A family vacation at Disney World can be a costly ordeal, with one of the significant expenses being the tickets. Because of this, it only makes sense that you’d look for the best Disney World packagesafter carefully considering the different types of Disney World tickets available. As these are not easy decisions, some visitors wait until the last minute to buy their tickets – so if you’re wondering how much Walt Disney tickets cost at the gate, we’ve got you covered.
While it is possible to buy your Disney tickets at the gate, we would suggest you buy them in advance.
Why Should You Buy Disney World Tickets Ahead of Your Visit?
The main reason to purchase tickets well in advance is so that you can ensure availability, whether it’s worrying about a traditional sell-out or if you need to make a theme park reservation because of the type of ticket you bought. The risk of not buying a ticket in advance is that they may be sold out or there could be no reservations remaining for that day (if applicable) when you arrive at the gate. If you find yourself in such a situation, you and your family will not be able to enter that park, and will have to make other arrangements for the day… either another park, or a completely different activity.
Are the Ticket Prices Higher When Purchased at the Gate?
While tickets at the gate are not necessarily higher-priced than tickets purchased in advance, there are a few ways the prices might be higher.
First, Disney tickets are different prices each day based on demand, but that daily calendar is typically set well in advance.If they anticipate certain days will be busier than others, they will raise admission prices for those specific dates when creating the admission calendar. Similarly, prices are usually higher on the weekends than during the week, and holidays sometimes have the highest admission prices of all. Disney can (and does) raise its prices from time to time, and having purchased in advance means you’re “locked in” at the price you’ve already paid.
Second, you will absolutely end up paying more at the gate if you only buy one-day tickets each time you walk up to the park gate. You will save substantial amounts of money if you purchase a multi-day ticket versus several one-day tickets one at a time. This is because Disney’s multi-day tickets are structured so that the per-day price is cheaper as the length of ticket gets longer.
Tips for Buying Tickets at the Gate
If you do end up buying your tickets at the gate, here are a few tips you can follow:
- Check park availability on the website before you go – you can check availability online the night before, even without tickets.
- Arrive at the park early before the park opens for the day – this increases your chances of avoiding a sell-out or getting any remaining reservations (if applicable).
- Try to be flexible – Even if the website shows availability at the park, be prepared to get turned away and make alternate arrangements in case reservations are all distributed by the time you arrive.
- Magic Kingdom is usually the most popular park, so getting same-day tickets to this park can be tricky. Alternatively, EPCOT tends to have open availability longer than other parks because it has a higher overall capacity.
Final Thoughts
Disney World ticket prices start at $109 (2024) or $119 (2025) per ticket, but that’s only for a scant few days of the year, and only at one of the four theme parks (usually Animal Kingdom). Most days start out at $134 or higher; the most expensive days (highest demand at the most popular parks) max out at $189. These prices do not include the 6.5% sales tax. When you add on options like Park Hopper, Memory Maker, or water parks and sports, ticket prices can quickly add up.
It is also important to note that just having a ticket doesn’t necessarily mean you can get into the park – some ticket types also need a theme park reservation for the day to enter. Therefore, we suggest you plan your trip well in advance to ensure you get the most out of all that Disney has to offer.
