Disney theme parks to raise prices Thursday

Getting into a Disney theme park will take a little more magic beginning Thursday.

Ticket prices are going up at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.

1. Related coverage
   1. Pluto never had it this good
      

      AP

      The next major attraction to open at Walt Disney World won't be for the kids — it will be for the dogs, and it can accommo... Full story

   2. You — and Fido — can have summer travel fun

The company announced the changes Tuesday on its blog.

The cost of a one-day adult ticket price at Walt Disney World will raise to $82, up $3 from $79. The new six-day pass will be $242, or $40.33 a day, up from $38.50 a day. Park Hopper add-ons will be $54, up from $52.

At Disneyland, the base price is going up to $76 from $72. Savings and discounts are available in a variety of packages. A one-day Park Hopper pass will be $101, up from $97. A six-day Park Hopper ticket, for example, will be $256, bringing the average one-day visit down to $42.67. A six-day Park Hopper pass through Wednesday is $254, but online and other discounts are available.

Parking at Disneyland Resort is also going up a dollar and will be $15 a day.

1. More from TODAY.com
   1. Jilted groom suing for $61K: ‘I tried to be a nice guy’
      

      Steven Silverstein, who has made headlines for suing Kendra Platt-Lee for costs related to their canceled wedding and seve...

   2. Pitbull heats up plaza with ‘Love’
   3. Michelle Parker’s mom: Her kids are ‘not the same’
   4. Bobby Brown’s kids talk about his drug use
   5. Bobbie's Buzz: Unique and clever cocktail helpers

Tickets bought through Wednesday at the old price will be honored through Jan. 3.

'Strong entertainment value'
The Orange County Register said that Disneyland increased its price last August by $3. The California resort has increased its prices annually between $2 and $7 over the past decade.

“We continuously monitor the marketplace to ensure pricing that reflects a strong entertainment value,” said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman. “When you compare a Disney park to a concert or professional sporting event, we offer a great value and a full day of world-class entertainment.”

Theme parks and resorts represented $10.7 billion, or 29 percent, of Disney's $36.1 billion of revenue in fiscal 2009, according to the company's annual report.

Theme park revenue in 2009 was down about $837 million, or nearly 7 percent, from 2008 after growing the previous three years.