Disneyland Ticket Prices Now Cost More. Here's How Much a Family of 4 Can Expect to Pay

The most expensive Disneyland ticket now costs $179 -- up from $164.

If you're planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth, you may need to adjust your budget. Ticket prices have increased at California's Disneyland Resort. That means your next visit to Disneyland could be much more expensive, so plan accordingly.

Disneyland is an amusement park that sees around 18 million visitors annually. With two parks, Disneyland Park and Disneyland California Adventure Park, there are many rides, attractions, and performances to enjoy.

However, it's not cheap to visit. Food, drinks, and souvenirs are expensive. Admission is also pricey. Over the years, ticket prices have increased, and recently, prices went up again. Here's what you need to know before your visit.

Disneyland tickets are getting more expensive

Unlike some other amusement parks, Disneyland operates on a tiered-price system. If you visit on a day that is expected to be less crowded, you can expect to pay the lowest ticket prices. However, you'll pay higher prices if you're visiting on a more in-demand day or during the busier season. There are several tiers of higher pricing based on popularity and crowds.

For one-day, one-park tickets, the cheapest tickets cost $104 for adults and children ages 10 and up. With new price changes, the highest-priced one-day, one-park tickets cost $179 for adults.

The same ticket cost $164 last week. It's worth noting that there are tickets available at a price between $104 and $179, since there are multiple levels of "busier day" ticket prices.

As you begin to plan your family vacation, make sure you account for higher ticket costs. That way, you can review your personal finance situation and determine if a trip to Disneyland is realistic.

How much a family of four will pay to visit Disneyland

So, how much money can you expect to pay for your next family trip to Disneyland? It depends on whether you'll be visiting on a busy day or on a day when crowds are expected to be low. It also depends on whether you plan to visit one or both parks.

We broke down the pricing to give you an idea of what to expect. For this scenario, we considered a family of four to be two adults and two children under the age of nine.

If you plan to visit both Disneyland parks, you can expect to pay more to park-hop. Here's a breakdown of what you'll pay for a family of four:

As you can see, it could easily cost close to $1,000 just on park tickets alone if you're hoping to spend one day hopping between two parks and are visiting on a popular day.

How to save money on Disneyland tickets

Since there is a significant difference in ticket price depending on when you visit the park, it can be beneficial to plan your vacation accordingly. If you can be flexible and book strategically, you can keep more money in your bank account by visiting the park on a day when tickets cost less. For a family, the savings can add up.

Another option is to visit Disneyland over multiple days. While you'll spend more money overall, the per-day ticket cost is much cheaper if you buy tickets for a three-day or four-day trip.

Finally, don't ignore other ways to save money on admission. For example, AAA offers discounted tickets. Additionally, Disneyland sells discounted multi-day park hopper tickets to current and retired U.S. military members.

Plan before you take a vacation

No matter what you do, it pays to plan and save before your trip. You can set up automated savings withdrawals to pay for a vacation, and let your savings grow in a high-yield interest savings account. It's also a good idea to set a vacation budget so you can have fun while continuing to honor your financial goals.