Disney quietly makes a harsh change at theme park shops

Over the past year, after gradually implementing price hikes for tickets and services, Disney (DIS) theme parks have faced criticism for becoming too expensive for families.

A survey from LendingTree last year found that 24% of consumers have gone into financial debt to fund a Disney trip. For consumers who are parents of young children, that figure climbed to 45%.

The survey's respondents said that unexpectedly high costs were one of the leading causes of their debt, with 65% claiming that Disney’s in-park food and beverages cost “significantly more” than they had budgeted for.

Amid the criticism, a report from the Wall Street Journal in February revealed that Disney executives started to allegedly worry that the company’s theme parks and resorts had priced out middle-class families.

Disney later unveiled several deals and discounts to attract more consumers to its theme parks.

These efforts appear to have paid off since Disney revealed in its latest earnings report that revenue at its U.S. theme parks increased by 10% year-over-year during the second quarter of this year due to higher attendance and “an increase in guest spending.”

Disney makes a harsh change theme park visitors may not like

As guests flood Disney parks, the company has quietly rolled out price increases for T-shirts sold at Disney World shops, according to a recent report from All Ears.

A single adult tee now costs $32.99 or $29.99 each for two. Before the change, customers could purchase one adult tee for $29.99 or $25 for each shirt when they bought two.

Related: Disney sends stern warning to customers amid boycott threats

Last week, Disney implemented the same price increases for T-shirts at Disneyland.

Customers who want to purchase Disney T-shirts at the previous price tag can visit the Disney Store online, where basic tees are still mostly $29.99 each.

Disney CEO previously addressed criticism of theme park prices 

The move from Disney comes after its CEO, Bob Iger, defended Disney’s theme park prices during an annual shareholder meeting in March. He said that families can take advantage of multiple affordable options to save money on their Disney trips.

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“We're constantly considering and developing and implementing new ways to make the experiences that we offer both more enjoyable, but of equal importance more accessible,” said Iger. “We provide several options for families looking to spend less, including our lowest price ticket to Disneyland, which we've kept at the same level since before the COVID pandemic. And two years ago, when I returned, we tripled the number of days that low-price ticket was available.”

Disney tickets have significantly increased in price over the past few years. An analysis from MickeyVisit.com found that between 2014 and 2025, Disney World’s lowest-priced 1-Day ticket has risen by $25 or almost 27%.

Another analysis from MickeyVisit.com revealed that the highest-priced 1-Day ticket at Disneyland spiked by roughly 114% between 2014 and 2024.

October is usually the month when Disney announces price hikes for its theme parks, so visitors should brace themselves for ticket prices to skyrocket further.

Related: Disney CEO finally addresses an alarming theme park concern