One hundred years ago today, Walt Disney and his brother Roy signed an agreement to form Disney Bros. Studios, which would produce a live-action/animated film series called The Alice Comedies.
Walt himself starred in the first of the shorts, but they would hardly be the sort of things an empire was built upon. The real turning point would come five years later with the release of Steamboat Willie and the introduction of Mickey Mouse to the world.
A lot has changed since then, of course. Disney has become an entertainment giant, breaking new ground in animation, theme parks, and more. But with that success—and the rising cost of living—enjoying all that Disney has to offer costs a fair bit more than it used to.
Here’s a look at how prices have changed for many popular Disney offerings since their start, many of which came into existence long, long after the company got its start.
A ticket to Disneyland
Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif., in 1955 and set the new standard for theme parks, despite a horrendous first day, when the asphalt on Main Street, U.S.A. Melted under people’s feet. Also, fake tickets flooded the park, and the drinking fountains weren’t working. Park employees came to call it “Black Sunday” because of all the things that went wrong. They eventually got better, of course, and the park became a model for others around the world.
The price of an opening day ticket was $1 ($11.53, when adjusted for inflation). At the time, though, parkgoers had to pay extra for each ride, with prices starting at 10 cents for kids and 23 cents for adults ($1.15 to $2.65 in today’s dollars).
Today, a single park admission will get you on pretty much every ride, but you’ll pay a lot more. A single-day ticket will run anywhere from $104 to $194, depending on the day you choose. If you want to hop between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on the same day, add $65 to that price.
A ticket to Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World didn’t open until 1971, five years after Walt Disney’s death. Opened on a weekday, it saw moderate crowds at first but has become an international destination for tourists.
Admission to the park cost $3.50 ($27.07 after inflation adjustments), but like Disneyland, parkgoers needed to buy separate tickets for most rides.
Today, a single-day ticket ranges from $144 to $189—and adding park hopping can increase that price as high as $272. (And prices of other incidentals at the park were increased just last week.)
Parking at Disneyland
Folks who drove to Disneyland in its early days were charged just 25 cents to park their cars. In 2023, the price is $35 per car or motorcycle—and $55 if you want a preferred space. (It will cost you $40 if you’ve got an oversize vehicle or motor home, with no preferred option available.)
The cost of animation
Disney spent a reported $200 million to create Elemental, its latest Pixar release.
Steamboat Willie, per Roy Disney’s ledgers, cost $4,986.69, which also included the cost of prints for theaters.
The cost of a movie ticket
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, was Disney’s first feature-length film. It broke new ground in animation and storytelling, was nominated for an Academy Award and, at the time, was the highest-grossing film of all time.
A ticket to see it would have cost you 25 cents ($5.58 in today’s dollars). A ticket to the upcoming Wish will run you as high as $22, depending on where you live and whether you choose the standard or 3D version of the film.
Disney+
It’s one of the newest forms of revenue for Disney, but prices have already increased substantially for the streaming service.
The service initially cost just $6.99 per month. As of Oct. 12, the ad-free version now runs $14 per month.
