He pointed out in a story that 13 months had passed since Disneyland's last price increase and the hikes at both domestic resorts were lower than previous ones.
Disney sets prices according to how busy the parks are expected to be on any given day, a change the company ushered in a few years ago to manage crowds and encourage more people to turn up when parks are slower.
It's a strategy executives embrace, even if regular parkgoers complain that they're being priced out of a family vacation. In an earnings call last year, CEO Robert Iger said the company is trying to take advantage of the parks' popularity to make the experience better for people who buy tickets.
"We know that crowding can be an issue and that when our parks are the most crowded, the guest experience is not what we would like it to be," Iger said. "So, we're leveraging the popularity to obviously increase pricing and to spread demand to get much more strategic about how we're pricing."
The company has also seen its costs increase as it builds more attractions at parks around the globe and pays workers more, which observers say is another factor in the higher cost of entry.
"A visit to our parks is the best value in entertainment bar none, and we offer flexible ticket choices to enable families to choose what's best for them," Disney said in a statement.
Niles said he expects the company to keep raising its prices but to address any attendance slumps with discounts.
"There seem to be a ton of people willing to pay whatever price, and Disney doesn't want to leave money on the table if people are willing to pay those high prices," said Martin Lewison, an associate professor of business management at Farmingdale State College who studies the theme-park industry, in an email.
He added: "The truth is that you can't experience anything like Disney anywhere else, and people still feel like they are getting value for money, even at the 'outrageous' prices."
