Unusual Whales

Disney, DIS, is reportedly on the verge of implementing surge pricing

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Disney to Introduce Surge Pricing at US Theme Parks Amid Growing Demand

Disney theme park tickets in the United States are set to become more expensive under a new dynamic pricing model, which will adjust ticket costs in real-time based on demand—a move similar to airline pricing.

How Will the New Pricing System Work?

Currently, admission to Walt Disney World (Orlando) and Disneyland (Los Angeles) follows a pre-set peak and off-peak pricing system, where ticket prices are determined in advance based on projected demand.

Under the new plan, which has already been implemented at Disneyland Paris, prices will fluctuate dynamically depending on ticket sales. If demand surges, prices will rise instantly.

According to Richard Greenfield of Lightshed Partners, a well-regarded Wall Street research firm, Disney could roll out the controversial pricing model by the end of March 2025.

“Given the early success of Disneyland Paris’ pricing strategy shift, we expect Disney to announce it is moving to a similar airline-style, dynamic pricing plan in the US later in Q1 2025,” Greenfield wrote.

Frustration Grows Among Disney Fans

Frequent Disneyland visitor Jasmin Guevara, who lives in Los Angeles, expressed frustration over the change.

“Does Disney have no shame? It has jacked up prices time and time again in the past few years. This will just be another way to squeeze even more money out of me and my family.”

Disney has not responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.

From Flat-Rate to Real-Time Pricing

  • Before 2016: Disney’s US parks had a flat-rate ticket price year-round.
  • 2016: Introduced a three-tier system (Peak, Regular, and Value pricing).
  • 2018: Switched to fixed-date pricing, requiring Disney to publish ticket prices for each day of the year in advance.
  • 2025 (Expected): No set prices at all—tickets will change in real-time based on demand, and visitors will have to check pricing at the moment of purchase.

This change is expected to increase ticket costs significantly during busy periods while leaving some uncertainty for visitors.