Industry News

Disney hikes prices for crowd control

Ticket prices at Walt Disney-operated theme parks have been increased while fixed-date ticketing will be introduced in an effort to avoid overcrowded peak times.

Theme parks and resorts accounted for one-third of Disney’s $55.1bn (£39.7bn/€44.9bn) in revenue for 2017 thanks to new attractions such as Pandora-The World of Avatar.

Domestic attendances in the US hit an all-time high last year, creating issues with overcrowding and longer periods of waiting for visitors during popular times.

“We know how important making memories at Disney theme parks is for our guests,” said Kim Prunty, a spokeswoman for the Burbank, California-based entertainment company, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

“We will continue to evolve our pricing in a way that gives them a range of options to meet their budget and helps to better spread attendance throughout the year so they can make the most of every visit.”

Price hikes varied by resort location, the number of days purchased, state residency and other factors.

At California’s Disneyland Resort, one-day admission during peak season increased by $11 per ticket, or about 8.9 per cent, to $135.

At Walt Disney World in Florida, a one-day ticket to the Magic Kingdom park during peak season increased by $5, or four per cent, to $129.

According to Bloomberg, details regarding the fixed-date tickets designed to control attendance will be released in advance of next year’s opening of Star Wars Land.

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