by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Sat July 25, 2026
If you're like most of us, you've likely either been to a theme park or want to visit one at least once in your life, and make those iconic family travel memories.
Yet with higher travel costs, including theme park costs, that might not be a reality for some travelers this summer.
We took a look at summer travel trends and rising costs, and asked travel advisor experts to share what they've been seeing this season to discover whether travelers will find themselves priced out of their theme park vacations this summer.
Growing Cost Concerns
We've reported on growing cost concerns regarding theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Parks in recent years.
In February, stock prices for the Walt Disney Corporation declined due to the lack of international visitors to its theme parks in California and Florida. International arrivals declined 6% overall in the United States last year, and the trend has continued this year.
Add to the fact that Disney has parks in desirable places like France and Japan, and travelers might just be choosing to save money, travel closer to home, and visit closer parks, whilst Americans who love Disney might just choose to splurge on an international trip and combine it with a trip to one of these parks.
There are also other warning signs for theme parks: Six Flags announced in March that it was selling seven of its ride-heavy parks to EPR Properties for $331 million.
While many of the advisors we contacted noted that little has changed in theme park bookings, that's not the case everywhere, as Monday Evans explains.
"I believe the biggest factors are the rising cost of theme park vacations and the financial strain many families are experiencing," said Evans, owner of Such a Time as This Travel. "We've actually seen our theme park bookings decrease by 41% this summer. Instead, many of our clients are choosing cruises because they feel they get more value, more time, and a more inclusive vacation experience for their money."
Those who are still opting for a theme park summer vacation are choosing to cut back on the length of their trips and the number of park days to save money.
Theme Parks Continue to Trend for Travelers
While theme parks might be getting pricier for travelers, they're also not stopping their expansion with new themed areas, and they're trending at the top of travelers' bucket lists.
Universal Orlando celebrated a major expansion last summer with the opening of Universal Epic Universe, complete with several hotels and themed worlds, including an expansion of the beloved Harry Potter universe.
A 2025 Trip.com ranking of the one hundred best things to do in the world, ranked via reviews and booking statistics, found that Walt Disney World Resort ranked second on the list, Disneyland ranked fourth, Shanghai Disney Resort ranked sixth, Universal Orlando ranked seventh, Universal Studios Japan ranked ninth, and Universal Beijing Resort ranked tenth—practically dominating the top ten list of attractions worldwide.
For many of the advisors we talked to, this trend translates into family theme park getaways this summer, despite the higher costs associated with everything from flights to theme park tickets.
Kari Dillon, owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels, told us her theme park bookings are about the same as they were last year, with summer offers incentivizing last-minute theme park vacations.
Yet, "While some offers are driving summer bookings, others still feel pricing is high and would rather wait for fall activities to commence to travel," said Dillon.
Mark Hennigan, co-owner of Dreamers Travel, said he's actually seeing more theme park bookings this year, which he attributes to higher fuel and flight costs encouraging Americans to travel closer to home.
While higher pricing is causing shock for some travelers, he explains that "They are balking at it but still doing it, because they still want to create that family vacation to cherish for years to come."
That doesn't mean they'll take their theme trip vacation the same as previous years, however. Hennigan said that many travelers are choosing lower room categories in hotels, and shortening their vacations from six to seven nights to five to six nights to cut costs, with fewer park days.
Will High Prices Steer Travelers Away From Theme Parks This Summer?
"Cost has become one of the biggest considerations when planning a vacation this year," said Monday Evans. "Many families are looking for ways to make their vacation dollars go further, whether that means staying closer to home or choosing a cruise instead of a theme park vacation. They're simply looking for the best overall value."
High prices are steering some price-sensitive travelers away from booking often expensive theme park vacations.
Yet for others, heading to a theme park might be a more affordable family vacation option compared to traveling internationally, as flights are over 20% more expensive this year on average due to the war in the Middle East.
Travelers might also make their theme park trips shorter or cut down on the days spent at the theme parks to save money or travel more cost-effectively.
It remains to be seen whether or not travelers continue to visit these parks as often as they have in recent years—but with declining international travel to the U.S. making visitation to theme parks dip, enough that Disney stocks drop temporarily, there's a potential to see the impact higher travel costs have on theme parks in the months to come.
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