Disneyland is one of the most whimsical places on earth. Although there are many Disneylands located around the world, Disney has tight protocols and rules employees have to follow so that each of their guests has a magical time when they visit.
Because of Disneyland’s popularity, it’s no surprise that many people want to celebrate momentous events in their lives inside the theme park, whether it’s in downtown Disney or on any of its popular rides. But how much does it cost to rent out an entire Disneyland park for one day? If the prices of a single-day ticket are any indication, we can bet it’s not going to be cheap.
Can You Even Rent Out Disneyland for a Day?
Unfortunately, renting out Disneyland for the entire day is out of the question. Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott may have rented out the entire Six Flags at $100,000 an hour last year, but Disneyland rarely closes Disneyland to the public during operating hours and is open to anyone who can afford its tickets all year round.
There have been occasions when Disney would close a park for private events, but this is very rare. In 1992, Liz Taylor had a private birthday bash in Disneyland and invited hundreds of celebrities and friends. No outsiders and press members were allowed into downtown Disney, but the park did tape the celebration and broadcast it for everyday people to watch on television. While Disneyland officials did not comment on how much she had spent on the event, during that time, it cost $8,000 (around $14,500 today, adjusted for inflation) to rent the entire park after hours. While Disneyland had been rented out by corporations prior to 1992, this was the first time an individual rented it out for personal use.
The next time a person would pay to have the whole park, from downtown Disney to its most popular attractions, to themselves and their guests was in 2013 when a Saudi prince paid 15 million euros to host private three-day Disney extravaganzas called Disney Dreamers Everywhere. He hosted private parties in Tokyo, California, Florida, and Paris Disneyland for around 60 guests. However, he only paid for private parties held early morning before the park opened to the public and then after 11 PM until 2 AM every night. So, unlike Liz Taylor, he did not close down regular operations, and people were still allowed to visit.
So, since it may be impossible to determine how much you would need to pay for the entire day considering Disney doesn’t close down its entire park for just anyone, let’s see how much it costs to host an event there.
Disneyland Weddings
The rules may vary in other countries, but Disneyland Resort offers packages for people looking to celebrate their birthdays, weddings, quinceañeras, and graduations. You can only host these before or after operational hours, which are before 8 AM and after 10 PM. Based on their wedding prices on DisneyWeddings.com, however, it won’t be cheap.
You can get married in Disney’s locations in California, Florida, and Hawaii. Weddings in the Californian theme park come in two types: “Wishes” and “Escape.” Downtown Disney is also a popular place for weddings that want to have a truly American experience.
Escape Collection
Escape is for smaller wedding groups with up to 18 guests. The total cost starts at $6,500 and can go higher depending on custom requests from the couple. This includes some of the basic things you need to have a wedding party, including a two-tier cake, a wedding officiant, and a 3-course meal selection for the guests. Additional enhancements like flowers, entertainment, or a visit from a Disney character will require extra payment.
This one is only available from Monday to Thursday, excluding the holidays, though. You can book up to six months in advance. This is the ideal choice if you’re on a budget but want to see your fairy tale ending happen inside a Disney theme park.
Wishes Collection
The Wishes Collection, on the other hand, are for couples who want to go all-out and have a larger budget for their Disney wedding. The price of this package starts at $15,000 and couples should have at least 18 guests.
Unlike the Escape Collection, all weddings that fall under the Wishes Collection must have both a wedding ceremony and a reception. A wedding ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel start at $4,000, while the most expensive is a wedding in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle followed by a reception in the theme park after hours starting at $180,000. Other expenses include decorations, floral arrangements, transportation, and food.
Renting Out Parts of the Park
Besides weddings, some people want to host events but don’t want the entire park to themselves. It is possible to give Disneyland a call and ask to rent out a specific area before or after operational hours, but the price depends on availability.
According to one source, renting out one ride or attraction is $50,000 for four hours. It is also possible to rent out areas such as Adventure Land and Downtown Disney, with prices starting at around $250,000.
What If I Can Afford to Pay Millions?
If you’re reading this, you might think you have the financial means to pull a second Liv Taylor and pay to have Disneyland all to yourself, your friends, and your family for one day by offering them twice what they make on average in one day.
While Disney is silent about how much each park makes per day, we can estimate that Disneyland can earn around six to ten million a day, and that’s not including Downtown Disney’s restaurants and shops. That depends on factors such as how busy the day is (weekends are busier than weekdays, for example). But let’s say you’re generous and are willing to offer $20 million just for them to shut down for just one day. Disneyland would still be unlikely to turn away the public for you.
It has less to do with the earnings and more with the fact that it is a logistical nightmare to shut down regular operations for just one day – even if you double the price. Disney has become so big and so popular that it operates mostly like a theme park but its passes sell like airline tickets. Disneyland tickets aren’t the most affordable, so most people who do want to visit plan weeks or even months in advance.
Imagine a parent with two kids who finally managed to scrape enough money to take their kids to a fun day in Disneyland. They buy the ticket, plan the date, and then drive out of state just to visit. Once they get there, though, they’re turned at the gate because someone bought out the entire park. That parent’s kids would be disappointed and the parent would be furious. Sure, Disney can offer a refund or an exchange for passes for another day, but that won’t change the time and effort wasted just to get there.
So, even if you could pay $20 million to keep Disneyland all to yourself for one day, Disneyland would be making a $10 million loss from people who weren’t informed the park was closed (because it was assumed Disneyland was open every day of the year).
That doesn’t include the negative press they’d get from thousands of would-be guests complaining about the inconvenience. Disney recognizes this possibility a long time ago and knew the profit of closing down the park for a day for one person isn’t worth the trouble they’d get from other guests.
Still, though, the idea of Disneyland all to yourself, from walking around a deserted Downtown Disney to visiting any rides without the long lines and pushy rude guests sounds good to the ordinary Disney fan. But even if you’re a millionaire, it’s highly unlikely that Disneyland will close down for you and turn away its other potential guests. And in a place like Disneyland where dreams can come true, this dream might be one of the few ones that will remain a dream. You are probably better off watching all the Disney princess movies in the comfort of your home.
