Los Angeles, California —

Theme park fans dread what has become an expected annual price increase for US Disney parks. But the new prices that hit Wednesday morning — along with some of the best discount offers in years — suggest the media and entertainment giant is being strategic in a year when no brand-new rides are likely to open, and many guests feel wary about the economy overall.

There will still be sticker shock for those trying to visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland on the busiest days of the year. The most expensive, single-day, single-park ticket during the Christmas or New Year’s weeks, for example, will go up 5% in Florida to $209 plus tax (the first time Magic Kingdom tickets will cross the $200 threshold). For Disneyland Resort in California, that peak ticket goes up b

See Full Page