Though we thought that discounts would be sparse this fall due to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on August 29th, it looks like the light crowd levels during opening of this land at Disneyland may have made some at Walt Disney World nervous, and as a result we are getting a bunch of new discounts and deals for this fall and winter, which include the return of the free dining deal, and deep discounts on hotel rooms.
However, it looks like Disney is taking their discounting strategy one step further, and is now offering a brand new, less expensive ticket for guests visiting this fall. But of course, as with any Disney deal, there are some caveats:
Introducing the Mid-Day Magic Ticket
Image: Disney
Walt Disney World is launching a brand new Mid-Day Magic ticket option for guests, which grants access to the parks after noon. Guests can purchase this ticket with several options including multi-day and park hopper. Here’s the basic price breakdown:
- A 2-day ticket costs $88 a day, plus tax (from $176 total, plus tax)
- A 3-day ticket costs $84 a day, plus tax (from $252 total, plus tax)
- A 4-day ticket costs $79 a day, plus tax (from $316 total, plus tax)
Though the base ticket only includes one park per day, a Park Hopper Option (or Park Hopper Plus) can be added on for an additional fee. Disney FastPass+ selections before 12:00 PM will not be valid with the Mid-Day Magic ticket, and guests who are staying on property can not use this ticket to gain access to morning Extra Magic Hours.
Things to consider before you buy
Though these prices are certainly attractive for guests who are looking to save a little money on their Walt Disney World vacation (and don’t mind sleeping in!), there are some things that guests might want to consider before purchasing these deeply discounted tickets
- These tickets are only available for the fall, and can only be purchased and used before December 15th
- During this time, the Magic Kingdom closes early almost every night for either Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
- If you are a Florida resident, you may be able to take advantage of other discounts that include morning admission and are of comparable price.
Those looking to purchase these tickets can visit Disney’s website for pricing specific to their dates and options.
Why is Disney offering this option now?
Beginning last year and continuing into early 2019, Disney started hiking prices. And though this raised a few eyebrows at the time, Bob Iger said in several interviews that he didn’t believe that Disney had a pricing problem, and guests would show up in droves to experience Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, no matter what. However, when attendance at Walt Disney World and Disneyland plummeted in summer 2019, many wondered if Disney did, contrary to what they had previously said, have a price problem. And though no executives would admit such an issue, some are wondering if this new ticket type is a tacit admission that Disney’s current pricing structure isn’t working.
There’s also the issue of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which failed to attract large numbers of guests at Disneyland, causing speculation that this new land could fall short of expectations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well when it opens in just a few days. Disney of course wants to keep that scenario from playing out at all costs, which may be why they hurried this ticket type shortly after their attendance report was released, and have made it available immediately and able to be used to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Regardless of the reason why, it looks like Disney will be offering this ticket type as a trial balloon of sorts to see if they can get more guests to the park with lower prices (and a few restrictions). And if it is successful, we will probably see even more discounts and deals in the future as Disney tries to stealthily roll back their price hikes in an effort to get guests back into their parks.
