Disneyland is facing significant criticism from visitors following a recent and substantial price increase across more than 800 food and drink items. The move adds to the growing cost of visiting the Anaheim, California theme park, which already includes rising ticket and accommodation prices.
Items experiencing price hikes include popular treats such as churros, popcorn, ice cream, funnel cake, and pizza, as well as beverages like coffee, bottled Dasani water, and soft drinks. According to a report from Theme Park IQ, churros have gone from $5.75 to $6.25, an increase of 8.7 percent. Popcorn prices rose by 7.7 percent, from $6.50 to $7.00. Coffee and Dasani water bottles saw one of the larger increases at 14.6 percent, both now costing $5.49, up from $4.79. A bottled soda's price increased by 5.8 percent, now costing $5.49 instead of $5.19.
These price adjustments have prompted strong reactions from park visitors on social media platforms like X, formerly Twitter. Many expressed frustration, with one user writing, "Some of these [increases] are viciously evil - they need to put the brakes before there's eventually backlash - everyone eventually has a breaking point." Another commenter noted, "$7 for popcorn just seems like a lot." Others criticized the pricing as "Corruption" and a "scam."
The current price hikes follow a trend of increasing costs for Disneyland and Disney World. A single-day ticket to Disneyland now ranges from $103 to $206, a stark contrast to its opening in 1955 when adult tickets cost $1 (equivalent to $11.53 today) and children's tickets were 50 cents, though these initial prices did not include individual ride fees. At Disney World in Orlando, Florida, single-day tickets to Magic Kingdom can now cost as much as $189, compared to a range of $79 to $82 in 2010. Disney has also faced criticism in recent years for reducing guest perks, such as complimentary transportation and free gifts, which some fans believe detract from the overall experience.