Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing the prices of admission and hotel stays in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance over the past few months.
In May, the company introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. These lower ticket prices will be available until September 24 and represent a significant reduction from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is aiming to make trips to its Florida resort more affordable by offering discounts on its most economical hotel accommodations. For example, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort can cost as little as $100, depending on booking dates, marking discounts of up to 27% off regular rates, based on a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, Disney parks have also rolled out new dining packages which reduce meal costs by 20% to 30%. These meal passes are available for $30 per child and $95 per adult and allow families to redeem them for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. The resort is offering more quick meal options, affordable kid’s meals, and more flexible restaurant policies to enhance guest experiences.
Experts in Disney operations attribute the rising costs of dining inside the parks as a contributing factor to the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, revealed that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed price meals at several popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the merit of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he expressed concern that these strategies might not signify a genuine commitment to affordability or enhancing guest satisfaction. He noted that Disney has historically chosen to sacrifice some customer ratings for increased revenue.