Amid growing customer discontent and decreasing attendance, Walt Disney World has been reducing admission and hotel prices over recent months.
In May, the company initiated a promotion offering discounted three-day ticket bundles that grant access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for the Magic Kingdom must still be bought separately.
These reduced ticket prices, available until September 24, mark a significant drop from the previous record-high price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Simultaneously, Disney is aiming to lower the overall cost of visits to the Florida destination by cutting prices on its basic hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort might start at $100, based on booking timing. These reductions reflect as much as a 27% discount on regular rates, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks also launched new dining packages that decrease meal expenses by 20% to 30%. The dining plan allows families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks within the parks. Disney World is reportedly introducing more quick meal options, lower-priced food for children, and enhancing restaurant policies for flexibility.
Industry experts attribute the rising cost of dining in parks as one factor contributing to decreased customer satisfaction.
Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, a site that conducts annual surveys of Disney visitors, noted that customer satisfaction ratings plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa applauded Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he cautioned that these actions might not genuinely reflect a commitment to affordability or improving guest satisfaction.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he stated.