Longtime Disney (DIS) theme park fans have had to deal with many changes over the years to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Ongoing price hikes on everything from theme park entry to food and drink have left a lot of customers unhappy, with many saying that Disney is taking advantage of their long-standing loyalty.
A decade ago, a ticket to the park was $105, while today, it’s $109 (which doesn’t seem like much at a glance, but after you book a hotel and a flight, things do add up).
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The displeasure grew so loud on social media that Disney CEO Bob Iger even addressed it during the company’s shareholder meeting on March 21.
“We’re constantly considering and developing and implementing new ways to make the experiences that we offer both more enjoyable, but of equal importance more accessible,” said Iger. “We provide several options for families looking to spend less, including our lowest price ticket to Disneyland, which we’ve kept at the same level since before the COVID pandemic. And two years ago, when I returned, we tripled the number of days that low-price ticket was available.”
While Disney is clearly standing its ground on the changes, it’s obviously hoping for some form of damage control from customers concerned about rising costs – and one of its latest moves may be one small way of doing that.
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An exciting change comes to Disney water parks
Disney has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, to serve customers who are looking to swim and splash in the warmer months.
However, both parks underwent changes in 2019 and 2020, putting them out of commission. Then, the pandemic dealt another blow, keeping them closed even longer. Even after the company recovered, both water parks were never open at the same time, a problem that many fans raised concerns about on social media.
But now, both water parks will be open at the same time, according to a new announcement from Disney.
On May 1, Typhoon Lagoon will be first to reopen its doors. But on May 21, Blizzard Beach will also reopen, giving guests access to a wide variety of fun options to explore.
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Those who haven’t been to Blizzard Beach or haven’t been since pre-pandemic can also look forward to another treat: a Frozen-themed makeover of the previous Tike’s Peak children’s area. This includes Anna and Elsa’s igloo fortress, snow chutes, wading pools, and more – enough to delight any child or adult who adores Frozen.
The reopening also coincides with Blizzard Beach’s 30th anniversary, so expect to see some fun extras when you visit, such as Mickey and Minnie in winter-themed outfits, a DJ pumping out fun tunes on the deck at the Polar Pub, snowman bowling, and more.
All guests that stay at Disney resorts get free access to the water parks on their check-in day, which Disney started offering in 2024.
This also marks the first time that all six of Disney’s parks will be open simultaneously since before the pandemic.
