Anaheim councilmember proposes tax on entertainment ticket, parking

Entertainment tax: Are you willing to pay more for Disneyland tickets?

There's a chance you could pay more for a Disneyland vacation. Discussions are underway for a new tax on Anaheim entertainment destinations.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - There’s a chance you could pay a little more for that Disneyland vacation in the future.

Discussions are underway for a new tax for Anaheim’s entertainment venues. The council member proposing the idea says it’s about having enough and proper resources for Anaheim residents.

On Wednesday, some Disneyland parkgoers say they wouldn’t mind paying a little more to visit the Happiest Place on Earth.

"We’re going to come anyway," a Disneyland visitor said. "Those who want to be here are going to do it anyway."

Others say they’d rather not dish out more dollars for Disneyland.

"We really love Disneyland; it’s really hard to come to Disneyland with the prices already," another Disneyland visitor said.

"I definitely don’t take a tax or an assessment on business lightly," said Anaheim Council Member Natalie Rubalcava, who represents District 3.

She says if prices were to go up just a bit, it’s for a good reason. Rubalcava is proposing a new tax on tickets and parking at entertainment venues in the city. She says the reason behind it is to boost the city’s revenue and fund a growing city.

"We are $60 million in deficit here in Anaheim, so it is important for me to be proactive as a policy maker to ensure we are able to provide clean parks, safe streets," Rubalcava said.

She says the measure could mean a 2 or 3 percent tax on tickets and possibly a 5 percent tax on parking for those heading to a baseball game, theme park, or concert. She says the focus is generating revenue from tourism rather than directly from residents.

"We’ve looked at a sales tax, which would have a direct negative impact on our residents who are already struggling to put food on the table and gas in their car," Rubalcava said.

Some families are not a fan of potentially paying more for theme parks.

"Raising would be a very difficult thing, especially for families, young families," a woman visiting Disneyland on Wednesday said.

Ultimately, the entertainment tax would be up to Anaheim residents. Rubalcava says she is hoping voters can weigh in on the issue as a ballot initiative in 2026.

"I’m really hoping they will support this so the voters of Anaheim can weigh in on whether or not they think this is an important thing for our city," she said.

The tax proposal would not impact public spaces or public parking.

FOX 11 did reach out to Disney for a comment on this proposal. We are waiting to hear back.