Britons are being priced out of the most magical place on Earth, according to a new study.
In a survey of UK-based Disney fanatics, 95 per cent believe a Disney World holiday in Orlando, Florida, is out of reach for average families due to rising costs – and only 8.5 per cent said they could get to the Sunshine State within a year of saving.
The research, by online-casinos.com and illustrated with an infographic, found that 70 per cent of park fanatics feel Disney World has ‘lost its magic’ due to ‘rampant price increases’.
Just over half (51 per cent) of the 2,500 people surveyed say they have postponed or cancelled a holiday to Disney World in recent years due to price increases. A quarter of families (25 per cent) believe it would take them more than a decade to save for a holiday at Disney World.
The study found that rising prices have meant that Disney fans expect to pay 51 per cent more for their next trip at Disney World, compared to their last.
An infographic revealing how Brits regard a Disney World holiday as out of reach
A quarter of families (25 per cent) believe it would take them more than a decade to save for a holiday at Disney World
So how much does a holiday at the Orlando theme park cost?
According to the study, the price of a day ticket to Disney World costs between $109 (£82) and $159 (£119), depending on the time of year [though MailOnline Travel found this cost can actually soar to $193/£144].
On top of the basic price of entry, the research found that 69 per cent of Disney fans would purchase a Lightning Lane pass – a pay-per-ride service to skip queues – to get the ‘full Disney World’ experience.
A ‘Multi’ Lightning Lane pass can cost as much as $25 (£18.81) per person but does not include queue-skipping privileges for some of the most popular rides. Disney fans will need to purchase a ‘Single’ Lightning Lane Pass for each of the most in-demand rides, which can cost as much as $27 (£20.30) per person.
The research found that a family of four, with two children over 10, will therefore be paying nearly £500 ($665) for a day out at the park, if they opt for Lightning Lane passes.
Just over half (51 per cent) of those surveyed say they have postponed or cancelled a holiday to Disney World in recent years due to price increases
But the costs don’t end there for British Disney fans, who will also need to fork out for plane tickets to Florida.
Using Skyscanner to search for the best deals, the research team found the cheapest return direct flights from London to Orlando outside of peak season cost £422 ($561).
That means that a family taking their kids out of school during term time will be paying around £2,000 ($2,600) to enter the park for just one day, after the cost of flights is factored in, but before the additional cost of accommodation or transfers.
It’s a far cry from the park’s original prices. When Disney World first opened in 1971, a ticket to the theme park cost just $3.50 (£2.64). According to the team’s research, the US minimum wage at that time was $1.60 (£1.20) per hour. This means a visit to the park in 1971 would have cost an American worker on minimum wage just over two hour’s pay.
With the cheapest day ticket nowadays costing $109 (£82), American workers on the country’s basic wage of $7.25 (£5.46) per hour, would need to work for 15 hours to afford a ticket. The study found that a peak time entry ticket ($159/£119) would require 21 hours of work, a 900 per cent rise on 1970s prices.
When we put the results of the study to Disney, it pointed out that day-ticket prices come down to £39 and £75 per day if seven or 14-day Magic Ticket packages are booked from the UK.
Prices correct as of mid-September, 2024.