Disney theme parks to raise prices Thursday

Getting into a Disney theme park will take a little more magic beginning Thursday.

Ticket prices are going up at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.

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The company announced the changes Tuesday on its blog.

The cost of a one-day adult ticket price at Walt Disney World will raise to $82, up $3 from $79. The new six-day pass will be $242, or $40.33 a day, up from $38.50 a day. Park Hopper add-ons will be $54, up from $52.

At Disneyland, the base price is going up to $76 from $72. Savings and discounts are available in a variety of packages. A one-day Park Hopper pass will be $101, up from $97. A six-day Park Hopper ticket, for example, will be $256, bringing the average one-day visit down to $42.67. A six-day Park Hopper pass through Wednesday is $254, but online and other discounts are available.

Parking at Disneyland Resort is also going up a dollar and will be $15 a day.

Tickets bought through Wednesday at the old price will be honored through Jan. 3.

'Strong entertainment value'
The Orange County Register said that Disneyland increased its price last August by $3. The California resort has increased its prices annually between $2 and $7 over the past decade.

“We continuously monitor the marketplace to ensure pricing that reflects a strong entertainment value,” said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman. “When you compare a Disney park to a concert or professional sporting event, we offer a great value and a full day of world-class entertainment.”

Theme parks and resorts represented $10.7 billion, or 29 percent, of Disney's $36.1 billion of revenue in fiscal 2009, according to the company's annual report.

Theme park revenue in 2009 was down about $837 million, or nearly 7 percent, from 2008 after growing the previous three years.