Disney World just keeps getting more and more expensive.

Price increases are a pretty common occurrence in Disney World. We see them across the resort pretty much every year, oftentimes popping up in response to rising demand. Now, it seems like a Disney trip is more pricy with fewer perks. So, here’s why you’ll pay more to get less in Disney World.

Food Changes

For starters, we spotted HUNDREDS of price increases on food and beverages around the Disney World resort in early 2022. DOLE Whips, popcorn buckets, popcorn refills, bottled soda, Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bars, mickey waffles, and MORE all saw bumps in price.

Price increases like these tend to come once a year or so, so it’s not shocking to see them. But we will say that these have been some of the most extensive and far-reaching price increases we’ve seen recently. Some of these changes could be due to supply chain shortages and issues being experienced around the country and the world.

On top of this, Disney is dealing with the issue of high levels of inflation. To deal with those increased costs, they’ve shared that they’ve looked at a number of options, including making portion sizes smaller in the future.

In addition to all of this, some Disney restaurants have yet to reopen. While many are serving guests again or will be serving guests soon, some popular spots still haven’t become available, like Victoria & Albert’s or 1900 Park Fare.

You might also find menus limited at some spots or certain favorites unavailable. And some restaurants, while open, have changed the way they operate — i.e. you might find a family-style meal in place of the typical buffet you were used to. Prices might have also changed to reflect that but it’s still something to keep in mind. You might also find meals unavailable at some spots or other changes (like how brunch and lunch are now Table Service and prix fixe at Be Our Guest).

Couple this with the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and you’ve got a recipe for guests paying MORE to get LESS. It’s possible that you’ll find yourself paying for these price increases AND having less food options than you did before.

Click here to see more about the food price increases in Disney World!

Lightning Lanes

Perhaps the most high-profile way that you’ll find yourself paying more is with Lightning Lanes. In the past, Disney World’s skip-the-line offering was the FREE Fastpass+ system. Now, to skip the line, you’ll need to purchase either Disney Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selections to access Lightning Lanes at participating rides.

Guests have to pay $15 per person per day for Genie+. That’s undoubtedly a LOT more than paying…well…nothing for FastPass+ previously. Otherwise, the Genie+ system is relatively similar in concept to FastPass+ in the sense that it is a system designed to help you skip the standby lines. But it has its own set of unique rules — like how you can only make 1 Lightning Lane selection at a time, or the 120 minute rule — that you’ll want to know about before you dive in.

And you have to keep in mind that select rides aren’t available through Genie+. You’ll have to pay even MORE if you want to skip the line at any of those not-included (and very popular) attractions. Rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure are only available through Individual Attraction Selection. Your $15 per day won’t cover these through Genie+. Instead, you’ll have to pay individually to skip the lines at these rides. And those prices can vary depending on the park, ride, and day. Yes, surge pricing IS a thing so you might just find yourself paying MORE during one vacation than you did the last trip.

Depending on how you use the service, you could end up skipping fewer lines than you might have expected, even though you pay more money. Some of our readers have had a good experience with Genie+ and have felt like it was totally worth it (and helped them get on a LOT of rides) in select parks. But others have not been pleased with the service, so a lot will depend on your own experience with it.

Want to learn more about Genie+? Click here!

Holiday Events

In the past, Disney World holidays meant parties like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Tickets to these parties were typically priced at around $100 to $145 for adults and lasted five hours.

And after being replaced by the BOO Bash event in 2021, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will make its first post-shutdown return with ticket prices ranging from $109-$199. That’s a pretty significant increase when compared to the previous pricing, and while offerings are similar to those included during its last appearance in 2019, they’re all subject to change (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). And tickets to last year’s Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours event, which replaced Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, ranged from $169-$249. The after hours party was also only three hours and generally had fewer entertainment offerings. (A lot less to do for a higher price.)

There are a number of factors that played into how these offerings were conducted in 2021, however. The global pandemic greatly impacted what offerings were made available — which could happen again with the parties later this year.

With Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party set to return at a higher ticket price, we can only assume Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party would as well. And again, with all offerings subject to change at any moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a chance you’ll be paying more to do less.

To see more about the pricing for the 2022 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, click here!

Airport Transportation

If you’re flying into Orlando and staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you’ll be paying more for less when it comes to airport transportation. In years past, Disney World hotel guests could take the free Disney’s Magical Express shuttle between the airport and the hotel at the beginning and end of their trips. In the past Disney’s Magical Express also offered a complimentary luggage pickup and delivery service, which many guests enjoyed.

Now, Magical Express has been discontinued. So, to get to/from the airport and your Disney World hotel, you’ll have to pay for a similar service with Mears Connect, another new shuttle service — The Sunshine Flyer, or opt to use rideshare, rent a car, get a taxi, or look for another option. In the future, the Brightline train from the airport to Disney Springs might also become an option.

Right now, neither Mears Connect nor The Sunshine Flyer offer a luggage service, though both sites note that it is something they might look into and will alert guests if they begin to offer the service in the future.

At the end of the day, instead of getting to your Disney World hotel for free, you’ll have to factor an added transportation cost into your budget now.

Click here to see our readers’ first reactions to the Mears Connect service!

Hotel Perks

Speaking of hotel perks, the Walt Disney World Resort hotels continue to see expensive nightly rates while there are sometimes fewer perks. Whatever level Disney World hotel you book, you may find that you now have fewer perks than would have been available in years past.

Now, not only is the Magical Express perk gone but the Disney Dining Plan is currently unavailable (though it is set to return in the future), and extra park hours are different (and in some ways more limited) than they used to be. Currently, ALL Disney World resort hotel guests (and guests at select other qualifying hotels) can enter any Disney World park they want (provided they have a Park Pass for it) 30 minutes BEFORE that park’s official opening time — this is called Early Theme Park Entry.

Want extra time in the parks at night? Only select guests get that! In fact, only the on-site guests willing to shell out the MOST money per night on rooms, in general, get this perk now. (Remember when ALL Disney World hotel guests had these Extra Magic Hours included. Those were the days!) Right now, only Deluxe Resort guests and those staying at Deluxe Villas have access to Extended Evening Hours — which is where those qualifying guests can spend extra time in select parks on specified nights.

It’s not quite the extra magic hours of old. Some restaurants at the hotels are also still closed, package delivery from the parks to the hotels is not available, and you might find other limitations as things continue to head back to “normal” in Disney World. So those are all things you’ll want to consider ahead of your next trip.

Want to see more about extra park hours? Click here!

Still-Closed Experiences

Finally, on a more general level, your park ticket and trip fare, in general, doesn’t buy you quite as much as they used to. There are plenty of still-closed restaurants, missing entertainment offerings, and yet-to-return offerings.

If you’re still holding out for the return of some fan-favorite restaurants, or to see shows like Voyage of The Little Mermaid again; your park ticket still doesn’t capture everything you might want to do.

But some things will be coming back to Disney World soon. Fantasmic!, the Finding Nemo musical in Animal Kingdom, and other offerings will be returning in 2022. It’s not a return of everything that’s gone missing from the parks, but it’s a start. And new things will be arriving too like the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster. But you’ll have to time your trip right to see them all!

To learn more about what’s CLOSED in Disney World, click here!

There are still ways to have a great time in Disney World, but you might have to navigate some missing offerings and price increases during future trips, so that’s something to keep in mind. As always, keep an eye on DFB for all the best tips to have a wonderful trip.

Click here to learn more about Disney World price increases!

Headed to Disney World soon? Tell us in the comments!