Walt Disney World has been quietly lowering admission and hotel prices in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance over recent months.
In May, the company started offering discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom remain available separately.
These reduced ticket prices, valid until September 24, represent a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to make trips to the Florida resort more affordable by lowering rates for its budget accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can cost as little as $100, depending on booking dates, with discounts as much as 27% off the usual rates, according to Bloomberg.
This summer, the parks also launched new dining packages that cut food costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes at $30 for children and $95 for adults, redeemable for various meals and snacks across the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is expanding quick meal options, introducing more affordable kid’s meals, and implementing more flexible dining policies.
Experts point to the rising cost of dining inside the parks as a key reason for the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, reported a drop in customer satisfaction from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many of its popular restaurants.
While Testa appreciates Disney’s cost-reduction measures, he warns that this approach may not signify a genuine dedication to affordability or enhancing guest satisfaction. He noted, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”