Walt Disney World has been discreetly reducing admission and hotel prices in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and falling park attendance. Over the past few months, the resort has introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to experience Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, with separate tickets still required for Magic Kingdom.
These lower ticket prices, effective until September 24, represent a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass. Alongside ticket discounts, Disney is also lowering the prices of its budget hotel options, with stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort starting as low as $100 depending on the booking date. A Bloomberg analysis indicates that these hotel discounts can reach up to 27% off regular rates.
This summer, the parks have rolled out new dining packages, which offer meal deals that decrease dining costs by 20% to 30%. These plans allow families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks within the parks. Additionally, Disney World is reportedly increasing the availability of quick meal options, offering cheaper children’s food, and implementing more flexible restaurant policies.
Industry experts attribute the decrease in customer satisfaction partly to rising food prices within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted a significant drop in customer satisfaction ratings, from 90% to 60%, correlating with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meal offerings at popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the potential positive impact of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he also warned that this trend may not reflect a genuine commitment to making the experience more affordable or improving guest satisfaction, suggesting that Disney has historically been willing to trade off customer ratings for revenue.