Walt Disney World has been implementing discounts on admission and hotel stays in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance over recent months.
Since May, Disney has introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, enabling visitors to explore Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets to Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. This is a significant reduction from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to lowering ticket prices, Disney is also working to make trips to the Florida resort more affordable by reducing rates on its economy hotel options. Guests can find rooms at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort for as low as $100 per night, depending on booking dates, equating to discounts of up to 27% off standard prices, as reported by Bloomberg.
The parks have introduced new dining packages this summer that aim to cut food costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, valid at select dining locations throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney World is reportedly adding more quick meal options, lower-priced food for children, and more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts point to rising food prices inside the parks as one factor contributing to the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction rates have plummeted from 90% to 60% as the company shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledges the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warns that these changes may not indicate a genuine commitment to improved affordability or customer satisfaction. He highlighted that Disney has historically been willing to trade off positive customer ratings for increased revenue.