Here's What A Day At Disney Will Now Cost A Family Of Four Under New Seasonal Pricing

Disney announced a move to seasonal pricing for one-day tickets

The most magical place on Earth has updated their pricing for one-day tickets at theme parks.

The Walt Disney Company announced a move to seasonal price points for one-day tickets on Saturday. Park officials said each month will be divided into value, regular, and peak days with corresponding prices based on the expected attendance of that day. So ideally, it would cost less to attend on a value day.

Disney has been under pressure to reduce the overcrowding felt at the theme parks during the busy season – winter holidays, springs break, and summer. The obvious problem, though, is that many families don’t have the option to visit the park at a different time just because it would save them some money. Most families will likely still have to attend during the busy times and just hope that the increased pricing reduces the crowds.

So what does this mean for a family of four? At Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida a one-day value ticket costs $97 per person before taxes. So a family of four will spend, at the minimum, $388. In March, there are only three value days listed – the 1st through the 3rd. A one-day regular ticket costs $102 per person before taxes, bringing the minimum cost for a family of four to $408. There are seven regularly priced days available in March, the 4th through the 10th. The bulk of the month of March, when most kids have spring break, features peak days that cost $114 per person for a one-day pass. So that same family will need to shell out $456 just to get into the park for one day.

In April, there are two peak days and the rest are considered regular days. So there is no chance to save a few extra bucks with the value tickets. Same thing for May. All of June and almost all of July are considered peak days. August has no peak days and 10 days of value pricing. You can check out the seasonal pricing schedule for the next eight to 11 months at Walt Disney World parks here. The prices for Disneyland in California are similar to the Florida prices, at $95 for a value day, $105 for a regular day, and $119 for a peak day, according to the Los Angeles Times.

These estimates don’t include the food and beverages that families will have to purchase at the park since it is a pain to leave and go elsewhere. Plus, who would want to miss time at the place they just paid hundreds of dollars to get into? And don’t forget about the cute commemorative shirt, cup, or Elsa costume your kid will want. The totals above also don’t include the hotel, rental car, and flight costs that are typically part of most trips to Disney parks.

Disney officials were quick to remind guests that they can also save money when purchasing a multi-day pass or annual pass. But not every family wants or needs to spend multiple days in a theme park. Whichever option is right for your family, you should probably start saving for this enchanted experience now.