6 expensive things at Disney World that were free only a few years ago

The company announced this week that the planning app Genie+, skip-the-line Lightning Lane tickets, and almost all food at Disney World will face price increases immediately.

But rising costs at the theme park are nothing new to fans. In recent years, once-free amenities have become expensive additions to already pricey vacations.

But at the start of 2021, Disney World started charging for the accessories.

Resort guests can usually get deals on the wristbands when booking their vacations, with options to purchase them for prices around $10 each. But on the shopDisney website, MagicBands will cost you upwards of $19.99.

Those prices increase even more if you pick one with a special design, or if you opt for the newer MagicBand+ bracelets, which have more features and cost upwards of $34.99.

For decades, free parking was one of many perks offered to Disney fans who stayed at the theme park's resorts. But that changed in 2018 — and prices have increased since.

As of 2022, parking at value resorts costs $15 per night. Moderate hotels are more expensive, charging $20 per night, and deluxe resorts cost $25 per night.

Disney World used to offer a complimentary bus service called the Magical Express to all parkgoers who traveled by plane to the theme park. Travelers could board the bus at the Orlando International Airport, and be dropped off at their Disney World resort.

But in January 2021, Disney announced that it would be retiring the free bus service starting in 2022 — forcing travelers to pay for rental cars or ride-share services instead.

Mears Connect, the company that previously provided Disney's Magical Express buses, is also an option. Many of Mears' vehicles and drivers are exactly the same as the ones that were previously provided by Disney for free.

The only differences are that Disney designs no longer decorate the vehicles, and one-way trips cost $16 for adults and $13.50 for children.

For years, Disney parkgoers could print free, skip-the-line tickets for their favorite rides. The paper system was later replaced with a digital version, though the amenity was still free.

In the fall of 2021, however, Disney announced that FastPass would be replaced with a costly app and new passes — which travelers must pay per person and per ride.

Genie+, the app travelers can buy to access some Lightning Lane passes, previously cost $15 regardless of the day. Now, the price will vary based on demand. For October, Disney said Genie+ prices will range from $15 to $22, plus tax. It's unclear at the time of writing if those prices will increase after this month.

There are also select popular rides in each park that require travelers to purchase additional Lightning Lane passes outside of Genie+. The prices of these passes vary each day but are slowly increasing, according to Disney news publications. A Lightning Lane pass for Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, for example, cost $20 per person as of Wednesday, according to the Disney Food Blog.

One major perk given to Disney World passholders in the past was free PhotoPass access. Any photos taken on rides or by professional Disney photographers were accessible on their accounts and could be downloaded for free.

But in 2021, Disney removed this free amenity and started charging an extra $99 to passholders who wished to keep it.