Disney raises ticket prices for US theme parks

LOS ANGELES — Walt Disney Co raised the cost of a single-day admission to its flagship Magic Kingdom park in Orlando, Florida, by 6 per cent to US$105 (S$142.84), breaking the US$100 level for the first time.

Prices for the company’s three other Orlando resorts rose 3 per cent to US$97. At Disneyland and the Disney California Adverture parks in Anaheim, California, tickets rose 3 per cent to US$99. The increases take effect today (Feb 22).

Disney, the world’s largest theme-park operator, has invested more than US$8 billion in the past five years in its US parks, opening new attractions such as Cars Land at California Adventure and doubling the size of the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland section.

“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,” Ms Jacquee Wahler, a spokeswoman for the company, said in an email.

The cost of admission to the Magic Kingdom has doubled since 2003. Tickets were US$3.50 plus the cost of rides when the park opened in 1971, according to the fan website allears.net.

The increases were larger for some of the company’s annual passes. A premium annual pass, which comes with no blackout dates, for entry to the company’s California parks will rise 11 per cent to US$779.

Disney’s domestic park attendance climbed 3 per cent in the fiscal year that ended Sept 27, according to company filings. The parks division generated operating income of almost US$2.7 billion on revenue of US$15.1 billion last year.

Disney ticket-price increases often lead to similar moves by other operators such as Comcast Corp’s Universal Studios and SeaWorld Entertainment locations. BLOOMBERG