Walt Disney World has announced its single-day ticket price of $89 to outdo Universal Orlando's single-park day visit charge of $88, as declared a week earlier.
According to USA TODAY, Walt Disney is now the costliest park in the world.
The price of a four-day Disney ticket has increased to $256. Five-day and seven-day passes are $268 and $288, respectively.
Orlando Sentinel columnist Beth Kassab is reportedly worried about these regular hikes, wondering how long it will be before admission charges reach the $100 mark. Keeping in mind the average 6 percent annual increases over the past decade, Kassab is of the opinion that it could happen by 2014. "A hundred bucks is a lot of money. Like $4-per-gallon gas, it's a psychological milestone," he said.
Eli Portnoy of CultureRanch, a consumer behavior company feels the same.
"The moment you get to three digits, it has an emotional impact," he told the Sentinel. "It's a barrier no one wants to cross, and Disney is going to have to be careful about crossing it."
In the meanwhile, along the west coast, improved economy and new attractions at Disney's California Adventure have encouraged park owners to hike the entry charges.
Daily passes to the Anaheim Disney parks - Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park - have been increased from $80 to $87 as of May 20, reports The Los Angeles Times.
The biggest increase has affected the approximate 300,000 park-goers who buy premium annual passes that include parking. Those charges have risen from $499 to $649.
According to The Times, experts of the industry believe this year's huge hike can be linked to a major expansion at California Adventure, including Cars Land, a 12-acre expansion with rides and other attractions. All these new additions are believed to be based on Disney's mega animated film "Cars."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
