Even though it seems like it is the common belief that DLR will, indeed, raise their ticket prices this year, there were two reasons why I questioned it:
First of all, the last time we got e-tickets for my friend (for trips to DLR at the end of 2008), the expiration date on the ticket was January 2010, not 2009. So that led me to believe that the prices may stay as is throughout this year and not increase until 2010; and
Second, since a BIG allure for the FREE Birthday celebration is the Fun Card, which is valued as $69 - or the equivalent of the one-day/one-park ticket - if they suddenly increase the price by, let's say, $3.00, does that mean that everyone who gets a Fun Card after the increase will now have $72 to spend rather than $69? It just seemed like it would be more fair to everyone if they kept the price of the one-day/one-park ticket the same all year long so everyone got the same 'gift value.'
So that said, I am sure they will find a way to raise prices this year anyway, but those two things got me wondering if they actually will, or may just wait until early 2010.
The prices do not always go up at the same time of year, contrary to popular belief on the DIS. When we were at DLR in late September 2007 (I think it was 9/21/07, as I recall), the ticket prices had JUST gone up a few hours before we arrived on that very day. In fact, the CM at the ticket booth told me that if we had gotten there just a few hours earlier, we could have gotten the cheaper Park Hopper, but we were too late.

In fact, their computer system was still trying to adjust to the new prices and was causing problems for people trying to upgrade Hoppers because it was reading the wrong (old) prices. But then, last year, 2008, the prices went up in
August, didn't they??