Disneyland Prices Surge Before Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Opening

ANAHEIM, CA — The Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland Resort, has raised the cost of entry once again, starting Jan. 6, 2019. The revised ticket prices may be prohibitive to some and has many fans balking. However, the theme park assures residents of Orange County and Southern California that there are many ticket buying options from which to choose.

The price of entry to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure has risen by 8-percent, and the cost of parking has upped by 25-percent according to the full, detailed price schedule, below.

Confusion on the actual cost of entry, along with a la carte extras such as the MaxPass and parking, has gotten residents of Orange County and southern California talking.

"Our passes expire this week, and we've been discussing if it is worth it to keep them," mother Karen Hostetter said in the Annual Passholder Orange County facebook group. Hostetter's family decided to skip the $4,000 price tag for their family of three's annual passes, after the increase.

"We're going to take a nice vacation instead," she told us. Another mother is opting to make a switch to their annual passes.

"I've been holding on to our SoCal passes, but with the price increase, I might need to drop down to the SoCal Select," one member discussed.

Mother Mari Keaton has also decided not to renew.

"With the crowds, the kids, we can only get to two or three rides (in a day)," she told us. "It's just not enjoyable anymore."

Others were not swayed. Higher ticket prices means fewer people crowding the parks.

"And with all the hype about Star Wars land, the rest of the park will have fewer crowds," Celina Mendez said.

Coming improvements to the park, including the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, anticipated to open in June 2019, could see lines with wait times of six hours or longer, CEO Bob Iger has said. Higher ticket prices may stymie those wait times.

“We continue to provide our guests with a variety of ticket offerings to meet their needs while helping us to spread visitation, better manage demand and deliver a great experience," Disneyland Resort spokesperson Liz Jaeger told Patch.

Local residents can make use of the most recent park price offering:

The Southern California Resident Ticket Offer provides unique values to enjoy magic and adventure for three days, including one day of Magic Morning (early entry to the park) in Disneyland, they said.

"For a limited time beginning Jan. 7, Southern California residents may select from these specially-priced ticket options and save on select multi-day tickets:

• 3-day, 1-park per day ticket for $179
• 3-day Park Hopper ticket for $234

A local southern California family of four (with children over the age of 9-years-old) could make use of the three-day park hopper, that's a visit to both Disneyland Resort and California Adventure over 13 days for just under $950.

Still, if you plan on going more than a few days a year, that same family could purchase the Southern California Select Pass Annual Passport for just over $1,500 and return to the park again and again (blackout dates apply). Be sure to check the blackout days, which do not include park entry on Fridays, weekends, holidays, and the entire month of June, July and August.

True Disney fans also make use of the 10-percent off select dining and 10-percent off merchandise at the stores at Disneyland, Downtown Disney, and select shops.

Elsewhere across the country, the domestic limited price offer enables visitors to the Disneyland Resort to visit the parks for as little as $70 per day with the purchase of a 3-day, One Park per day ticket, available from January 7 – May 23, 2019.

Max Pass, which enables park guests to access both ride and in-park photographers for free photos has increased from $10 to $15 and is the new "E-Ticket" park experience.

What is the cost of your happiness? Patch wants to know. What do you think about the new theme park price increase?

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Photo, courtesy Ashley Ludwig: The cost for a family of four, with kids over the age of 9, to enter the park with the Premier Annual Pass to the theme park now tops $7,500 in January, 2019.