Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing the cost of admission and hotel accommodations in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and decreasing park attendance. Over the past few months, the resort has introduced discounts, including a three-day ticket package priced at $89 per day, which allows access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
This promotion, running until September 24, marks a significant drop from the former high price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to the ticket discounts, Disney is lowering the price of its least expensive hotel options. Rates at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 per night, depending on the booking date, representing discounts of up to 27% on regular prices, according to Bloomberg analysis.
New dining packages have also been launched this summer, offering prices that are 20% to 30% lower for meals inside the parks. These plans allow families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, applicable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney World is expanding its offerings of quick meal options, introducing more affordable kids’ meals, and adjusting restaurant policies for greater flexibility.
Experts highlight the rising costs of dining as a contributing factor to declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants. Although Testa acknowledges the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warns that they may not necessarily indicate a long-term commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”