Disneyland is supposed to be the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but maybe not so much for the person who’s paying. Prices recently went up again and with a tiered-price system based on demand.

Somewhat like the express lanes on I-95, you can expect to pay more if you’re visiting Disneyland on a day when the park is crowded or during the busy season. 

Prices at Disneyland have risen faster than inflation in 2022, New York Post reported.

One-day, one-park tickets are the cheapest with prices ranging from $104 for adults and children age 10 and up to $179 for adults, depending on demand.

“The same ticket cost $164 last week,” The Motley Fool reported on Oct. 13. There are tickets available between $104 and $179 because there are multiple levels of “busier day” ticket prices.

A family of four could pay as much as $1,100 to spend the day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in the upcoming holiday season — and that’s before food or souvenirs.

Two adults and two children age 3 to 9 would pay $1,086 per day including parking, the “Genie+” skip-the-line pass, and a “park-hopping” ticket that would allow them to move freely between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

Food, toys and souvenirs could put the total price tag closer to $1,500.

There are ways to save money on Disneyland tickets if you are flexible. Unlike some other amusement parks, Disneyland operates on a tiered-price system. That means a significant difference in ticket price depending on when you visit the park, so booking strategically on a day when tickets cost less can save you money.

The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Disneyland Anaheim is usually early to mid-September, according to Champion Traveler, a provider of data on the best times to visit popular tourist destinations around the world.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been criticized by fans for raising prices about 10 percent, which is more than the 8.2 percent Consumer Price Index increase reported by the US government for September, New York Post reported.

Pete Werner, the CEO of Disney fan site wdwinfo.com, told CNN that Disney’s bottom line is to “make more money with fewer people.” The company doesn’t care who it prices out to achieve its goal, he said.

“And I’m going to tell you that the quality of the product is less, in my opinion, is less now than it was prior to the pandemic, yet the price has gone up considerably,” Werner added.