Disney World has ended a free perk that was once offered to visitors year-round. The move comes as Disney continues to raise its theme park prices.
In April, Disney World rolled out price increases for 2027, affecting single-day tickets and dining plans, according to a report from AllEars.net. It also quietly raised resort hotel rates for March 2027 earlier this month.
The changes came after new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting that the company aims to “provide a fair amount of choice and flexibility for guests” regarding pricing.
“When it comes to how we think about pricing, we focus on offering a wide range of options at different price points so that families can visit in ways that work for them, whether that’s during a value season or taking advantage of multi-day ticket savings or even special offers,” said D’Amaro.
Disney World ends free water park admission perk
Amid recent pricing changes, Disney World has officially ended its free water park admission perk for Disney Resort hotel guests on Sept. 9, according to a recent report from Inside the Magic.
The perk launched in 2025 and allows guests staying at participating Disney World Resort hotels to receive free admission to a Disney water park on their check-in day.
When the perk was first introduced, it was available to guests for the entire year of 2025. However, this year, the perk’s availability was cut short, restricting it from May 26 through Sept. 9.
Despite the perk ending early, Disney confirmed on its website that it will return in the summer of 2027.
Related: Disney shutting down key theme park app by fall
“Enjoy this water park perk – and other great benefits – when you stay at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel in summer 2027, excluding the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort,” states Disney on its website.
In the meantime, consumers have two options to gain admission to Disney World’s water parks.
They can purchase Disney World’s 1-Day Water Park Ticket, which is currently $74 (before taxes) for visitors over the age of 10 and $68 for those between the ages of 3 and 9.
If visitors want unlimited admission to Disney World’s water parks, they can purchase the Disney Water Park Seasonal Pass for $89 (plus tax), which will give them access to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. For guests between the ages of 3 and 9, that prices goes down to $83 (plus tax).
The pass is valid for use through May 15, 2027, except on blockout dates from Feb. 19 to 21, and March 20 to 28.
Disney has ended its free water park admission perk for resort hotel guests on Sept. 9. Orlando Sentinel / Getty Images
Disney’s U.S. theme park demand rises as it adds more discounts
The perk’s removal comes at a time when Disney has been rolling out more discounts and promotions amid concerns about the affordability of its theme park vacations.
In 2024, a LendingTree survey found that 24% of U.S. consumers have taken on debt to pay for a Disney vacation, with unexpectedly high costs cited as a major factor. Among parents of young children, the share was significantly higher, reaching 45%.
Concerns about Disney’s affordability continued into the following year, as the Wall Street Journal reported that some Disney executives were allegedly worried that rising costs at the company’s theme parks and resorts were pricing out middle-class families.
Since then, Disney has introduced new discounts to attract price-conscious consumers. This year specifically, it has added new deals such as up to 30% off select Disney World hotel rooms for stays most nights between May 1 and Oct. 4th.
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It also introduced a new free dining plan for kids (ages 3 to 9), which visitors can obtain when purchasing a qualifying package at a Disney World hotel that includes a dining plan for guests at least 10 years old.
Additionally, Disney World added an afternoon ticket deal that ran from May 26th to July 29, allowing guests to get a discounted ticket for visits to the theme park after 2 p.m.
After launching additional discounts earlier this year, Disney revealed in its latest earnings report that its U.S. theme park attendance increased by 3% year over year in the second quarter of 2026.
On an earnings call on Aug. 12, D’Amaro said that spending is increasing at Disney’s domestic theme parks, which are “performing significantly better” than its competition.
Also, Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston noted that future Disney vacation bookings are up, with demand remaining healthy.
“Demand is strong across domestic parks and cruises,” said Johnston. “Consumer products also had a terrific quarter, benefiting from the IP (intellectual property) strength we have. Looking forward, the forward bookings at Walt Disney World are up nicely, and the cruise line bookings also look very healthy as we look out to our book of business.”
In a recent analysis, Thomas Paulson, an analyst and head of market insights at Advan Research, said the U.S. theme park industry had a strong summer season, led by visits to Disney World in Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood in California.
This was due to several factors, including increased spending by higher-income consumers.
“Fueling the strong season was exceptionally strong spending by the more affluent consumer, a strong line-up of new attractions at the parks (+Epic), and strong success at the box office,” said Paulson.
Related: 50-year-old theme and water park to close forever after summer season