Prices at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, have continued to rise over the last decade, leaving some wondering if the once touted family destination is now just a place for the rich.
According to a report from Fox News, families and longtime fans of the amusement park are starting to feel pain in their wallets after a venture to the happiest place on Earth.
Travel sites like Frommer have also noticed a change in the park, and editor-in-chief of the site Jason Cochran shared with Fox that the most dedicated fans are even starting to rear their heads at the rising prices for what some are saying is a worse experience.
"Disney has not publicly, but very apparently privately made the decision that it wants to court guests that spend more per day than guests used to spend," Cochran told Fox. "In order to do that, it's done a number of things both to maximize the profit that it's making on a day-to-day basis and also to increase the prices of access for guests."
Disney World is now getting to the point that the average family will have to spend exponentially more than they once would have if they want to experience the magic of the park.
For example, a family of four from New Jersey shared with Fox that on a recent trip to the park, they spent more than $8,480, which includes money spent on travel to the park from the airport ($200), park tickets ($2,550), four nights of lodging in the park ($3,780), genie passes to skip lines ($300), and sit down meals, souvenirs, and snacks ($1,650).
After airfare, the family paid just shy of $10,000, and the mother, who has been going to the park for the last 30-plus years, shared with Fox that it feels as if "Disney is pricing people out."
Fans have shared their displeasure with Disney World on sites like Tripadvisor, saying things like "Don't be fooled. Not the Disney it was 10 years ago," and "Has Disney lost the magic."
Comments tend to be centered around two main issues, prices have gone up, and the experience has gotten worse.
Fans have also taken to Twitter sharing their surprise to see just how pricey a trip to Disney World has become.
Cochran says that this isn't surprising because Disney World has raised its prices far above the rate of inflation almost every year.
While rates for visiting the park for one or two days have not changed from 2021, every other option has increased, with four-day tickets starting at $447.70 compared to $434.83 last year, Cochran says. Busy days get even pricier reaching as high as $596.74.
When it comes to what park-goers are buying, the entertainment is still not what it used to be, with most of the 32,000 employees that were let go during the pandemic not returning and their positions being eliminated.
Despite this, the park remains "packed," however, Cochran says they could see a drop in attendance soon with all of the changes that have been made.
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