Walt Disney World is responding to increasing customer discontent and decreased attendance by quietly reducing the prices of admission and hotel stays in recent months.
Since May, Disney has been promoting discounted three-day ticket packages allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for as low as $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. This marks a significant reduction from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass. The discounted prices will be available until September 24.
In addition to this, Disney is lowering the costs of its budget hotel accommodations, with rates at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort starting as low as $100, depending on the timing of bookings. These price reductions can represent discounts of up to 27%, as reported by Bloomberg.
Furthermore, the parks have recently initiated new dining packages that provide discounts of 20% to 30% on food purchases. Families can buy all-day meal passes for $30 for children and $95 for adults, which can be used for various meals and snacks across the parks. Disney World is also increasing quick meal options, offering cheaper children’s food, and implementing more flexible dining policies.
Customer satisfaction has reportedly declined due to rising food costs inside the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, mentioned that 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 commended Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he cautioned that these actions might not necessarily indicate a genuine dedication to improving affordability or customer satisfaction, noting that Disney has historically been willing to compromise positive ratings for increased revenue.