Loyal Disney fans have been saying for years that the price of a Disney vacation is getting too high for many families. Finally, we feel heard with so many favorite perks missing and prices continuing to climb.
Perks Removed
It seems to many that Disney used the Park closures in 2020 as an opportunity to reset the many perks offered at the Disney Parks. There have been many changes since 2020, but these are a few of the perks that fans miss the most.
Free FastPasses for guests was one of the hardest missing elements when the parks reopened in 2020. Disney promised a new solution, but this came at a cost. The initial Disney Genie+ service debuted at $15, and initially, fans were outraged.
The price continued to increase until a new Lightning Lane service was announced for summer 2025. Guests do enjoy the ability to book selections early, but the added cost for an entire family is staggering. See our honest review of Lightning Lane Multipass HERE.
Another big missing perk is Disney’s Magical Express. This FREE shuttle service available for Disney Resort guests was a highlight for many as they saw this as the “official start” of their Walt Disney World vacation. This free shuttle ended in January 2022, and guests now have a few options, such as ride-share services and a paid MEARS shuttle.
Guests still miss the free Magic Bands for Disney Resort guests, along with the free Resort Package Delivery. These many missing perks add up for loyal Disney fans.
Rising Costs
The many missing perks were met with rising prices across Disney Parks. The then Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, received much negative press for these price hikes. There was a collective sigh of relief when Chapek was replaced in November 2022 by his predecessor, Bob Iger.
Back in 2022, the Wall Street Journal shared, “Mr. Iger was alarmed by increases in prices at Disney theme parks that Mr. Chapek argued would boost revenue and limit overcrowding.” Iger also mentioned that Bob Chapek is taking “Disney in the wrong direction.”
Fast forward to 2025, and we see continued price increases without the return of favorite perks. The introduction of the expensive Premier Pass and the restrictions of the Disability Access Service left a bad taste in the mouths of many Disney fans. It does not seem that the return of Disney CEO Bob Iger solved the concerns of many fans.
Is Disney too expensive?
Today, the Wall Street Journal shared the frustration of a mom left in sticker shock who simply had a dream of taking her family of 4 to Walt Disney World. The article shared, “Some inside Disney worry that the company has become addicted to price hikes and has reached the limits of what middle-class Americans can afford.”
Back in 2022, the Wall Street Journal shared, “Mr. Iger was alarmed by increases in prices at Disney theme parks that Mr. Chapek argued would boost revenue and limit overcrowding.”
The Wall Street Journal shares the reasoning for removing Disney perks. For example, Disney reported that “only about a third of hotel guests were using the airport service (Magical Express) when it was canceled.”
These kinds of cuts might make sense on a spreadsheet, but for my family (Donna) of 5, this perk is greatly missed. The rising costs of Park tickets, line cutting options, MagicBand+, and dining costs continue to climb, and the addition of paying for transportation to and from the airport just seems staggering.
We do hope the “Dream Disney Vacation” will continue to be an attainable dream for not just an elite few.
Do you agree with concerns about the price of a Disney vacation? What do you think Disney could do to help make a Disney vacation more attainable? Share your thoughts with us and share this news with your Disney pals.
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Bob Hughes
Monday 10th of February 2025
What average family can afford $500 to $1500 a night in a nice Disney hotel. Even the cheap hotels at Disney are too high. I think Disney is pricing their hotels for the rich Europeans. Been going to Disney World every year since 1974, started out staying in the best hotels, then we had to go to the moderate hotels and now can barely afford the cheapest ones and still buy park tickets. It's all greed.
Carol
Sunday 9th of February 2025
Getting out of reach as my 2 youngest turn 3 and will need tickets, making it very expensive for my family of 7. We are dvc but that is even hard to do when there are 7 of us. We usually bring a grandparent who lives with us as well. We are seriously thinking of skipping this year to save points for the following year. We'll see if there are any positive changes in the next couple years or will we have to end our yearly trips for good.
Andi
Sunday 9th of February 2025
Yep. My family is taking a sabatical. I dont think we would be able to swing vacationing at wdw without dvc. Game plan is to sell points and save for a few yrs and go back when construction is done.
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