We know, we know — when it comes to reporting on prices, most of the time, we have to announce that Disney has raised prices on things. And believe us — we’re not big fans of price hikes either.

From price increases at our favorite snack spots (Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie, we’re looking at you) to our favorite restaurants (hello, Chefs de France [seriously, what’s up with France RN!]) to Wishables to Spirit Jerseys to masks, it seems like everything at Disney World is starting to cost more. So we have to ask the question — has Disney ever REDUCED prices? And well, you what? It has!

Here’s a closer look at times when Disney has done the unthinkable and actually reduced prices.

Tickets

Okay, so when Disney World first opened, tickets were a whole $3.50 per day. That’s a LOT cheaper than the current $109 per day (which is the lowest price if you go in the off-season on an off-day and you book for more than one day). (Keep in mind back then you had to buy tickets to ride each ride which, with inflation over the years, adds up fast!) Nope, sorry guys, in the past Disney hasn’t stepped backward and just shaved prices off general admission tickets for good. BUT…Disney HAS offered some really good discounts on tickets, which — in turn — has reduced prices. 

Most recently, Disney World has offered tickets to Florida residents for $54-$75 per day. That’s almost a half-price discount! There was a 2-Day Summer Fun Ticket for $75 per day ($149 total), a 3-Day Summer Fun Ticket for $62 per day ($185 total), or a 4-Day Summer Fun Ticket for $54 per day ($215 total).

And Disneyland offered a similar deal for California residents. Select California Residents who purchase a 3-day park hopper or 3-day one-park ticket can get a deal where it’s just $83 per day. Considering the same 3-park ticket is normally $104 per day, that’s a reduced price.

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Hotels

Hotel rates aren’t ever actually reduced for good, but like with tickets, Disney often offers deals with a certain percentage off. Hotel room rates also tend to fluctuate throughout the year based on demand, so yes, you can get a “reduced” hotel rate if you go during a slower time of the year and/or get a good deal. And, generally speaking, hotels generally cost less on weekdays than on weekends. In reality, though, these are just the known prices on the lower end of the spectrum for the given room you’re looking at.

So your best bet is to keep an eye on the Disney World website and nab those deals as soon as they become available. But it’s also good to be flexible with your plans so you can compare hotel rates at different times of the year.

On occasion, Disney has historically offered what they refer to as “Bounceback Offers“. These are exclusive discounts provided to guests staying in a Disney-owned and operated resort if they book their next Disney vacation BEFORE they check out on their current vacation. These deals are not available to book online or to the public, they are restricted just to those staying in that resort at that certain window of time, usually for a specific future window of time — and traditionally offered some sweet savings! Guests are notified if an offer is available to them by a placard available in their room or by calling the resort to inquire if one is available. Just know staying at a Disney hotel isn’t a guarantee you’ll get a bounceback offer.

Bounceback offers were available before the closure and may resurface now that most resorts are reopening.

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Food

Food is where we see prices fluctuate the most at Disney Parks. Although prices do often go up, they sometimes go down, too! We saw this when many character meet and greet restaurants reopened — Cinderella’s Royal Table decreased from $75 to $62 per adult and from $45 to $37 for children. That’s probably lower because there aren’t any characters at the meals now, though. They made the price paid reflective of what was available to be offered.

We’ve also seen prices for food items decrease. Most recently, a hotdog at Casey’s Corner went down a whole 50 cents when that location reopened at Magic Kingdom. It’s still the same hot dog as it was 50 cents higher though. We also saw a recent price decrease over at Crepes de Chefs de France — soft serve ice cream there is now a whole 5 cents less — hey, it’s not much, but we’re all about saving EVERY penny at Disney World when we can!

We’ve also seen the price of milk reduced at Disney World by 20 cents. It’s rare or in odd increments but on occasion, prices DO go down on food in Disney World!

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Merchandise

As we mentioned, Disney will often raise the price of merchandise, but sometimes stuff does go on sale, both at the parks and on shopDisney. And shopDisney often offers free shipping for a limited time, as well as a discount on certain items if you spend a specific amount.

We’ve also seen EPCOT festival merchandise go on sale towards the end of the festival, too, when Disney has to make room for NEW festival stuff! So always keep an eye out for sales in the parks AND online! And if you visit at the end of the holiday season, you’ll likely find some of that popular Christmas merchandise for up to 75% off!

Our motto is to stock up and save it for next year — after all, Christmas does come around every year and those red and green ears go with everything holly and jolly!

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So although it might not seem like Disney ever reduces prices, you can get *slightly* cheaper prices if you’re looking for them. And we’ll let you know about all price changes we see at both the parks and online, so stay tuned!

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Have you ever scored a good deal or something cheaper than normal at Disney Parks or online? Let us know in the comments!

The post Have the Disney Parks Ever REDUCED Prices? first appeared on the disney food blog.