This is how much a middle class family could pay for Disney parks in 5 years

Disney World is touted as “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” while Disneyland is touted as the “Happiest,” but they’re certainly not the cheapest. Unfortunately, even Minnie and Mickey Mouse don’t seem to be inflation-proof. And in five years, visits to these parks could be out of reach for many middle-income families.

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Long gone are the days when Disney’s Magic Kingdom opened in Orlando in 1971, when tickets were $3.50 per person. Today, a family visit can cost thousands of dollars, making the trip unaffordable for many. Let’s explore the reasons for this below, and look toward the future. Once you’re done reading, be sure to check out nine things middle-class people should consider doing when downsizing.

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What makes Disney so expensive?

It’s no secret that a Disney vacation is one of the most luxurious trips you and your family can take in 2024.

According to Nick Burgess, managing editor at Trip Trend Setters, while there are a variety of ways to book hotels, tickets, extras, and even higher-end items like VIP tours, even the cheapest Disney trips can still cost around $5,000 for a five-night, four-night trip for a family of four. This includes airfare, airport transfers, hotels, park tickets, food, drinks, and merchandise.

“The bad news? It’s probably going to get even more expensive,” Burgess said.

A recent Raymond James survey of Disney “superfans” found that “overall price increases are likely to moderate.” According to the report, “it’s no news that a Disney trip is expensive, but the size and speed of price increases over the past five years were shocking to many respondents, and we do not believe that similar increases are feasible in the next five years.”

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How much could it cost in 5 years?

According to a transcript of the Aug. 7 earnings call, Disney executives themselves acknowledged that the parks had experienced a decline in attendance because “the lower-income consumer is feeling a little stressed.”

Burgess also noted that the company’s latest earnings report shows that enthusiasm for its parks is waning and that revenues are down year-over-year.

He explained that five years from now will be an exciting time for Disney World, as the company has just approved a new $17 billion development deal, with $8 billion committed over the first 10 years. Rumor has it that this includes plans for a fifth theme park and nearly doubling hotel capacity.

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“Disney is going to have to pay for this one way or another, and that ‘somehow’ is you,” Burgess added.

According to him, taking into account that Disney has moved to a model where tickets become more expensive during peak seasons, we can look at historical price charts to extrapolate ticket costs.

“Using AllEars’s 2019 pricing chart, tickets at Disney World were $159 during peak season for non-Florida residents,” he said. “Five years later, tickets during peak season are up to $189, a 19 percent increase.”

If ticket prices increase by another 19% over five years, that equates to an increase of $36 per person, per day.

“With an additional 3% annual ‘vacation increase’, we are seeing corresponding inflation historically, and we could start to see Disney vacations in 2029 being a lot more expensive than they are today,” Burgess said.

This will bring the average Disney World trip for a family of four to nearly $7,000 in 2029.

“That’s a staggering number, especially when compared to the median U.S. household income of $74,580,” Burgess said. “That means a Disney trip has suddenly eaten up 9 percent of an American household’s net income, a devastating amount of money to wear some ears and enjoy a turkey leg.”

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s How Much a Middle Class Family Could Pay for Disney Parks in 5 Years