Disney Execs Announced Major Park Changes Including Lower Ticket Prices

Since its construction in 1955, Disneyland has always been known as “the happiest place on earth.” However, over the past few decades, Disney fans have noted the magic has somewhat dimmed over Disneyland and Disney World. This is due to price hikes, large crowds, and classic pieces of the parks that have been changed or removed completely.

Disney recently announced that after listening to fans, some major changes are coming to the park, and it’s all good news.

One the biggest changes announced was that the company is making the lowest-tier, lowest-cost Disneyland park tickets of $104 available on more days in 2023 – nearly two months’ worth, according to Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro.

Disneyland guests will also have more flexibility with Park Hopper tickets — the park will allow crossing over parks two hours earlier starting in early February. The resort will also make select Magic Key passes available for new sales from time to time throughout 2023 as pass inventory becomes available. The Magic Key program provides reservation-based admission to one or both Disneyland Resort theme parks throughout the year.

“As we step into this bright future it is important that we continuously evolve to help deliver the best guest experience possible. Many of you know that I’m in the parks fairly often … and I listen to you and to our guests about the things that are working … as well as the things that might need some change,” D’Amaro wrote on the Disney Parks Blog.

“And, as we enter this new year, I want you to be the first to hear about a few enhancements that we are going to be making – specifically ones that our guests have asked for and you’ve shared with me. And while this doesn’t address everyone’s feedback, these changes will increase flexibility and add value to our guests’ experience,” he continued.

As for Disney World attendees, Annual Passholders will be able to visit the theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation (with some exceptions).

Other new offerings include increased complimentary services like free parking for resort guests and free digital photo downloads for members of the Genie+ app, a paid service that allows guests to skip the line and head to a quicker “Lightning Lane” entrance on select attractions.

Disneyland also announced that a new restaurant will debut at the park later this year. Tiana’s Palace will replace French Market in New Orleans Square to come alongside the reimagining of Splash Mountain into a Princess & The Frog themed ride called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Walt Disney World will close Splash Mountain permanently at the end of January. Walt Disney World also announced that the long-awaited Tron Lightcycle/Run roller coaster will open in April.

It’s most likely these changes are coming due to the recent shakeup at Disney headquarters. At the end of November, Disney announced that CEO Bob Chapek would be replaced by former CEO Bob Iger in a move that pleased Disney fans who thought Chapek was behind most of the unwelcome changes to the Disney parks such a price hikes.

Reportedly, several creative executives working at Disney would fill Iger in on what it was like to work with Chapek, and Iger would say that Chapek was “killing the soul of the company.”

While guests have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with some of the park experiences, that hasn’t stopped people from opening their wallets. Over the 2023 holiday season, during the busiest time of the year at Disneyland, Genie+ sold out several times, according to SF Gate.

Read Disney Park’s entire update here.