Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing admission prices and hotel rates in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance.
In May, the company began offering discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom still need to be purchased separately. These lower prices, which will be available until September 24, represent a significant reduction from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is making efforts to lower overall trip costs by reducing prices on its most affordable hotel options. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be booked for as low as $100 a night, depending on the booking time, reflecting discounts of up to 27% on regular rates, as reported by Bloomberg.
The parks have also rolled out new dining packages this summer that cut food costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which are redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is expanding its quick meal options, offering more budget-friendly food for kids, and introducing more adaptable restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the decline in customer satisfaction partly to the rising cost of dining within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings fell from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining options to fixed-price meals at many popular locations.
While Testa acknowledged the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these changes may not indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he stated.