Markets 
The Happiest Place on Earth is about to make you frown with its latest price hike.
Disney has added a slew of costs to multiple parks in the US and overseas in the past few years. For example, back in April 2021, the Free FastPass in the California parks — where parkgoers could beat long lines — was replaced by the Lightning Lane access, a pay-to-skip-the-line service ranging from $15 to $45 depending on the tier.
Additionally, Walt Disney World’s Premier Pass — a park-specific skip-the-line option where you can skip every single line one time — can cost roughly $129 to $449 per person. The brand is also known for tacking on an extra cost for reserved parade and fireworks viewing across different parks.
Disney fans are now gearing up for its latest fee — a $22 fee for premium parade viewing. Starting on September 16, The Villains’ Halloween “Into the Frenzy” parade at Tokyo Disneyland is set to hit the park, where guests can reserve their premium viewing surcharge.
Premier Access to the parade will be locked as the best viewpoints will now be behind a paywall, Tokyo Disney Resort told The Straits Times. Guests will be given specific spots and must remain there for the entire performance.
“The number indicating your specified location will be displayed on the screen of your mobile device after you have completed your purchase of Disney Premier Access,” the company said.
Typically, Premier Access for a Disney park parade, like the Harmony in Color and Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights, will set guests back 2,500 yen, or $16 per person. However, this new fee is now a bit pricier.
Customers will see the latest charge just weeks after Tokyo Disney Resort announced it will hike entrance fees in October — its first increase in three years.
A one-day adult ticket will rise by up to 1,500 yen to up to 12,400 yen due to administrative and labor cost increases, the company told The Straits Times. Additionally, Oriental Land — the Japanese brand that owns Tokyo Disney Resort — added new parking fees at the resort, boosting costs by 1,000 yen.
If that wasn’t enough, the company also rolled out dynamic pricing back in March 2021, where adult tickets cost anywhere between 7,900 yen and 10,900 yen. This is where prices can change by certain factors like weekends, holidays, and heavy crowd forecasts.
The new Halloween-themed parade in Tokyo runs from September 16 until October 31, and will feature Disney Villains performing popular songs while they throw a Halloween party.
Disney lovers from all over the world who visit parks flocked to social media over the new upcharge. One fan linked to an article about the fee and wrote on Facebook, “Stupid!!!”
Another wrote, “Price hike is wild for Halloween.”
Despite the international parks raising prices, it’s still much more affordable than in the US. Single-day tickets in the US range from $119 up to nearly $220, not including any Lightning Lane access or food. Meanwhile, other parks around the world can start at $60 to $80.
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