As 2023 kicks off and pandemic considerations recede, America’s theme parks are again, with lots of their traditional rides and points of interest reopening — in addition to plenty of new experiences.
Attendance at Magic Kingdom plunged practically 67% in 2020 from the earlier yr, whereas Universal Studios dropped greater than 62%, in keeping with an business report. Overall, the highest 20 parks in North America which noticed attendance drop a median 72.2% amid months of pandemic-related closures.
While 2021 attendance was nonetheless nicely behind attendance in 2019 — a peak yr for attendance, in keeping with the report — North American parks greater than doubled their attendance from the earlier yr, signaling a return to parks. And spending at chains’ parks throughout the nation climbed in 2022, in keeping with corporations’ quarterly disclosures, reported the Orange County Register.
The unhealthy news for guests planning a 2023 Disney journey: Prices are up throughout the board, starting from the admission worth to meals and merchandise, together with some new guidelines as to who can entry the parks.
You’ll pay extra this yr for single-day tickets, multi-day tickets, and even annual go renewals for Walt Disney World. And that is along with the rise in tickets Disney instituted final February.
Last yr, the worth for a one-day, one-park ticket was between $109 and $159, relying on demand. But now, Disney is taking part in with dynamic pricing — most people realize it as surge pricing — and that ticket value will now additionally rely upon the park you select to go to. Three out of the 4 theme parks will likely be costlier to go to, with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios each seeing a greater than 12% enhance — and annual go costs are going up about $100.
Disney guests will get a break on parking, although. Effective simply two days in the past, Walt Disney World stopped charging friends for in a single day parking and can supply complimentary parking to its resort friends.
Disney can be bringing again its fan-favorite nighttime spectacular “Happily Ever After” on April 3. Epcot Forever will even be again — for a 3rd time — in April as nicely. And the TRON mild cycle run will even open on April 4 in Orlando.
If Disney followers can wait till later this yr, Epcot is present process an enormous transformation
But as demand picks again up and Disney brings again some fan-favorite rides and points of interest, it is getting more durable to order spots or rides as nicely. You’ll have to entry what’s often called the lightning lane system — Disney’s premium, costlier service.
And whether or not you have got an annual go or plan to purchase tickets, cannot go to the parks spontaneously anymore. You’ll have to make advance plans.
Prices proceed to climb for meals and drinks on the theme parks. It’s the identical captive viewers philosophy that has guided their pricing for years, however in some instances, the costs are literally outpacing inflation. In truth, worth will increase have hit tons of of meals objects throughout many Disney World eating places.
Universal can be ramping up with new rides and points of interest to greet returning vacationers. But Universal has determined to compete with Disney’s worth enhance with a really engaging supply, introduced a couple of month after Disney introduced its worth enhance for a single-day ticket.
If you spend 4 days at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure while you buy a two-park, two-day ticket that means that you can go to one park per day or a park-to-park ticket you may get two days free — and you’ll add add Universal’s Volcano Bay for simply $35 extra.
And extra theme park choices will quickly be on their approach. Universal’s latest providing, Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood will likely be opening subsequent month. And the corporate introduced this week it’s pursuing a theme park aimed toward youthful youngsters — which it plans to construct in Texas.