Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing admission and hotel prices over recent months as it grapples with rising customer dissatisfaction and dwindling park attendance.
In May, the company began offering three-day ticket packages that allow visitors to explore Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets for the Magic Kingdom still need to be purchased separately. These lower prices, effective until September 24, mark a significant drop from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Simultaneously, Disney is lowering the overall cost of trips to its Florida resort by slashing prices on its budget hotel options. Nightly rates at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on booking dates, representing discounts of up to 27% from standard rates, as noted in a Bloomberg analysis.
Additionally, the parks have introduced new dining packages this summer, offering reductions of 20% to 30% on meal costs. Families can now buy all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, applicable to various meals and snacks across the parks. Disney is also offering more quick meal choices, lower-priced kids’ food, and flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the decline in customer satisfaction in part to the rising expense of dining within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, which surveys thousands of Disney guests each year, mentioned that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60%, coinciding with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these actions may not genuinely reflect a commitment to improving affordability or guest satisfaction. He noted that historically, Disney has been willing to compromise some positive feedback in exchange for increased revenue.