Spring ticket price increases begin at the Orlando theme parks
Universal Orlando over the weekend kicked off what promises to be the latest round of Orlando-area theme park ticket price increases. Universal raised its one-day, one-park base ticket price from $89 to $92, before tax.
Universal is betting that its major construction at Universal Orlando will drive demand for Universal theme park tickets, allowing it to raise prices this week. Photo by TH Creative.
A single-day ticket that gets you into both parks -- Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure -- went up four bucks, from $124 to $128. As before, you can find much better per-day ticket prices on multi-day purchases. On its website, Universal is offering to US and Canadian residents a three-day admission ticket for $146.99 for park-to-park and $125.99 for one-park-a-day access. That puts your per-day admission cost under $50.
History shows that whenever one of the Big Three in Orlando -- Disney, Universal and SeaWorld -- raises prices, at least one of the others follows. So if you're on the fence about buying Walt Disney World or SeaWorld Orlando tickets, you might want to hurry up and do it before those parks match Universal's increase.
Replies (12)
Wow, that's more than Disneyland, but with so many new world class attractions I'm sure people will pay it.
I wonder what the ceiling is on the increases. I mean, I know as long as time marches on, the ceiling will always be raised, but it's been a slow steady push towards the three digit number for the last few years. I know prices will always continue to rise, and better deals will always be had by purchasing multi day and online tickets, but it almost feels like there is this cosmic force pulling all the parks admission prices to that $99.99 a day mark. Once it gets to there, I wonder if it will be a Mexican standoff for a season or two to see who will be the first to go to $100+ a day and own that dubious distinction.
I've always thought the key price points were the multi day tickets, since generally, at both Universal & Disney, the prices drop drastically the longer you stay. So I don't really get upset with the price of a single day ticket, since I never buy my tickets that way.
"So I don't really get upset with the price of a single day ticket, since I never buy my tickets that way."
If that works for you, good on ya! But people who don't - and don't have an interest in - go(ing) for much more than a day a year are sure to be whining about this and its sure-to-be domino effect.
“Don’t have interest in going to Universal for more than I day……..”
That is Blasphemy – hahahahah - I can’t go to Universal for just one day, I Love it too much for just 1 day, I need 2 days - one on each side…
I do like the comments about how high the celling is. This is a great question. Folks travel a long way for vacation and I do not believe 99.99 + will deter those traveling a distance. But for the locals, it might…
We can only hope that these increases will help thin out crowds.
Locals never pay the advertised prices. They get heavily discounted tickets for Universal. At USH, I paid $69 for a 3 day pass. That's cheap. Not sure what will happen once Harry Potter arrives.
After Carsland opened at DCA, Disney stopped their 2 for 1 ticket (2 days for the price of 1 park) that were usually offered in the Spring time. Disneyland has very miniscule discounts. You need a microscope to find them. Not even $10 off a regular ticket, which are offered as employee discounts or AAA Auto Club.
No, the crowds at Disneyland or DCA are not thin.
Anon, at USO Florida residents don't get cheaper 1 day tickets.
As a Floridian everytime I hear about a ticket price increase I say a quiet prayer -- hoping attendance continues to climb. Sales tax is a percentage of each ticket sales. Thus a successful price increase helps my state pay for police, schools, infrastructure, etc.
Hey TH - I guess I will say "Your Welcome..."
I've spent enough money in Florida to build my own school....
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147 for 3 days, park-to-park still sounds pretty good, especially compared to single day tickets.
Sea World with Antarctica opening up will more than likely have a bigger than usual price increase for this upcoming year.