In response to rising customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been gradually lowering admission and hotel prices over recent months.
Beginning in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to enjoy Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom at a rate of $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom are still sold separately. These reduced ticket prices, available until September 24, are a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is making efforts to lower overall travel costs to the Florida resort by decreasing the prices of its most affordable hotel options. For example, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can start as low as $100, depending on the booking dates, reflecting discounts of up to 27% off regular prices, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks have also launched new dining packages, offering meal plans that reduce food costs by 20% to 30%. These meal options allow families to purchase all-day dining passes at $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks within the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is expanding quick meal selections, providing more affordable choices for children’s meals, and adopting more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts have identified rising food prices within the parks as a contributing factor to the decrease in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that satisfaction ratings dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many beloved restaurants. While Testa acknowledged the positive aspects of Disney’s cost-reduction measures, he warned that these changes may not indicate a genuine focus on affordability or improving guest experiences. He remarked that Disney has historically prioritized revenue over maintaining high customer satisfaction ratings.