Buying a ticket to Walt Disney World is not simple. Numerous options offer different benefits, and they can significantly differ in price. Our Guide to Walt Disney World Tickets provides all the essential information and tips to get the best value for your money. We have updated our guide with all the latest information in April 2023, including annual passes now available to buy again.
Creating a Guide to Walt Disney World Tickets has been one of the biggest challenges when writing Modern Life is Good. There are just so many options!
Disney has now implemented seasonal pricing for all tickets. Traditionally, Disney announced annual price increases in late February/Early March, but the last increase was in December 2022.
Making sense of these changes is incredibly difficult. However, the Walt Disney World website does have an excellent guide to help you pick the correct ticket.
While the Walt Disney World website makes picking tickets easy, there are several ways to purchase slightly cheaper tickets. However, you should purchase only from reputable retailers. Search online to check reviews from previous guests before purchasing. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
Disney Park Pass
There was a big change when Walt Disney World reopened in 2020; guests would have to prebook a reservation to access a park. Just having a ticket no longer meant you were guaranteed admission. A park reservation is required in addition to your ticket to access your first park on any day. Disney strongly recommends you check the availability of Park Passes before purchasing any tickets. However, park availability is usually good for most days, including just before you arrive.
You can check Disney Park Pass Availability here. Visit our guide to learn more about Disney Park Pass.
What Walt Disney World Tickets can you buy?
1 Park Per Day Ticket (Base Ticket)
This is the entry-level ticket to Walt Disney World. It is the cheapest level ticket but offers the least options. Guests can book tickets between 1-10 days in length and can visit one park a day.
Your ticket does not include entry to other attractions, e.g., water parks. Guests must use tickets within 14 days of first use.
Single-day tickets now have different pricing depending on the park selected. I
Disney Park Hopper
The Disney Park Hopper Ticket allows you to visit more than one park daily. In fact, you can actually hop to all four parks every day.
However, these tickets are quite a bit more expensive, and you should consider carefully whether hopping is essential. We do think for most guests, this is a necessary expense. Disney has also recently introduced seasonal variation pricing to Hopper Tickets.
Visit our Guide to Park Hopping for more information.
Base Ticket with Water Park and Sports Options
These ticket options do not include park hopping but one “plus visit” for each day of admission to your choice of water parks, mini golf, or other select attractions.
Disney Park Hopper Plus
This ticket contains all the same options as the Park Hopper but with additional Plus Options. For each day ticket you purchase, you are also entitled to 1 admission a day to either:
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
- FootGolf at Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
- One round of golf at Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
- ESPN Wide World of Sports(special event tickets not included)
- Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course
- Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course
These visits do not have to be used on the same day as your main theme park admission & can be used in any order.
Hopper Plus options allow you to visit Walt Disney World for a longer time, BUT you should carefully check expiry rules. There are various additional rules on using these Plus options, which you should check with your vendor.
Annual Pass
Walt Disney World’s annual pass sales have been suspended several times in recent years, but it has been announced they will return in April 2023. Unfortunately, they are not cheap.
Some additional benefits have also been announced, including select access to Disney PhotoPass. The following graphs explain the differences between the passes available.
Purchasing a Walt Disney World annual pass is a large, expensive purchase. It is worth noting that passes include free parking and discounts on merchandise and dining. These discounts can quickly add up. Guests staying at Walt Disney World for an extended vacation or more than once a year might want to consider purchasing an annual pass.
Magic Ticket
This ticket is only available in the UK and is similar to the previous Ultimate Ticket. The ticket offers major benefits and a much lower price than US-bought tickets. There is seasonal variation in ticket prices.
Tickets are valid for 7 or 14 days and includes park hopping to all parks and water parks. They even come with a free memory maker and regular discounts. There used to be 21-day Ultimate Tickets, but they are no longer available. However, a 14-day ticket can be used over 18 consecutive days, so there is time to visit Universal Orlando.
Florida Resident Tickets
Special Florida Resident Tickets are available at certain times of the year. Check with local ticket vendors for information, and remember you will need identification when entering the park.
Disney Genie+
Walt Disney World has introduced Disney Genie+ as a ride priority system. Disney Genie+ is an additional cost and is not included in the price of any tickets, including annual passes.
What Walt Disney World ticket should I buy?
There is no right or wrong answer to the type of Walt Disney World ticket you should buy. The decision will vary depending on your plans, budget, and what you want to achieve on vacation.
However, the extra hopper and plus options add up if you have a tight budget. Create a preliminary plan and consider whether the additional cost is necessary.
We have created a free budgeting tool in our Walt Disney World Planners.
Where to Purchase Walt Disney World Tickets
The most obvious place to buy Walt Disney World Tickets is on the Walt Disney World Website. However, it is often not the cheapest place to buy from. It would help to start your research by checking the Disney Website, especially noting the value of any extra promotions.
Several reputable retailers offer small discounts on Walt Disney World Tickets. Make sure your retailer provides genuine tickets and not vouchers. Vouchers must be exchanged at the gate, which can result in lengthy waits.
Retailers differ by country, and you should carefully check online reviews before buying.
Where Not to Purchase Walt Disney World Ticket
Unfortunately, there are several mistakes guests can make if they are looking for a bargain. In our opinion, you should avoid purchasing the following:
- Never buy second-hand tickets. It is impossible to know whether the advertised unused days are correct, plus Disney scans a guest’s finger before admission. All tickets are untransferable & your tickets will likely be useless.
- Don’t buy off eBay or from other sites offering extremely cheap tickets. There is a good chance they will be a con.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t genuine. Timeshare companies often offer cheap tickets, but be careful before taking any offers!
Learn more
Visit our guide Walt Disney World for Beginners, for more essential tips.
Leave a Reply