Annual Pass Changes at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

The Walt Disney Company is considering switching to a pricing model based on demand at its United States theme parks.

Among the benefits Disney could offer with tickets are free parking and family photos.

ANAHEIM – Disney’s top-level annual passholders will have to shell out more than $1,000 if they want to visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure anytime of the year. The theme park – celebrating its 60th anniversary – is experiencing record attendance and is moving forward with plans to create a “Star Wars”-themed land”.

The new Signature pass, costing $849, is the same as Signature Plus – except it contains about two weeks’ worth of blackout days.

Prices for annual passes at Walt Disney World also jumped, with the new Platinum Pass – which allows entry into the parks all year – now costing $749.

The Disney Signature Platinum Plus pass covers all Disneyworld parks, has no blackouts and is $829. In addition, for Disney’s brand, keeping park vacations within the reach of middle-class families is important.

Additionally, passport prices were raised across the board, marking the second increase this year for attendees at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and Walt Disney World in Florida.

And that is why Disney changed its annual passes.

Due to Star Wars Land construction; Fantasmic, the Disneyland Railroad, Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America attractions will be closed for all of 2016, and beyond.

It costs $729, that’s up from $649 for the comparable Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass.

The gold pass costs $549 and allows summertime visitation but has blockout dates during Christmas and spring break.

Annual passes in the lower tier also experienced increases: The Deluxe (now $599 with a few Saturday and peak holiday blackouts); Southern California (now $459, available for renewals); and the cheapest, the Southern California Select (now $329). The Signature Plus will also include additional perks such as parking and unlimited downloads of PhotoPass images such as the pictures taken on rides. The hourly rate changed from $6 to $12.

So far, people are not not deterred by the new prices of Disneyland admission.

“I guess no more Disneyland”, wrote Todd Glickman, of Hollywood, on a Disney fan site on Facebook. A few have speculated the recent ticket increases are a much-needed way to reduce the large crowds that occurs at Disneyland during a few weekends and high-demand seasons. But if Disneyland’s capacity will decrease in 2016, now might be the ideal time to increase prices, to earn extra money on the fewer visitors it will be able to handle in 2016.