Walt Disney World has been responding to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by implementing various discounts on admission and hotel stays over the last few months.
Since May, Disney has been offering reduced-price three-day ticket packages that grant access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. This reduced pricing, effective until September 24, marks a significant decline from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to lower ticket prices, Disney is also trying to make trips to its Florida resort more affordable by discounting its cheapest hotel options. A stay at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort may cost as little as $100 per night, depending on booking dates, which represents discounts of up to 27% off regular rates, as highlighted by a Bloomberg analysis.
Furthermore, the parks have introduced new dining packages this summer that aim to lower meal costs by 20% to 30%. These packages allow families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney is also reportedly providing more quick-service meal options, lower-priced options for kids, and more relaxed restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the increasing cost of dining inside the parks as a key factor behind the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, revealed that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney switched from a la carte dining to fixed price meals at many popular restaurants. While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting initiatives, he warned that these measures might not necessarily indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or customer satisfaction, noting that Disney has historically balanced positive ratings against revenue goals.