Walt Disney World has recently implemented a series of discounts on admission and hotel stays in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance.
Beginning in May, Disney offered discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to access Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must be purchased separately. These lower ticket prices will remain in effect until September 24, marking a notable reduction from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to lower the overall cost of visiting the resort by providing discounts on its most affordable hotel options. Rates for a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can drop to as low as $100, based on the timing of the booking, translating to discounts of up to 27% off standard rates, as per analysis from Bloomberg.
New dining packages have also been introduced this summer, which offer savings of 20% to 30% on meals within the parks. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout their visit. Furthermore, Disney World is reportedly enhancing quick meal options, offering cheaper food for children, and implementing more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute the rise in costs for dining inside the parks as a key factor contributing to the drop in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, highlighted a significant decline in customer satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60%, coinciding with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the positive nature of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he expressed skepticism about whether these changes indicate a genuine commitment to making visits more affordable or enhancing guest satisfaction, noting that Disney has historically balanced customer ratings against revenue opportunities.