Buying tickets in advance to the Magic Kingdom in Florida still represents “incredible value” despite on-the-gate prices rising to more than $100 a day for the first time.
The claim comes from online ticket supplier Floridatix.com in the face of a 6% hike in single-day admission prices to $105 to enter Walt Disney World in Orlando from Sunday. The total price comes to $111.83 including tax.
The increase applies to anyone aged 10 or over while younger children aged three to nine will pay $99 against $94 last year.
This means the cost of admission to the Magic Kingdom has doubled since 2003.
Rates for the company’s three other Orlando resorts will rise by 3% to $97. At Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure parks in Anaheim, California, tickets will rise 3% to $99.
A Disney spokeswoman said: “We continually add new offerings and experiences, and many of our guests select multiday tickets or annual passes, which provide a great value and additional savings.”
Simon Applebaum, consumer marketing director at Floridatix.com said: “Booking theme park tickets in advance from the UK, rather than on the gate once you arrive, can seriously help customers save money.
“Especially in Florida and the US, when the exchange rate is forecast to worsen, booking ahead of time is highly beneficial for holiday-goers. One benefit is they can effectively ‘freeze’ the amount they pay in pounds, and budget accordingly.
“There are special Disney tickets put together for the UK market that you can’t buy in any other country. These offer massive savings compared to buying on the door, and offer the convenience of unlimited entry across a 14-day period, rather than paying every time you want to enter an individual park.
“The tickets available to pre-book in the UK work out to about £20 per day – much less than to get into the average UK theme park. When you look at it like that, it offers incredible value.”