Do you think Disneyland will lower it's prices in 2026 now that Early Entry will be eliminated in January?

[LKing]

I know of no one who thought EE was a waste of time. Wished it was longer? Yes.

No one you know who stayed in the Disney owned hotels thought it was a waste of time.

 

[FreeTime]

No one you know who stayed in the Disney owned hotels thought it was a waste of time.

No one that I know that has stayed in a Disney owned hotel has expressed that EE was a waste of time.

 

[DodgerGirl]

When January 2026 hits I can expect this story to be the talk of the town for Disneyland because I think Disneyland made a wrong move by doing this because as I mentioned that's why people who visit Disneyland liked to stay at the resort hotels because Early Entry was a free perk especially if you had families getting their kids up at 6AM to get to Disneyland's park opening especially when the family had a breakfast reservation at a park restaurant. But we will see deals for lower prices for character dining perks that come with the hotel room. I think also what Disneyland could do to lower it's prices due to this shocking elimination of Early Entry is to offer guests Disney Store gift cards or a coupon to use for a future character dining experience discount on their future Disneyland vacations. But watch for Money Magazine to make a whole article on this topic in their February 2026 issue because losing Early Entry in 2026 will hurt Disneyland a lot and this will finally mean lower ticket prices and better satisfaction to customers

 

[Nayan]

But we will see deals for lower prices for character dining perks that come with the hotel room. I think also what Disneyland could do to lower it's prices due to this shocking elimination of Early Entry is to offer guests Disney Store gift cards or a coupon to use for a future character dining experience discount on their future Disneyland vacations. But watch for Money Magazine to make a whole article on this topic in their February 2026 issue because losing Early Entry in 2026 will hurt Disneyland a lot and this will finally mean lower ticket prices and better satisfaction to customers

How many times do you have to be told that Disney WIL NOT lower prices. Disney is NOT hurting for business, they do NOT need to attract more people. This will not hurt Disney as much as you think it will.

 

[MillauFr]

But watch for Money Magazine to make a whole article on this topic in their February 2026 issue because losing Early Entry in 2026 will hurt Disneyland a lot and this will finally mean lower ticket prices and better satisfaction to customers

Money Magazine? Hasn't that thing been defunct for 25 years?

 

[dcfromva]

I don't think this will impact park attendance. It might impact hotel occupancy. But, Disney always raises their prices and then offers targeted specials for which I never qualify--(I'm starting to think that is the algorithm they use for creating their promotions. )

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

I think there is a viable path for DLR to lower admission prices and that involves charging for attractions. Admission price plus a digital ticket book for each guest to ride attractions makes much more sense from a profitability viewpoint. Just charge people for each and every ride, eliminate LLMP and shorten the queues.

 

[LKing]

I think there is a viable path for DLR to lower admission prices and that involves charging for attractions. Admission price plus a digital ticket book for each guest to ride attractions makes much more sense from a profitability viewpoint. Just charge people for each and every ride, eliminate LLMP and shorten the queues.

That model would work better at WDW than at DLR

 

[fatmanatee]

Money Magazine hasn’t been in print since 2019.

 

[hardcorestitch]

I think there is a viable path for DLR to lower admission prices and that involves charging for attractions. Admission price plus a digital ticket book for each guest to ride attractions makes much more sense from a profitability viewpoint. Just charge people for each and every ride, eliminate LLMP and shorten the queues.

So you’re basically saying go back to those E-tickets… not a fan of those.

 

[twodogs]

I think there is a viable path for DLR to lower admission prices and that involves charging for attractions. Admission price plus a digital ticket book for each guest to ride attractions makes much more sense from a profitability viewpoint. Just charge people for each and every ride, eliminate LLMP and shorten the queues.

I would not put this past them!

But I wonder how would this work with some of the MKs who come for the ambiance, a few snacks, just a few rides, a show or parade and then go home? Disney may not be able to lower the admission rate much, or they might have to require a minimum “ride ticket spend” per visit, to make sure that they would not lose money on this plan.

This might be akin to LLMP purchases by MKs. I am not a local and don’t have a MK, but I think maybe many MKs don’t buy LLMP because sometimes they just go to the park with other activities that they want to do (shows, parades, nighttime entertainment, merch). So if ride tickets were optional (as LLMP is), and the price of MK dropped, DLR may have even more guests in the parks (on less expensive MKs) who are not buying ride tickets (just as they currently might not purchase LLMP). Just some thoughts….

 

[KPeterso]

What I think this has become is like playing Press Your Luck and on the board there would be lower ticket prices and all the people who would be playing would have to try to get every lower Disneyland ticket price listed while trying to avoid having a perk taken away like Press Your Luck's Whammies. Because Disneyland saw these perks as a good thing for resort guests who stayed at Disneyland Resort hotels at first but when Disneyland announced that Early Entry would be eliminated in 2026 the departure of the perks is a whammy to Disneyland. But watch after New Year's Day 2026 for Disneyland to lower it's January ticket prices but it won't last because as soon as Spring and Easter 2026 begins Disneyland will raise the ticket prices again for Spring Break and Easter week but during Summer 2026 the prices for tickets will be lower again

I mainly think Disneyland is getting rid of Early Entry in January 2026 is because guests found it a waste of time and when this perk is eliminated will Disneyland lower it's prices? My own answer would be yes because this will most likely be a chance for Disneyland to attract more people. And with the elimination of Early Entry Disneyland Resort hotels will be hurt and more people will mostly go to the Anaheim hotels and motels instead. Because when you get the general picture the ticket prices for Disneyland mainly rise during holidays like Halloween Christmas Thanksgiving weekend Spring Break and Easter but the holidays like 4th Of July and Memorial Day are untouched. But as soon as January 2026 hits Disneyland will debut commercials advertising lower deals and lower prices on Disneyland Resort rooms because they are bound to get full

When January 2026 hits I can expect this story to be the talk of the town for Disneyland because I think Disneyland made a wrong move by doing this because as I mentioned that's why people who visit Disneyland liked to stay at the resort hotels because Early Entry was a free perk especially if you had families getting their kids up at 6AM to get to Disneyland's park opening especially when the family had a breakfast reservation at a park restaurant. But we will see deals for lower prices for character dining perks that come with the hotel room. I think also what Disneyland could do to lower it's prices due to this shocking elimination of Early Entry is to offer guests Disney Store gift cards or a coupon to use for a future character dining experience discount on their future Disneyland vacations. But watch for Money Magazine to make a whole article on this topic in their February 2026 issue because losing Early Entry in 2026 will hurt Disneyland a lot and this will finally mean lower ticket prices and better satisfaction to customers

I know I have said this in multiple other threads you have started. Disneyland is not hurting for business. It does not need more people in the parks! It is already very crowded all the time. I was there Sunday night and it was one of the more crowded days I have experienced in a long time. Absolutely crazy at times trying to get around. You have not been to the parks since 2004 - the crowds are very very different compared to back then. Disneyland does not need to lower prices for tickets --- in fact October is typically when prices go up, so you should be expecting to see price increases very soon. Disney may offer short term ticket promos with a special price, but not to see over the board decreases. Same goes for the hotels.

 

[AquaDame]

I would not put this past them!

But I wonder how would this work with some of the MKs who come for the ambiance, a few snacks, just a few rides, a show or parade and then go home? Disney may not be able to lower the admission rate much, or they might have to require a minimum “ride ticket spend” per visit, to make sure that they would not lose money on this plan.

This might be akin to LLMP purchases by MKs. I am not a local and don’t have a MK, but I think maybe many MKs don’t buy LLMP because sometimes they just go to the park with other activities that they want to do (shows, parades, nighttime entertainment, merch). So if ride tickets were optional (as LLMP is), and the price of MK dropped, DLR may have even more guests in the parks (on less expensive MKs) who are not buying ride tickets (just as they currently might not purchase LLMP). Just some thoughts….

Maybe that is the goal? They do buy food and souvenirs, then shorter lines make folk who do pay for LL happier, raising guest satisfaction. We pay for LL since we only go once a year or so, and even the LL times were pretty long in the evenings.