36)
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
($54)
Current ticket price
($94.11)
Predicted 2031
ticket price
($130.72)
*Mid tier when choosing a single day
While being the most expensive of the Asian entries, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is still the third most affordable overall. Since opening in 2005, the cost of a ticket has risen by 83% from HK$350. Now standing at HK$639 ($82), this represents an annual price increase of 3.83% to the cost of a single adult ticket.
This increase is actually higher than that of Disneyland Paris, meaning that eventually, the cost of a ticket to Hong Kong Disneyland could exceed that of a ticket to the European park. However, by following this rate of increase, prices in 2031 will only have risen to HK$930.53 ($120), reflecting a total ticket price increase of HK$580.53 or 165.87%. While a substantial increase, it’s small enough for Hong Kong Disneyland to keep its place as the third most affordable park.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@hkdisneyland
Open date
2005
Opening ticket price
($45)
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
($70)
Current ticket price
($82.21)
Predicted 2031
ticket price
($119.71)
Tokyo Disney Resort is unique in that it is not at all owned or operated by Disney. Instead, it is run by the Oriental Land Company, which itself is owned by several Japanese corporations, while a licensing fee is paid to Disney to use their names, characters, and Disney-themed rides.
In terms of price, Tokyo Disney Resort is excellent value for money. A standard ticket is ¥8,200 ($75), making it the second cheapest Disney park out there. It also has the second-lowest average annual price increase of just 1.78%, meaning a 2031 ticket could cost as little as ¥9782 ($89). This would equate to a total ticket price increase of ¥5582, or 132.9%, since opening in 1983 when it cost just ¥4,200 per ticket.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@tokyodisneyresort_official
Open date
Opening ticket price
($39)
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
($48)
Current ticket price
($74.96)
Predicted 2031
ticket price
($89.42)
*Mid tier when choosing a single day
The Shanghai Disney Resort is the most recent to open, first welcoming Disney fans just five years ago in 2016 when a standard day ticket cost CN¥370. Thankfully, ticket prices have not risen all that much since opening at just 1.52% a year, so you can still bag a ticket for as little as CN¥399 (only $61).
This small price growth means that Shanghai Disney Resort is set to retain its title as the world’s most affordable Disney park, with prices only projected to rise to CN¥464 ($71) by 2031. This equates to a total ticket price increase of CN¥94 or 25.4% which is low enough that, when adjusted for inflation, the value of a ticket to Shanghai Disney Resort has actually reduced since 2016.
Total ticket price
increase by 2031
@shanghaidisneyresort
Open date
2016
Opening ticket price
($57)
Opening ticket price
(adjusted for inflation)
($63)
Current ticket price
($60.91)
Predicted 2031
ticket price
($70.83)
|
Rank |
Disney Park |
$0 $125 $250 |
|---|
Looking at each Disney resort we took the price of a current one-day ticket and compared it to the original ticket price when each park first opened. We then calculated the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for each resort since its opening and applied that same growth rate ten years into the future. This allowed us to predict the prices at each resort in the year 2031.
Predicted prices and USD prices were rounded to the nearest whole number. USD prices were converted on April 12, 2021 using data from Morningstar available via Google search.
Current prices were taken from the park’s official websites, while for historical prices, we used a combination of archived websites using the Wayback Machine, as well as the following sources:
