Tickets and special events
- Age requirements. Every guest who is three or older needs a theme park ticket. Children under three are free.
- Packages vs. tickets only. Tickets on their own need payment in full and are nonrefundable. Vacation packages offer a deposit, flexible cancellation, and a chance to apply future Disney offers.
- Date-based pricing. The cost depends on when you visit and which theme park you choose. Multi-day tickets cost less per day.
- Travel advisor value. A travel advisor can track Disney offers and apply them to your package. Buying tickets on your own, through a reseller, or with an annual pass does not include this.
- Event tickets. Some seasonal events like holiday parties need a separate ticket beyond regular theme park admission.
Walt Disney World® Resort has four theme parks, two water parks, and a whole lot to see. Anyone can visit the resort, but to get into the parks, every guest who is three or older needs a ticket — kids under three get in free.
Most families start with one big question: should they buy theme park tickets on their own or as part of a vacation package? A package bundles tickets with a Disney Resort hotel stay. We will walk through both options, what they cost, and how to decide which is right for your family.
Buying tickets on their own
When you buy theme park tickets on their own, you are purchasing admission and nothing else. Each ticket gets you into one Walt Disney World Resort theme park per day, and you pick a start date when you buy.
Walt Disney World ticket prices are date-based — busier times of year cost more, and quieter times cost less. Prices also vary by park. Magic Kingdom® Park is the highest-priced park on most dates, while Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park is usually the lowest.
Tickets range from one to ten days, and the more days you add, the less each day costs. A five-day ticket, for example, costs less per day than a one-day ticket. Kids ages three to nine pay a lower child rate, and children under three do not need a ticket at all.
The trade-off: you pay in full when you buy, and tickets are nonrefundable. Your price holds — if rates go up later, you keep the lower rate. But if Disney releases a new offer after you buy, there is no way to apply it. That is a big reason many families choose a vacation package instead.
For first-timers
Bundling tickets into a vacation package
A vacation package bundles your tickets and hotel stay into one reservation. You can build one with a Disney Resorts Collection hotel or a select Good Neighbor hotel. It provides a lot more flexibility:
- A deposit holds the reservation.
- Final payment is due 30 days before arrival.
- Cancel 30 or more days before arrival for a full refund.
- You can add a travel protection plan (trip insurance) at booking.
- If Disney releases a new offer before final payment, a travel advisor can adjust your package to use it.
That last point matters. Disney runs offers all year — free dining, room discounts, and ticket deals. With tickets paid in full on their own, those offers pass you by. A vacation package keeps the door open until final payment. A travel advisor tracks every offer Disney releases and applies the ones that save your family money.
Terms can change at any time. Check the official Walt Disney World package terms and ticket terms for current details.
For first-timers
Ticket add-ons
Whether you buy tickets on their own or as part of a vacation package, you can customize what your ticket covers. A base ticket gets you into one theme park per day, which is plenty for most days. Three add-ons let you do more:
- Park Hopper Option. The most popular add-on at Walt Disney World Resort. The Park Hopper® Option lets you visit more than one theme park in a single day. Start your morning at Magic Kingdom Park and hop over to EPCOT® for dinner. Without this add-on, your ticket locks you into one park per day.
- Water Park and Sports Option. Adds one daily visit to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park or Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Also covers miniature golf at Disney’s Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland.
- Park Hopper Plus Option. It combines both. You can hop between theme parks in a single day and get water park and sports visits.
You do not have to decide right away — a Park Hopper Disney World upgrade can be added when you first buy or even partway through your trip.
Can you upgrade a base ticket to Park Hopper after you arrive?
Admission basics
Once you have your ticket, here is what Walt Disney World admission actually covers. Six parks at Walt Disney World Resort need a ticket:
- Magic Kingdom Park
- EPCOT
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
You do not need to make a separate reservation — buy a ticket and show up. Annual passholders may still need a reservation depending on the date, but regular ticket holders do not.
Your ticket also lets you leave a theme park and come back the same day. A lot of families head back to the resort pool for a midday break, then return to the park for the evening. You do not have to stay for the full day in one stretch.
Your Walt Disney World park ticket also gives you access to Lightning Lane purchases once you are inside. These let you skip standby lines on popular attractions.
Before your trip, link your ticket to My Disney Experience, Disney’s free planning app. At the park entrance, hold your phone or a MagicBand+ wristband near the scanner to get in — no paper ticket needed.
For multigenerational groups
How many days to buy
This is one of the biggest decisions in trip planning. Most families need four to seven park days — one day at each theme park, plus extra days to revisit a favorite or enjoy a water park or rest day.
Getting the number right matters more than getting the cheapest ticket. Too many days means paying for time you will not use. Too few means rushing and missing things your family would have loved. A Good Story Vacations travel advisor can help you land on the right number — and watch for Disney offers that save you money.
Special event tickets
Walt Disney World Resort also runs special events that need their own separate ticket. These sell a limited number of spots on select dates. Plan ahead if your trip overlaps:
- Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. A ticketed event at Magic Kingdom Park on select fall nights. Includes trick-or-treating, a special parade, fireworks, and character meet-and-greets in costume.
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. A ticketed holiday event at Magic Kingdom Park on select nights in November and December. Features holiday shows, rare character sightings, free cookies and cocoa, and a fireworks show.
- Disney Jollywood Nights. A holiday event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on select nights in November and December. Live bands, character meet-and-greets, a nighttime show, and shorter waits on rides.
- Disney After Hours. Late-night access at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Low crowds and short waits on top rides.
- Disney H2O Glow After Hours. An after-hours event at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park with themed lighting, a DJ, and exclusive access.
These events are seasonal and sell out. Check our crowd calendar for dates as soon as you know your travel window. Enchanting Extras are another option. These are premium add-ons — tours, dessert parties, and fireworks cruises. They need your park ticket plus a separate fee.
For young families
Other ticket options
Theme park tickets and vacation packages cover most families, but they are not the only ways to get in. A few other options are worth knowing about. These are self-service, so they do not come with the flexibility or offer-tracking you get through a travel advisor.
- Authorized resellers. Resellers like Undercover Tourist offer theme park tickets at a small discount. Same nonrefundable terms as buying direct. No way to bundle with a resort stay or apply future Disney offers.
- Annual passes. Disney offers four annual pass tiers. The Disney Incredi-Pass is the only one open to out-of-state guests. The other three are for Florida residents or Disney Vacation Club® members. They are the Disney Sorcerer Pass, Disney Pirate Pass, and Disney Pixie Dust Pass. All passholders still need theme park reservations.
- Military tickets. Discounted tickets for eligible service members through authorized military sales channels.